Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes - November 3, 2025 6:00 PM

10 654 Meeting of the Johnston County Board of Commissioners November 3 , 2025 6 00 pm The Johnston County Board of Commissioners met in regular session Monday , November 3 , 2025 at 6 00 pm in the Commissioners Meeting Room , Johnston County Courthouse Annex , Smithfield , North Carolina The following members were present Present Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr , Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris , Ted G Godwin , April Stephens , Bill Stovall , Michelle Pace Davis , and Mike Rose Absent None Also Present County Manager Rick J Hester , County Attorney Jennifer J Slusser , Clerk to the Board Dana G Cuddington , and Executive Assistant Deputy Clerk Susie Reeves Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr called the meeting to order at 6 00 pm and the following business was transacted Chairman Lawter reminded everyone of the Board’s six priorities including Public Safety , Infrastructure , County Employees , Financial Stewardship , Educational Funding , and Land Use and the Board’s continuing efforts to keep these priorities in mind when working through the agenda 1 Approval Discussion of Agenda Upon a motion by Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris , seconded by Commissioner Ted G Godwin , and carried by unanimous vote , the Board approved the agenda as presented 2 Public Comment A Citizen Comments – Shakira Frazier Shakira Frazier , Wilson’s Mills , representing Down Home North Carolina , addressed the Board Ms Frazier stated Down Home North Carolina is made up of community members and residents of Johnston County and they are attending the meeting on behalf of working families , seniors , and young people across North Carolina Ms Frazier stated they are seeing a troubling reality unfold in that the services that form the backbone of the communities such as healthcare clinics , public libraries , schools , and infrastructure are facing cuts and uncertainty She stated for people who rely on these services it is not a political debate but it is a direct threat to their stability and wellbeing She stated the challenges are born from decisions made far away where the priorities seem skewed and the communities are an afterthought Ms Frazier stated when tax policies favor handouts to the wealthy over investments in the common good , the consequences ripple down to the main streets and kitchen tables She stated the gridlock seen at the federal level cannot become the model for Johnston County and they want the local elected officials to be champions for the communities She stated the local elected officials need to stand in the gap and protect the people they are elected to serve Ms Frazier stated they urge Johnston County’s elected officials to be voices of reason and compassion She stated a resolution has been sent to the Board of Commissioners and they are calling on elected officials to advocate for the reopening of the federal government and for the full funding of essential services , especially healthcare She stated in these uncertain times , people need the local government officials to support the citizens more than ever and they invite the local officials to stand in solidarity with working people all across North Carolina Ms Frazier stated they believe that the power of local leadership can change the story and they are asking for local elected officials to partner with Down Home North Carolina to advocate for a better North Carolina that works for everyone B Citizen Comments – Joe Kennedy Joe Kennedy , representing Down Home North Carolina , addressed the Board Mr Kennedy stated he is a US Army Veteran and grew up in Smithfield Mr Kennedy stated he is speaking to the Board regarding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act OBBBA and the impacts of the bill on communities Mr Kennedy stated he was once homeless in his youth and he currently works in homeless outreach services He stated 1686 billion in social security income reductions are expected to occur over the next 10 years Mr Kennedy shared information with the Board regarding situations with homeless individuals and how the social security income some of them receive is not enough to provide adequate food and shelter He also spoke on impacts to healthcare and how many people are having to rely on volunteers , outreach groups , and churches for food , shelter , and assistance with healthcare needs He shared instances of where individuals are not receiving adequate healthcare and how this is impacting their lives Page655 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Kennedy continued that under the OBBBA , assistance through SNAP will be reduced by 186 billion over the next decade He spoke on how he has worked with families living in hotels and how they are consistently short on funds to pay for housing Mr Kennedy reported that after this meeting , he will be working with a mother and her children who are fleeing a domestic violence situation and are having to use a converted van for temporary housing He expressed concern as to how this mother is going to be able to feed her children now that SNAP benefits have been suspended due to the federal government shutdown Mr Kennedy stated the situations he described are what he has to work with every day and he encouraged the Board of Commissioners to advocate for the people He stated all humans deserve care and dignity and while the government cannot solve everything , it can help to alleviate these situations and help others as much as possible C Citizen Comments – Elizabeth Lynn Elizabeth Lynn , Clayton Resident , with Down Home North Carolina , addressed the Board and stated she fully supports the previous speakers She stated in addition to the stories shared by the previous speakers there are many others that are not able to come to the meetings due to accessibility limitations Ms Lynn reported Down Home North Carolina sent a resolution to the Board of Commissioners regarding their concerns She stated if adopted , the resolution would require the County staff to create and maintain a public transparency webpage , coordinate with school officials on impacts to education , and organize and conduct a public hearing She stated after the public hearing , they would like to see a comprehensive public report prepared that will help to engage and promote advocacy with state and federal officials She stated the resolution also addresses impacts from a reduction in federal and state funding that support local initiatives and she encouraged the Board to consider the resolution Ms Lynn stated she plans to follow up with the Board via email D Citizen Comments – Yolanda Peterson Yolanda Peterson , Clayton , stated as a student of law , she wanted to understand what the Board’s role is and how they can help the community She stated in doing her research , she found that Commissioners are the first line of defense and are in a position of advocacy to help those that cannot help themselves Ms Peterson shared her experience of working with an individual that has lost their Medicaid assistance and is going through dialysis She stated this individual is unsure of the future and cannot survive without their dialysis treatments Ms Peterson stated situations like this are always on her mind and she feels the Board needs to hear these stories and more so they will know how people are being impacted Ms Peterson stated this is a moral issue and not a political issue and she would like to remind the Commissioners that they are in a position of advocacy E E - mail Received Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr acknowledged an email the Board received from Elizabeth Lynn with Down Home North Carolina containing the resolution mentioned by Ms Lynn in her comments 3 Public Hearing Rezoning Requests Advertised – The Johnstonian News and The News in Review – October 22 and 29 , 2025 Certified letters were mailed to adjoining property owners on October 20 , 2025 A notice was posted at the location on July 2 , 2025 , 2025 for Case 25 - 05 The Chairman opened the Rezoning Hearing for Case 25 - 05 Case 25 - 05 Petition to rezone 669 acres located at 6232 Raleigh Road in the Elevation Township from Agricultural Residential AR to General Business - Conditional Zoning GB - CZ Tax ID 07F06001R Owner Kurtis Farrell Applicant Kurtis Farrell Conditional Zoning Request Outdoor storage , parking of commercial vehicles , semi loading unloading Planning Director Braston Newton stated the petition is to rezone 669 acres located at 6232 Raleigh Road in the Elevation Township from Agricultural Residential to General Business - Conditional Zoning He stated the conditional zoning request is to allow for outdoor storage , parking of commercial vehicles , and semitruck loading and unloading The surrounding land uses are zoned Agricultural Residential and used for residential and agricultural purposes and a high school He stated this location is close to , but not in , an Interstate Highway Interchange overlay Mr Newton stated the area is located within a designated “ Regional Mixed Use Center ” future land use place type on the County’s Envision Johnston Comprehensive Land Use Plan These areas are intended to be centers of activity that include a mix of retail , restaurant , service , office , and civic and institutional uses Mr Newton stated the traffic count for this portion of Raleigh Road is 4,500 vehicles per dayPage656 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued as of 2023 and it appears on the Comprehensive Transportation Plan as needing improvement At the inquiry of Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr , Mr Newton stated the property is currently zoned for residential and could be used for a residence , farming , a place of worship , and in certain situations a government facility associated with public safety He stated the General Business district is the most expansive non - industrial district the County has and allows for uses such as automotive repair , a contractors office , and small scale warehousing Mr Newton stated in this case , the applicant is requesting a conditional zoning that would limit the uses to outdoor storage , the parking of company vehicles , and semitruck loading and unloading He stated there are no details in the applicant’s application that would offer an idea of what would be stored in the outdoor storage area or what type of commercial vehicles would be parking on the site The Chairman called for the applicant to come forward and called the following to everyone’s attention Proposed Conditions 1 Permitted uses Outdoor storage , park company vehicles , semi loading unloading proposed by applicant 2 Landscape buffering privacy fencing and keep vehicle parked near building proposed by applicant 3 Operating Hours are 8am - 5pm Business emergencies may require rare loading outside of normal business hours proposed by applicant 4 Shipping and receiving will not occur between 2pm - 3pm when school is in operation proposed by applicant 5 Shipping traffic will flow southbound to not interfere with northbound traffic proposed by applicant 6 Traffic in and out of the site will be limited to 10 trips daily proposed by applicant 7 Outdoor light will be activated by motion detection proposed by applicant 8 Business will not be open to the public proposed by applicant 9 A Class B 2 large trees , 3 small trees , and 9 shrubs every 100 linear feet landscape buffer shall be installed along all conditional zoning lines All buffers must be placed outside of any fencing existing vegetation may be used proposed by staff 10 The development shall conform to all requirements of the Johnston County Land Development Code 11 Applicant shall submit a detailed site plan for review and approval by the Planning and Zoning Department Staff 12 All signage shall comply with the Johnston County sign code 13 All lighting shall be downlighting so as to not shine onto adjacent properties proposed by staff 14 All structures must comply with all rules enforced by Federal , State , and Local agencies 15 Secure an NCDOT driveway permit 16 Driveway apron must be paved through NCDOT right - of - way Mandated by NCDOT Conditional Zoning Applicant Questions 1 That the use or development is located , designed , and proposed to be operated so as to maintain or promote the public health , safety , and general welfare ; Applicant Job creation Business provides skilled employment opportunities contributing to local economy and development Storage Layout Materials will be stored in a secure manor to prevent accidents and maintain visual orderliness Traffic and access Site will be designed with safe ingress for trucks and employees including adequate parking and turning areas to avoid traffic congestions or hazards 2 That the use of the development appears to comply with all required use and intensity regulations of Articles II & IV of the Johnston County Land Development Code and the applicable specific standards in section 14 - 257 and with all applicable regulations ; Applicant Support local industry Scaffolding service are essentials for construction , renovation , and maintenance of buildings directly benefitting other local business and infrastructure projects 3 That the use or development is located , designed , and proposed to be operated so as to maintain or enhance the value of contiguous property , or that the use or development is a public necessity ; Applicant Aesthetic considerations Site will be designed with visual buffering elements such as fencing , landscaping , and structural storage areas to maintain a clean orderly appearance This helps maintain visual impacts and preserves aesthetic integrity of neighborhood 4 That the use or development conforms with general plans for the physical development of the County’s Planning jurisdiction , the Design Manual , or other development policies as adopted by the Board of Commissioners Applicant Property is located within an existing regional mixed use center There are several businesses located in the same Regional mixed use center Many lots near proposed address have IHI zoning in addition to AR Page657 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Attorney Bob Spence , representing Applicant Kurtis Farrell , addressed the Board Mr Spence stated the applicant is trying to develop the property while being sensitive to the community Mr Spence introduced his associate , Attorney Max Harris , to help present information to the Board Mr Spence stated this case would involve a service business with the intent to support related businesses in the area Mr Spence explained that twice a week , a semitruck will come to the site , not during school bus hours , to deliver scaffolding parts He stated the storage on the site would be a building to store the scaffolding Mr Spence stated an office person would be on site but there would be no retail sales He stated approximately ten contractor pickup trucks with trailers a week would visit the site Mr Spence stated the applicant has chosen a business that has the least traffic impacts and the twice a week semitrucks would be strictly controlled to minimize impacts to traffic He stated any turning of the semitrucks would be onsite Mr Spence stated the use is designed for minimal traffic and would generate less traffic than a residential development or restaurant He stated the North Carolina Department of Transportation has no objections or concerns Mr Spence stated all the traffic would come in and out southbound and would not cross the road Mr Spence presented the following information to the Board in support of the case Mr Spence stated the site would be properly screened for minimal visibility Mr Spence noted the location of the subject site in relation to the nearby Interstate Highway Interchange overlay district PagePage pageNumber5658 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Spence reviewed the following proposed site plan with the Board He stated the border would be buffered and the traffic would mainly be twice a week and would not interfere with the nearby high school’s busing schedule Mr Spence stated the proposed use is consistent with the region and he reviewed DOT planned upgrades with the Board Mr Spence also shared examples of scaffolding with the Board , as follows PagePage pageNumber6659 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Spence shared examples of proposed landscape buffering with the Board Mr Spence shared the following pictures with the Board of other properties currently zoned Agricultural Residential , the same as the subject site , and shared examples of what could currently be on the site He noted the rezoning request , if approved , would have conditions to limit the use on the site PagePage pageNumber7660 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Spence stated the rezoning request , if approved , would include conditions restricting the use so there would be little to no impact to the surrounding area Mr Spence acknowledged there was concern expressed at the Planning Board meeting He stated the applicant has agreed to conditions that would be enforceable and would protect the community Mr Spence stated in summary , the proposed use is low impact and adjacent to a business node He stated any impact would be controlled and the applicant is working with a good company that specializes in scaffolding and it would be a service industry for related businesses Mr Spence stated the proposed use would be less of an impact than what would currently be allowed in Agricultural Residential Applicant Kurtis Farrell thanked the Board for considering the request Mr Farrell stated he began this initiative in May of 2025 and has been in contact with the County staff from the beginning Mr Farrell stated he has been very clear with his intentions for the property and was guided to the conditional zoning request Mr Farrell stated in response to feedback and concern with access for the semitrucks , he has added plans for a driveway for southbound access only He stated the business would open at 8 00 am and close at 5 00 pm with no shipping and receiving between the hours of 2 00 pm and 3 00 pm in consideration of the school traffic Mr Farrell stated he feels he has mitigated every concern and has put in much time and effort to be considerate of the neighbors Mr Farrell stated the business would be low impact with only one to two semitrucks a week to bring in the material He stated everything else is handled by truck and trailer Mr Farrell stated he visits the property often with his own truck and trailer with no issues He explained how the truck traffic would enter and exit the site Mr Farrell pointed out the nearby Interstate Highway Interchange overlay district and stated his request could be covered through General Business or the Interstate Highway Interchange zoning He stated there are planned Department of Transportation improvements and he feels he has covered all the concerns of staff Mr Farrell stated he can understand the concerns of the community , but he is trying to mitigate the plan to lower the impacts Mr Farrell stated there was a concern about vehicles to be stored on site He explained that the office person would drive a car to the site and there would be a company truck with two trailers on the site Mr Farrell stated the yard is designed for overflow of scaffolding material when needed Mr Farrell offered to answer any questions by the Board Upon a question by Commissioner Ted G Godwin , Mr Farrell stated the site is designed so a semitruck can make a turn He stated they fully intend to go through the Department of Transportation’s process for the driveway Mr Farrell stated they plan to install a Class B buffer and he would be open to planting pine trees if that is a better option Mr Farrell stated they plan to install a black chain link fence as well as the landscape buffer At the inquiry of Commissioner April Stephens , Mr Farrell stated he does not live on site , but his residence is five minutes down the road Commissioner Mike Rose asked about the existing building on the property Mr Farrell responded that the existing building will remain and is where they would locate the office Upon a question by Commissioner Godwin , Mr Farrell confirmed that the scaffolding in the pictures provided by Mr Spence is the type of scaffolding that would be stored on the site He stated for clarification , it is a scaffolding and insulation company ; however , the only thing stored outside would be the scaffolding Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr noted the applicant has mainly been talking about scaffolding and asked how the insulation is transported to the site PagePage pageNumber8661 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Mr Farrell stated to his knowledge , insulation will not be stored on the site He stated the customer would order insulation directly from the distributor and it would be shipped to the job site He stated the company that wants to lease his property is a scaffolding and insulation company ; however , the subject site is not designed to store insulation outside Mr Farrell stated he does not believe that insulation will be on the site Chairman Lawter commented that the applicant is leasing the site to a company that does scaffolding as well as insulation Chairman Lawter noted the applicant has stated that the entrance and exit will only be southbound , but he is concerned that it will be difficult to enforce that rule among the truck drivers Mr Farrell stated in talking with the company that wants to lease the site , this would be added as a condition for the business Mr Farrell stated he cannot say for sure that the truck drivers would never violate that rule , but it would be added to shipping and receiving instructions Mr Farrell stated this could also be controlled with a gate to force the truck drivers to follow that rule Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis noted the hours of operation are 8 00 am to 5 00 pm and asked if that allows enough time for staff at the site to be able to arrive early as well as lock up and close the gates at the end of the day She asked if this needed to be extended Mr Farrell stated in terms of hours of operation , he was thinking about the truck and trailers coming to the site ; however , he has since thought about the office personnel as well as deliveries from Fed Ex and Amazon Mr Farrell stated he would appreciate it if that condition could be modified At the inquiry of Commissioner Godwin , Mr Farrell confirmed the days of operation would be Monday through Friday Commissioner Stephens stated she is concerned as to how the applicant will be able to control that deliveries and truck traffic will not visit the site between 2 00 pm and 3 00 pm school hours Mr Farrell stated he can lock the gates during that time Commissioner Stephens stated her concern is that this is a very narrow road for semitrucks to be turning on and off Mr Farrell indicated that the driveways can be modified to better accommodate the trucks Mr Spence readdressed the Board and called emails to the Board’s attention from the presentation in the agenda packet between the applicant and the Planning staff At the inquiry of the Chairman , Mr Farrell confirmed he is in agreement with the special conditions adding Monday through Friday to the hours of operation Mr Farrell stated he would also agree with extending the hours of operation The Chairman called for anyone else that wished to speak to come forward Samantha Worley , 6217 Raleigh Road , stated she lives directly across from the subject site Ms Worley stated she is concerned because the request lists uses that she does not think are allowed in a business zone She stated her concern is specifically the semi loading and unloading and stated in the table of allowed uses in the County’s ordinance , the closest use she could find to that was trucking terminals and that is only allowed in industrial zones Ms Worley stated there is nothing industrial about the area and it is mainly houses , farms , and schools Ms Worley expressed concerns that the request would be setting a bad precedent for land use in that someone is purchasing a piece of property , having it rezoned , and then leasing it for purposes that is not compatible Ms Worley stated she does not feel the proposed use is consistent with the County’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan She stated the applicant is stating that he only intends for scaffolding to be stored on the site , but she expressed concerns as to what could be brought to the site in the future Ms Worley noted there are wetlands in the area along with streams that are used by the farmers for irrigation Ms Worley stated there are several commercial properties available on Hwy 210 as well as Hwy 50 that would better accommodate this use Clayton Daniels , 22 Home Run Alley , addressed the Board Mr Daniels stated the illustrations provided by the applicant’s attorney paint an ugly picture of what could happen Mr Daniels stated the conditions limit the truck traffic during the school afternoon hours , but he asked about the morning hours Mr Daniels stated he does not want to see a tragedy in the community with the traffic Mr Daniels stated there are other locations thatPagePage pageNumber9662 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued would be more appropriate for this type of business and he urged the Board to consider the student drivers traveling the road Mr Daniels stated he feels the request sets a bad precedent for the area Thomas Honeycutt , Jr , 75 Home Run Alley , stated there has been a lot of discussion about the conditions and the plans for the site Mr Honeycutt stated he is speaking to the Board from the standpoint of someone that has lived in the area all his life Mr Honeycutt stated he knows the area and Raleigh Road and is a licensed professional civil engineer and owns property on Raleigh Road across from the subject site Mr Honeycutt spoke in opposition and asked the Board to deny the rezoning request He stated his areas of concern involve traffic hazards and zoning enforcement Mr Honeycutt stated he is not anti - business or anti - commercial , but he feels the subject site is not appropriate for the proposed use Mr Honeycutt stated the use is not compatible because there are currently no commercial developments along Raleigh Road in this area or properties properly zoned for commercial and industrial use between Coats Crossroads and the Cleveland area He stated there are two residential subdivisions adjacent to and across from the subject site with several other homes nearby along with a church Mr Honeycutt continued that he believes the subject property was sold for the express purpose of the owner constructing a residential home and was never sold with any knowledge of it being proposed to be rezoned as commercial Mr Honeycutt stated he understands that Hwy 210 is supposed to be the commercial corridor in this area of the County and the proposed use on the subject site could create unacceptable noise and disruptions for nearby residents Mr Honeycutt stated this is proposed as a construction related business which is not driven by hours , but instead by delivery schedules Mr Honeycutt asked who would be responsible for enforcing the hours of operation for the truck traffic Mr Honeycutt stated he believes that insulation will be stored on the site and asked how that would be controlled He stated he believes that sooner or later the site will become an eyesore despite the landscape buffer and Raleigh Road should not be allowed to turn into a commercial corridor as this is what Hwy 210 is designated Mr Honeycutt stated Raleigh Road is a major road of travel to and from West Johnston High School sometimes being almost continuous He stated it is also a major commuting route for people accessing Interstate 40 traveling to and from work He expressed concerns with Raleigh Road being a rural road and unable to handle more truck traffic safely accessing the subject site Mr Honeycutt stated it is his opinion , given his engineering experience as well as being a local resident , that the proposed use , if approved , would create unacceptable additional traffic hazards and concerns for this section of Raleigh Road Mr Honeycutt stated as it relates to zoning enforcement , while the County can establish special conditions limiting the use , based on past experiences he feels this cannot be enforced due to a lack of staffing , willingness , or legal limitations Mr Honeycutt questioned enforcement speaking on another business located approximately 500 feet from Coats Crossroads and stated it is perhaps one of the grossest violations of zoning in the County Mr Honeycutt stated this is a known violation , but nothing has ever been done to correct the violations Mr Honeycutt stated his concern is that the proposed use would become a second community eyesore James Harvey , 16 Tupelo Trail , stated he lives about a mile from the subject site Mr Harvey stated just today , he was leaving his home to pick up his grandchildren from school , and there was a tractor trailer broken down on Hwy 210 near Homestead and traffic was backed up for miles Mr Harvey stated if more tractor trailers come to the area they will create more problems and he is unsure if Raleigh Road is even weighted properly for semitrucks Mr Harvey expressed concerns with more commercial traffic in the area Brookie Honeycutt stated she is the former Principal at West Johnston High School and during her tenure at the high school , she experienced the tragic deaths of 14 students Ms Honeycutt stated nothing can prepare a person for dealing with the deaths of students and she lives with those events every day Ms Honeycutt stated her concern is for the safety and welfare of the staff and students at West Johnston High School She stated the bus drivers start at 5 30 am transporting students to the high school and then surrounding schools as well as routes in the afternoon She stated this does not include the student drivers , staff , and visitors attending after school events Ms Honeycutt stated there are times when traffic is backed up on Interstate 40 and Raleigh Road becomes an alternate route Ms Honeycutt also expressed concerns with the southbound ingress and egress at the subject site stating the intersection at North Pleasant Coats Crossroads is already a severely congested intersection and the proposed use could add to that congestion Mr Spence readdressed the Board and stated he would like to emphasize that this would be an extremely specialized use and people will not be driving into the site all during the day to pick up building supplies Mr Spence stated scaffolding would be picked up from the site by people that have very specialized knowledge He stated there will be scheduled visits to the site to pick up and drop off the scaffolding Mr Spence stated the use will generate far less traffic than residential and the applicant is trying to tailor the business for the subject site which is adjacent to a business node He stated this would not be General Business , but a highly specializedPage0663 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued service business for skilled contractors Mr Spence stated they do not intend to violate the conditions and the County can enforce the site Mr Spence stated they are prepared to answer any additional questions and are willing to discuss further concerns about the conditions Thomas Honeycutt , Jr , readdressed the Board and stated this would be a construction business and he expressed concerns with how the conditions would be enforced for the truck drivers that would be entering and exiting the site Mr Honeycutt stated materials will be delivered and picked up as they are needed and he is very concerned with the enforcement of the conditions Mr Honeycutt also expressed concerns as to what could happen to the site in the future if the scaffolding business were to close There being no further public comments , the Chairman closed the public comment portion of the hearing Mr Newton reported the Planning Board recommended denial of the rezoning and adoption of a Resolution for the Statement of Consistency as submitted in the agenda packet Mr Newton stated the recommendation for denial is based on conflicts with the type of traffic that would be entering and leaving the site versus the actual traffic generation itself Mr Newton stated the recommendation for denial is also based on the use being inconsistent with the future Land Use Plan place type which is “ Regional Mixed Use ” Upon a question by Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr , Mr Newton stated the County’s Land Use Plan describes Regional Mixed Use to be service at the site such as a dry cleaners or something more of a public service as opposed to a service off - site Mr Newton clarified that he is not saying the use would not be providing a service , but rather it is not providing a service on site in that the materials are being distributed to an off - site location Commissioner April Stephens asked if the Board were to allow outdoor storage , would there be any restrictions as to what could be stored on the site Mr Newton responded not as it is currently written At the inquiry of Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis , Mr Newton stated the nearest industrially zoned property would be at Hwy 210 Interstate 40 which is west of the subject site Commissioner Bill Stovall asked , for clarification , if the applicant would be operating the business or would it be leased to a company Mr Newton stated from what has been stated at this meeting , it appears that the applicant will be leasing the site to a company There being no further comments , the Chairman closed the Rezoning Hearing for Case 25 - 05 Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr suggested the Board consider two things before getting into a discussion regarding the conditions ; 1 is the proposed use consistent with the County’s Land Use Plan ; and 2 is the proposed use reasonable and in the public interest Commissioner Ted G Godwin commented that he has stated in the past that he believes in freedom and someone being able to do what they want to do on their own land within reason , but this is from a standpoint of if that person has owned that property well before zoning Commissioner Godwin stated this property was deeded in 2024 and before that in 2018 and it was zoned Agricultural Residential at that time Commissioner Godwin stated at this point , unless there is total endorsement from the community to approve the rezoning , he cannot be in favor of the request Commissioner Bill Stovall stated in looking at whether the request is reasonable and in the public interest , he thinks the Board should take guidance from the Planning Board which voted unanimously against the request so obviously they did not feel it met the criteria Commissioner Stovall stated he agrees with the Planning Board and from what he has heard at this meeting , he does not feel the conditions put a limit as to what specifically could be stored on the site Commissioner Stovall stated if the subject site will be leased , then whatever conditions are imposed on the applicant have to then be further imposed on the business that leases the site and the ability for enforcement tends to diminish the more that authority is passed down Commissioner Stovall expressed concerns as to how to limit the number of trucks that will be visiting the site daily especially with a construction business which is driven by construction schedules Commissioner Stovall stated he has travelled Raleigh Road in the past and the amount of traffic in the area can be overwhelming which is terrible forPage1664 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued the quality of life of the people that live in the area Commissioner Stovall stated he is concerned with putting an industrial type business in this residential area so he does not feel it meets the criteria of being reasonable or in the public interest Commissioner April Stephens concurred with her fellow Commissioners stating if this type of business is a need in this area , then there are several other sites close to this area that are already zoned correctly for this type of business Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis stated her concern is the safety of being able to enforce how the trucks will be entering and exiting the subject site as well as the trucks safely navigating the narrow turn at the nearby West Johnston High School considering the traffic associated with the school Decision on Rezoning Case 25 - 05 Case 25 - 05 Petition to rezone 669 acres located at 6232 Raleigh Road in the Elevation Township from Agricultural Residential AR to General Business - Conditional Zoning GB - CZ Tax ID 07F06001R Owner Kurtis Farrell Applicant Kurtis Farrell Conditional Zoning Request Outdoor storage , parking of commercial vehicles , semi loading unloading Commissioner Ted G Godwin moved the Board adopt the following Statement of Consistency Resolution that the request is not consistent with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan and is not reasonable or in the public interest and deny the rezoning request for Case 25 - 05 Commissioner April Stephens seconded the motion which carried by unanimous vote RESOLUTION FOR CASE NUMBER 25 - 05 RESOLUTION DENYING ZONING AMENDMENT AND ADOPTING A STATEMENT OF CONSISTENCY REGARDING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAPS OF JOHNSTON COUNTY WHEREAS , pursuant to NC Gen Stat § 160D - 605 , prior to adopting or rejecting a zoning amendment , the governing board is required to adopt a statement approving or rejecting the zoning amendment and describe if the amendment is consistent or inconsistent with the comprehensive zoning plan and why the board considers the action taken to be reasonable and in the public interest ; WHEREAS , the Johnston County Planning Board has reviewed a proposed amendment to The Official Zoning Maps of Johnston County , for parcel identified as tax ID 07F06001R located at 6232 Raleigh Road in Elevation Township , from Agricultural Residential AR to General Business - Conditional Zoning GB - CZ WHEREAS , based on a review of the proposed amendment the Planning Board found that the proposed amendment is not consistent with the Johnston County Comprehensive Land Use Plan and updates and further recommended that the Board of Commissioners deny the proposed amendment ; and WHEREAS , this Board has reviewed and considered the above written recommendation of the Planning Board and has held a public hearing on the proposed amendment , and this Board desires to deny the zoning amendment and adopt a statement describing why the adoption of the proposed amendment is not consistent with the Johnston County Comprehensive Land Use Plan and updates , and the Board considers the proposed amendment not to be reasonable and in the public interest NOW , THEREFORE , BE IT ORDAINED BY THE JOHNSTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS THAT 1 This Board finds and determines that the adoption of the proposed amendment to the Official Zoning Maps of Johnston County is not consistent with the Johnston County Land Use Plan and updates thereto because the Land Use Plan and updates indicate that a Although the property lies within a Regional Mixed - use place type , the proposed use is not consistent with the established character of the area 2 This Board finds and determines that it is not reasonable , nor in the public interest to approve the proposed amendment because a Traffic conflicts resulting from the projected generated traffic of the development and the type of vehicles entering and leaving the site would be detrimental to the safety on the secondary road Page2665 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued 3 This Board denies the proposed zoning amendment from Agricultural Residential AR to General Business - Conditional Zoning GB - CZ rd Adopted this the 3 day of November , 2025 4 Public Utilities – Corinth Holders Elementary School Pump Station and Force Main Public Utilities Director Chandra Farmer , PE , reported that County staff worked with Johnston County Public Schools JCPS staff to design and bid on - call engineering contract the Corinth Holders Elementary School Wastewater Pump Station and Force Main She explained the project will allow JCPS to abandon the existing on - site wastewater treatment sand filter system at the school and connect to the County’s public sewer system Ms Farmer stated the County received five bids on August 7 , 2025 with Park Construction of North Carolina , Inc from Morrisville , NC submitting the lowest responsive bid Park Construction is properly licensed and experienced in the type of construction involved and appears to have the financial , labor , equipment and resources required to complete the construction within the stipulated contract completion time Ms Farmer stated the existing project budget is based on reimbursement for all project costs from JCPS Ms Farmer noted this project began years ago ; however , at that time JCPS did not have the funds to proceed so design was halted She stated in 2023 JCPS asked the County staff to look at the project again Ms Farmer continued that during design , the engineer determined that the existing Corinth Holders Fire Department is also connected to the existing wastewater treatment system ; therefore , the fire department must connect to public sewer if JCPS abandons the existing treatment system She stated this will require an additional extension to also connect the fire department Ms Farmer presented the following revised project budget Expense Existing Proposed Technical Design Services 441,50000 406,50000 Easement Acquisition 10,65000 10,65000 Construction 000 2,982,56100 Base Contract 000 2,782,41000 Additional Cost for Wetland Material Modifications 000 83,00000 Extension for Fire Department 000 117,15100 Contingency 000 148,43900 System Development Fees School – 4 ” meter 000 64,30100 System Development Fees Fire Department – 1 ” meter 000 9,72500 Total 452,15000 3,622,17600 Revenue Reimbursement from JCPS 452,15000 3,480,07037 Corinth Holders Fire Department Funds 000 142,10563 Total 452,15000 3,622,17600 Ms Farmer stated upon concurrence from JCPS and the Corinth Holders Fire Department , staff recommends award of the Corinth Holders Elementary School Wastewater Pump Station and Force Main project to Park Construction of North Carolina , Inc in the amount of 3,065,56100 based on the bid amount of 2,982,56100 and additional 83,000 required to meet State wetland regulations and approval of the revised project budget and associated budget revision She offered to answer any questions At the inquiry of Commissioner Ted G Godwin , Ms Farmer stated the construction timeframe would be approximately one year She stated the project was bid in August and staff asked the contractor to extend the bids th thirty days She stated they will expire on November 7 Commissioner Bill Stovall noted that the request reads that the project budget is based on reimbursement for all project costs from JCPS and he asked if that is still the plan Ms Farmer stated the revenue proposed for the project calls for JCPS to reimburse funds in the amount of 3,480,07037 and the fire department to reimburse funds in the amount of 142,10563 Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris stated in conversations with the Corinth Holders Fire Department , they have indicated they have funds in the amount of 142,10563 in their fund balance and are willing to front those funds Vice Chairman Harris continued that it is his understanding that JCPS is short by approximately 980,000 for the project and the question is how to handle that shortage Vice Chairman Harris stated the Board can award the project , but the funding remains in question He stated there has been some discussion about asking JCPS to pull the funds from their fund balance ; however , that is not as simple as it sounds and involves the adoption ofPage3666 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued resolutions by the Board of Education as well as the Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Harris noted the bids expire in four days and the necessary resolutions cannot be adopted over the next four days He stated if the Board lets the bids expire , then there is a risk that the project cost could increase when it is rebid Commissioner Stovall asked if the timeline does not support going through the resolution process right now , can the County front the money and then go through the process of adopting the appropriate resolutions for the County to be reimbursed in order to preserve the viability of the current bids At the inquiry of the Board , County Attorney Jennifer Slusser stated the question as she understands the discussion , is can the County front the funds for the shortfall and then be reimbursed by JCPS at a later time Ms Slusser advised that legally , that can happen ; however , it is a very difficult process to get from Point A to Point B She stated if the Board awards the project , what happens next is that the County provides a Notice of Award to the contractor and then the County is , at that point , responsible for the cost of the project so the money has to come from somewhere She stated the question would be whether or not JCPS is willing , and has the money somewhere , to pull this money Ms Slusser advised that the simplest way to move forward with the project , if the Board is inclined to do so , is for the Board to approve a budget revision to fill the gap with those dollars coming from the County and then taking that into consideration when looking at the next fiscal year budget appropriation Commissioner Stovall noted the request reads that the existing project budget is based on reimbursement of all project costs from JCPS and he took that statement as JCPS will be using their fund balance to make up the difference to proceed in order to preserve the viability of the bids Ms Slusser responded that staff does not know the answer to that question and she thinks the issue is that the project came in over budget and the understanding from the County’s Public Utilities staff was that JCPS would make up the shortfall Ms Slusser continued that she thinks there have been some discussions between Board of Education members and County Commissioners that JCPS does not have the funds to make up that shortfall so the question is open as to whether or not all project costs will be coming from JCPS Ms Slusser stated at the time that the agenda request memo was written , that was the understanding ; however , that could have changed as staff has not been a part of those discussions Commissioner Stovall indicated that he was part of the discussions and the question did come up and JCPS asked if the County would fund the shortfall He stated it was then suggested that JCPS pull the shortage from their fund balance and the issue was then dropped with Superintendent Dr David Pearce indicating they would explore other opportunities first Commissioner Stovall stated it was implied that JCPS would move forward on that basis , but it was not explicit Commissioner Ted G Godwin commented that the integrity of the bids needs to be preserved Vice Chairman Harris stated it is important to remember that it is not an unwillingness by JCPS to fund the shortfall , but it is more of the fact that it is a long process for them to pull the funds from their fund balance Vice Chairman Harris stated everyone needs to think about the fact that the school system has no way to generate revenue except through appropriations from other organizations , with those being the federal government , state government , or Johnston County He stated the question is does the County fund it now or in the new budget and right now he does not see another way of getting the project done and awarding the contract before the four - day deadline without the County funding the shortfall Commissioner Stovall agreed with Vice Chairman Harris that the County is boxed in to a corner right now because in order to preserve the bids , the County must kick in the funds Commissioner Stovall expressed concern that he was unaware of the tight timeline until now , and stated it was strongly implied by JCPS that they would find a way to make this happen Commissioner Stovall stated the County does not need to lose the bids and he was personally shocked to learn of the type of treatment system currently being used at the school Motion Commissioner Ted G Godwin moved the Board award the Corinth Holders Elementary School Wastewater Pump Station and Force Main project to Park Construction of North Carolina , Inc in the amount of 3,065,56100 based on the bid amount of 2,982,56100 and additional 83,000 required to meet State wetland regulations , approve the revised project budget as presented by staff , adopt the associated budget revision , and continue discussions with Johnston County Public Schools Commissioner April Stephens seconded the motion Page4667 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Discussion Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris asked for clarification as to what “ continuing discussions with Johnston County Public Schools ” means Commissioner Ted G Godwin stated it means discussions to decide on which side will come up with the funding shortfall County Attorney Jennifer Slusser stated staff can bring back a budget revision in the future if required She stated as the motion stands now , the budget shows the funding coming from Johnston County Public Schools ; however , if staff learns of different information , then a budget revision can be brought back to the Board Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr stated Johnston County is the funding entity so it will be a negotiation with Johnston County Public Schools if the shortfall will come from their fund balance now or if it will come from the County’s general fund and then reduce a future funding appropriation to recover the shortfall Commissioner Bill Stovall stated his concern is that this was not clarified upfront Commissioner Mike Rose stated his understanding was that this project was not a super high priority project and the only thing pushing it was the bid deadline Commissioner Rose acknowledged that he understands the current treatment system is not something they want to keep forever , but the real deadline is the bids Vice Chairman Harris stated the type of system currently in use is antiquated and they are paying about 35,000 on an annual basis for maintenance Vice Chairman Harris stated the theory is that it needs to be replaced on the County’s time schedule versus having to replace it due to a system failure which would cause a disruption to the school operations Vice Chairman Harris stated everyone knows it is an old system and it does need to be replaced Commissioner Stovall agreed and reiterated that he was shocked to learn that type of system was still in use County Manager Rick Hester stated he did have a conversation with Superintendent Dr David Pearce which was approximately 7 to 10 days ago and there could have been discussions between Board members since that time Mr Hester stated in his conversation with Dr Pearce there was a concern about the shortfall , but this project has been discussed for many years through different administrations Commissioner Godwin clarified that his motion is based on the proposal assuming Johnston County Public Schools will provide the funding At the inquiry of Commissioner Rose , Chairman Lawter stated the bottom line is that the Board must approve the award to preserve the bids and the shortfall will need to be determined later if needed Commissioner Stovall asked if the motion should include language that the County will provide the funding for the shortfall to ensure the project can get completed Vice Chairman Harris agreed that language should be added to the motion Commissioner Godwin stated he did not see anything about the funding shortfall in staff’s memo and asked if that is a verbal representation that Johnston County Public Schools is short Mr Hester stated to his knowledge , Johnston County Public Schools had 25 million saved for this project instead of 34 million At the inquiry of Chairman Lawter , Commissioner Godwin stated he thinks his motion as stated is correct Commissioner April Stephens stated at the end of the day , it is the County’s responsibility to make sure there are functioning water and wastewater systems for the schools and ultimately this project is needed Chairman Lawter stated he thinks the motion by Commissioner Godwin is satisfactory Page5668 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued Vote The motion carried by the following vote Ayes Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr and Commissioners Ted G Godwin , April Stephens , Bill Stovall , Michelle Pace Davis , and Mike Rose Nays Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris REQUESTED CHANGE - BUDGET LINE ITEM INCREASE FUND CODE EXPENDITURE CLASSIFICATION DECREASE 83 85820406 Technical Services 35,00000 83 85821800 Construction 2,982,56100 83 85827406 Contingency 148,43900 83 85829123 System Development Fees 74,02600 NET EXPENDITURES 3,170,02600 REQUESTED CHANGE - BUDGET LINE ITEM INCREASE FUND CODE REVENUE CLASSIFICATION DECREASE 83 858237924 Johnston County Public Schools 3,027,92037 83 858236221 Corinth Holder Fire Department Funds 142,10563 NET REVENUES 3,170,02600 5 Manager Reports and Comments County Manager Rick Hester called for Planning Director Braston Newton to provide the Board with a brief update on the adoption schedule for the Unified Development Ordinance UDO Mr Newton reviewed the following proposed adoption schedule with the Board He thanked the Commissioners for their participation throughout the UDO revision process and welcomed all feedback on the proposed schedule Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr stated he likes the extended schedule to allow for public comment nd and the proposed February 2 adoption It was the unanimous consensus of the Board to proceed with the schedule as presented by staff At the inquiry of Commissioner April Stephens , Mr Newton stated the UDO draft will be posted on the County’s website for public review and feedback He stated staff will have a social media and print campaign in an effort to get the word out to the public Mr Newton stated staff welcomes all feedback Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis thanked the staff for their work on this initiative 6 Board Reports and Comments Commissioner Ted G Godwin reported he spoke to a Veterans group in Benson recently and he made a statement during his remarks about citizens getting involved with their government Commissioner Godwin commented that a lot of people spoke at tonight’s meeting offering their thoughts which demonstrates their concern for their fellow citizens Commissioner Godwin continued stating the liberal media has painted a picturePage6669 November 3 , 2025 – 6 00 pm Continued that many people buy into that talks about tax cuts for the rich Commissioner Godwin stated he thinks that perhaps most of those people do not realize that half of the people in this country do not pay any income taxes He stated if taxes are going to be cut , it has to affect the people that pay the taxes Commissioner Godwin stated President Abraham Lincoln said that government should not do for a man what a man can do for himself Commissioner Godwin stated he knows that people need a safety net sometimes , but he thinks the people have been misled many times by a liberal media thinking the government should take care of people all the time Commissioner Godwin stated he thinks people should look out for their fellow man through churches , civic organizations , and at times the government in which there are safety nets Commissioner Godwin stated he hopes people will get educated instead of listening to one side Commissioner Bill Stovall stated he can agree that people need to get involved and understand the issues Commissioner Stovall stated people who are engaged and informed can then pass information on to others He stated one way to help this process is through the appointments to the various citizen advisory committees and boards and he strongly encouraged the Board to look at this process Commissioner Stovall stated specifically , the vetting process needs to be refined to ensure the candidates are qualified to serve on the respective boards Commissioner Stovall stated the Board needs to look at refining the application process and he also suggested looking at term limits to allow for new opportunities and ideas on the various boards and committees Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr noted that the Human Resources Department is looking at possible revisions to the application forms Commissioner Michelle Pace Davis expressed her excitement about the County’s new “ Thriving Together ” newsletter from the Public Information Office Commissioner Davis encouraged citizens to subscribe to this free newsletter so they can get valuable information and stay informed Commissioner April Stephens spoke on the many projects the Board is accomplishing like the updated Land Use Plan and how she is proud of that progress Commissioner Stephens spoke on the importance of listening to the citizens and getting their feedback and stated she is excited for future collaborations Commissioner Mike Rose noted that he was appointed to the Board one year ago and stated it has been quite a year Commissioner Rose stated he hopes the citizens can see he has been putting in the work Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris stated he is also appreciative of the new “ Thriving Together ” newsletter and feels it has been very well received Vice Chairman Harris stated it contains very useful information and this Board is doing all it can think of to be transparent to the public Vice Chairman Harris stated with the livestreaming of the Board meetings and now the newsletter , he applauds the efforts of the staff to get as much information out to the public as possible Chairman RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr extended the Board’s congratulations to Emergency Management Coordinator Sandy Wood who was recently named President of the North Carolina Association of Emergency Management Officials He stated Ms Wood will be serving in that role for one year and this is just another example of the County employees not only serving the local citizens , but leading at the state level Chairman Lawter also commented that in addition to the new newsletter , the Board is doing many things like revising the UDO and are now looking at the appointments process Chairman Lawter acknowledged that things do not happen as fast as everyone would like , but when looking back at the goals established at the Strategic Planning Sessions , he can see the Board is making progress and moving forward There being no further business , Vice Chairman Patrick E Harris moved the Board adjourn Commissioner Ted G Godwin seconded the motion , which carried by unanimous vote The meeting adjourned at 8 08 pm RS “ Butch ” Lawter , Jr , Chairman Dana G Cuddington , Clerk to the BoardPage