This broadcast of CoastLine originally aired on January 28, 2015.
Three Comprehensive Plans are simultaneously taking shape in the Cape Fear region.
The tri-county region, made up of Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender County, is widely expected to undergo a steep upward trend in population over the next 25 years. Some estimates put the number at more than a quarter of a million new residents.
What would happen if area leaders just allowed the region to grow by default? Without establishing any sort of comprehensive road map? There are smarter ways to grow, contend planning experts, which include plotting a course based on community values.
But it’s not just the tri-county region that’s planning for the next 25 years. New Hanover County has launched Phase Two of its own Comprehensive Plan. And on an even more smaller scale, the City of Wilmington is putting the finishing touches on its own Plan.
On today’s edition of CoastLine, we attempt to unpack all three of these plans – starting with the micro and moving up to the macro.
Segment One: We begin with the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Wilmington. Our tour guide is Christine Hughes, Senior Long-Range Planner for the City of Wilmington and Project Manager for the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
Segment Two: New Hanover County's Comprehensive Plan, Plan NHC, is led by Long-Range Planner for the County and Project Manager Jennifer Rigby. Also joining us is Dan Dawson, of the Citizen Advisory Committee, which is the twelve-member body tasked with shaping goals for the region.
Segment Three: The man shepherding the tri-county planning effort, which includes Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender Counties, is Project Director of FOCUS, Al Sharp.
Plan NHC Project Manager Jennifer Rigby is also with us in this segment, as she is Chair of the Consortium (Lower Cape Fear Sustainable Communities Consortium) for FOCUS.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DETAILS:
City of Wilmington — website: http://createwilmington.com/
Get Involved — http://cityofwilmingtonnc.mindmixer.com/
New Hanover County — website: http://planningdevelopment.nhcgov.com/plan-nhc/
Draft Report: http://planningdevelopment.nhcgov.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/EXISTING-CONDITIONS-REPORT.pdf
Public Meeting Dates: January 29, 2015 — Bellamy Elementary 6 PM - 7:30 PM
February 3, 2015 — Ogden Elementary 6 PM - 7:30 PM
February 10, 2014 — Murray Middle School 5 PM - 6:30 PM
February 12, 2015 — Eaton Elementary 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Tri-county region — FOCUS SE NC: http://www.focussenc.org/
