Plans for two new subdivisions, totaling up to 956 homes near Saxapahaw in rural Alamance County, have again raised questions about local zoning rules.
The “Morrow Mill Subdivision” concept plan by Sasser Properties of Gibsonville shows 541 homes on a 440-acre parcel at 7941 Morrow Mill Road. A preliminary sketch of “Hunter’s Ridge” by developer Alpha Real Estate Investments shows a 415-lot subdivision on a 371-acre undeveloped parcel on Austin Quarter Road, adjacent to the Morrow Mill development at the southwest corner.
Residents, some of them farmers, only recently became aware of the plans and spoke against the subdivisions at the last two county commissioners’ meetings.
“We are not, and I repeat, we are not anti-development,” Morrow Mill resident Peter Childers told Alamance County commissioners at the work session on May 4. “But why does the county perpetuate an adversarial relationship between residents, developers, and builders when thoughtful land use controls would allow a better fit for everyone?”
However, the plans don’t require commissioner votes or public hearings – because Alamance is one of an estimated 21 (out of 100) counties in North Carolina where zoning doesn’t regulate rural development.
Residents’ concerns about these proposed subdivisions include well and septic capacity, flood risks, traffic and fire safety, and environmental impacts to the rural land.
But because there is no countywide zoning, subdivisions are approved “administratively,” meaning they are not subject to approval by the county planning board or county commissioners.
In an April 15 email to commissioners, county manager Heidi York wrote, “There are also no current requirements that proposed developments hold public hearings; notify neighboring landowners; set aside land for infrastructure improvements such as fire stations, sidewalks, public schools; or coordinate with park and trail plans.”
Last year, Planning Director Matthew Hoagland presented a proposal for a “Rural Preservation Ordinance” to commissioners. According to York, the proposed ordinance and an accompanying draft land use map “would create a basic form of zoning that would mirror existing development while allowing the County some discretion on what type of development is allowed, and where it should be located.”
Commissioners didn’t put the proposal to a vote, essentially rejecting it.
Some commissioners have consistently expressed no intention to enact countywide zoning, including at the May 4 meeting.
“If people don’t want it, it doesn’t behoove us to try and pass it,” Commissioner Steve Carter, who is running for reelection, said in response to public comments at that meeting.
What “No Countywide Zoning” Actually Means
Zoning refers to a set of rules on how land can be used within a jurisdiction (such as a city or town or county). An example could include allowing high-density multi-family developments in areas that are close to transportation, or disallowing industrial uses adjacent to areas zoned for residential uses.
In some jurisdictions, zoning is one way officials use local ordinances to mitigate development impact on health and safety, while still promoting commercial or economic growth.
While not required, all North Carolina counties have the authority to enact county-wide zoning.
Alamance County is one of about 21 counties without countywide zoning. A 2019 map from the UNC School of Government lists 19 North Carolina counties without it, while an open-source site, Zoning Atlas, shows 21 counties with no countywide zoning.
In Alamance County, municipalities like Alamance, Burlington, Graham, Mebane, Elon, Haw River, Swepsonville, and Green Level have enacted zoning rules, which apply inside their city or town limits. Countywide zoning would apply to rural, unincorporated parts of Alamance County – areas that fall outside municipal jurisdictions.
Currently, subdivision developers’ proposals bypass elected county commissioners and aren’t required to go through public hearings. Developers do need to meet a list of standards evaluated by a Technical Review Committee (TRC) – which is made up of county staff and NCDOT.
The TRC reviews things like “setbacks, minimum lot size, building height restrictions, Traffic Impact Analysis, operational setbacks, riparian buffers, regulated land uses, operations area, landscaping and screening, lighting plans, gating and fencing, groundwater study, signage, parking, road access, road type,” according to the county’s website.
As long as all of the standards are met, the TRC approves. The review then goes to the state, which has the final say on a proposed development’s approval.
Correction, May 12, 2026 4:03 pm: A previous version of this article misspelled Austin Quarter Road and has since been corrected.
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