
NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Public officials have received hundreds of comments in support of preserving a forested property on Independence Boulevard after a commissioner spoke out against developing a major new rental complex at the site. A local professor is advocating to use the area for educational opportunities and enduring community benefit.
READ MORE: Community responds to ‘Airlie 2.0,’ as rezoning application to usher in 580 units is withdrawn
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UNCW geology professor Roger Shew will share a presentation at next Tuesday’s Wilmington City Council meeting, providing possibilities for community use of a roughly 60-acre property located between Independence Boulevard and Southgate Road. Shew believes the preserved site could be used for a broad range of educational and job training endeavors.
“My goal is to have something that is beneficial to the community,” Shew told Port City Daily. “This is a real opportunity for the county and the city to have a legacy for future generations.”
New Hanover County co-owns the site with the heirs of former property owner Flossie Bryan. Last fall, Charlotte developer Northwood Ravin submitted a plan to purchase the property and build 512 apartments, 45 townhomes, and 25 single-family units. However, the proposal was pulled in November and has not been resubmitted, according to a city spokesperson.
Commissioner Dane Scalise argued conserving the site for a park or greenspace would provide greater long-term community benefits at the October commissioner meeting. In the following months, hundreds of community members expressed support for Scalise’s proposal to create a potential “Airlie 2.0.”
“I continue to have productive dialogues and make progress but I am unable to publicly comment further at this time,” Scalise said Friday. “I remain committed as ever to make the dream of Airlie 2.0 a reality.”
Shew argues the site could be used for more purposes than greenspace preservation. His presentation includes potential uses such as farming, walking and biking trails, water monitoring, and agrivoltaics — the practice of using the same land for agriculture and solar energy production.
The geologist argued community members could gain technical expertise through various projects including silviculture, the science and practice of managing forests to meet societal needs.
“The best use of this land would be to provide lots of educational opportunities,” he said. “Training for job opportunities, and to give the community ownership of the property to see what could be done there.”
The geology professor cites a 2023 City of Wilmington survey showing 55% of residents hold growth and development within the top three challenges faced by residents. The second highest concern at 53% is traffic congestion, followed by the availability of affordable housing at 36%.
“Schools could go there on field trips to actually commune and work with nature,” he said. “See how it actually works and grow crops.”
The property has a convoluted past. It was once owned by Flossie Bryan, who passed away in 2003, but executed a will in 2000 that bequeathed the land to the county to develop a park or community garden.
Seven of Flossie Bryan’s heirs contended she did not have capacity to administer the will and challenged the county in court to gain ownership. The parties ultimately agreed to a court-ordered settlement for the county to rezone the property to its “highest and best use” before selling it, with one-third of the proceeds going to the heirs, the rest to the county.
“I’m interested in seeing what our options are,” Commission Vice Chair LeAnn Pierce said Friday. “This is through the court, and it’s been going on for many years. I think there’s a compromise that can be had for everybody.”
Superior Court Judge Frank Jones signed a consent order between the county and heirs to update the agreement in 2022. While sale proceeds would remain distributed in accordance with the 2006 agreement, the county, heirs, and the general public have the option to make an upset bid during the private sale process.
“I believe that under the right conditions the County would be interested in buying out the heirs and gaining full ownership of the property, thus preventing high density development on the land,” Commissioner Rob Zapple wrote in an email to a resident advocating preservation. “However, a series of decisions that are outside of the County’s control have to happen first — starting with the City Council’s vote on rezoning the 61 acres.”
Before its withdrawal, Northwood Ravin’s rezoning petition was scheduled for a planning commission hearing in November. Land development consultant Cindee Wolf, who acted as Northwood Ravin’s applicant for the request, told Port City Daily she hadn’t heard any updates from her clients since.
“It was just a cluster of little things happening all of the sudden,” Wolf said. “My clients just said, ‘Let’s put this off and get a grip on things’. But I haven’t heard anything further.’”
PCD reached out to Northwood Ravin and attorney Jerry Mannen — who Superior Court Judge Frank Jones appointed to oversee the sale of the property — to ask if the heirs and developer are considering potential conservation options or will continue to seek development opportunities. A response was not received by press.
“We’ve kind of got to wait to let it play out,” Councilmember Charlie Rivenbark told Port City Daily. “The application has been withdrawn, we’ll see what the county does.”
County spokesperson Alex Riley said Friday there aren’t any new updates regarding the county’s actions with the property.
“I haven’t seen the presentation yet,” Councilmember Salette Andrews said about Shew’s idea. “But Roger is my go-to for information about the ecology of the lower Cape Fear.”
[Update: This article has been corrected to note Superior Court Judge Frank Jones appointed Mannen to oversee the sale of the property rather than the county.]
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