top of page

Our Tree Canopy is Disappearing

Overdevelopment combined with inadequate preservation and mitigation policies is destroying our tree canopy at an alarming rate.
 

  • Trees are a key part of critical ecosystems and natural habitats.
     

  • Trees absorb water and help prevent flooding.
     

  • Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen acting as a natural air filter.
     

  • Trees enhance the beauty of our community.
     

Our elected leaders need to enact more stringent tree preservation policies and enforce them with penalties that deter developers who break the rules.

Trees

The Wetlands Protect Us, Now We Must Protect Them

Wetlands in Wilmington, NC
Alongside the I-140 bridge that crosses the Cape Fear River, developers have proposed a townhome project that avoids onsite wetlands. (Port City Daily photo/Johanna F. Still)

Legislation at the state level has weakened regulations protecting our wetlands from development, allowing for these critical areas to be filled in or paved over. 
 

  • Wetlands provide protection from flooding, acting as natural  buffers by absorbing excess rainwater during storms.
     

  • Wetlands filter pollutants from stormwater runoff, improving water quality in rivers, lakes and coastal estuaries.
     

  • Wetlands provide natural habitats for wildlife.
     

Our elected leaders should protect our wetlands from irresponsible development.

Our Schools Are Overcrowded and Underfunded

Our New Hanover County public school operating budget is underfunded by $20 million, resulting in actions to reduce staff positions and other operating cost cuts.

 

  • Many of our schools are well over capacity and unable to safely and effectively educate our children who are here right now.

​

  • The rapid pace of population growth will only make the budget, teacher, and facility problems worse.

​

  • Building new schools is very expensive and will take years to plan and build.

 

Our elected officials should balance growth with the current capacity of our schools.

Traffic and Safety

Many of our roads and intersections are congested and unsafe.

​

  • Our road system was not designed to safely handle the increased car trips resulting from rapid growth.

​

  • Road and intersection improvements are very expensive and take many years from concept to actual construction.​

​

  • Our unique geography with water on two sides and prior development restricts where and how we can improve roads.​

​

  • Limited budgets at the local and state levels further restrict the pace and scale of needed improvements.

​

Our local officials should ensure the pace of road improvements keeps up with the pace of development.​

​

Traffic around UNCW
The intersection of College Road and Oleander Drive is one of the busiest intersections in the Wilmington area seeing 65,000 vehicles per day. [KENBLEVINS/STARNEWS] KENBLEVINS/STARNEWS

Character and Quality of Life

Wilmington, NC

We should take pride in our history and what we've built here, ensuring it's preserved for future generations.

​

This is what draws people to our community. Residents appreciate the unique blend of a beautiful coastline, historic downtown, vibrant riverfront, and mature wooded landscapes.

 

We should cherish the long-standing neighborhoods throughout the city and county, and protect their respective history, aesthetics, and pride.

 

  • The pace and scale of development are encroaching on established neighborhoods, creating detrimental effects on the character, aesthetics, noise and light pollution, and safety of residents.

 

Our elected leaders should make decisions about growth and development with a priority on protecting the scale, character, and quality of our community and the quality of life for current residents.

bottom of page