Brunswick commissioners hear UDO update as residents warn growth and infrastructure lag

Michael Harvey, consultant with Enfocus/InFocus Planning Inc., told the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners the Unified Development Ordinance update is meant to consolidate local land-use rules into a single, modern document that implements the county’s recently adopted comprehensive plan and ensures compliance with state law.

“This project’s ultimate goal here is to ensure that we are properly implementing your recently adopted comprehensive plan,” Harvey said in his presentation. He described the UDO as a “one-stop shop” for zoning, subdivisions, stormwater, flood regulations and other development standards. The draft proposes new districts, an agricultural conservation district for low-density rural areas, a Highway 17 commercial overlay, updated stormwater and floodplain standards, a 30% open-space requirement for subdivisions, and a recommendation that staff review most subdivisions while plan developments and major rezonings would go through a legislative hearing process.

Harvey warned, however, that recent North Carolina General Assembly actions — including a December 2024 change to the…