Pender County is about to get a closer look at two proposed U.S. 17-area developments that could add 488 homes to the fast-growing corridor. The Technical Review Committee is scheduled to examine both plans Thursday. Blake Farms would add 55 single-family lots to a project already totaling 128 units, while Point South proposes a much larger mixed-use community.
The meeting is set for Thursday, August 6, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the county Administration Building in Burgaw, according to the Pender County calendar. Port City Daily reported that the committee will review the proposals as technical matters, meaning Thursday's session is an important checkpoint but not a final construction authorization.
Blake Farms Phase Two Adds 55 Homes
The current county filing for Blake Farms Phase 2 covers 93 acres, with development concentrated on about 35 acres. HIC Blake Farms LLC is listed as the owner and developer, with D.R. Horton named as an additional application contact; the plan calls for 55 new single-family homes and 44.1 acres of mostly passive open space.
The application also flags several issues that will likely draw technical scrutiny, including 0.28 acres of jurisdictional wetlands that would be incorporated into a construction entrance. The filing does not identify workforce or affordable housing, and a traffic impact analysis had not been completed when the materials were submitted.
Point South Plans Homes, Apartments And Future Retail
The Point South filing outlines a 77.61-acre planned-development project with 432 proposed residential units and 15.09 acres reserved for future commercial uses. Construction would begin with single-family homes before moving toward multifamily buildings and a broader mixed-use buildout expected to continue through 2035.
Future phases could include an 80-bed assisted-living facility, a 116-room hotel, offices, a shopping plaza, a bank and fast-food restaurants. The plan also proposes a dog park and open trail, while reserving 15.25 acres as open space — more than the county's stated minimum for the site.
Traffic And Tree Removal Put Pressure On The Plans
Traffic is likely to be one of the most visible local questions surrounding Point South. As reported by Port City Daily, the first phase is expected to generate 1,742 vehicle trips per day, while full buildout could produce 12,084 daily trips, including 900 during the morning peak and 977 during the evening peak.
The same proposal would remove 208 trees, including oaks, cypress, maples, hollies and magnolias, and contains 1.82 acres of wetlands. Developers have proposed landscape buffers with new canopy and understory trees, but the scale of the project means the review will extend well beyond counting houses on a site plan.
Both Projects Remain Pending Before County Review
Pender County's project tracker lists both Blake Farm O Phase 2 and Point South as pending major-subdivision cases. The county says its Technical Review Committee brings together planning, utilities, environmental, emergency-services and transportation representatives to make recommendations on major subdivision applications.
The committee's review will not be the last word. In planned-development districts, the county's Planning Board serves as the final decision-making body for subdivision approvals, leaving both projects with additional steps before the proposed homes, roads and commercial spaces can move from paperwork to construction.
