WILMINGTON – New Hanover County commissioners have postponed action on a proposed rezoning that would allow development of a controversial housing development in the Porters Neck area.
The action to grant a continuance until April came at the request of Logan Developers Inc., which said it needed the additional time to address environmental issues raised over its plans for more than 52 acres near the 8300 block of Market Street and the 8300 block of Shiraz Way.
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The project, The Oaks at Murray Farm, had already been scaled back in the face of opposition from nearby residents and the North Carolina Coastal Federation, which said the developers had not provided enough information to fully evaluate the environmental effects, including polluted runoff.
“Given the minimal water quality protection measures included within the design for this development, a significant amount of polluted stormwater runoff will very likely flow from this new development into Pages Creek. This creek is already impaired due to polluted stormwater runoff, but it is also classified as SA – a designation provided for the high quality shellfish waters in our state,” the federation’s Kerri Allen said in comments filed in January with the county board of commissioners.
The undeveloped land is zoned for low-density residential, R-20 and R-15. The developers seek a change to moderate-density, single-family and low-density multi-family development.
Logan Developers Inc. said the additional time would be used to update its application materials to reflect further study, according to news reports.
