Edgecombe County commissioners approve rezoning, financing plan and land‑sale offer; green‑energy and infrastructure items advanced

Edgecombe County commissioners on Sept. 2 voted on a series of land‑use, financing and capital items, approving a conditional rezoning, authorizing installment financing for county projects, accepting a purchase offer on county property and approving multiple infrastructure grants and contracts.

Rezoning: The board approved Case 25‑CRZO3, a conditional rezoning request for roughly 29.32 acres off Jenkins Farm Road in Pine Tops to R‑30C (single‑family residential conditional) with development limited to detached single‑family homes and a proposed 25‑lot subdivision. Planning director Durbin Spenel presented the application and review standards; applicant Bernard McLeod described plans for an affordable neighborhood, saying the request was intended to prevent mobile homes and “put a nice park there.” Commissioners voted to find the application reasonable and consistent with the county comprehensive plan and approved the rezoning.

Installment financing: The board adopted a resolution authorizing an installment financing contract through the Edgecombe County Public Facilities Corporation to fund several capital projects (HVAC, roof replacements, rolling stock and solid‑waste equipment) and authorized issuance of up to $5,000,000 in limited‑obligation bonds, to be purchased by JPMorgan Chase Bank, subject to the Local Government Commission’s review. A county financial adviser summarized timelines for LGC consideration and a possible September closing.

County land sale and proposed data center: Staff presented an offer from Go Forth Solar LLC to buy 21.55 acres at Kingsborough Business Park for $350,000 and an option to purchase an adjoining 100 acres for $1,650,000. Project principals clarified the proposal is for a data center (not a ground‑mounted solar generation project) that would include on‑site power generation using natural gas and carbon‑capture equipment and that the proposal could create up to 500 jobs. Dan Shafer stated the option price: “The amount is 1,650,000.00 for 100 acres.” Commissioners voted to accept the offer and authorize staff to publish the required upset‑bid notice and to proceed with the option; the motion passed 5–1.

Infrastructure and grants: The board accepted a state funding offer totaling $2,724,100 from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (Division of Water Infrastructure) to construct wastewater system improvements for Lone Pine Mobile Home Park and nearby Ridgewood Road residences. The package includes a $862,050 state revolving loan, $500,000 in principal forgiveness and $1,362,050 in grant funds; the board also approved an engineering contract paid from project funds.

Library and other approvals: Commissioners approved the county’s share ($53,250) of a $75,000 HVAC replacement at Edgecombe Memorial Library (Tarboro has appropriated its share). The board approved several budget amendments (items 1, 2 and 4–8; item 3 held), updates to the health department fee schedule, endorsement of four Golden Leaf Foundation grant applications (Edgecombe Works Better workforce hub; Rural Opportunity Institute health pipeline; Tarboro farmer's market/multipurpose pavilion; an Edgecombe County Schools welding program), adoption of an updated regional hazard mitigation plan covering Nash, Edgecombe and Wilson counties, and multiple contracts and reappointments.

Next steps and procedure: For items requiring external approvals, staff noted the LGC meeting (for financing) and upset‑bid period (for the property sale). The board also set an October public hearing for a conventional rezoning request (Case 25‑RZO5). Several items (including ordinance changes for data centers and the solar moratorium review) will proceed through planning‑board review and public hearings before any zoning changes take effect.