“A true community is not just about being geographically close to someone or part of the same social web network. It is about feeling connected and responsible for what happens. The land is more than the ground beneath our feet.” — Yehuda Berg. Sustainability Directory 2025

The town of Hope Mills presents the Hope Mills Area Land Use Plan on Oct. 28. The kick-off meeting is located at the Hope Mills Recreation Center, 5766 Rockfish Road in Hope Mills, from noon to 7 p.m. For more information, contact the Town of Hope Mills at 910-424-4555.
“The Southwestern Cumberland Plan Area is now called the Hope Mills Area Land Use Plan. This planning document is for the region in Cumberland County that extends to the Robeson and Hoke County Lines. The plan outlines the recommendations for future development, aiming to balance rural, agricultural, and residential growth with the suburban and commercial needs in the area, which is also affected by the nearby town of Hope Mills. It includes specific boundaries such as being north of Fayetteville City Limits and east of 301 South (Gillespie Street). The study area is approximately thirty-nine square miles, bordered by Robeson County to the South, Hoke County to the west, Fayetteville City limits to the north, and 301 South, Interstate 95 to the east,” according to the SWC Southwest Cumberland County Land Use Plan, Cumberland County Government.
Long-term planning is vital for creating sustainability and economic prosperity. It involves planning growth, providing adequate housing, commercial and recreational spaces, infrastructure, while protecting natural resources, providing open spaces and mitigating crises from natural disasters. Strategic planning prevents irreversible damage to ecosystems, reduces pollution, and creates resilient, healthier, and more equitable communities for future generations. Long-term land use goals can be developed as comprehensive plans, to incorporate infrastructure, sustainable development, manage growth, strategically reduce future costs, smart economic growth, enhance property values, promote social equity, support public health and safety, and manage population growth, according to the Lifestyle Sustainable Directory, Fundamentals of Land Use Planning.
The Cumberland County role in the Hope Mills Land Use Plan is to lead the development of the plan as a reference for future land use decisions and implement it through its Planning and Inspection Department. The County planning staff, along with the Joint Committee Board, provides expertise and technical assistance to draft and upgrade the plan and guides the growth and development in this area. It is inclusive of properties within Hope Mills Municipal Influence.
Saragrace Mitchell, County Land Use planner, shared at the Hope Mills Commissioner’s Meeting, “Land use planning is a long-term planning tool used by town and county officials as a reference for future land use decisions. It is a thorough document that includes existing conditions, goals, and policy recommendations.”
Your voice is needed in creating a vision that reflects community values and goals. Together we can build a better tomorrow. Attend and share your views at the Hope Mills Area Land Use Plan kick-off meeting on Oct. 28, during the hours of noon to 7 p.m. The location is Hope Mills Recreation Center, 5766 Rockfish Road. For more information, contact the Town of Hope Mills by phone, 910-424-4555.