Planning board recommends rezoning of 203 South 5th Street to allow State Farm office

The Mebane City Planning Board voted to recommend that the City Council consider rezoning the property at 203 South 5th Street (approximately 0.25 acre) from R-12 (residential) to B-3 (neighborhood business) to allow the relocation of a State Farm insurance office. The board’s vote to forward the request came after staff described the lot as being inside city limits, served by city utilities, within the general watershed overlay, and identified in the Mebane 2045 comprehensive plan as part of the downtown place type.

The change, requested by Nicole Cockerham, would allow a small professional office use in a location surrounded by single-family homes, professional offices and a nearby bowling alley. “We are excited to potentially move my State Farm office that’s currently downtown on Clay Street to this location,” Cockerham said, adding the proposed office is about 2,500 square feet and that client parking would be provided in a rear lot with agreement to use additional spaces from a neighboring parking area.

Staff told the board the property’s downtown place-type on the 2045 plan encourages commercial zoning in that area. Board members asked whether the entire house would be converted to office use and about parking; Cockerham said the space would be used only for State Farm and that she planned to provide as many client parking spaces as the site allowed. A board member moved to approve the B-3 rezoning and to find the application consistent with the objectives and goals of the Mebane 2045 comprehensive plan; the motion was seconded and passed. The board noted the item will be heard by City Council on June 1.

The board did not take final zoning action; the recommendation will be considered by the City Council at its June 1 meeting.