For weeks, senior staff in the Wilmington Planning Department have been reviewing the re-submitted plans for The Avenue, the 44-acre development proposed for Military Cutoff Road. Staff have declined to publicly comment or discuss the project, but a staff report was recently made public–a report that details serious concerns about the development’s traffic impact.
In spite of that report–not to mention public outcry–Wilmington’s Planning Commission approved the project in a split vote. It’s not the first time a controversial project like The Avenue has been approved, so we take a look at the role Special Use Permits have in big development. That includes how SUPs give officials an “out” from taking responsibility for their role in green-lighting unpopular projects.
We also took some time this week to talk about how the fire in Wilmington’s southside has hit the local community, destroying the major grocery store in the area, as well as several other businesses.
Finally, we preview some big news for the women of the Wilmington Police Department, as well as interviews with the Republican primary candidates for Pender County Sheriff (the primary election in Tuesday, May 8).
If you missed these stories, you can catch up on them below, then dive into the podcast for a deeper look at the issues.
