Siler City advances rewrite of its 33-year-old development ordinance

Siler City is moving toward a public hearing and Board of Commissioners review of a proposed rewrite of the town’s Unified Development Ordinance, the rules that guide land use, development approvals and zoning-related standards.

The June 1, 2026, town agenda packet requested a public hearing on text amendment TA26-001, identified as the town’s new UDO update. The proposal has not been confirmed as finally adopted. The approved records do not establish that the Board of Commissioners completed final action after the June 1 agenda.

What the rewrite would address

Siler City’s current UDO was originally adopted Aug. 1, 1993, and has received numerous amendments since then. The town says the comprehensive rewrite is intended to incorporate goals from its 2024 Comprehensive Land Use Plan, reorganize the code to make it more usable and bring the ordinance into compliance with North Carolina statutes.

Because the ordinance governs development approvals and zoning-related standards, the proposed update could matter to property owners, developers, businesses, renters and residents evaluating future growth and infrastructure needs in Siler City. The source packet does not provide the final UDO text, so it does not establish specific changes to zoning, density, development approvals or other property rights.

How the proposal reached the hearing stage

The town selected Municipal Services, Inc. after issuing a request for proposals in December 2024. A UDO steering committee met seven times during the following year as the rewrite moved forward.

The Board of Commissioners and Planning Board held a joint workshop on March 11, 2026. The Planning Board then reviewed the request on May 11 and voted 7-0 to recommend approval of the draft language.

That recommendation is an important step, but it is not the same as final enactment. The next known step is the requested public hearing, followed by consideration by the Board of Commissioners. The approved packet does not include an implementation timetable or a later ordinance confirming adoption.

Where town planning work is handled

The town’s Planning and Community Development office handles land-use and development approvals, zoning and related community-development work. The office is located at 311 North Second Avenue in Siler City.

Until the commissioners take final action, Siler City’s existing development ordinance remains the confirmed governing framework in the approved materials. Any practical effect on future housing, commercial development, permitting or infrastructure planning will depend on the final language and the town’s subsequent implementation steps.