Site Plan Review

Step 1.Planning & Zoning Assessment

Contact the development review team to schedule a preliminary review of your development concept before submitting for Pre-TRC review. The purpose of this meeting is to confirm that the proposed use is permitted, identify any supplemental standards that may apply (e.g. tree removal, parking, landscaping), and provide general guidance on the proposed concept.

Step 2.Pre-TRC Consultation 

• Required prior to submitting for formal TRC review.
• Intended to provide the applicant with the necessary information and guidance to successfully submit for formal TRC review.
• Additional consultations may be needed or desired.
• The pre-TRC consultation may be waived by TRC at the applicant’s request.
• There is no fee for the pre-TRC consultation.

Step 3.Formal Site Plan Review 

The goal of formal Technical Review Committee (TRC) review is to approve or conditionally approve a site plan application at the TRC meeting.

• Completeness Check (1 week). Each TRC discipline will review the application for completeness within a week of receiving the application. If complete, the application will be placed on the next available TRC agenda (approximately 5 weeks from submission). If incomplete (e.g. missing information or materials), staff will inform the applicant of the missing information or materials. The application will not be placed on the TRC agenda until all required information is provided.
• Application Review (4 weeks). Each discipline will review the complete application and comments will be compiled by the assigned planner and provided to the applicant three days prior to the scheduled TRC meeting.

Step 1.Electronic Submissions

All site plan review applications must be submitted via the city’s Development & Permitting Services site. Please contact Plan Review staff if you need assistance.

Step 2.Application Components

All application components (e.g. application, site plan, stormwater permit application, landscape plan, building elevations, waiver request letter, tree removal permit, TIA scoping letter, etc.) must be submitted individually and named accordingly.

Step 3.Professional Seals

Professional seals (engineers, land surveyors, architects, etc) on digital plans must be redacted from digital copies submitted to the city for review. Please be sure to mark, strike through, or otherwise conceal any professional seal located on your digital (re)submittals (e.g., PDF).

Step 1.Payment Timing

Application Fees must be paid in full prior to commencement of formal review of a site plan by the Technical Review Committee (TRC).

Step 2.Fee Amount

Fees must be verified in advance of submitting a formal site plan review application as part of the required pre-TRC consultation or in correspondence with the assigned planner.

Step 3.Payment Options

If you plan to pay in advance, planning staff must first notify the collections department to enable acceptance of payments.

Payment by Phone (910. 343.4745)

• 8 am to 5 pm (Monday through Friday except for holidays)
• VISA and MasterCard payments only

Payment in Person

• 8 am to 5 pm (Monday through Friday except for holidays)
• Billing & Collections Office
  Skyline Center
  929 North Front Street, 1st Floor

Payment by Mail

Please include invoice number or account number on checks or money orders made payable to the City of Wilmington.

• Regular Mail
  City of Wilmington Collections
  PO Box 1810
  Wilmington, NC 28402
• Express Mail
  City of Wilmington Collections

  929 North Front Street, 1st Floor
  Wilmington, NC 28401

Step 1.Applications Accepted Weekly

Applications must be received prior to 1:00 PM on Wednesday to be included in the review cycle.

Step 2.Late Applications

Applications received after the Wednesday deadline will be included with the following week's review cycle submissions.