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Person County OKs partial rezoning near Providence Cemetery after church objections
Summary
The board approved rezoning three of six parcels on the west side of Jim Thorpe Highway but postponed action on the parcels adjacent to Providence Cemetery after neighbors—led by Providence Baptist Church—raised access, traffic and environmental concerns and said the owner would not clarify proposed uses.
The Person County Board of Commissioners voted Nov. 3 to approve rezoning three of six parcels along Jim Thorpe Highway while leaving the three parcels east of U.S. 501 (adjacent to Providence Cemetery) off the approval.
Planning Director Margaret summarized rezoning petition ARZ-02-25, explaining the property owner asked to change roughly 6.62 acres across six parcels near Jim Thorpe Highway and Bridgeline Road from residential to highway/business classifications. The planning board recommended approval 4–2 after its October meeting.
At the public hearing, the interim pastor of Providence Baptist Church, Doug Dickerson, urged the board to delay or deny rezoning the parcels adjacent to the church’s cemetery. “We were not told what they planned to put there,” Dickerson said, citing worries about hazardous commercial uses, chemicals and fertilizers, truck traffic and use of Cemetery Road as an access point that currently reads ‘no outlet.’
Commissioners and planning staff explained that a general-purpose rezoning does not require the applicant to identify a specific business and that the board cannot bind future uses beyond zoning classifications. Commissioners expressed sympathy for the church’s desire for direct dialogue with the landowner but said the county’s zoning code must be applied to the full list of permitted uses in a business district.
Faced with split sentiment and concern from neighbors, a substitute motion carried to approve rezoning only the parcels west of U.S. 501 (the three parcels across from Jim Thorpe Highway) and leave the eastern parcels for potential future action. The board voted by voice in favor of the substitute motion.
County staff noted the property owner may refile immediately under recent state law changes that remove waiting periods for refiling. The board also encouraged continued community engagement between the owner and adjacent property owners to discuss potential uses.
What happens next: The east-side parcels remain residential until the owner submits another rezoning application or further dialogue occurs.
Sources: Public hearing testimony from Doug Dickerson; comments and motion by Chair Kyle Preer and commissioners; Planning Director Margaret.
