Wilmington City Council closes Barksdale Road

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Protestors from a Wilmington neighborhood did not get their message across at Tuesday night’s city council meeting.

They are not happy with Mark Johnson, who lives on the corner of Barksdale Road. Johnson keeps his RV in the front yard.

Neighbors say it’s an eyesore and a blatant violation of city code. Johnson has racked up more than $40,000 in fines.

On Tuesday, city council voted to close Barksdale Road, which is a rarely traveled street. Frustrated neighbors say Johnson won’t have to move his RV because it’s private property now.

Mike Witherspoon lives in the neighborhood and said, “I’m here to protest that I don’t think it’s right to give public property away to somebody that’s breaking the law to get them out of breaking the law.”

Wilmington City Council voted 4-3 in favor of closing Barksdale Road. The city will no longer have to pay to maintain it.