ROCKINGHAM — A proposed housing development passed two procedural hurdles Tuesday following a pair of public hearings.
The Rockingham City Council, at its May 13 meeting, approved a request for voluntary annexation and rezoning regarding 69.23 acres of property on Old Cheraw Highway, just south of the current city limits and just north of the U.S. 74 Bypass.
Randy and Susan Clontz petitioned for the annexation and rezoning in March, and both measures were recommended by the city planning board in April, according to Assistant City Manager John Massey.
“They have a group interested in developing the property,” Massey told the council. That group is Sage Equity, a real estate investment firm based in Charlotte, with a portfolio featuring developments across the Carolinas, including Albemarle and China Grove.
Reiterating from the April meeting, Massey said that gravity sewer and municipal water service are both available nearby and some extensions may be required.
Following the annexation vote, the business turned to rezoning the property from rural residential to high-density residential.
Massey explained that rural residential is intended to be applied to areas outside the city limits where municipal services like water and garbage pick-up are not available.
“Once the property is annexed, it’s really not appropriate zoning because municipal services will be available,” Massey said.
Massey also outlined that high-density residential allows for single-family detached homes, and multi-family homes with a special use permit.
Eddie Moore, director of planning and entitlement for McAdams, which is assisting Sage Equity, was the only person to speak during the public hearing.
“We’re grateful to you guys showing interest in coming in and developing here,” Councilman Bennett Deane said to Moore. “Housing is a tremendous need that we identified back in our Land Use Plan.”
Both measures were approved unanimously.
BUDGET BRIEF
Later in the meeting, City Manager Monty Crump gave the council a brief rundown of the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Crump first highlighted that there would be no property tax or fee increases while maintaining city services at the same level.
With having to find a new health insurance provider in Blue Cross Blue Shield, which will come with a 15% increase, according to Crump, which was lower than the 65% hike from Etna.
While bidding for health insurance, Crump said the city also sought bids for property and casualty insurance and will be saving about $60,000 per year.
Switching to the Enterprise Fund, Crump told the council that there have been some industries that figured out how to “get around some surcharges,” which led to a “pretty large decrease in revenue that’s got to be replaced.”
Because of that, Crump said there will be proposed rate increases for water and sewer, but no hike for garbage collection.
In an effort to get ahead of the impact of tariffs, Crump said he has already signed a letter of intent to purchase a new street sweeper and purchased a new garbage truck and ordered vehicles for the police department — around $600,000 in capital items without going into debt.
The budget also includes a 2% cost of living adjustment for city employees.
The council will hold its annual budget retreat starting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 20.
Following the budget break-down, the council approved the sale of timber on Old Aberdeen Road to H.W. Cump Lumber Co. for $110,389.
City documents show there was another bid from Canal Wood for $88,518.
Crump said just fewer than 30 acres of the entire 100-plus acre tract and the second commercial timber sale on the property.
The company has up to two years to cut the timber, but Crump said he doesn’t think it will take that long.
