Fuquay-Varina planning board backs three zoning changes, including gas station site and MI Homes PUD

The Fuquay-Varina Planning Board voted to recommend approval of multiple zoning requests on 2026-06-01, including a small infill rezoning at 210 Southwest Street (REZ202610), a general commercial conditional rezoning and land-use amendment to allow a convenience store with gasoline sales (REZ202612), and a 27.63-acre planned unit development proposed by MI Homes (REZ202518).

REZ202610 (210 Southwest Street) was presented by staff as a 0.321-acre rezoning from Residential Medium Density to Town Center Residential (TCR). The petitioner, Wayne Malden, said the existing structure needs major repairs and that a small infill project would improve the downtown area. Staff recommended approval as consistent with the 2040 Community Vision Land Use Plan, and the board moved and recommended approval by voice vote.

REZ202612 would reclassify approximately 4.591 acres from Neighborhood Commercial and Residential Agricultural to General Commercial conditional zoning, paired with a land-use plan amendment to Suburban Commercial, to allow replacement of a mid-century convenience store with a modern facility that includes retail gasoline sales. John Adcock, attorney for the applicant, said Neighborhood Commercial does not permit gas stations and that the requested change aligns existing use with the updated permitted-use table. The applicant told the board the project will rely on an on-site septic system rather than public sewer. No members of the public signed up to speak on this item, and the board recommended approval.

REZ202518, a proposal by MI Homes for a 27.63-acre planned unit development on Sunset Lake Road, was presented as a low-density plan (about 1.77 units per acre) that would provide roughly 42% open space (higher than the 25% requirement) and remove or drain a pond that staff said had a prior notice of violation as a high-hazard dam. MI Homes’ representative (Juan Montez) and counsel (John Adcock) answered questions about infrastructure. A nearby resident urged caution about existing traffic and said Sunset Lake Road will require improvements; staff said the project will construct approximately half the required cross-section along its frontage and that the submittal qualified for a trip-generation letter rather than a full traffic impact analysis. The board recommended approval of the PUD application and will forward the recommendation to the town board.

All three motions were approved by voice vote; detailed roll-call tallies were not recorded in the meeting transcript. The recommendations will be forwarded to the town board for final consideration.