Public Meetings - Wilmington, North Carolina

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.

The Wilmington City Council met in a pre-agenda briefing on November 2, 2026, to review items scheduled for the following night's meeting. All council members were present for roll call. No formal votes were taken; the session was for discussion and preparation, covering consent agenda items, four public hearings, and a question about one public hearing item. Consent Agenda - C1: Resolution authorizing the city manager to enter an agreement to purchase 48 sets of firefighting coats and pants from NAFCO of Decatur, Alabama, for $213,702. - C2: Resolution authorizing the city manager to enter an agreement with Dr. Yale Gold PC for professional behavioral health and wellness services for Wilmington Fire and Police Department personnel, for $600,000 over three years. - C3: Approval of the minutes of the city council's agenda meeting. Public Hearings Scheduled for Tomorrow - PH1: Ordinance amending Land Development Code Chapter 18 to allow projecting signs in the MD 10 and MD 17 multi-dwelling residential zoning districts. - PH2: Ordinance amending the official zoning maps to rezone a 0.514-acre portion of a 1.26-acre parcel located at 428-430 and 432 Eastwood Road from R15 Moderate Density Single Dwelling District to O&I Office and Institutional District. - PH3: Ordinance amending the official zoning maps to rezone a 3.1-acre portion of a 6.3-acre parcel located at 5000 Market Street from CS Commercial Services District to RB Regional Business District. - PH4: Ordinance amending Land Development Code Chapter 18 to restore group day facilities as a permitted use in various zoning districts, and to reestablish and modify the definition and prescribe conditions for a group day facility. Discussion on PH4 - A councilmember, noting they would be absent from the next night's meeting, questioned whether city maps had been reviewed to determine how many parcels would fall under the restored group day facility definition. Staff responded that the definition had been restored from the previous code and placed in the same zoning districts as before, without a parcel count. - The councilmember expressed mixed views: they agreed a definition is needed and had no objection to restoring the previous one, but they were concerned that the item resulted from a group that had sought to act by right under the code. They noted neighbors had valid concerns but also had appeal avenues through the board of adjustment or superior court. They cautioned against changing processes whenever avenues are unfamiliar, and stated they did not want future policies to exclude people who followed what they believed was the correct process. - The councilmember affirmed that doing something by right under the code is the correct process and hoped the council would not prescribe or micromanage away from that approach. Other Business - The city manager reported no additional items this morning but said staff would contact council members to determine whether they would prefer to meet after the next agenda briefing or at a 6 p.m. meeting to close the loop on the outside funding requests process. Key Outcomes - No formal votes or resolutions were adopted during the pre-agenda meeting. - The council is scheduled to consider the listed consent agenda items and public hearings at the following night's meeting. - Staff will follow up with council members on scheduling a meeting to finalize the outside funding requests process.

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. Consent Calendar - Approval of June 18, 2026 minutes: the agenda indicates a motion to approve passed 0-0, but the transcript does not capture this action and no minutes document was available. Public Comments & Testimony - The committee opened and closed a public hearing for 5710 Market Street; no members of the public came forward to speak. Discussion Items - 5710 Market Street (DAC-2026-0002) — Planner Zac Smith presented the request by Cindee Wolf with Design Solutions on behalf of property owner Eston Brinkley. The RB-zoned site is served by a proposed private right-of-way from Market Street. Staff listed ten requested adjustments from the Technical Standards and Specifications Manual: a 50-foot right-of-way instead of 60 feet; 21 feet of pavement instead of 34 feet; a 5-foot plaza instead of 6 feet; sidewalk on one side only; a 615-foot cul-de-sac instead of a 500-foot maximum; elimination or reduction of the non-municipal easement; street trees on one side only; retention of three existing driveways from 32 to 36 feet wide instead of a 30-foot maximum; and a 1,490-linear-foot driveway instead of the 500-foot/800-foot limits. - Applicant's position — Eston Brinkley said the existing road has long served a mobile home park that is being eliminated; about nine or ten mobile homes remain, two-thirds of the park has already been removed over five years, and 180-day notices were given. Cindee Wolf argued the waivers are justified by the site's long, narrow shape (roughly 200 feet of Market Street frontage and more than 1,100 feet of depth), a large public drainage easement, existing significant and specimen trees, and the existing roadway. She noted the project would preserve existing trees, keep sidewalk/plaza/trees along the northeastern side, include a new cul-de-sac, connect to the adjacent Toyota dealership for emergency access, and would be a private right-of-way, so maintenance would not fall on the city. - Committee discussion — Members questioned whether a future subdivided rear lot in the RB district might need the wider street standards, whether the existing sidewalk could be an ADA-accessible route to Market Street, and whether fire access would be adequate. Fire-access concerns were addressed by noting the reduced width was acceptable for the proposed vehicle-sales use because of the hydrant extension and two additional connections to the Toyota property, but a narrower road could limit future development on the rear parcel. The applicant's engineer said a collapsed sidewalk over a storm drain at the T-head turnaround would be repaired as part of the work. A discrepancy between the 615-foot and 630-foot cul-de-sac figures was explained as different measurement points (centerline versus the transition to the private driveway). Key Outcomes - Waivers 1-3 and 5-10: Approved unanimously (agenda records the overall approval as 5-0), based on the non-through street condition, environmental/topographic constraints, lot depth, tree preservation, and emergency connectivity. - Waiver 4 (sidewalk on one side): Conditionally approved unanimously. Conditions required the existing sidewalk/accessible route to Market Street to be evaluated for accessibility and the western sidewalk to be extended from the sales office to the first driveway/property line to the north. - Preliminary plan: Approved unanimously, subject to the recommended conditions in the agenda packet and the conditions attached to the waiver approvals. - 1205 Airlie Road (DAC-2026-0003): Withdrawn by the applicant; no hearing was held.

The Wilmington City Council met on October 20, 2026, at 6:30 PM at City Hall in Wilmington, North Carolina. The agenda included a proclamation for Diabetes Awareness Month, a continued rezoning request for the Barclay West development, a public hearing and unanimous vote approving an economic development incentive agreement for Project Pearl II (Corning), updates to the parking meter code, and approval of appointments to city boards and commissions. Invocation & Presentations - Invocation: Rabbi Chaya Bender of Bnai Israel Congregation led the invocation, reflecting on the Hebrew month of Heshvan and the importance of taking action after reflection. - Proclamation: Mayor Saffo read a proclamation declaring November 2026 as National Diabetes Awareness Month. A community and patient advocate living with Type 1 diabetes accepted the proclamation, emphasizing the need for access to care and health equity. Consent Calendar The consent agenda was approved unanimously (7-0). - C1: Resolution officially accepting certain drainage easements within the Woodberry Forest Subdivision. - C2: Resolution awarding a $693,715 construction contract to Atlantic Coast Industrial, LLC for the Downtown Alley Improvements Project. - C3: Approval of minutes from the City Council’s Agenda Briefing Meeting on October 5, 2026, the City Council Special Meeting on October 6, 2026, and the Regular City Council Meeting on October 6, 2026. Public Hearings PH1: Barclay West Rezoning (Continued to November 17, 2026) - Subject: An ordinance amending the official zoning map to rezone 12.26 acres at 2225 Stonecrop Drive and 1124 Gallery Park Boulevard to remove a 13-year-old residential density cap. - Positions: - Applicant (Matt Nichols, Cameron Properties Land Company): Argued the current density cap (limiting development to 44 remaining units) is outdated and serves no beneficial planning purpose. The request is simply to allow the property to be developed like any other O&I property under current code. He highlighted the A-level traffic service on surrounding roads and the significant increase in tax revenue from the development ($3,824 in 2012 to over $130,000 on a portion of the site today). - City Staff & Planning Commission: Recommended approval, finding the request reasonable and consistent with the comprehensive plan. Staff noted the opportunity for compatible infill and increased residential density near services. - Council Members (Spears, Sante Guida, Andrews, Lau, Clinton Quintana): Generally supported increased density at the location but strongly pressed the applicant to commit to including workforce housing. Councilmember Spears stated it would be “foolish” to remove the cap without a specific plan and a workforce housing commitment. Councilmember Andrews noted the “leverage” the city has in the negotiation given the 13-year-old condition. - Outcome: The applicant requested a continuance to discuss a potential workforce housing component with the owners. Council unanimously (6-0) granted the continuance, moving the public hearing to November 17, 2026. PH2: Project Pearl II Economic Development Incentive (Approved) - Subject: A resolution authorizing an economic development incentive agreement for Project Pearl II, identified as an expansion of Corning, Inc. The city’s portion is up to $2,000,000 (New Hanover County approved $3,000,000). - Details: The project represents a $585 million capital investment in a manufacturing facility, expected to create 414 new jobs over five years with an average annual wage above $85,000. Breakdown includes production/maintenance roles ($77k avg), salaried engineers ($119k avg), and support engineers ($132k avg). - Positions: - Staff and Wilmington Business Development (Scott Satterfield): Presented the project as highly competitive and vital, noting Corning’s 60-year history in Wilmington and the performance-based nature of the incentive. - Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (Megan Mullins): Spoke in support, highlighting the quality of jobs and Corning’s community partnerships (e.g., leadership development academy). - Council Members: Unanimously supported the agreement. Councilmembers Sante Guida and Spears emphasized the importance of hiring local talent and engaging with programs supporting people with employment barriers. - Outcome: The resolution was approved unanimously (6-0). Ordinances O1: Parking Meter Code Amendments (Approved) - Subject: An ordinance amending various sections of city code to replace the term “parking meter” with “pay station” and explicitly allow payment via cash, debit/credit cards, and electronic methods in addition to coins. - Positions: - Staff/Parking Director Chance Dunbar: Explained the changes modernize the code and reflect current operations and technology. - Council: Discussed ensuring equitable access for residents without smartphones or bank cards. Staff confirmed mobile-only pay zones are placed adjacent to other payment options. Councilmembers also discussed discrepancies in minimum payment increments and suggested creating short-term free parking near civic buildings. - Outcome: The ordinance was approved unanimously on both first and second readings (5-0). Reports & Appointments RP1: Appointments Committee Report (Approved) - Action: Council unanimously (5-0) approved a slate of appointments from the Appointments Committee, including members to the Housing Affordability Advisory Committee, Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Adjustment, and other community boards. Items from Council Members - Councilmember Sante Guida reminded the public that early voting runs through October 31, 2026, with Election Day on November 3, 2026. She also highlighted the Great Downtown Pumpkin Hunt on October 31. - Councilmember Spears echoed the call to vote and shared a personal remembrance of a community member, Gabriel Lamont Fuller. - Councilmember Joyner promoted the Braver Angels initiative, a group focused on respectful cross-partisan dialogue. Key Outcomes - PH1 (Barclay West Rezoning): Continued to November 17, 2026, to allow for further discussions on workforce housing. (6-0) - PH2 (Project Pearl II Incentive): Authorized a $2 million performance-based incentive agreement with Corning, Inc. (6-0) - O1 (Parking Meter Code): Amended city code for pay stations and payment methods. (5-0 on first and second readings) - RP1 (Appointments): Approved appointments to city boards and commissions. (5-0) - Consent Agenda: Approved. (7-0) - Closed Session: Council unanimously approved a motion to enter a closed session to consult with the city attorney regarding a potential legal matter.

The City of Wilmington City Council held an agenda briefing on October 19, 2026, to review items scheduled for the October 20, 2026 City Council meeting. The briefing covered consent agenda items, public hearing items, an ordinance, a committee report, and plans for a closed session. No formal votes were taken. Consent Calendar - C1: Resolution officially accepting certain drainage easements within the Woodbury Forest Subdivision. A council member asked whether this completes the access needed for the Redberry project and asked about the construction schedule and ongoing maintenance costs. Aaron Beckner responded that this completes the last easement access area needed for the Redberry project; construction is expected to start in the spring; design is complete; and the project is waiting on one final permit for the sewer extension work. The drainage system is a closed system requiring pipe inspection and cleaning as needed, and maintenance was described as negligible, although a pump is currently operating full-time to mitigate the problem and will be removed with this project. - C2: Resolution awarding a construction contract to Atlantic Coast Industrial LLC of Wilmington, North Carolina, in the amount of $693,715 for the downtown alley improvement project. - C3: Approval of the minutes of the City Council's agenda briefing, public information, and public hearings. Public Hearing Items - PH1: Ordinance amending the official zoning map of the City of Wilmington to rezone 12.26 acres at 225 Stone Crop Drive and 1124 Gallery Park Boulevard from O&ICD (Office and Institutional Conditional District) to a new O&ICD to allow for a future mixed-use development. - PH2: Resolution authorizing an economic development incentive agreement for Project Pearl 2 in an amount not to exceed $2 million. A council member, who had not previously participated in an economic development incentive, requested a quick overview. Staff explained that the incentive is a credit against tax revenues generated through a business relocation or expansion; in this case, it is an expansion of an existing business making a facility investment and hiring jobs. The package had to be competitive because other locations were being considered, and staff worked with county partners. The credit applies to taxes generated through the jobs and investment over a set period, with a cap and a not-to-exceed amount. The item includes a public hearing component. Ordinances - O1: Ordinance amending various sections of Wilmington City Code Chapter 5, Article 1, regarding parking meters. Reports - RP1: Board of Councils Appointments Committee for Boards, Commissions, and Committees. Other Business & Announcements - A proclamation naming November as Diabetes Awareness Month was noted for presentation at the October 20, 2026 City Council meeting. - A council member announced a brief closed session after the October 20, 2026 City Council meeting; an exchange about the expected length referenced 10 minutes versus five minutes. Key Outcomes - No formal votes were taken during the agenda briefing; the listed items are scheduled for the October 20, 2026 City Council meeting. - No additional items were brought forward for the meeting. - A brief closed session was announced for after the October 20, 2026 City Council meeting.

The Wilmington Board of Adjustment met on October 15, 2026, to consider two items: a request to continue a wall sign variance and a variance for reduced setbacks on six Evans Street lots. All votes were unanimous. (Note: The transcript references October 16, 2026, conflicting with the agenda and given date.) Consent Calendar - Approval of Minutes (September 17, 2026): Approved 5-0. Discussion Items - 352 S. College Rd. - Wall Sign Variance: The applicant requested a continuance to the November 19, 2026, meeting due to ownership and representation issues. The board approved the continuance 5-0. - 501-511 Evans Street - Reduced Setbacks Variance: Grace Lamay (staff) presented the variance request for six lots (Lots 29-34) that are narrower than the R5 district standard. The applicant's agent, Graham Renfro, argued that the lots, platted in 1926, should be developed as originally intended. He requested side setbacks of 10% of average lot width (analogous to the rule for properties within the 1945 corporate limits) and a 2-foot minimum side setback for Lot 34. Board members discussed whether approval would set a precedent and whether the unique lot dimensions created an undue hardship. The board concluded the variance met the four statutory findings and approved it unanimously. Key Outcomes - Minutes Approved (5-0). - 352 S. College Rd. Variance Continued to November 19, 2026 (5-0). - Evans Street Variance Approved (5-0): For Lots 29-33, side interior setbacks reduced to 10% of lot width (from 7 feet to 3.3 feet); for Lot 34, side setback reduced to 2 feet (variance of 5 feet from the required 7 feet).

The Wilmington Historic Preservation Commission met on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Skyline Center, 929 North Front Street, Wilmington, NC. In quasi-judicial evidentiary hearings, the commission reviewed three certificate of appropriateness applications and a local landmark designation recommendation. The commission approved the minutes, approved two certificates of appropriateness, continued one roof-replacement application, and approved the landmark recommendation, all by 7-0 votes. Consent Calendar - Approved the September 10, 2026, draft minutes by a 7-0 vote. Public Comments & Testimony - 103 N 7th Street: Applicant Stephen Cover, a registered architect, said the client wanted a rear garage rather than a front-loaded garage and requested the smaller 3-foot north setback to gain house width. Neighboring property owner John Grimes, who owns 101 and 107 N 7th Street and 617 Princess Street, opposed the request, citing maintenance and access concerns with a 3-foot setback, stormwater runoff and basement water-intrusion risk, constrained parking and turning, and possible three-story height; he said he was not opposed to a new home. - 718 Red Cross Street: Applicant Dominic Bedrin, whose sons live in the family-owned house, said the roof change was for cost reasons and that metal roofing estimates were roughly twice as much; he was open to obtaining another metal roof quote. - 1801 Grace Street: Applicant Mark Erickson described the proposed rear garage, deck, and privacy fence. Property owner Carlos Case said the existing garden shed was in poor condition, with fake painted cardboard windows, and he was comfortable with whatever the commission decided about the shed. - Fire Station 2: Applicant Clayton Homerski supported the landmark designation and noted State Historic Preservation Office input about potential buried cultural resources. A public speaker who helps steward the building spoke in favor, saying about 15,000 people had visited over ten years. Evidentiary Hearing: 103 N 7th Street (COA-2026-0231) - Staff recommended preliminary approval of setbacks for a future house on the vacant, non-contributing lot: 5-foot front setback, 3-foot north side setback, 7-foot south side setback, and 5-foot rear/west setback for a parking or garage area, with an 8-foot driveway along the south property line. A two-story house formerly on the lot was demolished between 1969 and 1982. - The commission noted that setbacks on the block are inconsistent and that this approval would not approve a future house design. The motion to approve with staff conditions, including no site work until final design is approved, passed 7-0. Evidentiary Hearing: 718 Red Cross Street (COA-2026-0232) - Staff presented a request to replace the metal roof with architectural asphalt shingles on a contributing house. The front porch had been shingled since at least 1999, and the rear roof condition could not be inspected. - Commissioners noted the prevalence of metal roofs on the block, questioned the structural weight of asphalt shingles, and asked the applicant to get a 5V metal roof quote. The commission voted 7-0 to continue the case to the November 12, 2026, meeting. Evidentiary Hearing: 1801 Grace Street (COA-2026-0252) - Staff described the proposal for a 25x25-foot two-story garage with bonus room and bathroom, a 22x22-foot deck, and a 6-foot privacy fence on a corner property in the Carolina Heights/Winoca Terrace Historic District. The proposed garage would have a 5-foot alley setback and a 10-foot east side setback; staff noted the applicant narrative said 7 feet but the site plan correctly showed 10 feet. - Staff recommended a condition to relocate the existing reconstructed garden shed, but after owner testimony and discussion the commission removed that condition. The motion to approve with conditions, excluding the shed relocation condition, passed 7-0. Public Hearing: Fire Station 2 Local Landmark Designation (LLS-HPC-2026-0001) - Staff recommended approving the local landmark designation for 602 S. 5th Avenue, a circa 1915 Mission-style brick fire station designed by James F. Goss Jr. that served as Fire Station 2 from 1915 to 1956. The property is a contributing resource to the National Register Wilmington Historic District but is not currently in a local district. - Staff recommended that future exterior and significant interior features be subject to HPC design review, including the terracotta detailing, slate roof, bracketed eaves, apparatus entrance surround, decorative brickwork, stepped parapet, corner bell tower, quad window band, cornerstone plaques, pressed metal ceiling, fire-pole hatches, original wood foot locker, and beadboard wall detailing. - The motion to approve with conditions passed 7-0, forwarding the recommendation to City Council. Other Business - A commissioner reported that a church's board members had applied for a county permit to shore and stabilize the building. - A commissioner raised concern about the Graystone building one year after its fire; staff said they had contacted the owners three times without response and were concerned about overgrown lots. - Commissioners voiced code enforcement concerns about outstanding unapproved work; staff said a new compliance director and new reporting procedure were in place and would follow up. Key Outcomes - Approved September 10, 2026, minutes (7-0). - Approved preliminary setbacks at 103 N 7th Street with conditions (7-0). - Continued 718 Red Cross Street roof replacement to November 12, 2026 (7-0). - Approved 1801 Grace Street garage, deck, and fence with conditions, excluding the shed relocation condition (7-0). - Approved Fire Station 2 local landmark designation recommendation to City Council (7-0).

The Wilmington Planning Commission met on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Chambers, Skyline Center. The commission elected a new chair and vice chair, considered two street closure continuances, two rezoning requests, and two land development code amendments. Votes included a 5-1 approval for projecting signs, 6-0 approvals for two rezoning cases, and a 3-3 tie that failed the group day facility amendment. Commissioner Jack Cofer gave a farewell speech as his term ended. Approval of Minutes - The minutes from the September 2, 2026 meeting were approved 6-0 after a minor addition was noted. Elections - Chair: Danny Adams was elected chair on a motion by Mr. Pollack, seconded by Ms. Jones, approved unanimously. - Vice Chair: Commissioner Pollack was elected vice chair on a motion by Commissioner Jones, seconded by Mr. Koper, approved unanimously. Consent Calendar - No separate consent calendar; routine approvals were handled under individual agenda items. Public Comments & Testimony - Item 6 (Group Day Facility): Two speakers (Mary Pierce, Madison Holland) spoke in favor of the amendment but requested an additional 1,000-foot separation requirement from schools, daycares, and parks. A public comment in support (Mike Reed) was also heard on the Darden Perry Academy rezoning (Item 3), praising the dual-language school concept. - No public comments were offered on Items 1, 2, 4, or 5. Discussion Items 1. LDC Amendment – Projecting Signs in MD-10 and MD-17 Districts - Staff presented a proposal to allow projecting signs in multi-dwelling residential districts with standards (one per building, up to 50 sq ft, above ground floor, perpendicular to facade). Applicant Walter Avery (McKinley Building Corporation) supported the amendment. Commissioners discussed sign size, cumulative square footage, and lighting. A motion to approve passed 5-1 (Commissioner Cofer opposed). 2. General District Rezoning – 428 Eastwood Road (R-15 to O&I) - Staff explained the request to rezone a 0.51-acre portion of a split-zoned parcel to unify it as O&I. The applicant, Cindy Wolf, noted it was a housekeeping matter to match existing office use. No public comments. Motion to approve passed 6-0. 3. General District Rezoning – 5000 Market Street (CS to RB) - Staff presented a rezoning for a 3.01-acre portion of a larger parcel to unify zoning as RB. Applicant Rebecca Darden Perry (Darden Perry Academy) described plans for a dual-language K-8 charter school. Public comment by Mike Reed added context. Motion to approve passed 6-0. 6. LDC Amendment – Restore Group Day Facility as Permitted Use - Staff proposed restoring the group day facility use (day shelter) via conditional zoning in select districts, with standards from the legacy code. Two public comments urged adding a 1,000-foot buffer from schools, daycares, and parks. Commissioners debated the buffer; a motion to add the buffer failed 3-3. A subsequent motion to approve the amendment as written also failed 3-3, sending no recommendation to City Council. Commissioner Cofer suggested staff refine and return. Street Closure Continuances (Items 4 and 5) - Item 4 (unnamed alley, Marstellar Street): Continuance to November granted 6-0. - Item 5 (Seabreeze Blvd and Benton Avenue): Continuance to December granted 6-0 at applicant’s request. Other Business - Commissioner Pollack requested staff consider moving the deadline for public comments earlier than 3:30 PM on meeting day to allow commissioners more review time. Staff noted the deadline maximizes public input but will discuss options. - Staff updated on tree ordinance amendments (subcommittee meeting Oct 14) and upcoming LDC cleanup amendments. - Public reminder: comments on the Kate Fear Memorial Bridge replacement due to NCDOT by October 15, 2026. Key Outcomes - Approved: Projecting sign amendment (5-1), Eastwood Road rezoning (6-0), Market Street rezoning (6-0), two street closure continuances (6-0 each). - Failed: Group day facility amendment (3-3, no recommendation). - Elected: Danny Adams as chair, Commissioner Pollack as vice chair. - Next meeting: November 4, 2026.

The Wilmington City Council met at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, in City Hall, Skyline Center, Wilmington, North Carolina. Mayor Bill Saffo presided; Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Spears and Councilmembers David Joyner, Salette Andrews, J.C. Lyle, Cassidy Santaguida, and Chakema Clinton-Quintana were present. Pastor Nikki Stevenson of Divine Faith & Restoration Church gave the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting adjourned at 9:16 p.m. after unanimous approval of rezonings, appropriations, the Pirate Cove drainage package, and detailed City comments on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge environmental assessment. Presentations & Proclamations - Mayor Saffo and Council presented a proclamation naming October 5-10, 2026 as Minority Enterprise Development Week to Atiba Johnson, Executive Director of the Minority Chamber of Commerce. Johnson said the week would not be possible without City Council and invited residents to support local MWBE businesses. - A proclamation naming October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month was presented to Mandy Hourouras, Outreach Director of Domestic Violence Shelter and Services. The proclamation cited 1,061 adults and 85 children receiving direct services in 2025, including 130 adults and any children who received emergency shelter. Hourouras said help is available 24/7 at (910) 343-0703 and highlighted an October 12 faith summit and an October 29 Take Back the Night March with Attorney General Jeff Jackson. - A proclamation naming October 19-25, 2026 as Nuclear Science Week was presented to Thomas Ensley of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy, who promoted hands-on events including a Nuclear Expo on the UNCW campus. Consent Calendar - The Consent Agenda was approved on a single motion, 6-0. It included: a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter a new lease for the seventh floor of Skyline Center with Daniels Tours, LLC; a resolution authorizing a new lease for the fourth floor of 115 N. Third Street with New Hanover Community Endowment, Inc.; and approval of the minutes of the September 21, 2026 agenda briefing and September 22, 2026 regular meeting. Public Comments & Testimony - Rodney Dixon, a city resident, described the August 21, 2026 shooting of his son Rodney Wilson. He said his mother called police because his son was acting erratically and had a weapon; police fired about 60 to 70 rounds, with more than 20 hitting his son, and after the gunfire an officer shot his son three more times while he was on the ground. He said his son was moved from Novant Hospital to a prison without a conviction, and that he has no faith in the Wilmington Police Department or the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office. - Sonya Bennetone-Patrick, Chair of the Black Caucus of the Southeastern Region, stood in solidarity with Rodney Wilson and his family. She said de-escalation was possible and that law enforcement uses excessive force in Black and brown communities but not with white suspects. She demanded mandatory cultural competency, implicit bias, and mental illness training for officers, mandatory community policing, and a complete and thorough investigation with police accountability. Public Hearings - PH1 - Continued: Staff requested and Council unanimously voted 7-0 to continue to the October 20, 2026 meeting the public hearing on rezoning 12.26 acres at 2225 Stonecrop Drive and 1124 Gallery Park Boulevard from O&I (CD) to O&I (CD) to allow a future mixed-use development. - PH2 - Approved with condition: Council held a public hearing on rezoning 2.176 acres at 120 and 124 Canal Street from R-20(L) Residential (Legacy District) to R-7(CD) Medium-density Single-dwelling (Conditional District) for an eight-townhome residential development. Staff reported the townhomes would be three stories with a maximum height of 35 feet, 16 parking spaces would be provided, five specimen live oak trees would be retained, and 12 regulated and 9 significant trees would be removed with mitigation required. Staff also reported no comments in support and one comment in opposition. The site is in an Intracoastal Tidewater Area of Opportunity, and staff found modest policy support. Councilmember Andrews confirmed that the 25% impervious limit and tree protections were secured; applicant representative Cindee Wolf said runoff would be managed through stormwater provisions in front of the buildings. Applicant Nathan Singerman agreed to accept a condition prohibiting short-term rentals. Public speaker Deborah Dobbins, a neighbor across the creek, said she was not opposed but raised concerns about upper-story lighting reflecting into the creek, runoff, pesticides and fertilizers, impervious surfaces, demolition of older homes, and protecting the creek ecosystem. Mayor Pro Tem Spears questioned the price point and said adding higher-priced housing can exacerbate displacement of low- to moderate-income residents. Council approved the rezoning 7-0 with added Condition 5 prohibiting short-term rentals, and waived the second reading 7-0. - PH3 - Approved: Council rezoned 2.02 acres at 3301 Burnt Mill Drive from LI (Light Industry) to O&I (Office & Institutional District). Staff said the site is occupied by a single-story multi-tenant office building and is essentially an LI island in an O&I area; about 42 acres of Burnt Mill Business Park were rezoned to O&I in 2002. One comment supported the request and none opposed; the Planning Commission recommended approval 7-0. Applicant attorney Andy Van Trigt of Murchison, Taylor & Gibson, PLLC said the request aligns the parcel with its existing use and surrounding zoning. Council approved the rezoning 7-0 and waived the second reading 7-0. The agenda lists the PH3 vote as 6-0; the minutes and transcript record unanimous approval. Ordinances & Resolutions - O1 - Supplemental appropriation ($193,825): Council approved an ordinance making a supplemental appropriation of $193,825 from committed revenue funds for maintenance and improvements at Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park and Hugh Morton Amphitheater at Greenfield Park. Staff said the fee schedule includes a $0.50 per-ticket surcharge for nonprofit agencies and a $2 per-ticket surcharge for for-profit productions, with $1 allocated to maintenance. The FY27 allocation was $37,250 for Greenfield Lake Amphitheater and $156,575 for Riverfront Park, totaling 39% of the $494,303 committed revenue. Mayor Pro Tem Spears asked about replacing the Lion's Bridge at Greenfield Lake; City Manager Becky Hawke said the cost is about $1.4 million but grants will reduce the City's share. Approved 7-0; second reading waived 7-0. - Pirate Cove drainage package: Council approved three related items: R1.A, an interlocal agreement with Cape Fear Public Utility Authority for reimbursement of up to $257,582 for relocating water and sewer lines affected by the Pirate Cove Drainage Improvement Project; O1.B, an ordinance appropriating $257,582 from CFPUA to the Stormwater Capital Projects Fund for the project; and R1.C, a construction contract award to East Coast Contracting, Inc. of Wilmington, NC for $1,096,362. Staff said the project will improve undersized and failing drainage infrastructure, stabilize eroded channels, and reduce flooding; the construction budget is approximately $1.4 million, the construction duration is about 8 months, the corridor is about 0.5 miles, and completion is estimated for fall 2027. Six bids were received, with East Coast Contracting as low bidder. Staff noted part of the runoff comes from older development around Masonboro Loop and Sound Road built before current stormwater regulations. R1.A passed 7-0, O1.B passed 7-0 with second reading waived, and R1.C passed 7-0. Cape Fear Memorial Bridge (R2) - Staff Comments on NCDOT EA - Council adopted a resolution endorsing detailed City staff comments on the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge (NCDOT HB-0039) Environmental Assessment. The EA was released August 14, 2026, with public comments due October 15, 2026. Staff said the comments respond both to technical deficiencies and to public concern about tolling, design options, and community impacts. - Staff opposed Design B, a fixed 135-foot span, because it would land traffic on Fifth Avenue, a residential street, and cause greater impacts to the historic district, traffic, noise, and the human environment. They also said the EA's study area is too narrow and should be expanded, historic-impact evaluations should occur before design selection, and mitigation costs should be included in cost comparisons. - Staff also opposed tolling, saying a toll could equal 14% of a poverty-level family's annual income, reduce economic output, cost more than 200 jobs, and require a state law change that could set a dangerous precedent. - City consultants presented three additional design options: a new bascule bridge (four-lane estimate $140 million, six-lane about $780 million); a two-lift-bridge option reusing the existing bridge and adding a new three-lane bridge (six lanes with multi-use path estimated at $585 million, compared with NCDOT's estimates of over $1 billion for Design A or B); and a southern bridge near Shipyard Boulevard (about $6 billion including nine miles of interstate). Staff requested that NCDOT evaluate these alternatives with the same scrutiny as its own designs and complete a Section 216 navigation study with the Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard. - Council discussion covered the use of federal grant funds for alternative designs, the EA's 3.27% traffic growth factor, mitigation costs, a 2022 Coast Guard horizontal clearance memo, lower vertical clearance, and potential toll diversion to the Isabel Holmes Bridge. Councilmember Andrews reminded the public that comments are due October 15 via the city website. - The resolution was approved unanimously on a motion by Mayor Pro Tem Spears, seconded by Councilmember Clinton-Quintana. Key Outcomes - Consent agenda approved 6-0. - PH1 continued to October 20, 2026, 7-0. - PH2 approved with no-short-term-rental Condition 5 and second reading waived, 7-0. - PH3 approved and second reading waived; agenda lists 6-0, minutes/transcript record unanimous approval. - O1 supplemental appropriation approved and second reading waived, 7-0. - R1.A approved 7-0; O1.B approved and second reading waived 7-0; R1.C approved 7-0. - R2 Cape Fear Memorial Bridge comments resolution adopted 7-0. - The next regular City Council meeting is October 20, 2026.