OAK ISLAND, N.C. (WECT) – Like many other communities in Southeastern North Carolina, leaders in Oak Island have addressed issues with proposed new development. Council members are now considering increasing the height limits for existing businesses.
Development on Oak Island has always been a contentious topic, but with only so much space available, those looking to build typically have to go up.
But Councilman Bob Ciullo says otherwise.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding that in the commercial district, we don’t have the ability to build out, so we have to build up. And I think we have plenty of ability to build out by combining some of the businesses,” said Ciullo.
Currently, buildings in a flood zone have a height limit of 41ft while buildings not in a flood zone have a height restriction of 35ft.
At the last town council meeting in early August, council members discussed raising the height restrictions for buildings in the commercial district. But the topic ended up being tabled for further review, but not without having split opinions.
“It would be that misconception, a concern that all of a sudden a building is going to rise up from the ground and be this massive, tall structure,” said Councilman Mark Martin.
Martin says that approving a business to increase its height would require a benefit to the community in doing so.
“From my point of view, encroachment would only be granted if in fact, the improvements to the building returned value back to the community in the form of more parking, safer pedestrian accessibility,” said Martin.
But Ciullo isn’t convinced.
“The quaint community that we have is really the building height…could it potentially add some more parking spaces? Maybe. What makes much more sense though, is having centralized parking lots, though which we don’t currently have,” said Ciullo.
Ciullo said he spoke to over 50 neighbors, who all agreed they did not approve of the building height increase.
“I went knocking on doors, probably knocked on 50 doors, probably even more. But I spoke to about 50 people who are right behind a commercial building on Oak Island Drive, and 50 for 50 said, please don’t do this. That will make what’s already a bad situation significantly worse, so please vote against this,” said Ciullo.
The topic is expected to be discussed again at tonight’s council meeting.
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