ROWLAND — The Rowland Board of Commissioners on Tuesday postponed approving the annexation of a senior housing development under construction off N.C. 130, but did agree to offer a Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, agreement to the project’s builder.

The development, owned by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, will include a 3,200-square-foot community center and four 1,300-square-foot homes in the first phase of construction, which is now underway. Additional units will be added in different phases as funding becomes more available, said Danielle McLean, the Tribe’s Legal and Compliance officer.

The PILOT agreement, signed by Mayor Michelle Shooter during the meeting, stipulates that the tribe must pay an annual fee of $500 per home and $1,000 for the community center. The agreement also allows the town to collect revenue equal to the property’s estimated tax value.

The tribe is not required to pay property tax because it qualifies as a nonprofit, Town Clerk David Townsend said.

“We can’t pay taxes but we want to carry our weight,” McLean said.

Once the agreement is signed by the tribe, the Board of Commissioners can move forward with voting on the annexation.

In the meantime, a public hearing on the annexation took place during Tuesday’s board meeting. No one spoke for or against the annexation, but Attorney Robert Price told the commissioners the town is now within its limits to annex the property.

During the July meeting, the commissioners were told the town would exceed its state-mandated annexation limit if it annexed the land on which the Lumbee Tribe is building the housing project. The tribe-owned property, along N.C. 130 on Rowland’s eastern boundary, was believed to be 16.62 acres in size. Rowland has annexed 47.93 acres of land over a number or years. The state-mandated limit for voluntary annexation is 64 acres.

Townsend said that upon further review, that legal description included property on the north side of N.C. 130 and the entire road right-of-way. Once that removed from the legal description, the parcel of land to be annexed came in at 15 acres, a little more than one acre below the state limit.

The town still will consider sending a request to the General Assembly to adjust the limit so as not to hinder the town’s future growth.

In other business, the commissioners approved pursuing a Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Household grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The SEARCH grant would provide up to $20,000 in engineering funds required to complete a Federal Environment Report.

The report is one of the first steps the town is required to take when applying for additional grants that will fund improvements to the water plant and sewer lines throughout the town.

Also Tuesday, the commissioners heard from resident Evone Smith, who expressed concern about two large potholes on the road in front of her home on Bond Street. Smith said when vehicles drive over the bump, her home shakes.

“It’s deep,” Smith said. “I know there are some cars that have alignment issues from that hole.”

The commissioners also heard from Clara Wilkerson, who asked about a neighbor who dug a trench in the lot behind her home. Wilkerson said runoff is going into to the hole and attracting snakes and poses a hazard.

Mayor Shooter said the town will look into both matters.

In other business, the commissioners:

— Discussed establishing an ordinance prohibiting transfer trucks from parking on main street.

— Learned that the Robeson County Arts Council will hold an outdoor concert Sept. 6 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Historic Train Depot. The concert will feature local artist Lakota John.