Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in New Bern, NC public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
17 issues in zoning with medium priority
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.