Holden Firms Complying With Occupancy Regs, Study Indicates
(Continued From Page I-A)
Swarts said all but two companies. Oaig Realty and
Hobbs Realty, have gone one step further and included
In their brcchurcs 2 jnsxirnu!?. occupsncy with the d?*
scription of each rental unit.
"Hie majority of Holden Beach's rentals have more
beds than are usually needed to sleep the maximum
number of guests. Real estate agents say the extra beds
are needed for the convenience of renters.
Of the 786 rental units advertised in this year's
brochures, 4CM) of them (62 percent) advertise excess
sleeping capacity based on the number of beds, accord
ing to the survey.
For instance, a four-bedroom house that sleeps eight
people may have enough bed space to sleep 10 people.
"It's perfectly legal to have eight double-beds in a
four-bedroom house. It's not legal to sleep more than
eight people in that house," Swarts said Tuesday. "To
me. the report shows areas where there are potential
problems."
The report says 35 percent of the advertised units
have enough bed space for one or two extra people, 18
percent have room for three or four extra people and 9
pcrccni h:?vc snarr for five or more extra people.
For the individual firms, the percentage of units with
excess sleeping capacity ranges from a low of 37 per
cent for Craig Realty to a high of 89 percent for Hobbs
Realty.
Other companies surveyed were liolden Beach Rental
Services (55 percent). Brunswickland Realty (75 per
cent), Alan Holden Realty (55 percent). Sand Peddler
Realty (46 percent) and Atlantic Vacation Resorts (46
percent).
"1 definitely think progress is being made," Mayor
Wally Ausley said during Monday night's discussion of
the report.
"I really feel the real estate agents are trying to do
what the law says," added Commissioner David San
difer. who operates Holden Beach Rental Services.
Sandifer suggested that people who discover an over
crowding situation contact the real estate company so it
can be resolved.
He said if he finds too many people sleeping in one of
the cottages he manages, he will force the renters to
leave. "We're going to enforce it if we know about it."
Swarts said he hopes real estate agents will use good
judgment in dealing with people who violate the law.
"To me it's going to be a last resort," he said of evic
tions. "I think we should enforce it but use a little com
mon sense at the same time."
Alan Holdcn. who owns the largest rental agency on
the beach, said Monday night that absentee owners who
rent their homes feel they arc being "picked on" by the
town. Holden said state and county officials agreed to
leave the real estate companies alone if they complied
with the state law, which they have.
He asked why the town couldn't follow suit. "I really
wish the town would stop hammering us over the head
because we arc in compliance."
Marci ("alien, president of Atlantic Vacation Resorts,
said Tuesday the company evicted guests from two
rental units last weekend because they were violating the
occupancy limit.
In a letter faxed to the Beacon on Tuesday, ('alien
said many homeowners nave sacrificed tenia! income in
order to comply with the occupancy limits, which puts
Holden Beach at a "competitive disadvantage."
"This is certainly not a happy situation for our home
owners, but they respect the need to protect their invest
ments and their septic systems," Callen wrote.
Pat Sandifcr, wife of Commissioner Sandifer. said at
Monday's meeting that too much emphasis has been
placed on overcrowding rental units. The state law ap
plies to permanent residences as well.
"I've seen lots of permanent people who arc over
crowding their houses and nobody says anything about
that," she said. "So much emphasis has been put on
rental houses I don't think they (permanent residents)
understand."
Yelton's Condition Stable, While
Questions Remain About Future
(Continued From Page 1-A)
scheduled to meet with Warren Monday morning to
discuss operations during Yellon's recovery.
Unanswered Questions
Yelton's absence could not come at a more difficult
time for the county administration. Department man
agers were asked to submit their next year's spending
proposals to the county manager next week so work
could begin on the 1994-95 budget.
Also left up in the air is the question of who will
head the county planning department.
Last Tuesday (March 29), Yelton announced plans
to replace veteran Planning Director John Harvey.
Yelton said Harvey needed time off to care for his wife
Betsy, who was terminally ill. Yelton said he planned
to talk with Harvey about working with the planning
department on a part-time basis.
That afternoon, an advertisement was faxed to local
newspapers offering a starting salary of $35,564 for
the planning director position. Among the require
ments listed in the notice was a master's degree in ur
ban or regional planning.
The next morning (March 30) at 10:33, a second fax
was sent announcing that the planning director posi
tion was filled. Yelton had appointed former Zoning
Administrator Wade Home to the job at an annual
salary of $42,(XK).
Only six counties in North Carolina offer a higher
starting salarv for a planning director, according to fig
ures released by the N.C. Institute of Government at
Chapel Hill. After more than 13 years in the position.
Harvey's salary was $49,028.
Home had been employed by the county for only
six months when he quit his $28.4(13 job as zoning ad
ministrator three weeks ago to accept a $38,(XX) posi
tion as town manager of Lxing Beach. He is a 34-year
old engineer and the former town administrator of
Emerald Isle who holds a B.S. degree in political sci
ence from Appalachian State University.
On Saturday, Betsy Harvey died. Warren said
Tuesday he plans to meet with John Harvey to discuss
the status of his employment with the county. While he
supports Yelton's choice of Home as a replacement.
Warren said he is not sure whether Harvey will be of
fered his old job back.
"So much has happened in the past few days that
things are really in limbo right now," Warren said.
Meanwhile, questions remain about the process by
which a new planning director was appointed without
a reasonable advertisement and application period.
The county personnel policy requires that "informa
tion on job openings and hiring practices shall be pro
vided to recruitment sources including organizations
and the news media available to minority applicants."
It also requires recruiting "from a geographical area as
wide as is necessary to insure that well-qualified appli
cants arc obtained."
While the policy allows the county manager to ap
point a current employee who "possesses the best
qualifications of all applicants." it requires the county
to "carefully consider the qualifications of other appli
cants in filling the position."
Taxpayers' Group Talking About Lawsuit,
Discuss Future Of Island's Pontoon Bridge
(Continued From I'age 1-A)
much more cosily, Weddle said.
Carl Bazcmorc sought defeat of
the motion, saying sewer is "the first
step" and a better choice than a sep
tic tank maintenance system. "We
need a sewer system; there's no
doubt about it," he told a group of
about 60 fellow property owners.
"Trying to say we have got to con
trol sewer or stormwater as a means
of controlling growth is like blowing
in the wind."
"You are fanning fears," he said.
"We have a good planning and zon
ing board; we can do it in the proper
manner."
Bazemore said sewer system sup
port would send "a positive mes
sage" to other coastal and waterway
communities to clean up the water.
SBTA Secretary-Treasurer Minnie
Hunt disagreed, saying there's no
evidence a sewer system will help
and that part of the area's water pol
lution stems from the Grand Strand,
S.C., area.
Concluded one non-resident prop
erty owner, "Development of the
golf courses will happen, but I don't
want to pay for it if I live on the is
land."
The future of the pontoon bridge
"We would like to
keep the entrance
to this island as
inconspicuous as
possible."
?Clete Waldmiller
SBTA President
to the island?scheduled by the state
for replacement?drew more discus
sion than usual Saturday, with one
member seeking a survey of SBTA
members' positions.
President Clete Waldmiller en
couraged members to instead re
spond to a recent newsletter query
regarding the bridge. He also reiter
ated the board's current position: to
maintain and keep the pontoon
bridge; and if that alternative is not
possible, to support a 15-foot bas
cule.
"We would like to keep the en
trance to this island as inconspicu
ous as possible."
Secession Motion Fails
A motion by bridge committee
chairman Warren "Bud" Knapp to
explore secession of the island from
Sunset Beach, the state and the na
tion on the basis of "taxation with
out representation" drew serious de
bate before its defeat 24-19 on a
show of hands. One member urged
the grcup to look toward consensus
building, not negativism.
Knapp questioned the time and
costs consumed by the N.C. Depart
ment of Transportation (DOT) in
study when DOT and the U.S. Coast
Guard will only support a 65-foot
fixed span.
"Nothing has changed," he said.
"Sixteen years ago they said the
bridge was unsafe and needed to be
replaced immediately. We're still be
ing told that. Most of alt they are not
taking into account what the people
of the island want."
Knapp also questioned the lack of
an emergency plan to notify island
residents when the bridge will be
down for an extended length of
time.
In a follow-up vote, members
asked directors to look into the like
lihood of having a bill introduced in
the state's General Assembly "to
preserve the concept of our bridge."
Moth Spraying To Begin At Dawn Friday
(Continued From Page I-A)
three miles from the shorelines of
Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach,
Ixtng Beach and Bald Head Island.
The largest portion of the target
area is a pie-shaped tract roughly
bordered on the southwest by a line
between Bolivia and the intersection
of N.C. 133 and N.C. 211 near
Southport and on the east by the
Atlantic Ocean in New Hanover
County. 'I"he northern boundary of
the treatment area extends from
north of Bolivia to a point on the
Cape f ear River near the mouth of
Town Creek and across the north
end of New Hanover County.
State and federal agriculture offi
cials began planning for the most
extensive aerial spraying program in
North Carolina history after Asian
gypsy moths were found on a
German ship docked at the Sunny
Point military ammunition terminal
last July. Insect traps indicated that
the moths had come ashore on both
sides of the Cape Fear River.
Ilie Asian gypsy moth is consid
ered to be one of the most damaging
plant pests known. Its close relative,
the European gypsy moth, affects
more than 4,2 million acres of forest
each year. Gypsy moth caterpillars
can completely strip trees of their
leaves.
Gypsy Moth
Hotline
1 (800)449-9007
Asian gypsy moths pose an even
greater threat. Female liuropean
gypsy moths cannot fly and must lay
their eggs near where they emerge
from their cocoons But Asian gypsy
moths can fly up to 20 miles before
depositing their eggs, allowing them
to infest new areas much more
quickly.
Task force insect experts began
seeing hatching activity in several
Brunswick County egg masses last
week. Insecticides work best on the
gypsy moths when applied to the
leaves they feed on during the early
stages of development.
Most of the infested areas will be
sprayed with a naturally occurring
bacterium called Bacillus
thuringiensis (Bt) that is commonly
available in garden centers and plant
stores. On 4,000 acres where scien
tists have determined that Bt could
harm rare or fragile species, an in
sect virus called Gypchek will he
used against the moths.
Neither of the pesticides is con
sidered harmful to mammals or to
other insects except caterpillars.
However certain precautions should
be taken during the spraying period.
(See information box.) The sprays
arc water soluble and will be washed
away with the first rain, according to
Brunswick County Agricultural
Extension Agent Milton Coleman.
THE BRUNSWKKftMACON
Established Nov. 1, 1962
Telephone 754-6890
Published Every Thursday
At 4709 Main Street
Shallotte, N.C. 28459
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY
One Year $10.36
Six Months $5.55
ELSEWHERE IN
NORTH CAROLINA
One Year $14.86
Six Months $7.90
ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A.
Or.c Year $15.95
Six Months $8.35
Second class postage paid at
Shallotte. N.C. 28459. USPS 777
780. Postmaster, send address
changes to:
P.O. Box 2558,
Shallotte, N.C. 28459-2558
Authority To Delay Blythe Purchase Study
(Continued From Page 1-A)
nity where most Calabash residents
live. The town board is trying to de
cide whether to buy the utility and
upgrade it to serve the downtown
business district or to join with
Sunset Beach in building a regional
sewer system.
Sunset Okays
Sewer Bond
(Continued From Page 1-A)
sewer/stormwater management pro
ject. Sunset Beach is working with
the authority, other area towns and
Brunswick County on a basinwide
stormwater management proposal.
The South Brunswick Water &
Sewer Authority meets today
(Thursday) at 7 p.m. in the Maples
Clubhouse at Sea Trail Plantation.
Sunset Beach. Meetings are open to
the public.
Normal Weather
In The Forecast
Temperatures and rainfall will be
near normal in Brunswick County
for the next few days, according to
amateur meteorologist Jackson
Canady of Shallotte Point.
Temperatures should range from
the upper 40s at night to the low 70s
during the day for the next week,
Canady said Tuesday. The area
should receive about one-half inch
of rainfall during the week.
For the period March 29 through
April 4, Canady measured 1.25
inches of rain at his residence.
The daily average temperature
was 58 degrees, which is about nor
mal for this time of year. The maxi
mum high reading was 77 degrees
on April 4, and the minimum low
was 41 degrees on the first and sec
ond.
In his report, Willis said he found
"widespread evidence of use of
good materials, sound construction
techniques and continuing levels of
reasonable maintenance" at Carolina
Blythe.
"There is no evidence that any
major immediate repair and replace
ment will be required to meet the
needs of existing customers," Willis
said. "There will be required, how
ever, a major construction effort at
the waste treatment plant and in con
nection with the irrigation facilities
in the near future."
In his financial analysis of the
proposed purchase, Willis reported
that "the acquisition of the Carolina
Blythe Utility Systems is feasible,"
but warned that a significant rate in
crease would be necessary.
"Trial evaluations of such rale
changes indicate that the average
monthly bill for water and sewer
users will have to increase from the
current $20 level to between $36
and $40 per month, and all water
and sewer tap fees need be credited
to current revenues to offset the
equivalent of depreciation," the re
port said.
Willis noted that the higher rates,
"while significant," would not be
out of line with those charged by
other area sewer systems.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO
THE BRUNSWICK#6EAC0N
POST OFFICE BOX 2550 "
SHALLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA 28459
NOTICE: Reliable or consistent delivery cannot be
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Postal Service for delivery. We can only guarantee that
your newspaper will be submitted to the post office in
Shallotte on Wednesday of the week of publication, in
time for dispatch to out-of-town addresses that day.
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen
Irs Brunswick County tS 30 ?5.3Q
N.C. Sales Tax .38 .32
Postage Charge 3.68 3.68
TOTAL 10.36 9.30
Elsewhere in North Carolina !J6.30 05.30
N.C. Sales Tax .38 .32
Postage Charge 8.18 8.18
TOTAL 14.86 13.80
Outside North Carolina LI6.30 05.30
Postage Charge 9 fis Q fis
TOTAL 15.95 14.95
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