Commissioners Take Position
Against Proposed Loop Route
BY RAHN ADAMS
Brunswick County Commissioners Monday threw
their weight behind the Town of Navassa's push to
slop a proposed four-lane highway project that would
run through that community as well as Lcland.
An estimated 50 Navassa and Lcland residents at
tended Monday night's county board meeting in
Bolivia ? a 3 1/2-hour session attended by all five
commissioners. So many individuals were present that
the board moved that portion of the meeting from the
commissioners' chambers to the Public Assembly
Building.
The meeting also included a one-hour, 10-minute
executive session requested by County Manager John
T. Smith to discuss "personnel." No action was an
nounced from the closed-door conference.
As he had presented to the Brunswick County
Planning Board last Wednesday (see related story),
Planning Director John Harvey explained to the gath
ering Monday that the N.C. Department of
Transportation is leaning toward a new route through
the hearts of Navassa and Leland for a proposed
Wilmington bypass. The highway will connect
Interstate 40 in New Hanover County to U.S. 17 in
Brunswick County.
An original proposal ? one that was approved in
years past by area governments in previous thorough
fare plans ? would have the "Northern Outer Loop"
be built through largely undeveloped areas north of
Navassa and Lcland before it turns south toward U.S.
17.
However, the latest proposed route, which was rec
ommended earlier this month by a Wilmington
Metropolitan Area transportation advisory board, is
shorter and closer to Wilmington. It bisects the two
densely-populated communities and crosses fragile
wetlands on its way to linking with U.S. 17 at the
U.S. 74-76 interchange.
"We've been a town for only two months, and the
Department of Transportation is talking about split
ting us up already," said Leland Mayor Russell
Baldwin. Lcland incorporated in September. He later
added, "We will fight it every step of the way...One
thing is for sure; if we don't stand up for ourselves, no
one else will."
Navassa Town Attorney Mary Easley noted that
Navassa is one of the oldest communities in
Brunswick County and that its largely black popula
tion has worked hard to build the town into "one of
the preeminent black communities in the state."
'To clcavc the town into two pieces cannot possi
bly serve the common good here," Mrs. Easley said,
later adding that the four-lane highway would "de
stroy the pride and sense of community they have, be
cause this is going to wipe them off the face of the
earth."
Navassa officials estimate that the new route would
necessitate the removal of 52 homes and directly im
pact two churches, a Masonic lodge. Town Hall and
the town's fire and rescue facility. Mrs. Easlcy said an
estimated 176 Navassa residents would be displaced
by the road.
Although the county planning board last week took
no position on the matter, commissioners Monday
unanimously passed a resolution in opposition to the
proposed route. The resolution will be sent to state
transportation officials.
In other business Monday, the commissioners:
? Heard a report from Harvey on a countywidc
shoreline access plan that is being developed. Public
input meetings were tentatively scheduled for Dec. 5
at Shallotte Town Hall, Dec. 12 at the Public
Assembly Building, and Dec. 19 at St. Mary's Baptist
Church in Winnabow. No meeting times were final
ized.
? Confirmed the assessment roll for Special
Assessment District 6 (Seaside area), which includes
an assessment rate of $5.22 per front foot for the
$208,271 project.
? Approved October tax releases and refunds, as
recommended by Tax Administrator Boyd
Williamson.
? Tabled action until Dec. 4 on a proposal from
Honeywell Inc., for the county to participate in an en
ergy management program that guarantees the county
$300,000 in energy savings over a five-year period. In
its first year, die county would pay Honeywell
$87,950. Net savings over the five-year period would
be approximately $100,000.
? Amended a county ordinance to prohibit any
merchant or salesman from conducting business on
any property owned or leased by the county.
? Allocated $2,010 from the Water Department's
improvements fund to pay DOT for work involving
the county water line along U.S. 17 as the highway is
widened. County Attorney David Clegg said DOT in
accurately estimated in 1986 that the county would
have to pay about $1 12,000 for the work.
? Accepted a deed of dedication for the water sys
tem in Seaside North subdivision.
? Appointed Leland resident John E. Jones to fill
the unexpired term of John Boney on the Brunswick
County Utility Operations Board. Boney resigned last
month, after being appointed to a two-year term in
January.
? Recessed until Tuesday (Nov. 21) at 9:30 p.m.,
when the board was to hold the first of two morning
work sessions on a wide range of topics facing the
board, including complex expansion, the Clean
County program, 911 and personnel matters. The sec
ond work session was set for Wednesday (Nov. 22) at
9:30 a.m. Both meetings were to be held at the
Administration Building.
Man Injured In Traffic Mishap
A pedestrian suffered moderate
injuries in a traffic accident late
Saturday in Calabash, according to
Highway Patrol spokesperson Ruby
Oakley.
The mishap occurred Saturday at
11:45 p.m., on N.C. 179 inside the
Calabash town limits. Driver of the
vehicle was William Frank McLean,
18, of Calabash.
Ms. Oakley said the accident fol
lowed an argument involving sever
al individuals in a business parking
area. Jerry Lynn Nelson, 29, also of
Calabash, was hurt when he ran to
McLean's 1987 Dodge pickup truck
and opened the passenger-side door
as the vehicle took off north on
N.C. 179.
Nelson suffered non-incapacitat
ing injuries but did not request em
ergency medical treatment. Trooper
T.W. Caulder reported that he could
not determine whether Nelson was
struck by the vehicle or was hurt in
the fall to the pavement.
No citations were issued in con
nection with the accident.
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State May Reimburse Beachfront Lot Owners
BY DOUG RUTTER
Coastal landowners who paid to
have sand dunes bulldozed as an
emergency protective measure
following Hurricane Hugo may be
eligible for reimbursement from the
state.
As many as 500 occanfront
homeowners in Brunswick County
may qualify for reimbursement
checks, according to Berry Willi
ams, state individual assistance
officer. However, local officials
estimate the number will be much
lower.
Following the Sept. 21 hurricane,
officials with the N.C. Division of
Emergency Management joined
local officials in a survey of area
beaches to determine the extent of
erosion damage.
As a result, emergency bcrm
projects were authorized at Ocean
Isle Beach, Holdcn Bcach, Long
Beach, Yaupon Bcach, Caswell
Bcach and Bald Head Island. The
state pledged 5269,220 to build
29,990 feet of bcrm in the six bcach
communities. Earlier, the federal
government had authorized
construction of 4,100 feet of bcrm
at Ocean Isle Beach, Holdcn Beach
and Long Bcach.
However, since many property
owners contracted to have sand
pushed in front of their homes
before the emergency bcrm projects
were authorized, the state has
decided to offer reimbursements.
To qualify, properties must fall
within the area of "imminent
threat" outlined in the Upton-Jones
section of the National Flood
Insurance Program. In most areas,
homes would have to be within 20
feet of the first line of vegetation to
be eligible.
However, since the state-funded
bcrm was also based on the "im
minent threat" standard, local
building officials speculated last
week that there would be very few
lot owners who qualify for
reimbursement.
The only landowners who would
be eligible would be the ones who
qualified for the state berm at their
property but paid to have sand
pushed before that berm was con
structed.
Although several hundred beach
front lot owners at Holden Beach
paid to have sand pushed to protect
their homes, Building Inspector
Dwight Carroll speculated that only
about IS would qualify for
rci mburscmcnt.
Ocean Isle Building Inspector
Druicd Robcrson said even fewer
would qualify there. "The ones who
would have been eligible were part
of the state berm project anyway,"
he said.
Whatever the number of land
owners who qualify, Williams said
the state assistance should come as
a blessing. "This is something
nobody expected so they should be
very pleased," he said Monday.
Williams said it's unlikely that
the reimbursement checks will be
mailed in time for Christmas. Elig
ible property owners will probably
receive their money in January
1990. Most lot owners who hired a
contractor to rebuild their dune paid
about $300 per 50-fool-wide lot.
The dollars for the reimburse
ment program, he said, will be
taken out of a $500,000 state fund
for emergency dune construction in
the couiiiy which siill totals more
than $200,000.
Rcnee Hoffman, spokesperson
with the N.C. Department of Crime
Control and Public Safety, said state
funds for the berms became
available following the federal
disaster declaration in late
September.
"It was an emergency situation
and under an emergency situation
the state can go in and rebuild the
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bcrms," said Ms. Hoffman. "The
bcrms were needed to prevent
further erosion and property
damage."
Requests for reimbursement must
includc the original bill for pushing
sand as well as the name, address
and telephone number of the
contractor. They should also include
the address of the property which
was threatened, the linear footage
of the beachfront where the sand
was placed and a statement from
the owner saying the work was
necessary due to erosion causcd by
Hugo.
The property owner should
indicate the address to which the
reimbursement check should be
mailed and provide a daytime
phone number where he or she can
be reached. Once a request for
reimbursement is received, an
inspection team will verify whether
the property qualifies.
Landowners have until Dec. 15
to apply for reimbursement. Claims
should be mailead to the N.C. Divi
sion of Emergency Management,
116 W. Jones St., Raleigh, N.C.,
27603, Att: Tonia Young (bcrm).
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