Commissioners will consider rezoning for Long Ferry Road industrial park

Published 12:00 am Sunday, May 15, 2022

SALISBURY — The Rowan County Board of Commissioners on Monday will hold a public hearing regarding a rezoning request to accommodate a major industrial park being planned for Long Ferry Road.

Red Rock Development is requesting the rezoning of about 384 acres located along the 1700-2300 block of Long Ferry Road in Salisbury from rural agricultural to commercial, businesses and industrial with a conditional district.

The company, based in Columbia, South Carolina with a Charlotte office, is planning to invest $198 million to construct six “shell” buildings totaling about 2.6 million square feet of commercial space off of exit 81, not far from Chewy’s fulfillment center.

The project will be built in three phases with the largest two buildings being constructed in phase one. Red Rock is aiming to break ground on phase one by late summer and complete the first two buildings by the end of the year.

The rezoning request was unanimously approved by the Rowan County Planning Board at its meeting last month. The board’s approval does not guarantee commissioners will also vote in favor of the rezoning. No one spoke in favor or opposition of the rezoning request at the Planning Board’s meeting, but one citizen did email the board with some concerns about the rezoning.

Commissioners have already approved $4.2 million in infrastructure incentives for the industrial park project.

Commissioners will meet Monday at 6 p.m. in the J. Newton Cohen Sr. Room on the second floor of the Rowan County Administration Building. The meeting will also be broadcasted online at https://bit.ly/rowanboc6pm. The password is 028144. The meeting can be joined by phone by dialing 602-753-0140, 720-928-9299, 213-338-8477.

Also on the meeting agenda:

• The board will consider a request from Thaddeus Ogg to rezone two parcels located at the 4500 block of Cauble Road from rural residential to commercial, business and industrial with a conditional district for the placement of a mini-storage warehouse facility.

• Commissioners will receive an update from Zack Shepherd, community relations regional director from Vaya Health. Vaya Health is Rowan County’s state-mandated Medicaid provider that serves people with mental health needs, substance use disorders and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities. Vaya recently merged with Rowan County’s previous provider, Cardinal Innovations. Cardinal provided care management to more than a dozen counties in the state before counties began to break their contracts citing displease with care provided. Rowan County elected to remain with Vaya as it merged with Cardinal.

• Commissioners will consider approving an agreement with Alfred Benesch & Company to provide professional services related to the construction of Woodleaf Community Park for an amount not to exceed $66,250. The company was selected from three applicants. Benesch will survey, design, bid and provide construction administration for the park. The Woodleaf Community Park project will transform the former site of Woodleaf Elementary School into a place where people can walk, play and gather. Plans call for a trail, playground and an open lawn, among other amenities. The county received a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant for the project earlier this year.

• The board will receive a report from Tax Collector Tonya Parnell showing there was $4.7 million in delinquent property taxes as of March 21.

About Ben Stansell

Ben Stansell covers business, county government and more for the Salisbury Post. He joined the staff in August 2020 after graduating from the University of Alabama. Email him at ben.stansell@salisburypost.com.

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