WILMINGTON — Preserving the environment and new development do not always go hand in hand, but that is exactly what Cape Fear Solar Systems has planned for 2.6 acres of land in Wilmington.
The company is a solar energy design and installation company in Wilmington and has requested the city’s Planning Commission grant a rezoning for a Front Street property. Located at 901 South Front Street, the property is currently a vacant parcel of land, but if approved, Cape Fear Solar Systems has plans to redevelop the lot while staying “green.”
The property in question is currently zoned as urban mixed-use but it is adjacent to several light industrial properties, and it was already zoned for industrial use until 2012.
According to the rezoning request, the plans do not quite fit with the requirements of a UMX so the company is requesting a change back to light industrial.
“Our goal in this project is to create a solar campus with green spaces and a park-like setting that would be at odds with the setbacks specified in UMX,” the request states.
Sales and Marketing Manager for Cape Fear Solar Systems Cassandra Barba said the company is still exploring its options for the property at the moment and does not have a specific plan in place yet.
The property itself is located just past the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. This location makes it a highly visible site for those entering Wilmington, according to the request. It would also be adding “clean tech” jobs to the economy, and the company claims it will operate with a neutral carbon footprint.
“Approval of the zoning map would allow for development that creates places, streets, and spaces that are visually attractive, safe, accessible, functional, inclusive, have their own distinct identities, and maintain or improve desired character, all while done in a way that uses the abundant and renewable energy we have falling on Wilmington every day,” according to the application for rezoning.
The Planning Commission will meet September 5, but this item is not yet listed on the Commission’s agenda.
