To be heard June 11, 2026Agenda Item No. 16

---

Staff Recommendation

Approve the RCC (Rural Crossroads Commercial) plan amendment request for the portion of the property shown on the agenda map because it is consistent with changing conditions in the area. The (Hillside Protection Area) would be retained.

---

The applicant is requesting to rezone the western portion of parcel 062 05405, and the front portion of parcel 062 05402 to the CR (Rural Commercial) zone, which requires a plan amendment from the RC (Rural Conservation) place type. The remaining approximately 12.5 acres of parcel 062 05402 and approximately 0.69 ac of parcel 062 05405 would retain the RC place type and HP (Hillside Protection Area) designation.

PURSUANT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, CHAPTER 3 IMPLEMENTATION, A PLAN AMENDMENT MAY BE APPROPRIATE IF THERE IS AN OBVIOUS OR SIGNIFICANT ERROR OR OMISSION IN THE PLAN, OR IF TWO OR MORE OF THE OTHER CRITERIA APPLY.

OBVIOUS OR SIGNIFICANT ERROR OR OMISSION IN THE PLAN:
1. The RC (Rural Conservation) place type is intended to conserve forested areas, ridges, wetlands, and other significant natural areas. In growth areas, corridors and pockets of rural conservation indicate places that may be subject to development similar to the adjacent place types, but where more compact and low-impact site design is expected. 0 Strawberry Plains Pike (parcel 062 05402) is a 13.88-acre parcel with steep slopes and mature forested growth, and the property at 7801 Strawberry Plains Pike has some slopes at the rear of the lots. As such, the RC place type designation is not the result of an error or omission in the Comprehensive Plan.

IF THERE ARE NO ERRORS OR OMISSIONS, TWO OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA MUST BE MET:
CHANGES OF CONDITIONS (SUCH AS SURROUNDING LAND USES, ZONING, UNCONTROLLED NATURAL FORCES/DISASTERS, ETC.):
1. Commercial development in the surrounding area has largely been concentrated near the I-40 Strawberry Plains Pike interchange to the west and Asheville Highway to the east, except for one pickle-ball facility that opened roughly 360 ft west of the subject property in November 2024, and a small multi-tenant commercial building established in February 2025 on the portion of the subject property zoned CA (General Business).
2. Development trends along Strawberry Plains Pike outside of the commercial nodes have primarily been residential in nature, consisting of single-family, townhouse, and multi-family developments.
3. The RCC (Rural Crossroads Commercial) place type is described as areas appropriate for small commercial nodes occurring at intersections within rural areas. This area is rural in character, and the increased residential development and existing commercial use on the property support consideration of the RCC place type at this location.

INTRODUCTION OF SIGNIFICANT NEW UTILITIES OR LOCAL/STATE/FEDERAL ROAD PROJECTS THAT WERE NOT ANTICIPATED IN THE PLAN AND MAKE DEVELOPMENT MORE FEASIBLE:
1. There has not been an introduction of new utilities or roads in this area that would make development more feasible.

NEW DATA REGARDING TRENDS OR PROJECTIONS, POPULATION, HOUSING CONDITIONS, OR TRAFFIC GROWTH THAT WARRANT RECONSIDERATION OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN:
1. There is no new data specific to this request that warrants a land use amendment to the RCC place type.

THE PROPOSED CHANGES SUPPORT THE POLICIES AND ACTIONS, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND CRITERIA OF THE PLAN:
1. The requested RCC place type is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan's Implementation Policy 5: Create neighborhoods with a variety of housing types and amenities in close proximity. The RCC place type supports small-scale commercial and nonresidential development near residential areas.