Wilmington residents could force public votes on development issues, then a city-requested law made it ‘nearly impossible’ | Port City Daily

When it became state law in 2016, House Bill 1083 made a minor tweak to the language in Wilmington's charter allowing voter initiatives, but it was enough to effectively prevent the process from happening again. (Port City Daily photo / File)

Wilmington residents could force public votes on development issues, then a city-requested law made it ‘nearly impossible’

The law allowed voters to pass their own ordinances, including those affecting zoning, land-use, and other development issues. Then, three years ago, the city requested the law be revised. WILMINGTON — In the early 1980s, voters utilized a little-know piece of state statute to block a coal storage facility planned in downtown Wilmington. It was … Continue reading Wilmington residents could force public votes on development issues, then a city-requested law made it ‘nearly impossible’