Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / April 29, 1993, edition 1 / Page 3
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ASSESSMENTS TO BE ADJtJSTFD Holden Beach Commission Rejects Ground Level Definition BY DOUG RUTTER Holdcn Beach Commissioners last week rejected a proposed definition for "ground level" and decided that canal dredging assessments need to be adjusted before bills arc mailed. On a 3-2 vote, commissioners balked at a "ground level" definition that would have brought the town code into compliance with state law concerning the town's 35-foot building height limit The board had voted 3-2 in favor of the definition three weeks ago. But Mayor Pro Tern Gil Bass switched his vote at last Wednesday's town meeting to kill the proposal. Board members David Sandifer and Gay Atkins also voted against the definition drafted by the N.C. Institute of Government, while Jim Fournier and Sid Swarts were in favor. The 3-2 vote means Holdcn Beach will continue mea suring building height from the lowest finished grade such as a concrete pad under the house?to the mean level of tlie slope of the roof. The Institute of Government proposal, which was similar to one submitted by the town planning board, de fined ground level as the average of the highest and low est elevations measured along the edge of the building footprint. For lots filled with dirt, ground level could not be more than 12 inches above the crown of the street in front of the lot Sandifer said the new definition would prevent some landowners from building more than a one-story house on the island where flood regulations are the strictest He also said it wouldn't stop people from pulling huge mounds of dirt on their property before building homes, which has bccome a problem in the last few years. Proponents of the new definition say it's needed to bring town code into compliance with the state law lim iting buildings on Holdcn Beach to 35 feet. The state law says the town won't allow buildings that arc more than 35 feet above ground level, but the town doesn't have a definition for ground level in its code. "We've got to bring our code in concurrence with the state law," Swarts said last week. Instead of the new definition, Bass suggested the town hold a referendum in November to change the state law. Bass said the town should start measuring the actual size of the building, not how high it is off the ground. After Hurricane Hugo, federal officials changed the flood elevation requirements at Holdcn Beach. As a re sult, some lot owners can't build two-story homes and still comply with the flood rules and height limit. Supporting an earlier proposal by Sandifer, Bass said the town should change the state law and limit buildings to two habitable floors. Houses could be restricted to 27 feet from the bottom of the structure to the rooftop. Bass asked Town Manager Gary Parker to find out what the town board needs to do in order to have a refer STAFF PHOTO BY LYNN CAALSON Earth Day At BCC Brunswick Community College students celebrate Earth Day April 22 with help from Recreational Grounds Management Technology students who sold herbs and perennials and gave away slices of a large cake decorated to mark the occasion. Above, student Debbie DeMatties and program assistant Frank Gault serve cake to students who stopped by to look at the plants. Proceeds of the plant sale will go toward expenses of a student field trip to N.C. State University. cndum on the state law, which can only be changed by a vote of residents. Assessments Adjusted Following a public hearing last week, Holden Beach officials have decided not to include side lot lines when figuring assessments for the Holden Beach Harbor and Heritage Harbor dredging projects. As a result, most landowners in those two canal sub divisions will pay a little bit more than what was indicat ed on recent notices from the town. Holden Beach Harbor cost SI34,307 to dredge and the entrance to Heritage Harbor cost 523,678. The town figured the owner of each 50-foot-wide lot would pay S366 in Holden Beach Harbor and SI45 in Heritage Harbor. However, commissioners voted last week not to as sess for side lot lines of comer lots that face the canals. All owners will end up sharing that cost. Property owners in Holden Beach Harbor who haven't paid yet will be billed for S381.75 for each 50 foot lot. In Heritage Harbor, the cost per lot will be $150.71. Original estimates for the dredging were S430 per lot in Holdcn Beach Harbor and $150 in Heritage Harbor. Holden Beach Harbor owners who paid the $430 in ad vance will receive refunds in about two months. During last week's hearing, two Sanford Street prop erty owners, Pete Stalling and Gladys Watkins, said the town should require that all canal lots be bulkhcadcd so dredging isn't needed so often. Commissioners recently passed an ordinance requir ing bulkheads on canal lots before construction. The town also requires maintenance of bulkheads, but doesn't require seawalls on vacant lots. Town officials received also four letters from Holdcn Beach Harbor property owners opposing the assessment. One man wrote that dredging benefited just a few people and the assessment was too high. Another owner asked the town to cut his bill because he cannot get a septic lank permit and build on his lot. Jim McSwain, who has 14 years experience as owner of a commer cial and residential construction company, started work Monday as Holden Beach's new building in spector. He fills the post vacated by Dwight Carroll, who retired earlier this month after nine years on the job. McSwain, formerly of Cary, built a home at Holden Bcach about one year ago. Town Manager Gary Parker said McSwain was chosen from approxi mately nine applicants. McSwain holds a general contractor's license and electrical and plumbing contrac tors' licenses in North Carolina. Based on the licenses he holds, McSwain said Tuesday he expects to receive state certification as a building, plumbing and electrical in spector this week. Heating and air conditioning certification could come next week. Since 1977, McSwain has owned a residential and commercial con struction business. From 1983 to 1992, he was vice president of Parro Corporation, a commercial develop ment company in Cary. McSwain graduated from Glade Valley High School in Sparta and re ceived an associate degree in ap plied agriculture from N.C. State University, according to his job ap plication. Parker said he sought assistance from the N.C. Code Qualifications Board in selecting the new inspector. New Inspector On Job At Holden "Unlike some other positions I've recruited for, this is a pretty techni cal area here," he said. McSwain's starting salary will be $22,896, which is above the level of pay normally given to new hires at Holden Beach. Under the town's personnel poli cy, Parker is authorized to hire at "step one" or "step two" on the pay scale without the permission of the board of commissioners. Parker said he couldn't hire a qualified building inspector at the "step two" salary of $19,700. At their meeting last Wednesday, commissioners gave the town man ager permission to go beyond the "step two" level to hire an inspector. The board's decision was reached during a 75-minutc closed session. Mayor Wally Ausley said the building inspector's position was one of two personnel matters dis cussed during the closed session. He said the town board did not reach a decision on the other matter, which was not disclosed. National Guard To Rebuild Sand Dunes On Long Beach The N.C. National Guard, work ing with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Town of Long Beach, is helping to rebuild sand dunes washed away in the March 13 storm. Two members of the 881st En gineer Company of Rockingham are spending two weeks at Long Beach. Tlie soldiers are driving dump trucks full of sand to areas where dunes were leveled by the March storm. The storm caused coastal damage similar to that caused by a minor hurricane. The cooperative federal, state and local project was arranged by Con gressman Charlie Rose, whose dis trict includes Brunswick County. National Guard units arc often asked by local agcncies to perform various functions as community ac tion projects. The projects provide additional training for soldiers and result in new facilities or assistance for local community needs, accord ing to a news release from the N.C. Dept. of Crime Control and Public Safety. "The situation in Long Beach was also considered to be of an emer gency nature, as the loss of sand dunes to the storm raised the likeli hood of flooding or damage to prop erty," the news release said. The town will cover the cost of motel rooms for the soldiers, and the National Guard funds their salary and meals. WAL-MART SIDEWALK SALE DAYS ALWAYSTHE LOW PRICE PRICES GOOD APRIL 28-Mav a. I?r?: MS&' 20-Inch, 3-Speed Box Fan Every Day Low Price $14.77 Keebler Town House Crackers 16 oz. Reg. $1.88 $1.77 Nabisco Ritz Bits Sandwiches $1.97 Reg. $2.38 Nabisco Wheat Thins $1.77 Reg. $1.98 Gravy Train Dog Food $7.47 20 lb-Reg. $8.97 Tidy Cat Kitty Litter $2.97 30 lb-Reg. $3.07 Purina Dry Cat Chow $7.47 20 Ib.-Reg. $9.84 Quicksilver Motor Oil $1.77 pt. 2-cycle, outboard-Reg. $1.94 20" Roadmaster Moto-Cykes Bike Reg. $169.96 $129?? Rubbermaid Action Packer..$15.97 24-gallon-Reg. $19.96 Wet/Dry Shop Vac $44.97 1.5 HP, 8-gal.-Reg. $46.94 Bar and Chain Oil 2/$5 1-gal.-Reg. $3.38 NCAA Rawlings Basketball ....$6.97 Reg. $8.00 Chilton Gas Can $2.27 1-gal.-Reg. $2.78 ^unoeam Model 13B31 Every Day Low Price Gas Grill $119.88 1-Gallon . Multi-Purpose Tank Sprayer $12.97 Reg. $14.96 Multi-Position Lounger $7.96 Reg. $9.84 12-Inch Electric Weed Eater Trimmer $oo Q7 Reg. $27.94 * WAL-MART 8B1 HOURS: MONDAY-FRIDAY 7 AM-10 PM ? SUNDAY NOON-7 PM ? PRICES GOOD UNTIL TUESDAY, MAY 4 4540 MAIN ST. ? SHALLOTTE WAL-MARTS ADVERTISED MERCHANDISE POUCY-tt is our intention to have ever advertised item in stock. However, if due to any unforeseen reason, an advertised item is not available for purchase. Wal Mart will issue a Rain Check on request, for the merchandise to be purchased at the sale price whenever available, or will sell you a similar item at a comparable reduction in price. Rain Checks are not available tor Special Purchase items because quantities are limited and available only while supplies last. We reserve the right to limit quantities to normal retail purchase. CWAL-MART STORES, INC.
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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April 29, 1993, edition 1
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