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HomeMy WebLinkAboutS25-07 Planning Board Staff SummaryS25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 1 of 10 STAFF SUMMARY FOR S25-07 SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATION APPLICATION SUMMARY Case Number: S25-07 Requests: I-1 zoning district requires Special Use Permit for Ship and Boat Building Applicant: Property Owner(s): Greg Taylor with TMC Taylor Construction Inc. 2nd Wilmington Properties LLC Location: Acreage: 2020 Capital Drive 1.58 PID(s): Comp Plan Place Type: R03400-003-025-000 Employment Center Existing Land Use: Proposed Land Uses: Vacant land/Undeveloped Boat and Ship Manufacturing Current Zoning: CZD I-1, Light Industrial SURROUNDING AREA LAND USE ZONING North SGS Laboratory and Business Facility (CZD) I-1 East Murrayville Station Business Park Stormwater Pond (CZD) B-1 South Vacant Industrial Building (CZD) I-1 West Industrial Marine Machining & Welding (CZD) I-1 S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 2 of 10 ZONING HISTORY July 7, 1972 Originally zoned AR and R-15 as part of (Area 8B) February 6, 1995 Rezoned to (CZD) I-1 (Z-518) COMMUNITY SERVICES Water/Sewer Property is on public water and sewer through CFPUA. Fire Protection New Hanover County Fire Services, New Hanover County Northern Fire District, Station 17 Murrayville. Recreation Smith Creek Preserve and Smith Creek Park CONSERVATION, HISTORIC, & ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES Conservation The New Hanover County Conservation Resource map indicates there are no Conservation Resources located on the property, it is all classified as Successional Land. Historic No known historic resources Archaeological No known archaeological resources S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 3 of 10 APPLICANT’S PROPOSED PLANS Site Plan with Staff Markup • The applicant proposes using an existing two-story industrial facility in the Murrayville Station Business Park for the use of Ship and Boat Building. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS code 3366) describes the use as those primarily engaged in operating shipyards or boat yards (i.e., ship or boat manufacturing facilities). Shipyards are fixed facilities with drydocks and fabrication equipment capable of building a ship, defined as watercraft typically suitable or intended for other than personal or recreational use. Boats are defined as watercraft typically suitable or intended for personal use. • The applicant’s business is the construction of personal catamarans and custom-built sportfishing boats. • The applicant is not proposing any changes to the existing site which includes two full access driveways onto Capital Drive, parking on the northern, western, and southern sides of the N Existing Parking Existing 13,820 square Industrial Facility Ca p i t a l D r i v e Existing sidewalks Existing Fence and Gate Fenced-in paved area Existing Parking Existing Landscaping S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 4 of 10 building, loading bays on the northern side of the building, and a gravel outdoor area in the eastern rear of the building. • The Murrayville Station Business Park is served by a regional stormwater pond located immediately to the east of the site. The site also includes a permeable area in the eastern rear of the building that assists with drainage. This concept plan does not indicate any areas are to be used for outdoor storage. If approved, any future proposed outdoor storage would be considered a major deviation and require review and approval through the quasi-judicial hearing process. ZONING CONSIDERATIONS • The Ship and Boat Building is permitted in the I-1 district with the approval of a Special Use Permit. • While industrial in nature, the proposed use is not classified as an Intensive Industry in the Unified Development Ordinance, and no community meeting was required for this application. • The property was zoned (CZD) I-1 in February 1995 as part of a larger 62.5-acre rezoning for the Murrayville Station Business Park. The project consisted of a mix of conditional B-1, B-2, and I-1 zoning districts. The property is bordered by (CZD) I-1 zoning to the North, South, and West, with (CZD) B-1 to the East. • The conditional zoning for the site prohibited the following uses and activities from the I-1 portion of the project: adult entertainment, septic tank services, dry cleaning plants, noise sensitive uses and assembly places (ex: religious institutions or event centers). All other uses in the I-1 district are allowed under the conditions of the rezoning. • For parking requirements Ship and Boat Building is grouped within the larger zoning land use category of “Transportation Equipment Manufacturing”, which requires 1.5 spaces per 1,000 square feet of building. The existing building is 13,820 square feet, which requires a minimum of 21 parking spaces. The site currently has 40 parking spaces, exceeding the minimum requirement of the UDO. • Site inspection by Planning staff confirmed the site has existing street yard, foundation, and parking lot landscaping meeting the UDO requirements for the site. • If approved, the project would be subject to the Technical Review Committee and Zoning Compliance review processes to ensure full compliance with all ordinance requirements and specific conditions included in the approval. Only minor deviations from the approved conceptual plan, as defined by the UDO, would be allowed. S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 5 of 10 AREA DEVELOPMENT S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 6 of 10 TRANSPORTATION CURRENT CONDITIONS Intensity of Current Zoning Typical development under current zoning allows for a variety of industrial uses. PROPOSED ACCESS Primary Access Full access onto Capital Drive EXISTING ROADWAY CHARACTERISTICS Affected Roadways N Kerr Avenue Farley Drive Type of Roadways Minor Arterial Minor Arterial Roadway Planning Capacity (AADT) 15,458 15,458 S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 7 of 10 Latest Traffic Volume (AADT) - 2023 6,400 2,900 Latest WMPO Point-in-Time Count (DT) N/A N/A Current Level of Congestion Available Available Sources Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization NEARBY NCDOT STIP ROADWAY PROJECTS No Nearby STIP Projects TRAFFIC GENERATION Traffic Generation by Present Designation* Traffic Generated by Proposed Project Potential Impact of Proposed Project AM Peak Hour Trips 10 23 +13 PM Peak Hour Trips 9 27 +18 Assumptions *Existing Vacant General Light Industrial ITE Code Proposed Use – 13,820 square foot Industrial Building Sources Source of Trip Generation: ITE Trip Generation Manual, 11th ed TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS (TIA) The site’s projected traffic does not exceed the 100 peak-hour trips that triggers the ordinance requirement for a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA). SUMMARY This project proposes to occupy an existing facility in the Murrayville Station Business Park. The park is accessed from Farley Drive to the north, by way of Kerr Ave, with right-in, right-out access from southbound College Road through Business Drive. While the project is anticipated to generate additional traffic compared to the current vacant general light industrial use of the building, the overall Murrayville Business Park was designed to accommodate a variety of industrial and manufacturing uses. The site does not meet the threshold to trigger a TIA, but a driveway permit will need to be reviewed by NCDOT. ENVIRONMENTAL • The property is not within a Natural Heritage Area or the Special Flood Hazard Area. • The property is within the Smith Creek watershed. • Per the Classification of Soils in New Hanover County for Septic Tank Suitability, soils on the property consist of Class II (Moderate Limitation) soils; however, the site is currently served by CFPUA water and sewer. S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 8 of 10 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Context and Compatibility • The project proposes to occupy an existing industrial building inside the Murrayville Station Business Park. The park was approved in 1995 as a 62.5-acre business park with areas for commercial and industrial uses. • Nearby uses in the (CZD) I-1 section of the business park include an HVAC contractor, tile contractor, cabinet design and manufacturing, camshaft manufacturing, and marine machining and welding. • The park is located between the airport to the west and the College Road to the east, approximately 0.5 miles north of the College Road, Gordon Road, and I-40 interchange. • The site is currently served by CFPUA for utilities with a regional stormwater pond for the business park. • The site currently complies with the requirements of the UDO and no changes are proposed to the site. 2016 COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN The New Hanover County Future Land Use Map provides a general representation of the vision for New Hanover County’s future land use, as designated by place types describing the character and function of the different types of development that make up the community. These place types are intended to identify general areas for particular development patterns and should not be interpreted as being parcel specific. Future Land Use Map Place Type Employment Center S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 9 of 10 Place Type Description Employment Center: Serves as an employment and production hub where office and light industrial uses predominate. It can also include residential, civic, and recreational uses, but should be clearly delineated from rural and conservation areas. Commercial uses designed to serve the needs of the employment center are appropriate. Analysis The property is centrally located in the Murrayville Station Business Park between the airport and the College Road corridor and nearby land uses in the park include manufacturing and contractor uses. The Employment Center Place type was applied to the business park, including the subject parcel, in 2016 to ensure the area remained focused on office, commercial, and light industrial uses. The site is served by existing infrastructure and the project does not propose any changes to the site. Proposed Conditions There are no applicant Proposed Conditions. PRELIMINARY FORUM The Planning Board does not make a decision or recommendation on special use permits. The board is requested to hear the presentation of staff, the applicant, and the public to facilitate an open and transparent discussion of the special use permit application. Questions and comments related to the following topics are encouraged: • Components of the proposal that are not clear or where additional information is needed to understand the project, • Advice to the applicant on the presentation they will be giving to the Board of Commissioners, • Advice to the parties speaking in opposition on what they may want to consider when preparing for the Board of Commissioners meeting, and • Advice to both parties on potential issues that should be addressed before the public hearing. Following the Preliminary Forum the special use permit will be scheduled for the October 6 Board of Commissioners meeting for a quasi-judicial hearing. There are four principal conclusions the Board of Commissioners must make when considering a special use permit request based on clear, substantial evidence presented at the hearing. S25-07 Staff Summary – Planning Board 1-8-2026 Page 10 of 10 • Conclusion 1: The Board must find that the use will not materially endanger the public health or safety where proposed and developed according to the plan as submitted and approved. • Conclusion 2: The Board must find that the use meets all required conditions and specifications of the Unified Development Ordinance. • Conclusion 3: The Board must find that the use will not substantially injure the value of adjoining or abutting property or that the use is a public necessity. • Conclusion 4: The Board must find that the location and character of the use if developed according to the plan as submitted and approved will be in harmony with the area in which it is to be located and in general conformity with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for New Hanover County.