Harnett County to consider vape shop zoning, Bunnlevel rezoning Oct. 19

Harnett County Commissioners heard reviews on rezoning and Uniform Development Ordinance (UDO) recommendations on smoke shops at the Oct. 13 meeting.

After the planning board voted four to two for a text amendment to the UDO in Article V, Sections 1.2 and 7.6.7 and Article XIV, Section 2.2, to add tobacco, vape, CBD, hookah and similar establishments as a use in the table requiring conditional zoning, the commissioners scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 19 at 6 p.m.

The planning board’s initial recommendations read:

Chairman Duncan Jaggers asked why they could not mandate smoke shops further than 1k feet from schools because it was an easy walking distance, and the planning board representative said 1k feet was only a suggestion. Jaggers requested 2k feet from schools.

“If they’re gonna walk to it, I want ‘em to get sweaty,” Jaggers said.

“I would like to be more strict that other areas,” Vice-Chairman Matt Nicol said.

The board agreed on 2k feet away for schools and 1k feet for other uses.

The commissioners scheduled a public hearing on Oct. 19 for a zoning change request from RA20R to RA20M from Anchor Properties of Raleigh for 17.32 acres on Sanderfer Road in Bunnlevel, and it is owned by Haidar Shbeeb. There is no water or sewer, but water hook up is available. The compatible map shows it is in the RA20R community. The area is in an agricultural protection area.

The planning board said rezoning the 17.32 acres in Bunnlevel would have a negative impact on the community and unanimously recommended denial.

The planning board unanimously recommended a sign update in the UDO, because the 20-minute interval was too long and suggested the interval be lowered down to eight seconds. The board set a public hearing for Oct. 19.

During new business, Jaggers said the government gave the county about 150 acres off Ray Road, and the board needed to develop the land and investigate funding.

“Bragg is very willing to do something in that area,” Nichol said about a partnership for a compound.

The county honored Harnett Veteran Hero First Lieutenant Donald J. Schoonover.

The next meeting is Oct. 19 at 6 p.m.

Oct. 14, 2026

Stephanie M. Sellers

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