Horse Friendly Areas? (Winston-Salem, Clemmons, Gibsonville: property tax, zoning, costs)

[Woodland1]

Hello everyone,
We're planning to relocate to VA or NC from CT. We're not your typical "Yankees" and feel very out of place up here and taxes are making it difficult to get ahead. Anyhow, I spent some years down in that area when I was attending Elon and I really loved it. I kept my horse in Gibsonville and it has truly been my favorite of all the stables/farms we've ever been to . I realize that things have changed in the last 10 years or so, there seems to be a mass influx of people moving into NC so I am now wondering what the best places are to look at in terms of being horse-friendly. We do have a horse we want to keep at home, and possibly do a small boarding operation or retirement farm situation. We also own and operate a small sawmill (can be portable) and it is necessary that the area's zoning rules allow for storage and operation of that (SMALL!) mill. Up here in CT we not only have to pay to board the HORSE off property, but also pay to "board" the sawmill b/c of the town's zoning. EVen in an industrial zoned area where we keep it, there are heavy restrictions on days/times we can operate it.... example is not at ALL on weekends and cannot run a chainsaw before noon and only from noon to 4 PM M-F. . Insane!
What are the taxes like down there too? We currently pay property tax on all of our personal-use vehicles, the heavy truck AND the horse too! Any idea what it costs to register vehicles or heavy trucks? (That may be a long-shot but I figured I would ask!)
Any info, would be greatly appreciated thank you!

[the 7 oh 4]

Originally Posted by Woodland1

Hello everyone,
We're planning to relocate to VA or NC from CT. We're not your typical "Yankees" and feel very out of place up here and taxes are making it difficult to get ahead. Anyhow, I spent some years down in that area when I was attending Elon and I really loved it. I kept my horse in Gibsonville and it has truly been my favorite of all the stables/farms we've ever been to . I realize that things have changed in the last 10 years or so, there seems to be a mass influx of people moving into NC so I am now wondering what the best places are to look at in terms of being horse-friendly. We do have a horse we want to keep at home, and possibly do a small boarding operation or retirement farm situation. We also own and operate a small sawmill (can be portable) and it is necessary that the area's zoning rules allow for storage and operation of that (SMALL!) mill. Up here in CT we not only have to pay to board the HORSE off property, but also pay to "board" the sawmill b/c of the town's zoning. EVen in an industrial zoned area where we keep it, there are heavy restrictions on days/times we can operate it.... example is not at ALL on weekends and cannot run a chainsaw before noon and only from noon to 4 PM M-F. . Insane!
What are the taxes like down there too? We currently pay property tax on all of our personal-use vehicles, the heavy truck AND the horse too! Any idea what it costs to register vehicles or heavy trucks? (That may be a long-shot but I figured I would ask!)
Any info, would be greatly appreciated thank you!

Davie County (just west of Winston-Salem) is a big horse area...especially around the Farmington area. You are about 20 minutes (West on I-40) from Hanes Mall area of Winston-Salem...exit #170 off of I-40.

About 10 minutes West of Clemmons!

[vmd1123]

Gibsonville is still a great place to keep your horse, many new stables have opened there as well.