A public debate over the future of the western bank of the Cape Fear River is expected to go before top New Hanover County leaders next month.

An intense interest in the largely undeveloped riverbank began more than two years ago when developers submitted plans for two large-scale developments on the Cape Fear River’s western bank. In light of the proposals, New Hanover leaders decided to revisit the county policies that outline development guidelines for the area.

In 2021, New Hanover County received proposals for Battleship Point, a towering multiuse project, and a separate hotel and spa proposal on Eagles Island. Both projects have faced pushback from residents and environmental advocates.

In response, county staff completed a study of the western bank and hosted a handful of work sessions with local leaders. In recent months, staff finalized and released a draft of new development guidelines that could amend the vision of the western bank outlined in New Hanover County’s Comprehensive Plan.

The last Comprehensive Plan update, in 2016, aimed to guide denser development on the western bank, applying new commercial zoning to Eagles Island and establishing Riverfront Mixed-Use zoning, but that type of development never came to fruition on the riverbank.

New Hanover County planning director Rebekah Roth said the area has witnessed other changes since the county adopted its long-range plan.

“What we’ve been seeing, especially in the years since the 2016 Comprehensive Plan was adopted, is a more frequent rate of sunny day flooding due to rising tidal influences and also precipitation upstream,” she told the New Hanover County Planning Board at its July 11 meeting.

The new draft amendment was open to public comment from June 7 to June 28. During that time, Roth told the planning board, staff received more than 2,500 emailed comments.

The comments ranged from questions about the amendment’s purpose to opposition to western bank development and concerns about flooding and the impact future development could have on the area. Some comments expressed support for western bank development and voiced concerns the amendment could place too many restrictions on height and use.

The final amendment, reviewed by the planning board at its July meeting, took that feedback into account.

The draft amendment recommends establishing a new zoning called the Low-Intensity Riverfront District.

“We’re now calling it the Low-Intensity Riverfront district to make it clear that we’re not talking about a reflection of downtown Wilmington,” Roth said. “We are talking about something for this particular area across from downtown that is lower intensity in nature than what you might see on the east side of the river.”

The district emphasizes public purposes, uses that contribute to a viewshed that complements downtown Wilmington, activates space and results in less traffic, impervious surfaces and residents than what exists in downtown Wilmington, among other goals.

It encourages development types that are “less susceptible to flooding impacts and that provide a public benefit, such as recreational and civic uses are encouraged.” The amendment would also encourage some commercial and temporary uses, such as warehousing water-related businesses and outdoor event spaces.

The updated amendment also removed mixed-use and residential uses from potential future uses on the western bank and offers an array of considerations for any future development.

The planning board heard from several speakers who, throughout the debate over the western bank’s future, have pushed for the conservation and raised concerns about flooding. That group includes University of North Carolina Wilmington lecturer Roger Shew, Cape Fear Riverkeeper Kemp Burdette and retired emergency room physician Robert Parr.

Shew said the proposed guidelines still didn’t address the potential flooding on the western bank, while Burdette raised concerns about any development in what he called an “extremely volatile and flood-prone area.”

Kirk Pugh, a partner with KFJ Development Group, voiced concern about restricting residential development on the western bank. In 2021, KFJ Development Group proposed plans for Battleship Point, a towering multiuse project, on Point Peter.

Pugh said he worried taking residential out of the equation would push current landowners to develop heavy industrial uses that align with the area’s current zoning. Pugh added that landowners and stakeholders, like himself, have been waiting for four years to see what they can do with their land.

“Much of this appears to be arbitrary, and the position seems to change,” Pugh said about the proposed amendment.

Some planning board members said removing the option for residential development could be too restrictive for property owners, while others said planning staff was headed in the right direction.

Planning Board Vice Chair Colin Tarrant said guidelines in the Comprehensive Plan should remain broad.

“If the Comp Plan is a 40,000-foot view, I want to be careful that we’re not going to be taking a 2,000-foot view at the Comp Plan stage,” he said.

Planning board member Cameron Moore said while he thinks the draft amendment is a good start, he believes more work needs to be done to refine the county’s guidelines.

Moore made a motion not to recommend the draft amendment. He also recommended county staff engage a consultant to develop a master plan for the area, complete a market analysis for tracts on the western bank, and start working on potential zoning districts for the area.

Moore’s motion was approved 3-1, with planning board member Clark Hipp dissenting. Tarrant, Moore and planning board member Pete Avery voted to support the measure.

The proposed amendment is expected to go before the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners for consideration in August.