WINTON – The required process needed to rezone property off NC 11 near Ahoskie has cleared two hurdles and will proceed.

At the most recent meeting of the Hertford County Board of Commissioners, unanimous approval was given to rezone a 16.5 acre tract of land from Residential Agricultural to Industrial Heavy.

According to Bill Early, Hertford County’s Economic Development Director, the land is located on Fire Tower Road (behind the Ahoskie Inn and Duck Thru convenience store) approximately 865 feet north of the Fire Tower Road / NC 11 intersection.

Early informed the commissioners that the Hertford County Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment, at their Jan. 12 meeting, approved the rezoning request. At that meeting, the property’s owner, Walter F. Pierce, stated that a business had contacted him regarding the possible purchase of three acres of his property, and that the parcel needed to be rezoned as Industrial Heavy in order for the purchase negotiations to continue.

Early also told the commissioners that the Pierce property was suitable for all permitted uses for a Industrial Heavy district as well being consistent with the county’s Land Use Plan. The property also adjoins an existing Industrial Heavy area.

Following the approval by the commissioners, Early told the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald that the rezoning will open the door for any business falling within the Industrial Heavy category. It also includes any type of Industrial Light business. Those permitted types of businesses include:

Industrial Heavy

Bulk petroleum plant and storage

Concrete products manufacturing and storage

Lime and fertilizer manufacturing and storage

Livestock sales pavilion

Manufacturing facilities

Planing and saw mill

Public utilities

Quarrying and mining operations

Radio and TV towers and substations

Sanitary landfill

Service (gas) station

Solar farm collector/facility

Steel mill

Stockyard

Stone and gravel works

Towers

Truck stop

Through conditional use permits, Industrial Heavy zones also allow for:

Acid manufacturing and storage

Junkyards/Auto graveyards/Salvage yards

Public wastewater facility

Retail sales

Schools

 

Industrial Light

Assembly of farm products

Bag manufacturer

Boat manufacturer

Bottling works

Cabinet making

Cold storage plant

Contractor and Cleaning shops

Dry Cleaning and Laundry plants

Electrical, Industrial and Farm equipment repair

Fertilizer storage and sales

Food processing in wholesale quantity (except meat, fish, poultry, vinegar and yeast)

Grain elevators

Garment manufacturer

Household appliance manufacturer

Industrial research and educational facilities

Laboratories for research and testing

Leather goods manufacturer

Lumber and building materials storage and sales

Pharmaceutical manufacturer

Printing, publishing and reproduction establishments

Repair and servicing of office and household equipment

Sheet metal shops

Sign manufacturer

Storage warehouses and yards

Textile manufacturer

Tinsmith shop

Warehouse

Welding shop