The debate over development in the Wilmington area remains a hot topic. From sprawling growth to how it’s managed, residents and officials go back-and-forth on how to handle it.
That was no different more than 40 years ago, and it prompted some New Hanover County Commissioners to make a stand.
In the Oct. 6, 1981, edition of the Wilmington Morning Star, two commissioners wanted to halt all new multi-family housing projects such as apartments, condos and townhouses until “county planners developed tighter guidelines for such developments.”
Karen Gottovi and Joe Barfield endorsed a moratorium on new special-use permits. Fellow commissioners balked at the idea since it wasn’t on the agenda. Instead, it was a reaction from a group of residents called the “Quality of Life Alliance,” who urged commissioners to ban high-density development in “conservation” areas. Most of the residents lived along soundside areas such as Greenville and Masonboro.
Residents said they asked for a place on the agenda but were denied.