Engineering firm McKim and Creed held a community meeting Tuesday about the development as part of the rezoning application process. The firm held the meeting on behalf of D.R. Horton and Corbett Industries, Inc.
Under the plans, the 757-acre property would see more than 1700 units. They’re required to have 140 acres of open space, but said they plan for far more — and they’ll incorporate walking trails throughout that natural area.
The rezoning would take the area’s density from two and a half housing units per acre to just over three. That adds more than 300 units to the total.
Rick Moore, speaking for the developer, said there would be both rental and for-sale units in the form of townhouses, duplexes single-family homes, and “casitas.” Those are smaller single-family homes that have shared parking lots rather than individual driveways.
"We do believe this project does provide significant community benefits, we're providing several different unit types and price points within the development that will be rental and for sale options," Moore said.
The comprehensive plan supports a rezoning. But critics at the meeting said it’s not a good place for development because of wildlife. Roger Shew, a geologist at UNCW, spoke at the meeting to ask about stormwater.
“Over 90% of that area [are] hydric soils. And about 80% of it is very poorly drained hydric soils," he said.
Hydric soils are permanently or seasonally saturated with water, so any additional flooding from rain flows over them, rather than being absorbed. The developer responded and said they’ve created a stormwater management plan based on a 25-year flood, using up-to-date models on flooding. They hope to bring the proposal to the county planning board in April.
