Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Feb. 21, 1991, edition 1 / Page 5
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Calabash Delays Decision On Golf Course Signs Some Unwelcomed Intruders BY BILL FAVER Last summer I read about some of the unwanted intruders in our mountains and particularly along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The article wasn't about poachers or hik ers or people in places where ihcy should not have been. It was about plants and insects and diseases that had come in and caused great harm to our mountains. One of these happened many years ago and changed the landscape of the southern mountains. By 1914, the chestnut blight, an introduced species, had wiped out the last chestnut tree and had killed off the dominant tree of the mountains. Since the blight was a foreign and unwelcomed intruder, the trees had not built up a resistance and there was no natural control pre sent Similarly, today, the balsam trees are being affected by the balsam wooly adclgid, also an introduced species. Someday balsam trees may go the way of the chestnuts and no longer cover our mountainsides. Some plant species have been brought in from foreign sources. The Japanese honeysuckle was brought in as an ornamental vine to add some beauty to our yards. It has virtually covered old homesites and will take over any spot where it is left unchecked. Similarly, kudzu was brought in to help control erosion in gullies throughout the country. Planted along roadsides, it has taken over everything in its path. With no ene mies and nothing to stop it, kudzu has become the dominant plant species in many places. Root systems as much as 40 feet deep make it almost impossible to eradicate. In south Florida, well-meaning people brought in water lilies from Japan to beautify canals and now the canals are choked with aquatic vegetation. Too often we fail to understand the consequences of our actions and many times it is impossible to know what will happen. We can learn af terwards that nature's checks and balances have been violated and now we have a problem. It is hard to foresee what will happen, but we are getting better at it Maybe someday we'll understand that all nature is interrelated and interdependent and we usually cause trouble when we interfere. Results Due Soon In Check Sought By Education Board District Attorney Rex Gore says he expects to have a report by the first of March from the Brunswick County Sheriff's Department re garding questions raised about the hiring of the county's school super intendent. The Brunswick County Board of Education asked Gore's office to in vestigate after one board member, Robert Slockett, claimed personal knowledge of efforts by a fellow board member to make a deal with an applicant for the post That can didate, Barbara Rogers, a Wake County principal, later suggested her unwillingness to deal influenced her not getting the post. She, through Slockett, also questioned whether the man who got the post, long-time school system administra tor RR. Hankins, should have been disqualified because his application package was incomplete. He had not included c ;llegc transcripts. Mrs. Rogers, who never brought her concerns to the full board, has since filed a grievance with the fed eral Equal Employment Opportun ity Commission. Gore said he asked the sheriff's department to check out several dates included in the material for warded to him last week by the school board's attorney, and the whereabouts of the parties involved on those dates. "I hope to have some results by the end of next week," said Gore. As of Tuesday the sheriff's de partment had not asked for help from a state agency in conducting the investigation. Phil Perry, the chief of detectives who conducted the initial investiga tion, is on vacation and will not re turn until next week, a sheriff's de partment spokesman indicated Tues day. -- BY DOUG RUTTER The Calabash Board of Adjust ment talked with representatives of two area golf courses last week but did not decide whether to allow them to promote the businesses with signs that violate town code. Carolina Shores Golf Course and Ocean Harbour Golf Links both re quested variances from the town sign ordinance. Golf course representatives said signs are critical to directing visitors to their courses and keeping pace in the region's competitive golf indus try. American Golf Corp., which owns Carolina Shores Golf Course, asked for the variance so it can keep two signs standing at either end of Country Club Drive. Calabash Code Enforcement Of ficer Ed Schaack said both signs are ofT-premises signs, which are prohib ited in the town and its extraterritori al area. An off-premises sign is one that isn't located on the same proper ty as the business it's promoting. Shallotte attorney Mason Ander son, who represented American Golf Corp. at the variance hearing last Wednesday, said he believes both signs for Carolina Shores were in place before the town incorporated. Calabash was incorporated in 1973. Board member Phyllis Man ning said the sign near the intersec tion of N.C. 179 and Country Club Drive wasn't there when she moved to the community in 1979. Anderson presented deeds to the town board which he said show that the Carolina Shores property was once one large tract of land which was later divided for the golf course " These people have come here. They have made a substantial investment in our community." ? Mason Anderson, Attorney, American Golf and a separate residential communi ty The attorney said permanent sign easements were included in the deeds, and the golf course was pur chased with the right to keep the signs included as part of the deal. Anderson said a variance for Carolina Shores is in order because the signs are located on permanent easements and take on the charac teristic of being on golf course property. He said there is no other practical use for the sign easements. The lawyer also said the signs were not in violation when they were erected, and they are situated in the only location presently available to the golf course that will serve the in tended purpose of the signs. He said it would place an undue hardship on American Golf Corp. if the signs were removed. With the pro shop and course located inside the residential development, the signs are needed to direct traffic. Anderson said the golf industry is very competitive and signs are needed to point visitors in the right direction. "These people have come here. They have made a substantial in vestment in our community," An derson said. "It's a very competitive marketplace." Ocean Harbour Ocean Harbour Golf Links re quested a variance to erect two of four signs it look down last year to comply with the ordinance. Schaack said all four of the signs were locat ed along N.C. 179 and were off premises signs. Golf course developer Odell Wil liamson said the location of the course and the fact the it has been open only a short time justify the town granting him a variance. The golf course is located on N.C. 179 between Calabash and Sunset Beach. "It's hard to direct people to that course," Williamson said. He said the course has been open for about 1 1/2 years, but it hasn't been through a full golf season yet. Williamson said a lot of golfers don't know where the course is lo cated. The developer said he wants to erect two signs on N.C. 179, one between Calabash and the South Carolina state line and the other near the Calabash River bridge. Williamson said the four signs promoting the golf course were only up three or four months before they were taken down. He said all but one of the signs was situated on land owned by him or his corporation. Schaack said permits were never issued for the four signs. William son said he wasn't aware he had to get permits. Besides the four Ocean Harbour signs, Williamson said the town forced the removal of one sign for The Pearl Golf Links and one sign promoting Ocean Isle Beach Golf Course. His family owns both of those courses. Calabash has had its sign regula tions in place since 1982, but the town didn't start enforcing them un til last year. The enforcement has resulted in the removal of approxi mately 80 signs so far. Williamson said Calabash offi cials should be more willing to compromise and work with mer chants in and around town instead of stirring up trouble with them. The board of adjustment adjourn ed last week without setting a date for another meeting. The board has 30 days to make a decision on the requests. Williamson said he waited two months to come before the board and hoped he wouldn't have to wait another month to receive a re sponse. Beautiful designer frames Your walls deserve the best! Art Supplies & Prints We have a fine selection of supplies, prints & original artwork ross-stitch Supplies Over 360 thread shades in stock. Pattern books too. BOONE'S COVE CUSTOM FRAMING & MATTING Resort Plaza, Shallotte, Phone 754-6199 H Mon-Frl 10-6. Sat 9-1 ^ Inventory Clearance Savings jWSSQ 5-gallon poly qj+I?] Kerosene Cans Reg. $11.99 1 Please visit our showroom for all your lighting and decora ting needs and ideal Leaders In Progress for The South Brunswick Islands Main St. Shallotte ? 754-6000/6002 The Shallotte Electric Stores Three great stores serving all facets of our growing area from contractors to the general public. Millikeii Home Center We're Making A Grand Entrance In Brunswick County If you've been curious about all the activity going on just west of Southport on N.C. 211, here's some exciting news The gently rolling berms and picturesque ponds are part of the grand entrance of what will be Brunswick County's premier golfing community, St James Plantation. Beyond the entryway, extending to the intracoastal waterway, construction of P E Dyefc magnificent 18-hole golf course is on schedule for play this fall. Along with spectacular golf, St. James Plantation will offer the kind of amenities you would expect of a community of this calibre. Swimming tennis, beach club and boating facilities All are part of the lifestyle tliat will be unique to St. James' homeowners. \bu can take advantage of this special opportunity to own property at St James while prices remain at pre development levels Plus you can select from choice homesites on the waterway, along the fairways, with views of the marsh, lakes or in wooded interior locations For a limited time your club initiation fees are included with your honiesite. Call now to arrange a tour of our spectacular PLANTATION low-country plantation. Ife your grand entrance to a whole new way of living. 1-800-245-3871 SrlAMES Three miJes from Historic Southport Temporary Sales Office: 7201 Eost Oak Island Drive Long Beach. NC 28465 Artist's conception Obtain the Property .Report required by Federal Law and read it before tigning anything. No federal agency hat judged the merit* or value, If any. o/ this properly. Void where prohibited.
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Feb. 21, 1991, edition 1
5
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