Quarry Opponents
Intensify Efforts; Zoning Plan Suspended
(Continued From Page 1-A)
"In my opinion, due to the steps
they have already taken, any regula
tory change (by the county) would
not be valid as to Martin Marietta."
Ramos said. "If you were to change
the zoning from heavy manufactur
ing to anything else, it would not be
valid as to them.
"The county has very little to say
about it anyway," Ramos said.
"Environmental and mining regula
tions are state-mandated and state
maintained."
Besides pursuing a modification of
their existing permit, Martin Marietta
on Friday applied for a new state
mining permit for the entire l.(XM)
acre tract it owns near the intersec
tion of N.C. 133 and N.C. 87. A pub
lic hearing on that request will be
held in Bolivia on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m.
In an interview shortly after the
meeting with Martin Marietta Mon
day afternoon. Chairman Warren
said the company had revealed
"their ace in the hole," a previously
unknown factor that would make it
very difficult for the county to pro
hibit the mining operation without
risking court action.
"I never understood why they
bought all that land," Warren said.
"Normally, you wouldn't purchase a
thousand acres of land for some
thing like that without having all
your permits in hand. You would get
an option and close after you got
your permits.
"I never understood why they
didn't do that." Warren said. "Now I
do."
Brunswick county's new zoning
law went into effect Monday morn
WTJf*
STAFF PHOTO BY ERIC CARLSON
MINING OPPONENTS turned out in force at Monday's Brunswick County Board of Commissioners
meeting to protest Martin Marietta Aggregates' planned limestone mine near Southport. Among the
more than 250 protesters were (front row, from left) Southport lawyer John Snyder, former Boiling
Spring Lakes mayor Arthur Greene and Susan Osborne, president of the Brunswick County Anti
Mining Alliance.
ing. It designates a large area for
east of N.C. 133 between Sunny
Point and the Brunswick Nuclear
Plant as a heavy manufacturing zone
where mining is permitted. Martin
Marietta's property is located within
that zone.
Under the zoning ordinance,
Martin Marietta would be required
to "assure the absence of adverse
impacts beyond the zoning district
boundary," including loud noises,
noxious odors, pollution and exces
sive vibrations. The law also re
quires that a vegetative buffer be left
around the mine site.
"Because there was no zoning un
til today, the only thing they needed
STAFF PHOTO BY SUSAN USHER
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tiyjj ThE BftUNSW'CK BEAC
was a building permit and a septic
tank permit," Ramos said in his ear
lier remarks.
The mining alliance has made a
formal request to the Brunswick
County Planning Board, asking it to
remove mining and other permitted
uses it finds objectionable from the
H-M district. A public hearing on
that proposal will be held Nov. 17.
Still, some speakers at Monday's
meeting demanded that the commis
sioners halt enforcement of the zon
ing ordinance.
After adjourning to a 30-minute
closed session "to discuss an attor
ney-client situation." the board re
sumed its public meeting to consider
two resolutions concerning Martin
Marietta.
Commissioner Wayland Vereen of
Long Beach, who opposes the mine,
offered a resolution to postpone en
forcement of the zoning law because
it "appears to disregard the health,
safety and welfare and the quality of
life of the citizens."
Vereen's proposal also asked that
until the zoning law is modified.
Brunswick County "shall accept no
applications for. nor issue permits in
connection with, land use."
Ramos cautioned that such a pro
posal might be illegal because a
board of commissioners cannot re
solve that a statute not be enforced.
"You would be stopping anyone
from getting a permit to build in
Brunsw ick County," he said.
Vereen found himself the sole
supporter of his resolution, which
was voted down 4-to-l. Then
Ramos was asked to read a second
resolution that also called for a delay
in the implementation of zoning.
The resolution states that "the
Brunswick County Commissioners
is opposed to the mining operation
of Martin Marietta and to the is
suance of applicable state and feder
al permits by them."
Commissioners Warren. Rabon
and Donald Shaw voted in favor of
the measure, which was opposed by
Vereen and Jerry Jones.
Alter the meeting, Susan Os
borne. president of the Anti-Mining
Alliance, called the vote "a minor
victory," but said she had not read
the text of the resolution.
Tuesday afternoon, the group is
sued an "urgent notice" alerting sup
porters that "we have not achieved
what we set out to do." It notes that
suspension of zoning means that
"anything goes" for Martin
Marietta's plan.
"What the commissioners did was
a dodge," said Alliance Vice
President Robert Quinn. "They led
our people to believe they were sup
porting the opposition to mining
without putting any teeth in it. They
tried to appease them by putting a
pacifier in their mouths. On the oth
er hand (the commissioners) were
undercutting their efforts and caus
ing the opposite results."
Ouinn also said that the county
does have the right to prohibit
Martin Marietta from mining in
Brunswick County. He said fears of
legal action are unwarranted.
"The courts have ruled that a zon
ing change that prohibits a use of
property is not a taking of that prop
erty as long as other uses can be
made," he said. "Anyone who says
otherwise is just throwing smoke
grenades."
Shallotte Auditor
BY DOUG RUTTER
As far as Mike Chandler is con
cerned, Shallotte officials have
come a long way in terms of manag
ing the town's money wisely.
When the local firm of Brock,
Padgett & Chandler took over the
annual audit a few years ago.
Chandler had three pages of recom
mendations for the board of alder
men.
Chandler had just one page of
suggestions for the town board
Tuesday night, when he presented
the financial report for the 1992-93
fiscal year.
"You all have done a fine job." he
said. "Three years ago you didn't
have anything. The board should be
commended for actions taken years
ago that have allowed you to make a
little bit of money without having to
work for it."
Chandler said there's still room
for improvement, particularly in the
area of property tax collection.
Shallotte collected 93.5 percent of
its taxes last year, which represents a
1. 5-percent improvement over the
1991-92 fiscal year. The town re
ceived $323,967 in taxes, leaving
$22,683 uncollected.
"I would like to see that up
around 96 percent," Chandler said.
"We went after the unpaid taxes a
few years ago. It's probably time
that we shake them up a little bit
again. If you let them ride they'll
continue to ride."
Chandler also recommended
Tuesday that dollar amounts shown
on subsidiary records such as prop
erty tax listings lie reconciled to the
amounts shown on the general
ledger periodically.
Also, he suggested the town re
view its receivable accounts from
water and sewer charges periodical
ly and write off those that are uncol
lectible.
Shallotte's revenues last fiscal
year totaled $680,075. while expens
es were $682,249. The town had a
fund balance, or emergency reserve,
of $230,000 as of June 30.
In a related matter Tuesday night,
the town board postponed a decision
on whether to continue using
Southern National Bank or switch
ing the accounts to United Carolina
Bank.
Both banks have submitted pro
posals to the town, but aldermen
said they want more specific infor
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mation on service charges so Ihey
can determine which bank will give
the town the most for its money.
"I think the bottom line is what's
this going to cost the town each
month?" Alderman David Cause
said.
Other Business
In other business , aldermen:
? Took no action following a 5
minute executive session requested
by Town Attorney Mark Lewis to
discuss a pending lawsuit.
? Voted to apply for a credit card
that will be used by town employees
and officials when they travel out of
town on business. David Gause sug
gested using a card in order to keep
up with expenses. "I have a reason
for doing that but I'm not going into
detail," he said.
? Agreed to hold the town
Christmas party for employees, vol
unteers and officials on Tuesday,
Dec. 7, in lieu of the regular meet
ing. New aldermen Carson Durham
and Bill Allen will take office at that
time.
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