Planning Board frowns on towing service near homes

SMITHFIELD — County Commissioners will have the final word. But the odds are stacked against a business owner’s bid to move his towing service to five acres on N.C. 231.

For starters, the Johnston County Planning Board on July 16 recommended that commissioners deny the request. Board members balked at allowing a business in an area filled with homes. And they noted that the county’s new land-use plan envisions only low-density housing along that stretch of N.C. 231.

“Due to the property being surrounded by homes and it being inconsistent with the county’s land-use plan, I make a motion to deny,” said board member Brooke Holmes.

The rest of the board quickly followed suit, but even before then, a chorus of neighbors had opposed the request.

Chris Brackin of nearby Whitley Road said a towing service would be a blemish on the community. “When my dad and I bought the property out there a little over 30 years ago, we bought it because it was all for agriculture and for homes,” he said.

Matthew Haseley, who lives on Thoroughbred Drive, raised a host of concerns. “One would be the traffic impact on a terrible sight line right now,” he said. “Where 231 comes through, there’s a drip right there where the entrance to that property it. There’s also a school bus stop there. Obviously, the concern would be for the children and for vehicles coming along the road.”

Haseley also feared that fluids from vehicles parked on the site could leach into surrounding soils and groundwater. “A majority of us are on private wells, so anything that would leech into the ground would definitely impact our health,” he said.

“The property is less than half a mile from the Flower Hill Nature Preserve,” Haseley added. “It’s a very unique area. I’d hate to see something environmentally happen to that area.”

He pointed also to the threat to nearby Moccasin Creek, which empties into Buckhorn Reservoir, the chief water source for the City of Wilson.

Haseley also feared damage to home values. “We’ve put a pretty good investment in putting our homes there, our homesteads,” he said. “When we bought that property, everything around there was agricultural, residential.”

Put it all together and “I just don’t think that this property is the best selection for a business,” Haseley said.

Everyone else who spoke agreed with him.

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