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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPreliminary Forum Staff SummaryNEW HANOVER COUNTY PLANNING BOARD REQUEST FOR BOARD ACTION MEETING DATE: 1/4/2024 Regular DEPARTMENT: Planning PRESENTER(S): Robert Farrell, Development Review Supervisor CONTACT(S): Robert Farrell; Rebekah Roth, Planning and Land Use Director SUBJECT: Preliminary Forum Special Use Permit Request (S23-05) - Request by Joseph Taylor, Jr. with Murchison, Taylor, & Gibson, PLLC, applicant, on behalf of 421 Sand Mine, LLC, property owner for the use of High Intensity Mining and Quarrying on approximately 144 acres of an approximately 586-acre parcel located at the 5700 block of Highway 421 N, zoned I-2, Heavy Industrial. BRIEF SUMMARY: The applicant is requesng a special use permit to operate an approximately 144-acre high intensity sand mine on a parcel located off Highway 421 just south of the Pender County line adjacent to an exisng sand mine. The concept plan includes a 50-foot-wide buffer around the perimeter of the mine with an addional 25-foot vegetave buffer along Highway 421 and the northern property line. The Unified Development Ordinance allows high intensity mines and quarries in the I-2 district with approval of an Intensive Industry Special Use Permit. Special use permits are required for intensive industries in order to evaluate site specific condions of a project and allow addional public review. Community informaon meengs are required for Intensive Industry Special Use Permits prior to subming an applicaon. The applicant held a community informaon meeng on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. The project proposes full access onto Highway 421, a NCDOT state highway through the exisng driveway access at the neighboring 421 Sand Mine. As currently zoned, it is esmated the site would generate approximately 119 AM and 119 PM peak hour trips. While specific engineering metrics do not exist to esmate traffic generaon at a sand mine, the applicant has provided esmates that the proposed use would result in approximately 44 AM and 7 PM peak hour trips, decreasing the esmated number of peak hour trips by approximately -75 AM and -112 PM. The esmated traffic generated from the site is under the 100 peak hour threshold that triggers the ordinance requirement for a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA). The 2016 Comprehensive Plan classifies the subject project area as Commerce Zone. The Commerce Zone place type focuses on providing areas for employment and producon hubs, predominately composed of light and heavy industrial uses, though office and complementary commercial uses are also allowed. Densies are dependent, in part, on the type of industry, and residenal uses are discouraged. STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: RECOMMENDED MOTION AND REQUESTED ACTIONS: As this is a preliminary forum the Planning Board does not make a decision or recommendaon on special use permits. The board is requested to hear the presentaons of staff, the applicant, and the public to facilitate an open and transparent discussion of the special use permit applicaon. Quesons and comments related to the following topics are encouraged: - Components of the proposal that are not clear or where addional informaon is needed in order to understand the project, - Advice to the applicant on the presentaon they will be making to the Board of Commissioners meeng, - Advice to the pares speaking in opposion on what they may want to consider when preparing for the Board of Commissioners meeng, and - Advice for both pares on potenal issues that should be addressed before the public hearing. COUNTY MANAGER'S COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: (only Manager)