Council passes resolution demanding public hearing after land bank transfer of Gibraltar property

Wilmington City Council adopted a resolution requiring the Wilmington Land Bank to provide a public hearing and additional transparency about its acquisition and plans for the Gibraltar property.

Sponsor Councilwoman Darby said the land bank had accepted Gibraltar in a manner that sidelined council and community members; the resolution asks the land bank to explain how it acquired the site, its plans for development, and what public benefits will follow. Darby described the measure as a way to hold the land bank accountable when taxpayer funds and community interests are at stake.

Supporters argued a public hearing is common practice for major transfers and would allow the community to ask questions directly of the land bank. Opponents — including the land bank chair and several council members representing the Eighth District — said the land bank has been conducting internal reviews, had recently posted inventories online, and that a public hearing was not required to access existing records. Some council members argued reforms to the land bank's meeting schedule and governance are already under way and that a separate hearing could be duplicative.

On roll call the measure passed: six yeas, five nays and two absences. Those recorded voting yes were Councilman Owens; Councilwoman Darby; Councilwoman Oliver; Councilwoman Willower; Councilwoman McCoy; and President Congo. Those recorded voting no were Councilman Johnson; Councilman Field; Councilwoman Cabrera; Councilman Hackett; and Councilman Spadola.

The resolution and the broader land-bank reform work are now expected to overlap: council members said a separate, forthcoming ordinance will propose broader governance reforms for the land bank. The resolution directs the land bank to schedule a public hearing and provide a written accounting to council; the land bank’s executive director and board must provide inventory and contract documents identified by council in follow-up requests.

Council members asked the land bank to hold evening meetings and improve public access to agendas and Zoom links; the land bank earlier in the meeting had posted an inventory and indicated an audit report would be released at the end of the month.