TIME LIMIT EXPIRED
Sunset Beach Must W ait Year Before Moving On Annexations
BY SUSAN USHER
It will be at least another year before Sunset Beach
Town Council can move forward with one or more in
voluntary annexations it has been considering already
for more than two years.
Backing up a step or two, council members took the
first step in restarting the annexation move by adopting
a new resolution of consideration for annexation.
in Dccc.? bcr 1987 z previous bosr* ^no
ted a resolution to consider annexation all or pan of a
broad area that included the town limits and entire ex
traterritorial area. Monday's resolution went one step
farther, including the business area east of N.C. 904 and
west of N.C. 179 as well ? the site of a new shopping
center and related growth. The complex had earlier
sought ? and been denied ? annexation by the town in
order for a grocery store there to obtain permits to sell
beer and wine. Since then county residents have voted
to allow such sales in unincorporated areas.
Mayor Mason Barber told council members Mon
day that the new resolution was needed because the
town had missed a window of opportunity. Onrc a reso
lution of consideration has been adopted, a town gov
erning board has two years in which to complete a fea
sibility study and move to the next step, adoption of a
resolution of intent to annex. Sunset Beach Council had
delayed action on the planning board recommendations
several times, most recently requesting a joint meeting
to inform new members of the project
A feasibility study prepared by consultant Ken
V.'eeden identified three areas for possible annexation.
After review, the town's planning and zoning board had
recommended the town proceed with annexation of one
area. Oyster Bay Colony, as being cost-effective to the
town. It recommended restudy in the near future of an
other growing area. Sunset Sands.
However, the board also identified several calcula
tions in the study needed updating either because of
changcs ST* town operations ? such as the change to a
private garbage collection firm, or because the wrong
formula was used, as in determining income from
Powell Bill revenues for roadway added to the town.
Data for the three areas will be updated by the town
staff, with outside assistance as needed.
"We don't have to make a detailed study again."
said Mayor Barber, "but "We cannot do anything else
"We cannot do anything else
that first year."
? Mason Barber
Sunset Beach Mayor
On annexation delay
that first year. Then we can adopt a resolution of in
tent"
Town Will Move Road
Saying the town has no choice in the matter, council
members voted unanimously Monday to spend an esti
mated 55,400 to relocate a section of North Shore Drive
in the old campground area on the east back side of the
island. A subcontractor error made years ago left the
street and the water line that serves the area, situated
three to four feet off the surveyed route as shown on the
plat Councilman Ed Gore, who owns the adjacent
property, said that unless the road is relocated and his
property reclaimed, he may not be able to develop all of
the lots in the subdivision because of setback regula
tions that govern such things as location of septic tanks.
"I need to sell the lots," he said.
At a future point in time, the town may have to ad
dress the relocation of the water line as well.
In making the motion to put the road in its proper
place and to fill in the existing roadbed. Councilman A1
Odom said, "1 don't think this is an optional thing."
Parking On Go
After months of discussion. Sunset Beach Council
members finalized plans Monday night for a Sunset
Boulevard public parking area.
The proposal stems from a parking study completed
more than a year that addressed the need for more park
ing in town, particularly on the island, to improve ac
cess for both residents and visitors.
At an earlier meeting, the previous town council
had approved rough plans which were then informally
reviewed by the N.C. Department of Transportation and
revised. Monday night, after additional revisions, the
council directed consulting engineer Phil Norris of
Kuskc & Associates to prepare the project for bid. The
changes reflect concerns raised at earlier meetings.
As approved, the lot should cost approximately
$34,000. It will provide parking for an estimated 45 vc
hides while putting few limits on access to adjacent
businesses. The lot will also be shorter than first pro
posed, extending from the top of a natural grade on
Sunset Boulevard to Main Street. This will reduce some
of the need for drainage work and also will provide
council an opportunity to see how much use the lot will
receive before it considers extending it even farther
from the oceanfronL
Also, as a start in dcvelooine a town sidewalk sys
tem, the board also directed Norris to prepare plans and
bid specifications for a sidewalk along Main Street's
occanside from 7th to 33rd streets.
Needed: Sand Wheels
All that's needed before the Sunset Beach Police
Department can patrol the beach strand with its "new"
four-wheel-drive Jimmy is sand wheels. Town Admini
strator Linda Flucgel announced. The town paid $6,600
for the 1986 model, with 74,000 in mileage. With the
addition, said Fluegel, "We will sec a number of tickets
for littering and dogs on the strand."
A second patrol vehicle should arrive in approxi
mately two weeks, freeing the town to seli two aging
vehicles. The board set minimum bids of 5500 for a
1983 Ford Crown Victoria and S950 for a 1982 Chev
rolet
More Ways To Pay
After a lengthy debate, council members agreed to
Ed Gore's motion on how to charge property owners
their share of the cost of a town paving project. How
ever, they'll get to take up the topic again at the next
meeting.
Since every lot owner benefits equally from the
paving, said Gore, sharing the cost equally was the
fairest way to charge, if allowed by law. However,
Town Attorney Michael Isenberg advised the town ad
ministrator Tuesday that Gore's proposal isn't one of
the town's options under state law.
Gore had proposed dividing the number of affected
lots, regardless of size, into the cost of a proposed street
paving package to arrive at the charge per owner. In an
earlier motion that failed for lack of a second, "Bud"
Scrantom had proposed sticking with the method used
by the town in the past, of charging per foot, with cor
ner lot owners paying the fee for the longest side
fronting the road.
The town is sending cost information and petitions
to property owners on Canal between Cobia and 6th
streets; and First, Sixth and 27th streets between Main
and North Shore, and North Shore so 40th Street On
any street where at least 50 percent of the property
owners agree to split the cost of paving with the town
50-50, the town will proceed with the woik, billing all
property owners on the street for their share of the cost
If all the streets are paved, the property owners' share
for (rnuiing and oaving is estimated to total approxi
mately $72,020 at a cost of S225 per 50-foot loL
Other Business
In other business, the council:
? Unanimously rejected a request from the plan
ning board to conduct a public hearing on a rezoning re
quest from A. O. King. He asked that property be re
zoned from residential to commercial so that it would
be worth more when condemned by the state to make
room for a high-rise bridge to the island. The lot would
end up under the bridge. "Who pays for this property?
All of us," said Councilman A1 Odom in making the
motion. "I don't think this is a reasonable request to be
brought to the council." Councilman "Bud" Scrantom
went one step farther, saying such a request was both
"immoral" and "impossible."
? On a motion by Scrantom, agreed to follow "in
general" a street light plan drafted by Brunswick Elec
tric Membership Corp. at the town's request, but install
every other light indicated on the plan.
? Unanimously voted against a proposal from the
town administrator to charge the town's wholesale wa
ter rate to town residents who qualify for the county's
income-level-based property tax exemption. While the
policy would affect four persons. Councilman A1 Odom
said it would be difficult to justify the cost of adminis
tration as the number of exemptions grew. While the
Sea Trail Property Owners Association is charged the
wholesale rale for water used in maintaining three
planted areas. Councilman Ed Gore noted that the
group is giving something back to the town; it s not a
total gift."
? Adopted a resolution allowing Brunswick County
to charge telephone subscribers residing in town a 50
cent monthly fee to help support installation and opera
tion of a county wide expanded 911 system.
? Awarded the bid for paving the town hall parking
lot to low bidder APAC of Supply, at $6,900. MAC
Construction had bid $8,000.
Ocean Isle Looking For Growth Input
Occan Isle Bcach residents and
landowners will have their first
chance to lei town officials know
how they want the community to
grow in the future at a public partic
ipation meeting Tuesday, Feb. 13.
Town leaders are hoping for input
on current issues facing the resort
community and will review portions
of the town's 1986 CAMA Land
Use Plan, said Roger Briggs, a con
sultant with McKim & Creed
Engineers of Wilmington. The
meeting -starts at 9 a.m. in town hall.
in January, iown COiVim issioncr s
adopted a public participation plan
they will follow in updating the
land use plan, which sets develop
ment guidelines for the town. Next
week's meeting is the first step in
that pian.
"We will have nothing to pre
sent," said Briggs, who is assisting
the town with the land use plan up
date. "We'll just be there to listen."
Officials will be looking for com
ments on issues ranging from future
growth of the island to town ser
vices such as water and sewer and
police protection. Good and bad
points of the 1986 Land Use Plan
will also be reviewed, and Briggs
will highlight some of the current
policy statements.
"More emphasis is being placed
on policy statements these days than
land uses and maps," he said. The
land use plan features policies on
resource protection, production and
management as well as the town's
hurricane evacuation plan.
Within a few days after the meet
ing, Briggs said questionnaires
seeking more input on land use is
sues will be mailed to permanent
residents and a percentage of the
c.
piupvuj umivia. ijuirv/d nui cujkj
be sent to some residents of the
town's extraterritorial area on the
mainland, which the town board is
expectcd to formally establish at
next week's meeting.
Pu'oiic opinion gathered through
the questionnaires will be presented
at the town commissioners' March
13 meeting, said Briggs.
In the past, the state has encour
aged local officials to invite public
participation as part of the land use
planning process. State administra
tive code now requires it.
Briggs said discussion of the land
use plan update may be included on
the agendas of the planning board
and board of commissioners
through the month of June. Public
input on the plan will be welcome at
any of those meetings, he added.
A public hearing on the complet
ed land use plan has tentatively
been scheduled May 8. The N.C.
Coastal Resources Commission will
have to certify the final plan.
Vote Was Token
In Secret Session
An article in the Feb. 1 issue of
The Brunswick Beacon incorrectly
reported that the Calabash Commis
A* J ? ? ? ?% ?
J1UIIV1 D VWIVAJ UllOililllWUdlJ IU 1I11C
Edward Schaack as building inspec
tor at the board's Jan. 30 meeting.
The actual vote was 3-2. Com
missioners Ed Rice, Keith Hardee
and George Taubcl voted in favor of
iiu nig Schaack, while board mem
bers Phyllis Manning and George
Anderson voted against it, accord
ing to Anderson.
The vote was taken in closed ses
sion, while a reporter waited outside
the board room for the commission
ers to return to open session. The
vote was apparently in violation of
the N.C. Open Meetings Law,
which reguires that any vote to hire
or fire be taken in open session.
There was no formal vote taken
in open session, but there was no in
dication of opposition to the hiring.
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