HomeMy WebLinkAboutRezoning_citizen concernsGood afternoon all!
Below is the message we received from a citizen with concerns about the upcoming rezoning. I did not completely understand if I was supposed to send straight to the Commissioners or
if this message was to come via Administration.
Please let me know if more is needed from me,
jay
Jay Sikes
Manager of Planning Services
Harnett County Development Services
108 E. Front St
PO Box 65
Lillington, NC 27546
910-893-7525, x4
910-814-6418
910-814-6459 (fax)
www.harnett.org/planning <http://www.harnett.org/planning>
Development Services: Welcome | Harnett County, North Carolina <http://www.harnett.org/planning>
www.harnett.org
From: Cliff Brown <cbrown@barnhillcontracting.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 2, 2021 10:23 AM
To: Brooks Matthews <bmatthews@harnett.org>; bmckoy@harnett.o; Mark B. Johnson <mbjohnson@harnett.org>; Matt Nicol <mnicol@harnett.org>
Cc: Jay Sikes <jsikes@harnett.org>; rbaker@harnett.o
Subject: Rezoning request by Buckhorn Partners from RA-40 to RA-30
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
A little History: 25 plus years ago, just after zoning was implemented in Harnett County, there were local developers buying up property in my area, putting in very rough dirt roads,
and dividing the land up into lots for sale, mostly for manufactured homes. The roads when in, and the trees were just pushed up to the sides of the road and left. All this was done
with no permits in place, or even discussions with your Planning Department. I visited the Planning Department and asked for their advice on what to do about these renegade developers.
The suggestion was made that I rezone the entire area from RA-30 to RA-40, and the building permits for those lots could only be issued for single family homes. I started visiting all
the land owners in my area for rezoning approval signatures, and as I did, the area to be rezoned grew and grew. I think the final rezoned size was around 1200 acres. Then this rezoning
was submitted to the commissioners for approval, and won on a 5 to 0 vote. Interesting that the Planning Department could not stop these developers, they needed someone to stand up
and object to their methods, and that someone was me.
Going Forward: After rezoning, those lots that were to have manufactured housing on them, got sold, at a higher price I might add, and single family homes were built. The entire area
has seen steady growth, but, at a pace and distance apart, that we all enjoy. Seems we all like the farms in the area, they are far enough from the housing that smell is not an issue,
and we all like the rural nature of our area. That was Harnett Counties greatest appeal for me, I own approximately 47 acres total, and a 5 year old organic farm operation that is growing
in size.
Buckhorn Partners: So, Buckhorn Partners owns a parcel of land that borders my organic farm. That parcel was timbered 7 or 8 years ago. I was working out of town at the time, and some
very old pine trees were timbered off my property, and stumps were also removed. I visited the GIS office to view the aerial maps, and it was clear what trees were timbered on my side.
I asked Buckhorn for the name of the timber company, and I would take it from there. They refused to give me any information, which I never understood, but, not what a good neighbor
would do.
Recently, this same group, has been asking myself, and other landowners that border their property, for easements to cross our farms so expensive roads will not have to be built to access
the available housing lots on their property. Because of how they operate, no one will grant them an easement.
Going Forward: Our area is a rural area with farms mixed in with single family homes, and we need to keep it that way. Letting developers change zoning designations sends the wrong message
to these developers. RA-40 is Harnett Counties most limiting zoning, and 25 years ago, all the folks that live in our area agreed. So the rezoning request from RA-40 to RA-30 needs
to be denied. Once high density development starts, it is never the same. Also, keep in mind, that developers are in this for the money, they more than likely live elsewhere.
Cliff Brown
250 Fred Burns Road
Holly Springs, N.C. 27540
Cliff Brown, Project Superintendent
Barnhill Contracting Company
919-754-7744 mobile | PO Box 31765 Raleigh, NC 27622
cbrown@barnhillcontracting.com <mailto:cbrown@barnhillcontracting.com>
www.barnhillcontracting.com <http://www.barnhillcontracting.com/> | NC General Contractors No. 3194
________________________________
Barnhill Contracting Company is a licensed general contractor based in North Carolina (No. 3194).
RNETT/OU=FIRST ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=JSIKES