Story by Jamey Cross – Star News

The rezoning of more than 20 acres of land near U.S. 17 could make way for a five-building 150-unit apartment complex near Leland’s town center. At its March meeting, the Leland Planning Board considered an initial rezoning request for a parcel of land in unincorporated Brunswick County on Chappell Loop Road near Leland and Belville. An application by the property owner, Hackney & Company, requests an initial zoning for the parcel, which it intends to voluntarily annex into Leland.

The land is currently zoned medium residential in Brunswick County, and neighbors a Belville high-density residential zone to its south, as well as county neighborhood commercial and medium-density residential zones to its north, east and west. The proposed zoning for the land if annexed into Leland is multifamily and conservation district. The town’s multifamily zoning allows for “moderate to high density multiple-family development of varying types and designs.” Properties zoned multifamily in the town could be developed to hold apartments, townhouses, condominiums or single-family homes.

Just over eight acres of the 20-acre parcel have been identified as potential wetlands and are proposed to be zoned conservation district. The remaining 12.1 acres are recommended to be zoned multifamily.

According to site plans, the property owner intends to build a five-building apartment complex on the land. Hackney & Company envisions 30 apartment units per building: a total of 150 units. The plans also indicate 300 total parking spaces for the development, as well as over five acres of open space.

Some neighbors voiced their concerns for the rezoning and potential housing development at the planning board’s March meeting. Those included traffic, construction and additional development. While there was a desire by the planning board for more information about the conservation district and buildable land, and the development plan, the planning board ultimately moved forward and recommended the initial zoning for approval by the town council.

The request will next be considered by the town council at a future meeting.