Burke County to buy 427-acre tract for industrial development for $2.4 million

Austin Stacy, director of the Burke County Development Authority, told the Board that an approximately 427-acre tract off Highway 56 had been identified for future industrial development and that the negotiated purchase price after due diligence is $2.4 million.

Commissioner R. Tommy Nix moved to approve the land purchase and a corresponding $2.4 million budget amendment; Commissioner Evans Martin seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The Board did not specify further terms in the meeting minutes.

The decision authorizes the county to proceed with the acquisition and to reflect the purchase in the FY25 budget, according to staff presentation. The development authority had presented the tract as suitable for future industrial uses; no further site-specific tenants or development timetables were discussed at the session.

Next steps identified by staff include finalizing closing procedures and incorporating the purchase into the county’s capital and operating plans, including any future site preparation or infrastructure costs that will require separate approvals.