TO: Zoning Commission
THRU: Jennifer C. Baptiste - Planning & Zoning Division Manager
FROM: Mikayla Layral - Planner II
DATE: August 11, 2026
RE:Title
P26-37: A request to rezone 4201, 4203, & 4207Sweetwater Dr. (0439494376000, 0439495387000, 0439496388000) consisting of 1.61 acres ±, owned by Kendra Earwood from Single Family Residential 6 (SF-6) to Limited Commercial (LC).
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
1 - Councilman Stephon Ferguson
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal II: Responsive City Government Supporting a Diverse and Viable Economy
• 2.1 - To ensure a diverse city tax base
• 2.4 - To sustain a favorable development climate to encourage business growth
Goal III: City Invested in Today and Tomorrow
• 3.2 - To manage the City’s future growth and strategic land use
Goal IV: Desirable Place to Live, Work, and Recreate
• 4.2 - To enhance diverse recreation, leisure, and cultural opportunities
• 4.5 - To ensure a place for people to live in great neighborhoods
Executive Summary:
The request is to rezone 4201, 4203, & 4207 Sweetwater Dr. (0439494376000, 0439495387000, 0439496388000) consisting of approximately 1.61 acres from Single Family Residential 6 (SF-6) to Limited Commercial (LC) for the purpose of creating a parking lot to serve the business to the west.
The subject properties are currently vacant following the issuance of demolition permits of existing structures at 4201 and 4203 Sweetwater Dr. on May 6, 2025. Aside from the demolition permits, the properties have not been the subject of any City action within the last five years. The surrounding area consists of a mix of commercial and residential uses, with the adjacent commercial property under the same ownership as the subject parcels.
Background:
Owner: Kendra Earwood
Request: SF-6 to LC
REID numbers: 0439494376000, 0439495387000, 0439496388000
Parcel Size: 1.6 acres ±
Existing Site Conditions: Vacant
Adjacent Zoning:
• North: CC - Community Commercial
• South: SF-6 - Single Family Residential 6
• East: CC - Community Commercial
• West: LC - Limited Commercial
Utilities: Access to public water, sewer, and power
Applicant Narrative (Summary): The applicant requests the rezoning of the subject properties from SF-6 to LC to provide adequate off-street parking in support of the owner’s adjoining business.
Public Notice: Notification letters were sent to property owners within 1,000 feet of the
subject site equating to 45 notices sent.
Issues/Analysis:
The request is to rezone three parcels located at 4201, 4203, & 4207 Sweetwater Dr. from Single Family 6 (SF-6) to Limited Commercial (LC). Pursuant to NCGS § 160D, a rezoning without conditions entitles the landowner to the full range of uses specified for that base zoning district but bounded by the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
The applicants request supports the continued operation and expansion of an existing business by providing additional off-street parking, contributing to a favorable environment for local business investment. The request allows underutilized residential properties to be incorporated into an existing commercial site, promoting efficient land use and supporting the area’s commercial development plan.
The Limited Commercial (LC) District is intended to accommodate moderate-intensity retail, business, and service uses that serve groups of neighborhoods while remaining compatible with surrounding residential development. The applicant intends to incorporate the subject properties into the adjoining commercially zoned property under common ownership for use as accessory off-street parking.
The Future Land Use Plan (FLUP) designates the subject properties as Community Center (CC). The Community Center designation is intended to accommodate community-scale centers consisting of commercial, office, and mixed-use development, with single-family residential uses generally located along the edges of the activity center.
The proposed LC district is consistent with the Community Center designation. Although the subject properties are currently zoned SF-6, they are contiguous to an existing commercially zoned parcel under the same ownership and are proposed to support the existing commercial use through additional parking. The request represents a logical expansion of the existing commercial development rather than the establishment of a new standalone commercial use.
The surrounding area contains a mix of commercial and residential zoning districts, including LC, CC, and SF-6. While the property immediately south of the subject site is zoned SF-6, it currently functions as a storm water control measure serving the adjacent commercial development. Given the surrounding zoning pattern and existing land uses, the proposed LC district is compatible with the surrounding area.
Overall, the request is reasonable because it extends commercial zoning to parcels adjoining an existing commercial property while supporting the continued operation of an established business. The proposed accessory parking area is less intensive than many principal uses permitted within the LC district and is consistent with the Community Center designation and the long-term vision of the Future Land Use Plan.
Budget Impact:
Approval or denial of the requested map amendment does not create immediate and direct impacts on the budget. There is the potential for indirect budgetary impacts from development of the vacant parcel via additional property taxes and the downstream economics of new construction.
Options:
• Approval (Recommended Action):
Recommend approval of the zoning map amendment as requested - finding that the request is consistent with the Future Land Use Plan and reasonable to local context as outlined by the Consistency and Reasonableness Statements.
• Approval, but to a more restrictive district:
Recommend approval of the zoning map amendment from SF-6 to one that is more restrictive, but consistent with the Future Land Use Plan and Reasonable to the local contexts with amended Consistency and Reasonableness Statements.
• Denial:
Deny the proposed map amendment - find that the request is inconsistent with the Future Land Use Plan and unreasonable to the local context.
Recommended Action::Recommended Action
The Planning Staff recommends that the Zoning Commission recommends to City Council a motion to APPROVE the request to rezone the 1.61 acres ± at 4201, 4203 & 4207 Sweetwater Dr. from SF-6 to LC.
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Attachments:
1. Application
2. Aerial Notification Map
3. Current Zoning Map
4. Future Land Use Map
5. Site Pictures (Subject Site)
6. Site Pictures (Surrounding Properties)
7. Consistency and Reasonableness Statements