Middle Sound Lookout Pool Complex
Donation protected
In 2004 the New Hanover County Commissioners turned down a special use permit for an outdoor swimming pool which was to be located at Middle Sound Loop Rd and Harlandale. The developer appealed and a superior court judge approved it. The original plan was for one outdoor pool and the developer claimed it would be an asset for the community. The project had another parcel of property next to it and the community was advised it would require another special use permit to move forward.
-Spring 2022 (18 years later) construction begins on this project and Middle Sound Lookout made inquiries. The county responded that in 2017 county staff had approved an additional building to the original special use permit.
-Sometime in 2017, without notifying the residents, the county approved what was deemed a "minor change"-the addition of an indoor pool. This indoor gathering space opens the door for other activities from 6am-10pm, 7 days a week, and was not in the original Special Use Permit (SUP).
-The current website for this facility, which is to also include a 100-child capacity daycare center and separate fitness center, now states: "Membership is open, no matter where you live." This opens the door to more traffic.
-Many parents dropping off children to the day care center in the am will be making left hand turns against the outgoing traffic-there is not a stop sign or signal.
-56 of the parking spots on original plan are the street parking in Demarest Village. A 100 capacity day care will require staff parking. Could also mean approximately 100 extra daily trips in & out at peak times.
-Consider the traffic differences between 2004 vs 2022. Does the county have data showing the impact of recent explosive growth on our traffic?
-The traffic generated by these 3 commercial businesses will impact Middle Sound drivers, regardless of where they live, given our "loop road" scenario.
-We are asking the county to follow the law and have the developer apply for a special use permit if they care to develop the other lot. This will give residents of middle sound the chance to see data and get experts to understand the impacts this will have.
Middle Sound residents, we have appealed this decision and will be fighting it. The hearing is set for Tuesday August 23, 2022. We have been advised, as we were in 2020, that legal representation is an absolute must in such cases.
If you can possibly contribute to offset the attorney fees, please do. Any collected funds that are in excess of the final legal fees will be refunded.
If you have questions please reach out. If you prefer to make a donation by check, that can be arranged.
Thank you, Henry Depew
To read about the history of this project and to see a Google Earth time lapse of the lack of progress made since 2004, please click on the links below:
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Fundraising team (2)
Henry Depew
Organizer
Wilmington, NC
Lisa Andree
Team member
