Neighbors wary of new development proposal in Ash

ASH, N.C. (WECT) - Proposed plans for a large-scale housing development that would occupy nearly 1,200 acres were met with a cold welcome at a community meeting at Waccamaw Park on Wednesday, Sept. 20.

The proposed Ashton Farms community would call for building nearly three thousand houses and townhomes along Russtown Road, Longwood Road and Whiteville Road.

Residents shared concerns with engineers representing the developers, saying the development of that many homes would strain the current infrastructure, negatively impact traffic and overburden Brunswick County first responders.

“We don’t have the resources for this right now. 911 responders, everything involved with our infrastructure, we feel we don’t have the resources to support this,” Courtney Milliken said.

“I have land that meets up the debt to where they’re developing. And that’s going to put my animals in distress, like, and the wildlife that just is overflowing already from them just doing the little bit that they’re doing now,” Kristy Marek said.

Residents who did support the development said it would bolster the tax base and lead to better services. The developer’s representatives maintained that steps would be taken to address the concerns raised at the meeting and any others.

Representatives for the developers declined to comment.

Opponents of the development told WECT that they plan to turn out again when the proposal goes in front of the Brunswick County Planning Board.

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