At Monday’s meeting of the Oakboro Town Council, the commissioners had a public hearing and took action on four rezoning requests on property south of the downtown area.

Four parcels of land owned by James Schad on N.C. Highway 200, south of the town’s limits but in Oakboro’s extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ), were rezoned by a 4-1 vote from residential/agricultural to industrial. Commissioner Bud Smith voted against the rezoning.

Speaking on behalf of Schad was David L. Williams, who said the intentions were to build a business park on the properties. The properties are next to the new Charlotte Pipe and Foundry property.

Williams said a new business park would “attract more businesses and industries for Oakboro.”

Wayne Coulter and Beth Cruze spoke against the rezoning, citing issues such as traffic, noise and water quality for a new business park.

In the meeting, Commissioner Mike Efird said the property would be like Meadow Creek, the business park in Locust, which has standalone buildings for smaller businesses. According to Locust Planning and Zoning Director Scott Efird, Meadow Creek has several smaller-sized businesses, like a granite shop and the town of Locust’s public works and maintenance building.

When reached by phone, Schad said the hope for the property, once it gets water and sewer, would be for businesses “at a certain standard” and have restrictions which would not allow certain industries in the park of a “lower grade to the area.”