SOUTHPORT — A long discussed development in Southport has now been given the green light to move forward.
READ MORE: Southport residents weigh in on Waterway development, await critical vote by alderman
On Monday, June 23, the Southport Board of Aldermen unanimously approved a comprehensive package of measures for the Waterway Community project, a 378-acre development off West 9th Street. After two project names and nearly five years, a portion of the long-negotiated development is now formally integrated into the city, clearing the way for the larger project’s eventual annexation.
The Aldermen unanimously accepted the development agreement, which outlines the terms for the project’s annexation into Southport which includes ensuring the new development is visually compatible with the existing character of the city. Annexing the property into Southport would generate an estimated $2.5 million in annual property tax revenue for the city according to the development teams, East West Partners and Bald Head Island Limited.
They also unanimously approved the conditional rezoning application for the Waterway project. This grants permission for the development’s plans, contingent on their adherence to conditions aligning the development with the city’s vision and character.
Lastly, a zoning text amendment was unanimously approved to allow conditional zoning in all of Southport’s residential zones — conditional zoning was previously limited to commercial buildings.
The project encompasses two main parts. Within Southport city limits, 19 parcels spanning 47.6 acres will accommodate 199 housing units adjacent to Indigo Plantation Drive. The larger 326-acre portion of the project is now under Brunswick County’s zoning jurisdiction, having been transferred from Southport’s former extraterritorial zone after changes in state legislation in July 2024. This larger segment is slated for 1,190 housing units and about 100,000 square feet of commercial space, bringing the total unit count to just under 1,400.
“We have been working with the developers and land owners to make this possible, to bring into the city of Southport,” Alderman Rebecca Kelley stated at the meeting. “Part of that is making sure that the land that is already in the city of Southport works as best we can ask for it.”
Waterway, formerly known as Project Indigo Phase II, has navigated a lengthy process, marked by years of public commentary and negotiations between alderman and the developer, both public and in closed sessions, to finalize its comprehensive plan.
At the June 23 meeting, Mayor Rich Alt highlighted the unified effort of the board, expressing confidence the final agreement represents the best outcome for both the city and the future development.
“This topic has been public commented on for four or five years, whatever it is, hundreds of people have come to us,” Alt said. “When the world changed, ETJ was gone, the world changed and that changed the direction of the board and what we could do and not do. We have, I believe, come to the best conclusion for the city, for the residents, for the developer, for everybody involved, based on conditions that we faced.”
Even though the development was unanimously approved, Alderman Lowe Davis said the project is something she doesn’t “necessarily like, but I think that’s over perfect.”
“You can’t let ‘perfect’ be the enemy of good at the end of the day, I need to be very grateful,” Davis stated.
According to developers, infrastructure work is estimated to begin toward the end of 2025, with the first homes to be constructed in 2026.
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