On the agenda: Kings Mountain meeting — Data Center (May 5)

Agenda for the Planning and Zoning Board Regular Meeting
Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 5:30 PM
Council Chambers at City Hall 101 West Gold Street Kings Mountain, NC 28086
1. Call to Order and Determination of a Quorum – Chairman Keith Bradley
2. Invocation
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Adoption of the Proposed Agenda
5. Adoption of April 7, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes
6. New Business
A. Z-26-5 Discussion on Data Center Standards
7. Motion to Adjourn

PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 7, 2026 minutes

Chairman Keith Bradley called the meeting to order at approximately 5:30 pm and led the
invocation. The Chair led the Pledge of Allegiance and welcomed the participants in today’s
meeting. The Planning and Zoning Board members were all present including Chairman Keith
Bradley, Ron Humphries, Edy Bergstrom, Sean Hickman, Shaun Grier, Vice-Chairman James
Holmes, and Adrienne Woods.
The Chair entertained a motion to approve the agenda for tonight’s meeting. Ron Humphries
made a motion to approve the adoption of the Agenda, Adrienne Woods seconded the motion,
and it passed unanimously.
The Chair entertained a motion to approve the minutes of the February 3, 2026 meeting. Sean
Hickman made a motion to approve the adoption of the minutes, Vice-Chair James Holmes
seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
Case Z-26-3 Consider an Amendment to the City of Kings Mountain Zoning Map
Changing Parcel 67752 from Unzoned (N/A) to Auto-Urban Commercial (AU)
The Chair introduced the case and asked for a staff report. Jaylon Smallwood, Planner II/Zoning
Administrator, presented this case advising the board that Unzoned is a placeholder designation
for parcels that have not yet been assigned a zoning designation under the City’s Unified
Development Ordinance (UDO). The requested (AU) is our general commercial district. This
parcel was originally controlled by the NCDOT which gave it an unzoned status. The other
parcels adjoining the parcel are zoned (AU). After discussion, the Chair called for a motion.
Ron Humphries made a motion to recommend approval of the rezoning request for Parcel 57752,
0 N Piedmont Avenue, Shaun Grier seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.
Z-26-2 Consider an Amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance to Revise Sidewalk
and Fee-in-Lieu Standards
Chairman Bradley introduced the case and asked for a staff report. Brad Lagano, Senior Planner,
advised that City Council had asked staff to provide revised UDO sections for 156.50.03 (J)
Sidewalks, and 156.70.02 (E) Fee-in Lieu Sidewalk Construction Option. He continued with the
requirements for Major and Minor Subdivisions, Multi-Family, Commercial and Industrial. Staff
explained the request aims to promote higher quality developments on smaller lots for minor
subdivisions (5 or fewer lots). After discussion including infill lots, speed limits, Fee-in-Lieu
justification and costs, the Chair asked staff if it was possible to break up the Sidewalk and Feein-Lieu UDO Sections before calling for a motion. Staff advised that it was possible. The Chair
called for a motion to remove Fee-in-Lieu from the text amendment and send back to staff for
revisions.
Sean Hickman made the motion, Edy Bergstrom seconded and the vote was unanimous to
remove Fee-in-Lieu from this text amendment.

The discussion went back to Sidewalk revisions. The board wanted to amend the proposed
standards to say along and inside of the right-of-way instead of along. Staff agreed to amend the
draft. The board also wanted to make sure the standards would not apply to section of Shelby
Road west of Kings Mountain Boulevard. Staff had mentioned the City had been awarded a Safe
Streets For All Federal Government Grant and that we would eventually be getting a New
Master Plan for Sidewalks. Since this would not be available for a while, and with staff’s
recommendation, the Chair called for a motion.
James Holmes, Vice-Chair, made a motion to recommend approval of the text amendment with
the amendment to the Shelby Road standard section, that they do not apply west of Kings
Mountain Boulevard. Shaun Grier seconded and the motion passed with a unanimous vote.
Z-26-5 Discussion on Data Center Standards
The Chair introduced the case and asked for a staff report. Henry Earle, Planning Director,
confirmed that this agenda item is just to discuss a six-month moratorium placed on all new data
center projects and would not be voted on tonight. Staff gave the board members a rough draft of
the proposed data center standards including minimum lot sizes, setbacks and screening, sound,
and other options that are practical, enforceable, and make sense for development in this city.
Staff advised this board of the timeframe and that a full draft would be presented to the Planning
and Zoning board at the May 5, 2026 meeting. Then, at the June 2, 2026 meeting, staff would get
a recommendation from the board with any modifications to present to City Council in June,
2026 and the Public Hearing would be held in August, 2026. After some discussion, staff asked
the board to reach out if the have any questions or suggestions after they reviewed the rough
draft and advised that staff would continue working to bring back a revised draft.
With no other matters to discuss, the Chair entertained a motion to adjourn.
Adrienne Woods made a motion to adjourn, James Holmes seconded and the vote was
unanimous.
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Chairman Keith Bradley

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Madeline Grigg, Secretary