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A request to rezone some property on U.S. 70 now faces the Sedalia Town Council.

After a public hearing March 26, the planning board voted unanimously to recommend rezoning 2.75 acres of a 5.79-acre lot to accommodate a thrift shop.

Property owners Robert K. and Lorrie G. Hancock and Ricky V. and Donna G. Cauthren petitioned the town of Sedalia to have their property rezoned from residential single family and agricultural to limited business.

“We want to offer some small business in Sedalia,” Robert Hancock said.

Hancock and the other property owners addressed the Sedalia council in January and expressed their desire to help Betty Foust.
Foust wants to rent the existing home at 6050 Burlington Road and turn it into a thrift store.

“We’re hoping that it will be approved,” she told the planning board.
Foust operated her store at another site on U.S. 70 but was forced to cease operation because the facility lacked the proper zoning and handicapped access.

“We didn’t know it had to be rezoned,” Foust said.
A few of the property’s neighbors were present at the public hearing. Not all were in favor of the rezoning.

“My concern is if they decide to sell the property later on, if someone can come in, bulldoze the house and put in a mini mall,” Elizabeth Wills said.

“As much as we love Sedalia, we need to (be concerned for) the families who live around that area.”

Billy Presnell had other concerns.

“That’s a bad area right there,” he said. “The traffic there is a big issue.”

Tiki Bigelow, a planner with the Guilford County planning department, recommended that the planning board approve the rezoning.

“It meets all the county’s guidelines for rezoning,” she said.
Bigelow said rezoning requests of this kind are not uncommon for the county.

“We usually have two to three a month,” she said.

Now that the planning board has recommended approval, there will be another public hearing at the council’s April 6 meeting.

“Everything is going to be re-presented, and the Town Council will have the final decision.”

Contact Tiffany S. Jones at 373-7157 or tiffany.jones@news-record.com.