By WECT Staff | October 6, 2020 at 6:54 AM EDT – Updated October 6 at 8:58 AM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The Town of Wrightsville Beach could soon become the next municipality in the area to prohibit floating homes within town limits.
The Wrightsville Beach Planning Board is being presented with a number of text amendments to the town’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) on Tuesday, one of which would expressly prohibit floating homes in the town.
In Wrightsville Beach floating homes are already only permitted in the C-3 district, however, if the board chooses to approve the amendment, they could soon be banned in every district.
While floating homes are allowed in the C-3 districts, they are not a use that is permitted by right, instead, they require special conditions in order to be allowed.
The existing UDO reads, “Floating Homes Prohibited Except in Permitted Districts. It shall be unlawful for any floating home to dock, moor, anchor, or remain within the waters within the zoning jurisdiction of the town except in permitted commercial marinas.”
Although the amendment would prohibit floating homes, Wrightsville Beach’s UDO does not appear to define a floating home which could lead to similar confusion like that in Carolina Beach. At the crux of the argument between the Carolina Beach Yacht Club and Marina is the fact that the under the town’s own definition the structure that is in question qualifies as a vessel, not a floating home, and is therefore permitted in the town and at the marina.
The Planning Board meet Tuesday, Oct., 5:30 p.m.
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