Despite residents opposition, planning board green lights 52-acre Porters Neck development

PORTERS NECK — The New Hanover County Planning Board dealt a blow to residents who turned out in opposition to a 52-acre development planned for Porters Neck by unanimously approving a rezoning request.

Related: After reducing total units, again, 52-acre Porters Neck heads to New Hanover Planning Board in January

The development in question called The Oaks at Murray Farm is a project by local developer D. Logan.

The request is a conditional rezoning that will, if approved by the Board of Commissioners, change the current zoning from R-15/R-20 to RMF (residential multi-family).

The project has seen fierce opposition from neighbors who have attended several public hearings for the rezoning, after which the developer agreed to reduce the density of the project.

If approved with the conditions imposed, the development will consist of 324 units (a significant reduction from the first proposed 408).

“The applicant’s proposed conceptual plan indicates the residential development will consist of 228 multi-family units, 34 duplex units, and 62 single-family lots, for a total of 324 units,” according to county documents.

“The 228 multi-family units will be located within 12 buildings containing 12 to 24 units each. Six buildings located adjacent existing single-family residences along the northern property line are proposed to be limited to 2 stories, while the remaining buildings along the southern property are proposed to be 3 stories. A 20-foot opaque bufferyard is required between the multi-family buildings and the abutting single-family housing,” according to the county.

According to WECT, the Planning Board unanimously approved the request with the following conditions:

• Project includes stormwater facilities to accommodate a 100-year storm
• Project will add a second westbound right turn lane on Futch Creek Rd./Market Street at the U.S. 17 intersection
• Three road stubs on the northern half of the site will be gated between the Vineyard Plantation and The Oaks at Murray Farm for use by emergency personnel only
• Reduction of population density by one apartment building (24 units) and the re-working of parking to be off-street
• A gate will control traffic between the apartment buildings and the single-family homes within the complex to minimize the use of neighborhood streets as cut- throughs