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Commissioners approve two Morris Road rezonings to Planned Mobile Home District; residents raise emergency-access concerns
Summary
The Board approved two related rezoning requests on Morris Road to allow MC (Planned Mobile Home) development, while residents warned that the private road must be upgraded for emergency access and stormwater before development proceeds.
Carteret County commissioners voted Oct. 20 to approve two related rezoning requests on Morris Road that change two privately held parcels to MC (Planned Mobile Home District).
Planning staff presented the first application, a 4.25-acre parcel proposed for rezoning from Rural Agricultural to MC; the Planning Commission recommended the change 6-0 and staff noted the parcel is surrounded by MC zoning. An applicant representative from Tidewater Associates said the 4.2-acre tract would be combined with a larger 36-acre MC parcel to avoid split zoning.
Neighbor Michael J. Mooney told the board the single-lane dirt road is regularly impassable in storms, was closed for days during Hurricane Florence, and limits emergency access; he said heavy dust from traffic has affected his horses. "If they're not gonna put a paved road in, you know, I'll fight this thing tooth and nail," he said.
Planning staff and the developer said that, if development proceeds, the route would have to be upgraded to an all-weather travelway complying with NCDOT base standards and fire-marshal access (the applicant estimated upgrades to an 18-foot travelway and staff noted local requirements may require a 20-foot width). Staff and commissioners emphasized that stormwater and wastewater reviews and Technical Review Committee sign-offs are required after a site plan is submitted.
The board closed the public hearing, approved the 4.25-acre rezoning and adopted the Planning Commission's consistency finding that the rezoning would make the property consistent with surrounding parcels and provide affordable housing options. The board then heard a related request to rezone a 0.8-acre split parcel on Morris Road to MC; the Planning Commission had recommended approval 6-0, and after public comments and applicant responses the board approved that rezoning and its consistency statement as well.
Commissioners and staff stressed that approval of a zoning map change does not replace required engineering, stormwater, wastewater, TRC review or fire-marshal determinations; those reviews will determine final road and utility upgrades before development can proceed.
