Standing-Room-Only Hearing Exposes County’s Problematic UDO Rewrite
JOHNSTON COUNTY — Johnston County commissioners have delayed implementing a controversial rewrite of land-use rules after a standing-room-only public hearing on Jan. 20, where homeowners, farmers, and developers criticized the county for pushing a 619-page ordinance that many say is confusing, overly restrictive, and harmful to property owners.
The proposed Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) would replace the county’s existing zoning and subdivision code with a much more detailed system. Planners say the rewrite modernizes regulations, but critics argue it prioritizes control over homeowners’ rights, raises costs, and adds unnecessary bureaucracy for ordinary citizens.
At the Jan. 20 hearing, residents packed the boardroom and hallways, voicing frustration that the county had offered little meaningful public notice despite holding workshops and stakeholder meetings over the past year. Many warned that the draft rules could limit what single-family homeowners can build, restrict farm operations, and make even small development projects costly and time-consuming.
Following the hearing, commissioners voted to delay the UDO while staff study the potential impacts, but public concerns suggest the ordinance, if adopted in its current form, could permanently alter land ownership and rural life in the county.
Key changes that critics say could hurt homeowners and landowners include:
Five new residential districts: The current broad Agricultural-Residential (AR) zoning would be replaced with multiple districts, imposing density limits and stricter requirements. Homeowners seeking to subdivide lots or build accessory structures could face new approvals or restrictions.
Three manufactured home districts: Rural Manufactured Home, Manufactured Home Park, and Residential Manufactured Home District designations come with spacing, placement, and development rules that could complicate existing single and doublewide lots and future use of land for manufactured homes.
Buffers and setbacks: New buffers between homes, farms, and industrial areas could shrink usable land for homeowners and restrict normal farm activities.
Subdivision and site-plan mandates: Even small residential projects would require formal site plans and review by staff or boards, adding time and expense to home additions, garages, sheds, or accessory dwelling units.
Tree preservation and open-space rules: Required preservation of large trees and open-space dedication could reduce usable yard space and increase construction costs for homeowners and small developers.
Tighter regulations on accessory uses: Rules on barns, carports, and home-based businesses could prevent homeowners from making ordinary improvements that were previously allowed by right.
Wetland, drainage, and environmental requirements: New stormwater, wetland, and impervious surface calculations could complicate even minor projects, forcing expensive engineering or permitting.
Residents at the hearing repeatedly criticized the county for pushing through a massive rewrite with minimal transparency. Many warned that, without substantial revisions, the UDO could restrict property rights, drive up costs for homeowners and developers, and further squeeze farms and rural landowners.
Commissioners said they will review complaints and consider changes to the draft before scheduling another hearing, but no timeline has been set for adoption. Critics say the delay may not be enough to address the ordinance’s potentially far-reaching consequences.
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This story has been updated
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Maybe it’s time to elect County Commissioners who are for the people of Johnston County. This is what you call “Too Much Government”
I personally think we need 3/4 acre or more per dwelling. Stop these fast track subdivision
These sound like perfect answers to questions nobody asked.
When did the Commissioners get the idea that we wanted to become like Cary?
Tony Braswell. Alan “I sold off all my family’s land on City Rd to developers and made a mint” Mims, and Jeff “My bank finances all of this growth” Carver started it.
The Stewarts are eyeball deep in “Pave the County” too. And one of them is running to get back on the board.
And before some of you start, it’s not like voting democrat would be any better. Instead of high-priced developments we’d be up to our eyeballs in “low cost housing” developments. But the end result would be the same.
Why should anyone be able to tell you what you can and cannot do on your own property?
Everyone needs to get a list of these commissioners and vote them out next election
Excellent idea. Send the names!!!
UDOs need to be reformed to comply with current scientific research on Urban Stream Syndrome or we will lose our fresh water resources. It’s really that simple.
Stop selling the farmland. I see all the faces up there giving their opinion, but don’t have a pot to pee in. If you want to stop subdivisions from going in. Buy the land. Plus the county has raised the taxes so high that the children of the deceased landowners doesn’t want to deal with it. And they want FAST CASH.
And the county board is a bunch of crooks! Just like the school board!
So are you implying that they raise the taxes for the purpose of developers only being the ones that can afford the land?Hmmmmm.
Over development leads to nothing but a net negative for the county. All things get worse. Taxes, crime,traffic, infrastructure needs, utility needs, school needs, hospital needs…..EVERYTHING. The approval of these massive subdivisions and apartment complexes do not solve any of the problems associated with growth. It’s time these commissioners begin using logic, reason and rational thought……oh wait they’re politicians.
Vote Butch and Mike out.
They raised your taxes.
There is no need to a 619 page dou.
To much authority for planning department.
Planning department will be interrupting the rules.
Which gives them more authority than they need.
Need a write candidate for Patrick!!!
This UDO that the County presented wasn’t perfect but the intent was to slow down subdivisions/growth and urban sprawl. JOCO is running OUT OF WATER! The development and building industry doesn’t like this new proposed UDO so they made a point to misinform anyone that would listen, including the Farming community. Many of the folks at the meeting were not informed nor had read the UDO. This was a smear campaign by the pro building groups. Trust me, if you don’t want JOCO to be Wake County in 5 years, or you don’t want to run out of water, you would be all for this new UDO.
That would be great if that was all they were doing, but they want to keep you from having sheds, chickens, or anything else on your property. Then they will just grant variances to the big developers.
Exactly. All of these efforts are just WEF “sustainable development” goals. “Stakeholders”?!? Wouldnt that be just all the residents and land owners? Of course not! Thats the corporate lackeys and privately very wealthy individuals that believe they are smarter than everyone else, and preteend as though they are acting in the “publics best interest”, by the definition of genocidal globohomo “philanthropists” like klaus schwabb and Bill gates.
And as another comment mentioned… it isnt at all any part of the partisan facade. Its both fake sides.
Another thing few people realize is that all these municipal, county, and state politicians, regardless of party affiliation… are re-educated to serve the beast exclusively at places like the “unc school of government”.
Go look up their publications… its plainly evident, what purpose such entities serve…
“You will own nothing and be happy” starts with massive unpopular forced overreach like “minimum housing” and this “udo” bs, mixed with attempting to convince the general public that “its a good thing”
Did anyone notice, in the proposed draft of the udo, that chickens are going to be regulated? At the proverbial stroke of a pen, many of my neighbors as well as myself will be in violation of several ordinances pertaining to backyard flocks. There’s other ordinances for grazing animals, too, like horses, donkeys, and cattle. It won’t matter how well the animals are treated or how you feed them, there’s a minimum acreage requirement for them. Read pages 192-193 of the udo draft pdf and see how many ordinances you could be fined for violating.
Where can a copy of the proposed UDO be obtained?