WINTON – To properly operate an industry, especially one the size of Nucor Steel of Hertford County, management must maintain a steady stream of goods and services.

Last week, the Hertford County Board of Commissioners voted to rezone a parcel of property near Nucor that will allow one of that company’s major suppliers of manufacturing material to construct a warehouse.

Prior to taking what turned out to be a favorable 5-0 vote, the Commissioners conducted a public hearing on the issue, one that involved Walter T. Perry II asking the county to rezone his property from Residential Agriculture to Heavy Industrial. Perry’s property, a 12-acre parcel, is located on the southside of Bazemore Road (SR 1445), approximately 1,500 feet west of River Road (SR 1469). That property is located a short distance from Nucor.

Hertford County Economic Development Director Bill Early opened the public hearing by presenting a long list of permitted uses allowed in a Heavy Industrial and Light Industrial District. While he did not reveal what plans Perry had for the property, if rezoned, that information was eventually shared with the board and the public attending the meeting.

Early said the Hertford County Planning Board, at their Aug. 14 meeting, held a public hearing concerning Perry’s request. That board, following the public hearing, voted in favor of the rezoning and forwarded their recommendation to the Commissioners. The Planning Board, in rendering their decision, found that Perry’s property was favorable for all permitted uses in Heavy Industrial, it was an extension of an existing Heavy Industrial District, and was consistent with the county’s land use plan.

Speaking on behalf of landowner, Joseph Pierce of Ahoskie said Perry and his mother planned to lease the property to a company that deals with Nucor Steel. That company, Pierce said, supplies Nucor with carbon, an element used in the steel manufacturing process.

“This company is located in Pennsylvania and in the wintertime when the roads get bad up there, it becomes an issue to get the materials to Nucor,” Pierce informed the Commissioners during the public hearing. “(Without that material) there’s always a chance that Nucor would have to shut down. The company simply wants to construct a warehouse on the property leased from Mr. Perry and his mother to store the material closer to Nucor.”

Hertford County Manager Loria Williams asked Early if there was any opposition from adjoining property owners once they were notified of the possible rezoning.

“We did have two inquiries from adjoining property owners, but they were only questioning what was being proposed,” Early responded. “They did not oppose what was being proposed.”

On a motion from Commissioner Howard Hunter III and a second from Commissioner Bill Mitchell, the rezoning request was approved without opposition.