Sunset Beach, located at the southernmost tip of North Carolina's string of barrier islands, is poised for a significant expansion with the help of Ward and Smith.
Attorneys Clint Cogburn and Allen Trask assisted in securing approval for the conditional zoning application for Riptide Builder, the client and developer, during a public hearing on July 10. The plan includes developing new commercial, residential, and recreational areas across 22 parcels throughout the Sea Trail community.
After significant discussion and compromise on both sides, the Town Council unanimously approved the conditional zoning of the overwhelming majority of the tracts. There were certain tracts that were of greater concern and resulted in a contested vote, although the conditional zoning of those tracts was also approved. Clint and Allen appreciated the opportunity to work with Town Council, Town Staff, and Town Counsel to achieve that result.
The Brunswick Beacon covered the public hearing, and several excerpts highlight the aforementioned point. From the article:
“One of the concerns raised with the first option [for Site 2] that we presented earlier today was that it involved commercial property and not residential property,” Trask said during the July 10 meeting. “This option that you see before you now includes 18 townhome units in subject two, so it would be in the nature of residential property.”
The developer maintained, however, that the original plan for the site was preferred. “To be clear, the developer’s position is the highest and best use of this property is the first option that we presented,” Trask added.
*****
Councilman Mike Hargreaves asked if the developer would be able to drop the condo building heights from three stories to two stories, as he felt that would alleviate many of the worries of nearby residents.
Cogburn, in response, said, “What we would submit as part of this universal package [of properties] that we’re going through is that the unit count is critical to the viability of the golf courses and the viability of the commercial.”
Trask added that going down to two stories would create “engineering problems” due to the restrictions it would place on the condo buildings’ design.
Although the developer could not budge on the unit count or building height, Riptide did add in plans for a 5-foot berm along the property line between the condos and the western side of the southern end of the parcel, in an attempt to mitigate some of the visual impact the condos will have on homes along Discovery Lake Drive.
As reported by the publication, Riptide thanked the town and community for collaboration, "promising to involve the Sea Trail community further in the development process and communicate openly with residents."
You can read Riptide's full statement in the article by clicking on the provided link.
