Z20-17 Application Package 8.6.2020
1 2 2 C I N E M A D R I V E, W I L M I N G T O N , N C 2 8 4 0 3 P H : ( 9 1 0 ) 7 9 1 - 6 7 0 7 F A X : ( 9 1 0 ) 7 9 1 - 6 7 6 0
Date 6 August 2020
Project Narrative:
The proposed development is a total of +69.36 acres located in New Hanover County (NHC)
near the intersection of Crooked Pine Road and Plantation Road at the end of Murrayville
Road. The subject parcels are further defined as NHC parcel numbers: R02800‐004‐031‐000
and R02800‐004‐104‐000. The site is bisected by the new Military Cutoff Extension and
associated service road which are both currently under construction. The result is 3
relatively small parcels of land along the service road comprising + 12.23 acres and the larger
tract adjacent to Hanover Reserve and at the end of Murrayville Road, + 57.13 acres. New
Hanover County GIS documents the land as + 67.59 acres, but current survey reflects the
land identified in the project narrative and in the plans.
The project is proposed is proposed as a Master Planned Development (PD) to be rezoned
into PD; however, the smaller parcels bifurcated from the parent parcel due to NCDOT work
are cut off from meeting the full vehicular and pedestrian connectivity of a PD district.
Therefore, the applicant is requesting a commercial zoning, B‐2 that will work in concert
with the PD development and the project will be designed together as a cohesive
development when possible. The submittal represents the master plans and B‐2 rezoning
plan outlining the details of our proposals. However, an overview of the proposed
development is as follows:
We proposed a commercial core developed around the new Military Cutoff Extension
(MCOE). The existing dead‐end Murrayville Road will be extended to the MCOE’s proposed
left‐over intersection. This intersection will be the commercial hub with the service road’s
right in/right out access being a secondary commercial hub. The existing site is a mixture of
R‐15 and R‐5, with residential uses surrounding the site. Using the flexibility of PD zoning to
cohesively design the site, we propose encircling the proposed commercial core with a
variety of residential units to create a well‐orchestrated transition from the busier
commercial center to medium‐dense residential to lower density single family/existing
neighborhoods.
We are only at point of a high level, master plan to identify acceptable land uses and basic
vehicular and pedestrian networks, so the applicant has much more work to do, if the
project moves ahead under these rezoning requests. That work will get into the details of
design development all the while working hand in hand with NCDOT, WMPO, and NHC to
develop a high quality, safe community with a commercial center. That commercial hub can
offer goods, services, entertainment, and dining to a portion of the county that currently
must rely on the busy Market Street or Gordon Road corridors to find similar services. The
proposed project presents a new opportunity for a vehicular connection to a major highway,
MCOE, with a real potential to alleviate traffic congestion from the Murrayville/Ogden area.
Furthermore, by offering a commercial hub at one of the only stops along MCOE between
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Market Street and I‐140, this also has the potential to offer goods and services to an
underserved area without creating undo traffic burden. This area of the county was
identified for just these types of uses in the Future Land Use Plan by identifying the land
within a community mixed use place type. Water and sewer are extending in this direction,
the traffic network is currently being constructed, and we are presenting a plan that fits with
the County’s future land use planning. With the pieces set in place for a responsible,
cohesive development, we appreciate your consideration of our proposed development.
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Supplemental Application Information – MPD – PD
Master Planned Development Considerations:
1. How would the requested change be consistent with the County’s policies for
growth and development, s described in the 2016 Comprehensive Plan, applicable
small area plans, etc.
The Comprehensive Plan identifies the land in the Community Mixed Use place type which
promotes a variety of house products, goods and services, mixed use and other similar uses
to those proposed with this project. Furthermore, one of our areas major long‐range NCDOT
traffic relief projects is underway and bisects the site creating near‐perfect conditions for a
commercial center with medium to high density mixed use/residential development. The
Military Cutoff Extension, when complete, gives convenient, quick access to the
Market/Military Cutoff intersection and beyond as well as Hampstead and beyond when
complete bypass projects are in place. This is expected to alleviate a good deal of previously
gnarled and congested network of neighborhood roads all dumping out on Market Street.
Our proposed project’s timing aligns well with the anticipated completion of the Military
Cutoff Extension. Commercial and higher density portions of the project would not be
online until after completion of the new highway’s connection to Military Cutoff.
2. How would the requested development be consistent with the property’s
classification on the 2016 Comprehensive Plan’s Further Land Use Map.
See response above.
3. How does the proposed master planned development meet the required elements
and intent of the proposed zoning district?
The proposed MPD not only provides the connection of a major arterial road to a principal
highway in Wilmington, it also develops a road and pedestrian network that flows easily
between the proposed commercial and residential developments. The intent of the
development is to promote this live, work, play community, not only for the people moving
into the project, but also for those nearby. The applicant is currently in early discussions
with the County planners, NCDOT, and WMPO to create a safe, lighted intersection at MCOE
and Murrayville Road Extension. The developer’s suggestion is to pick up NCDOT’s dead‐
ended multi‐use path, planned to end 200 yards to the south at the service road, and carry it
to the MCOE/Murrayville intersection. Bringing the multi‐use path up to this intersection
and signalizing it will allow for pedestrian traffic to safely cross what is going to be a heavily
traveled, high speed six lane divided highway and to use this path where it is currently not
provided for. From there, the applicant proposes an integrated pedestrian network
accessing the well‐designed Murrayville streetscape and multi‐use path providing easy
access to shopping, dining, parks, and all the offerings of the commercial and residential
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development. We believe this proposed development hits the heart of what a community
mixed use place type is supposed to be, and we hope you feel the same way.
Supplemental Application Information – B‐2 REZONING
Zoning Map Amendment Considerations:
1. How would the requested change be consistent with the County’s policies for
growth and development, as described in the 2016 Comprehensive Plan, applicable
small area plans, etc.?
The Comprehensive Plan identifies the land in the Community Mixed Use place type which
promotes a variety of house products, goods and services, mixed use and other similar uses
to those proposed with in project. While these fragmented +12.23 acre parcels of land
cannot be part of the overall Planned Development, they can act in supporting roles to that
development and the greater Military Cutoff Extension corridor. These parcels are difficult
to develop as residential since they are small, and they are now adjacent to a major highway
which makes the land better suited to its Community Mixed Use place type designation.
While true mixed use projects will be difficult to fit inside these small parcels, they are
appropriately sized for traditional highway business type uses as allowed by Community
Mixed Use. A B‐2 zoning allows for many of the uses found along highways but provides
enough flexibility in uses that an end‐user can locate a more creative mixture of uses on a
parcel if design allows. The applicant feels the B‐2 use is the best zone to promote uses
suitable with the place type designation.
2. How would the requested zoning change be consistent with the property’s
classification on the 2016 Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map?
See response above.
3. What significant neighborhood changes have occurred to make the original zoning
inappropriate or how is the land involved unsuitable for the uses permitted under
the existing zoning?
As previously stated, the bifurcating of the applicant’s land with the Military Cutoff
Extension rendered these three parcels of land relatively useless as residential due, as is
allowed in the current R‐15 zoning, due to parcel size and proximity to the highway. Also,
other factors like grade change and new drainage infrastructure further restrict
development of R‐15 style neighborhoods. With the new highway cutting through the
property, and with the NCDOT’s service road access being constructed, it seems that the
remaining land is well suited to access that service road with driveway cuts consistent with
commercial or office development. Much of the adjacent land is undeveloped and these
types of uses are not known to be a nuisance to anyone at this time.
4. How will this zoning change serve the public interest?
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The zoning change will allow for a commercial and office uses that are immediately
available to many neighborhoods in Northern New Hanover County. However, there is
also a regional benefit for inclusion of goods and services at this location. Military Cutoff
Extension connects I‐140 to the existing Military Cutoff Road at Market Street. This site
is located closest to I‐140 and is the only current commercial opportunity close to a full
service interchange, with water and sewer availability, and relatively unencumbered land
ready to develop between I‐40 and Market Street. A commercial node in this location
does not carry the more severe impacts to the neighboring properties as those sites
adjacent to residential communities. While the adjacent land is zoned R‐15, it is largely
undeveloped, unoccupied and, as such, negative community impact will be minimized.
Therefore, a more regional commercial node seems well suited and in line with current
county planning efforts. The applicant believes this is one of the few sites at this point in
time that can offer a regional commercial node that could benefit the greater
Wilmington Area.
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Hanover Reserve Mixed Use Community Meeting Summary:
Due to COVID restrictions, Paramounte Engineering held a GoToMeeting virtual
community meeting on July 30, 2020 at 5 PM. All participants were completed with
questions by 5:45PM. The meeting was recorded and shared with anyone requesting a
copy after the meeting.
The presentation consisted of an earlier version of the master plan, aerial images, and an
example of a previous graphic used for the Phase 4 Section 1 Hanover Reserve
townhomes. This area is being enveloped in the Hanover Reserve Mixed Use PD but is
still planned for the same number of townhomes as presented during a rezoning of the
property from R‐15 to R‐5. After a project overview and orientation by Paramounte
Engineering, the meeting was turned over to participants for questions and comments.
One person was concerned that traffic would cut through her neighborhood to
enter the proposed project. We discussed ways the road network could be
designed to prevent a direct cut through from her neighborhood, and those ideas
will be considered in the design development of the project.
One person preferred single family homes to townhomes behind her home.
We did get a couple of comments concerned over traffic, but no one in direct
opposition ( at least in the meeting).
We did receive a couple of emails leading up to the meeting expressing wishes
that we would not develop anything. When invited to the community meeting to
express concerns and engage in discussion about their thoughts, they did not
appear to accept the invitation. None of those comments were voiced during the
meeting.
There was a comment that getting to goods and services is not a problem now
and there does not need to be a new commercial node here.
Others expressed interest in dining and shopping opportunities.
Most of the questions pertained to Military Cutoff Extension:
There was discussion about the impacts of Military Cutoff Extension and the new
connection to that road. Questions were raised about what happens to
Plantation Road with NCDOT’s work, and those were answered to the best of our
ability.
Additional questions concerning what roads will be paved and not after NCDOT is
finished were discussed by the group.
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One person owning land in the area, but not living here was very much in favor of
the proposed project and supported the mixture of uses and commercial,
walkable core we hope to create.
We had folks both in the meeting and after, through email, ask us to create
something upscale, nice, and walkable.
Most people that had in‐depth questions were those finding out the plans
because they own property nearby and want to know how this development will
affect property values.
We extended the offer for folks to continue to contact us through the process if they have
questions or comments. We asked folks to help us be the kind of development they want to
see in their neighborhood, and many folks have responded positively to this effort. While
some folks like Murrayville just the way it is, others seem welcoming. We have received
general support and good wishes from several neighbors.