Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hoke County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
50 issues
Voluntary Agricultural Ordinance Update
The county is considering adopting an updated Voluntary Agricultural Ordinance, which affects how farmland and farming operations are recognized and protected in unincorporated areas.
Event center nuisance complaints on Posey Farms Road
Kevin White returned three months after first complaining about noise and disruption from a neighboring event center, saying he's had no county response and now must take his kids to hotels on weekends; he was told the matter is now between attorneys.
Animal Shelter Improvements
A regular public commenter urged the county to pave the shelter parking lot, add shrubs and paint, and create a waiting area; staff reported fencing, paving, and an HVAC donation are underway with a grand opening expected within weeks.
2026 Employee Christmas Bonuses
The county manager's recommended bonuses were approved: $500 for full-time employees, $250 for part-time, $100 for post-fiscal-year hires, and $50 for qualifying seasonal workers.
Sheriff's Department Budget Amendments
The sheriff moved $25,000 in forfeiture funds into equipment, won permission to buy more vehicles with leftover capital outlay funds, and the jail added $110,000 for transportation-team vehicles. Taxpayer money is funding it, but the sheriff argued it keeps officers and residents safe.
Jail and sheriff's office overtime shortfall
The sheriff told commissioners overtime is driven by growth and vacancies — two deputies left for higher-paying Raeford PD jobs — and moved $40,000 to cover November overtime, warning response times suffer when deputies are tied up on calls.
Private school campus coming to Hoke County
The founder of First Impressions Academy told commissioners she bought 55 acres in Hoke County to build a high school with vocational programs, with plans already approved and groundbreaking near.
Group Home Special Use Permits on Hector McNeill Road
Eight requests to run group homes on Highway Commercial-zoned parcels along Hector McNeill Road and Laurinburg Road were pushed to the November 16 meeting, so neighbors will have to wait for the hearing and vote.
Tractor-trailer parking in residential neighborhoods
A Ravenwood resident asked for an ordinance banning semi-truck parking in neighborhoods, citing road damage, dumped motor oil near a future subdivision and watershed, and safety risks. Commissioners confirmed the 193-page zoning ordinance says nothing about it and directed the county attorney to help draft one.
County Fuel Point savings
The county's in-house fuel point saved about $288,000 in 12 months — beating projections by over $50,000 — and is on track to pay for itself in about four more months.
Water Restrictions
The county leases the former prison's water system from the state but wants to own it before investing millions; commissioners also want state rules cleared so private partners can help build wells.
Federal funding cuts hitting DSS and county budget
Vacancies at Social Services are slowing case processing; the county will pilot using lapsed salary funds to hire outside contractors to keep performance standards and state reimbursements on track.
Sheets gas station rezoning on Fayetteville Road
Commissioners approved rezoning half an acre at 8861 Fayetteville Road to Highway Commercial, likely bringing a Sheets convenience store and gas station near Cape Fear Valley Hospital. Neighbors from Woodbury subdivision worry about traffic on an already congested and accident-prone stretch of 401, 24-hour noise, and strain on the county's water supply — the county already buys water from PWC and has paused some building.
Long-delayed animal shelter project
A resident pressed commissioners on the slow pace of the roughly half-million-dollar donated shelter project and on future staffing, cat facilities, and a communication committee.
Antioch area iron-filtration well and possible Lumbee Tribe EPA grant
Commissioner Tony Hunt announced his tribe's federal recognition opens access to federal grant money for a well in the Aneac area, health clinics in four counties, school tutoring funds, and home weatherization — with the county as a partner.
Lindsay Road widening utility relocation
The utility relocation work tied to the state's Lindsay Road widening project is growing by $50,000 — but NCDOT reimburses it all, so no local tax dollars are involved.
Hazmat response training grant
A competitive $20,000 state grant will pay for training local emergency responders to handle hazardous materials incidents.
Regional Water Treatment Plant Partnership
The county is splitting a $24,700 grant application cost with Robeson County to pursue a six-million-gallon-per-day water plant on Rockfish; Hoke would get half the water. Commissioners also pressed for the long-delayed PWC water contract amendment.
Hoke County Justice Center ribbon-cutting
The new Justice Center should be substantially complete by July 14, 2026, with a possible August 1 occupancy and ribbon-cutting. The elevator installation is the main holdup.
Narcan Access and Recovery Month
Trillium Health Resources is putting Narcan boxes in all thirty county buildings and delivered 483 Narcan kits, funded by bottle tax dollars, to help reverse overdoses. The board declared September Recovery Month.
Homecoming Tailgate Security Funding
The homecoming tailgate draws thousands back to Hoke County and has been a sticking point over how many officers the sheriff can staff. Commissioners gave the county manager authority to spend up to $15,000 so the event stays safe.
Starz Truck Stop Special Use Permit
A gas station near the county line wanted to become a truck stop with overnight parking. Neighbors worried about noise, refrigerated trucks running overnight, and dangerous traffic on Fayetteville Road. Commissioners approved it but required buffers and fencing before compliance, plus backed a $1,000 fine for existing violations.
Arabia Road Rezoning for Auto Shop
Dwight Jackson wants to sell 0.85 acres behind the Arabia Road store to Marlon McNeil, a former Hoke County High School auto mechanics teacher, so he can own his shop instead of renting. The rezoning from residential-agricultural to highway commercial passed.
Recognition of America 250 committee leadership
The county honored Iris Flowers for leading the America 250 "We Are One" committee, which put together community celebrations of the nation's 250th birthday.
Public health infrastructure funding
The Health Department landed $189,804 in state funding to boost staffing, training, and equipment — no local dollars required.
Pool Road speeding and traffic safety
A resident says Pool Road has no clear speed limit markings and unsafe speeds, and a child was recently struck while riding a bike there. The chairman directed staff to contact NCDOT about the speed limit and possible signage.
Economic development and commercial water capacity
The county approved water allocations for a list of subdivisions in the PWC and 401 service zones and raised the allocation cap from 70% to 80%. Commissioners stressed there's no water shortage — the constraint is infrastructure in certain zones — and a test well in the Neil Sinclair area plus a larger pipeline on Highway 211 could open up more capacity.
America 250 / We Are One Committee community programs
The county approved $75,000 toward a two-day America250 celebration on July 3-4, expected to draw up to 20,000 attendees, with the total event value around $312,000 including county in-kind services like stages, security, and park use. Commissioners flagged parking capacity as a planning concern.
Residential growth strain on water, schools, and services
Even after approving this small site, commissioners said data centers are coming and the county needs a plan — one resident asked for a moratorium while the county studies the issue.
Chestnut Drive cul-de-sac access and safety
Residents of Forest View say a developer cut through a cul-de-sac children used for play, bringing heavy equipment traffic and drainage problems. The county must first determine whether the road is public or private before it can act.
Hoke County Schools Funding Requests
Commissioners used the audit discussion to push for more school spending and urged school board members to pursue available state lottery repair-and-renovation funds — roughly $8 million — for capital projects.
Solid Waste Hauler Credits and Disposal Fees
Private haulers are collecting fees from customers while stacking up county disposal credits worth $150,000-plus each, some waste may be coming from outside the county, and unverified residency cost about $47,000 in yard debris fees. A revised ordinance targeting July 1 is in the works.
County Credit Rating and Debt Capacity
Chairman Leach warned the Board it can't keep plugging budget holes with fund balance — about $6 million of a gap remains after roughly $5 million was found. He urged creating new revenue and living within the County's means.
Solid Waste ordinance overhaul
New rules for commercial haulers, a tonnage-based charge replacing the credit system, a 10-bag convenience site limit, higher illegal-dumping enforcement, and mulch cost recovery — all effective July 1.
Tiny homes and subdivision rules
Commissioners are shaping rules for tiny homes — concerned about big clusters of them — and a tiered subdivision review process. Decisions deferred pending more research and input from the County Attorney.
Quarter-cent sales tax referendum
Hoke residents already pay the extra 0.25% when shopping in Cumberland and Moore counties; putting it on the November ballot lets voters decide whether to capture that revenue locally for schools and public safety. It's advisory only — the Board would still have to act.
Water Capacity, Rates and Allocations
Growth is straining county water: the county buys about 30 million gallons a month from PWC at rates its own water fees don't fully cover, and new fire-code rules will demand far more water capacity for developments without public water. The Board raised the allocation threshold to 80 percent to keep projects moving and discussed — but didn't adopt — possible rate increases.
Paddock Acres development
A proposed ~220-acre equestrian-style community between U.S. 211 and North Old Wire Road, with 8-to-20-plus-acre lots — presented for information only, not yet formally reviewed.
Work Permit Ordinance repeal and code enforcement
The 26-year-old fire agreement is being rewritten, the Work Permit Ordinance is repealed July 1, and new code officer Terrence Moore brings 25 years of experience — all part of a wider development-ordinance cleanup.
ABC Board Redevelopment and Distributions
The ABC Board wants to keep half its profits for 3-5 years to redevelop its Highway 401 site, which could shrink the county's annual cut that now runs about $150,000.
Rockfish Road Rezoning RZ-25-4
Nearly 20 acres on Rockfish Road were rezoned for future homes, over neighbors' objections about dangerous traffic near the school, water pressure problems, and the loss of their rural buffer. Commissioners say the actual subdivision would still need separate approvals.
Arson-detection K-9 for Fire Marshal's Office
Emergency Services wants an accelerant-detection dog since Moore County's K-9 retires next year and the next closest resources are hours away. A local businessman covered over half the $13,500 cost with a $7,000 donation.
Subdivision road additions to state system
Two consent resolutions ask NCDOT to take over roads in the Walters Meadow and Carolina Crossing subdivisions, shifting maintenance responsibility to the state.
Private donations to county services
MSquare Construction's David Hassan gave $7,000 for the arson K-9 and $1,000 to the schools' back-to-school program — an example of local businesses reinvesting in the community.
Property tax releases and refunds
A church's 2025 property tax value was cut from $737,120 to $153,530 because of the building's deteriorated condition, significantly lowering its tax bill.
North Carolina Fall Festival 2026
Festival leaders previewed a free community lineup for October and flagged that the traditional turkey dinner can't return without help covering school-staff overtime. County leaders agreed to keep talking about it.
Broadband access for underserved northwest Hoke County
The new OLT site will deliver fiber internet to about 400 homes that currently lack reliable service, using state grant funds. Commissioners framed it as essential for schools, jobs, and future growth.
FY2027 county budget process
All department requests are in; department heads appear before the board May 19-20, and the manager aims to deliver a balanced recommended budget by June 1 amid rising service costs.
Illegal handicap parking enforcement
A Paralyzed Veterans board member described being blocked out of accessible spaces and asked deputies to enforce N.C.G.S. 20-37.6, including on private lots; the board agreed to send letters to the sheriff and police.
State fire code flow requirements and housing costs
Commissioners worry minimum hydrant flow rules force sprinkler systems on rural homes, driving up prices for first-time buyers — they asked their lobbyist to push for changes.