New Hanover County is inching closer to securing a land donation for a future business park following the completion of infrastructure work in the county’s “last frontier.”
TheCape Fear Public Utility Authority announced completion of a critical portion of the Last Frontier Project at a Board of Commissioners meeting on Aug. 17. The $27.5 million project established more than 18 miles of new water and sewer lines, expanding access across 7,919 acres. The project was funded by a state grant awarded in 2023.
The work fulfills one of two conditions outlined in an agreement with Sidbury Land and Timber to pave the way for the Holly Shelter Business Park. In October 2022, commissioners unanimously approved a deal with the company to accept a donation
of 50 acres along Holly Shelter Road to be used as the first tract for the business park.
The deal required the county to fund the completion of water and sewer infrastructure to the property by June 2026. The second condition requires that construction of an access road into the property be completed 36 months after the initial project.
The agreement also allows the county to purchase an additional 200 acres in 50-acre increments. The purchase price of the first tract can be made at 80% of the fair market value, and the remaining tracts will be offered at fair market value at the time of purchase. The option purchase period is 20 years.
Sidbury Land and Timber purchased over 1,600 acres of land in the area for $3.3 million in 2004, according to New Hanover property records.
Commissioner Bill Rivenbark said that the deal stemmed from Wilmington Business Development meetings that referenced economic opportunities at the Pender Commerce Park. Scott Satterfield, who serves as the CEO of WBD, told Rivenbark that New Hanover needed land with water and sewer access to secure similar investments.
Commissioner Rob Zapple said that the project will prevent the need for hundreds of wells and septic tanks to be installed for future homes.
Senator Michael Lee, who pushed for state funding for the project, said that the work was a unique example of collaboration.
“The fact that everybody is working together in New Hanover County is pretty spectacular,” Lee said. “I have the opportunity to review a lot of projects around the state through my budget role, and I cannot say that all parts of our state have a local government, a utility authority – sometimes private, sometimes public – and the general public all working together to make something like this happen.”
The five county-funded projects include water and sewer along Holly Shelter and North College roads, phase one of Blue Clay Road water, sewer force main on Sidbury Road and Greenview east and west area sewer. CFPUA’s total vision for the Last Frontier Project encompasses $109 million in improvements.
Work has been completed on the Northern Regional pump station and force main, an airport water main and directional drills along Military Cutoff Road. The Bayshore transmission main is in the design phase, while construction is underway on the South Castle Hayne Road water main.
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: CFPUA project completion pushes New Hanover closer to securing land donation
