Land Development Code (LDC)

Built upon a multi-year foundation of grassroots engagement, the Land Development Code (LDC) will help tomorrow’s Wilmington reflect the community’s preferences and hopes for the future.

Using the Code

LDC User Guide 

Answers to common questions and guidance on navigating the code can be found in the LDC User Guide(PDF, 15MB). We created the guide for those that may be new to permitting and development in Wilmington or unfamiliar with our Land Development Code. The process can seem overwhelming and we hope the guide simplifies it for you and helps you with your project.

Tips for using the online code:

• Do not use the search bar embedded in the website as it will search both current and previous versions of the code.
• You will know you are in the current code version if it is in landscape format with two columns.
• Searching the LDC can only be done by article. Select the article you are interested in and use Ctrl F to bring up a search bar. 

Pending Amendments

There is lag time between when amendments are adopted by City Council and updates to the online version of the LDC.  As of July 30, 2024, the following ordinances have been adopted by City Council but are not yet represented in the online version of the LDC:

• May 21, 2024 | Ordinance Amending the Land Development Code, Chapter 18 for Various Amendments and Clean-up Items Related to Permitted Uses, Parking Lot Landscaping, Site Design Standards, Electric Vehicle Parking, and Definitions (LDC-7-424)(PDF, 371KB)

Please contact us to determine whether any code amendments have been adopted that are not yet showing in the on-line code. 

Zoning Map   Land Development Code (LDC)