Department of Land Use & Planning
The mission of the Department of Planning and Development is to improve 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.
Land Use & Planning is...
The City's 10th largest department with a total FY 2024 General Fund budget of $4,389,296.
It accounts for 2.4% of the General Fund.
About Land Use & Planning
The mission of the Department of Land Use & Planning is to promote and support the responsible and intelligent growth of communities throughout the city. The Division of Land Use ensures that all development processes are properly integrated to allow the efficient review and response to all appropriate requests to develop land in Wilmington, which includes reviewing plans and specifications for renovations and new construction. The Division of Planning provides and promotes creative and thoughtful prospective direction on how broader urban planning issues and priorities can be identified, researched, and implemented.
Departmental Priorities:
- Establishing a business- and community-friendly organization that supports the responsible growth and development of Wilmington.
- Coordinating the City’s timely and comprehensive handling and review of all land use and development permits.
- Timely follow-up inspections of all permits issued to ensure compliance.
- Ensuring prompt and professional communication between the City and members of the public on all land use review processes.
- Undertaking and leading various citywide prospective and innovation planning efforts to provide City officials with potential reforms to City codes and policies.
- Working to support the implementation of the recommendations of the City’s 2028 Comprehensive Plan to improve the quality of life of residents.
- Supporting citywide initiatives to ensure the modernization and improvement of the City’s transportation systems.
- Ensuring timely operations by staffing the activities of various commissions, such as the City Planning Commission, Neighborhood Planning Councils, Wilmington Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank, and the Wilmington Design Review and Preservation Commission.
FY 2024 Year-to-Date Expenditures by Category*
*Move the slider at the bottom of the graph to see budget and prior-year data.
How Many People Work for the Department of Land Use & Planning?*
*In FY 2023, 15 positions having to do with permitting, plan review, and land development were transferred to the Department of Land Use & Planning from the Department of Licenses & Inspections.
How Many Cases Do the Planning Commissions Hear Annually?
How Many Reviews Does the Department of Land Use & Planning Conduct Annually?
How Many Bulding Inspections Does the Department of Land Use & Planning Conduct Annually?
How Many Zoning Inspections Does the Department of Land Use & Planning Conduct Annually?
City of Wilmington Plans
Wilmington 2028 Comprehensive Plan
Learn more about the draft Wilmington 2028 Citywide Comprehensive Plan here.
Brownfield Area-Wide Planning Grant
Learn more about the U.S. EPA Brownfields Area-Wide Plan here.
Downtown Development District Plan
Learn more about the Downtown Development District Plan here.
City of Wilmington Bike Plan
Learn more about Bike Wilmington here.
Comprehensive Development Plans
Find the citywide and neighborhood-level comprehensive development plans here.
Zoning Map, Zoning Standards Summary, & Zoning Ordinance
The zoning map may be found here, the Zoning Standards Summary may be found here, and the zoning ordinance may be found in the Wilmington City Code Chapter 48.
Land Use & Planning Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Budget
Total FY 2024 General Fund Budget: $4,389,296
Total FY 2023 General Fund Budget: $3,835,055
Total Increase from FY 2023: $554,241
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Major Funding Changes from Prior Year:
Personal Services, an account group that includes salaries and benefits, increased by $115,032, or 4%, due to the following:
- Regular Salaries rose by $90,685, largely driven by an allowance for a 2.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) and mandatory reviews for executive and managerial employees.
- Temporary Salaries increased by $34,429 to provide for a part-time clerical position and support for the Historical Preservation Planner due to a reduction in State grant funding.
- One Planner II position, which used to be split-funded 55% in the General Fund and 45% in a special grant fund, is now 100% General Fund, which resulted in an increase of $44,039 to the General Fund.
The Materials, Supplies, and Equipment (MS&E) account group increased by $387,097, or 65.2%. This was largely due to a $330,000 increase in Consultants, which included $200,000 to fund Phase II of the federally required ADA self-assessment and transition plan and $150,000 to update the city’s 55-year-old zoning ordinance.