Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / March 5, 1987, edition 1 / Page 1
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„ „ THt BKlINSWlLK^BtACON Twenty-fifth Year, Number 17 Cirar llll MUHSWKK MACON Shallotte, North Carolina, Thursday, March 5, 1987 25c Per Copy 32 Pages Plus Inserts SPEAKERS CALL FOR REFERENDUM Zoning Issue Draws Large Hearing Crowd BY SUSAN USHEU If Brunswick County sioners follow the advice of speakers at a public hearins on zoning last Wednestlay night, they’ll take the issue directly to tlie voters or el.se drop it like a hot potato. More than 20 speakers took their turn at the podium in the county’s public assembly building at Bolivia, most to decr>' additional regulation of property, pr.rticulr.rly ir. rural areas of tlie county. “What I’ve got I worked hard for," said Ira Chadwick of the Shell Point area in a statement typical of the op position. “I don’t want anybody tell ing me what I can and can’t do witli “If these people moving in here arc unhappy, why do they come?’’ Edison Moore of Northwest Township predicted zoning would be “burdensome” to a certain segment of the people and suggested if people wanted higher standards, they should move into such an area. Many of tho.se unsure of zoning’s impact or even against it still agreed a referendum is in order, cither for the entire county or for a specific district. “It could help me or hurt me," .said I.ouie I,cwis of Supply. “But if you want tills thing to work, give the citizens an opportunity to vote. If a majority wants it, I will go with it." But several speakers were set in their eppesition: “You people are .wrong, absolutely wrong," one Oak Island resident said, while James Bellamy of Shallotte suggested zo.n- ing would create problems, not solve liiem. H.C. (Cortez) Ward Sr. of I.ongwood drew the loudest applause. “1 don't URe anyoody cdueaieu nuuve their intelligence to tell me what to do with my property," he said. "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it." In a show of liands at the close of the licaring, about GO percent of Uic 110-membcr audience indicated they lou were against zoning. While one speaker, Tony Aweeky of Boiling .Spring Cakes, said tlie senti ment against zoning surprised him, Brunswick Comity Planning Board CTiaimian Ed Gore said it was about what he expected. "Tliey clearly feel the county coirunissiciuers should pu! it to a vote of the people," he said. As for comments made during the itvui Guic i.'uiiltiluvu, '*5urriv pcO- pie understand zoning, are comfor table with it and see a need for it." However, he added, people who liavc always lived in a rural area witli little property regulation fear that their lives and property woidd be adversely affected by zoning or other land iLse regulation. Aweeky said he came to the hear ing expecting a majority of those pre sent to support zoning. “Most people who have lived here a long Ume are against it,” he conclud ed. “The people who liave nnt are for it." Also, he surml.sed, “the people against zctttng •ecV.*.*t! el n ** * nar- sonal thing. I Uiink you have to look at it in tenns of what the county will lose or gain.” However, he expects the county to eventually go to zoning, Aweeky add ed, “because we neeil it." I.inda Phillips of Southport, a bank employee, recommended countywidc zoning because of "predominant value," a principle used in qualifying loan applicants. The loan value on a nice home can be adversely affected by tlie value of surrounding property, such as junkyards, she said. "Brunswick County is one of the strongest counties in the state. We have got to keep up, folks, we can't stand back.” Most speakers weren’t convinced of the need. Thomas Yaglc of Sunset Harbor said zoning would only cost county residents money, “lots of it." Ocean Isle developer Udell Williamson, who described land use planning as his “long suit," .spoke against iiic county creating a bureaucracy to deal with zoning when it has established neither long- range goals nor a plan to attain them. “If you have a dream. I’ll join you,” he added. “But we’ve got a long way to go.” Walter Iteinhclmcr cf Ixing Beach urged county residents to talk to peo ple who had lived with zoning and witliout it: “Find out if they like it or don’t like it and make up your own mind." Sonic speakers, iike Henry Williams of Shell Point and Bobby Ixjng of Grissettown, said zoning should be addressed by area, if at all. "Zoning the county would be damaging," said Ixing, noting that decti restrictions were slowly ‘zon- (See ZONING, Page 2-A) Vote Will Seek Shorter Terms hor Holden Beach Corminissidners BY EDDIE SWEATT Holden Beach voters will decide May S whether to cut the terms of of fice of commissioners from four to two years. The special election was set Mon day night by the town commission, in its regular monthly meeting, after Town Administator Bob Buck cer tified a petition calling for a vote to amend the town charter. Forty-seven of the town’s 359 registered voters, of 13.1 percent, signed the petition asking for two- year terms for all commission members. State law requires a peti tion of at least ten percent of on a proposed amendment to the town charter. Signatures on the petition were col- lecied by the Political Action Com mittee (PAC) of the Holden Beach Property Owners Association, accor ding to committee chairman Don Pr ingle. The petition was submitted to the town Feb. 2. The petition drive grew out of discussions at meetings of the association where members conclud ed that shorter terms far eom,mis- sioners woidd make them “more sen sitive" to the people and their needs, Pringle explained. “Several have not been too respon- registered voters to call an election sive," Pringle continued, but did not specify which conimissioncrs. Commissioner Graham King’s mo tion to hold the election on the first Tuesday in May passed unanimous- ly- After the vote. Commissioner Hal Stanley suggested the property owmers’ association host a forum where the issue can be discussed, since the association generally spon sors a meet-the-candidates-night prior to municipal elections. HBPOA ricaiuciit \jc audience, agreed and said he will ar range a date and time for such a meeting before the vote. “It (two- or four-year terms) makes no difference to ms; I’ve had it both ways,” commented Ckimmis- sioner Stanley, who has served both two-year and four-year terms. Tlie town cliarter was amended in 1981 to provide for four-year stag gered terms for commissioners. At the time, there was no sign of disap proval in public hearings which preceded the change. John Tandy, the present mayor, held that office in 1981 when the four- year term for commissioners was in stituted. Lyn Holden is the only cur rent commissioner who was serving at that time. Other commissioners were Jim Mulholland, Roger Morton, John Clarke and Spiro Poulos. At that time, the commission agreed that longer, staggered terms would pro vide more continuity in governing the town and prevent a complete turn over of elected officials at any one time. The top two vote-getters in the ’81 election, Jim Griffin and Gloria Bar rett, served four years each to begin the staggering process. After that, elections every two years were to alternate with three commission seats up for grabs one time and two the next time around, with the mayor continuing to be elected every two years. Before tlie change in ’81, the mayor and all five commission seats were up for grabs every two years. The petition would bring back the previous system. The four-year temes of tlusie of the present commissioners are up this year. They are Lyn Holden, Hal Stanley and Graham King. The other two. Gay Atkins and William Williamson, were elected in 1985 for four years. Most municipalities in Brunswick County use' staggered, four-year terms for commissioners and elect the mayor every two years. Only Calabash and Bolivia elect a mayor and all commission members every two years. Shallotte’s mayor is Uie only one elected for a four-year term. Flood Waters Put Cawcaw District Back Before County Commissioners BY SUSAN USHER Flooding in the Cawcaw Swamp area of western Brun-swick County had several .speakers asking county commissioners Monday night about the status of the former Cawcaw Drainage District Carolina Shores resident Warren “Bud" Knapp, for one, wanted to know what the county planned to do about the drainage problem in the area. He said all residents of Shingletree Precinct ryere concerned about the flooding and that the high water was creating an image problem for visitors entering the state from South Carolina. "It reflects a ladt of concern on sonnebody’s part," he said. James Bellamy, chairman of the Brunswick County SoQ and Water Conservation District, also was at the meeting, asking the county to take over (^ration of the districL But commissioners told Bellamy, for the third time in a year, that the county had no intention of doing so. Instead, they asked again that the district be re-established and its residents assess themselves to sup port the drainage project Then, said Commissicrier Chris Cha;^U, the district could approach the county for a contribution as do other organizations. “Do you want it bad enough to go out and seek a special tax for that uisiriet? That’S the only quick solu tion to that problem," he continued. However, Bellamy is convinced that the county is responsible and that taking over the maintenance is the fastest and least expen-sive alter native. He estimates the annual cost at $1 per county resident. He told coinmlssioners he wants that question of responsibility settl ed, through the courts or otherwise. "When we find out who is responsi ble, then people flooded like Lynn Fetch (owner of Farwinds Stables) will know . who to sue," Beiianiy con tinued. Bellamy said he is present his con cerns to the state Soil and Water Con servation Board on March 11 in Raleigh. He also hinted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is con sidering taking on tlie issue as a precedent-setting legal case. He said, “I don’t see, for the life of me, why the county commissioners don't go ahead and do what they will eventually have to do." The district was established in the early 1960s, with the county Soil and Water Conservation District signing a contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to maintain its drainage system for 50 years. The district cut 16 miles of canals allowing development of com munities such as Carolina Shores. Drainage District No. 1—the coun ty’s only such district—was abandon ed after its board had trouble collec ting assessments from residents and a county board of commissioners voted in 1976 to take over maintenance of the canals and paid 66,000 in debts owed by the district. In 1977, however, another board of com missioners refused to sign a contract with the USDA to that effect In the meantime, the Clerk of Superior Court, Jack Brown, had dissolved the district The current board of commis sioners agrees -with Bellamy and Knapp that the drainage district has been an economic boon for the coun ty, but say that if the county takes over the district it will be expected to provide similar drainage projects in other areas of the county. Two years ago county staff members estimated it would require an initial Investment of $200,000 to thoroughly clean the canals and at least $60,000 simply to snag along them. Bellamy also said he would ask the State Soil and Water Conservation Board about county adjustments last year in the local district’s budget. Home Show Offers Full Spectrum Of Home Improvement Resources BY SUSAN USHER Fencing, lumber, wallpaper, furniture, landscap ing materials—anything ne^ed when building or remodeling a home will be on di^lay at the second an nual Brunswick living Home Show. . •The thrccKlay show will be held at the Shallotte Na tional Guard Armory March 27-29. Admission is tr^. ilovrs are from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 ^.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p,m. Sunday. Sponsored by the South Brunswick Islands Home Buildera-Association, the show offers a wide spectrum of ideas and resources for homeowners or prospective homeowners, whether they’re adding on a room or ded(, remodeling a kitchen or building from the ground "Pt-, , ■ Thirty-four exhibitors have already committed to the show, with 11 spaces stiU available, said Mark Saunders, secretary-treasurer (rf the associatloR. Along with displays of supplies and Informatlbnal materials, said Nidt Newton, public relations chair man, "expertslnpracticallyeveryfacetofthebulldlng- trade will be available to answer questiais.’’ “We’ll have everything you can imagine relating to the home or services, for it," he added. Many exMbitors will offer drawings for gifts. Last year’s show was very successful, Newton said. The association was pleased with' the quality and number of exhibitors and with the crowds that turned out. More man i,uw peune came urat year aini we’re expecting a much larger crowd this year," he con tinued.. year exhibitors will compete for three trophlM-^best single booth, best double booth and best of show, with the winners to be announcedat a March 26 preview party for exhibitors. Exhibitors pay to participate in the show, with pro fits used by the Home Builders Association for com munity, service projects. This year’s projects include a leading role in renovating and expanding the South Bmnsudek Islands' Chamber of Commerce facilities, donations to rescue squads within the group’s jurisdic tions and support of other activities as possible. ' These interested in reserving one of the remaining booths should call either Saunders, at 8424939, or Newton, 579-7038. Way Clears For Shallotte Nursing Home uiai draineu about 16,000 ucrta if oTu when a secretary was reassigned to a me Waccamaw River south and weal county department and a tj’pewritcr to Calabash and Grissettown, mak- removed frian the office. A^rding ing them suitable for farming and (See COUNTY, Page ^A) BY SUSAN USHER One company has abandoned its two-year legal battle to build a nurs ing home in Supply, clearing the way for construction of a similar facility in Shaiiotie. Douglas Suddreth, director uf development for Autumn Corp. of Rocky Mount, said the company plans to begin construction this sum mer of a 110-bed facility at the comer of Mulberry and White Streets. The center, which will include 50 skilled riursing and 58 Intermediate-care beds, plus 10 hems for the aged be-Js, is expertMi to rwn In summer 1988. "We’re moving right along," said Suddreth, noting that the first step would be to seek rezoning of the tract by the Shallotte Board of Aldermen. The agency rtceived a certificate of need from the state on Feb. 23. Autumn’s r ctlon follows a dedslMi by Beverly Enterprises of Pasadena, Calif., to withdraw its two-year ap peal of a 1983 decision by the N.C. (See WAY CLEARS, Page 2-A)
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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March 5, 1987, edition 1
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