County planners present early findings and next steps for Imagine Pender 2050 land use plan

Pender County planning staff on Feb. 18 updated the Board of Commissioners on progress for Imagine Pender 2050, the county’s comprehensive land use plan, and outlined next steps for policy drafting and additional public engagement.

Daniel Adams, director of Planning and Community Development, told commissioners the planning team had spent much of the past year building the plan’s foundation and conducting outreach. He said the process collected 1,410 online survey responses and drew about 77 attendees to 10 in-person meetings held across the county.

From that public engagement, Adams said staff and the consultant identified eight policy priorities: managed growth; environmental, farmland and rural preservation; mitigating flooding and drainage issues; community amenities and recreation; attainable housing and quality of life; economic development; enhanced civic engagement; and public services. Adams said the project is now working on policy language and the future land use map, which will guide decisions about where infrastructure and services should be concentrated over the next 25 years.

Adams said the planning team received a first draft of the plan’s initial section and would circulate a subsequent draft for public comment. He said the future land use map is central to the plan because it communicates where the county anticipates higher growth and where the county should target utilities, parks or other infrastructure.

Adams asked the board to refer residents to the project website (imagine.pendercountync.gov) and said staff would return with dates for a second community engagement window later this spring.