The Wilmington Board of Adjustment held a regular public hearing on Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 1:13 p.m. in City Council Chambers, 929 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC. Five members were present (including two alternates) and four were absent, including Chair Jeff Hovis; Vice-Chair Patrick Moore presided. The board considered one evidentiary hearing - a variance request for shoreline stabilization at 4230 Masonboro Loop Road - approving both the prior meeting's minutes and the variance by unanimous 5-0 votes. Note: the agenda lists the venue as Skyline Center while the minutes state City Hall, though both cite the same address.
Hearings before the board of adjustment are quasi-judicial in nature. Decisions of the board are based on the record of these proceedings. To grant a variance requires a concurrent vote of four fifths of the members of the board. To reverse or modify the determination of an administrative official requires a simple majority. Evidence submitted to the board for review becomes part of the record. Appeals of board decisions are the superior court and are based on the record. Appeals must be filed within 30 days of the date of the filing of the board's order in the planning division. Hearing before the board is conducted in accordance with its rules of procedure. Those who want to testify in a case are sworn as witnesses. The chairperson recognizes those who want to testify or their attorneys for presentation of evidence during the hearing. To ensure that all testimony is properly recorded, please come forward to address the board, state your name and address, and speak clearly. At this time, we'll swear anyone that wishes to speak. If I could have all staff applicants and members of the public to please stand up and raise your right hand. Do you swear that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Thank you. Thank you. The first order of business before the board today is to approve the revised minutes as presented from our February 19th meeting. Do we have a motion? I make a motion. Do we have a second? Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Motion carries. Order of business is new business, which is 4230 Masonboro Loop Road. Presented by Brian Chambers. The site contains approximately 1.68 acres and contains a single dwelling home. It's also adjacent to some coastal wetlands and along the Tidal Creek, which is Whiskey Creek. A camera permit was issued for this, but this the applicant did not get any city approvals for this. So a stop work order was issued by the city in November. And this is this this items come before you to rectify that that situation. One is the property has identified erosional problem or usual features. The shoreline stabilization measure extends beyond the buffer, no more than necessary. This one's in the water, so this one doesn't apply. And then the fourth would be the shoreline stabilization measure will not significantly impair the public trust rights or damage adjacent waterfront properties. And this would be uh impacting the navigation channel, that kind of thing. Um, here are some photos of the uh the the shoreline and on the top, and then on the bottom are some uh photos of the existing structure as it as it sits today. Again, this is a waiver for the short erosion within the resource area. Um that's concludes staff's presentation. I'm happy to answer any questions you have. Um, and I would request that the application materials be entered into the record. Thank you. Any questions for staff? Okay, thank you. I just wanted to ask one question. You said uh item number three, the finding of fact number three doesn't apply. That's correct. It's it's not it. The buffer would be to be it would extend into the property from the resource.