The N.C. Department of Transportation reached a $24 million settlement with Wilmington landowners related to the U.S. 17 Hampstead Bypass project, state officials said this week. The payout helps compensate Sidbury Land & Timber LLC because the bypass project cuts off access to more than 500 acres of the company’s property on Sidbury Road in New Hanover County ...

A downtown mixed-use redevelopment in the works by Zimmer Development and New Hanover County will be up for a vote by the Local Government Commission in July. The LGC's task will be to decide whether to approve the Project Grace lease agreement between the county and Wilmington-based Zimmer, a development company whose projects over the years include Wilmington' ...

The potential redevelopment of a New Hanover County-owned block in downtown Wilmington could now include a $2.5 million contingency plan for the developer in case state officials nix part of the emerging deal. Project Grace could transform the 3-acre block bordered by Grace, Third, Chestnut and Second streets into a mixed-use project, requiring the demolition of the exi ...

Local governments are beefing up economic development appropriations for several area agencies during this summer’s budget approval process. Funding for many agencies is on the rise, as New Hanover County and the city of Wilmington approve their respective 2022-2023 fiscal year budgets.  This budget cycle, the Wilmington International Airport, which is ove ...

A  30-plus-year veteran of the financial sector in North Carolina is the new chief financial officer for New Hanover County. Eric Credle, who is taking over the role following the promotion of Lisa Wurtzbacher to assistant county manager earlier this month, begins his as CFO on June 14, according to a county news release. “Eric brings a wealth of knowledge ...

The city of Wilmington has named a new planning director. Linda Painter has been named the city's director of planning and development following a nationwide search, according to a news release Friday. She previously worked as the director of planning and development for the town of Mansfield, Connecticut. For Wilmington, Painter will lead a staff of 24, overseei ...

North Carolina State Ports Authority officials aim to relocate one of its main entrances in Wilmington less than a mile north – a proposed $20 million move designed to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecking of vehicles blocked by rail traffic.  In February, the Port of Wilmington’s new South Gate Container Complex opened, providing contai ...

The city of Wilmington announced two new hires Monday afternoon that will round out the city's administrative department.  Pender County manager Chad McEwen will serve as a deputy city manager beginning July 5. McEwen gave the Pender County Board of Commissioners his resignation notice late last month, and requested a 30-day notice, but was required to fulfill ...

Wilmington is preparing to return more than $500,000 in short-term rental fees after two courts ruled that the city collected them illegally.  Last month, a three-judge N.C. Court of Appeals panel unanimously ruled portions of Wilmington’s short-term rental ordinance were invalid.  In January 2019, the city enacted its short-term rental (STR) ord ...

The town of Carolina Beach is one of the latest local governments to give its employees a pay increase.  Some other examples of pay raises have come in recent weeks from the city of Wilmington, New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Wrightsville Beach. During Carolina Beach Town Council budget discussions Tuesday, officials brought up the topic of paying compe ...