TA21-03_MixedUseDistrict_Summaries2021-08 Public Comment Draft
2021 HEIGHT STANDARDS AMENDMENT CONCEPTS
URBAN MIXED USE ZONING (UMXZ) DISTRICT
CONCEPT SUMMARY: Allow Master Development Plans approved in
conjunction with Urban Mixed Use Zoning (UMXZ) rezoning requests
determine height maximums.
DISTRICT INTENT: To meet the following objectives in the areas of
New Hanover County in proximity to the City of Wilmington and those
intended for urban or community scale mixed use development:
• To encourage the efficient mixed use development pattern
envisioned in the Comprehensive Plan;
• To result in quality design and a variety of built forms of lasting
value that result in a pedestrian scale;
• To provide a mix of housing options;
• To promote and enhance transportation options, particularly
those that are pedestrian-oriented, while reducing demand for
automobile trips; and
• To encourage a mix of uses to foster a sense of community.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GUIDANCE: While the plan does not directly
relate place types with specific zoning districts, this district could be
appropriate for the full spectrum of place types, including the highest intensity Urban Mixed Use and Employment Center areas, which both anticipate heights of
up to 7 stories.
DRAFT TEXT AMENDMENT CONCEPT
Current Standards
Proposed Standards
Height Maximum Additional Height
Allowances Setbacks Height
Maximum
Additional Height
Allowances Setbacks
Along arterial streets: 4 stories
or 45 ft.
Along residential & collector
streets: 2 stories or 35 ft.
Along arterial streets: 75
ft. with Special Use Permit
Along arterial & collector
streets: 5 stories or 55 ft.
if structure parking is
provided within project
35 ft. for
buildings ≤ 35 ft.
in height
45 ft. for
buildings > 35 ft.
in height
Established in
MDP Master
Development
Plan
N/A
35 ft. for buildings ≤ 35 ft. in
height
45 ft. for buildings > 35 ft. in
height
Considerations:
• This provision would not apply to existing approved UMXZ developments, as they are governed by the master development plans approved at the
time of their rezoning.
• This district allows a wide variety of residential, commercial, and office uses.
• The current height maximum in the district only allows buildings of 5 stories or 55 ft. along major roadways if structured parking is required.
Otherwise, the maximum height allowed without a special use permit is 4 stories or 45 ft.
• 5-story nonresidential building currently require about 75 ft.
• 7-story nonresidential buildings currently require about 100 ft. in height.
• The current height allowances are applied only to properties located in particular Comprehensive Plan Place Types and along particular roadways.
However, place types were not developed to be property specific, which could cause difficulties in determining the application of the additional
height allowance for some properties, and the General Statutes indicate that all parcels within a particular zoning district should have the same
dimensional standards.
Example of a Master Development Plan approved as part of a UMXZ rezoning.
2021-08 Public Comment Draft
2021 HEIGHT STANDARDS AMENDMENT CONCEPTS
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT (PD) DISTRICT
CONCEPT SUMMARY: Allow Master Development Plans
approved in conjunction with Planned Development (PD)
rezoning requests determine height maximums.
DISTRICT INTENT: To encourage innovative, integrated, and
efficient land planning and site design concepts that achieve a
high quality of development, environmental sensitivity, and
adequate public facilities and services, and that provide
community benefits, by:
• Reducing the inflexibility of zoning district standards that
sometimes result from strict application of the base
district, and development standards;
• Allowing greater flexibility in selecting the form and
design of development, the ways by which pedestrians
and traffic circulate, how the development is located
and designed to respect the natural features of the land
and protect the environment, the location, and integration of open space and civic space into the development, and design amenities;
• Encouraging a greater mix of land uses within the same development;
• Allowing more efficient use of land, with smaller networks of streets and utilities;
• Providing pedestrian connections within the site and to the public right-of-way; and
• Promoting development forms and patterns that respect the character of established surrounding neighborhoods and other types of land uses.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GUIDANCE: While the plan does not directly relate place types with specific zoning districts, this district could be appropriate for the
full spectrum of place types, including the highest intensity Urban Mixed Use and Employment Center areas, which both anticipate heights of up to 7 stories.
DRAFT TEXT AMENDMENT CONCEPT
Current Standards
Proposed Standards
Height
Maximum
Additional Height Allowances Height
Maximum
Additional Height Allowances
Allowance Maximum Additional
Standards Allowance Maximum Additional
Standards
40 ft.
There is no maximum building height for
Agricultural or Industrial uses.
The maximum building height is 80 ft. for
buildings located within the Urban Mixed
Use, Community Mixed Use, or Employment
Center areas identified on the New Hanover
County Future Land Use Map and fronting
along a collector, minor arterial, or principal
arterial as indicated on the Wilmington
Urban Area MPO functional classification
map.
None
Established in
MDP Master
Development
Plan
N/A N/A
Example of a Master Development Plan approved as part of a Planned Development rezoning.
Considerations:
• This provision would likely not apply to existing approved planned developments, as they are governed by the master development plans
approved at the time of their rezoning.
• This district allows a wide variety of residential, commercial, office, and industrial uses.
• The current height maximum in the district, without the additional allowance outlined, would limit buildings to no more than 2 stories. This would
limit height to less than currently allowed in our general Residential (RA, R-20, R-15, etc.) for single family homes.
• The current height allowance in the district only allows up to about 5 stories even in the highest intensity place types outlined in the
Comprehensive Plan.
• 7-story nonresidential buildings currently require about 100 ft. in height.
• The current height allowances are applied only to properties located in particular Comprehensive Plan Place Types and along particular roadways.
However, place types were not developed to be property specific, which could cause difficulties in determining the application of the additional
height allowance for some properties, and the General Statutes indicate that all parcels within a particular zoning district should have the same
dimensional standards.
• Minimum setbacks are outlined for the district, but any proposed Master Development Plan could include larger setbacks, design elements, or
vegetative buffers depending on the context of the property proposed for rezoning.