"The destruction of historic buildings should not be rewarded with generous zoning exceptions that in effect make it more appealing to tear down old structures than to save them. When Babies Hospital fell in 2004 after a drawn-out and regrettably unsuccessful push to persuade the property owner to save the landmark, a bare lot was all that was left of the storied hospital.

Now, with the property still in the hands of the same owner, developers approached the council asking the city to waive height restrictions to allow construction of a 60-foot building on the property. The mayor and two council members who have close ties to the real estate and development industries saw no problem with the request, but fortunately for those who still mourn the loss of that historically significant building the majority voted to deny the special-use permit.

The applicants can take the matter to court if they like, and there is no guarantee that a judge would rule in the city’s favor. But four council members found the request to be out of character with the surrounding area, particularly in light of a recently adopted development plan for the Wrightsville Sound area.

The city put much effort into drafting that plan, and residents of the area were active in that process. While the city planning staff saw no reason to deny the special-use permit, people who live in the area disagreed. Some 130 of them signed a petition objecting to the increased building height."

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Star News (1/8/2012)