Raeford council approves rezoning for 48-unit apartment at 124 W. Palmer St., contingent on funding

The Raeford City Council on April 3 unanimously approved a request to rezone 124 W. Palmer St. from HC (Highway Commercial) to RMF-12 (Residential Multifamily) to accommodate a proposed 48-unit apartment complex, contingent on the developer securing required tax grant funding within 12 months.

Felecia Locklear, the city’s Code Administrator, presented the planning staff review and said the site is inside city limits, approximately 4.94 acres, and was identified in the City of Raeford 2030 Land Use Plan as part of a mixed-use node appropriate for higher-density residential development. Locklear told the council the Planning Board recommended approval with the 12-month funding contingency and that no one spoke against the request at the planning meeting.

Andrew Rosen, representing Connelly Development NC, LLC, said the project is competitive for state tax grants and that the buyer required contract language reverting the zoning to HC if funding is not obtained. "We are not a company that develops and moves on," Rosen said, adding that the firm retains and manages its projects and that the proposal represents a roughly $12.5 million investment that would add tax dollars to the city.

Neighboring resident Jon Hacke, whose property at 126 W. Palmer St. borders the subject parcel, spoke in favor, saying the proposed multifamily use would be preferable to many commercial alternatives under the current HC zoning.

Council members discussed factors listed in the zoning-map amendment standards, including consistency with the 2030 Land Use Plan, compatibility with surrounding uses and potential density impacts. The staff review noted the RMF-12 district would act as a transitional zoning between existing highway commercial parcels and single-family homes to the west, while flagging that the increase in density could raise resale concerns for adjacent residential property.

Councilman Wayne Willis moved to approve the rezoning request, Councilman Charles Allen seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. The approval is explicitly contingent on the developer obtaining the necessary tax grants and moving forward with the project within 12 months; the purchase agreement includes a clause that would revert the property to HC if funding is not secured.

The next step for the developer is to pursue the competitive tax grants and provide documentation of funding; the council did not take any additional actions beyond approving the rezoning with the funding contingency.