A Carolina Beach wedding venue is planning an expansion while a review of a nearby development has been pushed back.
Two rezoning applications were submitted for the Oct. 8 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. The board unanimously recommended approval of one of the proposals, which would allow for the expansion of an outdoor event space at Kindred Wedding and Events in the town’s Boardwalk district. The commission’s review of the other application, which proposed a mixed-use development on Carolina Beach Avenue, has been pushed to a later date.
Town Council will review the Kindred application at its meeting on Nov. 10.
Wedding venue to expand
The commission recommended approval of Common Ground Holdings’ proposal to expand the Kindred event space at 205 Charlotte
Ave. The proposed expansion includes 2,500 square feet to its outdoor area, including 1,800 square feet of artificial turf, paver walkway, landscaping and a small altar/stage.
Common Ground Holdings purchased the property for $2.3 million in March 2023, according to New Hanover County property records. The business was approved for use as an event venue and bar in July of 2023. In January 2024, a modification was approved to allow for an outdoor drinking and serving area.
The applicant held a community meeting on Aug. 7 for the proposal, but no residents attended or reached out with concerns regarding the project.
“After three years of operation and feedback from our clients, our ownership team identified the need for a larger outdoor ceremony space,” Kindred co-owner Michael Urti wrote in a letter to Town Council. “While our facility has much to offer, the existing courtyard cannot comfortably accommodate an outdoor wedding ceremony of up to 150 guests.”
The commission discussed imposing time constraints on outdoor use, but decided against it after town staff indicated that the venue had not received any complaints over the past three years.
Mixed-use hearing pushed back
An application for a mixed-use development was pulled from the October Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. Project representative Matt Kalp said that the application will be reviewed by the commission in November. The commission meets on Nov. 13, with the next Town Council meeting scheduled for Dec. 9.
The application, submitted by KMB Investments LLC, seeks approval for a 16-unit mixed-use building with a gym at 308 Carolina Beach Ave. North. The company purchased the 12,721-square-foot lot for $1.3 million in April 2026, according to New Hanover property records.
The proposed building would be a condominium complex with a maximum height of 59 feet.
The applicant is providing the 20 required parking spaces for the residential units. The project is located within the Central Business District, which allows for off-street parking requirements to be waived for commercial uses if public parking spaces are located within 500 feet of the property. A total of 11 spaces are waived for the gym. The application notes that the development’s projected traffic volume falls well within the anticipated capacity of the roadway.
Daniel Sheehan covers New Hanover County for the StarNews. Reach him at dsheehan@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Carolina Beach wedding venue plans expansion
