UDO discussion, mass gathering rules on Monday's agendas
The Johnston County Board of Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17.
At their morning work session, Commissioners hope to reach consensus on some Unified Development Ordinance provisions before presenting a final draft to the public. Among the likely topics of discussion among Commissioners are the buffer between farms and their non-farm neighbors and how to calculate subdivision density. Commissioners also hope to decide on minimum lot sizes in rural subdivisions and on the process for approving subdivisions. The work session is not a regular meeting, and there will be no opportunity for public comment. The public is invited to attend in person or view the meeting online.
On the 6 p.m. agenda are:
- Continued discussion of proposed changes to the County ordinance that governs mass gatherings. Most notably, a proposed change would lower the threshold for needing a permit to hold a mass gathering. The current number is 4,000 or more people. The proposed change would lower it to 2,500 or more. Deputy County Attorney Marie Coats will address questions Commissioners raised during an Aug. 3 public hearing on the proposed changes. Commissioners have said they have no desire to restrict the freedom that Johnstonians have to peacefully assemble. They just want the County to know about such events so it can ensure adequate public safety staffing if needed.
- A N.C. Department of Transportation request to add the following streets to the roster of state-maintained roads: Walnut Hall Court, Batten Hill Lane, Turkey Creek Cove, Battery Circle and Winky Way in Walnut Hill subdivision, Wilders Township.
- A request from staff to call for a public hearing on the proposed dissolution of the Whitley Heights Sanitary District. Created in 1988, the sanitary district has paid off the last of its loans for water and sewer infrastructure and turned the operation of its utilities over to Johnston County Public Utilities. This hearing will help determine if there is a need for an elected board to govern the district or for the district to collect a separate tax to retire its debt.
- A public hearing on the County’s intent to participate in North Carolina’s Capital Property Assessed Commercial Expenditure Program, or C-PACE for short. The program allows commercial properties to obtain long-term private financing for energy-efficient HVAC systems, solar panels and other renewable energy systems, water-conservation measures, and similar projects.
- A request from First Baptist Church in Smithfield to share in the cost of repaving a parking lot the church makes available to the public. County employees sometimes use the South Third Street lot, as do people doing business at the Courthouse. The church is asking the County for $3,815.62, or half the cost of the paving.
- A proclamation declaring September as Smart Start Month in Johnston County. The proclamation asks Johnston residents to recognize Smart Start’s role in early childhood development. The 30-year-old program supports early child care and education, health services, and family support.
- Budget revisions for the Health Department, a $447,541 state grant to meet short-term infrastructure needs and to hire and train staff; the Sheriff’s Office, $1,698.45 in miscellaneous revenue and federal equitable sharing; and the Health Department again, $1,200 in revenue from South College of Tennessee for employee training.
Page last updated on: August 13, 2026