Pitt County moves to draft RFQ for first Unified Development Ordinance; commissioners offer policy priorities

Pitt County’s Planning Director Jonas Hill told commissioners the FY 2026–27 budget includes funding to prepare the county’s first Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and staff will issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for consultant services. The UDO will consolidate zoning, subdivision, stormwater and other land‑use rules into a single code intended to streamline review and provide clearer standards.

Commissioners offered early policy direction to incorporate emerging land uses and concerns: Commissioner Chris W. Nunnally suggested including solar, data center and mining/watershed protections; Commissioner Ann Floyd Huggins asked that subdivision regulations include dedicated recreation space; Commissioner Rochelle Brown urged public‑safety access and agricultural preservation; Commissioner Mary Perkins‑Williams flagged school impacts from new development. Staff will finalize the RFQ and solicit consultant proposals with these priorities in mind.