Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.
The City of Wilmington Design Adjustment Committee met on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. per the agenda, in City Council Chambers, Skyline Center, 929 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC, to hold quasi-judicial evidentiary hearings on requested deviations from the city's Technical Standards and Specifications Manual. The committee heard one application, 5710 Market Street, and noted that a second application, 1205 Airlie Road, had been withdrawn by the applicant. After staff and applicant testimony, the committee approved most requested waivers, placed conditions on a sidewalk waiver, and approved the preliminary plan.
We'll call the uh design adjustment committee uh meeting to order. Uh before we get started, I have an introduction that I have to read. 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. The design adjustment 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 variants require four-fifths vote of the committee to grant the variants. 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 that information to determine if a recusal is necessary. Please focus on the facts and the 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 all staff applicants and members of the public who wish to speak this afternoon, please stand up and raise your right hand. Okay. Aye. Aye. Opposed. I will I'm not voting on that because I was not here. Is there a staff presentation? Good afternoon, Chair, members of the committee. This is evidential hearing number one, located at 5710 Market Street. Uh for a vehicle sales use. Private right-of-way is being proposed to provide access to the site from Market Street. An existing 50-foot-wide private access easement is located along the northern boundary of the subject site. The technical standards and specification manual stipulates a standard right-of-way width of 60 feet for a non-residential street. The applicant is proposing a right-of-way width of 50 feet and a waiver is requested. The technical standards and specification manual stipulates a standard pavement width of 34 feet for a non-residential street. The applicant is proposing a pavement width of 21 feet and a waiver is requested. The technical standards and specification manual specifies a standard plaza width of six feet, and the applicant that's proposing a plaza width of five feet. The technical standards and specification manual stipulates that sidewalk be installed along both sides of the right-of-way. The applicant is proposing sidewalk only on one side of the right-of-way, which will extend around the cul-de-sac. The technical standards and specifications manual stipulates a maximum length of a cul-de-sac at 500 feet. The applicant is proposing a cul-de-sac street with a length of 615 feet. The technical standards and specification manual stipulates a 10-foot wide non-municipal easement along both sides of the right-of-way. The applicant is proposing to eliminate a portion of the non-municipal easement and reduce the width of the non-municipal easement along a portion of the proposed wide right-of-way. The technical standards and specification manual stipulates the street trees be provided with in the plaza along both sides of the right-of-way. The applicant is proposing street seat street trees to be installed along the western side of the street only. The applicant proposes to utilize existing trees within the proposed right-of-way and supplement with additional plannings.