Aberdeen rezones the vacant Aberdeen Primary School for 76-townhouses

Aberdeen commissioners rezoned 7.24 city-limit acres with the old Aberdeen Primary School at 310 Keyser Street at the Aug. 25 meeting from R10 to neighborhood commercial-conditional.

In accordance with the conditional zoning request, the site plan details that the proposed development will be managed by a homeowners’ association. The plan proposed retaining the existing gymnasium and multi-purpose buildings on the site for complimentary community use, while removing the remaining structures to develop 76 single-family townhomes. Although the application references 85 units, only 76 are depicted in the accompanying site plan.

Most of the proposed units show access from Keyser Street, and ten units would be accessed from Debnam Street.

During the public hearing, Crawford Design Company Vice President Kevin Lindsey addressed the possibility of the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) connecting dirt road access of Debnam Road to Highway 211 or making it a turnaround for the fire department.

Commissioners expressed concern about residents parking on the two-lane street.

Lindsey recommended the condition that the road be extended to Highway 211, that NCDOT creates a turnaround, no on-street parking (to enforce police ticketing offenders) in that area, or no development on that side.

“Right now, there’s three wrestling teams that come there. I know one of ‘em has eighty kids,” Ronald Jackson with DGH Management said about the gym and added that kids had destroyed the newer building behind it which the management company plans to clean and offer as a community building. “They broke into the gym the other day and sprayed all the fire extinguishers…They spray paint the cameras.”

Aberdeen’s Land Development Plan divides the town into Planning Areas, each with its own goals and strategies. The property in question falls into two areas: South Aberdeen (Area 2) and Commercial Cores and Surrounds (Area 3). On the Future Land Use Map, it is marked for medium-density residential, which mainly means single-family homes. This type of housing fits within the R-15 and R-10 zoning districts.

Aberdeen Planning Director Pamela Graham explained the proposed planning was within the town’s allowable uses.

The Future Land Use Map was created by looking at issues like zoning, growth forecasts, and community goals. While the map shows the town’s vision for future land use, it can be updated if conditions change. Any revisions must be reviewed and approved by the Aberdeen Planning Board and the commissioners.

The land use plans’ fluid language allowed for the approval of the new neighborhood.

The image was provided in the Town of Aberdeen’s agenda package.

Aug. 30, 2025

Stephanie M. Sellers