Southampton County planning commission opens rezoning hearing for General Mahone Boulevard parcel, continues to September

The Southampton County Planning Commission opened a public hearing on a rezoning request to change roughly 2.5 acres of a 22.8-acre tract on General Mahone Boulevard (US 460 near Holloman Drive) from M1 (industrial) to B2 (Business District 2) and voted to continue the hearing to its September meeting.

The chair read the applicant’s request and noted the property’s current comprehensive-plan designation of industrial, which means a plan amendment will be required if the county is to reclassify the parcel as commercial. Interim community development staff advised that, because no separate comprehensive-plan amendment application had been filed, the applicant will need to submit that amendment and that the two matters could be scheduled concurrently at the September meeting or the commission could continue the public hearing and defer action.

The landowner, Steve Paden, told the commission he owns the property and described plans for a feed-and-farm-supply store with a greenhouse on the 2.5-acre portion while leaving the remaining roughly 20.38 acres in M1. "My name is Steve Paden, and I I own the property that we're talking about," Paden said, and he explained that a produce terminal would require 35–40 acres so he is instead considering a refrigerated warehouse option that requires less land. He said VDOT traffic studies have been completed and that separate entrances would be provided for the different uses.

Commissioners discussed whether to rezone only the 2.5-acre parcel or to change the comp-plan designation for the larger 22.8-acre tract to avoid what one commissioner called an "odd" spot zone. Several members suggested a conditional rezoning — narrowing the list of permitted uses within B2 — to limit future surprises and address neighbors’ concerns. Staff advised that rezoning the entire 22.8-acre tract would require new advertisement and a new public hearing.

After discussion, the commission voted to continue the public hearing to the September meeting to allow the applicant to submit additional detail and for staff to prepare the necessary comprehensive-plan amendment materials; the vote was unanimous. The commission also encouraged the applicant to provide a condition list of uses he intends to pursue so the commission can consider a conditioned rezoning.

The record shows no final rezoning action was taken at the meeting; the public hearing remains open and will resume in September when the applicant is expected to return with more detailed materials and staff-proposed notification/advertisement steps.

The commission’s next procedural steps include receiving the applicant’s comprehensive-plan amendment application, reviewing any proposed conditions on the rezoning, re-advertising if the scope changes, and resuming the public hearing at the September meeting.