NEW HANOVER COUNTY — More than 4,000 units in Castle Hayne landed on the agenda at New Hanover County’s technical review committee this week. Current zoning allows the project to advance by-right, no board approval or community meeting required.
READ MORE: Castle Hayne development seeks rezoning, but community still in the dark about usage
The TRC reviewed the proposed master plan for the Hilton Bluffs project Wednesday. It includes 4,031 units across two parcels totaling 4,039 acres, including approximately 3,072 acres of wetlands. The site plans indicate initial phases of development would take place in a portion of the southeastern section of the property. Future development abutting the wetland-designated section of the property includes a nature trail, mini horse ranch rentals, potential single family homes, a golf course, and access roads.
The properties are in the residential agricultural zoning district, which allows approximately one dwelling unit per acre.
New Hanover County spokesperson Alex Riley told Port City Daily board approval nor a community meeting would be required because the property is already zoned to allow the scale of proposed development.
Hilton Bluffs would only require a public hearing if the developer requests a five-year vesting determination; vested rights allow developers to complete a project based on original approval if development regulations change afterwards.
The TRC iterated that the developer, Copper Builders LLC, would be required to conserve the 3,072 acres of wetlands on the property due to county conservation requirements. Conservation areas include natural lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, and class IV soils — highly organic soils found in marsh or swamp areas. A tree retention permit and landscaping plan are also required.
UNCW geologist Roger Shew viewed Hilton Bluffs as an optimal area for preservation rather than development. He noted a golf course would need fertilizers and pesticides that will run off into rivers and wetlands.
“Maintaining these areas in as natural a state as possible to support flood control, biodiversity, carbon storage makes much more sense,” he said. “In fact, we could calculate the value of carbon storage here and it would be considerable, I think. And of course there will be issues with flooding.”
The project will also require a traffic impact analysis; it is anticipated to generate 3,209 peak hour evening trips and 2,153 peak hour morning trips on Sledge Road in Castle Hayne.
Charlotte-based Copper Builders LLC is the project’s applicant. The company’s projects include the 63 townhome development Sunset Reach on Rockhill Road, about 3 miles away from the proposed Hilton Bluffs site.
According to county property records, Hilton Properties Limited Partnership transferred the two parcels to five businesses with 20% ownership each in August 2021, including:
- BFM Hilton LLC – partner Brett Magenbauer
- DSF Hilton LLC – partner David Fort
- ESW Hilton LLC – partner Elisabeth Woodard
- JFM Hilton LLC – partner Jennifer Martin
- SJM Hilton LLC – partner Stephen Magenbauer
The North Carolina LLCs were registered in August 2021 and are named after initials of their representative partners. Several of the companies’ members — David Fort and ESW Hilton’s registered agent Todd Woodward Jr. — were involved in a contentious effort to develop a high-intensity sand mine on a portion of the property from 2013 to 2019.
Castle Hayne residents sued the Department of Environmental Quality to challenge Hilton’s mining permit in 2014, citing concerns over groundwater contamination from the neighboring GE Hitachi plant. Contaminants including uranium and vinyl chloride seeped into nearby properties during the 1960s and 1970s.
The planning board recommended a rezoning to allow the project in 2019 before commissioners rejected it.
Castle Hayne resident Kayne Darrell founded Citizens for Smart Growth in response to developments like Hilton Bluffs; she argues development in the county has caused environmental degradation and failed to keep pace with infrastructure needs. Darrell was a leading community activist against the sand mine proposal, as well as Citizens Against Titan Cement; the cement company withdrew its proposed New Hanover County facility after public pushback in 2016.
“So many in our community feel that our elected officials and decision-makers have been tone deaf to the legitimate concerns and real negative impacts of overdevelopment of New Hanover County,” Darrell told Port City Daily. “The clear-cutting, the destruction of our last vestiges of natural woodlands, the infilling of wetlands, the displacement of wildlife, all just seems so reckless and shortsighted.”
Soil and Water Conservation Director Dru Harrison recommended the applicant contact the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and Department of Environmental Quality before disturbing possible wetland areas in preliminary TRC comments. PCD reached out to USACE to ask if it had reviewed the plan but did not receive a response by press.
Harrison said an adequate drainage plan would be necessary for suitable housing. She noted all the soils on the site pose limitations to housing due to flooding and wetness.
Conservation biologist Andy Wood argued the proposal is irresponsible after severe recent flooding in North Carolina. Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina regions, like Asheville and Boone, with landslides after more than 20 inches of rain. One week earlier across the state, severe flooding caused by potential tropical cyclone eight also dropped 20 inches of rain in Carolina Beach and Brunswick County, causing damaged property and roadways.
“Who’s going to pay for all the collateral damage?” Wood asked. “The developers are going to cut and run and the insurance company is only going to pay for so much. It’s going to be the taxpayer that pays for FEMA and emergency response.”
Resident Marioh Kreh, also involved in efforts against the previous sand mine proposal, said she believed the New Hanover County endowment should consider purchasing the property for conservation.
“The county commissioners need to look out for their people, not the developers,” she told Port City Daily.
PCD reached out to the endowment and developer to ask about the proposal but did not receive a response by press.
Tips or comments? Email journalist Peter Castagno at peter@localdailymedia.com.
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