LAURINBURG — The Laurinburg City Council discussed at length Tuesday during a public hearing a property rezoning request, but decided to continue the discussion in May in order to learn more about the area.

The council held the public hearing for two parcels of land located on Gulf Street totaling around an 1.5 acres. The larger piece was requested to be rezoned from business residential to general business, while the other was requested to be rezoned from industrial to general business.

The land is owned by Robert Cooper, who has owned gas and fueling stations in Laurinburg, and the lot in question has had a business operating off of it. Cooper is now trying to sell the property, but according to his representative and real estate agent Susan Covington, it would be a more attractive sell if it was zoned general business.

The land was unanimously approved for the rezoning by the city’s planning and zoning board.

“The two parcels you are talking about are miszoned,” Covington said. “A business has been there for years, it’s always been a fueling station. It has larger 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000-gallon tanks; it had smaller tanks but the planning and zoning board asked us to remove those, so we’re in the process of doing so.”

Covington added that the larger tanks will be removed but a larger company has to come in to do it for them. She also said that, by rezoning to general business, it would be more attractive to potential small businesses.

There were three residents who live in the area who all voiced opposition to the change due to the fact of the street size, parking, traffic and not knowing what would be going on the property.

Mayor Matthew Block questioned if it would be possible to not rezone the property but instead given a conditional-use permit that would allow for the city to have a form of control over what would be put on the property.

“If it was sold or the person who was thinking about buying it had a plan to turn it into an auto-repair shop or whatever, they could come to council with their plans for parking and business,” Block said. “Council could leave it residential with a conditional-use which would allow it to be used for that specific usage — but if it was sold, it would allow the city to maintain control over what goes in there without giving blanket approval for any type of business.”

It was asked what exactly a conditional-use permit would allow on the property, but Zoning Officer and Code Enforcement Officer Mac McInnis told the board he would have to look it up in order to tell them exactly what could go on the property. He did add, though, that he didn’t believe there was a lot that could be put on the property.

Council woman Mary Evans agreed with Block over the conditional-use permit so the city could have some say in what was going on the property.

“I think a conditional-use permit would be good until something else can be done,” Evans said. “We won’t have any control over it if we turn it into general business, and if we lose control we can’t have a say in what goes in there.”

In the concerns of parking, McInnis added he believed there would be enough room for parking for whatever was put on the property, but wouldn’t know if the street was wide enough to sustain whatever went into the lot.

The council agreed to continue the hearing until next month in order to bring more information about what could be put on the property with a conditional use permit as well as allowing for the council to visit the property to see the street size and the property size.

“I think we’re all sensitive to these folks who live across the street and completely understand why you might be uneasy about it,” said Councilman Andrew Williamson. “On the other hand, this gentleman has had a business there for years — it seems like he has his hands tied behind his back and he can’t do much with his property. I personally would feel better if I knew what possible uses could be put there.”

The council voted 4-1 in favor of continuing the issue, with Evans casting the lone no vote.

Katelin Gandee can be reached at 910-50603023 or [email protected].

Katelin Gandee

Staff writer