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Mills River council adopts comp‑plan amendment to remove industrial use from community center district
Summary
The council voted to adopt Text Amendment 2501 (Ordinance 2025‑04), striking 'industrial' from the community center future land use district to correct an internal inconsistency; the planning board had recommended approval 6–1 and council also asked staff to pursue a future land use map amendment addressing industrial/employment areas.
The Mills River Town Council voted to adopt a comprehensive plan amendment (Text Amendment 2501) that removes the word "industrial" from the community center future land use district description, resolving a contradiction between narrative text and a land‑use chart in the town’s comprehensive plan.
Planning staff explained that page 30 of the comp plan described the community center district as promoting a mix of commercial, residential and industrial uses, while a chart on page 31 listed industrial uses as "not desirable". The planning board reviewed the inconsistency, recommended the text amendment by a 6–1 vote and adopted a statement of consistency.
At the council meeting staff reiterated that the comp plan is advisory (not a regulatory zoning map) and that the amendment does not constitute a down‑zoning. During discussion, council members asked that staff follow up by initiating a future land use map amendment to create an industrial/employment category in the Schoolhouse Road area — a separate change intended to clarify where industrial uses would appropriately be located.
Council voted to adopt the amendment and the accompanying Statement of Consistency and Ordinance 2025‑04. After that vote, council also voted to initiate a future land use map amendment process to consider establishing an industrial/employment district and to refine the extent of the community center district.
The public hearing was opened, no speakers from the public requested to present on this item, and council proceeded through motions and votes to adopt the ordinance and to direct staff to pursue the map amendment work as a next step.
