Planning board approves rezoning to General Business at Whitebridge and US‑17; project supporters envision neighborhood commercial center

The Pender County Planning Board voted to approve a general-use rezoning for parcels at the corner of Whitebridge Road and U.S. 17, advancing an effort to consolidate commercial zoning in a growing Hampstead corridor.

Kenneth Lloyd of Whitebridge Development, owner and applicant, asked the board to reclassify approximately 11.36 acres (the rezoning area) from PD/RP to General Business, describing the change as a fix to inconsistent zoning and a necessary step to attract commercial tenants. "The reason I'm pushing for the GB is because it's going to take millions of dollars to develop that," Lloyd said, urging the board to allow a broader set of commercial uses on the corridor to enable investment.

Staff summarized that the corridor already contains several commercial and mixed-use projects; Pender County Water and private sewer (Polaris) service are available nearby, and the site is consistent with the Neighborhood Center designation in Imagine Pender 2050. Staff recommended approval.

Neighbors from Whitebridge reported support. Bobby Clarkson, president of the local homeowners association, told the board residents back the change. Julie Ayala, who operates a school on one of the parcels and leases property from the applicant, said the rezoning would help the school's planned expansion and community programming.

Board members discussed design expectations for the corridor and acknowledged that a general-use rezoning permits a broad set of commercial uses by right; they weighed the tradeoff between certainty of a specific master development plan and enabling commercial market-driven investment. After deliberation the planning board approved the rezoning and found it consistent with Imagine Pender 2050 policies. The matter will go to the Board of County Commissioners for final action on April 20 in Burg.