TO: Zoning Commission
THRU: Jennifer C. Baptiste - Planning & Zoning Division Manager
FROM: Mikayla Layral - Planner II
DATE: October 13, 2026
RE:Title
P26-48 - A request to rezone a 10-acre portion of 0 Raeford Rd. (9476676783000) consisting of 23-acres, owned by Charles Morris from Office & Institutional and Limited Commercial (OI/LC) to Mixed Residential 5 (MR-5).
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
8 - Councilman Shaun McMillan
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal II: Economic & Strategic Growth
• Objective 2.1 - To ensure a diverse City tax base.
The proposed rezoning would facilitate additional residential development on a currently vacant property, providing an opportunity for future development and expansion of the City’s residential tax base.
• Objective 2.6 - To manage the City’s future growth and strategic land use.
The proposed rezoning would facilitate residential development within an area designated as Neighborhood Mixed Use on the Future Land Use Map. The site is served by public water and sewer, and the proposed MR-5 zoning would provide a transition between the existing SF-10 and LC zoning districts, supporting a logical and orderly development pattern.
Goal III: Desirable Place to Live, Work, & Recreate
• Objective 3.5 - To ensure a place for people to live in great neighborhoods.
The proposed rezoning would allow for additional residential development opportunities, including the potential for affordable housing, supporting the City’s efforts to expand housing opportunities and address attainable housing needs.
Executive Summary:
P26-48 is a request by the owner to rezone a 10-acre portion of the property located 0 Raeford Rd. (9476676783000), consisting of 23-acres, from Office & Institutional and Limited Commercial (OI/LC) to Mixed Residential 5 (MR-5). The applicant proposes to facilitate residential development, including the potential for affordable housing.
Background:
Owner: Charles Morris, Berkshire Beckham Commercial Developments LLC
Request: OI/LC to MR-5
REID or PIN: 9476676783000
Parcel Size: 23 acres
Area Proposed to be Rezoned: 10 acres
Existing Site Conditions: Vacant lot
Utilities: Public water, sewer, and power
Adjacent Zoning:
• North: SF-10
• South: LC
• East: MR-5
• West: AR / LC
Future Land Use Designation: Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU)
Public Notice: Notification letters were sent to property owners within 1,000 ft. of the subject site equating to 203 notices sent.
Issues/Analysis:
The subject property is approximately 23 acres and is currently split-zoned Office & Institutional (OI) and Limited Commercial (LC), with approximately 10 acres proposed to be rezoned to Mixed Residential-5 (MR-5). The rezoning request applies only to the approximately 10-acre portion shown on the submitted rezoning exhibit. The remainder of the property is not included in the request and will retain its existing LC zoning. The property is currently vacant and is served by public water and sewer.
The proposed MR-5 zoning would allow for residential development on the 10-acre portion proposed for rezoning. The applicant states that the proposed amendment would allow for the construction of affordable housing. The applicant also states that the adjoining property to the east is zoned MR-5 and that the proposed MR-5 zoning would serve as a transitional buffer between the SF-10 zoning to the north and LC zoning to the south.
The subject property is located along Raeford Road within an area containing a mixture of residential, multifamily, commercial, and institutional development. The zoning map shows SF-10 zoning generally north of the property, MR-5 zoning to the east, and LC zoning along the Raeford Road corridor and to the west. The proposed rezoning would extend the existing MR-5 residential development pattern to the west, providing a transition between the lower-density residential development to the north and the more commercial-oriented development along Raeford Road.
The Future Land Use Map designates the subject property as Neighborhood Mixed Use (NMU). The subject property is located at the western edge of a larger NMU area that extends east along the Raeford Road corridor. High Density Residential (HDR) designations are located primarily to the north and east, while Highway Commercial (HC) and Office/Institutional (OI) designations are located farther east and northeast of the subject property. The surrounding FLUP designations therefore reflect a transition between residential, mixed-use, and commercial areas.
The NMU character area is intended to accommodate neighborhood-scale mixed-use development and includes smaller-scale multifamily, attached, and small-lot single-family residential development. The FLUP also encourages more intense uses, greater mixes of uses, and denser residential types within Neighborhood Mixed Use areas through Policy LU-1.2.
The proposed MR-5 zoning would establish a residential use within the NMU character area. While the requested zoning would not provide the full mix of uses contemplated by the NMU designation, residential development is an identified component of the NMU character area. The surrounding FLUP designations also provide context for residential development at this location, with HDR areas located immediately north and east of the subject property.
The property is served by existing public water and sewer. The proposed rezoning would allow for development in an area already served by public utilities, consistent with FLUP Policy LU-1.6, which calls for adequate infrastructure to be in place prior to or in tandem with new development. The location also represents a logical progression of development within an established area, consistent with FLUP Policy LU-1.7.
The request is also consistent with the FLUP's housing policies. Policy LU-7 encourages a mix of housing types for all ages and incomes, while Policy LU-7.3 supports efforts to increase affordable and workforce housing. The applicant has identified affordable housing as a purpose of the proposed amendment.
While the proposed MR-5 zoning does not fully reflect the mixed-use nature of the NMU designation, the request would allow a residential use specifically contemplated within the NMU character area, is supported by existing public infrastructure, and is adjacent to existing MR-5 zoning and other residential areas. The surrounding FLUP designations demonstrate a transition between residential, mixed-use, and commercial land uses along the Raeford Road corridor. Based on these factors, the request is generally consistent with the broader goals and policies of the FLUP and provides a logical opportunity for residential development on a currently vacant portion of the property.
Budget Impact:
Approval or denial of the requested map amendment does not create immediate and direct impacts on the budget other than the collection of the application fee and cost for relevant staff. If the request is approved there will be indirect impacts on city budget via alterations to property taxes through status change and increased business potential.
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 MR-5 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 submit a recommendation to APPROVE the request to rezone the ± 10 acres at 0 Raeford Rd. from OI/LC to MR-5.
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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