Zoning shift could make way for new shelter site
By Andrew Bell
Published in News on December 13, 2006 1:46 PM
Although Wayne County has not yet decided on a location for a new animal shelter, officials will have more options if the new building is placed on county-owned land.
The Wayne County Planning Board unanimously voted Tuesday night to allow a developer to build an animal shelter on any county-zoned property, including residential, after requesting a special use permit.
The board also voted to allow the construction of any other animal facility, such as pet grooming stores, veterinarian offices and animal boarding facilities, as a permitted use in the county's airport, heavy industry, light industry and community shopping zones.
Wayne Planning Director Connie Price said the county does not have an existing zone that allows a developer to build an animal shelter. By allowing the construction of an animal shelter in any zone with a special use permit, county officials can choose a suitable location and request the permit to begin building.
The county hopes to begin construction on a 11,500-square-foot animal shelter next month, but a location has not been finalized. Once borings and site qualifications on the potential site are finished, County Manager Lee Smith said the county will announce its location.
The planning board also recommended two other proposed zoning changes for the Wayne Board of Commissioners' consideration during its Tuesday meeting.
Earlier this fall the commissioners approved a six-month moratorium at the Goldsboro-Wayne Airport to consider what kind of development will be acceptable around the airport in coming years.
During the meeting, Goldsboro-Wayne Airport Authority chairman Cleve Wilkins told the board that he and the authority consider the airport an industry. As such, the authority and the county have to consider the planned and unexpected growth around the airport during the next two decades.
If the county doesn't plan ahead and hinder certain types of growth, Wilkins said development in the area could prevent planes from taking off and landing at the airport. If that happens, the county and the authority might be asked to return millions of dollars provided to the airport through the federal government and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The planning board agreed unanimously, recommending a proposed zoning plan that would rezone a majority of the airport's property to light industry. The airport would still retain some airport zoning, but it would be located near the intersection of Mount Carmel Church and Airport roads.
Airport zoning would also be on a strip of land between Combs Road and Mount Carmel Church Road near its intersection with Daw Pate Road, a small segment between U.S. 117 and Airport Road and southwest of the airport near Stoney Hill Road.
Since the zoning changes would affect nearby residential property, the planning board also agreed that a statement be added to the zoning ordinance to limit residential construction.
Price said the "grandfathering" of ownership would allow current owners to build one dwelling per tract of land with a minimum one-acre lot size when the zoning change is adopted. Tracts larger than an acre cannot be divided for multiple lots, and no residential construction would be allowed northwest and southeast of the runway to protect plane transport.
A construction height restriction would also be implemented to protect aircraft taking off and landing at the airport. Since the airport is 134 feet above sea level, a majority of the height restriction area would not allow structures to be built above 284 feet or 150 feet above the airport.
That construction height restriction area extends into the city limits and extraterritorial jurisdictions of Pikeville and Goldsboro, but Price said county officials will meet with representatives from both municipalities soon to discuss the issue.
"It makes sure that if a rezoning request came in (to them), they know the height restrictions," Price said.
The planning board also recommended a proposed zoning change in and around the Raintree subdivision northwest of Goldsboro for the commissioners' consideration.
Property owners in the subdivision had requested the rezoning and a proposed plan was presented to the commissioners in October, but the board wanted to extend the rezoned area to the east to East Hill Street and to the north to U.S. 13.
The new area is mostly rural and includes about 280 acres that have 34 homes, crop land, woodlands, a swine farm and a former business, Price said. The remainder of the rezoned area would residential, heavy industry and light industry zones, along with a community shopping area surrounding the intersection of U.S. 13 and the proposed U.S. 70 bypass.
In other business, the planning board approved four preliminary plats, which consist of Evans Farm Estates in the Fork Township, Wingspread near U.S. 13 in the Brogden Township, Tall Oaks in the New Hope Township and Mallard Point on the west side of Hinnant Road in the Buck Swamp area.