Residents tell Johnston County commissioners to slow development, cite water shortages and representation concerns

Three residents used the meeting’s public-comment period to urge the Board of Commissioners to slow growth and commit to greater transparency in the Unified Development Ordinance process.

Leon Cobb, who identified himself as a lifelong county resident, said his family’s ties go “back in this county” and argued that at-large commissioner seats deny full local representation to outlying communities. He also cited constitutional protections and referenced federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 241 in arguing citizens’ rights to petition government and seek remedies.

“I’m not calling for insurrection,” Cobb said in the public comment period, urging voters to remember constitutional rights at the ballot box. He criticized what he characterized as county officials and outside consultants who, in his view, do not represent neighborhood interests.

Wilbert Barton said he had expected chapter-by-chapter UDO drafts to be posted in advance so residents could come informed and called it “disappointing” that those materials were not provided. He warned that the county’s water supply is finite and said rapid development has made housing less affordable for younger residents, adding that the county should prioritize infrastructure before approving more growth.

“I feel like the county is looking at us less than a herd of cows right now because we keep stacking and stacking without getting the infrastructure right first,” Barton said.

Malika Bird echoed concerns about water and transparency and questioned whether the UDO draft requires new development to connect to county water rather than private wells. She apologized for a previous public remark that she said unfairly criticized commissioners, then urged the board to use local stakeholders rather than outside developers or extension agents when revising the UDO.

“Y’all aren’t being transparent… We were told several times that it was going to be posted so we can read it,” Bird said, asking the board to provide clear drafts and local representation among stakeholders.

The chair and planning staff acknowledged the comments during the transition to the UDO update. Planning Director Braston Newton later described the stakeholder group’s membership and said chapters A and B have been completed and will be forwarded to legal for review before public release. Newton’s explanation and the proposed schedule were offered as the staff response in the meeting context; commissioners did not take formal action on the UDO that night.

The meeting proceeded to an update from Newton and a subsequent question-and-answer session with commissioners; no votes or adoptions on the UDO occurred during this session.