Planning Board - Regular Meeting

Good Good evening. Good evening. Car a meeting to order. Uh, Ta Tab, if you would call a roll. Red Austin, Michael Best. Lisa Ellison here, Thompson Forbes, present Sharon Gray, president. Lyman Hardy, Steve Little here, Charles McLawhhorn and Mr. Chairman, we received notice that Rita Jackson-Gilbert, Minnie Johnson-Stewart and Michael White will not be present tonight. Thank you. If you would stand, we'll have our prayer and pledge. Let us pray Our Father and our God, we thank You, Lord, for all the blessings of life that you so richly bestow upon us. We thank you tonight and we can come together in this meeting for the county, and Lord we just pray that as we come together, everything that is said and done will be pleasing in your side Lord Jesus pray that we good folk they tell you to trust in me in Jesus' name we pray Amen. Amen. the allegiance to the law of the United States of America. and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. The minutes from our February 18th meeting were sent out with the materials and are in your packet. Um I'll take a motion to approve. approve the minutes from the last meeting Second the motion Thank you. All those in favor say aye. Ah. At this time we'll have, uh, we'll open for public address to the board. See a noun, we'll close the public address. and we'll take the first item Ben. Good evening, Chairman and

Planning Board members. We do have one rezoning request this evening. Um, it was submitted by the Pura Vida Fund LLC, um, the request is to rezone, uh, 12.56 acres of their property. This is parcel number 23109, and it is located on the western side of NC 43 South, just north of its intersection with Toll Road, but the request is to go from RR Rural Residential to general commercial conditional District, um, for landscape and Horticultural services, Miscellaneous retail sales. uh warehouse self storage and contractors, both generalBuilding and special trade. The site map of the property, A again, you see, it's just off of uh NC 43 just outside the city of Greenville, um, and again, just north of Toll Road. Some, uh, general pictures of the surrounding area. This is the site itself looking from NC43 south as you can see the front part is currently agricultural. The back is wooded , um, but no structures or otherwise on the property this time. This is looking north up 43 back towards the city of Greenville. This is looking south down NC 43 . Directly across the street, um, this is actually in the city of Greenville's jurisdiction, but currently they're, um, it's just vacant in agricultural land directly across the street. Uh, just a picture for residents just south of the property on 43 . And then there are several commercial uses in the general area just north of the property adjacent directly, um, adjacent to the property is an existing mini storage facility. And then further down south, uh, this is a septic tank installation business. Um, uh, graphics intent installer for vehicles. Um, this is actually rezoned. We saw a couple of years ago an old building there that they um remodeled and it's now a tax office in the front building there as well in the rear, there's a, um, trailer hauling and waste refuge, um, hauling business, and then another recent edition of the site plan was approved recently. This is, um, Carolina Hardscapes on NC 43

South. They are a pool installer as well as outdoor kitchen and patio. So those are just some of the commercial uses in the area. Again, um, existing land use, uh , you see again that red just to the north is that mini storage. The city of Greenville jurisdiction across the street just to the north there's a couple of, um, manufactured home parks and then otherwise you'd see this bunch of agricultural land with um residential kind of sporadic throughout there, and then a little bit further, further south with the residential, as well as some of those commercial uses I just touched on. The uh future land uses, so this property actually, or the portion of the property that we're looking at actually has both the NC43 South corridor land use plan, as well as the Envisioned Pitt County 2045 land use plan, um, involved the portion of it in green there is actually from the um NC43 Southland use plan that's Residential and agricultural. And then the rear portion is within the Vision Pitt County 2045 land use plan area, and that is identified and designated as SR, um, suburban residential and operate both of those down now. So again, that green portion that's within the 43 South Corridor land use plan. Um , this area is characterized by working farms, larger homesteads , um, both public and institutional uses, as well as low density, single-family residential lots, access to sewer service is generally unavailable and development must be or must utilize on-site septic treatments. Although more dense than the agricultural character area, residential densities may approach one or possibly 2 units per acre. An actual lot size will va ry based on quality of soils and when possible preservation of environmental features should be prioritized, and small scale non-residential land uses that have frontage and access along the NC43 South corridor may be allowed on a case by case basis in the conditional in Aconditional zoning District. From the envisioned Pitt County 2045 comp plan. Again, the suburban residential designation

, um, this contains primarily single-family detached homes and neighborhoods with interconnected streets, non-residential uses within this character area should be located with frontage and access to a major highway or secondary road at major intersections or proximity to similar uses with spatial separation or buffers between incompatible uses and non-residential developments should be designed in the context sensitive matter and may be considered on a case by case basis again in a conditional zoning District. Um, continuing with the language from the uh 43 or the 2045 comp plan. Um, typically located near existing residential and commercial development and in areas experiencing significant growth within the county, uh, uses typically are single family detached homes, manufactured homes, duplexes, some agriculture, agribusiness, limited multi-family, commercial , office, light industrial, and public and institutional uses. Um, onsite septic systems with Community Water service and public sewer may be available in these areas with voluntary annexation, and finally density varies from 1 to 3 dwelling units per acre, uh, depending on sewer availability. The current Pitt County zoning map, um, again, I'll touch on this in just a minute when we get to the site plan, but the front portion of the property is already zoned general commercial . You see this area right here, um, that's been commercial for a long time, so they could move forward with any kind of commercial development without coming before this board since it is already general commercial with any use that is already um permitted in that general commercial zoning District. They request tonight again at this 12.5 acres in the rear, um, that's currently zoned RR. Um, as far as the zoning in the area , you see there are some um, other zoning or general commercial zoned properties along that 43 corridor. Again, property across the street is within the city of Greenville's jurisdiction. Um, that is currently vacant, but it is, uh, zone, uh, residential, one of their residential districts does properties across the street. Um, the proposed zoning, again is a general commercial conditional District, uh, General Commercial is primarily intended to accommodate a range

of retail, service, office, limited wholesale, and moderate density multi-family residential uses in areas that have access to a major thoroughfare and the necessary utilities to support such development. Again, they are applying for a conditional district which allows for the approval of a proposal for a specific use with a reasonable conditions to assure the compatibility of the proposed use with the use and enjoyment of neighboring properties. And again, the proposed uses um or landscape and horticultural services, miscellaneous retail sales, uh, many storage, which is what we have in the ordinance as warehouse, self storage, and contractors, both general Building and specialcial trade. The site plan we received with the application. It shows the entire site, but again, the portion up front is already zoned general commercial, so I'm not gonna focus on that since um it already does have the appropriate zoning there. The back is what we're gonna be looking at this evening, and that's the proposed rezoning area, focusing just on that rezoning area, um, you see, the buildings they're highlighted in in yellow. So there's uh several different uses that are proposed and some of it's gonna be speculative, so they might not know the exact uses that are gonna be proposed there. So it's kind of broad on what the request is. Um, but at the rear, um, they're proposing some mini storage facilities. Then they have both mix sheets, retail and commercial, um, in these buildings right here and then these on the southern side or um what we're calling FlexSpace. I don't know if you've seen any of these uses kind of throughout the county and I think Winterville and the city of Greenville have some of these uses where there are not many storage, but it's a space for a contractor can go in and maybe put an office and then they have like some potential outside storage areas in the rear, um, and I believe somebody here representing the applicant and maybe can speak to more specific what they use is, um, may be proposed there. So it's not a specific use that's going in outside of that um just miscellaneous retail and some of these contractor uses that we did speak to earlier. That dark gray highlight there, it's the proposed paid parking and driveway. And there's also some gravel yards, uh, the storage areas as well as the gravel drive for the

fire access. There's some areas they re reserved for proposed septic and protection areas. uh, some chain link fencing showed there for, um, security and protection of the storage areas, as well as the proposed 10-foot landscape buffer yard, and I did want to speak, let me go back to the overall site. Um, you see the front again since we're not focusing on the rezoning area. They are showing areas for a potential stormwater Man pond, as well as other commercial uses up there, but I did want to highlight that they are showing an area for stormwater Manage. Um, as far as county planning staffs, um, recommendations. So we do find that this request is consistent with the NC43 South Corridor land use plan and the Envisioned Pitt County 24 or 2045 Comprehensive land use plan. The area requested for rezoning is designated as rural residential and Agricultural, as well as suburban residential and the future land use maps. Additionally, the 9.554 acres to the property directly fronting NC 403 south and adjacent properties are currently zoned general commercial. The subject property has direct access and frontage along NC 43 South and is then within close proximity to non-residential uses on NC43 South, including a mini storage facility set to tank contractor, Amobile tent installer, a Tax office and dumpster rental business, and a pool outdoor, uh , patio and kitchen installation business. Staff does finally request is reasonable and in the public interest because the site has frontage along a major highway. Again, NC43 South. In it in a close proximity to several other non-residential land uses. Additionally, the frontage long NC43 South is designated as a commercial corridor in the NC 43 South Corridor land use plan, and there's uh limited residential development directly adjacent to the site, as well as uh the proposed uses will be screened from adjacent residential zoned or used properties, and NC43 South is proposed to be widened into a four-lane raised median divided highway, which will improve

traffic flow and improve safety along that corridor. Staff again does recommend approval of the requests with the following additional conditions, um, no zoning compliance permit shall be issued until a site plan prepared in accordance with Appendix B of the Zoning Ordinance is submitted to Pitt County Planning for review and approval. A landscape and plan is required in the property shall be screened from any adjacent residentialally used or zone lot and public road rights of way by a 10-foot wide landscape buffer yard planted in accordance with the requirements of Section 10H of the Zoning Ordinance. require parking spaces, access drives, and loading areas shall be paved and maintained with concrete, asphalt, or similar material of sufficient weight and thickness and consistency to support anticipated attractive volumes and weights. It soil erosion and sedimentation control plan, uh, prepared by the engineer shall be submitted for development of this property that results in land disturbance over 1 acre. The sign must comply with the Pitt County stormwater Ordinance for nutrient control, nutrient loading, and peak flow calculation shall be reviewed and approved prior to any improvements involving more than 15 acre. Um, the site must comply with Emergency Management request and requirements for fire protection , they must obtain a driveway permit from NCDOT and comply with all the all requirements for access to the subject property. They must prepare and submit a traffic impact analysis as required by NCDOT and just once we did that one really fast, I think some of the conversations we've had for previous projects has asked if this would be required. Ms. Gray, I think you've asked that in the past. With this site plan, we've sent out to DOT and based off the size and the location along NC43 South, um, prior to approval, they will have to provide that as part of the full review if this is approved by both this board and the Board of Commissioners. So based off the size of this project as well as its location along the major thoroughfare, um, that is something that DOT requires and has on this project . And then finally, they must obtain all required permits from Pitt County inspections to occupy any proposed structures and comply with any applicable environmental health requirements for wastewater disposal. So public comments will now be entertained by the Planning

Board, the board will then make a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners who are currently scheduled to hold a public hearing on April 13th. and I will turn it over to you, Mr. Chairman, for public comments, and I'm happy to answer any questions as well. Thank you. At this time, we'll take public comments. We have one Bryan Faundus. um, you have 3 minutes How about it? is there a way we can go back to the site plan map on there. Yeah. You want the features high or what's the best way to show it? Um maybe back to, yeah, that's fine . The 4. OK. You can clip through as needed. I read some of it, for God I have it you know, I didn't I walked out of my office with a print of it that uh I should have brought with me. No worries . Help you identify some of them and you can. Circle on the map as needed on the screen. OK. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, good evening, Bryan Pegundas, uh, here tonight in support of this on behalf of the applicant. Um, Ben did a really good job kind of explaining why this request is here before you tonight. So like he touched on the, the front portion of this property is own general Commercial. So really, we're, we're really talking about the back portion of it. So with a property with split zoning, oftentimes it's challenging, uh, especially a property of this shape and, and kind of configuration. It's a real challenge to figure out how do you do something commercially up here when you have a completely different zone behind it that has to access through the commercials. So the, the choices , uh. to come before you this evening with a commercial conditional use request and really is, is kind of twofold. One is the practical side of, of how do you put that together and make it make sense, but it's also

somewhat demand-driven. So with the uses that, that Mr. Rogers was describing, the, the market in general in terms of flex type space if you guys are familiar with that, uh, for, say, an HVAC contractor or plumbing contractor or maybe it's somebody like Ferguson Waterworks that sells, uh, toilets and fixtures, but also sals pipe and landscape fabric and things like that. But then they also have a small showroom component. So a lot of those uses are really kind of starving for, hey, there's nothing available out there. So with, with this landowner, uh, the landscape horticulture side of it is his business and that's what he's in and he intends to move out here with his operating business, but also from a demand perspective, he sees the, the market basically saying, hey, we, we really need places to go. Uh, so that's why you see that variety of uses. and it could be that, that list, if you will, uh , in addition to the, the general kind of light retail or FlexSpace, Horticulture landscape that we called out specifically, the contractor and trades contractor use is something that's important, and I'll bring it up that use in particular, and we felt like it would, would really benefit the rezoning itself in protecting and buffering the neighboring properties that use by ordinance has a use separation from adjacent proper t ies So really in that effect, it kind of squeezes things more internal, uh, to this site instead of letting them get so close to the property line. So it's a little more protective when you ask for that use as part of this. So we felt like it was a really good idea to go ahead and say, you know what,

could become a possibility. Let's go ahead and honor some of those youth separations dimensionally as you lay the property out, so that you in that effect create those buffers that'll be established. So with that, I'm gonna wrap it up so I don't exceed time, uh, on the traffic side of things, yes, we will be doing traffic studies . We will have to comply with the improvements that are recommended out of that, or else DOT will not issue a driveway permit. Oftentimes, and it depends on the project. Oftentimes we wait until we go past these steps, because those are not cheap endeavors and they're not quick endeavors to have that done. Oftentimes with larger residential projects, we try to get ahead of it and maybe we evaluate it upfront , especially if a rezoning's not at play, but you're just looking at a preliminary plot. In this case, it made sense to say, OK, let's come before you guys, let's go before the commissioners. We know that's a step. Yeah, we appreciate the condition. So that's where we landed on the traffic. But yeah, I fully expect that, that we'll have some kind of roadway improvement, uh, on 43 there. With that, if you guys have questions, I'm glad to answer them. Thank you, Mr. Fergus Questions Thanks. Thank you y'all Thank you. See no one else I'll close the public comment period and open it up for the board discussion, if any. Henne. I'll entertain motion Mr. Chairman I move that we approve this horizontal request as it is consistent with all that we just talked about and I moved that we do grant or recommend approval.

Thank you, Mr. Little Mr. Chair This Chairman, I second that motion. Thank you. I have a motion in a second. And if I may clarify just as presented, Mr. Little, is that your motion? OK, just one, just want to verify. With the, with the additional uh, records. The conditions. Conditions. Yes, sir. OK, thank you. Mr. Chairman, I just have a point. This is just a point of information. I'm not opposed to, but This is just a point of information. I'm not opposed to the to the motion, but um is it true that the site has frontage along 43, or does it not have frontage 43. It looks to me like the sight that is being that is the subject of the application is off of 43. on the back part of something that does have So I would suggest that if, that if there's a recommendation that that paragraph 2, if what I'm saying is true, be modified to reflect that. So I'll be when we made that recommendation, we looked at the whole site. I, I get your point that that's already zoned commercial. Um, so, so I think from staff's perspective, it'll be accessing 43 and using the same, but I understand your point if that's what the board wants to clarify, understand, but we kind of looked at it as a full project if that makes sense . I understand. Well, I look at the word site as being. Yes, sir . Specific to the application. So, the rezoning that we're looking at specifically understand, yes, sir. But I have no problem with that that sentence can be mo d ified I'm not, I'm not opposed to the project. I'm just saying. All right. I'll leave it to the board how y'all want to handle it. Uh, Mr., so Mr. Little made the motion, I guess, would you be open to a amendment of that Senate to reflect. where the property, uh, the

specific property is what I hear you say. Yes, sir. OK. So there's a motion to approve with modification of that sentence in the second paragraph of, of our recommendation in a second. any other discussion All those in favor, let it be known by raising your right hand . Thank you. All right, great, thank you. And I'll make that revision and I will give that to you, Mr. Chairman, for your signature tomorrow. Thanks. Thank you. All right, Jonas you're up Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good evening members of the board. Uh , a couple of informational items tonight, uh, just to update you on your last month's meeting, the, uh, items that went before the commissioners, uh, this past Monday. The Michael Hammon rezoning request. If you'll remember, that was for the agricultural-related uh commercial operation, uh, Alhamoyurnage, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve that rezoning request. The Stonewood Solar, uh, LLC request for the solar farm located on Oakley Road, uh, did not pass by the Board of Commissioners. They voted 53 to recommend denial of that, uh, solar facility. So, um , if you'll remember, your vote was pretty close vote that passed in favor. to recommend approval. I think it was filed for at this board. Um, so commissioners, uh, denied that. So, uh, just to give you an update on what had came before you and the actions taken , uh, by the Board of Commissioners. Um, also included in your packet tonight, uh, is the planning departmental, uh, annual report, uh, a lot of good

information that kind of reflects what we have been doing the last year, um, it's based on a calendar year. So, uh, hopefully that shows, uh, the hard work that our staff in the planning department has been working on over that last year. And if you have any questions after reviewing that information, uh, feel free to reach out to me and I'll be happy to discuss any of those accomplishments that we had or provide any additional information, uh, that you may want. Also included in your packet is our departmental monthly report, uh, that reflects what we've done in the past month, as well as our new subdivision, uh, reporting, uh, data that we discussed last month. Um, hopefully, that is, uh, clear and concise and gives you an idea as to the subdivision activity that we've had, um, within the last month, and you'll notice, I think there's only one up there, so not a lot of activity as far as that's concerned in the last month. However, we are getting into the, uh, period of time where that activity will start increasing with the warmer weather. Um, also, there's some various articles and correspondences related to planning, uh, both in Pitt County, city of Greenville, Winterville Winterville as well. So, uh, hopefully you'll take the opportunity to read that information that Tabs pulled together for that. And Mr. Chairman, unless there's any other questions, I'll turn it back to you. Thank you, Jonas. Any questions for Jonas? See younn. I'll take a motion to adjourn. forums If there's any comments from the board that you like can I make one comment? Yes sir, we had what, uh, Thomas just mentioned this report that he has presented to us tonight is interesting reading and to get into it. I appreciate that. Jonas and thank you for the work

that you and your staff are doing as much appreciated and Tab, I owe you an apology because I think I mentioned this to you already, but, uh my apologies to you for having to uh call me a second time and say, you're gonna be at this meeting and uh I'm I should be more awake than I was, OK, so I'll try not to let it happen again, OK. Thank you. Any other comments Take a motion to adjourned. Make a motion to adjourn this meeting. Thank you. 2. All those in favor say ay. Ah, thank you Me adjourned. All pleasure