The next stop on the road to a new special use permit ordinance in New Hanover County is scheduled for Nov. 3.

That’s when the county planning board will discuss the latest suggested revisions to the SUP. The meeting is open to the public and begins at 6 p.m. at the historic county courthouse, 24 N. Third St.

In 2014, amendments were proposed to the SUP that would have added more clarity to the application and permitting process. These amendments ultimately failed in a 2-2 vote by the county commissioners. In 2011, county commissioners approved a special use permit ordinance that replaced an outdated 1969 policy. Those 2011 changes have been an issue ever since.

A special use permit is required for any development that might be compatible with a zone in which it wishes to locate, but requires special consideration of its potential impacts on the surrounding area.

Earlier this year, county commissioners instructed planning staff to draft changes to the special use permit “to give our property owners and prospective businesses a clear expectation of what is necessary for a smooth and expedient permitting process in New Hanover County.”