Planning board debates policy for handling major plan changes after public notice

Following the public hearing and vote, members of the New Hanover County Planning Board spent significant time Feb. 5 discussing a proposed general policy to handle situations when applicants submit major modifications or new information after the legal notice for a hearing has been published.

Chair described the proposal as a “guardrail” rather than a rigid rule: if modifications substantially change the proposal, the board would generally continue the public hearing to allow staff review and give the public time to respond. Several board members said the intent is to protect the integrity of the public process and avoid putting the board, staff or the public on the spot when new material appears at the meeting.

Board members debated who should determine whether a change is “substantial.” Several argued the board or staff should make that call; others warned against a policy so rigid it would stifle constructive changes and iterative improvements to applications. Board member comments cited past instances where applicants presented late materials and the public or staff lacked time to review them.

The board reached a general consensus in favor of a nonbinding policy framework that would allow staff discretion and encourage applicants to submit major changes before the legal notice is finalized. Members emphasized the policy should allow flexibility for improvements that do not substantially alter project scope (for example, minor landscaping or a reduction in unit count) while requiring continuance for large changes (density increases, new ingress/egress configurations).

The discussion did not produce a formal vote; staff indicated the matter would inform ongoing updates to procedures and bylaws.