Department of Planning and Urban Design

Sophia Hanson, Director

An aerial view of the City of Wilmington

The mission of the Department of Planning and Urban Design is to improve the quality of life for City residents by ensuring that physical, social, and economic development in the city occurs in a rational and comprehensive manner that addresses community needs and governmental priorities.

The Department of Planning and Urban Design is responsible for preparing, modifying, and maintaining neighborhood comprehensive development plans, land use regulations, economic development strategies, and demographic and social impact studies. In addition, the Department serves as the principle liaison between city government, community organizations and planning councils and works in partnership with these groups in developing neighborhood plans. The department assists in the identification of community needs, the determinations of governmental priorities, and the design of programs.

Major activities pursued by officials in this department include:

• preparing the annual capital budget and capital improvement programs.
• proposing amendments to the capital budget, zoning code, urban renewal plan and comprehensive plan.
• processing site plan applications, street and public facility namings/renamings, rezonings, street removals, major and minor subdivisions, demolition requests and annexations.
• overseeing the City's 12 City Historic Districts.
• conducting environmental and historic reviews of federally-funded projects.
• providing staff support to the City Planning Commission, Design Review and Preservation Commission, Access Wilmington Committee, and the Neighborhood Planning Leadership Council.
• compiling and disseminating economic and demographic data.
• conducting historic preservation planning activities.
• preparing planning and land use studies and policy research.

More About Planning and Urban Design

• Community Project Day 2013
• Read the Citywide Plan of Land Use
• 2010 Census Demographic Profiles
• Urban Renewal Plans
• Waterfront Development
• Parking Lot Landscaping
• Curb Cut Review
• Subdivision Review
• Historic Preservation
• City Historic Districts
• Neighborhood Planning Councils
• City Planning Commission
• Planning Questions
• Zoning Code and Zoning Map
• Neighborhood Conservation
• Comprehensive Development Plans
• Design Review and Preservation Commission
• Access Wilmington: The Mayor's Committee on People With Disabilities
• Staff Directory