Belville’s Planning Board meets Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, to consider a small but strategic rezoning on U.S. 17. The request would shift about 3.60 acres at 9111 Ocean Highway East from Industrial (I) to Business Highway (BH) — a change that could shape what gets built at the Benton Brown Way intersection.
If you live in Belville, Leland or along the Brunswick side of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge corridor, highway-front commercial zoning is one of the quiet ways a river town adds services. Here is what the notice says and how buyers should think about it.
What Is on the Agenda
According to the Town of Belville Planning Board public hearing notice:
- When: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
- Where: Brunswick Community College — Leland Center, 2045 Enterprise Drive, Room 204, Leland, NC 28451
- Applicant: Pak Luu on behalf of PZJ Belville LLC
- Request: rezone one tract of about ±3.60 acres from Industrial (I) to Business Highway (BH)
- Location: 9111 Ocean Hwy E, Belville, at U.S. 17 and Benton Brown Way
- Parcel: Brunswick County Parcel Number 04700031
The notice was posted Nov. 1 and Nov. 8, 2026. Interested residents can contact Planning Director Chad Staradumsky at 910-371-2456 or [email protected] to view documents.
Why Business Highway Zoning Matters Here
Belville is a small river town with limited commercial frontage compared with Leland’s bigger U.S. 17 corridor. A shift from industrial to business-highway use typically opens the door to retail, offices or service uses that fit a highway setting, subject to whatever the town’s ordinance allows in the BH district.
That does not mean a specific store or restaurant is approved. A rezoning is a land-use change. Site plans, driveway permits and building permits would still come later if the map amendment moves forward. Neighbors should ask what uses BH allows and whether buffers, lighting and access standards protect nearby homes.
What Nearby Homeowners and Buyers Should Ask
- Access: How would customers enter and exit U.S. 17 and Benton Brown Way without stacking traffic into residential streets?
- Buffers: What screening separates commercial pads from adjacent homes?
- Timeline: Even if recommended, a rezoning often needs Board of Commissioners action before anything is built.
- Fit with Belville’s plans: Compare the request with the town’s riverfront and commercial goals we have covered in earlier Belville guides.
For buyers touring Belville this week, treat the hearing as due-diligence context, not a reason to walk away from an otherwise good home. Know whether your street backs up to the parcel, and budget for construction noise later if a commercial project eventually breaks ground.
How Belville Fits the Broader U.S. 17 Story
Belville sits between the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and Leland’s larger commercial nodes. Residents already balance river living with trips across the bridge for jobs, health care and shopping. A Business Highway designation on a small industrial tract will not remake the town overnight, but it is another data point in how the west bank fills in highway frontage.
When we help buyers compare Belville with Leland, Brunswick Forest or Navassa, we look at three practical questions: how long is the river crossing at rush hour, which services are already walkable or a short drive, and what is still industrial or vacant along U.S. 17. Tuesday’s hearing speaks to that third question.
Practical Tips for Hearing Night
- Arrive a few minutes early; the meeting is at the Brunswick Community College Leland Center, not Belville Town Hall.
- Ask whether the Planning Board is only making a recommendation and when the Board of Commissioners would hear the item if it advances.
- Request the list of permitted, special and prohibited uses in the Business Highway district so you are not debating a hypothetical tenant.
- If you live on Benton Brown Way or nearby, note lighting, dumpster placement and delivery hours as future site-plan issues even if the map change is approved.
FAQ
Is this the same as approving a shopping center?
No. The Nov. 10 item is a zoning map amendment from Industrial to Business Highway. Specific buildings would require later approvals.
Do I need to attend to be heard?
The town encourages interested citizens to attend. You can also contact the planning director ahead of the meeting for documents.
How does this affect home values?
A single 3.6-acre highway rezoning rarely moves an entire market overnight. Buyers usually weigh convenience (closer services) against traffic and lighting. We help clients read those tradeoffs address by address.
Touring Belville Around Hearing Week
Belville’s draw is still the river, the bridge access and a quieter alternative to bigger Brunswick suburbs. Corridor changes are part of staying informed. Contact Aspyre Collective and we will help you compare Belville streets with Leland and Brunswick Forest while this rezoning works through the process.
