BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — A big controversial rezoning project in Burke County is now moving forward.
The Burke County Planning Board voted to approve turning nearly 1,400 acres of land into an industrial campus.
“It’s going to be a significant environmental disaster,” Joanna Kentch, a resident in the area, said.
After months of debating whether land in Burke County should be rezoned for a mega industrial site, the controversy ended with a decision from county leaders.
Leaders approved the rezoning for about 1,300 acres.
“This is good for Burke County,” a resident who lives adjacent to the development said.
While some are on board with the decision, many others are pushing back.
Some residents shared their concerns about things like infrastructure and pollution.
“The residents are being impacted and they’re not listening to what the will is of the people,” Kentch said.
Others also shared concerns about things like quality of life and the impacts the development could have on the water systems.
“The chemicals that are in the water everyone will affect everyone downstream including in North Carolina and South Carolina,” another resident said.
Developers reassured the water systems won’t be impacted with buffer systems in place, and they highlighted one of the biggest assets for the project -- economic growth.
They said the development would bring more than 3,000 jobs to the area totaling $191 million in annual labor income, but some argued the cons still outweigh the pros.
“It’s going to destroy the land and poor residents surrounding it,” said Kentch.