Southampton supervisors refer major 271‑acre comp‑plan amendment back to planning commission after resident concerns

The Southampton County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 17 declined to change the county’s comprehensive plan tonight and instead referred a major application to the Planning Commission for additional review. The application, filed on behalf of landowner Robert E. Miller, asked the county to redesignate approximately 271 acres from agricultural/forest/open‑space to industrial.

Planner Jay Randolph told the board the request is a major amendment and that the Planning Commission had previously voted 7–1 to recommend denial, noting the comprehensive plan was adopted earlier in the year and that a large, late amendment could undermine the plan’s process. "There are no public utilities available on this site," Randolph said, cautioning that industrial designation would likely trigger future rezoning applications and that the change deserved careful consideration.

Several nearby property owners and residents urged caution. Sherry Stoddard, who said she owns an 8‑acre parcel that would become surrounded by industrial land, said, "This would affect my quality of life on my property as well as my ability to resell it in the future." Ed Miller, who with his brother owns the parcel under consideration, said they have been approached by potential industrial users and that the amendment would give them the option to market the frontage to industry.

A commercial representative who said he had solicited interest from prospective industrial tenants urged the board to allow a plan amendment that would provide road frontage and options for future marketing. Other supervisors and residents emphasized the lack of public utilities — water and sewer — along the corridor and questioned whether an industrial designation now would be premature.

After extended discussion about whether the amended application (which had been split and altered since it was considered by the Planning Commission) needed to return to the Planning Commission or whether the board could act tonight, supervisors voted to take no final approval or denial and to send the application back for additional Planning Commission review and public notification.

Next steps: staff will refer the amended application back to the Planning Commission for further review and public outreach; the board retains up to 12 months to take final action if substantial changes are not made.

Sources: public hearing testimony and staff presentation at the Dec. 17 Southampton County Board of Supervisors meeting.