Not every zoning decision in Pender County involves a thousand homes. Some of the changes that matter most to neighbors are small: a church tract off Sloop Point Loop Road, a trucking yard on U.S. 117, a few new lots and shops in an existing Hampstead neighborhood. Three of those are moving through the county this week, and they’re a good window into how growth actually lands next door. Here’s what’s on the table and what we’d watch if you own nearby or plan to buy.
What’s on the Nov. 4 Planning Board Agenda
The Pender County Planning Board meets Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at the Public Administration Building, 805 S. Walker St. in Burgaw, according to the county’s published agenda and packet. Two rezonings are up for public hearing. County planning staff recommend approving both.
Sloop Point Loop Road, Hampstead (REZONE 2026-103)
Renovation Church is asking to rezone about 0.4 acres at 116 Sloop Point Loop Road, roughly 600 feet east of U.S. 17, from Planned Development to General Business. The staff report says the change would match the zoning around it. The parcel sits inside an 18.7-acre tract that already has an approved master plan for the church. If the Planning Board acts, the request is scheduled to go to the Board of Commissioners on Nov. 16.
This is a general use rezoning, so no site plan is attached. Once a parcel is zoned General Business, any use the zone allows can go there. The staff report counts about 87 uses permitted by right in that district, including child care centers and full-service restaurants. Public water is available from Pender County Utilities and sewer from Pluris, and the report shows no mapped flood hazard area or wetlands on the site.
One number in the packet stood out to us. Using NCDOT’s 2025 traffic counts, staff list U.S. 17 near GL Lodge Road at about 40,840 vehicles a day, above its planning capacity of 37,321. That’s one more reason the Hampstead Bypass matters to home values along the corridor.
U.S. 117 and Newells Hollow, Rocky Point (REZONE 2026-104)
The second request covers about 7 acres on the northwest side of U.S. 117 at Newells Hollow, now zoned Residential Performance. The applicant wants a conditional rezoning so Prime-Time Trucking, LLC can park, store and maintain five trucks and five trailers on the site’s existing laydown yard and build a 1,500-square-foot maintenance garage. The application also lists other possible uses, including auto repair, warehousing and outdoor boat storage, so the garage can be repurposed later.
According to the staff report, the business expects about 15 vehicle trips a day, which is below the threshold for a traffic study. The site would use county water and a septic system, and it may contain wetland characteristics. Where it borders homes, the plan calls for a 20-foot buffer with an evergreen hedge that should reach at least 6 feet within four years. The applicant held a public input meeting on Sept. 23 with notices mailed to owners within 500 feet. One neighbor attended.
Also Moving This Week
- Wyndwater changes. Draft minutes in the same packet show the Planning Board voted 4-1 on Oct. 6 to approve a revised Wyndwater master plan in Topsail Township. The revision adds three single-family lots and more allowed commercial uses. The approved plan already allows 528 homes (412 single-family and 116 townhomes) and 68,800 square feet of commercial space. The board required that dumpsters serving the commercial sites sit at least 100 feet from existing homes. Staff said no commercial application has been filed yet and that neighbors will be notified when one is.
- Point South apartments. The 252-unit first phase near U.S. 17 and N.C. 210 goes before the county’s Technical Review Committee on Thursday, Nov. 5, Port City Daily reported Nov. 3. We covered the background in our Point South post.
What This Means for Homeowners Nearby
- General use vs. conditional rezoning. A conditional rezoning like the Rocky Point request ties the approval to a specific site plan and list of uses. A general use rezoning like the Sloop Point Loop request doesn’t, so it’s worth reading the full list of allowed uses for the new district, not only the use being discussed today.
- The mailed notice is your cue. Pender requires applicants to notify nearby owners. If a letter shows up, the hearing dates and staff report are posted ahead of each meeting, and public comment is open at both the Planning Board and the commissioners.
- Buffers and conditions are negotiable. As the Wyndwater dumpster condition shows, the board can attach reasonable conditions if the applicant agrees. Specific, practical requests from neighbors tend to get more traction than general opposition.
What Buyers Should Check
If you’re shopping in Hampstead or Rocky Point, look up the zoning on the vacant land around a home, not just the home itself. A wooded lot zoned General Business or carrying a conditional approval can change faster than one zoned for rural residential use. Ask whether the home is on county water, Pluris sewer, or a well and septic, and drive the U.S. 17 or U.S. 117 commute at the times you’d actually use it. Our Rocky Point guide and Hampstead guide cover the bigger picture.
FAQ
Has the Sloop Point Loop Road rezoning been approved?
Not yet. The Planning Board hears it Nov. 4, and the county has it scheduled for the Board of Commissioners on Nov. 16. Commissioners make the final decision.
Can a trucking company operate in a residential zone in Pender County?
Not under Residential Performance zoning alone, which is why the Rocky Point applicant is asking for a conditional rezoning. If it’s approved, the uses and site plan would be limited to what the approval spells out.
How do I find out about rezonings near me?
Owners near a request get mailed notices, and agendas, staff reports and livestreams are posted on the Pender County website and its agenda portal.
Will these rezonings affect my home’s value?
Small rezonings rarely move values on their own. Buffers, traffic and what actually gets built matter more.
Questions About What’s Planned Near You?
Whether you’re selling near Sloop Point Loop Road, buying land off U.S. 117, or just want to know what the zoning next door allows, we’re glad to help you sort through it. Contact Aspyre Collective for a straight local read on any Pender County property.
