The Wilmington City Council has postponed a public hearing for an ordinance change associated with a rezoning needed before Dockside Marina and Restaurant can begin an upgrade of the restaurant’s parking lot. The Feb. 7 postponement marks another delay in the restaurant owners’ efforts to win approval for upgrades to the parking lot project at 1303 and 1308 Airlie Road, after an earlier effort in May 2016 when the council told the owners to continue to work with neighbors raising opposition to the project.
During the Tuesday meeting, several commissioners raised concerns and questions about an ordinance change that would expand the ability to build parking in a residential zoning district, which Dockside owners said was needed before the parking lot project could be approved. The restaurant owners were also asking the city to rezone the lots from R-15 to R-5 zoning, allowing for more density to accommodate two new residential units on the lot, however, the council postponed both items.
In the public hearing on the parking ordinance change that would expand the size of allowable residential parking, council member Kevin O’Grady said he was worried the change would expand commercial development into residential neighborhoods, and also raised concerns that not enough affected residents were aware of the change and present at the public hearing.
Council members also dismissed staff assertions that the special use permit process would give the council the ability to control commercial expansion into residential neighborhoods, with O’Grady noting the council “rarely” denies these permits. Council member Charlie Rivenbark added that applicants can challenge special use permit denials in court, potentially forcing the council to approve residential parking projects.
“I see this as a real effort to expand commercial uses into residential neighborhoods,” O’Grady said.
Other members of the council asked staff to return with better visual aids to demonstrate how the changes in the ordinance would impact residential lots, to be presented at the Feb. 21 Wilmington City Council meeting.
After reaching a compromise with neighbors who fought an earlier attempt to rezone the lots commercial, the restaurant’s owners won approval from the Wilmington Planning Commission on Jan. 4 for the residential rezoning and ordinance changes. Commission chair Deb Hays was the only vote against the plan, opposing the rezoning after arguing it wasn’t needed and created too much density on the road that was deemed a North Carolina scenic byway.
County Board passes travel caps, golf tournament marketing funding
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners passed limits on commissioners’ travel during its Monday, Feb. 6 meeting, limiting each elected representative to a $4,000 annual travel budget on a 3-1 vote. Chairman Woody White unsuccessfully sought travel restrictions in November 2015 when he was a commissioner, arguing that some commissioners were building up too many expenses attending conferences and other events. Commissioner Patricia Kusek introduced the motion, arguing the limits were in line with county staff travel rules.
“Even modest amounts of money have huge symbolic value in the eyes of our citizens,” she said.
Commissioner Rob Zapple, the only commissioner to vote against the proposal, said there was a “false” misconception that there were no limits on travel, and that commissioner attendance at state and national conferences produced “tremendous value” in the form of improved performance by the county government that he argued helped save taxpayers in the long run.
Earlier in the meeting, the board unanimously passed a $75,000 appropriation to the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce spread over two years to help fund regional marketing efforts associated with the Wells Fargo Championship golf tournament, scheduled May 1-7 at Eagle Point Golf Club.
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Thank you, Kevin O’Grady and Deb Hayes, for wanting to protect unique historic and scenic Airlie Road.