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Kinston Council unanimously adopts Planned Commercial Development zoning amendment
Summary
The Kinston City Council approved a text amendment to allow Planned Commercial Developments (PCDs) in select commercial and industrial zoning districts, enabling purely commercial planned sites with shared parking, phased buildout, and administrative change rules; a special use permit will be required for any specific project.
The Kinston City Council voted unanimously on July 21 to adopt a text amendment establishing a Planned Commercial Development (PCD) option for purely commercial projects in Industrial Business (IB), Shopping Center (SC), General Business (B1), and Office & Institutional (O&I) zoning districts.
Planning Director Elizabeth Blount told the Council the PCD is intended to “encourage a more creative approach in land and building site planning for commercial and office uses” and to offer flexibility for financing and leasing on larger parcels. She explained the ordinance treats an entire lot as a single unified development for perimeter buffering and allows shared parking, staged development, and administrative handling of minor changes while reserving concept-altering changes for Council review.
During the public hearing, licensed professional engineer Scott Anderson said the tool would benefit the city, calling it “another tool in a planning toolbox” that helps with internal lot lines used for financing and leasing. Resident Katherine Webb asked about stormwater and flood liability; Director Blount responded that a special use permit application would require a full site plan addressing stormwater, drainage, erosion control, and utilities and that condominium associations would be responsible for common-area maintenance.
Councilmember Les Lipford moved the adoption finding consistency with the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan; Mayor Pro Tem Felicia Solomon seconded and the motion carried unanimously. Director Blount stressed that the amendment changes the development arrangement but does not introduce new uses to the listed zones; any specific development will follow a separate special use permit review.
