Harnett: Commissioners reject 59-home rezoning. But plan still allows for 58 homes.

Commissioners denied a rezoning application for a 59-home subdivision on Oak Grove Church Road at its July 21 meeting.

With only 58 homes, however, the subdivision is allowable.

During the public hearing on the Oak Grove Church Road single-family subdivision on 14.84 acres (cut out from 68.3 acres) with 59 homes, the planning board said the property would need private septic. There are approximately 1700 daily trips on the road, and if zoning was changed to RA-30, it would not be compatible with adjacent protected agricultural areas. The planning board had voted against rezoning.

Attorney Joseph Adams represented the rezoning applicants and said the planning board made a mistake because it did not evaluate the rezoning request under the required criteria and the property could be developed without rezoning.

Marsh Engineering Services, PLLC created two single-family subdivision concepts, one with rezoning and the other without. Geometrically, rezoning would add uniformity to the subdivision, but rezoning was not necessary to develop with 58 houses.

A property owner who lives directly across from the proposed subdivision presented a protest with 38 signatures. He cited traffic concerns on the rural two-lane road. He said the existing density with large lots upholds the integrity of the land use plan but adding a fifty-plus home subdivision does not uphold its integrity. He said traffic concerns need scrutiny.

Tram Wilson, owner of the larger tract of property, a 40-year farmer, said a subdivision already exists in the area.

“Last year was a terrible agricultural year…I’m selling it because I need to,” Wilson said.

The next commissioners’ meeting is July 29 at 9 a.m.

July 22, 2025

Stephanie M. Sellers