The Wilmington Planning Commission met on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, at 6:00 PM in City Council Chambers. Chairman Jack Pollock presided with six members present (Commissioner Richard Collier absent). The commission considered four rezoning requests and one withdrawn item, all resulting in recommendation to City Council. The meeting adjourned at 7:56 PM.
Good evening. I'd like to call to order the uh what's the date today, the sixth the uh February meeting of the uh planning commission. At this point, I would ask you to uh please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. The United States of America and through the requirement for which it stands one nation under God with liberty and justice referral. I'll just make note of the fact that uh Commissioner Collier has been excused uh a little bit under the weather and thank him for his consideration of not wanting to make the rest of us under the weather. Uh having said that uh Mr. Attorney uh do you do you notice a quorum? Yes, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Um let me read the preamble, a couple comments, and then we'll get started. We have a pretty full agenda tonight, so let's get to it. Planning commission advises city council on applications for rezoning, land development, code amendments, street closures, and long range plans and policies. The commission holds legislative hearings, meaning that anyone wishing to speak on a request may do so. The commission issues a recommendation based on consistency of the request with the intent and purpose of the land development code and consist consistency of a request with the Create Wilmington Comprehensive Plan and other relevant adopted plans and policies. Uh relative to presentation of items, all matters requiring commission action will be presented to the planning commission by the staff and the applicant. In situations where the staff is the applicant, there will only be one presentation. City staff will make the first presentation, the applicant will make the second presentation. Both presentations are limited to five minutes. To maintain an orderly meeting, all presentations shall proceed without interruption unless the commission desires to intervene with questions or comments. Relative to public hearing, the chair will open the public hearing for those physically present wishing to speak about an item. Those in favor of an item shall be heard first, followed by those opposed to an item. Ten minute time limit will be allotted to each side of the discussion. A staff member will track the 10 minute time periods and will notify the speaker at the five minute mark, the one minute mark, and verbally call time when time expires. The chair in their discretion may extend these periods. All groups, organizations, neighborhoods, or similar associations desiring to comment are asked to appoint a singular spokesperson to present their concerns or point of view to the commission on each agenda item. Public has been encouraged to submit their comments in writing via a web-based form located on the City of Wilmington's websites. All comments received prior to 3 p.m. today were forwarded unedited to the to the planning commission. And I believe, Amy, there was just the one. And you all got the okay. All comments received will be delivered to city council when the item advances. All comments received will be made available to the public if requested. Relative to voting. All votes will be voice votes after proper motions are made and consistency statements read into the record. The chair will state the outcome of the vote and the action. Relative to appeals. Rezoning requests that receive an unfavorable recommendation from the planning commission may be appealed by the applicant to the Wilmington City Council. Appeals should be in the form of a letter submitted to the city to the city clerk within 10 days of this hearing tonight. Any item that is appealed will tentatively be heard by city council at the March 18th, 2025 meeting. At that point, let's move on to the agenda. And the first item is approval of minutes from the uh you know from the last meeting. Has everybody had a chance to look at the meeting the meeting minutes and is there any are there any connect corrections? Mr. Chair, um just a procedural question. Um do I abstain from the vote if I was not present? Or do you what? Do I abstain from voting if I'm not present from the previous meeting? Huh? I haven't missed a meeting in a while, so what do I vote for the minutes approval?