Echo Farms’ residents concerned about planned apartment development

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — There are plans to build a new apartment complex in the Echo Farms neighborhood but first the Wilmington Subdivision Review Board has to sign off on it.

The plans call for eight buildings with 184 apartments to be built on about 10 acres of land. It’s the land that sits between Carolina Beach Road and Echo Farms Boulevard. The plan only shows one entrance into the development which would be on Echo Farms Boulevard.  That’s the main entrance residents who live in the Echo Farms Golf and Country Club use.

Some Echo Farms homeowners are concerned about all that traffic using one road. They would like to see an entrance put in on Carolina Beach Road to keep congestion down.

Bob Kurowski said it can be dangerous having so much traffic across from the Echo Farms recreation area. He also worries about emergency vehicles getting into the area.

“We’re certainly suffering the consequences of the new decisions and possible disastrous circumstances it will create,” said Kurowski.

Carolina Beach Road is a state maintained road, so the review board is waiting to see if the state will allow an entrance on Carolina Beach Road. If they allow it then it will be up to the developer to decide whether he would add that to the plan.

During Wednesday’s review board meeting developers will also ask the City to waive some of its requirements relating to the distance between the buildings closest to Carolina Beach Road and the complexes exit street Echo Farms Boulevard.

The public is invited to attend the review board meeting, it’s Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at City Hall.