Engineering services contract on table
By Chris Berendt [email protected]
Engineering services contract on table
An aerial view of Joe Britt Warren Business and Industrial Park.
A measure that will pave the way for a masterplan of the Joe Britt Warren Business and Industrial Park is expected to be considered Monday by the Sampson County Board of Commissioners, which approved a $2 million purchase of 200-plus acres in the fall.
Back in October 2022, county leaders made a large land acquisition official, unanimously signing off on the $2 million purchase of more than 210 acres in the northern end of the county with the goal of developing it and boosting the tax base, a move deemed an investment in the county’s economic future. It was announced that the expanse would be called the Joe Britt Warren Business and Industrial Park, recognizing the family namesake.
Stephen Barrington, Sampson County Economic Development Commission (EDC) director, has now requested that the county negotiate and execute a contract for architectural and engineering services with Thomas and Hutton to complete a masterplan of the Joe Britt Warren Business and Industrial Park.
A resolution to that effect will be considered by commissioners at their regular February meeting, set for 7 p.m. Monday at the County Auditorium.
Shortly after the land purchase, county officials in November issued a request for qualifications for architectural and engineering services for the masterplan project. Funding for the project is grant-based, and provided by NC’s Southeast.
The property, previously owned by the Joe Britt Warren family, comprises of 10 parcels totaling just shy of 211 acres within the Newton Grove area near Exit 341 on Interstate 40. The property, now owned by the county, is located to the north and south of Raleigh Street, near Warren Lake Road, and to the north of Fayetteville Street and Newton Grove Highway on either side of I-40, near Meadow Lane.
“Understanding the critical role economic development will play in the long-term financial stability of our county and assured by the availability and eligibility of ARPA funding to meet certain other current budgetary needs, we believe the purchase of this property to be both prudent and necessary,” Jerol Kivett, now board chair, stated upon the purchase.
Over the last two years, the Sampson County Board of Commissioners have committed to more than $4.5 million to acquire multiple sites to spur non-residential growth across the county.
“While it may seem counterintuitive to acquire property for economic development purposes during challenging budget times, we are, in reality, ensuring our economic viability by creating opportunities for the growth of business and industry, which in turn increases our non-residential tax base,” Then-chairperson Sue Lee stated. “This action was an investment in our economic future, and it demonstrates the board’s continued emphasis on economic development, creating job opportunities, and reducing the cost of county government programs and services to our residential taxpayers.”
County officials said the I-40 property purchase was an investment into a long-term vision.
NC’s Southeast previously informed Sampson County that should the Board of Commissioners move forward in purchasing this property, they will provide the county a $262,000 product development grant to create a masterplan of the site and for Sampson County to assist the Town of Newton Grove with an existing wastewater study, including engineering alternatives for future development.
EDC staff was waiting to move forward on that masterplan and wastewater system assessment until the purchase was approved by the Board of Commissioners.
The funding source for the option money and purchase will be a combination of the Sampson County economic development reserve fund and its general fund.
The board previously ear-marked $2 million from Sampson County’s general fund balance for the purchase of the real property and $80,000 from the Economic Development reserve fund to cover $15,000 closing cost and $65,00o for due diligence.
The due diligence was to include an environmental assessment, boundary and elevation survey, geotechnical report, wetlands delineation, jurisdictional determination, threatened and endangered species study, cultural and historic assessment site plan design and other engineering and environmental assessments as needed.
The goal of those expenditures, county officials said at the time, was to help the county determine the suitability of the property for development as a business park with the aim of increasing population, taxable property, agricultural industries, employment, industrial output and business prospects of Sampson.
Barrington, director of the Sampson County EDC, has voiced the importance of such an investment.
“The county’s commercial‐to‐residential tax base ratio, in terms of the tax base, is 28%‐to‐72%,” said Barrington earlier this year. “It’s part of our goal for Economic Development to figure how to raise the non-residential tax base.”
“We know that there are really two major ways to increase the county’s revenue,” he continued. “One is to raise taxes — and I don’t think anyone wants that and we don’t want that either — because it’s already one of the higher rates across the region. Second, is to increase the county’s non‐residential tax base and job opportunities for residents of Sampson County by attracting new companies to our community. To do this effectively, we need quality industrial buildings and site options for companies to consider.”
When the property was purchased, EDC officials said it was a massive step to positioning Sampson County for future growth of business and industry.
“To be competitive in recruiting new companies, it’s essential that we have sites and buildings to offer prospects,” Amber Halstead, chair of Sampson County EDC. “This decision was made with foresight for future development that will improve how competitive Sampson County is in attracting new business.”
Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.
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Clinton, NC 28328
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