In 2015, Onslow County hired Benchmark Planning to develop and prepare a Unified Development Ordinance. This was the first major overhaul of Onslow County's Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances since the implementation of County-wide zoning in 2004. The new Unified Development Ordinance provided clear processes and standards, clarifying a number of identified concerns in the previous Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances. New design standards were also incorporated into the County's Unified Development Ordinance.