By Catharin Shepard • Staff writer •

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners approved three subdivision preliminary plat requests last Monday, and a conditional use permit for an expansion at the Stonegate Village shopping center set to bring more retail and a new burger restaurant to the county.

Planning public hearings accounted for much of the regularly scheduled meeting. The board members unanimously approved a conditional use permit request, submitted by Jamal Shahbain, for a shopping center on U.S. 401 to be located next to Stonegate Village.

The plans proposed adding two buildings to the property, including one with 11 units for retail and one with three additional units. At least one new restaurant will come to Hoke County: Rustic Burger, a favorite burger restaurant in Fayetteville, plans to open in the new location once the center is built, according to developers.

The developer will also make additional roadway improvements to the area, including the turn lane recently added to Stonegate Village. The shopping center property is under new ownership, project representatives said.

The board also unanimously voted to allow preliminary plats for the new Wood Lake II, Ryan’s Run and Woodsrun subdivision developments.

Wood Lake II, submitted by 4D Site Solutions, is a 12-lot major subdivision on a 25-acre parcel off of Townsend Road, with a future Phase 2 of additional units planned but not yet submitted. It is planned as a gated community with homes in the $300,000 and up range, according to a spokesman for the development.

Ryan’s Run, submitted by Double D Engineering, is a 55-lot major subdivision on a 36-acre parcel of land off of Calloway Road, part of property known as Hoffman Farms. The development will have sidewalks and public water service, according to officials.

Woodsrun, submitted by Averette Engineering, is a 13-lot major subdivision planned for a nine-acre parcel of land off of Montrose Road. The subdivision will have sidewalks and curb and gutter drainage.

In other business, Angela Livingston, Child Protective Services Supervisor for Hoke County Department of Social Services, gave a brief update on the county’s child fatality rate for the 2019 year. In 2019, 11 children in Hoke County died, including nine infants and two teenagers, Livingston said. Hoke DSS reviews each case of a child fatality in an effort to find ways to prevent childhood deaths.

The CPS office also reviewed 469 reports, and screened out an additional 105 that did not meet criteria during 2019.

“We’re just trying to do our best, we’re trying to do what we need to do to help our children,” Livingston said.

The board unanimously approved a consent agenda with one change, to note that Commission Chairman Harry Southerland is now the board chairman.

In public comments, one person spoke before the board to seek help in dealing with an old structure. Patricia Monroe approached commissioners about wanting an old building she owns burned down by a local fire department in order to remove it from the property. The fire department informed her that they were concerned about the possible presence of asbestos or other hazards in the building, and declined to conduct the burn.

Commissioners directed Monroe to speak with county staff, including the inspections department, about the matter.

The board authorized the sale of a surplus Sheriff’s Office vehicle. The board removed item nine, resolutions authorizing advertising an offer to purchase other surplus property, from the agenda and did not consider it for approval at the meeting. Commissioners did approve a resolution accepting bid offers on three surplus properties owned by the county, at 150 Windlock Drive, 4303 Blue Springs Road and Cheer Lane.

In other matters, the commissioners approved appointing Tom Landry to fill a vacant family advocate seat on the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council board.

County staff signed the final paperwork Monday on the county’s yearly financial audit, County Manager Letitia Edens said, and submitted it on time. The county will likely see the audit results presentation early next year.

Additionally, Edens said, county staff members continue working to ensure employees will have adequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), and are working on getting new air filters installed in all county buildings as a safety measures against COVID-19.

The board did not hold a closed session and adjourned.