Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rezoning Wholesale Farm Supply topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning board recommends conditional rezoning for wholesale farm-supply site near Moy Turnage Road
Summary
The Pitt County Planning Board voted to recommend approval of a conditional rezoning for a 15.18-acre wholesale farm-supply distribution site proposed by Michael Hammond, subject to site-plan, landscaping, stormwater, erosion-control and other conditions; the matter goes to the County Commissioners on March 16.
The Pitt County Planning Board on Wednesday recommended approval of a conditional rezoning that would allow a wholesale farm-parts and hardware distribution business on 15.18 acres near Moy Turnage Road and US 264.
Planning staff told the board the parcel (No. 13255) currently designated agricultural on the Envision Pitt County 2045 future land-use map is suitable for a commercial conditional district because it is located near a rural center node and major thoroughfares. Staff recommended approval with standard conditions including a site plan conforming to Appendix B of the zoning ordinance, a required 10-foot landscape buffer, paved parking and loading areas, a soil erosion and sedimentation control plan for disturbances over 1 acre, and compliance with the Pitt County stormwater ordinance and applicable inspections and permits.
Applicant Michael Hammond said his family-run business would operate primarily as a wholesale distributor to farms, employ roughly 10 people and keep parts and inventory indoors. "We would not have retail traffic," Hammond said, adding the operation would run roughly 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and that the company intends to maintain a "barn-style" aesthetic and screening to be "good neighbors."
Neighbors told the board they are concerned the rezoning could attract additional commercial uses, increase traffic and noise, and reduce quality of life. "Commercial property attracts other commercial property," said Sheila Turnage, who said her family has lived near the site for generations and asked the board to refuse the request. Rodney Beasley raised drainage worries, telling the board recent highway work clogged ditches and could worsen flooding if nearby drainage paths are altered.
Board members asked staff whether a traffic study would be required and whether environmental protections would be enforced. Planning staff said traffic studies are not routinely required for projects of this scale but that NCDOT would review driveway and access during site-plan review, and that erosion control, stormwater and septic requirements would be enforced through site-plan and permitting steps.
Commissioner [first referenced by full name in board materials] moved to recommend approval, and another commissioner seconded the motion. The board approved the recommendation by voice/hand vote; individual recorded votes were not entered in the meeting minutes. The recommendation will be heard by the Pitt County Board of County Commissioners at a public hearing set for March 16.
The planning staff noted conditional rezoning approvals are reviewed by staff inspections every two years and that any future change in the site's use would require a return to the board for modification of the conditional-district permit.
