Mebane’s planning board has voted unanimously to recommend rezoning property at 203 South Fifth Street from R-12 to neighborhood business to allow an insurance agency to operate out of the existing single-family home.
Nicole Cockerman, an insurance agent with State Farm, had requested rezoning in order to relocate her office to a property with more space, which she’ll own, rather than rent.
“It will be nice to have mortgage versus pay rent,” Cockerham said Monday night, telling the city’s planning board that the new location will have about twice as much square footage as her existing, 1,280-square foot office along West Clay Street in downtown Mebane.
The city’s staff planning recommended approval, after determining the B-3 neighborhood business rezoning to be consistent with the city’s long-range development plan (the Mebane 2045 Comprehensive Plan), which allows for “a mix of retail, restaurant, service, office, and civic uses” in that area.
That area is predominantly zoned for residential uses, but the property at 203 South Fifth Street is surrounded by other land uses such as professional offices, as well as the Buffaloe Lanes bowling alley, based on a report that the city’s staff provided for the planning board’s discussion Monday night.
“This wouldn’t even be the first residence converted into an office,” planning board member Colin Cannell said Monday night. “You’ll have one behind you; there’s one across the street.”
Planning board chairman Judy Taylor pointed out, “I actually thought there had been a business use of that property in the past, maybe 15 years or so ago.”
Cockerman told the planning board that she hopes to “put in as many parking spaces” as she can at the property, but they will be reserved exclusively for her clients.
The planning board subsequently voted 6-0 to recommend B-3 zoning for the property.
The rezoning request will go before Mebane’s city council for consideration at its meeting on June 1, Taylor said following the vote.
