Burlington Plans to Annex, Rezone 39-Acre Konica Drive Property

Burlington's Planning and Zoning Commission took up a petition Thursday to annex and rezone a 39-acre parcel at 6910 Konica Drive, a move that would pull the property out of Guilford County's zoning jurisdiction and into Burlington's limited-use Office & Institutional framework.

The proposal would convert the site's current light industrial designation to a limited-use O&I classification, a zoning category typically reserved for professional offices, medical facilities, educational institutions, and similar uses. The property's current standing under Guilford County zoning reflects its position near Burlington's municipal boundary, making annexation a procedural prerequisite before the city can apply its own land-use regulations.

At 39 acres, the Konica Drive parcel represents a substantial footprint. An O&I designation would prohibit the heavier industrial activity permitted under the current light industrial zoning, steering any future development toward office campuses, institutional tenants, or medical-adjacent uses instead.

The commission's consideration of the petition on March 19 marks the first formal step in what is typically a multi-stage review process. Annexation and rezoning petitions of this scale generally require additional review before reaching the full Burlington City Council for a final vote.