Hoke County Commission Starts Fireworks Early

Opinion: ‘Special use permit’ vote tonight for townhomes on 56.1 acres came late and may have election-fund ties.

On July 1 the Hoke County Commission agenda was released at roughly noon for a meeting scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. that night. We received our e-mail notification at 11:53 a.m., 7 hours, 7 minutes before a vote on a “special use permit” that would allow 56.1 acres of townhomes to be built on an area near Scull Road currently zoned “residential.” The change means high-density housing, perhaps rentals, could soon occupy an area originally scheduled for homes that would have covered 1/4- or 1/2-acre lots—or larger.  

Despite the increased traffic, infrastructure demand and inflation of an already staggering student-to-teacher ratio, the tardy county website post and listserv blast left little time—in some cases none—for working residents to respond. Only three minutes are granted every three months to address the commission during an official meeting, forcing some to dismiss any thought of appearing due to preparation time. Adding to the concern is the fact that many have family responsibilities they are unable to juggle at the last moment. Others are already traveling for the Fourth of July holiday.

The proposal is for “Application for Special Use Permit SU-24-4 submitted by AGS Land, LLC for the use of townhomes, on 56.1 acres of the addressed parcels located at the unaddressed parcel on Scull Road, also known as Hoke County Parcel Identification Numbers (PIN/s) 494560201002.”

Fayetteville-based AGS Land, LLC, was formed (organized) by Benjamin Stout and David Alderman in 2021, according to the official filing or record with the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office. A David Alderman donated $500 to the Committee to Elect James Leach on Jan. 9, 2024, and another man also named Benjamin Stout donated $1,000 on Jan. 25, 2024. Both reside in Fayetteville, according to Leach’s campaign finance report filed May 24. They, along with 100-percent of donors to his campaign, are listed as “self-employed.” We’ve been unable to confirm if the donations came from the founders of that firm. We’ll let you decide.

The conflict of interest would be enough for any ethical member of the Hoke County Commission, or any elected official for that matter, to remiss themselves from the vote tonight. We and our entire staff—editors who can really dig into county dirt and prefer to be knowns by code names Bear and Sniper—have no intention of holding our breath, however.

*The above story is entirely opinion.