By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – After months of deliberation and debate the New Hanover County Planning Board approved a uniformed zoning plan for the west side of the Cape Fear River.
Wilmington and county planners rolled out the Riverfront Mixed Use District last year to create a uniform look and feel for future development.
The city passed the zoning with its 20-story height limit, but county staff recommended 100-feet and residents in Wilmington's Historic District wanted 50-feet. So the planning board compromised and dropped the limit to 75-feet for land directly across from historic downtown Wilmington.
Residents of Old Wilmington president Alice Mitchell calls the move a worthy compromise.
The planning board for the county studied, reviewed, thought, studied, reviewed some more and I'm sure they made their decsion with the best interest of the city and the county in mind.
It's now up to New Hanover County Commissioners to decide whether they will approve riverfront district zoning and height limit passed by the planning board.