CRC Rule Will Require
Of Homes Threatened
Removal
By Erosion
I?Y IX>1'(; KII'ITKK
Anybody who wants lo build a
Ivachlrnnl homo will soon have U>
agree lo move or demolish their
house it ii K-ioines seriously threat
ened by erosion.
Starting Dee. 1, ocean front
landowners must promise lo relo
cate or tear down erosion-threat
ened structures when they receive
development permits.
The N.C. Coastal Resources
Commission (CRC) adopted the
new requirement at its meeting last
week in Wilmington, said
spokesperson Jeanettc Johnson.
The rule won't apply to existing
homes. It gives owners of new
oceanlroni houses a two-year
"grace period" il their property In
comes threatened.
It a storm causes enough erosion
to threaten a home, die owner will
have two years to have il relocated
or torn down. Ms. Johnson said the
structure could stay where it is if the
beach rebuilds itself during that
time.
While local beach officials agree
w ith the intent of the rule ? to pro
tect people and the environment
Irom hazardous conditions ? they
aren't sure the rule will achieve its
puqH)se.
Ocean Isle Beach Building
Inspector Druicd Robcrson said he
doesn't think the rule is justified be
cause not all homes that are threat
ened by erosion pose a danger.
rviy own personal feeling is I
think it violates a person's property
rights to tell a person they have l?>
tear their house down," he said.
Molden Beach Mayor John Tandy
said the rule is judgmental. Ihe
two-year iktkxI is arbitrary, because
some homes threatened by erosion
should he moved six hut than two
years and others don't need to be
moved, he said.
Tandy thinks local governments
should be more involved in the pro
cess. "I think they're on top ol it
much more, unless the stale wants
to move an olficc here and watch it
on a daily basis like we do."
To determine il a home is threat
ened by erosion, the stale Division
ol Coastal Management uses annual
erosion rales, which vary Iroin
place to place.
For most of the Brunswick
County coast, homes within 20 leet
ol the edge of the oceanfront sand
dune are considered "imminently
threatened" by erosion.
Although the state has been en
couraging property owners to move
or demolish erosion -threatened
homes lor years, the CRC action
gives the Division ol Coastal
Management the power to enforce a
regulation.
The CRC heard nothing but sup
port for the proposal when it con
ducted a public hearing in July. Two
do/.en people spoke in favor ol the
rule and more than 1(X) letters were
received in support ol the plan, Ms.
Johnson said.
Koherson said he thinks a federal
llood insurance relorm hill current
ly he I ore die Congress "conies clos
er to giving |H'ople the property
rights they expect" than the CKC
rule.
Under the federal proposal, own
ers ol erosion-threatened homes
could lose federally-subsidized
IUhxI insurance hut wouldn't be re
quired to move or demolish their
home.
Koherson vml some beachfront
homes at Ocean Isle have been
threatened hy erosion lor seven
years or more but are at less risk
now than before. He said it could be
40 years before the next storm caus
es any more erosion problems.
r
HEARINGS ON AGENDA
Rule Change At Sunset Would
Allow Shopping Center Signs
i-our puoiic hearings arc on the
agenda when ihe Sunset Beach
Town Council meets Monday, Oct.
7, at 7 p.m. at the town hall.
The hearings concern lour minor
business items on the meeting agen
da: amending the sign ordinance to
allow signs iu shopping centers, as
sessments ol 33rd Street homeown
ers lor underground utilities and
paving, and a request to re/one a lot
near The Italian Fisherman
Restaurant from mainland residen
tial to mainland business.
The council is also expected to
adopi an ordinance annexing a large
section of Seairail Plantation, fol
lowing a hearing held last month.
Also up for discussion is an offer
from the Sunset Beach Taxpayers
Association of a sign for the Sunset
Boulevard Extension parking area.
In other business, the board will:
?Address a vacancy on the ABC
hoard. Vcrnic Hickman's term has
expired but he could be reappoint
ed;
? Hear from David Kanoy concern
ing the town's decision not to renew
a contract allowing him to keep
communications equipment on the
water lower;
? Hear routine reports;
? Hear a request from Ronald
Spangler to withdraw a portion of
19th Street to allow for construction
of a bulkhead.
As rccommcndcd by the planning
board, the sign ordinance would be
amended to allow a shopping center
with five or establishments planned
"as an integrated development" to
luive one or two freestanding signs.
Happy Birthday
Bill
Who could
ask for
anything
more...
our
j. Ac! Rep
i y turning
"64"
from the Beacon staff
depending upon how many streets
they front.
In addition to identifying the
name of the center, this sign
? mounted on a mole or monu
ment may also identify individual
establishments within the center.
Businesses within the shopping
center are not to have freestanding
signs, but may have one or two
signs, depending on how many
streets they front. These can be
wall, projecting, awning, canopy or
marquee signs.
The ordinance also delineates the
maximum size and height allowed
for each type ol sign.
For example, the freestanding
shopping center sign is not to be
more than 16 feet above ground. It
would be no more than SO square
feet in size for a center with 48,(XX)
square feet or less floor area or 120
square feet for a larger center.
A copy of the proposed amend
ment is available at the town hall
for inspection prior to the hearing.
Pie existing sign ordinance (Iocs
not allow any sign in excess ol 10
feet in height.
AAAH!
Just when you thought it was
safe to go to the back shop...
now there are 2 of them
and they're both 1 year
0-L-D-E-R!
Happy Birthday
DORRIES
"Dahree" Brennan &
"Dori" Curganus
From The Beacon Staff
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Opeti:
Monday thru Saturday
10:30 AM to 9:00 I'M
HARBOR SQUARE
LITTLE RIVER
803-249-9553
VW r PMOTO BV OOU<? RuT Tfp
OWNERS Oh EROSION-THREATENED HOMES such as this one at lloltien Reach will he re
quired to move or demolish their building under a rule adopted hy the N.C. Coastal Resources
Commission. The rule doesn't apply to existing homes.
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