Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use And Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge slower growth, better infrastructure and more public notice for planned developments
Summary
Multiple residents at the June 2 meeting urged commissioners to reconsider permitting and notification processes for planned developments, citing roadway capacity, evacuation-route flooding, school capacity and limited public engagement with the planning board and TRC process.
Residents used the public comment period to press county leaders on development policy, transportation capacity and emergency-evacuation routes.
Shirley Sullivan of 5002 Seward Court, Southport, told the board the county's 2040 comprehensive plan (Brunswick Blueprint 2040) did not list development as a top resident concern and asked why the county appears to be "going from rural to urban." Sullivan said the county-appointed planning board effectively decides planned developments and rezoning, and she criticized the timing of public hearings that she said are followed immediately by votes. "Why not have the public hearing a week or 2 before the planning board vote?" she asked.
Sullivan also said developers pay little toward infrastructure and asked why neighboring municipalities are not routinely included in Technical Review Committee (TRC) notifications. She cited a recently approved development, Plan Development 153 (Long Beach Track on the 133 bypass), and said the planning department changed the traffic-impact threshold from 1,000 to 2,000 daily trips and that a nearby evacuation route had not been considered.
Judy Andrasak of Ocean Isle (Curtis Court) told commissioners: "Our roads are pathetic. They really are. 2 lane back roads with no pullovers, ditches on the side." She criticized flooding on evacuation routes and said frequent development is worsening traffic and safety on state routes. "Something needs to be done," Andrasak said, describing a recent crash that totaled her car and injured her daughter.
During public comment the board discussed limits of county authority. A commissioner noted highways and certain flooding issues are handled by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and that development approvals are constrained by state law. Commissioner comments included that evacuation planning is ongoing but that residents do not always follow evacuation orders.
On open burning tied to land clearing, a commissioner asked the county attorney to bring a draft agenda item forward for the board to consider legislative options. The county attorney said he previously emailed two draft approaches: one to change county legislation that would initially apply only to Brunswick County and another to permit high-hazard counties to opt in. The commissioner said they will take copies to Raleigh and asked staff to provide the drafts and supporting materials to legislators.
Why it matters: Residents said roadway capacity, evacuation-route flooding and school capacity are being stressed by new development and asked for greater notice, intergovernmental coordination and financial responsibility from developers.
Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the concerns, reiterated limits of county statutory authority for some matters, and asked staff and the county attorney to bring legislative drafts and additional information back to the board and to legislators in Raleigh for consideration.
