Board of Adjustment Meeting – March 19, 2026
Board of Adjustment Meeting – March 19, 2026
The Board of Adjustment of the City of Wilmington held a public hearing at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2026 in City Council Chambers, Skyline Center, 929 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC. The board considered approval of the previous meeting’s minutes and a variance request for shoreline stabilization at 4230 Masonboro Loop Road.
Consent Calendar
- The minutes from the February 19, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously (5-0).
Discussion Items
- 4230 Masonboro Loop Road – Variance to City Code Section 18-286 (BADV-22-326): The property (1.68 acres) along Whiskey Creek has experienced documented erosion since 2013. The applicant, Jeff Workman, had installed a 54-foot free-standing sill wall and riprap without prior city approval, leading to a stop work order in November 2025. The Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) had issued a permit for the structure (allowing up to 56 feet). The variance request sought retroactive approval for the city’s required shoreline stabilization permit. Staff noted that three of the four required findings of fact were applicable (finding #3, concerning buffer extension, did not apply because the structure is in the water). The applicant and staff testified that the measure would not impair navigation or adjacent properties, as CAMA had staked the location outside the navigation channel. The board discussed the need to complete the riprap and ensure the sill meets CAMA’s height and gap requirements for water flow.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to approve the variance based on the three applicable findings of fact (erosion problem, measure no more than necessary, and no significant impairment of public trust rights). The motion passed unanimously (5-0). The approval allows the applicant to complete the structure in compliance with CAMA’s permit and city code.
Meeting Transcript
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.
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