WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – A proposed amendment to the city’s land development code could lead to more development in Wilmington’s “legacy districts.”

Legacy districts make up 16% of the city. They’re districts that are ruled by Wilmington’s old land development code because they are considered antiquated. The city made a new land development code in 2021 that applies to all other districts.

Brian Chambers, the assistant director for planning and development in Wilmington, said at a community meeting Thursday night that having certain districts ruled by a different code just led to inconsistency in zoning and development across the city.

“The old code and the new code regulate development and our resources differently, and this amendment hopes to make it more consistent across both codes,” Chambers said.

If the legacy districts amendment passed and the districts were ruled by the new codes, it would get rid of existing residential density limits, which means the number of residential units that can be in an area.

It also would allow developers to break “impervious surface” coverage limits. “Impervious surface” means the ground doesn’t absorb water, leading to increased flooding.

Developers could break these limits and build larger projects if they prove they are using “sustainable development techniques.” The city refers to these techniques as “exceptional design.”

For every element they prove they use, they can earn the right to build on additional impervious surface areas.

Matt Childs, who lives in one of the legacy districts, says that won’t work for where he lives.

“I do live in a legacy district, right behind the proposed Autumn Hall development,” Childs said. “We believe our legacy district is unique because we are right on a tidal marsh. The soils in the area really don’t allow for drainage that well, so building on them will cause more flooding.”

Childs prepared a presentation of his own for the meeting, using data points from a UNCW professor.

“Ultimately, we want them not to change the zoning,” Childs said. “There’s a lot of development here in Wilmington. It’s a very exciting time to live in this place. We’re building all over the city, but it’s a good time for us to look and say are we doing this the right way? Is the community stakeholders in the development and are we building for the future?”

Chambers said based on the feedback they heard at the meeting, the planning staff will get together next week and pursue one of three options:

“The options are to take the amendment as is, to modify the amendment, or not take it at all,” Chambers said.

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