City council approves zoning for Ogden shopping center

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Wilmington city council passed a zoning permit Tuesday that will allow the development of a new shopping center in the Ogden Market Place.

Neighbors still have some big concerns. Since it was first proposed, residents have been concerned about traffic congestion and tree preservation. While the developer addressed some of those issues in a new plan Tuesday night, neighbors are still worried.

The developer plans to preserve the live oak trees in the shopping center. The market place will have a grocery store and an automobile service business. The developer said DOT road improvements should also help alleviate traffic.

Middle Sound resident Robert Parr said the intersection of Middle Sound Sloop Road and Market Street is already a problem, because of congestion and safety. Parr said the light is on a five minute interval creating issues, because it is one of the only exits for residents on that road. Parr also said thousands of drivers use 6 different escape routes through fast food restaurants and gas stations to avoid the light. He said that is a huge safety concern.

Parr said, with this new development, traffic will only get worse, because of the extra 9,000 drivers that will use the road.

“The traffic it will generate is excessive,” Parr said. “The traffic light in Middle Sound will suffer. More importantly, there are going to be more people coming here and they’re going to want high density development in Middle Sound and when they do I just want you to remember the light.”

Parr said the light needs to be changed to around 150 seconds instead of 300 seconds. Parr also said he hopes in the future city council will consider the public’s input on traffic concerns, because he said they are the ones that deal with it every day.