By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.com
Two rezonings to resolve non-conforming uses have won favorable recommendations from the Rowan County Planning Board.
In both cases, the property owners need rezoning from rural agricultural to commercial business industrial to better use existing buildings.
In the first case, the board supported a request from Rob Fuller of R3 Racing for rezoning and a conditional-use permit that would allow him to expand an existing race shop at 3685 N.C. 152 West. Fuller recently bought the property.
Fuller plans to add on to the building to store trailers and other equipment that now sits parked in front of the structure.
A prior owner sought to operate a tire store at the location, but the county denied the rezoning after neighbors protested.
Fuller’s proposal drew no opposition.
In the second rezoning, the board went against a planning staff recommendation to deny a request by Donnie and Angela Bostian to rezone a small parcel in Enochville on Winter Street, a dead-end street at the county line. The Bostians want to run a heating and air-conditioning business at the location.
A metal building for storage was constructed on the property in 1999 to operate a furniture repair business. The owner died before opening the business. In 2003, the county approved a subdivision that split the storage building and the home, creating a non-conforming use.
Planners said there isn’t enough room to plant the required 20-foot buffer and still have a driveway and access on the side adjacent to the residence.
Representing the Bostians, Lanny Lancaster, of Concord, noted that property on three sides of the parcel ó the Joe Ervin Grading Co. property ó is already commercial.
“The county created the problem,” said Planning Board member Greg Edds said, pointing out that if the parcel had been left with the home, the homeowner could operate a business at the location.
Both recommendations now go to the Rowan County Board of Commissioners for final action.