Wilmington City Council Meeting – November 3, 2026

The Wilmington City Council met at 6:30 p.m. on November 3, 2026, at the Skyline Center in Wilmington, NC. Council heard a proclamation, received an informational presentation on the Hillcrest redevelopment, approved a consent agenda, and acted on four public hearing items, including a group day facility ordinance that passed on a divided vote.

Presentations

• Mayor Bill Savage proclaimed November 2026 as National Family Caregivers Month. The proclamation cited caregivers providing 1.79 billion hours of care valued at $33 billion annually in North Carolina, and a caregiver advocate thanked the council for the recognition.
• Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA) CEO Tyrone Garrett and attorney Sam Frank presented on the Hillcrest redevelopment project. Garrett said WHA is evolving and that its five redevelopment projects are estimated to support over 1,300 jobs, generate about $90 million in labor income, contribute about $234 million in economic output, and add nearly $139 million in value over 5–7 years. Frank described the 26-acre WWII-era site with 256 units in 98 structures, said redevelopment is required because the buildings and infrastructure are beyond their useful life, and outlined a plan for 550 mixed-income residences that would more than double the affordable homes on the site. Phase one would be a 55+ building with 99 residences. He said every specimen tree on the site has an impacted critical root zone, and emphasized preservation efforts: phase one code-required tree count is 63, and the plan would plant 84; the Board of Adjustment approved removal of six specimen trees in phase one, permits were sought for five, and WHA is still trying to save tree #10. In response to council questions, the team said all utilities would be buried, phase one construction was expected to take about 15 months with completion around fall 2028, tree relocation was not considered for phase one, and the phase one building would be four stories (about 45–50 feet). Director Garrett cited RAD requirements in saying current residents were consulted; he relayed one tenant's view that many trees are dead or over-mature and should come down. Council noted this was a presentation only, with no vote.

Consent Calendar

• Approved 6-0: Resolution authorizing the City Manager to purchase 48 sets of firefighting coats and pants from NAFECO of Decatur, AL for $213,702.
• Approved 6-0: Resolution authorizing the City Manager to contract with Dr. Yael Gold, P.C. for behavioral health and wellness services for Wilmington Fire and Police personnel for $600,000 over three years.
• Approved 6-0: Minutes of the October 19, 2026 agenda briefing and October 20, 2026 regular council meeting.

All consent items were approved in a single 6-0 consent agenda vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ty, a city resident, said the new adopt-a-bench program is a “farce,” arguing that the 40 public-built benches cannot be retrofitted to the adoption standard, that participation effectively requires donating a specific $5,000 bench or owning a concrete company, and that it cost over $7,000 just for an engineer to review one site. He said at the current rate of 19 bus stops per year, it would take close to 20 years for every stop to have seating, and he pointed to Nashville and Durham as replicable models. His stated goal was making Wilmington more comfortable for the working class.
• Isaiah Hill, a city resident, said Black Americans in Wilmington are harassed, followed, and profiled, called it a violation of their rights, and urged equal treatment.
• During PH4, Tony Perez of Living Hope Bay Center said he was not afraid of regulation, but questioned the proposed compliance/enforcement provision, distinguished day shelters from overnight shelters and bars that serve alcohol, and asked council to slow down and avoid creating a lasting precedent based on a short-term reaction.

Discussion Items: Public Hearings

• PH1 – Projecting signs in MD-10 and MD-17 districts: Staff said the Planning Commission recommended approval 5-1. Applicant Walter Pete Avery spoke in support, noting the proposed limits of one sign per multi-dwelling building, 50 square feet maximum, and above-ground-floor placement. No one from the public spoke during the hearing. Council approved the ordinance 6-0 and unanimously waived second reading.
• PH2 – Rezone 0.514 acre at 428, 430, and 432 Eastwood Road from R-15 to O&I: Staff reported a 6-0 Planning Commission recommendation. Applicant Cindy Wolf said the rezoning would clean up split zoning on a fully developed parcel. No public speakers. Council approved 6-0 and waived second reading.
• PH3 – Rezone 3.01 acres at 5000 Market Street from CS to RB: Staff reported a unanimous Planning Commission recommendation. No applicant or public speaker appeared. Council approved 6-0 and waived second reading.
• PH4 – Restore group day facilities as a permitted use: Staff said the use was eliminated in the 2021 LDC update, and the amendment would reestablish it with a conditional zoning process. The Planning Commission tied 3-3 over whether to add a 1,000-foot separation from schools, which resulted in a recommendation of denial; staff appealed. The council debated the new enforcement language (Section F). Councilmember Lowe moved to send it back, Councilmember Santa Guido seconded with a friendly amendment to remove the new Section F and approve the rest, and that amended motion passed 4-2. The subsequent motion to waive second reading failed because the vote was not unanimous, so the ordinance will be heard again.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved 6-0.
• PH1, PH2, and PH3 each approved 6-0 on first reading, with second readings waived, making them final.
• PH4 approved 4-2 on first reading with new compliance language removed; second reading was not waived, so it returns at the next regular meeting on November 17, 2026.
• The Hillcrest presentation was informational; no vote was taken.
• Councilmember Andrews invited the public to the Southeast North Carolina Veterans Parade on November 7, 2026, and recognized Veterans Day on November 11, 2026.