Cities Civil and Municipal December 2024

Bertie County, North Carolina

January 2, 2025

Bertie County, North Carolina

A Large County with Big Plans

From ecotourism to downtown revitalization, this county remains a prime destination

Spanning a lush 741 square miles of fertile land and gorgeous views, Bertie County is one of the largest counties in North Carolina, comprised of the eight incorporated townships of Askewville, Aulander, Colerain, Kelford, Lewiston-Woodville, Powellsville, Roxobel and the county seat, Windsor. Guided by the visionary Destination Bertie initiative, the county is also a community with a plan- a 15-year roadmap that focuses on ecotourism, downtown revitalization, and business diversity.

With its rich natural resources and ongoing infrastructure development, Bertie County is attracting new residents, businesses, and tourists. “We’re a community that works together,” remarks County Chairman, John Trent. “We listen to what the needs are, and that’s what we try to provide and what we’re doing.”

Ecotourism for Economic Growth

Ecotourism plays a central role in Bertie County’s growth, with Bertie Beach serving as a key attraction. As the only public beach access on the Albemarle Sound, it has become a favorite destination for residents and visitors. A $3 million investment has enhanced the area, adding accessible features and amenities that ensure it can be enjoyed by all.

Visitors to the region are drawn to its tranquil beach and abundant hiking, kayaking, and picnicking opportunities, with the county supporting local businesses that showcase its rivers, forests, and outdoor resources. Over 1,300 acres have been preserved through partnerships with land trusts to protect the county’s natural beauty. “Of course, they can’t build on it,” says Trent. “That makes our land that much more valuable.”

Beyond its natural attractions, Bertie County has embarked on substantial investments in areas including streetscape revitalization. Under the “Destination Bertie” initiative, Chairman Trent relays that each municipality in the county is contributing to a collective vision for walkable downtown areas that add to overall quality of life. Plans include creating mixed-use spaces that combine residential and commercial areas, designed to attract new residents, businesses, and tourists.

Infrastructure and Sustainable Industry

Bertie County is undergoing transformative development, including a $5 million overhaul of Lewiston-Woodville’s water system and $5.5 million in county-wide EMS upgrades, which will introduce new fire stations and equipment. “Some of these fire departments are already existing, dating back to 1981. They will not meet the wind codes now of an emergency service building. So, either we beef them up, extend on to them, or we tear them down and build brand new completely,” explains Trent. “That’s going to be a conversation between the county commissioners, the municipalities, and the fire chiefs of these fire departments.”

A $5.25 million state-of-the-art 911 call center is also underway in Bertie County, as well as a new $15 million Career & Technical Education Wing addition to Bertie High School, which will equip students with skills for high-demand trades. “That is also going to help us as far as retainage when it comes to people staying in the area. There’s plenty of construction work here that needs to be done, whether it be remodeling, whether it be plumbing, whether it be any of these things. We are really pushing technical education right now because we’ve got to have that to help us with the infrastructure that we’re going to need to rebuild,” Trent asserts.

Additionally, Bertie County is advancing industrial and environmental initiatives. Notable operations adjacent to one another in west Bertie County include Perdue Farms’ 3,000-employee plant; Darling International, producer of 1 million pounds of protein per day; Wellons, a biomass power plant that converts wood chips into electricity and steam for Darling, as well as power for the county grid; Green Gas USA captures methane for carbon extraction, generating electricity for approximately 13,000 homes while reducing carbon emissions by 72%.

As it continues to attract new prospects, Bertie County is making sure that infrastructure development keeps pace with growth. Efforts include an $8 million investment into a water pipeline for a 450-acre industrial site, which Trent says is crucial for drawing businesses like Darling International, who employ 450 people at their west Bertie plant. This new water pipeline is also necessary for sustaining safety measures for existing and future facilities. “This is what is happening in Bertie County,” expresses Trent. “The amount of money we received this year is a little over $30 million, just for the sheer fact that we’re putting skin in the game. We are leveraging the people that we need to talk to, and this type of money has been put into the budgets for us, at the state and federal levels.”

Workforce Housing and Residential Development

Bertie County is moving forward with housing development to support its current and future residents. “We have just completed affordable houses for both teachers and government employees here in the county. That was an ongoing project, and at this point in time it is filled,” details Vice Chairman, Ronald Roberson. Currently, 32% of the county workforce lives outside Bertie County, and the plan is to capture this demographic by providing quality housing options near industrial areas. “That’s our focus, to bring that money, the interest, the taxes and the revenue back into the county,” he adds.

Trent underscores the challenges, acknowledging, “We look towards the North Carolina Housing and Finance Agency, as they need to hopefully start changing some of the rules that they have. One of the rules that keeps us from scoring high enough so that these developers will be able to get their tax credits is that we don’t have a grocery store or a pharmacy within two and a half miles of some of these projects.” There is also a focus on bringing in more retail to support the influx of residents to the community, encourage future development, and attract further growth.

Plans are in motion to secure tax incentives for developers and explore mixed-use and single-family housing to address these gaps. “There has been land that has been purchased by developers who are interested in putting some housing here, and we’ve just got to get to the point where we can afford these tax credits that we’re talking about,” Trent Stresses. “If that can happen, then you will see a growth spurt on the residential side, and that’s what we need, whether it be multi family or single family homes. I think the greatest thing in the world that we can have is actual home ownership. Everybody deserves that.”

Educational and Civic Infrastructure

Bertie County has also invested in amenities such as the Bertie County Library and North Carolina Cooperative Extension building, which is a welcome addition to the community. “We got funding from the state, and also funding from ourselves. It was a little over $5 million for that project,” depicts Trent. “We wanted something that would pop- something when people drive into Bertie County and they see it, they think to themselves- ‘wow, we didn’t expect to see this in Bertie County.’” This remarkable modern facility includes a $1 million meeting center, which is used to host county commissioner meetings and other gatherings and is thoughtfully designed for comfort and accessibility.

With upgrades to existing public schools, and the planned addition of the Career & Technical Education Center at the high school in the next year, Bertie County keeps an eye on fiscal responsibility. Trent shares that the county has paid off significant debts on the middle school, hospital, and health department buildings, allowing for reinvestment in new projects. “We have lowered our debt to cash revenue by $6 million,” he recounts. “We were running about $31 million, we’re down to about 25, and the middle school and the hospital have been paid off.”

The county hospital, now operated by ECU Health, includes a helicopter station, four EMS trucks and a 60-person team. Trent notes that Bertie County’s EMS system is one of the region’s strongest and is a source of pride and an advantage for the community. He points out, “Twelve years ago, Bertie County would never be asked to assist in Western North Carolina disasters, but now we have the assets to do it.”

Top Priorities

Moving forward, Chairman Trent outlines the importance of housing and retail for Bertie County’s future growth. He highlights the pressing need for housing, reporting that 32-36% of the population lives outside the county due to low supply. Retail development, especially grocery stores and pharmacies, are also a critical component for continued residential and business attraction. “We just got through putting together our economic plan for the next five years, and housing and retail are our number one and number two items that we need,” he summarizes. “It goes back to what comes first, the chicken or the egg. And my comment to everybody is both, both have to come, and that’s all there is to it.”