June 17, 2025 - 6:00 PM - Planning Board Meeting Minutes

10 MEETING OF THE JOHNSTON COUNTY PLANNING BOARD Tuesday , June 17 , 2025 6 00 pm The Johnston County Planning Board met in regular session on Tuesday , June 17 , 2025 at 6 00 pm in the County Commissioners Meeting Room , Johnston County Courthouse Annex , Smithfield , NC with the following members Present Susan Ford , Debbie Howard , Will Letchworth , Tim Little , Gary Lovering , Jay Sasser Absent Jared Crenshaw , Brooke Holmes , Freddie Hudson , Braston Newton Planning Director , BOE Representative , BOCC Representative Also present Todd Marr , Senior Planner ; Cameron Pittman , Planner ; Jennifer Slusser , County Attorney Chairman Letchworth opened the meeting at 6 00 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Mr Lovering Approval of the Minutes Upon a motion by Mr Little to approve the May 20 , 2025 Planning Board Minutes , seconded by Mr Lovering , and carried by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 , the May 20 , 2025 Planning Board Minutes were approved as presented Chairman Letchworth stated that Earpsboro 2A subdivision was postponed until the July 15 , 2025 Planning Board meeting due to the TIA Chairman Letchworth stated that the Applicant for Case TXT 25 - 01 requested that it be tabled until the July 15 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Upon a motion by Mr Little to table Case TXT 25 - 01 until the July 15 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting , seconded by Mr Sasser , Case TXT 25 - 01 was tabled by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting All speakers were sworn in Subdivisions Cobb Tract Phase 2 Owner Jamie & Amy Cobb Developer Cloudbreak Investments , LLC Surveyor Engineer Becker Morgan Group Tax ID # 13C02055B Address 1000 Block of Two Claude Rd Acreage Lots 329 acres , 4 lots 1PageMr Marr introduced the subdivision and referenced the above information Mr Marr stated that Cobb Tract Phase 1 , consisting of 14 lots , was approved at the May 20 , 2025 Planning Board meeting Mr Donnie Adams , 314 E Main St , Clayton , NC , Becker Morgan Group , stated the particulars of the proposed subdivision and was present to answer any questions from the Board Mr Adams stated that the proposed subdivision met county standards and a CBU was shown on the preliminary plat Mr Lovering asked about the driveways for both phases not lining up Mr Adams confirmed There was no further discussion Chairman Letchworth asked for the staff recommendation Mr Marr stated the staff recommended preliminary approval subject to the stated conditions and requirements in the staff report Staff Recommendation Approval Upon a motion by Mr Little to approve Cobb Tract Phase 2 , seconded by Mr Lovering , Cobb Tract Phase 2 was approved by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Conditions and Requirements [ Planning ] 1 All lots must be a minimum of 30,000 sf 2 Complete flood plain information 3 Metes & bounds 4 Certifications 5 Entrance sign & street signs 6 Street name approval 7 All lots shall access internal streets 8 Cul - de - sac lots must have 40 ’ road frontage 9 Complete improvements or provide performance guarantee 10 Provide final plat Street Disclosure Statement Certificate for street maintenance DM Sec 7 , L item 8 11 Fee - in - lieu of open space shall be paid prior to recording 12 Street Lighting shall be installed in accordance with LDC Sec 14 - 364 prior to recording 13 Provide utility easements along all lot lines in accordance with LDC Sec 14 - 75 d 3 14 Coordinate with the US Postal Service for the design of and utilization of cluster box mail receptacle units a CBU shall not impede the flow of traffic 2Pageb CBU shall not obstruct the operation and maintenance of utility services c CBU shall meet ADA and Fire Code requirements [ Environmental Health ] 15 Approval of all lots for onsite sewage disposal or statement for each unapproved lot [ NCDOT ] 16 A driveway permit and subdivision design approval must be obtained prior to construction 17 All design aspects of the plans shall comply with the current NCDOT Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures , NCDOT Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards , and Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways 18 It will be determined at the time the driveway permit application is submitted if any road improvements will be required [ Public Utilities ] 19 Stormwater & Erosion Control Permits Required 20 Stormwater Statement Required 21 Wetlands should be delineated and shown on the plan if any are present as well as any jurisdictional features and buffers A buffer call will be required for this site 22 Property is limited to 15 impervious area without stormwater management 23 Construction plans will have to be submitted and approved for water line construction [ Emergency Services ] 24 Provide grade details for road 25 Provide a fire flow test 26 Provide fire hydrant distribution plan layout Vann Tract - Aquilla Rd Owner Kelli Sue Vann Developer Steel Bridge Crossing , LLC Surveyor Engineer Dalton Engineering and Associates , PA Tax ID # 07D06026C Address 1000 Block of Aquilla Rd Acreage Lots 1709 acres , 8 lots Mr Marr introduced the subdivision and referenced the above information Mr Marr shared information about direct driveway access on Aquilla Rd and also from the Johnston County Land Design Manual regarding developments creating 4 or more lots 3PageMr Little asked about each of the lots on each side of Aquilla Rd being served from an access easement Mr Marr confirmed and stated that the statement about the 500 ft of driveway separation pertains to the distance to 1035 Aquilla Rd but that NCDOT did not have a problem with the proposed driveway locations Mr Sam Jones , 1848 NC HWY 50 South , Benson , NC , Steel Bridge Crossing , LLC , was present to answer any questions from the Board Chairman Letchworth asked about the request for a waiver to the requirements of the Johnston County Land Design Manual Mr Jones responded that they could possibly shift the shared driveway but thought that there was a similar issue with a neighboring driveway on the other side Mr Little asked about a cul - de - sac design and reducing the lot sizes Mr Jones stated that their intention was to keep the larger lot sizes to meet the needs of those buyers wanting two plus acres in the community Mr Sasser asked about a center turn lane Mr Jones responded no and that the preliminary plat showed the right - of - way and centerline of the road There was no further discussion Chairman Letchworth asked for the staff recommendation Mr Marr stated the staff recommended denial due to less than 500 ft of driveway separation and lack of a dedicated right - of - way meeting Johnston Co standards for a Major subdivision Mr Little commented on the proposal of two plus acre lots and reducing the number of driveway access points on each side Staff Recommendation Denial Upon a motion by Mr Little to approve Vann Tract - Aquilla Rd , seconded by Ms Howard , Vann Tract - Aquilla Rd was approved by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Conditions and Requirements [ Planning ] 1 All lots must be a minimum of 30,000 sf 2 Complete flood plain information 3 Metes & bounds 4PagePage pageNumber54 Certifications 5 Entrance sign & street signs 6 Street name approval 7 Complete improvements or provide performance guarantee 8 Provide final plat Street Disclosure Statement Certificate for street maintenance DM Sec 7 , L item 8 9 Show shared driveway access easement and provide statement for shared maintenance on Final Plat 10 Fee - in - lieu of open space shall be paid prior to recording 11 Street Lighting shall be installed in accordance with LDC Sec 14 - 364 prior to recording 12 Provide utility easements along all lot lines in accordance with LDC Sec 14 - 75 d 3 13 Coordinate with the US Postal Service for the design of and utilization of cluster box mail receptacle units a CBU shall not impede the flow of traffic b CBU shall not obstruct the operation and maintenance of utility services c CBU shall meet ADA and Fire Code requirements [ Environmental Health ] 14 Approval of all lots for onsite sewage disposal or statement for each unapproved lot [ NCDOT ] 15 A driveway permit and subdivision design approval must be obtained prior to construction 16 All design aspects of the plans shall comply with the current NCDOT Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures , NCDOT Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards , and Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways 17 It will be determined at the time the driveway permit application is submitted if any road improvements will be required [ Public Utilities ] 18 Stormwater & Erosion Control Permits Required 19 Stormwater Statement Required 20 Wetlands should be delineated and shown on the plan if any are present as well as any jurisdictional features and buffers 21 Property is limited to 15 impervious area without stormwater management 22 Construction plans will have to be submitted and approved for waterline construction [ Emergency Services ] 23 Provide construction details for access road 5PagePage pageNumber624 Provide grade information for access roads 25 Provide turn around details 26 Provide a fire flow test 27 Provide fire hydrant distribution plan layout Bailey’s Pond April 2025 Owner OG3 , LLC Developer OG3 , LLC Surveyor Engineer Becker Morgan Group , Inc Tax ID # 11N06022C Address 1400 Block of Branch Chapel Church Rd Acreage Lots 309 acres , 16 lots Mr Marr introduced the subdivision and referenced the above information Mr Marr stated that there was a previous approval in January 2025 but there was a substantial change Mr Marr stated that this parcel is not within the ESA , however a floodplain appears on a small portion of this parcel Mr Marr also shared information from Section 14 - 225 of the Johnston County Code of Ordnances pertaining to Flag Lots Ms Emily Beddingfield , 334 E Main St , Clayton , NC , Lipscomb Development , stated the particulars of the proposed subdivision and was present to answer any questions from the Board Ms Beddingfield stated that the previous approval in January 2025 was a very similar design but with one additional lot Ms Beddingfield stated that they redesigned the current proposal to create a direct connection from the proposed road to the cemetery Ms Beddingfield stated that the driveway access to the cemetery would also provide access to a larger proposed lot Ms Beddingfield stated that the new design shortens the cul - de - sac and reduces the impervious of the road Ms Beddingfield stated that the property owner and engineer were also present Mr Little asked about the 12 ft driveway to the cemetery and there not being a dedicated easement Ms Beddingfield responded that it would be dedicated as an easement Chairman Letchworth asked if the cemetery ended up being its own lot Ms Beddingfield responded yes Mr Lovering asked if the cemetery area would be part of the dedicated easement Ms Beddingfield responded that all access to the cemetery would be under a public access easement Mr Lovering asked about the cemetery parking area Ms Beddingfield responded that they would make sure that any parking area is either on the cemetery lot or within an access easement on the final plat 6PagePage pageNumber7Mr Jeff Harris , 1117 Branch Chapel Church Rd , Selma , NC , adjacent property owner , stated that he had an easement along the subject property’s line and asked if there would be a berm along proposed lots 7 and 8 Mr Harris spoke about the subject property flooding in the area of proposed lot 8 Mr Harris asked about buffers and berms along the creek at the back of the subject property Chairman Letchworth stated that a riparian buffer is required around the stream so that nothing is to be constructed or disturbed within the buffer Ms Beddingfield responded that there is not a proposed berm which is consistent with Johnston County standards for buffers between property lines Ms Beddingfield responded that the house location for the proposed lot 8 is proposed to be closer to the cul - de - sac to stay out of the flood area at the back of the proposed lot There was no further discussion Chairman Letchworth asked for the staff recommendation Mr Marr stated the staff recommended denial due to flag lot lot 16 Mr Marr also noted that the previous design would still be approved should the current proposal be denied Mr Lovering asked about flag lots Mr Marr responded that it is when a lot created looks like a flag leaving a small stem going to the larger portion of the parcel Mr Marr stated that flag lots are not allowed within major subdivisions Chairman Letchworth stated that in this case , lot 16 would be a flag lot Mr Little spoke about the new design and the importance of homeowners knowing about the cemetery easement Staff Recommendation Denial Upon a motion by Mr Little to approve Bailey’s Pond April 2025 , seconded by Mr Sasser , Bailey’s Pond April 2025 was approved by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Conditions and Requirements [ Planning ] 1 All lots must be a minimum of 30,000 sf 2 Complete flood plain information 3 Metes & bounds 4 Certifications 5 Entrance sign & street signs 6 Street name approval 7 All lots shall access internal streets 7PagePage pageNumber88 Cul - de - sac lots must have 40 ’ road frontage 9 Complete improvements or provide performance guarantee 10 Provide final plat Street Disclosure Statement Certificate for street maintenance DM Sec 7 , L item 8 11 Fee - in - lieu of open space shall be paid prior to recording 12 Provide utility easements along all lot lines in accordance with LDC Sec 14 - 75 d 3 13 Flag lot must meet the minimum design criteria as established in LDC Sec 14 - 255 d 14 Coordinate with the US Postal Service for the design of and utilization of cluster box mail receptacle units a CBU shall not impede the flow of traffic b CBU shall not obstruct the operation and maintenance of utility services c CBU shall meet ADA and Fire Code requirements [ Environmental Health ] 15 Approval of all lots for onsite sewage disposal or statement for each unapproved lot [ NCDOT ] 16 A driveway permit and subdivision design approval must be obtained prior to construction 17 All design aspects of the plans shall comply with the current NCDOT Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures , NCDOT Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards , and Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways 18 It will be determined at the time the driveway permit application is submitted if any road improvements will be required [ Public Utilities ] 19 Stormwater & Erosion Control Permits Required 20 Stormwater Statement Required 21 Wetlands should be delineated and shown on the plan if any are present as well as any jurisdictional features and buffers A buffer call will be necessary 22 Property is limited to 15 impervious area without stormwater management 23 Construction plans will have to be submitted and approved for waterline construction [ Emergency Services ] 24 Provide detailed water mains and pipe sizes 25 All water mains and hydrants must be installed and operational prior to combustible materials arriving on construction site 8PagePage pageNumber926 Provide a fire flow test McLamb North & South Tracts Owner McLamb Family Trust Developer Bailey’s Crossroads - LAN , LLC Surveyor Engineer Freedom Firm , PC Tax ID # 01D07026J , 01D07026G , 01D07026I , 01D07026H Address 200 Block of Bailey’s Crossroads Rd Acreage Lots 6274 acres , 51 lots Mr Marr introduced the subdivision and referenced the above information Mr Marr noted that the lots would need to be renumbered on the final plat since the tracts are being approved together Mr Little asked if the tracts are across the road from each other Mr Marr confirmed and stated that there are four total parcels Mr Lovering asked about the four parcels Mr Marr stated that parcels one and two are on the south and parcels three and four are on the north Ms Howard asked about the proposed entrances Mr Marr confirmed and stated that one entrance is off Bailey’s Crossroads Rd and one entrance is off of Benson - Hardee Rd Mr Carlos Bagley , 63 Watkins Rd , Clayton , NC , Freedom Firm , PC , stated the particulars of the proposed subdivision and was present to answer any questions from the Board Mr Bagley spoke about the access to the cemetery on the subject property Mr Little asked if the cemetery was fenced in Mr Bagley responded yes Chairman Letchworth asked about the designated septic lot behind the cemetery Mr Bagley stated that it was an extra septic lot Chairman Letchworth asked about the plan for the septic lot and soil survey Mr Bagley stated that they had conducted the soil survey Mr Bagley stated that the road would stay the same , but the lot lines may move around Mr Jonathan Simpson , 218 Bailey’s Crossroads Rd , Benson , NC , adjacent neighbor , asked about an easement off the proposed driveway for proposed lot 28 next to his house to access his backyard because his septic is in his front yard 9Page0Chairman Letchworth asked about the location of Mr Simpson’s property Mr Simpson pointed out his property on GIS and stated that he has been using the driveway that accesses 210 Bailey’s Crossroads Rd since about 2015 to access his backyard Chairman Letchworth asked for clarification of Mr Simpson’s request for an easement to continue to access his backyard Mr Sam Jones , 1848 NC HWY 50 South , Benson , NC , stated that they would be willing to sell that sliver of land to the homeowner as long as it works for their access and is not needed for the proposed subdivision There was no further discussion Chairman Letchworth asked for the staff recommendation Mr Marr stated the staff recommended preliminary approval subject to the stated conditions and requirements in the staff report Staff Recommendation Approval Upon a motion by Mr Lovering to approve McLamb North & South Tracts , seconded by Mr Little , McLamb North & South Tracts was approved by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Conditions and Requirements [ Planning ] 1 All lots must be a minimum of 30,000 sf 2 Complete flood plain information 3 Metes & bounds 4 Certifications 5 Entrance sign & street signs 6 Street name approval 7 All lots shall access internal streets 8 Cul - de - sac lots must have 40 ’ road frontage 9 Complete improvements or provide performance guarantee 10 Provide final plat Street Disclosure Statement Certificate for street maintenance DM Sec 7 , L item 8 11 Fee - in - lieu of open space shall be paid prior to recording 12 Street Lighting shall be installed in accordance with LDC Sec 14 - 364 prior to recording 13 Provide utility easements along all lot lines in accordance with LDC Sec 14 - 75 d 3 14 Coordinate with the US Postal Service for the design of and utilization of cluster box mail receptacle units 10Page1a CBU shall not impede the flow of traffic b CBU shall not obstruct the operation and maintenance of utility services c CBU shall meet ADA and Fire Code requirements [ Environmental Health ] 15 Approval of all lots for onsite sewage disposal or statement for each unapproved lot [ NCDOT ] 16 A driveway permit and subdivision design approval must be obtained prior to construction 17 All design aspects of the plans shall comply with the current NCDOT Standard Specifications for Roads and Structures , NCDOT Subdivision Roads Minimum Construction Standards , and Policy on Street and Driveway Access to North Carolina Highways 18 It will be determined at the time the driveway permit application is submitted if any road improvements will be required [ Public Utilities ] 19 Stormwater & Erosion Control Permits Required 20 Stormwater Statement Required 21 Wetlands should be delineated and shown on the plan if any are present as well as any jurisdictional features and buffers A buffer call will be required for this site 22 Property is limited to 15 impervious area without stormwater management 23 Construction plans will have to be submitted and approved for waterline construction [ Emergency Services ] 24 Provide construction details for access road 25 Provide grade information for access roads 26 Provide a fire flow test 27 Provide fire hydrant distribution plan layout Special Uses Public Forum Only - No Vote Case TXT 25 - 01 Text Amendment Request 25 - 01 Sect 14 - 81 & Sect 14 - 89 To allow more housing density and housing types in the Neighborhood Center Place Type as contained in the Johnston County Land Use Plan Petitioner Thomas H Johnson , Jr Attorney for WBB Development , LLC Amend Sec 14 - 89 to allow Multi - Family Residential up to 20 units per acre , Townhomes up to 6 units per acre , and Single - Family up to 3 units per acre within 11Page2a mixed - use development in the General Business - Conditional Zoning District GB - CZ per Section 14 - 81 e Amend Sec 14 - 81 to add e Residential 1 Multi - Family Residential up to 20 units per acre , Townhomes up to 6 units per acre , and Single - Family up to 3 units per acre are allowed in the General Business - Conditional Zoning District GB - CZ in a mixed - use development but only within the consistent with the Neighborhood Center Place Type as defined in the 2023 Comprehensive Land Use Plan and shown on the Future Land Use Placetypes Map Case TXT 25 - 01 was tabled until the July 15 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Discussion Items There were five written decisions for the Board’s review Buck Crossing Owner Double J Development , LLC Developer Double J Development , LLC Surveyor Engineer Becker Morgan Group , Inc Tax ID # 11N05066C & 11N05066D Address 12000 Block of Buck Rd Acreage Lots 9811 acres , 62 lots The Board reviewed the written decision Upon a motion by Mr Sasser to approve the written decision for Buck Crossing , seconded by Ms Howard , and carried by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 , the written decision for Buck Crossing was approved as presented at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Coates Crossing Owner GH Land , LLC Elizabeth Roberts Developer Casto Southeast Realty Services , LLC Surveyor Engineer Blue Ridge Engineering , PLLC Tax ID # 07E05019 , 07E05019A , & 07E05063B Address 11847 NC Hwy 210 Acreage Lots 1945 acres , 7 lots The Board reviewed the written decision Upon a motion by Mr Little to approve the written decision for Coates Crossing , seconded by Mr Lovering , and carried by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 , the written decision for Coates Crossing was approved as presented at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting 12Page3Cobb Tract Owner Jamie & Amy Cobb Developer Cloudbreak Investments , LLC Surveyor Engineer Becker Morgan Group Tax ID # 13C02055B Address 1000 Block of Two Claude Rd Acreage Lots 1277 acres , 14 lots The Board reviewed the written decision Upon a motion by Mr Sasser to approve the written decision for Cobb Tract , seconded by Mr Little , and carried by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 , the written decision for Cobb Tract was approved as presented at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Jasper Landing Phase 2 Owner Jasper Landing Development Company Developer Greyhill Development , LLC Surveyor Engineer Mike Schneider , PE Tax ID # 07F06045 Address 3457 Lassiter Rd Acreage Lots 1499 acres , 16 lots The Board reviewed the written decision Upon a motion by Mr Lovering to approve the written decision for Jasper Landing Phase 2 , seconded by Mr Sasser , and carried by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 , the written decision for Jasper Landing Phase 2 was approved as presented at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting Hocutt Farm Owner Talmage Mark Hall & Thomas Merle Hall Developer TMHX2 , LLC Surveyor Engineer Hall Land Surveying , Inc Tax ID # 11L03019B Address 11000 Block of Covered Bridge Rd Acreage Lots 1355 acres , 12 lots The Board reviewed the written decision Upon a motion by Mr Little to approve the written decision for Hocutt Farm , seconded by Mr Lovering , and carried by a unanimous vote of 6 - 0 , the written decision for Hocutt Farm was approved as presented at the June 17 , 2025 Planning Board Meeting 13Page4The meeting ended at 6 32 pm Respectfully submitted by _______________________________________ Jodie Gay , Secretary for the Board 14Page