Residents urge Moore County commissioners to scrutinize proposed Leach Road motorsports park; hearing set Oct. 15

Dozens of residents told Moore County commissioners on Oct. 1 that a proposed automotive-entertainment development on Leach Road would conflict with the county’s land‑use plan and harm surrounding agricultural communities.

Nicholas Sala, a resident who addressed the board during public comment, said the primary legal question for the commissioners is consistency with the land‑use plan and the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). "If you approved this and said it was consistent, you would be arbitrary and capricious," he told the board, warning that such a finding could be appealed to Moore County Superior Court.

Other speakers described local impacts they said would follow from redeveloping roughly 395–396 acres. Joe Freeman, who displayed maps of voluntary agricultural districts, said the proposal would convert substantial forest and farmland and raised environmental and nuisance concerns, including stormwater and noise. "This 400 acres ... proposal is discussing paving or building over 277 acres," Freeman said, urging commissioners to review a noise study labeled "Driven" and the county plans cited in staff materials.

Larry Palmer, a retired builder and former racer, questioned the sufficiency of the project’s traffic and parking plans and said project representatives had not provided full details. He cited the applicant’s projected event scale — five events per year with an estimated 10,000 attendees per event — and asked how local roads would accommodate the traffic.

Speakers also raised cultural and historic concerns. Katie Dunlap said developer sketches omitted an old Leach family cemetery on the site, and other residents urged commissioners to drive the site route and inspect the broader rural character before making land‑use decisions.

Planning staff told the board the planning board had found elements of consistency with the county land‑use plan but ultimately voted to recommend denial of the rezoning. The board voted on Oct. 1 to call a public hearing for the planned development conditional rezoning for Oct. 15, 2024 at 5:30 p.m.; the rezoning request covers three parcels (about 395.67 acres) owned by Jordan 2, LLC.

The board also announced it will recess after a closed session and reconvene at the site on Leach Road for an on‑site visit. A separate trip to Virginia International Raceway was scheduled for Oct. 3; staff said a bus with roughly 36 seats had been reserved with about 15 seats available.

What happens next: The public hearing on Oct. 15 will permit further evidence and testimony under the county’s public‑hearing process; commissioners will decide whether to approve, deny or place conditions on any rezoning. Staff and neighbors asked the board to carefully review the "Driven" noise modeling and traffic and stormwater analyses before the hearing.