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Residents urge commissioners to block large Sledge Forest proposal; developers say revised plan conserves most old‑growth areas
Summary
Dozens of residents spoke against the proposed Hilton Bluffs development in Sledge Forest, citing traffic, flood and wildlife concerns; developer representatives said the plan was scaled back and uses clustered design to conserve large forested tracts.
A sustained public‑comment period at the April 6 New Hanover County meeting focused on a proposed large development in the Sledge Forest area (marketed as Hilton Bluffs). Residents from Marathon Avenue, Tall Oaks Drive, McDougall Drive and neighboring communities described the tract as an old‑growth swamp forest and warned that the proposed plan—previously discussed in larger configurations and now presented as a reduced plan of roughly 1,800 homes on about 1,810 acres—would overwhelm local two‑lane roads, threaten evacuation routes and damage wetlands and wildlife habitat.
Long‑time residents and subject experts presented technical and personal testimony: a traffic professional told the board that the transportation study understates impacts and warned that routing secondary access through quiet neighborhood streets would be unsafe; residents cited the potential for tens of thousands of additional vehicle trips at full build‑out and described local roads lacking sidewalks, posing pedestrian safety risks.
Speakers also raised flooding and environmental concerns, noting FEMA and local flood maps that identify portions of the Sledge Forest area as flood hazard zones and suggesting additional analysis is needed before permitting. Several residents asked commissioners to use any lawful discretion to block or slow the proposal and to prioritize conservation.
Developer representatives Wade Miller and Sam Frank responded, saying the project was deliberately reduced from earlier concepts (from 4,000 to 1,800 homes), uses clustered design to concentrate homes and conserve roughly 1,200 to 2,230 acres as timberland and open space, and places homes on previously disturbed timberland rather than old growth forest adjacent to the river. They invited continued conversation with conservation groups and offered to pursue conservation partnerships.
County staff clarified that no county board vote on the Hilton Bluffs project has occurred and that the plan components presented have been processed through staff review and the Technical Review Committee (TRC) where applicable. Commissioners acknowledged residents’ concerns, said they are limited by existing land‑use law and procedural rules, and encouraged continued public engagement.
