Civic Affairs & Public Policies

Policy Initiatives in the 21st Century

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• Revision of the Wilmington Design Guidelines -

ROW members participated in the complete revision of the Wilmington Design guidelines in 1999-00, volunteering hundreds of hours of time in the community coordination, review and rewriting of this critically important document.  The results were vetted through a series of membership meetings in 1999 and incorporated in the final product, printed and approved by City council in 2000.

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• Parking in Residential Neighborhoods -

In 1996, a parking problem came about when downtown bar patrons were parking in and disrupting adjoining residential neighborhoods.  After a year of lobbying, researching statutes, ROW persuaded the City into creating the current restricted parking zone over 15 blocks adjacent to the CBD. 

Non-residents are not allowed to park in these blocks between midnight and three AM.  This system was complaint-driven, but seemed to be a satisfactory deterrent. Another problem, however, arose because city workers and minimum wage downtown workers needed free or affordable parking. When parking meters were installed downtown, workers started parking on residential streets, completely jamming the close-in blocks.

 

After two years of intense work with the Downtown Parking Advisory Commission (DPAC), the Mayor and three different City Managers, ROW was successful in April 2003 in gaining approval of a Residential Parking Program - despite the opposition of many merchants, some residents and many City officials.  The resulting program meant residents could purchase parking stickers for $25 per car per year and restricts non-residents to three hours of free parking between 9 AM and 5:30 PM daily.  In order to qualify for the program, a block must be, on average, 70 percent occupied, have 25 percent of those cars be owned by non-residents and show that a majority of the residents in the affected block support the program.  As soon as the measure was adopted, the residents of the 200 block of S. Second Street, and the 200 block of Ann Street approved the program for their blocks. The area is monitored during the restricted times and tickets are issued to illegally parked cars. 

 

• City's Noise Ordinance -

During the summer of 2001, ROW initiated a successful revision of the City's noise ordinance - which was first enacted in 1996.  Initially, only decibel levels were specified as criteria for noise ordinance violations and they only applied inside the originating buildings.  Offenses were criminal misdemeanors - which usually meant no fines or court appearances.  Battles of the bands had begun to ensue downtown among businesses competing for crowds with loud, amplified outdoor music.  The residents, bar owners and police were at odds with each other.  ROW joined with DARE, met with the Wilmington Police Department and city staff, had focus group meetings with bar owners, and by August 2000, a revised ordinance was approved by Council.  The revisions included new time limitations for amplified outdoor music, a "reasonable person" test for noise levels, the coverage of public areas outside the entertainment centers, and treatment of violations as civil offenses with fines.  Despite the downtown protests that the ordinance limiting the freedom of expression, it was approved by City Council.
 

• Central Business District Development -

In December 2001, ROW persuaded Wilmington's Mayor to promise that there would be a public review of downtown city construction proposals.  The promise provided some assurance that the projects in the CBD - an area not part of any historic district and hence, not overseen by the Historic Preservation Commission - would not be approved in secret or without public comment.  This promise came after the City spent over $300,000 to expand the city office annex at Third and Chestnut Street - across from Thalian Hall, without a public hearing. They added an aluminum and stucco "shoe box on stilts" structure at Third Street.  The uproar when the project became public knowledge - fueled by a special meeting of ROW and a near-unanimous decision to oppose the project - caused Mayor David Jones to promise that future city projects of this sort would be subject to public review.
 

• Expansion of the Historic District -

In 1999 ROW supported a northward expansion of the historic district to a perimeter running to roughly Walnut and 6th Street.  ROW supported this expansion because its membership believed that intelligent oversight of change by the HPC is to the common benefit of residents, developers, and downtown businesses.  Since the approval of the northward expansion of the HD in 2001, ROW supported the creation of new historic districts on the south side of the city.  This resulted in the extension of the HD to Castle Street.
 

• Candidates' Forums - 

In September 2001 and 2003 ROW partnered with the Downtown Wilmington Association to sponsor candidates' forums at Level Five of the City Stage.  Each forum highlighted downtown policy issues and forced all candidates for city council and mayoral positions to respond to specific questions about each one. ROW's Forum for municipal election candidates continues today, the most recent being held at the Hannah Block Community Center in 2018. Candidates for mayor and City Council are given questionnaires to complete prior to the forum and they submit to questions during the two-hour period.
 

• Speed Limits -

In November 2002, after two years of lobbying and petitioning, ROW persuaded the City Staff and City Council to lower the speed limit to 25 MPH (versus 35 MPH) on city streets within the downtown historic districts.  ROW's reasons for this change were preservation of historic buildings and monuments, pedestrian safety, protection of horse-drawn vehicles, and preservation of our urban quality of life.  During the approval process, ROW met with astonishing resistance.  ROW continues to push for a similar speed limit reduction on downtown segments on Market and Third Streets, both State controlled roads.

 

• Riverfront Development -

ROW consistently has spoken before the HPC and City Council in favor of Riverwalk South and North and against high rise condos and a large entertainment center under Memorial Bridge

 

• Support of WDI -

ROW members traditionally have supported efforts to sustain a vital, diverse downtown business climate and thus, have promoted Wilmington Downtown Inc. and its initiatives.  In November 2001, ROW lobbied for WDI's funding by the City and New Hanover County and applauded the award of $60,000 per year for five years.  In 2002 ROW paid for the traveling "Storefront of the Month" award, which was given by WDI, promoted by WDI's cleanup campaigns, and provided members or leaders for WDI's Economic Development and Central Business District Services Committees.

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Policy-Related Activities during 2002 and 2003

In January 2002, ROW members Marge Hurd and Herman Smith were seated on the Parking Advisory Commission to represent downtown residents.  ROW delegates participated in Mayor Harper Peterson's fact-finding trip to Charleston and others supported a large, first-ever DARE luncheon that raised over $50,000.  ROW members Tom Mitchell and Mary Ann Keiser were appointed to the Historic Preservation Commission.
ROW voted to support the City's acquisition of riverfront land held by John Voet and Linda Carroll and communicated this resolution to Mayor Peterson.
 

1898 Memorial Park - ROW voted to support plans for an 1898 memorial park rather than a grocery store at the northern entrance to the city and communicated this position to State Senator Thomas Wright, who favored a grocery store. ROW supported a bar moratorium and made presentations to that effect to the Wilmington Planning Commission and City Council.
 

ROW opposed the rebuilding of the Governor's landing.  A letter was sent to the bankruptcy judge overseeing Governor's landing settlement urging its demolition and conversion to public use.

ROW opposed the rezoning of the St. John's museum property at Second and Orange streets from HD to CBD - an attempt to evade parking requirements and open it up as a guest-lodging site.  Even though ROW eventually "lost" on the St. John rezoning, it "won" a very restricted special use permit and forced an extended examination of what the HD stands for.
 

Movement of County employees out of the downtown area - ROW repeatedly opposed the relocation of County employees out of the downtown area.  ROW representatives made two presentations to City Council and County Commissioners on the abandonment of the county's administrative building and later, the Law Enforcement Center.

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Further Policy-Related Activities of the Decade

• Building Height 

ROW led the drive to set reasoned standards for building height on the west shore of the Cape Fear River across from the Historic downtown. As a result, heights are restricted across from downtown but are higher near the northern waterfront.

 

• South Third Street 

ROW campaigned for improvement of the street scape on South Third Street. Members participated in the steering committee for the State designation of a scenic byway including South Third.

 

• Ann and Third Crosswalk 

ROW actively sought construction of a pedestrian crosswalk at Ann and South Third to unite the neighborhood and provide safe passage for residents and visitors. Row contributed over $5000 for the project which moved the City Council to add it to the City's capital plans. ROW's pledge was later parleyed by the City in a grant application to build a bicycle path from the river front to the sea passing through the Ann and Third corner.  That path is now named the “River to Sea Bicycle Boulevard” - a first in North Carolina.

 

• Development Near Cape Fear Bridge

ROW opposed efforts to develop two towers of 200 feet each at the foot of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, with no consideration of traffic infrastructure or impact on the neighborhood. ROW members were energized into action from 2005 through 2008. 

 

• Brick Street Repairs

ROW reasserted its support for the repair and expansion of brick streets. ROW members volunteered to survey all brick streets to identify areas for repair.  The ROW survey has now been relied upon by the City in their plans to repair brick streets.   

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• Neighborhood Organizations

ROW sought out other community organizations to gain greater leverage with City government. ROW worked closely with the Council of Neighborhood Organizations (CONA) and provided advice to the Carolina Place-Ardmore Neighborhood Association (CPANA).
Inform ROW Members - ROW used its member meetings to increase understanding of events and issues by inviting an array of speakers to its meetings including: City officials including the Assistant City Manager, park department, planning, historic preservation, parking and engineering staff, developers including the developers of The View, McEachern's Warehouse and Castle Walk. 

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• Support Wilmington Police

ROW works with the Wilmington Police Department to assist the members in remaining vigilant against crime. ROW honors all of the local law enforcement staffs with a dinner each year.

 

• Support of Not-for-Profit Organizations

ROW supports such organizations as The Carousel Center, Meals on Wheels, DREAMS, The Azalea Festival, The Literacy Council, The Historic Wilmington Foundation, CFCC President Eric McKiethan, and Airport Director Jon Rosborough.
Support of Downtown Businesses - ROW sometimes invites new businesses to member meetings to introduce themselves to ROW members.