Laurinburg · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Laurinburg public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Potential electric rate impacts from NCEMPA wholesale rate change
An independent audit of 67,000-plus bills found Laurinburg's electric billing 99.96% accurate, with about $132,000 in small recoverable revenue. Residents pay 23% less than the national average, and reliability beat the state average too.
Zoning appeals consolidated under City Council
The rarely-used Board of Adjustment is gone; the council itself now hears variances and zoning appeals, wearing a second quasi-judicial hat. An ETJ member appointed by county commissioners will sit with them.
Peden Street duplex rezoning
Two residential lots on Peden Street can now host duplexes after the rezone to Office/Institutional. A neighbor objected at the planning board stage, noting a duplex already sits next door (grandfathered).
Disposal of vacant city-owned parcels
The city has accumulated about 149 tiny leftover parcels through tax foreclosures — some .01 acres. Council wants most of them sold cheaply to neighbors via sealed bid, starting with a formal resolution in November.
Speed bumps request on Midland Way
Residents asked for speed bumps; staff and the city attorney say liability rules don't support them in 35 mph zones, and lowering speed limits citywide isn't on the table. Expect more signage and police patrols instead.
Downtown revitalization and Brownfields plan
Terracon's Main Street Corridor Reuse Plan lays out five years of goals: cut storefront vacancies from 43% to 25%, add downtown housing and restaurants, and build a connector plaza from McDuffie Square to Main Street. Council will comment before the plan is finalized.
Bridge Creek demolition
The old Bridge Creek structure will be torn down by Lucas Construction for $93,500, covered entirely by state ARPA funds.
Three sidewalk projects
Long-awaited sidewalks along Atkinson Street, West Boulevard, and Main Street may finally happen, with the feds paying 80 percent. But the plans could require cutting beloved oak trees on Atkinson and West Boulevard, and council members are urging residents to review the plans.
Special Use Permit request on Dundee Drive
The hospital is buying 13.9 acres next to its new surgical center for future development, now that the land is rezoned. Neighbors were promised a wooded buffer, and no one objected.
City vs. County water system friction
The city manager set the record straight after last week's county commissioners meeting: the county owns and runs its own water system and sets its own rates; the city just sells, bills, and repairs under an interlocal agreement. He also disputed claims that last-minute information caused the county to pull the joint fueling facility from its budget.
Purchasing policy and minority participation requirements
The state repealed Historically Underutilized Business requirements in its July budget, so the city had to scrub them from its purchasing policy to stay compliant. Officials stressed that minority- and women-owned businesses remain eligible to bid — only the outreach mandate is gone.
2026 Sky High Aerospace Expo
The second annual airshow lands the weekend of October 17, with organizers hoping to double last year's 4,000 attendance, adding a night show, a bigger STEM day for students, and free public events Friday night and Sunday morning.
McGirt's Bridge Road multifamily special use permit
The council set a September 22 public hearing for a multifamily housing development on McGirt's Bridge Road. The city attorney warned this will be a quasi-judicial hearing where the council acts as judges, and urged proponents and opponents to be well-versed in the UDO and consider legal counsel.
Water and sewer capital projects
The city is in the middle of a record-building spree on water and sewer systems — new wells, a McColl Road line replacement, tank renovations, sewer rehab, and pump stations — funded largely by about $31 million in state grants. More funding requests are coming in September.
Hillside Cemetery Improvements
Ordinance O-2026-14 would fund a road at Hillside Cemetery and a cemetery equipment shed, with completion expected next fiscal year.
City Manager's Salary
Council was scheduled to set City Manager Charles D. Nichols III's salary in closed session — a personnel decision with budget implications.
FY 2026-2027 City Budget
A batch of ordinances shifted money to cover police and IT capital projects, higher wholesale power costs, fire department part-time wages, and McDuffie Stage naming-rights revenue.
Southeastern Regional Airport Authority Sponsorship
Council was to discuss whether to sponsor the regional airport authority — a decision about putting city dollars toward a shared regional asset.
Community Garden Special Use Permit
A special use permit was proposed for a community garden east of Deluca Street between R. Graham and West Allen Streets. The hearing would let neighbors weigh in before any council decision.
Bridge Creek & College Park Sewer Rehabilitation
The council moved $250,000 into the water/sewer capital fund to keep the gravity sewer replacement project on South Main Street moving.
FY 2026-27 Budget Input and Retreat
A public hearing is set for June 16, 2026, at 6 p.m. so residents can weigh in on next year's city budget before adoption.
Special use permit hearing on Parcel No. 01004202025
A special use permit request for land near Deluca, R. Graham, and West Allen Streets gets a public hearing on June 16 — neighbors will have a chance to comment.
127 Main Street restoration project
The city's old bank building downtown is getting a $669,979 makeover using $1.1 million in grant money. Work must finish by late November so the city can be reimbursed, and the brewing company leasing it takes ownership next year.