The Design Adjustment Committee of the City of Wilmington held a special meeting on January 28, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers to consider design adjustment requests for a proposed 320-unit multi-dwelling development at 4851 University Drive. The meeting was quasi-judicial, with sworn testimony from staff, the applicant, and members of the public.
Go ahead and call the meeting of the design adjustment committee to order. Um before we get started, I have to read an introduction. The design adjustment committee's purpose is to establish clear and measurable review criteria for the consideration of major deviations from the city's technical standards and specifications manual, building design, material standards, and subdivision standards. The committee does not consider housing type, cost of the proposed unit, occupants, building material, unit size, number of bedrooms, or the architectural design of the structures. These hearings are quasi-judicial, evidentiary hearings. That means they are like a court hearing, and the committee's decisions are constrained by the standards in the ordinance and based upon the facts presented. All variance requests require a four-fifths vote of the committee to grant the variance. Appeals of the design adjustment committee are to superior court. The parties in these cases are entitled to an impartial board if a board member has a fixed opinion on the matter, a financial interest in the outcome, a close relationship with the affected person, or has had any ex parte communication about the matter. Please disclose this information to determine if a recusal is necessary. City staff will introduce the proposed project to the design adjustment committee and committee members may ask questions. The applicant may present additional information about the project and members may ask questions. If anyone wishes to provide evidence at today's hearing, witnesses must sign in and on the clipboard at the back of the room and be sworn in. Because witnesses are to provide sworn testimony. Please focus on the facts and standards, not personal preference or opinion. When a witness comes forward to give testimony, please come to the podium, state your name and address for the record, and speak clearly. At this time, staff will administer the oath for all individuals who intend to provide witness testimony. If I could have all staff applicants and member of the public who wish to speak today, to please stand up and raise your right hand. You must be sworn in if you intend to speak this afternoon. Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Thank you. Okay, the first item on the agenda is approval from of the minutes from the last meeting. Has any everyone had a chance to review the minutes? And if so, any discussion? Or is there a motion? I reviewed the minutes. Excuse me, Mr. Chairman. And I notified that the looks like the phrase board of adjustment was used in it a couple of times, and I've notified for those corrections to be made. But other than that, I would make a motion to approve them as revised. The revision being to correct board of adjustment to DAC. Correct. Okay. I will uh second that motion. Any other discussion? All in favor of approval of the minutes with the corrections noted, say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right. Minutes are approved. The first and only item on uh today's agenda is uh 4851 uh University Drive. Uh good afternoon. Uh Chair and members of the committee. Uh this is an evidentiary hearing located at 4851 uh University Drive. There we go. The site is located along University Drive and is approximately 16.75 acres in size. The site is on MD17, high density multiple dwelling residential district. The proposed new construction consists of a 320 unit multi-dwelling development. The applicant is requesting to exceed the maximum length for a private driveway.