Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Feb. 10, 1994, edition 1 / Page 9
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EXCEPTION TO HEIGHT CAP APPROVED New OIB Ordinance Spells Out Requirements For Developers BY SUSAN USHKR A new subdivision ordinance adopted hy Ocean Isle Beach Com missioners Tuesday after nearly a year of discussion and review is in tended to cut confusion and provide developers a step-by-step guide. While tackling one of their lengthiest agendas in months, town commissioners also amended the zoning ordinance height restriction to allow for construction of two-sto ry homes on lots in low-lying flotnl hazard areas. Building Inspector Druied Rober son said one of the biggest improve ments in the new subdivision ordi nance is that it provides a checklist, which could end the calls to his of fice from developers asking "What the heck do you want?" "This answers that question," he told commissioners. Planning Board Chairman De Carol Williamson dcsciil>ed the doc ument as, "... "the best, to our knowledge, we can probably do." The ordinance was adopted unan imously, with Commissioner Janet Sanders absent, after a second public hearing at which no members of the public addressed the board. The ad ditional hearing was scheduled be cause a series of minor changes, mainly dealing with time frames, had been made since the first public hearing last year. The 50-page document, drafted by the planning board with the help of consultant Roger A. Briggs and commissioners, completely modifies and supercedes the previous ordi nance. That was a 10-page docu ment that had been copied f rom an other town and used by Ocean Isle Beach for approximately 30 years. Roberson later told The Brunswick Beacon. The new rulebook reflects "th?: difference in the l%(>s to the 1990s. It's an updated, modern professional subdivision ordinance. It recognizes that all subdivisions are not the same." "Somebody can take this ordi nance and go strictly by it and walk in with a plat they know will be ap proved." The ordinance details the methods for subdividing land within the town and its extraterritorial areas and pro vides a checklist of criteria that must be met before a plat is approved. It addresses issues such as the type of streets required, dedication and maintenance of streets, utilities and the marketing of multi-phase subdi vision projects when all utilities are not put in place upfront. The previous ordinance was full of generalities such as "up to town standards" and "as approved by the town board" which left developers guessing at whether their plans were satisfactory. "It closes a lot of loopholes," said Commissioner Ken Proctor, who served on the planning board until Calabash Approves Newsletter To Explain Sewer System Pian BY ERIC CARLSON In an effort to answer questions and head off misunderstandings about the Southwest Brunswick 201 Facilities sewerage plan before an upcoming public hearing, the Calabash Board of Commissioners Tuesday agreed on the wording of a town newsletter that will be mailed to all its citizens. The hearing 011 the plan will be held Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. in the Calabash Fire Department and moderated by Mayor George Anderson. A 201 Facilities Plan is an analysis of area water quality and the fac tors that effect it. It is a formal study required of applicants for state and federal grants and loans for public sewer systems. A copy of the plan for the Southwest Brunswick Water and Sewer Authority is available for inspection at the Calabash town hall. The Feb. 17 hearing will begin with a description of the recommend ed plan for providing sewer service to Calabash and an explanation of the public hearing process. This will be followed by a period of public com ment, with each speaker limited to five minutes. Written comments may also be submitted for entry into the record. The newsletter approved Tuesday night outlines the town's plan for joining with Sunset Beach in a water and sewer authority that will accept grants and loans and issue revenue bonds to finance a S34.9 million waste water collection and treatment system. It explains the method of fi nancing the project and the proposed plan to pay off the debt through wa ter charges and impact fees on new customers. The mailing also notes that state law does not require the town to hold a referendum on the creation of the water and sewer authority, nor does legislation exist that provides for such a vote. After a lengthy discussion of proposed modifications to the newslet ter, the board voted 4-to-2 to approve it, with commissioners Bob Noe and Teddy Altreuter dissenting. In other business, the board agreed to appoint a new zoning board of adjustments comprised of commissioners A1 Leisey and Forrest King, Planning and Zoning Board Chairman A1 Smith, and citizens Bon Crocker and Pati Lewellyn. The former board was made up of five com missioners. Anderson proposed changing the board's membership to make it more representative of the town in one of his first actions as mayor. In another matter, the commissioners tabled consideration of Altreuter's suggestion that the town adopt an ethics policy for officials and employees. She distributed a copy such a policy adopted by the town of Holden Beach, which received lukewarm support from the board. "The public must have confidence in government," Altreuter said. "To give even the appearance of personal gain in decisions erodes their confidence in all public officials. This helps us address that concent more directly." Anderson said he would not object to such a policy. But Town Attorney Mike Ramos noted that it would have no binding effect, since an elected official can't be removed from office unless he or she violates the law. He suggested that an ethics code for commissioners could be written into a broader personnel policy for all town employees. Other board members said an ethics code was unnecessary. "No larger than we are, I don't think we need it," said Commissioner Keith Hardee. "When I took this office, I swore on the Bible to uphold the laws of this town, this state and this country. I think that about covers it," said King. The board informally agreed to table consideration of the measure. Wetiands Plan Sign-Up Set Brunswick County landowners can sign up between Fob. 28 and March 11 for the second federal Wetlands Reserve Program. Sponsored by the IJSDA Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), the program purchases permanent ease ments from participating owners of farmed wetlands, prior converted wetlands and riparian areas that link wetlands. For fiscal year I994, the program has been funded nationwide at $66.6 million to enroll up to 75,000 acres. By taking the wetland or water related areas out of agricultural use, the goal is to protect and restore habitat lor migratory birds and other wildlife, help purify water supplies and help to absorb flood waters. Participants agree to accept no more than the fair market value of their land for agricultural use in re turn for a lump sum payment and cost-share assistance in putting in place wetland restoration practices. Specific compatible uses of the property are permitted on the re stored acreage by the landowner and any successors. No Brunswick County lands were enrolled under the first Wetlands Reserve Program funded in 1W2, said Richard Toler, executive direc tor of the Brunswick County ASC'S office in Bolivia. "Two landowners applied," saitl Toler. "From whal I understand one was not accepted be cause he wanted loo much money, and the second pulled out." 'Chat year 49,8X8 acres on 265 farms were tentatively enrolled na tionwide. The acreage is being re stored to 3<),8(>8 acres of forested wetlands, 10,105 acres of emergent wetlands, 3,374 acres of scrub-shrub and other types of wetlands, and 1,542 acres of riparian area or up land buffers. Many of the provisions that ap plied in 1W2 will apply again this year, according to Grant Buntrock, federal ASCS administrator. This lime, however, state ASC'S commit tees will have greater discretion in selecting wetlands that meet specific state environmental goals, such as flood protection, water quality, mi gratory birds and wildlife hahital benefits. Interested landowners should con tact Toler ;il the ASCS office in Bolivia. "Somebody can take this ordinance and go strictly by it and walk in with a plat they know will be approved. " ?Building Inspector Druied Roberson his election iast November to the town hoard. I"he decision to revamp the ordi nance was sparked in part by the ex periences of Ocean Isle Partners Inc. l"he development group proposed the first subdivision the town had had "in a long time." Proctor said. It kept bringing proposed plats to the town only to be met with new or changed rules each time. Height Limit Exception Commissioners approved a "foot note" to the height limit clause in the zoning ordinance that allows two-story homes to Ik- built in flood hazard areas and conform to town and federal regulations. In the V-zone only, where higher elevations are required, the existing 36-foot height cap can be exceeded by no more than four feet when nec essary to provide eight-foot ceilings for two livable area floors, so long as the lowest living floor is con structed within 1 foot, 2 inches of the required flood plain ordinance base flood elevation. "We didn't want the house to be any higher than it had to be," said Planning Board Chairman DeCarol Williamson. He said the exception allows "everyone to have a build able lot" with a two-story house, reasonable eight-foot ceiling heights rather the slate's seven-foot mini mum. and a roof with a 5/12 pitch, while keeping the maximum height below the 40-foot limit of the state building aule. The exception will apply to new homes built in low-lying areas and will allow rebuilding of existing homes in those areas should they be destroyed. After a public hearing, in a related action, commissioners added a defi nition of "grade" to the ordinance to provide an objective means of calcu lating elevation. It is to be deter mined as cigiii inches above the cen ter line of the street at the center of the property front, or when that does not apply, it is to be determined by averaging grade at four equidistant points around the exterior that have not been artificially altered for that purpose. "This gives a level playing field for everyone to read and determine how to measure grade," said Roberson, saying a lengthy defini tion was necessary to to cover areas off the beach and not in subdivisions as well as on the island. Rezoning Request Withdrawn After extensive discussion during a third public hearing, a spokesman for WRP Properties, Inc.. withdrew a petition for rezoning lots 3 2(5 or. Asheville Street, which the group owns, and adjacent properties Town council members received 10 letters from property owners op posing the re/.oning and five from those supporting it. Real estate developer Odell Williamson spoke against the re/.on ing, saying it would he unfair to oth er property owners because it would impose greater restrictions on them while the existing zoning docs not keep WRP Properties Inc. from de veloping its land as the owners de sire. If need be, the company could add deed restrictions for added con trol. While considering it not "good policy," Williamson said he wouldn't object to re/oning ol only the company's lots. Speaking against the rezoning in addition to Williamson were I ripp Sloane, representing his mother, Rae Sloane Cox, an affected property owner, and Jim Cauidcr of Charlotte, owner of two vacant tots Van Williard. a principle in the project, said the owners had only wanted to rezone their own property from R-2 to the more restrictive K I single-family only designation, which he said is in keeping with the town's land use plan references to limiting multi-family development. In withdrawing the company's re quest Williard told commissioners. "We don't want to jeopardize any one else's property, but we were ad vised that it would never fly if we limited the rezoning to our property because it would be considered 'spot' rezoning and the board would never accept it." Williard said iatel he didn't know it the group would deciiJc to rcsuh mil rczoni' > request affecting i' propcuy only. The proposed rezoning woul? have limited development of the lot to single-family housing only, whil the R-2 designation allows multi family projects. Under questioning by Commis sioner Debbie Sloane Fox, Building Inspector Druied Roberson said oth er R-l requirements are also mor. restrictive?five feet side lines in stead of seven feet, with .1 limit of '<? percent lot coverage by impervi ou?> sui faces and heated space, i 1c also said the change would put at least live houses in the position ot being non-conforming uses. Committee Targets Channel In other action. Mayor Betty Williamson appointed Commis sinners Ken Proctor and Bill Benton and engineer Finlev Boncy to .1 committee charged with investigat ing the possibilities of a dredging project to reopen L*astern Channel to boating traffic. The town plans to work with Proctor on a property owner partici pation canal dredging project, but Proctor and Boncy said dredging the canals would be of limited use it Hastern Channel were not reopened as well. "There's got to be a solution, or what we know now as hastern Channel will be Eastern Mud Pond." said Boncy. Commissioners also approved .1 letter from Town Attorney I K a Jess notifying Vision Cable that the town is now empowered to regulate cable ?atcs within its jurisdiction. Specialist Said Key To Improvina Minority Recruitment BY SUSAN USIIER Phasing in a plan for recruiting more minority instructional person nel into the Brunswick County Schools is proposed over three bud get years, starting in March. Monday night, the Brunswick County Schools' Task Force will tell school hoard members their top rec ommendation is the immediate hir ing of a minority recruitment spe cialist who will be "aggressive' in recruitment and can begin imple menting other task force recommen dations. An immediate need is also seen for creation of brochures or other materials for recruitment and mar keting. The panel's formal recommenda tions fall into four areas: marketing materials and strategies to promote the schools; establishing incentives to attract minority instructional per sonnel; modifying procedures for re cruiting, selecting and hiring all cer tified staff: and establishing support groups, social opportunities and net working systems for minority in structional staff. At a work session Monday Shallotte Middle School Principal Sandra Robinson described her ex periences on a recent teacher recruit ing trip to a college. "We didn't have any visuals. We were out there with nothing but an outdated application, a fact sheet, an old brochure, and a copy of the sup plement sheet that had been copied too many times and was smudged," said. Exhibitors around them had dis plays, colorful brochures, packets and other materials. "We've got to do better, we've got to do something this year," said Robinson. According to Superintendent Ralph J. h .stor. implementing the package will require more human resources than fiscal resources. However c< .is if individual ret ommendaiions range from nothing for extending early contracts to five minority teacher candidates to as much as $ UUMX) a year to increase salary supplements for all beginning teachers by June 10. IW5. Other changes proposed this year include modifying hiring procedures to decrease subjectivity and provid ing training for those who partici pate in hiring interviews; sending visitation teams to college schools of education with large minority stu dent enrollment; hosting a local job fair and social event for selected col lege graduates and potential gradu ates; and extending early contracts to at least five minority teacher ap plicants since the county frequently "loses out" on candidates who have accepted jobs with other systems by the time they receive an offer here. It recommends making up to five interest-free relocation leans of up to Sl.(MH) to minority teachers with less than three years of experience, to be repaid thorough payroll deduc tions; offering workshops on inter viewing skills to interested minority applicants; and establishing a Community Minority Advisory Council to provide support and as sistance to minority educators from the community. Other efforts, to be implemented over the following two years, range from a minority staff newsletter and recruitment videotape to mentoring county students to develop teacher recruits from within the system. National Teacher Exam preparation workshons. :in<' lastly, a tuition re imbursement pian ih.tt enco .irap; ? teacher assistants of all races to be come certified teachers, and summer remedial and cnrichmcn progr:>r.i. mat provide more employment op jxirtunities for teachers. The panel, which included school system employees and community members from across the county, met six times over a four-month pe riod. Members said Monday they in tend to continue working together as a group on related issues. The task force was created in re sponse to "grave concerns" that have been repeatedly expressed about a steady decline in employ ment of minorities in certified (in structional) positions in the system and the need to turn that trend around. Among other benefits identified by the task force, increased minority participation on the instructional staff will provide students better role models, increase awareness and re spect for cultural differences, help build tolerance and increase equity of opportunity for minority employ ees within the system. A key goal of the recruitment plan is to bring the proportion of non-white instructional staff in line with the proportion of non-white students in the system. As of mid October, the school system had 8,894 students, of which 2,379 were minorities?blacks, Hispanics. Asians and American Indians As of Nov. 9, the school system had 650 certified employees, of which 119 were minorities. They constituted 18.3 percent of the sys tern's certified employees, while mi norities comprise 26.75 percent of the student population. Minority auresentation on the certified stalls ranged from highs of 26.1>X percent .it South 'runswick iligh School :ind 36 | crceni n the school system's central office to i low of (>.25 percent ,u South Brunswick Middle School. In August 1989. there was a o percent difference between the per centage of enrolled minority stu dents and the percent of minority certified staff?a gap that had widened to S.44 percent b\ last October. According to the N.C. Depart ment of Public Instruction data, the number of certified staff positions in the county schools increased 26 per cent from 1484 through 1993 During the same time, the number of minority certified staff decreased 14 percent, following a trend also seen at the state and national levels You can see that at that rate, in It) years, at that same trend, we would lose S percent of our minority certified personnel." said communi ty task force member Moses Stanley. While school board members Donna Baxter and Wonne Bright praised the task force on its coopera tive effort, an admittedly impatient Thurman Gause said he was disap pointed that activating the task force took so long and that all principals were not at the work session to hear the report. "They need to hear u hat sou have heard tonight because they are the ones who have created a lot of the problem,' he said. "And the hoard has created a part of this problem." When you're looking for a fast and CnAa^y easy way to advertise, look no further V 1LC? ? than the Beacon's classified ads fax # service. Simply fax us your classified tax in Your ad along with your name, address and phone number, and we'll do the rest! 172 J _ It's quick, easy and a great way to sell. Vj THE BRUNSWICK#BEACON 754-5407
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Feb. 10, 1994, edition 1
9
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