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Cumberland County approves rezoning near Spring Lake over drone and enforcement concerns
Summary
The board unanimously approved rezoning Case ZON250044 from R6A to office and institutional (ONI), after a planning board recommendation and applicant assurances about drone testing. Commissioners pressed for enforceability of written commitments produced during RULAC review.
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Dec. 15 to approve Case ZON250044, rezoning a parcel near Manchester Road in the Spring Lake area from R6A (residential) to an office and institutional district (ONI).
Why it matters: Planning staff initially recommended denial as the request conflicted with the Spring Lake area land use plan adopted in 2022, but staff said subsequent engagement with the RULAC review process produced written commitments that satisfied RULAC and led the planning board to recommend approval 9–0. Commissioners focused questions on whether those written commitments could be enforced after a rezoning and whether the property would host drone flights.
What was said: Ross Howard, planning and inspections director, described the site as largely wooded and without identified sewer service; he reported staff’s initial inconsistency finding with the adopted land use plan but noted the planning board recommendation for approval after applicant follow-up. Commissioner Abbs asked how written commitments described in a RULAC letter could be enforced once the property is rezoned; Howard said the request was for a standard ONI district and that ordinance standards and federal aviation rules (FAA) would apply.
Agent Daniel Morgan and others told the board the business supports soldiers and mission command systems and said there would be no drone flights from the five-acre site. "I know a 100% fact that there would be no drones flown there, sir," Morgan said, adding that any flight testing would occur on Fort Bragg’s netted facilities. Commissioners noted that because the case was not a conditional rezoning they could not add binding conditions to the approval.
Vote and next steps: Commissioner Patel moved approval and the board adopted the rezoning finding it reasonable and in harmony with surrounding uses; the motion carried unanimously. The applicant must follow standard permitting and plan-submittal processes before development proceeds.
