Board approves development in Sneads Ferry

In the face of the downturn in the housing market, developers go on planning residential communities in and around the Sneads Ferry area.

The Onslow County Planning Board last week approved preliminary sketches for Jubilation and Oyster Landing, two proposed residential development projects which could bring more than 1,900 new residences to the area.

Now that the approval of the preliminary sketches has been obtained, the next step in the process will be to acquire the array of appropriate permits needed before they can begin work on the infrastructure, Angie Manning, Land Use Administrator for Onslow County Planning and Development Department said.

Jubilation, the larger of the two projects, encompasses 888 acres of land in the southwest quadrant of the intersection of Old Folkstone Road and N.C. 210 in Stump Sound Township.

The development company, Wakefield Development Co., of Raleigh, contacted the Onslow County Planning and Development department about the project last January.

The approved preliminary plans divide the property into 1,461 lots, each with an average lot size of 7,800 square feet. The subdivision has been designed with a private road system and its own wastewater treatment facility.

The Oyster Landing residential development approved plans propose 468 lots on 321 acres of property with and average lot size of 16,340 square feet.

Its location, formerly the site of the Old Folkstone Sand Mine, is also located in Stump Sound Township on the north side of Old Folkstone Road, close to its intersection with Tar Landing Road.

Victor Rizzuto, whose company, Arris Construction Services Ltd. drew up the construction development plan, said the plans include a club house, and has allotted space for amenities, but he said developers remain undecided on exactly what amenities to provide. Tennis courts, basketball courts, a swimming pool, walking trails and covered picnic areas and playgrounds are drawn into the preliminary sketches.

Rizutto also said that the entire subdivision will be comprised of single family dwellings which are projected to hover in the $200,000 price range, with intentions to make the homes affordable.

The subdivision will be served by its own private on-site wastewater treatment plant.

A few other subdivisions in the Sneads Ferry area are selling lots and are working on infrastructure.

Mimosa Bay subdivision, the first private gated community in Sneads Ferry, located off Old Folkstone Road and north of N.C. 210 has completed four of five of its phases, according to Gordon Frieze of Frieze Enterprises in Wilmington. The 350-acre subdivision proposed a total of 370 lots, and has sold 150 of the 220 lots available in phases one through four. The club house and tennis courts were just recently completed and Freize says they hope to begin construction on a swimming pool this year.

“Phase five (approximately 150 lots) may not be completed until sometime in 2008-2009,” Freize said.

Home prices start at $125,000 and up to $350,000.

Creeks Edge off of Turkey Point Road, Royal Palms off of Tar Heel Road and Old Millstone Landing located off of Old Folkstone Road and north of N.C. 210 are also working on infrastructure and have some homes built or being built.

One project that was proposed last January around the same time as Jubilation, Stainback Green at Kings Creek, has been put on hold given current market conditions according to Kevin Hardt with LandDesign who drew up preliminary sketches but has yet to submit them to the planning board.

The proposed 600-acre subdivision with 972 units and an 18-hole golf course, less than 10 miles from the Jubilation site, just off Holly Ridge-Sneads Ferry Road is still on the drawing board according to Hardt, but has been put on the back burner for the time being given the current market downturn.