Cleveland County commissioners approve two rezoning requests on Plato Lee Road and Foster Road

The Cleveland County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 16 unanimously approved two separate rezoning requests that county planning staff and the planning board had recommended for approval.

Planning case 23-26, brought by property owners Barry Beaver, Michael Melton and Vicki Melton, rezoned seven parcels totaling about 58 acres along Plato Lee Road from general business and residential to light industrial. Planning staff said the request matches existing uses on parts of the property — including nearby businesses Mako (metal fabrication) and Servo South (motor repair) — and noted proximity to other industrial areas along Washburn Switch Road. "They're asking to rezone those parcels from residential and general business to light industrial," a planning representative said during the presentation.

The planning board recommended approval, citing compatibility with adjacent industrial uses. Resident speaker Robert Williams told the commissioners he saw the plan as consistent with the nearby mix of uses and recommended approval. After brief discussion about compatibility and the property's preexisting uses, a commissioner moved and the board voted unanimously to approve planning case 23-26.

Planning case 23-27 concerned a single 1-acre parcel at 33505 Foster Road (near Highway 18 between Shelby and Boston). Petitioner Nicole Helms asked to change the zoning from rural agricultural (RA) — which typically requires a 3-acre minimum lot size — to the residential district, which allows smaller lots (about a half-acre minimum). Planning staff presented aerials and the land-use plan and said the planning board found the request consistent with the county's vision for that corridor and recommended approval. As staff explained, the parcel is grandfathered under its current zoning but could not be subdivided under RA standards without changing districts. Resident Robert Williams spoke during the hearing expressing broader concerns about the county's zoning history; commissioners discussed prior similar requests along Highway 18 before moving to approve the rezoning. The motion passed unanimously.

Votes at a glance

- Planning case 23-26 (Plato Lee Road): Rezoned from general business/residential to light industrial; motion approved unanimously.

- Planning case 23-27 (33505 Foster Road): Rezoned from rural agricultural to residential; motion approved unanimously.

What the decisions mean

County staff told commissioners the rezoning approvals align the zoning map with existing uses in these areas and the planning board's recommendations. The rezoning to light industrial for the Plato Lee parcels is intended to reflect and allow light manufacturing, warehousing and distribution activities already present nearby. The Foster Road rezoning reduces the minimum lot-size constraint for the parcel, making single-family residential development easier in the future.

Next steps

Both approvals were final actions taken by the board at the meeting. County staff said they would process the ordinance amendments and update the county zoning map. The board did not attach additional conditions to either rezoning at the time of the vote.