Land Development Code Amendments

Aerial view of the city

The Land Development Code is the portion of the City’s adopted Code of Ordinances that governs development regulations.

Amendments to the Land Development Code, also known as text amendments, are changes that help keep regulations clear, up to date, and aligned with the City’s adopted plans and priorities.

Text amendments may be initiated by the City Council, Planning Commission, City Manager, or members of the public.

Process

Text Amendment Stages

Step 1.Pre-Application Meeting

A pre-application meeting is required prior to submission of an application for a Land Development Code amendment. The purpose of the pre-application meeting is to provide an overview of the application process and general guidance on the proposed amendment. Pre-application meetings may be scheduled by emailing the Development Review team or calling the Planning & Development Department main phone line at +1-910-254-0900.

Step 2.Planning Commission Public Hearing

The Planning Commission will hold a legislative hearing on the proposed land development code amendment at a regularly scheduled meeting. Prior to the hearing, the planning staff will publish a case summary that provides an overview of the request and recommended action. The case summary will be available on the Planning Commission page as part of the agenda packet for the meeting.

Step 3.City Council Public Hearing

If the Planning Commission recommends approval of the application, a public hearing will be scheduled before the City Council. If the Commission recommends denial of the application, no further action will be taken unless the applicant files an appeal with the City Council.

Public Comment
Public comment on pending applications is accepted in advance of both the Planning Commission and City Council public hearings through online portals. Members of the public may also contact the Development Review team by email with any questions they may have on pending applications.

Apply

Electronic Submissions

All applications must be submitted electronically by emailing the Development Review team.

Application Components

All application components (e.g., application, narrative, etc.) must be submitted individually and named accordingly.

Fees

Fee Amount

  • $200

Regardless of whether the application is approved or denied by the City Council, the responsibility for all fees associated with the amendment process(PDF, 469KB)  lies with the applicant(s) or their designated representative. Signing the petition for rezoning indicates the applicant (or their designated representative) accepts this financial responsibility. 

Payment Options

If you plan to pay in advance, planning staff must first notify the collections department to enable acceptance of payments.

Payment by Phone

Payment in Person

  • 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Monday through Friday except for holidays)
  • Billing & Collections Office
    Skyline Center
    929 North Front Street, 1st Floor

Payment by Mail

  • Please include invoice number or account number
  • Make checks payable to: City of Wilmington
  • Regular Mail
    City of Wilmington Collections
    PO Box 1810
    Wilmington, NC 28402
  • Express Mail
    City of Wilmington Collections
    929 North Front Street, 1st Floor
    Wilmington, NC 28401

Deadlines

Applications Accepted Quarterly

Applications to amend the Land Development Code are accepted on a quarterly basis.

  • Applications submitted by the first Monday in January will be scheduled for a public hearing at the April Planning Commission meeting.
  • Applications submitted by the first Monday in April will be scheduled for a public hearing at the July Planning Commission meeting.
  • Applications submitted by the first Monday in July will be scheduled for a public hearing at the October Planning Commission meeting.
  • Applications submitted by the first Monday in October will be scheduled for a public hearing at the January Planning Commission meeting.

Late Applications

Applications received after the established deadline will be included with the following quarter's review cycle submissions.

Contact Us

Phone

+1-910-254-0900

Email

planreview@wilmingtonnc.gov

Location

929 North Front Street
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Applications & Forms

Resources

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