The
February 2006 • Vol. 2, No. 8 A Shoreline Community, Pine Knoll Shores, N.C.
Town Hall 247-4353
Sand Won’t Make It Ashore
For Third Year in a Row
By Bill
The sand in the hourglass has run out once
again on prospects for nourishment of the
Pine Knoll Shores Beach in the immediate
future.
Officials acknowledge that the hoped for
pumping of sand onto the beach this winter
is dead, done in by a combination of factors
including long-range fallout from the Gulf
Coast devastation wrought by Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita.
Greg (Rudi) Rudolph, shore protection
manager, points out that the need for
rebuilding on the Gulf Coast and in Florida,
a frequent hurricane target in recent years,
is straining the resources of the dredging
industry. As a result there is a huge demand
for the limited equipment and manpower
available, a big factor in driving up costs.
Only one bid, for more than $15 million,
was submitted to the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers for the planned dredging of the
Morehead City outer harbor this winter and
the pumping of sand recovered from that
operation onto the PKS beach.
While the $5.7 million for the dredging
operation alone was pretty much in line with
Corps estimates, the $9.7 million bid to barge
the sand to PKS and pump it ashore was
nearly $6 million above the Corps estimate.
That is well above the 25 percent margin of
White
error the Corps has to abide by in order to
award a bid.
The PKS beach nourishment portion of
the plan was scrapped, although the Corps
has awarded the contract for the necessary
dredging of the outer harbor since it was
in line with bid acceptance guidelines.
Unfortunately, that means the sand dredged
up will be dumped at sea into offshore
disposal sites. The law under which the
dredging is being carried out requires
disposal in the least costly manner, and
that’s dumping at sea.
That’s doubly unfortunate. Not only will
the sand not be put on the beach, where it
would do some good, but outer harbor sand
is usually of good quality and well suited
for beach nourishment.
What of the funds in the much delayed
933 Project? The $3 million in that program
was appropriated by Congress to defray the
incremental costs of pumping sand ashore
in PKS. That money is not subject to the
least costly manner of disposal requirement.
It was far too little to cover the cost of the
high bid for the work this winter.
Mayor Joan Lamson, who decries the
fact that PKS has been “left standing at the
altar” for three years in a row says efforts
Continued on Page 4
Trap That Sand! A hardworking group of Pine Knoll Association volunteers installs new sand fencing
at Ocean Park. The group, shown above earning their well-deserved plaudits, started work bright and
early on Saturday, Jan.7, and in just a couple of hours dug in 66 posts and installed 250 feet of fencing.
Happily, the posts are straight and the fence lines parallel. Another photo on page 3.
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Going Up: An artist’s rendering of the townhome condominiums to be built on the Salter Path Road
site previously occupied by the Christmas By the Sea building and a landscape business.
Redevelopment Changing Townscape
By Bill White
Redevelopment is beginning to change the
face of Pine Knoll Shores, with one of the
latest new looks occurring at Salter Path Road
(Route 58) and Oakleaf Drive.
Gone from the northeast corner is the
Christmas By the Sea building and the
landscape business that operated next door.
Scheduled to rise in their place are six three-
story structures that will house 11 luxury
condominium town houses.
Garry Gardner of SunBuilt Construction,
developer and builder of the new complex,
which will be known as Seabrook, hopes
construction of the condominiums can begin
this month. Site preparation is underway
and final permits are expected shortly. The
complex will occupy just under two acres.
Although specific prices had not been set at
this writing, Gardner said the condominiums
are expected to be offered at prices starting in
the $700,000 range. They feature 2,600 square
feet of living space with an entranceway and a
two-car garage at ground level and two living
levels above.
Development of Seabrook comes on the
heels of the construction start at Ocean Shore,
where 10 single family homes are being built
on the oceanfront site formerly occupied by
the Iron Steamer Pier and Resort.
Another new look, although less dramatic,
is a change of name at the Ramada Inn. The
establishment, a fixture on the PKS beach for
more than three decades, will henceforth be
known as the Clamdigger Inn. Actually, the inn
is returning to its roots, having opened as the
Clamdigger in 1974. The name was changed
to the Ramada some five years later when the
owner entered into a franchise agreement with
that organization.
The owner has opted out of the franchise
agreement and chosen to bring back the
Clamdigger name. The signs were changed
in mid-January. Otherwise, everything else
remains the same. The surroundings and
ambience will continue to be familiar to
PKS residents and to thousands of visitors
to whom the inn has played host for more
than 30 years.
Site Layout: This is how the six buildings in the
Seabrook development will be placed on the tract
at Salter Path Road and Oakleaf Drive.
Standard
Pre-Sort
Permit #22
Morehead City, NC 28557
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Deadline for March issue is Monday, Feb 13th, Deadline for April issue is Monday, March 13th Articles always welcome!