Calabash Board Seeks
Sewer Study Proposals
BY DOUG RUTTER
Calabash officials arc in the market for an engineering firm to study
the community's needs and recommend how it should handle the collec
tion, treatment and disposal of wastewater.
Town commissioners voted Tuesday night to seek bids for a sewer
study and personally contact about eight firms that already have done
that type of work in southeastern North Carolina.
Most of the town, including all of Carolina Shores, already is
served by a central sewer system.
Property owners in the old section of town, which takes in the
Calabash River waterfront and the commercial district, rely on septic
tanks for sewage disposal.
Commissioner Jon Sanborn initiated discussion on the study at
Tuesday night's meeting. He said officials with the N.C. Division of
Environmental Management had suggested the study.
Sanborn said the town could pay for it with money in a restricted
fund that comes out of sales tax revenues and has to be used to help
meet water and sewer needs of the town.
He said the town has between S10.000 and S12.000 in the fund,
which should cover the cost of a study.
Hearing Set
A proposal to add one voting member to the town's planning and
zoning board will go to public hearing April 23.
Commissioners have proposed adding one voting member from
District 1 , which is the old Town of Calabash.
That would mean the board would have four voting members from
District 2 (Carolina Shores), two from District 1 and two from the ex
traterritorial area.
There is already one alternate member from each of the three areas
who serves if another board member is absent.
Commissioner Stu Thorn introduced the proposed change in the
makeup of the planning board at the March 19 town meeting.
He pointed out that the extraterritorial area (ETA), which includes
most land within a mile of the town, has two voting members and
District 1 has one voting member.
"I think District 1 is being overlooked here," Thorn said. 'The ETA
has more people represented than District I."
Planning board members from the ETA can only vote on issues af
fecting their area. They cannot vote on issues that only affect the town.
Other Business
?Voted to advertise the names of property owners who have not paid
1991 town taxes by April 15. Town Clerk Janet Thomas said the unpaid
taxes total $4,300.
?Met in executive session for 30 minutes, at the request of
Commissioner Phyllis Manning, to talk about buying land for a town
trash dump. A lease between the town and the Carolina Shores Property
Owners Association (CSPOA) for the dump site on Persimmon Road
expires at the end of the year. Mrs. Manning said the association's board
has indicated it will not renew the lease.
?Heard a report from Rose Ann Mack, iniirim executive director of
Region O of the Cape Fear Council of Governments. She said the town
could join the organization for $600 per year and receive 20 free hours
of planning services. Additional work would cost S55 per hour.
Calabash Compromises
On Golf Course Sign
BY DOUG RUTTER
The developer of Ocean Harbour
Golf Links will be allowed to erect
one sign on the outskirts of Cala
bash under a compromise ham
mered out by the town board of ad
justment.
Following a series of motions and
a sometimes heated debate Tuesday,
the board agreed to allow developer
Odell Williamson to erect a sign on
N.C. 179 near the South Carolina
state line.
The sign promoting his golf
course between Calabash and Sun
set Beach will be allowed to stay up
for one year. A variance was needed
because it w ill uv un I'^iviiiisu
sign, which is prohibited in the
town sign ordinance.
This week's board of adjustment
meeting was the third consecutive
one at which the Ocean Harbour
sign was discussed.
The board had voted 4-1 at its
March 5 meeting to grant a variance
and allow the golf course owner to
put up two signs on N.C. 179.
Board members and Williamson
were under the impression that the
variance had been granted at that
meeting, but it had actually been de
nied.
In considering the case, the board
inadvertently followed rules that
hadn't been adopted. Those rules
say the board can overturn the
building inspector's ruling with a
four-fifths vote.
However, existing rules outlining
procedures for the board of adjust
ment require a unanimous vote to
overturn a ruling.
Board Chairman George Ander
son cast the only vote against the
variance earlier ?hi? month_ ?md the
vote turned out the same way when
it came up again Tuesday night
Once again, Anderson said he
would support a variance for one
sign but wouldn't go along with two
signs. He said the owner hadn't
shown evidence that a lack of signs
had resulted in a loss of revenue or
created a hardship.
Board member Phyllis Manning
said the board was at fault the first
time it voted and should grant the
variance for two signs. She had said
before that the golf course needs the
signs bccause it is a relatively new
business and its out-of-the-way lo
cation makes it unique.
Following this week's 4-1 vote,
Williamson criticized the board
chairman, calling him the "domi
nant boss of the whole process" and
describing him as "dictatorial."
Williamson said as long as a
unanimous vote is needed to over
turn the building inspector's deci
sion, Anderson didn't need the rest
of the board.
Anderson told the developer that
he didn't write the rules for the
board of adjustment, but he has to
follow them. "1 object strenuously
to the word dictatorial," he said.
Williamson said later that he
would settle for one sign. "I would
rather have one than none if that's
the way it's got to be," he said.
The developer said he had been
to the planning board, town com
mission and board of adjustment six
times before this week to discuss
the signs.
"I can assure you that after seven
times down here it's getting a little
aggravating," he said.
As a comnmmise, board member
Ray Card proposed allowing the
golf course owner to put up one
sign for two years and one sign for
one year.
He attempted to make a motion
to that effect, but Anderson cut him
short and requested an executive
session to confer with the town at
torney.
Following a 15-minute closed
session, Ed Rice made a motion to
grant a variance and allow the golf
course to erect one sign for a period
of one year. Anderson seconded the
motion, which passed on a unani
mous vote.
Although she voted in favor of
the motion, Mrs. Manning said she
thought it was "ridiculous" for the
town to give permission for one
sign but not two signs. She said it
showed that the board is inflexible.
Card also voted in favor of the
variance, but said he was unhappy
with the outcome. He said William
son had complied with the town's
request to remove four signs last
year and he should be allowed to
put two of them back up.
After settling the Ocean Harbour
matter, the board heard another re
quest for a variance from the sign
ordinance but took no action.
Anderson said the board should
respond to the request from Linda
and Gwyn's Boutique within two
weeks.
Chris Chappell, co-owner of the
Thomasboro Road shop, said he
wants to put up one off-premises
sign near the intersection of N.C.
179 and Georgetown Road to direct
people to the business.
He said the shop opened about
two years ago and three signs were
erected in July 1989. The signs
were taken down last May at the
request of the town because they
did not conform with town code.
Chappell said one sign is needed
because the business is relatively
new and it's located on a lightly
traveled road.
The sign he wants to put up is four
feet by six feet "We need to make
all the money we can," Chappell
said. "That's the bottom line."
!s
AT HOLDEN BEACH
Builders Say New Flood Rules Could Curb
House Sizes If Height Limit Not Changed
BY DOUG R UTTER
Several Holdcn Bcach builders
say they're worried that recent
changes in flood map elevations
coupled with the town's building
height limit may prevent some peo
ple from building homes as large as
they had planned to build.
Four builders told town officials
last week that new federal flood
rules could make it difficult for
landowners to build two-story
homes in some areas of the island
and still comply with the town's 35
foot height limit.
At the town board's request, state
legislators passed a law two years
ago limiting buildings to 35 feet
above ground level. Only the town's
voters can change the height limit
The Federal Emergency Manage
ment Agency (FEMA) last year in
creased the minimum height that
new homes in some areas of the
bcach must be elevated off the
ground to qualify for flood insur
ance.
Builders say the higher eleva
tions, combined with the town's
building height limit, have created a
potential problem.
The problem comes up when
homes have to be elevated 18 or 19
feet above sea level. In some areas,
FEMA requires that buildings be 23
feet above sea level to get flood in
surance.
In those eases, there isn't enough
room to build a normal two-story
home and keep it within the 35-foot
limit.
"The people have been very satisfied
with the 3 5 -foot law."
? John Tandy
Holden Beach mayor
Faccd with an identical situation,
residents of Long Beach ? which al
so had a 35-foot height limit ? voted
March 5 to increase the maximum
building height in the V-Flood Zone
from 35 feet to 4 1 feet. The build
ing height limit for the rest of the is
land remains 35 feet.
Holdcn Beach Commissioners
had more questions than answers
when they discussed the matter at a
special workshop last Thursday.
Nobody was sure how many lots
could be affected or where on the
island the problem is the worst.
Mayor John Tandy has appointed
Commissioners Bob Buck and Gay
Atkins and Interim Town Manager
Diane Clark to study the problem
and make a recommendation to the
town board.
'The people have been very satis
fied with the 35-foot law," Tandy
said.
Bill Leggctt of Sea Castles Inc.
was the only builder at the meeting
who said he has an immediate prob
lem. Three other builders said they
expect problems when they try to
develop certain lots.
David Sandifer of Holden Beach
Realty said people who pay $95,000
for an occanfront lot don't want to
build a one-story house. They want
two stories to get the most out of
their investment.
Sandifer said the regulations
force people to "cheat" to conform
with the building height. Builders
are allowed to add fill dirt under the
house so it isn't more than 35 feet
off the ground.
When two or more feet of dirt is
piled under a house, builders said it
can create stormwater runpff prob
lems that can affect neighbors.
Rather than restricting how tall a
building can be, Sandifer said the
town should be trying to regulate
the size of buildings. "That's some
thing we can control and it doesn't
matter what FEMA does."
Sandifer said if the town restricts
the height of the actual building
once it is placed on pilings to 25 or
26 feel, it wouldn't matter which
flood zone it was located in.
Commissioner Buck said regulat
ing how big a building can be may
be the answer to the problem. But
he said there s no quick solution be
cause the town still would have to
hold a referendum to change the
building height.
Mark Saunders of Coastal Devel
opment said the town had no con
trol over septic tank regulations that
have thwarted development on the
island. He said the town does have
the ability to correct the building
height situation.
Tandy said it seems that some
body gets hurt whenever a new reg
ulation is passed. "It's a shame, but
that's the way the government
works," he said.
Commissioner Gloria Barrett said
FEMA changed its flood maps be
cause certain lots are vulnerable to
storms. She said the federal agency
is trying to discourage large build
ings on those lots subject to flooding.
But Jim Griffin, who is develop
ing the Wild Dunes section of
Holdcn Beach, said FEMA some
times acts arbitrarily. FEMA says a
house on one lot in Wild Dunes be
elevated, but a house on an adjacent
lot can sit on the ground.
Building Inspector Dwight Car
roll said nobody from Holden Bcach
objected to the new flood map when
it was presented last year. It was im
plemented in September.
Most commissioners asked why
they hadn't heard about the problem
before last week since the flood
maps have been in effect more than
five months.
Commissioner Atkins, who is in
volved in the home building indus
try as a real estate agent, was the
only board member who had heard
of the problem before last week's
meeting.
Bill Would Let Long Beach Assess Lot Owners For Work
Long Beach Commissioners would be permit
ted to assess lot owners for burying utility lines
and improving streets under a bill introduced last
week in the N.C. General Assembly.
State Rep. David Rcdwine introduced the bill
that would amend the town charter of Long
Beach, according to his weekly legislative report.
Rcdwine said he has already introduced simi
lar legislation for most of the district's other
coastal communities.
The bill would allow the town board to assess
property owners who benefit from street im
provements without receiving a petition from the
landowners. Redwinc said more than 70 munici
palities in the state already have the power to as
sess in this way.
"The town would only use this authority where
the necessity existed and after a public hearing is
held," Rcdwine wrote.
Also in the past week, Rcdwine introduced a
bill to clarify the authority of the Commissioner of
Banks under the Consumer Franchise Act
The bill clarifies the commissioner's authority
in allowing lenders to conduct other business in
their offices.
Redwine has introduced another bill that
would provide health benefits for handicapped
dependents of teachers and state employees.
These dependents were previously excluded
from coverage by the Teachers and State
Employees Comprehensive Major Medical Plan.
The representative said the bill would help
families of mentally or physically handicapped
children who would lose their health benefits af
ter they reach the age of 19, or after they cease to
be full-time students.
In the past week, Redwine has been appointed
vice chairman of the Congressional Redistricting
Committee.
Sen. Paul White of Massachusetts also has ap
pointed Redwine to the Organizational Planning
and Coordinating (OPAC) Committee of the
Council of State Governments, according to the
legislative report
Hospice Benefit
Features Truck
A red Mitsubishi pick-up truck
will be given away at the close of a
major fund-raising project benefit
ting Lower Cape Fear Hospice.
Ticket? are $1 or six for S5 and
are available through June 15 from
the Brunswick County Hospice of
fice in Sunward Office Building,
Holden Beach spice vo lun
teers.
All proceeds benefit Hospice's
program of care and support for ter
minally ill patients and their fami
lies.
Hospice volunteer Jack Corbett is
coordinating the project.
More information is available
from Hospice, 754-5356.
Correction
Dr. HJ. "Skip" Davis, recently
appointed to the Brunswick County
Board of Health by county commis
sioners, is a chiropractor with an of
fice in Ocean Isle.
It was incorrectly reported in The
Brunswick Beacon that Davis is an
optometrist. Davis was named to fill
the seat held by Dr. Chris Moshour
es, an optometrist, who resigned in
January.
Before moving to Brunswick
County in June 1988, Davis prac
ticed in Raleigh for 20 years and in
Sarasota, Fla., for three years.
He and his wife, Patty, live near
Shallotte Point.
"We want to give back something
to a county that has been very good
to us," said Davis of his appoint
ment
This year you'll find
eees-actly the
right gift at
Carson's!
?Tom Clark Easter Gnomes
"Chick & Debbie"
?Easter collectible music
boxes
(including Beatrix Potter
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?Easter collectible tea pots.
?"Kitty Cucumber" Easter
pieces
?"All God's Children" Miss
Martha's originals
?"Memories of Yesterday"
Swarovski Crystal
i { , ?Beautiful hand-painted eggs
- yl- - - ? Easter cards
'Easter trees & ornaments
Bunnies!
?Ms. Noah
?Annalee *Raikes
?Possible Dreams
?North American
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CARDS
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The council is a national organization of state
governments that serves as a clearinghouse for
information and recommends policies to state
governments.
Redwine said the OPAC committee is the
strategic planning arm of the executive committee.
Its role is to discuss programmatic issues facing
the council and make recommendations to the ex
ecutive committee.
Redwine reported that appropriations commit
tees are continuing to work on cutting S400 mil
lion out of the state's budget
The Subcommittee on Justice and Public
Safety, which Redwine co-c hairs, last week cut
$28 million out of the budget request for the N.C.
Department of Corrections.
"Our goal for all of the departments we cover
is $40 million," Redwine wrote. "As you can tell,
we will have to continue to cut in order to meet
our goal."
Now Tax Free For College
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HOW
TO TALK TO
1 ,000,000
NORTH
CAROLINIANS
If you have something to sell, here's the way to make your
voice heard. It's the North Carolina Statewide Classified Net
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THE BRUMSWICK^KACON
Coll 754-6890
NORTH CAROLINA
STATEWIDE
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