Residents urge immediate update to UDO, say infrastructure strained by rapid development

Multiple residents used the public comment period to urge the Board of Commissioners to slow or better manage new development, saying county infrastructure and evacuation capacity are already near capacity.

Barbara Kuczynski Gilbert, who identified herself as a resident of Southport (mailing address Supply), told commissioners she is "here today to address the overdevelopment in Brunswick County." Gilbert said the county's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is outdated and that the planning board currently has "few options" when presented with new development proposals. She asked the commission to "take back the final approval of development from the planning board" and to postpone approvals if roads and emergency services cannot safely support new construction.

Resident Bill Immen, who said he's lived in the county since 1985, described rising environmental impacts from development, including permanently closed shellfishing areas and increased flooding after storms. Immen urged commissioners to act to keep Brunswick County "as pristine as we can" for future generations.

Why it matters: Commenters argued the combination of near-capacity infrastructure, increased storm flooding and rapid building makes it harder to evacuate during a major hurricane and that the county's land-use rules should be updated to account for current conditions.

Board response: Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and discussed the need for updated planning tools and coordination with state agencies. No formal action was taken during the meeting; the comments were recorded for follow-up by planning staff.