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Developer presents 80-acre ‘Beaufort Crossing,’ seeks annexation and rezoning for mixed-use project
Summary
Developer Jeff Baron outlined an 80-acre mixed-use proposal at the U.S. 70/Highway 101 intersection, asking the town to study annexation and rezoning so the project can proceed in phased buildouts and attract grocery, retail and medical tenants.
Jeff Baron, a developer working with Baron Properties, told the Board of Commissioners on June 22 that his team has acquired an 80-acre site at the intersection of U.S. 70 and Highway 101 and is proposing a multi-phase mixed-use development they are calling Beaufort Crossing. "We have completed an 80 acre acquisition of property that is needed to develop a large scale mixed use commercial type development," the presentation said, and Baron and a colleague described a concept that would include grocery, offices and medical uses in early phases and recreational or light industrial uses later.
The developers said their plan anticipates three phases, with roughly 25 acres earmarked for a first phase and 17 acres for a second phase. They asked the town to begin annexation and rezoning studies so they can present a master plan to the marketplace with more certainty. "The 1st step is to initiate annexation as a study first and as well as the rezoning," one presenter said, explaining the procedural path they expect to take.
Commissioners pressed the team on several issues: whether residential uses are permitted under B-1 zoning, how the project would handle stormwater and unified site design across multiple parcels, and how the town should reconcile the developer’s timetable with North Carolina Department of Transportation and airport plans for a future 1,000-foot runway extension that would require relocation of Highway 101. Commissioner Lopekoy noted that residential uses are not typically allowed in B-1 and asked whether the team had considered a planned-unit-development approach; the developers said they expect to submit a master plan and engineering studies that will address stormwater, transportation and phasing.
Traffic and safety at the existing 101/70 intersection drew repeated concern: one commissioner described the crossing as difficult to see and warned that one-lane traffic each way could create congestion and safety risks as the site builds out. The developers said they plan traffic impact analyses and potential off-site improvements tied to Highway 101 access points.
The board did not take formal action on the proposal at the June 22 workshop. Staff and the developers agreed to coordinate next steps, with annexation and rezoning studies expected to come to staff and later to the planning board for review before any site-plan approvals.
Why it matters: The site sits at a major gateway into town and could add commercial tax base and local jobs, but commissioners emphasized the need for careful design, traffic mitigation, and alignment with DOT and airport infrastructure timelines.
