WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Planning Commission will take up its first rezoning requests of the year this Thursday, two of which are multi-family developments.
The two developments will serve as infill housing in two of the city’s busiest areas — College Road and Market Street. Both developments are requesting a rezoning to the MD-17 (high-density multiple-dwelling residential) district for 56 apartments and 12 townhomes.
In addition, the planning commission will also review a proposal to allow accessory dwelling units in a Norwood Avenue neighborhood, where they were previously barred. Also on the docket is a land code amendment revising parking regulations in the light industrial district.
Still Meadow Village Apartments
A 56-unit addition is planned for Still Meadow Village Apartments off S. College Road near Monkey Junction. But in order to see the project through, 27 acres of the property needs to be rezoned from MD-10 (medium-density multiple-dwelling residential district) to MD-17 (high-density multiple-dwelling residential district), a change that would increase the density threshold from 10 to 17 units per acre, though only 12 units per acre is proposed.
The apartment complex, built the early 2000s, currently has 280 dwelling units; the proposal would bring the total number of units to 336. An amenity building is also part of the construction plan.
The application states the 27 acres is owned by CPGPI Still Meadow LLC, a subsidiary of Raleigh-based Chartwell Property Group. Still Meadow Village Apartments is their sole development outside of the Triangle, Charlotte and Greenville.
According to the application, the developer is looking to add to the apartment complex in response to the projected gap for rental homes in the Wilmington area. The area is on a trajectory toward a 16,000-unit deficit in housing units, mostly rentals, by 2032.
The application notes the existing apartment complex was originally developed when the subject tract was in New Hanover County’s jurisdiction; it was annexed into the city in the early 2000s. Rezoning to MD-17 would allow an increased density for easy infill, it states.
The new units will be spread across two new buildings, one four-story with 32 units and one three-story with 24 units. One is planned for a central location in the current development and the other will be closer to S. College Road.
According to the application, six adjacent property owners attended the developer’s Sept. 12 community meeting, though no one offered strong objections to the proposal. However, the developer reports the decision was made to replace the potential townhomes at the rear of the complex with the now-proposed amenity center.
Access to the site would be provided via a driveway off Still Meadow Drive. The developer has also committed to building a sidewalk with this project along S. College Road, which is currently operating at an “F” grade and 4,000 cars over capacity daily.
If developed to the maximum density allowed for MD-17, the property is expected to generate 2,229 average daily two-way trips; MD-10 would generate around 1,870, marking a 359-trip difference.
As far as its environmental impact, 49 significant trees are marked for removal to make room for the three new buildings, which will increase the site’s impervious surface from 417,500 square feet (35.5%) to 499,500 square feet (42.5%). Though the site is not located in a special food hazard area, the property does contain non-jurisdictional wetlands, essentially meaning wetlands not under federal regulation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These wetlands will be impacted by the new development.
14 Wilmington Ave.
The planning commission will also review a rezoning application for 14 Wilmington Ave. from its commercial designation to MD-17 for 12 two-story townhomes.
The request comes from Wilmington’s Morning Development Company. The project consists of three buildings with 24 total bedrooms; it would be the only residential development in the immediate vicinity, as the property is surrounded by storage, warehouse and office uses.
However, the MD-17 district is intended for the urban core of the city and other areas with a full range of amenities and commercial services. The district accommodates infill development within mixed-use areas, which aligns with the development’s stated goal.
Access is provided to the site from two driveways located along Wilmington Avenue. A sidewalk will also be provided with this project along Wilmington Avenue. Wilmington Avenue, at its intersection with Market Street, has capacity to accommodate more than 3,000 more daily trips and is operating at an “A” level of service.
The proposed development is expected to generate 159 average daily two-way trips; if developed under the current commercial zoning, it’s estimated at 469 trips.
The site is not located within a special flood hazard area, though it does contain nonjurisdictional wetlands. The current site has 2,964 (8.6%) square feet of impervious coverage, while the current proposal will increase that surface to 12,093 square feet, or 35.1%.
The project calls for removal of nearly 50 trees, around half considered significant. The developer also requested variances for the removal of one specimen tree from the property and to allow for the disturbance of greater than 20% of the critical root zone area for five specimen trees.
The Wilmington Board of Adjustment granted the variances on Dec. 12.
Reach journalist Brenna Flanagan at brenna@localdailymedia.com.
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