'Another Myrtle Beach': Proposed Brunswick development could surround nearby school
Driving down Southport Supply Road south of U.S. 17, residents along this busy and growing stretch of highway say traffic already whizzes down the tree-lined road and past major developments at high speed.
Now some fear the next planned development approved in the area could turn the traffic volume that’s currently an inconvenience, into a danger.
Michaeux Resource Management LLC is proposing a 564-unit, 291-acre planned development on both sides of Zion Hill Road south of N.C. 211, surrounding Virginia Williamson Elementary School.
The project, Carmel Village, would bring a mix of townhomes and single family lots adjacent to Winding River Plantation and across from the Palmetto Creek development.
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Dozens of residents in the area attended a neighborhood meeting about the development where the main concerns were transportation and safety issues.
Winding River resident Kathryn DeSilva said she’s worried that congestion during school hours could impact traffic along N.C. 211, creating the need for more road improvements on the highway.
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Traffic in the plantation’s five subdivisions funnels from their private entrances onto Zion Hill Road, where the first phase of single family lots will be developed. The initial designs for the project call for creating four roads from the development onto Zion Hill Road and three on N.C. 211.
Susan Billings, another Winding River resident, said she wants the project stopped and for the county to update its regulations to not allow another planned development like hers nearby in order to “balance out” the density. According to the project’s site plan most of the development would remain open space, with about 40 acres for residential development.
“They’re taking away what Brunswick County stands for,” Billings said. “We don’t want to become another Myrtle Beach where there’s just clusters of homes everywhere and no scenery. Or even another Leland — it's nice and you got lots of shopping there but it's looking like any other town and that’s not what we want.”
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The Winding River Property Owners Association sought to buy part of the property last year — about 51 acres behind the school — to build an amenity center, but residents voted down the referendum with 86% against the purchase.
The project is expected to go before the Brunswick County Planning Board at its Oct. 10 meeting.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Proposed Brunswick development could surround nearby elementary school
