NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Three major developments will go before the Board of Commissioners next month, each one bringing with it a history of disputes between developers and neighboring residents.
These projects — Tribute Companies’ Middle Sound West, Logan Developers, Inc.’s The Oaks at Murray Farm, and HD, LLC’s Tarin Woods — have all been in the works for some time, each having already passed through the county’s Planning Board over the objections of resident groups. After being delayed for several months, in large part due to Covid-19, they are moving forward.
During the Board’s June 1 meeting, it will hear three development issues, two with public hearings.
Middle Sound West
First, the board will consider a Special Use Permit (SUP) request from Tribute Companies for about half of the 30-acre Middle Sound West project on Market Street at Lendire Road. The SUP will allow the development of residential properties in a business-zoned area.
Residents in the neighboring Ogden area have raised concerns about stormwater runoff, traffic, and public safety on Lendire Road. Developers counter that, if granted the SUP, their project will address these concerns far more thoroughly than other options allowed by right’ (that is, without a SUP).
It’s not the first time the location has caused controversy — in 2005, a plan to build a Walmart on the site sparked debate, including a lengthy discussion by commissioners about a building moratorium in the area until traffic on Market Street was brought under control. Commissioners ultimately decided they didn’t have the legal authority to do so; fifteen years later, traffic is no better, but Tribute Companies argues their project will produce far less traffic than a big-box store (which is currently among their by-right options).
In October last year, commissioners acknowledged some of these concerns and tabled the project for 90 days. However, the public hearing portion of the process was closed — that means that at June’s meeting the commissioners will consider the evidence and take a vote, but no additional public comments will be heard.
The Oaks and Murray Farm
Next, the Board will hear a rezoning request from Logan Developers, for a major residential project in Porters Neck. The 52.39 acre The Oaks project would see a rezoning from low-density residential (and some abandoned agricultural) to the county’s new Conditional Residential Multi-Family Low Density District.
The project has raised concerns about school overcrowding (although it’s important to note that it is up to the county and the school district to implement school capacity increases) as well as traffic concerns. For the latter, a community group opposing the current project — calling themselves the Red Shirts — points out that the development doesn’t have direct access to either Market Street or Porters Neck Road, forcing traffic through residential side streets.
In a series of community meetings, which overflowed the Hampstead Annex more than once, developers tried to address these concerns. The developers have also reduced the density several times, from an initial 400 units to about 300 units in the current proposal.
In early January, the county’s Planning Board unanimously approved the proposal (with conditions). The item was continued from the early February commissioners’ meeting.
Tarin Woods
The third development request would allow rezoning of around 75 acres on Carolina Beach Road (near the Tregembo Zoo) from low-density residential to the county’s Moderate-High Residential District.
This is the second phase of the Tarin Woods development, and developer James Yopp has twice before brought the request to the county, including a request in October 2018 to rezone the area to R-7, which allow 145 single-family homes, 143 townhomes, and 192 apartments. The proposal was ultimately withdrawn because a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) was not yet complete. A year later, in November 2019, a second application was filed, this time for the denser R-5 zoning, which would allow just shy of 600 units.
Both times, residents voiced concerns about overcrowded schools and traffic congestion. Yopp has pointed out in the past that while developers frequently make roadway and utility improvements as part of conditional rezonings they aren’t responsible for building or expanding schools.
During the second request, the county’s planning board disagreed with the development’s traffic plans — something Yopp said was frustrating since the plans came directly from the North Carolina Department of Transportation and the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (WMPO),
Yopp has also noted that his development team has made extensive improvements to the water and sewer infrastructure and that the plans call for more greenspace than the county requires.
In early March, the county’s planning board unanimously approved the request (with conditions).
Public comments
Covid-19 delayed the official approval process but, with Governor Roy Cooper relaxing restrictions — the state is expected to be in ‘Phase 2’ of the reopening process by June — many public hearings related to development are moving ahead. Still, some social distancing requirements are still expected to be in place, and the county has released information about how it plans to handle that.
The meeting will be held Monday, June 1, 2020 beginning at 4:00 p.m. or thereafter at the Wilmington Convention Center, 10 Convention Center Drive, in downtown Wilmington. The increased space will allow for social distancing.
According to the county:
- For those who wish to speak at the meeting, several separate areas within the convention center will be set aside for the public to provide for recommended social distancing. A podium and free standing microphone will also be provided, both of which will be sanitized after each speaker.
- For those who wish to provide comments without attending the meeting, comments may be submitted online at https://planning.NHCgov.com/currentplanning-and-zoning/boards-meetings/public-comment-form/. Comments received via the provided link by Noon on Friday, May 29, 2020 will be made available to the Board of Commissioners prior to the hearing. In addition, comments may be submitted online via the provided link for consideration by the Board of Commissioners up to 24 hours after the hearing.
