The Goldsboro City Council on Jan. 5 voted to accept the withdrawal of a rezoning request and to continue decisions on two special-use permits to its Feb. 2 meeting.

Mayor opened the meeting and read Resolution 2026-1, recognizing Allen Anderson Jr. for more than 31 years of service as the city’s building codes administrator; council moved and unanimously adopted the resolution to be incorporated into the official minutes.

On land-use items: planning staff said the applicant for rezoning RZ 05-25 (Glenda Blanding) asked to withdraw the request after determining the costs of annexation and extending water and sewer made the proposal infeasible. The council opened the advertised public hearing, heard no public testimony on the item, and voted to accept the withdrawal per staff recommendation.

A separate conditional zoning request, CZ 4-25 (Tucker Trace), was represented by Berlin Engineering and the applicant asked for a 30-day continuance. The council opened the hearing to permit any members of the public to speak, heard none, and voted to continue that hearing to Feb. 2, 2026.

Council also considered two special-use permit applications that received substantial staff and public questioning. SU-725, an application for a place-of-entertainment/bar at 2606 N. Williams St., prompted questions about spacing rules, proximity to residential and child-centered uses, operating hours and a four-part quasi-judicial test. Councilmembers debated possible public-safety concerns and procedural limitations on outside evidence; a motion that the request would not endanger public health or safety failed for lack of a second. Council then voted to table SU-725 to the Feb. 2 meeting to allow staff and the applicant to supply more information.

SU-925, a proposed convenience store (no fuel) at 1515 E. Ash St., also drew lengthy staff analysis and public comment. Planning staff noted the corridor’s comprehensive plan designates the area for office and institutional uses and described the request as not consistent with the existing land-use map. The applicant’s representative said the proposed store would not sell alcohol or THC products and described a basic product mix and drive-thru service. Neighbors and adjacent property owners raised compatibility concerns, noting a nearby church and a children’s play venue. Council closed the public hearing and voted to table the formal vote on SU-925 until Feb. 2 while staff follows up on outstanding questions.

The council left the record open for the Feb. 2 docket on the land-use items, giving staff time to provide additional details requested by councilmembers.

Next steps: the council will revisit CZ 4-25, SU-725 and SU-925 on Feb. 2, when public hearings and votes are scheduled to resume.