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Board of Adjustment approves five special-use permits, including Firefly Cafe
Summary
At its Oct. 23 meeting the City of New Bern Board of Adjustment approved written decisions for four previously considered special-use permits and issued SUP003143-2025 to Firefly Cafe; the Firefly decision followed debate on appraisal standards.
The City of New Bern Board of Adjustment on Oct. 23 approved several special-use permits and related written decisions. The board adopted written decisions for Dayspring Ministries (SUP0031472025), Epiphany School of Global Studies (SUP0031482025), King Lassu Bar and Cigar Loans (SUP0031482025), and the Charles Taylor Building renovation (SUP0031442025). Those items were adopted by motion and recorded as "motion carries" in the meeting record; specific roll-call tallies for those four items are not specified in the transcript excerpts provided.
The board also issued a special-use permit for Firefly Cafe (SUP003143-2025) at 901 B Pollock Street after testimony, staff presentation, and attorney guidance on evidentiary standards. Board counsel advised that state statute and case law require competent, site- and use-specific evidence when assessing impacts on adjacent property values. After debate, the board recorded a roll-call vote of 5–0 to issue the Firefly permit.
Summary of actions recorded in the meeting:
- Dayspring Ministries — SUP0031472025: written decision adopted ("motion carries"); vote tally not specified in the transcript excerpt. - Epiphany School of Global Studies — SUP0031482025: written decision adopted; vote tally not specified. - King Lassu Bar and Cigar Loans — SUP0031482025: approved; vote tally not specified. - Charles Taylor Building renovation — SUP0031442025: adopted; vote tally not specified. - Firefly Cafe — SUP003143-2025: special-use permit issued after board deliberation; roll-call recorded as 5–0 in favor.
The board also discussed scheduling of policy and procedure topics for a future meeting and adjourned. The meeting record includes staff recommendations, county tax records used as evidentiary material in the Firefly packet, and letters of neighbor support submitted by the applicant.
