TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kelly Strickland - Assistant City Manager
Dr. Gerald Newton, AICP - Development Services Director
FROM: Craig Harmon - Senior Planner
Demetrios Moutos - Planner I
DATE: June 23, 2025
RE:
Title
AX25-01: Yeadon Domes is petitioning to annex into the corporate limits of the City of Fayetteville one parcel of 12.53 ± acres. This parcel is located on the eastern side of Airport Road, at the end of Bridgewood Drive, at an unaddressed parcel and can be further identified by PIN: 0435-25-3050 and REID: 0435253050000.
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
Prospective Council District: 2 - Malik Davis
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Strategic Operating Plan FY 2022
Goals 2027
Goal II: Responsive City Government Supporting a Diverse and Viable Economy
• Objective 2.1 - To ensure a diverse City tax base.
• Objective 2.4 - To sustain a favorable development climate to encourage business growth.
Goal III: City Invested in Today and Tomorrow
• Objective 3.2 - To manage the City’s future growth and strategic land use.
Executive Summary:
The proposed annexation, AX25-01, involves a 12.53-acre parcel owned by Phoenix Global Support, LLC. Located at the end of Bridgewood Drive - just east of Gillespie Street and north of Airport Road - the site lies within Fayetteville’s Municipal Influence Area (MIA) and is contiguous to current city limits. The petition-initiated annexation supports the City’s long-term economic development vision and aligns with the 2040 Future Land Use Plan, which designates the area as an Industrial/Employment Center.
The annexation is associated with zoning case P25-20, in which the applicant requested a rezoning from Cumberland County’s Planned Industrial Conditional Use (M(P)CU) to the City of Fayetteville’s Light Industrial (LI) district. During the May 8, 2025, Zoning Commission meeting, City Planner Demetrios Moutos presented the request and outlined its consistency with the surrounding zoning context and land use policy. The proposed LI zoning supports the development of a dome manufacturing facility by Yeadon Domes and promotes employment-generating industrial use. The parcel is surrounded by industrial activity and undeveloped land, and its location near I-95 and the Fayetteville Regional Airport enhances its logistical appeal.
The Zoning Commission unanimously recommended rezoning approval, citing alignment with the Future Land Use Plan, compatibility with existing development, and the project’s economic benefits. Public speakers during the hearing - including the project engineer, economic development officials, and representatives from Yeadon Domes - emphasized the project’s potential to create up to 70 new jobs, support veteran hiring, and meet high safety and quality standards.
Upon annexation, municipal services will be extended to the parcel. Fire protection will continue through a contract with Pearce’s Mill Fire Department Station 3, located one mile away, within the City’s standard emergency response radius. The City will also provide police, stormwater, and inspection services, though no additional costs are anticipated. As state law requires, the City must assume a share of the rural fire districts' outstanding debt based on the parcel’s assessed value, which is currently under reassessment. Property tax revenue and debt liability estimates will be finalized once reassessment is complete.
Water and sewer infrastructure is partially in place, and PWC will oversee utility extensions and ongoing service. PWC has reported no operational concerns and anticipates increased revenue from new water, sewer, and electric customers. Stormwater fees will also generate new revenue. Other services, such as solid waste and public transit, are either not applicable or pending further evaluation.
The annexation and rezoning of the Yeadon Domes site position the City of Fayetteville for strategic industrial growth, aligned with adopted land use plans and supported by adequate infrastructure and staffing capacity.
Background:
Historical Background:
On April 27, 2021, Rogers and Breece, Inc., a Fayetteville-based corporation located at 500 Ramsey Street, transferred ownership of a 12.53-acre parcel of land to Phoenix Global Support, L.L.C., whose principal address is 6916 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina. The transfer was formalized through a North Carolina General Warranty Deed and recorded with the Cumberland County Register of Deeds on April 28, 2021, in Book 11104, Pages 0809-0810.
The parcel, legally described as Lot 1 on a plat entitled “Exempt Subdivision for Rogers and Breece, Inc.,” is recorded in Plat Book 146, Page 111 of the Cumberland County Registry. The deed confirms that the property lies within the City of Fayetteville MIA and was conveyed in fee simple, free from encumbrances except for standard restrictions, easements, and applicable property taxes. Corey Breece, President of Rogers and Breece, Inc., executed the deed on behalf of the grantor. The document was notarized by Hanna McNeill, a North Carolina Notary Public, whose commission was valid through April 26, 2023.
This transaction established Phoenix Global Support, L.L.C., as the current legal owner of the parcel identified as PIN 0435-25-3050 and REID 0435253050000.
Surrounding Environment:
The subject property is within a predominantly industrial corridor with active operations and undeveloped parcels. To the south and west, the site directly abuts established industrial uses, including warehousing, freight logistics, and light manufacturing facilities, reinforcing the area’s regional employment and distribution hub role. To the north lies a tract of residentially zoned land that remains largely undeveloped and functions as open space, providing a buffer between the industrial activity and nearby residential areas.
The property’s strategic location near major transportation routes - Fayetteville Regional Airport and I-95 - offers significant logistical advantages for industrial development. Its position within an emerging industrial node makes it well-suited for continued economic growth, while existing zoning patterns and infrastructure capacity support compatible land uses and long-term land use cohesion.
Future Land Use Map and Plan:
The proposed annexation of the 12.53-acre Yeadon Domes site directly supports the City of Fayetteville’s 2040 Future Land Use Plan by reinforcing policies that promote intentional, infrastructure-efficient growth within the Municipal Influence Area (MIA). Specifically:
• LU-1.4 affirms that when municipal services, such as water, sewer, and emergency response, are extended, annexation and zoning consistency are required to ensure long-term service equity and regulatory alignment. This annexation petition fulfills that policy by integrating a service-eligible site into the City’s jurisdiction before development.
• LU-1.6 prioritizes infill and expansion in areas already served by infrastructure. This site is adjacent to water and sewer mains and within the City’s fire and police service coverage area, minimizing the need for new infrastructure investments while maximizing the return on existing systems.
• LU-2.1 and LU-2.2 call for employment-generating land uses near transportation corridors and locations where conflicts with residential uses are limited. Compatible industrial and vacant parcels surround the subject site and lie near I-95, the Fayetteville Regional Airport, and major distribution facilities, making it a strategic location for annexation and economic development.
• General Plan Goals advocate for compact, efficient urban expansion, the discouragement of leapfrog and strip development, and the promotion of regional job creation. Annexing this parcel helps contain urban growth within a defined boundary and supports a cohesive industrial employment cluster forming along the Airport Road corridor.
The annexation of this parcel is consistent with the City’s long-term development strategy, as outlined in the Future Land Use Plan. It ensures that new development, particularly employment-generating uses like light industrial manufacturing, occurs within the City’s service area, where infrastructure is already available and zoning can be coordinated. The request is a logical and necessary step toward advancing Fayetteville’s goals of managed growth, economic resilience, and land use compatibility. By bringing the Yeadon Domes site into the City’s jurisdiction, Fayetteville positions itself to guide high-value industrial development that supports long-range planning and fiscal sustainability.
Issues/Analysis:
Compliance with North Carolina General Statute §160A-31 and §160A-58.1 Petition for annexation; standards.
On April 14, 2025, the City Clerk certified that the annexation petition met all statutory requirements for sufficiency, as documented in the accompanying memorandum. This verification confirms that the application includes the requisite signatures, legal description, and mapping necessary for formal review. In addition, the petitioner has submitted a complete application consistent with the provisions governing contiguous annexation under North Carolina General Statutes §160A-31 and §160A-58.1. The subject parcel lies directly adjacent to the existing municipal boundary, satisfies the criteria for contiguity, and is eligible for annexation under the procedures established by state law. This ensures that the request is legally valid and procedurally sound, providing a foundation for the City to evaluate the annexation in alignment with its regulatory responsibilities and policy objectives.
Compliance with the Development Standards of the UDO
The parcel conforms to the dimensional standards for lots within the Light Industrial zoning district and is suitable for industrial development. All future construction will be subject to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) provisions and must undergo comprehensive review through the City’s site and building plan approval processes.
During the Technical Review Committee’s (TRC) preliminary review, multiple departments outlined development requirements to ensure full compliance with City standards. These include fire access roads with adequate clearances, hydrant placement, compliance with stormwater and erosion control regulations, landscape buffering, open space allocation, utility coordination, and adherence to the Airport Overlay District standards. Final plats must reflect all required easements, buffers, and site features, and PWC must approve the project for water, sewer, and electric service before construction. In addition, a driveway permit from NCDOT will be required due to the site’s access configuration and location adjacent to state-maintained roads.
All development conditions will be enforced at each stage of the review process, ensuring that any future site use maintains consistency with City regulations and infrastructure capacity.
Effective Date:
Per the North Carolina General Statutes governing municipal annexation procedures, voluntary petitions for both contiguous and noncontiguous areas must be assigned an effective date of annexation that falls either immediately upon adoption of the ordinance, on June 30 of the year in which the ordinance is adopted, or on June 30 of the following calendar year. This statutory requirement ensures consistency in the timing of annexation actions and allows municipalities to plan for the orderly extension of services. For this petition-initiated annexation, the anticipated effective date is June 23, 2025, allowing sufficient time for administrative processing, service coordination, and final ordinance adoption before the statutory deadline.
Financial Impact of Annexation:
If the parcel is annexed, the property owner’s tax obligation will increase due to the addition of municipal taxes levied by the City of Fayetteville. However, this increase will be partially offset by removing certain Cumberland County taxes, including the county’s fire district tax, special fire tax, and recreation tax, which would no longer apply within city limits. While annexation does not immediately generate significant operational costs for City departments, it does obligate the City to assume a proportional share of outstanding rural fire district debt per NCGS §160A-58.2A. The precise amount of this financial obligation cannot be determined until the parcel’s reassessed value is finalized. New revenue will also be generated through stormwater utility fees and expanded PWC services, including water, sewer, and electrical connections. These financial impacts reflect the typical fiscal realignment when transitioning from county to city jurisdiction.
Budget Impact:
A detailed analysis of the anticipated impacts associated with the proposed annexation is provided in Appendix A. This document outlines the expected costs of extending municipal services, potential operational impacts across departments, and the projected revenue streams that may result from the annexation of the subject parcel. These include stormwater fees, utility service charges, and future property tax revenue once the reassessment is complete. All estimates are based on the assumption that the annexation becomes effective on June 23, 2025, in alignment with the proposed ordinance schedule. Appendix A also highlights the City’s statutory obligation to assume a proportionate share of the rural fire district’s debt and includes information regarding infrastructure requirements and service delivery considerations by the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC).
Options:
1. Adopt the annexation ordinance with an effective date of June 23, 2025.
This option affirms the final action the City Council previously took on the initial zoning and schedules the annexation to take effect immediately upon adoption.
2. Adopt the annexation ordinance with an effective date of June 30, 2025.
This option affirms the initial zoning while delaying the effective date of annexation to the next statutory threshold, allowing additional time for service coordination or development readiness.
3. Adopt the annexation ordinance with an effective date of June 30, 2026.
This option validates the Council’s zoning action while maximizing the delay in annexation allowed under state law. It provides an extended timeline for development planning, infrastructure coordination, or further policy consideration before annexation.
4. Decline to adopt the ordinance.
Under this option, the annexation would not move forward, the associated initial zoning would not be implemented, and the parcel would remain under county jurisdiction outside the City’s corporate limits.
5. Defer action on the annexation petition to a specified future date.
This option allows the City Council to postpone a final decision on the annexation, enabling further review, public input, or the resolution of outstanding issues before proceeding.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends proceeding with Option 1, which calls for the City Council to adopt the proposed annexation ordinance effective June 23, 2025. This action would formally incorporate the parcel into the City of Fayetteville and validate the prior zoning decision made by the Council regarding the associated map amendment. Selecting this effective date ensures that annexation occurs promptly, is consistent with statutory requirements, and is aligned with the city’s land use and service delivery planning. It also provides regulatory continuity by linking the annexation to the zoning designation approved by the Council, facilitating a smooth transition of the parcel into the City’s jurisdiction under the established Light Industrial (LI) zoning classification.
Attachments:
1. Appendix A - Summary of Services, Costs, and Revenues
2. Aerial Map
3. Legal Description
4. Basic Information Sheet
5. Sufficiency Memo
6. Draft Ordinance
7. Subject Property
8. Surrounding Properties
9. PowerPoint