Petition Opposing Proposed Industrial Rezoning at Cleveland Rd & Pierce Rd
To: Johnston County Planning Board and Johnston County Officials
Re: Rezoning Request for 28.23 Acres to Industrial-2 Conditional Zoning (I-2-CZ)

We, the undersigned residents and property owners of Forest Meadow Ct and surrounding neighborhoods, respectfully submit this petition to formally oppose the proposed rezoning of 28.23 acres at the intersection of Cleveland Rd and Pierce Rd from Agricultural-Residential (AR / AR:IHI portion) to Industrial-2 Conditional Zoning (I-2-CZ) for industrial and warehousing uses.

 
Our Neighborhood
Pierce Rd and Forest Meadow Ct are entirely residential streets. There are no existing businesses or industrial uses along this corridor.
Homes in this area are single-family residences, many with backyards directly adjacent to the proposed development.
There is a posted sign on Pierce Rd limiting heavy trucks
Pierce Rd is narrow, curved, and not designed for heavy commercial vehicle traffic, making large trucks unsafe in a residential setting.
 
Why We Oppose This Rezoning
1. Incompatible Land Use
Placing heavy industrial and warehouse uses directly behind established homes is fundamentally incompatible with the existing residential character of our neighborhood and represents a permanent and harmful change in land use.

2. Increased and Unsafe Truck Traffic
Industrial warehousing will inevitably bring tractor-trailers and delivery trucks onto Pierce Rd.
This directly contradicts the existing “No Trucks” signage on the roadway.
The curved and narrow design of Pierce Rd creates a serious safety risk for residents, children, pedestrians, cyclists, and local traffic.

3. Noise, Lighting, and Quality-of-Life Impacts
Noise from loading docks, idling trucks, backup alarms, and potential overnight operations will disrupt nearby homes. Bright industrial lighting will spill into yards and bedrooms, eliminating privacy and nighttime darkness. These impacts significantly reduce residents’ peace, safety, and enjoyment of their homes.

4. Negative Impact on Property Values
The presence of heavy industrial facilities immediately adjacent to single-family homes is likely to decrease property values, causing long-term financial harm to homeowners.

5. Environmental and Drainage Concerns
Removal of trees and vegetation increases the risk of stormwater runoff. Nearby creeks and natural buffers behind homes may be negatively affected, raising concerns about erosion, flooding, and water quality.

6. Inadequate Notification and Public Process
Notification letters were supposedly sent to properties within a 500-foot radius, leaving many affected residents unawareof this proposal. Given the scope and impact of this rezoning, broader community notification and engagement should have occurred.

7. Unnecessary Expansion of Industrial Uses
There are already several industrial and warehouse facilities located near or adjacent to residential areas within Johnston County. Approving yet another heavy industrial development directly behind established homes is unnecessary and further concentrates incompatible land uses in residential neighborhoods rather than directing such development to appropriate industrial corridors.
 
Our Request
We respectfully request that the Johnston County Planning Board and County Officials:

Deny the proposed rezoning to Industrial-2 Conditional Zoning (I-2-CZ)
Preserve the residential character and safety of Pierce Rd, Forest Meadow Ct, and the surrounding neighborhoods
Consider land-use alternatives that are compatible with existing residential development
This rezoning does not serve the health, safety, or welfare of our community.