Wilmington City Council Agenda Briefing Meeting - February 17, 2025
Wilmington City Council Agenda Briefing Meeting - February 17, 2025
The Wilmington City Council held an Agenda Briefing meeting on Monday, February 17, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. in City Hall Council Chambers to review items scheduled for the February 18, 2025 regular council meeting. Mayor Bill Saffo presided, with all councilmembers present (Councilmember Kevin Spears attended via video conference). The meeting covered consent agenda items, public hearings, and ordinances, with additional presentations on the Sister Cities Commission and a proposed Northern Riverfront Committee.
Consent Calendar
- C1: Approval of minutes from previous meeting.
- C2: Resolution awarding a city-wide tree removal contract to Lanier Tree Services, LLC for removal of 27 trees at a cost of $108,025. Councilmember Rivenbark questioned the decision-making process for tree removal, noting inconsistencies between private arborist assessments and city arborist evaluations. He urged better alignment to address resident concerns about hazardous trees. Councilmember Waddell requested inspection of a tree in Inland Greens with root damage to a sidewalk.
- C3: Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a lease agreement with Tova Wealth Management, LLC for a portion of the 7th floor at 929 North Front Street.
- C4: Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a lease amendment with Proto-Lease USA, Inc. for a portion of the 4th floor at 929 North Front Street.
- Public Hearings (PH1-PH3): Ordinances directing the housing inspector to vacate, close, repair, or demolish dwellings at 804 Russell Alley, 905 Wooster Street, and 909 Wooster Street, all deemed unfit for human habitation.
- Ordinance O1: Supplemental appropriation of $62,545 from the public improvement fund for a justice assistance grant for Wilmington Police Department boat lift replacement and a portable camera system for New Hanover County.
- Report RP1: Reports from the Council's Appointments Committee for Boards, Commissions, and Committees.
Discussion Items
Update from the Sister Cities Commission
Ms. Marilyn Cantarella, Chair of the Sister Cities Commission, reported on efforts to strengthen ties with Bridgetown, Barbados. She and Ms. Jennifer Fernandez-Villa (Assistant Director, International Studies at UNCW) traveled to Barbados in December 2024 for the 20th anniversary of the twinning. Key points:
- Invitations extended to Dr. Green (Director of Cultural Policy and Research, Barbados) and Minister Lane (Bridgetown) to attend the Azalea Festival.
- A sports exchange (soccer) was discussed and expanded to include all sister cities, with Barbados agreeing to fund travel for its participants.
- A preview trailer was shown for a completed film project with Doncaster, England, which will be submitted to a film festival (possible screening in June 2025).
- Challenges persist due to the national-local government relationship in Barbados, but progress is being made through baby steps.
Proposed Northern Riverfront Committee
Mr. Chad McEwen, Deputy City Manager, presented a proposal to create a Northern Riverfront Development District and Committee. Background:
- The city assumed rights and obligations under a 2005 Declaration of Easements, Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (DECCR) when it purchased the Skyline Center (former PPD/Thermo Fisher property) in July 2023.
- The committee would function like an HOA Architectural Review Board for approximately 47.36 acres, including 13.5 acres of undeveloped land. It would include all councilmembers, two non-city district property owners, and ex-officio members (city manager, city attorney, planning director, and a local architect).
- The district covers properties along the northern riverfront, including Pier 33, the Skyline building, and city-owned gateway parcels, but excludes the convention center and existing parking deck.
- Anticipated timeline: Council resolution in April 2025, committee member solicitation in May-June, and formation meeting in July 2025.
Councilmember discussion:
- Councilmember Joyner asked about including non-council property owners as voting members; staff explained they are subject to the same covenants and should have a voice.
- Mayor Saffo inquired about a hotel site already sold; Mr. McEwen confirmed the committee would review plans, and buyers should be aware through title work.
- Councilmember Rivenbark raised concerns about scope: he emphasized the need for clear, specific guidelines (not a "moving target") and expressed desire for architectural variety rather than cookie-cutter designs. He also questioned potential impact on property values; staff said it could stabilize or increase values.
- City Attorney Meredith Everhart clarified that the committee’s authority extends beyond façades to include building elevations and other elements covered by city code. Including other property owners and architects aims to avoid arbitrary city overreach and maintain district quality.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken; this was a briefing meeting to review items for the February 18 regular meeting.
- The tree removal contract (C2) and other consent items were discussed but not voted on; they will be considered at the regular meeting.
- Council provided direction to proceed with the Northern Riverfront Committee resolution for April 2025, with further refinement of guidelines to address specificity concerns.
- The Sister Cities update was received with appreciation; next steps include hosting Barbados representatives at the Azalea Festival and continuing international exchanges.
- The meeting adjourned at 9:03 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Bring the meeting to order. I'm gonna do a roll call at this time. Mayor Pro Tem. Are you here? Councilman Rivenbarg is here. Councilmember Spears, are you here? I am here. Okay. Councilmember Waddell. Councilmember Andrews. Here. Councilmember Joyner. And the chair is here. Everybody's here and accounted for. We have tomorrow night. Consent of agenda C one is approval of the minutes. C two is a resolution awarding a citywide tree removal contract to Lanier Tree Services LLC. For the removal of 27 trees in the amount of 108,000 to 25 dollars. Yes, sir, Mr. Rombar. I don't know who here I talked to, but in in the in the verbiage it was talking about trees that are or dying or whatever. Who pulled who makes that call uh on what we're Sally Sally? Who will answer those questions for us? Good morning. Thank you. Yes, these trees are evaluated by our ISA certified arborists on staff. Who is that? Um so that'll be Aaron Reese, Ben Mesla is our new assistant city arborist, and we have a couple of others who are certified okay. The reason I asked that is in the years I've been up here, it never fails. We'll have people call and they've got a tree that's not on their property or a tree that maybe is on their property, and they've had tree people come out and say this tree's dying, it needs to go, and then our people go out there and say no, we can't do it. There's a there's a real I won't call it a conflict, but it's like we're speaking out of both sides of our mouth. We go out and make a call and and say this tree's dying, we're gonna take it down, but we go and see some of these places, and I've gone, I mean, I'm not getting it just secondhand. I've gone and looked, and the top of the tree is dead, it's got a lot of dead limbs on it, and yet we don't let them take it down, and it's it's in a in a storm, they're worried about it falling on their outbuildings or their house. So I I'd like to just have get that a little become a little more in line so that we can be not uh not so definite in our answers when we go out to these people because I follow up on it, and uh it just kind of goes against my green to have us do this and and then to go out and say no, you can't cut it down. That's all I want to say. Well, Mr. Waddell. While we while we're talking about it real quick, uh just brought something to my attention. Uh while back I had um sent it up the chain for uh stopped by a gentleman who lives in inland greens, and there's a tree very close to one of the properties on Inley Greens. I think it's on city property, but it's uh it's the root structure is going into the sidewalk there and and breaking up the sidewalk. And the gentleman who brought my attention said there's just a lot of elderly neighbors. I wonder if we might just um have somebody go take a look at that tree, and I could follow up with an email, but while it was in my head, not a problem. Thank you so much. Thank you. C three is a resolution authorized city manager to execute a lease agreement with Tova Wealth Management LLC for a portion of the seventh floor of 929 North Front Street. C4 is a resolution authorized city manager to execute a lease amendment with proto-lease USA Incorporated for a portion of the fourth floor at 929 North Front Street. Public hearings, PH1 is an ordinance directing the housing inspector to vacate, close and repair or demolish a dwelling at 804 Russell Alley is unfit for human habitation pursuant to Article 5, Chapter 16 of the City Code, and directing that a notice be placed there on prohibiting its use or occupancy. PH2 is an ordinance directing the housing inspector to vacate close and repair or demolish it. The dwelling at 905 Wooster Street as unfit for human habitation pursuant to Article 5, Chapter 16 of the Wilmington City Code, and directing that a notice be placed there on prohibiting its use or occupancy. PH3 is an ordinance directing the housing inspector to vacate close and repair demolish a dwelling at 909.
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