Tensions flare at community meeting over proposed development in Brunswick County
ASH, NC (WWAY) — A meeting about a proposed development in a Brunswick County community got heated on Wednesday evening.
Dozens of people came out to Waccamaw Park in the Ash community to speak with developers and county officials about a planned development called Ashton Farms.
The mixed use development would consist of 2,750 single family homes and 200 townhomes on 1,257 acres of land. It would also allow for 20 acres of commercial area and other recreational amenities like paths and walking trails. The property is currently zoned for 7,297 residential lots.
A petition against the development has been circulating online and on paper throughout the Ash community. Christie Marek started the petition. She says their community, and the rest of the county, is growing too rapidly.
“Stop the development,” Marek said. “Let what’s being developed develop. See where we stand, see what we’re going to withhold and how it’s going to effect us. Then develop more if need be, but right now it just needs to slow down. It’s going way too fast.”
Most residents at the meeting had similar concerns about the development — traffic, safety, overcrowding schools, wildlife relocation, and more.
“Our infrastructure cannot support this. We’re concerned with the hospitals, the roads, the doctor’s offices, the veterinary offices. You can’t get an appointment with these now,” Courtney Milliken said. “What is that going to look like with 3,000 homes added to this?”
“I know that development and progress is inevitable and I get that. We need to address the infrastructure problems first, not build the development and then have all the infrastructure problems come in second,” David Ballengee said.
After the developers and county officials introduced themselves, the meeting quickly devolved into chaos as people began shouting over one another.
Brunswick County Commissioner Mike Forte got into a heated exchange with county NAACP President Carl Parker. The two were talking over one another when Forte told Parker to, “shut the hell up.”
A Brunswick County sheriff’s deputy intervened and established some order in the meeting.
Eventually, things calmed down and some of the crowd cleared. People spoke with developers, county officials, and commissioners Forte and Marty Cooke individually.
When asked for comment, each member of the development teamed declined, saying they were not permitted to comment per their company policies.
The Brunswick County Planning Board could discuss this planned development at its October 9 meeting. The agenda for the meeting has not yet been finalized.
