Board rezones 31.66-acre Miller Bridge Road parcel to allow 85-home planned residential mixed-use development
May 19, 2026 | Burke County, North Carolina
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The Burke County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to adopt Ordinance 2026-05, rezoning a 31.66-acre parcel at 3637 Miller Bridge Road from industrial to Planned Residential Mixed-Use Conditional (PRMU-CD). The conditional zoning permits up to 85 "crossmod" homes (a modular/cross-built product) plus two small commercial lots intended for neighborhood-support uses such as a grocery, daycare and health services, and includes mutually agreed screening along the industrial boundary.
Patrick Dickinson, the county planner, told the board the site is currently designated industrial in the county's future land use map and that the request includes a required future land-use change. He said the proposal is a conditional zoning that binds a master plan and development conditions to the property and limits permitted uses to those in the agreement.
The public hearing produced extended comment from neighbors and stakeholders. Many residents who live along Miller Bridge Road urged the board to reduce density, citing morning and afternoon school-related congestion at nearby East Burke Middle and East Burke High, narrow local roads, and limited existing services. Several speakers argued 0.15-acre lots (proposed) and 10-foot side-yard separations are too compact for the rural character of the area and that the proposal should be downsized or require stronger screening and traffic mitigation.
Other residents and local real estate professionals said the county faces a shortage of starter and affordable homes; supporters urged the board to approve additional housing stock to retain younger households and support local schools and employers.
Commissioners debated infrastructure and long-range planning, noting the site had been industrial for decades and that conditional zoning prevents heavier industrial uses that some neighbors fear. The board adopted the ordinance, finding the request reasonable and in the public interest and pointing to the county's housing strategies; the approved motion also required mutually agreed screening adjacent to remaining industrial property.
The rezoning approval includes standard site-plan review conditions, and the developer must return to staff with final engineering and any required NC DOT approvals for access. Because this is a conditional district, density and plan changes now would require written consent of the petitioner or a new rezoning proceeding.
Patrick Dickinson, the county planner, told the board the site is currently designated industrial in the county's future land use map and that the request includes a required future land-use change. He said the proposal is a conditional zoning that binds a master plan and development conditions to the property and limits permitted uses to those in the agreement.
The public hearing produced extended comment from neighbors and stakeholders. Many residents who live along Miller Bridge Road urged the board to reduce density, citing morning and afternoon school-related congestion at nearby East Burke Middle and East Burke High, narrow local roads, and limited existing services. Several speakers argued 0.15-acre lots (proposed) and 10-foot side-yard separations are too compact for the rural character of the area and that the proposal should be downsized or require stronger screening and traffic mitigation.
Other residents and local real estate professionals said the county faces a shortage of starter and affordable homes; supporters urged the board to approve additional housing stock to retain younger households and support local schools and employers.
Commissioners debated infrastructure and long-range planning, noting the site had been industrial for decades and that conditional zoning prevents heavier industrial uses that some neighbors fear. The board adopted the ordinance, finding the request reasonable and in the public interest and pointing to the county's housing strategies; the approved motion also required mutually agreed screening adjacent to remaining industrial property.
The rezoning approval includes standard site-plan review conditions, and the developer must return to staff with final engineering and any required NC DOT approvals for access. Because this is a conditional district, density and plan changes now would require written consent of the petitioner or a new rezoning proceeding.
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