Plans OK'd for Brunswick County housing development - Despite traffic concerns, South Cape project gets a thumbs up

Star News - A new gated community off N.C. 133 earned the approval of the Brunswick County Planning Board Monday evening.  It's a major development at a time when the economy has greatly slowed construction projects in the area.  It's also connected to a company that has ongoing legal issues with its yet-to-be-completed subdivisions elsewhere in the county – and it lies right in the path of the proposed Cape Fear Skyway.  The development, known as South Cape, is slated to contain 290 single-family homes, 144 multi-family units and 81 townhomes, according to documents filed with the county.  It would include about 400 acres on either side of N.C. 133 near Mallory Creek.  After an extensive presentation, several board members raised concerns about the effect a new development would have on N.C. 133, which they described as already stressed.  The board also discussed at length whether the development's streets should be made to connect with future surrounding neighborhoods.  But the only additional requirement applied before approval was that an archaeological survey be conducted on the area before land is cleared.  The property, which abuts the Cape Fear River, is owned by BLT Trust, with William E. Saunders Jr., as trustee.  The trust is an affiliate of The Coastal Companies, an umbrella unit for several subdivisions in Brunswick County in different stages of completion. Its CEO is Mark Saunders, the son of William Saunders, TCC attorney Elaine Jordan said.