Brunswick County reviews Unified Development Ordinance update as residents press for faster action on infrastructure

Michael Harvey, the lead consultant from InFocus Planning, told the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 15 that the county's Unified Development Ordinance update aims to consolidate land‑use rules into a single, modern document that implements the county’s recently adopted 2040 comprehensive plan.

The presentation outlined proposed new districts, revised subdivision review, and higher standards for stormwater, floodplain and open space. Harvey said the draft would create an agricultural and conservation district for rural areas, a major commercial overlay for Highway 17, and a heavy industrial overlay to cluster intensive industrial uses. He also recommended a 30% minimum open‑space standard for subdivisions and treating planned developments as conditional rezonings subject to legislative hearings.

"Our ultimate goal is to ensure that we are properly implementing your recently adopted comprehensive plan," Harvey said when…