Subdivide Property

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 subdivision 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.Preliminary Plan Review 

The goal of formal Technical Review Committee (TRC) review is to approve or conditionally approve a preliminary plan application with the first submittal.

• No Design Adjustments. If no design adjustments are needed, preliminary plan applications will generally be reviewed within one week. Additional time may be needed to review and approve any Engineering Administrative Adjustment Requests included with the application. No TRC meeting will be scheduled.
• Design Adjustment. If a design adjustment is needed, a separate Design Adjustment Committee (DAC) application must also be submitted. Preliminary plan applications with design adjustments will be scheduled for an additional Pre-TRC Consultation prior to the DAC hearing. Following the hearing, a revised preliminary plan including changes required by the DAC must be submitted.
• Preliminary Plan Approval. Once a preliminary plan is approved, applicants may proceed with the TRC site plan review process. The TRC may waive site plan review based upon the degree of required improvements associated with the subdivision.

Step 1.Electronic Submissions

All preliminary plan applications must be submitted electronically by emailing the Development Review team.

Step 2.Application Components

All application components (e.g. application, preliminary plan, Engineering Administrative Adjustment application, Design Adjustment Application, etc.) must be submitted individually and named accordingly.

Step 3.Large Files

Please contact the Development Review team to make arrangements for files that exceed email limits.

Step 4.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(PDF, 107KB) must be paid in full prior to commencement of preliminary plan review by the Technical Review Committee (TRC).

Step 2.Fee Amount

Fees must be verified in advance of submitting a preliminary plan 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)
• Limited to VISA and MasterCard payments.

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
• 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.