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Council denies rezoning of 46.3-acre Burris Road site, cites inconsistency with BluePrint Newton
Summary
Newton City Council unanimously denied Rezoning Application #2024-06 from McCombs Investments, LLC for roughly 46.3 acres on Burris Road, concluding the proposed PD-H housing designation conflicts with the city’s BluePrint Newton plan and surrounding industrial character.
Newton City Council voted unanimously April 1 to deny a rezoning application from McCombs Investments, LLC that would have converted a 46.3-acre site on Burris Road from a combination of R-9, M-1 and EM-1 zones to PD-H (Planned Development–Housing).
Planning Director Randy Williams told council the site contains two parcels (Catawba County PINs 3740-07-69-8306 and 3740-07-79-3860) and that the applicant’s plan showed 150 single-family homes. Williams reviewed prior procedure: the item had a prior motion in September 2024 that died for lack of a second, and state law (N.C.G.S. § 160D-605) requires formal adoption of a consistency and reasonableness statement when acting on map amendments.
Staff recommended denial because the northern portion of the site is shown in BluePrint Newton as an employment center intended for industrial, warehousing or large-scale office uses and because nearby parcels already carry industrial/manufacturing uses. After discussion, the council adopted the required consistency and reasonableness statements and denied Rezoning Application #2024-06.
Council action: Motion to deny was made by Mayor Pro Tem John Stiver, seconded by Council Member Ed Sain, and passed unanimously. The record includes formal consistency and reasonableness statements required by statute and incorporated by reference in the minutes.
Why it matters: The council concluded the requested housing rezoning would be inconsistent with the comprehensive plan in areas where the plan designates employment/industrial uses, and that preserving industrially zoned land supports broader local economic goals.
