BRUNSWICK COUNTY — The Brunswick County Planning Board will hear multiple applications at its Monday, Sept. 14 meeting, two of which are planned developments that could bring more than 400 homes to the county.
Ryan Homes is seeking approval to build 274 single-family homes near Ocean Isle Beach Road, while Bland and Norris Engineering have submitted for 176 homes in Winnabow.
Also on the agenda is a public hearing to bring the county’s unified development ordinance into compliance since the passage of House Bill 1222. The legislation stripped the planning board of its authority to make final development decisions in the county, shifting responsibility to county commissioners.
READ MORE: Winnabow residents seek court review of controversial 1K-home development
The planning board will continue to have the final say on cases applied to the county before July 2, 2026, which is when the law went into effect. Thereafter, all applications put forth will require Brunswick County Planning Board make recommendations only to the county commissioners, who then have the last word.
Both planned development projects presented to the board on Monday are below; they will each include a public hearing, welcoming area residents to sign up to speak in favor or against the proposals. The planning board meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Commissioners’ Chambers at the David R. Sandifer Administration Building at 30 Government Center Dr.
Tidebourne Landing
Applicant: NVR/Ryan Homes, the developers behind Midway near Oak Island and Middle Creek Village in Bolivia
Acreage: 105.66 acres, located on near Ocean Isle Beach Road at 5542 Lakewood Dr. and 5556 Watts Road
Units and density: 274 single-family homes, to equal 2.59 dwelling units per acre (dupa); allowed by-right is anywhere from 2.9 dupa to 13.6 dupa
Zoning: Currently, the acres are zoned Rural Residential (2.9 dupa), R-7500 (Medium Density Residential, 5.8 dupa), and Commercial Low Density (13.6 dupa).
Traffic impact: 2,477 vehicle trips per 24-hour weekday volume, with a traffic impact analysis completed. Recommendations from the NCDOT include: constructing site access A at Ocean Isle Beach Road, with one ingress and egress lane. Also, the area will require turn lanes, stop controls for both eastbound and westbound approaches, and more. The site access B on Watts Road is required one ingress and egress lane, among stop controls and other additions.
Buffers: 30-foot, 0.6 opacity peripheral buffer using existing vegetation and a proposed 50-foot Voluntary Agricultural District peripheral buffer with supplemental landscaping. The site plan proposes a 50-foot street buffer for the road frontage on Ocean Isle Beach Road and a 30-foot street buffer on Watts Road and Lakewood Drive.
Open/recreation space: Required is 26.42 acres, with the developer proposing 58.49 acres. Also, around 4.5 acres of recreation space will be provided, above the 3.98-acre requirement.
Floodplain: Portions of the site lie within a Flood Hazard Zone, though all lots shall be placed outside of the AE zone.
School capacity: According to staff notes, the development would have a “significant” impact on the elementary schools, while “marginal” for middle and high schools.
The neighborhood children will be districted to:
- Union Elementary, at 95% capacity, projected to go over in 2027
- Shallotte Middle, at 65% capacity, projected to go over in 2033
- WBHS, at 83% capacity, projected to go over in 2034
Other factors: The development will provide an additional vehicular connection to Lakewood Estates, which currently has only one access road.
Village at Town Creek
Applicant: Norris and Bland Engineering
Acreage: 60.85 acres, located at the intersection of Old Town Creek Road, Maco Road and Ocean Highway (U.S. 17).
Units and density: 176 single-family homes, to equal 2.89 dwelling units per acre (dupa); allowed by-right is 2.9 dupa.
Zoning: Currently, the acres are zoned Rural Residential and RR medium density, surrounded by RR and Commercial Low Density
Traffic impact: 1,698 vehicle trips per 24-hour weekday volume, with a traffic impact analysis completed and approved by the NCDOT. Recommendations from the NCDOT include widening the approach of Old Town Creek Road at Maco Road, providing left and right turn lanes. Also proposed at both site accesses is construction of a minimum two-lane cross-section, consisting of one ingress and one egress lane, striped as a shared left-right turn lane.
Buffers: 30-foot, 0.6 opacity peripheral buffer using existing vegetation and supplemental landscaping as necessary for the road frontage on Ocean Highway East (U.S. 17) and Old Town Creek Road. In addition to the 30-foot street buffer on U.S. 17, there is also a 30-foot proposed utility easement which yields a 60-foot total minimum separation of the proposed lots from U.S. 17. The minimum street buffer requirement is 20 feet wide
Open/recreation space: Required is 9.13 acres, but the developer is proposing 18.32 acres of dedicated open space. Also proposed is 9.2 acres of recreation space, wherein only 1.38 acres are required.
Floodplain: No portions of the site lie within a Flood Hazard Zone
School capacity: According to staff notes, it will have a “moderate” impact on schools. Students in the neighborhood will be districted to:
- Town Creek, at 92% capacity but with the opening of Jackey’s Creek Elementary in 2029, Town Creek will not be over until after 2033
- Town Creek Middle, at 65% capacity — not expected to go over until 2031
- NBHS, at 82% capacity — not expected to go over until 2028
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