08AugustPBPlanning Board Minutes August 8, 2023 Page 1 of 11
RANDOLPH COUNTY PLANNING BOARD MINUTES August 8, 2023
There was a meeting of the Randolph County Planning Board on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. in the 1909 Historic Courthouse Meeting Room, 145-C Worth St, Asheboro, NC.
Chairman Pell called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. and welcomed those in attendance and asked for a roll call of the members. Hal Johnson, County Manager, called the roll of the Board members.
• Reid Pell, Chair, present;
• Kemp Davis, Vice-Chair, absent;
• John Cable, present;
• Melinda Vaughan, present;
• Reggie Beeson, present;
• Ken Austin, present;
• Barry Bunting, present; and
• Brandon Hedrick, Alternate, present, sitting in for Davis. County Attorney, Ben Morgan, was also present.
Johnson informed the Chairman there was a quorum of the members present for the
meeting. Johnson then introduced the new County Planning Director, Tonya Caddle, to the Planning Board and the citizens in attendance.
Pell called for a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. Consent Agenda:
• Approval of agenda for the August 8, 2023, Planning Board meeting.
• Approval of the minutes from the July 11, 2023, Planning Board meeting.
Bunting made the motion to APPROVE the consent agenda as presented, with Austin making the second to the motion. The motion was adopted unanimously.
Pell asked the Board members if there were any conflicts in the cases before the Planning
Board tonight. Vaughan stated that she had a potential conflict of interest in the case for Uwharrie Builders as her business often does work for the applicant and she asked to
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be recused from the case. Vaughan made the motion that Vaughan be recused from participating in the case with Cable making the second to the motion. The motion was adopted unanimously.
Pell turned to Johnson to present the first case of the night. Johnson presented the first case along with site plans and pictures of the site and surrounding properties.
APPLICATION #2023-00001844
The Randolph County Planning Board will hold a duly published and notified Legislative Hearing on the request by GLANDON FOREST EQUITY, LLC,
Raleigh, NC, and their request to rezone 2.20 acres out of 9.52 acres beside
1293 Green Farm Rd, Back Creek Township, Tax ID #7732572024, Secondary Growth Area, from RA - Residential Agricultural District to HC-
CD - Highway Commercial - Conditional District. The proposed Conditional Zoning District would specifically allow a retail store as per the site plan.
Property Owner: DMN Properties, LLC Pell opened the public hearing and called for anyone wishing to speak in favor of the request to come forward and address the Planning Board. H R Gallimore, 231 S Fayetteville St, Asheboro, addressed the Planning Board and said that he is the representative for both the buyer and the seller of the property. Gallimore stated that there are several manufacturing operations close to the requested location and that this request was to establish a national retail store. Gallimore stated that the proposed occupant always does market research before submitting for approval for a
store and the market research shows that there is a need for this store. Gallimore recalled all the curb markets and privately owned stores that used to exist all over the County and those stores have mostly closed. Gallimore told the Planning Board that the applicant has had a soil evaluation done and the property has been approved for a septic system. Gallimore also advised the Planning Board that the North Carolina Department of
Transportation (NCDOT) has reviewed the proposal and given positive feedback on the request and that no additional road improvements will be needed. Cable said that he had a question about the portion of the property to be purchased and
Gallimore said that just the portion indicated on the site plan is the area that is being
considered for the rezoning and is the portion that would be sold if the request was approved. Pell asked if there were other questions from the Planning Board members.
Austin asked about water and sewer on the site and Gallimore told the Planning Board that the soil evaluation for a septic system has been done and the proposed well has also been located on the site.
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Cable asked if this would be the “standard” store for this site and Gallimore answered that it would be the standard store that the applicant would build and they would follow all necessary building codes.
Hearing no other questions from the Planning Board, Gallimore requested the right to address any concerns raised by the opposition. Pell asked if there was anyone else in favor of the request who would like to address the
Planning Board. Hearing none, Pell asked if there was anyone in opposition to the request
who would like to address the Planning Board. Ron Autry, 1510 Caraway Summit Trl, Sophia, rose to address the Planning Board and he said that he does not want to see this request approved and the retail store be built.
Autry said that a Dollar Store will impact the community and it will impact the new owner
of the existing convenience store that has been in the community since 1993. Autry continued and said that Dollar General normally has only two people working at their stores at any time and that allows a lot of shoplifters and can create problems with
the homeless that have recently started building fires in the woods. Autry said the store
would allow other people to encroach on their property. The community feels that Dollar General will cause more problems than it is worth and this is a low-key community and they want to keep it that way.
Pell asked if there were any questions from the Planning Board member. Hearing none, Pell asked if there was anyone else in opposition who wished to address the Planning Board. Stuart Swan, 1304 Green Farm Rd, Asheboro, addressed the Planning Board and said
that his concerns were the same as Autry. Swan stated that the crime level will increase
and the community does not want those people here. Swan concluded by saying that Dollar General will not do much for the community and will not help the citizens in the area.
Barbara Murray, 1546 Old County Farm Rd, Sophia, said that there were over twenty-
seven Dollar General stores within a forty-mile radius of this site. She said the proposed store would create more traffic and that drug deals would be happening behind the building. Murray concluded by saying that the citizens love this area as it is peaceful and the proposed store is not for the community.
David Norcum, 2204 Silver Springs Rd, Sophia, addressed the Planning Board by talking about the activities that are close to this location like Lake Lucas which has a fishing and picnic area, Carp Caraway, Camp Caraway, and Camp Mundo Vista. Norcum said that further up the road in Hillsville is an existing Dollar General store and before that store
was built, many people would drive into High Point where many of the existing buildings
were occupied but now there are three or four empty stores. Norcum asked if Dollar General caused those stores to close.
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Norcum told the Planning Board that he was the developer of The Caraways Subdivision and that the existing store has provided the community with what they needed and the proposed Dollar General will change the character of the community. Norcum continued
by saying that Dollar General is a huge corporation from Tennessee and the community
does not know how much interest the company will have in preserving the neighborhood. Norcum asked if this request would change the area and make it more commercial and what the future holds. Norcum closed his comments by asking the Planning Board to at least consider installing public water and sewer in the area if the request is approved.
Norcum stated that the corporation is large and can afford to install utilities and asked if
the existing businesses would be able to stay in business if Dollar General was approved. Tammy Voncannon, 3805 Old County Farm Rd, Sophia, told the Planning Board that the consensus of the community is that we do not want a Dollar General store in this area.
Voncannon told the Planning Board that she moved to this rural area for a reason and
that she did not want the store near her, her child, or her pets. Voncannon stated that it does not take long for Dollar General stores to get run down in appearance due to the lack of employees. Voncannon stated that the small existing gas station does not bring in large amounts of travel. Voncannon stated, in her opinion, that the products sold at
Dollar General are for low-class/lower-income, and the stores tend to bring in the “wrong”
people Voncannon said that the businesses in the community are very small and it is hard for the community. to know which people are going to work and which are going to other locations. Voncannon stated that Dollar General will bring in larger trucks, and more traffic, and the road does not need more traffic, and people driving too fast.
Voncannon related to the Planning Board about people walking in the area and people
at the gas station doing things they should not be doing and that the existing Dollar Stores are approximately five miles away. Voncannon concluded her remarks by asking Planning Board members if they would want this within a few hundred feet of their front door and that she hates it for the neighbors directly across the street from the request
location as they are also opposed to the rezoning request.
Don Murray, 1546 Old County Farm Rd, Sophia, told the Planning Board that the neighborhood has become busier, and they have a serious problem with traffic and speeding and that there are no sidewalks and nowhere to put them for people to walk to
the proposed store, Murray stated that the intersection of Caraway Mtn Rd, Green Farm
Rd, and Old County Farm Rd might need a four-way stop light to control traffic and to help with the blind corner near the gas station. Murray concluded by saying that these types of stores are not good neighbors nor good to their staff. Murray stated that Dollar General has received over $21 million in fines from OSHA and the company has only paid $4
million of the fines to date.
Bob Thomas, 3598 Caraway Mtn Rd, addressed the Planning Board by saying that everyone is speaking negatively about the request and there are probably twenty-five to thirty people in attendance that are against this request. Thomas said he has lived in this
community all his life and the community does not want this store.
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Jimmy Huffman, 5138 Caraway Mtn Rd, Sophia, told the Planning Board that he has lived in this area for twenty-eight years and he works at Camp Caraway and Camp Mundo Vista. Huffman stated that his part of the County needs public water, public sewer, and
internet access and he is not sure if Dollar General will fit into the community. Huffman
stated that Dollar General does not have the best reputation or history and if people want lottery tickets or gas for their car, the existing store works and there might be other places in the County for this store.
Pell asked if there was anyone else who would like to speak in opposition to the rezoning
request. Hearing none, Pell asked Gallimore if he wanted to address any of the comments that had been presented by the opposition. Gallimore stated again that the soil evaluation for a septic system has been done and he
does not understand why the community is bashing Dollar General. Gallimore stated that
the alternative is going to Walmart as most people do not go to High Point via SR1004 like they used to do many years ago. Gallimore said that the request is consistent with the neighborhood and the surrounding commercial uses. Gallimore concluded by restating that Dollar General does their market research and if there is not a need or the
data to support a store in a specific location, they will not put a store in the area.
Cable asked how close is the closest Dollar General store and Gallimore answered approximately 4.6 miles as there is one on US Hwy 64 W and Garren Town Rd and one on Hillsville Rd.
Cable asked if the store would be putting in low-density lights like the store on US Hwy 311 and Gallimore said they would be using the same lighting design. Hedrick asked if a landscape plan had been done since Article 600, Section 612 requires
a Level III buffer. Gallimore stated that the site will meet all the requirements of the
County zoning ordinance. Austin asked if any preliminary testing on the septic system had been done and Gallimore again stated that the site has been evaluated and has been approved.
Austin said that the site map that the Planning Board has shows the site in yellow and asked if the 2.20-acre parcel is the area for the store. Gallimore passed around a more detailed site plan showing the placement of the proposed building.
Christian Vestal, an Engineer with Summey Engineering, 150 S Fayetteville St,
Asheboro, rose to help the Planning Board determine the 2.20 acres of property to be rezoned. After several minutes of discussion between the Planning Board members and Vestal,
Pell asked if everyone was clear about where it was located on the plan. Cable said it
was getting clearer but still, he had questions.
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Cable pulled up the submitted site plan on his laptop and was able to measure that the area to be rezoned was 323.72 ft from the northeast corner to the entrance and drive. Then there was a thirty-six-foot-wide drive and the setbacks behind the store were thirty
feet from the rear property line and there were thirty-six feet between the parking areas. Cable said that it made the area to be rezoning clearer. Pell asked if there were any other questions from the Planning Board members.
Johnson stated that he did not have questions but just a comment. Johnson said that
what makes this request unique is all the different land uses that have been in the community for years do not seem to have a major impact on the community. Johnson mentioned the existing furniture manufacturing facility that has been in the community since before zoning and that the convenience store was rezoned in 1993. Johnson stated
that he has been through this community many times in the morning that it is a community
convenience store that provides a service to the rural community and that the name of the store does not matter. Johnson said that the zoning decision must be based on if the proposal is compatible with the neighborhood and the Planning Board should only be looking at retail sales.
Pell stated that the applicant must work out the completed site plan with the County to include everything required by the Unified Development Ordinance. Johnson stated that the real issue before the Planning Board is whether the proposed
retail store is compatible with the community.
Pell asked if there were any other questions from Planning Board members. Hearing none, Pell closed the public hearing.
Cable said that the Planning Board has listened to everyone and heard from citizens and their concerns and opinions, Cable said that the Planning Board also has to take into consideration the zoning rules enacted by the State and the County. Cable stated that the Planning Board has not heard anything other than the community does not want the
store. Cable continued that the community safety concerns are not specific to Randolph
County and that he did not see anything that would stand in its way of safety due to the presence of the North Carolina Highway Patrol and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. Cable stated that homeless people are being removed as the law allows. Cable repeated a statement made in the meeting that Randolph County is getting busier every day but
Cable suggested that more people are coming to Randolph County due to the services
provided to the community. Cable continued by stating that the Planning Board has heard several requests from Dollar General and some requests were approved and some requests have been denied, and for the most part, the company does its homework before deciding to invest in a community. Cable stated that he understands the community
loyalty to their existing community stores but the Planning Board cannot hold the company
accountable for their business plan but the Planning Board can ensure that the development is conducive to zoning. Cable concluded his remarks by stating that he did
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not see anything that tips the scale away from the store based upon the criteria set out by relative Statutes.
Hedrick stated that he thought this area has been conducive for development but that his
concerns were for the neighbors and that no buffer was indicated on the site plan. Hedrick stated that he did some rough calculations and based on the present site plan, approximately 3.50 acres will be landlocked and any change to that property would have to come back before the Planning Board.
Pell stated that the applicant must install the buffers as required by the Unified
Development Ordinance. Hedrick asked if the application needed to be updated and Johnson stated that the
applicant would have to comply with all zoning requirements to be allowed to operate.
Pell called for a motion. Cable said that based on conversations and everything that the Planning Board has
heard tonight he would make the motion to approve the rezoning.
Cable made the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request to rezone the specified parcel(s) on the rezoning application to the requested zoning district based upon the Determination of Consistency and Findings of Reasonableness and Public Interest
statements that are included in the Planning Board agenda, submitted during the rezoning
presentation and as may be amended, incorporated into the motion, to be included in the minutes, as well as the site plan(s) with all agreed-upon revisions, also incorporated into the motion and that the request is consistent with the Randolph County Growth Management Plan. Bunting made a second to the motion to APPROVE the rezoning
request.
Pell, having a proper motion and second, called the question on the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request, and the motion was adopted and approved with a five to two vote with Hedrick and Austin voting against the motion.
APPLICATION #2023-00001845
The Randolph County Planning Board will hold a duly published and notified
Legislative Hearing on the request by UWHARRIE BUILDERS, LLC,
Asheboro, NC, and their request to rezone 2.54 acres along US Hwy 220 Bus S, Cedar Grove Township, Tax ID #7658492146, Primary Growth Area, from HI-CD - Heavy Industrial - Conditional District to LI-CD - Light Industrial
- Conditional District. The proposed Conditional Zoning District would
specifically allow mini-warehouse storage buildings as per the site plan.
Property Owner: Fiber Cushioning, Inc.
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Vaughn did not participate in this case as she previously identified a possible conflict of
interest with the application for the request.
Pell opened the public hearing and called for anyone wishing to speak in favor of the
request to come forward and address the Planning Board. John Thompson, 868 Laurel Dr, Asheboro, NC, with Uwharrie Builders rose to address the Planning Board and said that he was the developer of the site and that the office for
Uwharrie Builders is to the south of this site and they want to put mini-warehouses on the
property. Johnson said that the property has been vacant for a long time.
Pell asked if there were any questions from the Planning Board.
Austin asked about the security at the facility. Thompson said the site would be fenced and there would be an alarm system. Austin asked if there would be any personnel on the site and Thompson replied that they were looking at two different options at this time
but would probably be using a kiosk for access to the site.
Pell asked if there was anyone else in favor of the request who would like to address the Planning Board. Hearing none, Pell asked if there was anyone in opposition to the request who would like to address the Planning Board.
Hearing none, Pell closed the public hearing. Cable asked if the request had been properly posted and the property owners were notified. The Planning Staff stated that the necessary procedures were followed.
Cable made the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request to rezone the specified parcel(s) on the rezoning application to the requested zoning district based upon the Determination of Consistency and Findings of Reasonableness and Public Interest statements that are included in the Planning Board agenda, submitted during the rezoning
presentation and as may be amended, incorporated into the motion, to be included in the
minutes, as well as the site plan(s) with all agreed-upon revisions, also incorporated into the motion and that the request is consistent with the Randolph County Growth
Management Plan. Austin made a second to the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request.
Pell, having a proper motion and second, called the question on the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request, and the motion was adopted unanimously. Johnson told the applicant that due to the potential of an appeal of the rezoning decision,
the approval paperwork would be sent after the deadline for filing an appeal if no appeal
is requested.
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APPLICATION #2023-00001858
The Randolph County Planning Board will hold a duly published and notified
Legislative Hearing on the request by EDGEWOOD HOSIERY, INC,
Asheboro, NC, and their request to amend the existing Conditional District Permit at 7554 US Hwy 220 S, Richland Township, Tax ID #7665683345, Primary Growth Area, from RM-CD - Residential Mixed - Conditional District to RM-CD - Residential Mixed - Conditional District. The proposed
Conditional Zoning District would specifically amend the existing
Conditional District Permit to allow one additional space in L & L Mobile Home Park for a total of seven spaces as per the site plan. Pell opened the public hearing and called for anyone wishing to speak in favor of the
request to come forward and address the Planning Board.
Garland Ferguson, 510 rose to address the Planning Board and stated that the property owner, Jose Flores, could not be at the meeting tonight due to a previous commitment and that he would be presenting Flores tonight. Ferguson said that the previous property
owners sold the property to Flores saying that it was approved to have seven lots but we learned during the permitting process that the site was only approved for six lots and one office. Ferguson said that Flores wants to take the site of the previous office and make it a mobile home rental space. Ferguson told the Planning Board that Flores removed
all of the old mobile homes from the site, repaired the driveway into the site, and
purchased seven new mobile homes to go on the site. Ferguson also said that Flores allowed the existing residents in the mobile home to live on the site free for two months and gave $500.00 to each renter to help them get started in a new home.
Pell asked if there were any questions from the Planning Board Members.
Bunting asked if there were septic systems and wells for each lot and Ferguson replied that each site has its own septic system and that the entrance to the site has not been changed.
Cable asked if the seventh mobile home had been set up on the site and Ferguson said that the mobile home for the seventh lot is at another location pending the outcome of the rezoning request.
Pell asked if there were any other questions from the Planning Board.
Pell asked if there was anyone else in favor of the request who would like to address the Planning Board. Hearing none, Pell asked if there was anyone in opposition to the request who would like to address the Planning Board.
Pell asked if there was anyone else who would like to speak in opposition to the rezoning request. Hearing none, Pell closed the public hearing.
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Cable asked if the request had been properly posted and the property owners were notified. The Planning Staff stated that the necessary procedures were followed.
Johnson said that the mobile home park has been on the site since sometime in the
1980s. Beeson stated that he thought it was good that Flores was updating and improving the site.
Vaughan said that the likes the idea that they are using a big parcel. Hedrick said that he thought the request would provide necessary housing in the community.
Cable made the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request to rezone the specified parcel(s) on the rezoning application to the requested zoning district based upon the Determination of Consistency and Findings of Reasonableness and Public Interest statements that are included in the Planning Board agenda, submitted during the rezoning
presentation and as may be amended, incorporated into the motion, to be included in the
minutes, as well as the site plan(s) with all agreed-upon revisions, also incorporated into the motion and that the request is consistent with the Randolph County Growth
Management Plan. Bunting made a second to the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request.
Pell, having a proper motion and second, called the question on the motion to APPROVE the rezoning request, and the motion was adopted unanimously. Johnson told the applicant that due to the potential of an appeal of the rezoning decision,
the approval paperwork would be sent after the deadline for filing an appeal if no appeal
is requested. Johnson reminded the Planning Board meeting of the joint work session with the Board of Commissioners that will be on August 31, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. in the McAnulty Room at
Northgate Commons.
Planning Board members welcomed Caddle and expressed excitement over her coming to work with the County.
Having no further business, Pell called for a motion to ADJOURN the meeting. Beeson
made the motion to adjourn, with Austin making the second to the motion. Pell, having a proper motion, and second, called the question on the motion to ADJOURN. The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m., with 28 citizens present.
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RANDOLPH COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
________________________ Chairman
_________________________ _______________________________
Clerk to the Board Date
Approved by the Randolph County Planning Board
September 12, 2023