New Hanover County leaders met Thursday to discuss priorities for the county’s next Comprehensive Plan.
Branded as Destination 2050, the process of updating the plan kicked off earlier this year and is expected to wrap up in 2025, according to New Hanover County Planning Director Rebekah Roth. The Comprehensive Plan, a long-range plan that addresses future growth and development, was last updated in 2016.
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners and New Hanover County Planning Board held a joint meeting on Thursday to hear updates on the Planning Department’s work and discuss priorities as the planning process moves forward.
Earlier this year, New Hanover County selected Clarion Associates as a partner for the Comprehensive Plan updates. The firm will assist in project management along with a housing needs assessment and market analysis.
Through pulse surveys, stakeholder interviews and community meetings, the Planning Department collected initial feedback this summer. Overarching community priorities included promoting housing affordability, modernizing existing water and sewer systems and expanding the area’s employment base, among other issues.
Several other
public input pop-up meetings are planned throughout October at locations across the county.
During their discussion of priorities for the county’s next Comprehensive Plan, local leaders highlighted a need to coordinate with neighboring counties to build affordable housing to meet demand across the region. They also underscored the importance of preserving green spaces and developing the county’s remaining large tracts in coordination with private landowners, possibly through developer agreements.
Some members raised concerns about the county’s need to address traffic and stormwater infrastructure along with defining density expectations and ensuring the county has the schools and other resources needed to accommodate a growing population.
“I think what we need to focus on is what improves the quality of life for our citizens here in New Hanover County because that’s what they want to see … when that falls into place, everything else falls into place,” said Board of Commissioners Vice Chair LeAnn Pierce.
Commissioner Dane Scalise said he agreed the updated Comprehensive Plan should focus on elements that support a high quality of life for residents like green spaces and infrastructure improvements.
Commissioner Rob Zapple emphasized a need for a “continued focus on flooding” and defining the area’s density levels.
“I think we need to re-examine that so we have clarity,” he said. “What do we mean by more density?”
Commissioner Jonathan Barfield said he believes the county needs to take a forward-looking role when it comes to population growth and ongoing development on the county’s northern end.
“All eyes are on us because we are the ones driving the ship. We need to make sure we are looking at every unintended consequence as a result of what we’re doing,” Barfield said. “If you build it, they will come and we’re building it. I think we need to be forward-thinking and putting in the services that are needed.”
