The public will have an opportunity to weigh-in on the proposed rezoning of 1,245 acres of land from agricultural and low-density residential districts to high-intensity commercial and high-density residential zoning districts in New Bern’s ETJ (extraterritorial jurisdiction) on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Weyerhaeuser NR Company applied to rezone three large parcels identified as Craven County Tax Parcel IDs: 8-209-13000; 8-211-011; and 8-209-18000 near the Arcadia Village, Craeberne Forest, Greenbrier, and West New Bern communities, as noted in the meeting packet.
The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the second-floor courtroom at City Hall, 300 Pollock St., New Bern, NC.
The Planning and Zoning Board will receive public comments and make recommendations to the New Bern Board of Aldermen who will make the final decision during a future meeting.
Three proposed rezonings
Southwest and southeast corner of US 70 and NC 43
Weyerhaeuser is requesting to rezone 315.74 acres of land which is identified on Craven County GIS as Tax Parcel ID: 8-209-13000 from Agricultural 5F (A-5F) to Commercial 3 (C-3) in the southwest and southeast corner of US 70 and NC 43, “west of the Greenbriar subdivision. Within a 500-foot radius of the site there are single-family residences, a medical office and undeveloped lots,” according to the staff’s report.
“The request for C-3 is compatible with the existing zoning of similarly situated properties which includes West New Bern to the north, which is zoned (Industrial) I-1 and C-3,” according to Weyerhaeuser’s application.
East of Future NC 43 Connector — Rezoning
Weyerhaeuser is also requesting to rezone 376.2 acres of land identified as CC PID: 8-211-011 from Agricultural 5F (A-5F) and Residential 15 (R-15) to Residential 6 (R-6) to the east of Future NC 43 Connector.
The property is “within a 500-foot radius of the site there are the Greenbriar and Arcadia Village subdivisions, New Bern High School, and undeveloped lots,” according to staff’s report.
Southeast corner of US 70 and US 17 Bypass
The company also wants to rezone 553.4 acres of land identified as CC PID: 8-209-18000 from Agricultural 5F (A-5F) Residential 6 (R-6) in the southeast corner of US 70 and US 17 Bypass. “The property abuts Agricultural-5F and Residential-6 zoning, with Industrial (I-1) and Commercial (C-3 in the northeast corner of the intersection.”
Related news
Petition
A petition to “Save Greenbrier’s Character – Vote no to Weyerhaeuser Rezoning” was created on Change.org that urges the Planning and Zoning Board and Board of Aldermen to vote no on the rezonings for parcels identified as 8-211-011 and 8-209-13000 to “protect established neighborhoods, natural wildlife habitats, and municipal infrastructure by voting to DENY rezoning requests.”
Aldermen to consider rezoning 98.2 acres near the aforementioned properties on Oct. 13
The P & Z Board approved a motion to recommend the New Bern Board of Aldermen approve the rezoning of 98.2 acres from Agricultural 5F to Commercial C-3 at Savoy Drive and NC Hwy 43 on Aug. 13, 2026. on Aug. 13. BPNC LLC owns the land which is identified as Craven County Tax Parcel IDs: 8-210-044 and 8-210-23001, as noted here in the meeting packet. The Board of Aldermen will consider holding a public hearing and approving the rezoning of 98.2 acres from Agricultural to Commercial C-3 during their meeting at on Oct. 13, 2026, that starts at 6 p.m.
During the P & Z Board meeting, BPNC owner, Peter Bosworth, said he has been working with Weyerhaeuser as his land abuts it on three sides. “Once someone like me or anybody gets zoning, there could be at least 6 or 12 months of trying to find people that want your land, tenants, builders, whatever,” he said. “We have established the corridor with “a multitude of zoning applications in right now. I’m one of them.”
He said he was working with City of New Bern Electric and Water utilities and noted they will get the sewer from Weyerhaeuser who was bringing it down (NC) 43.
$31 million Electric Revenue Bond — Glenburnie Substation Update and Southeast Substation
On Sept. 8, the Board of Aldermen and mayor voted to authorize City Manager Foster Hughes to execute an engineering and ancillary services agreement in support of the Southeast System Capacity Improvement project which is estimated to cost $1,451,967 and engineering services in support of replacing transformers at the Glenburnie Substation estimated at $859,265.
They also approved a letter of intent to borrow $31 million to pay for projects that will be financed through the issuance of municipal revenue bonds.
City of New Bern board and committee meeting agendas and packets can be found here. Meeting videos are available on City 3 TV and YouTube channel.
What do you think?
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.