Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in New Bern, NC public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
30 issues in zoning
Paws of War Eastern NC dog training permit
The city wants clear rules on where dog training and boarding businesses can operate. The amendment would define indoor and outdoor dog training, replace the kennel definition with boarding, and allow indoor boarding as a special use in C-5, C-4, and C-6 commercial districts.
Certificates of Appropriateness for Three Historic Properties
Property owners in the historic districts need a certificate of appropriateness before changing building exteriors. This batch covers porches, decks, sunscreens, an outdoor bar, and two demolition-and-rebuild infill houses.
Data Centers
Staff is drafting definitions and permissible-use rules for data centers and crypto mining facilities, aiming to bring clarity before any proposal arrives. The uses would be directed to industrial-type districts, not residential neighborhoods.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
The board is exploring whether to allow ADUs — small second dwellings like garage apartments or mother-in-law suites — on single-family lots. Residents ask about them a couple times a month, mostly to house elderly parents or adult children, but members worry about rentals, short-term rentals, enforcement, and historic district compatibility. Staff will draft language and the board will flag its top concerns.
Clarifying and Revising Purchasing Conditions for Salable Lots
The Property Sales and Marketing workgroups were to discuss revising purchasing conditions and adding signage to lots the city wants to sell.
Initial zoning of US 70 parcels as Commercial 3
Two newly annexed parcels totaling 5.86 acres along East US 70 would be zoned Commercial 3 (C-3), opening the door to commercial development on the highway corridor. What gets built there depends on this designation and later approvals.
HPC Member Terms Expiring
County Commission Chairman Denny Bucher told the board the unelected HPC is 'out of control,' citing $342,000 in extra costs on the Sedan parking lot project, and urged guardrails or outright abolition.
C-3 Commercial Rezoning of Two Agricultural Parcels
The board was scheduled to hold a public hearing and possibly adopt a rezoning of Tax Parcel IDs 8-210-044 and 8-210-23001 from agricultural to commercial use. What gets built there could shape traffic and neighborhood character.
Large-scale rezonings along US 70 / NC 43 corridors
The Craven County MPO outlined the NC 43 Connector's history — started in 1993, construction began 2025, completion estimated 2028 — and its purpose: economic development, freight routing off Glenburnie Road, and a new US 17 to US 70 link with an interchange at US 70.
Manufactured homes in the Redevelopment District
Staff studied whether single-wide manufactured homes could be allowed in the RDC zone as an affordable homeownership option. They found most lots are too small, floodplain elevation could add $30,000 to an $80,000 home, and state law bars age restrictions on homes — so it's harder than it sounded. No vote yet.
922 Pollock Street rezoning
The city wants to rezone a tiny Habitat for Humanity-owned parcel on downtown Pollock Street from Commercial 5A to Commercial 4.
Three commercial rezonings
The board was scheduled to hold public hearings on rezonings at 922 Pollock Street, three Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard parcels, and 1822 S. Glenburnie Road. These could shape what gets built and what neighbors can expect along those corridors.
East Front Street historic property alterations
Two contributing historic properties at 524 and 411 E. Front St. were up for design review — a remodel of an accessory building and additions to a house and garage. The decisions affect how much historic character in the Tertiary AVC district is preserved as owners update their properties.
Rezoning of 98.2 acres near Savoy Drive and NC Hwy 43
BPNC, LLC wants to rezone nearly 100 acres of farmland along the NC Hwy 43 corridor to Commercial 3, which would allow commercial development. The proposal was continued from July after the board asked for more time, so it's still an open question for neighbors along that corridor.
September 8 rezoning hearings
Three rezonings — 922 Pollock Street, three MLK Jr. Boulevard parcels, and 1822 S. Glenburnie Road — head to a public hearing, mostly to fix split zoning. Residents can weigh in on September 8.
Neuse Boulevard commercial rezonings
Six split-zoned parcels along Neuse Boulevard were unified to C-3 Commercial, and part of a vacant industrial parcel was rezoned too — though staff scaled back after Kings Row residents complained. Property owners consented and the Planning Board recommended it unanimously.
1822 S Glenburnie Road rezoning
A city-initiated fix to make 2.79 acres on South Glenburnie Road uniformly Commercial 4 instead of split C-4/R-6.
201 Ellington Street rezoning
A small residential lot near Ellington Street could shift to commercial zoning, changing what can be built next door to residents.
Minor Works list revisions
The commission is discussing updates to its standards and potential new Minor Work categories — the kinds of projects homeowners can do without a full commission hearing. Changes here could make small exterior projects faster and easier for historic-district residents.
Minor Works List Additions
The Commission considered updating its Minor Work list — revising 'Landscaping' to 'Landscaping and Hardscaping,' adding street furniture, kiosks and trash receptacles, and adding playgrounds and play equipment. These changes decide which small projects owners can do without a full review.
Refreshing Lives Church special use permit
Refreshing Lives Church, LLC is asking the board for a special use permit to operate a church in Units C/D at 4110 M.L.K. Jr. Boulevard. The board's decision determines whether the congregation can use the commercial-zoned space for worship.
Animal service uses text amendment
The Land Use Ordinance would be amended to spell out rules for animal service uses, like groomers and kennels.
Commercial zoning for 4095 E US 70 Hwy
The board was scheduled to hold a public hearing on initial C-3 Commercial zoning for a property along the US 70 corridor. What gets built there depends on how the zoning lands.
New parking lot and restroom-screening structure at 400 E. Front St.
A vacant parcel at 400 E. Front Street was the subject of a hearing for a new parking lot and a small accessory structure to screen portable restrooms. In a gateway block of the historic district, parking lot design and screening matter to the streetscape. No outcome could be confirmed because no meeting record was provided.
Denied demolition at 811 Pollock St.
The administrator's report was to include the denial of a major certificate of appropriateness for demolition of a contributing structure at 811 Pollock St. Demolition denials in the historic district preserve the district's character but can be costly for owners. The report is a recap of April 2 to May 7 actions, not a new decision.
Tryon Palace fencing and lighting changes along Eden Street
Tryon Palace sought historic-district approval to remove chain link fencing and hedges and replace them with a low wall and metal fencing along the northern end of Eden Street, plus new light fixtures. The look of this prominent museum-adjacent block would change noticeably for pedestrians and neighbors. What the commission decided could not be verified because no meeting record was available.
E Street Renamed Leroy Way Jr. Avenue
Duffyfield's E Street now honors Leroy Way Jr., a teacher, coach, and affordable-housing advocate who died in 2022. Nearly all street property owners signed a petition supporting it.
Firefly Café outdoor consumption permit
The Downtown Business Council wants a social district letting people carry drinks between downtown bars and restaurants during events. North Carolina's 68 existing districts have shown revenue gains, and the board told the City Attorney to draft a permit-based framework.
Initial zoning for 3406 Old Airport Road
A recently annexed acre on Old Airport Road would get its first city zoning designation, Residential 8. That sets the rules for what can be built there going forward.
Re-New Bern Land Use Ordinance Update
The citywide overhaul of its land use rules was up for a progress check. The final ordinance will shape what can be built where for years to come.