North Carolina Newspapers

91 I SET TO BbGiN MAY 8 O/de Towne Subdivision Residents Like Old Addresses BY TKRRY POPK Residents ol Olde fownc subdivision ncai Lciand told Brunswick County Commissioners Monday that they want to keep their old addresses under the new 91 1 program, which is set to begin May 8. To help emergency personnel locate homes easier, all niral routes are being replaced with street names and house numbers. But Olde Towne already has its own house numbering system that homeowners there claim is adequate. "This was a surprise to us. in our neighborhood, that our addresses would change," said Barbara Smith. Her address will change from 40 Oldc Towne Wynd to 10(176 Olde Towne Wynd SE. Oldc Towne subdivision is on Route 3, Lciand, but homeowners thJre do not rely on the route number to get mail. Approximately 22,(XX) county residents will get new addresses to prepare for the county's enhanced 91 1 pro gram. Monitors will automatically display the address of the caller when persons arc unable to speak into the phone or to give directions. Developers Who Pre-Sell Lots BY TERRY POPK Developers who prc-sell lots are having a difficult lime with Bruns wick County's new subdivision ordi nance. Caw Caw Land Corp., which is developing a multi-million dollar coif course community near Hick man's Crossroads south of Shallotte, was given a break from the new rules by the Brunswick County Planning Board last week. The subdivi sion ordinance adopted Jan. 2 stipulates that de velopers who of fer lots for sale must have streets and drainage lines in place first Partners of Brunswick Plantation, a 600-acre community with a planned 18-hole ?.vjii cv;ui .*?c anu v/vtv u) /va./ ivjiviwuuui lots, asked for permission to keep selling lots without the required im provements in place. Caw Caw partners are Mason ANDERSON ASKING FOR ADVICE ' Moke Suggestions / Asks Rea'wine (Dt ABC Dilemma HY MA R.IORIK MKCJIVKRN N.C. Rep. David Redwine feels like a well-gnawed bone pulled in both directions between the teeth of two bulldogs. He's asking for advice from his Brunswick County constituents about how to solve the problem of ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) store op eration m Brunswick County. Presendy nine municipalities and the county each operate one ABC store, with town establishments in Belville, Shallouc, Ocean Isle Beach, Sunset Beach, Calabash, COMPLETE INTERIOR DECORATING SERVICE ? Carpet ? Vinyl ? Ceramic Tile ? Window Treatments ? Wallcoverings Ruby Floyd OcesivL *7<i?e 1vtterUo>Ki, Hwy. 904. #3 Seaside Noith 579-6091 C-VflA "?f N ACC't HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRUNSWICK&BEACON POST OFFICE BOX 2558 SHALLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA 28459 NOTICE: Reliable or consistent delivery cannot be guaranteed since this newspaper must rely on the U.S. \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 In Brunswick County !_I6.30 "J5.30 N.C. Sales Tax .38 .32 Postage Charge 3.68 3.68 TOTAL 10.36 9.30 Elsewhere in North Carolina LI6.30 -J5.30 N.C. Sales Tax .38 .32 Postage Charge 8.18 8.18 TOTAL 14.86 13.80 Outside North Carolina LI6.30 LJ5.30 Postage Charge 9.65 9.65 TOTAL 15.95 14.95 Complete And Return To Above Address Name Address City, State Z'P Commissioners look no action on a petition Oldc Townc residents gave thern Monday. However, District 5 Commissioner Donald Shaw said residents have a right to be upset. "1 would be," he added. Addresses were assigned based on a grid system with house numbers reaching into the 10.(KK) range in the extreme northern and southern comers of the coun ty ? in die Oldc Towne area anil in the Calabash com munity. A new number is assigned for every 21.3 feet of land, or 500 numbers within a mile. "There are other counties, cities Unit go about this method," said Steve Randone. manager of Brunswick County's Geographic Information System (G1S). "Un fortunately, we do end up with some high numbers." Changing established addresses is like re inventing the wheel, said resident Frank James. Emergency personnel will have to compare old ad dresses with new ones, he said. "If we lose one life in the time it takes to cross refer ence," he added, "then you've wasted your time." Anderson, Jimmy McLamb, W.J. McLamb and George A. Sloan III. They had liule trouble convincing planners lasi week 10 grant their pro ject a modification from the ordi nance. "The intent of the ordinance was never to stifle the development of Brunswick County," said Michael Schaub, planning board chairman. "It was to get a handle on developments that traditionally have not been up to par." The board approved plans for Phase II of Brunswick Plantation, which will add 61 traditional lots av eraging 13,500 square feet and IS pa tio lots averaging 8,000 square feet, all served with water and sewer sys tems. Anderson told the board that it's not feasible to make required im provements to land before selling lots in a project the size of Brunswick Plantation. 44!?v n jyjQjQf undertaking " sulci Anderson. "It's a major investment If we have to put everything in place first, we've got serious economic problems." Long Beach, Yaupon Beach, Boil ing Springs Lake and Souiiiport, and a county store on Holden Beach Road. Sincc the legislator met April 16 with municipal representatives who want no part of his proposed county town ABC merger, Redwine has just about despaired of compromise. The nine municipalities realize a hefty part of their incomes from ABC store revenues each year-S4.9 million in fiscal year 1990-91 -and arc not convinced a merger would not pull the nig out from under this source of funds. Redwine's quandary really began in 1989, when Brunswick County voted in liquor by the drink. "State law mandated that a 'wet' county could establish as many ABC stores as it wanted," he said. "Most countics have only county systems, only municipal systems or a merger of the two kinds." His recommendation was a merg er, but municipalities persuaded him to introduce legislation, instead, pro hibiting the building of a county store within seven miles of a town. That law expires July 1 and Red wine had hoped town ABC boards would have changes of heart by that date and have reached a compromise with the county ABC Board. Doug Ixdgctt, Brunswick County's Emergency Medical Scrviccs director advised commissioners not 10 make an exception for Olde Towne. "If we do it for every subdivision that requests an exemption," said Ledgett, "then we no longer have a system. To institute a change would void two years of work. Where do you draw the line with which subdivi sions you grandfather and which you don't?" Approximately 60 percent of county residents have received their new addresses, said County Planner Don Eggert. In Leland, some 1,200 to 1,400 people will get new addresses. County Manager David Clcgg, who lives in Crcckside lownhomcs near Olde Towne, said his ad dress will change from two digits to a six-digit figure. "It doesn't bother me," he said. But Olde Towne residents contend they were ex cluded from the planning process before the new ad dresses were mailed this month. "An area established this long should be considered to remain the same," said Lynn Atkinson. She said Olde Are Stifled By New Ordinance Anderson also asked that the poli cy be changed for such large devel opments. Planning Director John Harvey said he will meet with County Attorney David Clcgg to dis cuss the matter. Schaub requested that it be placed on the board's May 20 agenda. Federal regulations also keep an eye on companies, such as Caw Caw Land Corp., that pre-scll lots to con sumers. Under the Interstate Land Sales Registration Act, such companies must first register the project with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Inter state Land Sales Registration Div ision and give full disclosure of all relevant facts concerning the real es tate offering. "Full disclosure" involves identi fying any uncompleted streets, sewer systems, drainage systems and any developer-promised improvements or amenities ? such its clubhouscs. swimming pools, tennis courLs ? with a scheduled dale of estimated com pletion. Federal law contemplated that de velopcrs would offer lots for sale to the public prior to the land improve ments being in placc, and Congress acted to protect the consumer, said Anderson. He said other county projects have also filed under the Interstate Land Sales Act, including Lockwood Golf Links near Holdcn Beach and Sea Trail Plantation at Sunset Beach. The Act also requires the company, in its sales documents, to contractually ob ligate itself for the completion of the required and promised improve ments. Caw Caw loind Corp. has com plied with the Act in offering for sale the first two phases of its subdivision, containing approximately 180 lots. "Over the years, this is the way we've done business," said Ander son, an attorney who handles Caw Caw's contracts and filings under the Land Sales Act. HUD must approve the federal property report before de volorvrs ran nre.-sell InK r " ' ~ ?" f "Ninety-nine percent of properly offered in this county has never seen the likes of a federal contractual re port," said Anderson. Not so. Brunswick County's nine flourishing (for the most pari) mu nicipal ABC boards are still locked in solid and unified opposition to a merger. When the county built its first fa cility near Holden Beach two years ago, the result was a 40 percent loss in revenues at die Shallottc store, ac cording to its manager, Ron Cooper. "Then, when die county proposed to set up another in River Run Shop ping Center on Long Beach Road, that got die attention of the towns," Redwine said. "The county brought in a man who had arranged a merger of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, but he did not convince anyone. The resulting talk of Bruns wick County merger stimulated a lot of fear." This fear is over die expected loss of funding for town law enforce ment, as well as money they allocate to the schools in the area where stores arc located. In January, Red wine asked town representatives to look at some options, so a commit tee, headed by Ben Thomas of Long Beach, was organized. It was diis group that invited him to meet with them last week. "I tried to open lines of communi cation," Rcdwinc said of thai meet ing. "Nobody was talking to cach otiicr, hut two actions camc out of the evening: the town representa tives asked me to re-introduce the seven-mile limit bill, and Jennie Mau, lawyer for the state ABC Commission, said she would draw up a plan for consolidation just to give them a starting point." Representatives of some towns, notably Long Beach, have said they were not interested in merger, but Redwine still hopes some negotia tion can lake place. "If only the county could get the towns to reduce that seven-mile fig lire some, and there could be discus sion about what funding towns would get from a merger, wc might get somewhere," he said. "In a merged system, towns can arrange to get the same percentage they re ceived as a town system." Redwine pointed out there is am ple space in Brunswick County to build enough stores. There simply needs to be a meeting of minds, he said, on the best system for every one concerned. John Ramsey, chairman of the county ABC board, who did not at tend the April 16 meeting because of Ideal Weather Attracts Easter Crowds (Continued From Page 1-A) Meanwhile, Shallotte was experi encing its first Easter holiday sincc the completion of the U.S. 17 by piss of downtown. Jim Lewis, owner of T.J.'s Electric on the northern end of the bypass said it resulted in dramatic holiday changes. "There were no tie-ups this year!" he exclaimed. "People were just THE BRUNSWICK ^BEACON 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 SI 0.36 Six Months S5.55 ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA One Year SI 4.80 Six Months S7.90 ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A. One Year Si 5.95 Six Months S8.35 Sccond class postage paid at Shallotte, N.C. 28459. USPS 777 780. Posunaster, send address changcs to: P.O. Box 2558, Shallotte, N.C. 2845'>-2558 buzzing on by; every other year cars were backed up clear to Mac Construction Co. a half mile north." He recalled that during the slow creep of traffic, motorists often stopped and came in to use his bath room. "Also, local people didn't ever come in to shop on Friday or Saturday, because they knew there would be such congestion. This year, it was nice to have customers in the store on Friday." Sabrina Hodges, director of the new Southeastern Welcome Center, sat in her glass-enclosed building on the bypass Saturday and watched a record number of cars go by, some of them stopping at the center. "We have previously counted an average of 450 cars passing by on weekdays, 600 on weekend days," she said, "but Saturday there were at least 830. That's all we could count, but there were more." Hodges said traffic was equally heavy in both directions, and many travelers came in to ask about beaches and attractions in Wilming ton and Myrtle Beach, as well as Brunswick County. "People tell us we have the pret tiest and cleanest welcome center they've seen," she said. Hodges was not the only Easter observer to draw this conclusion: "We're in for a big summer." Townc's street names were chosen in 1976 anil adopted by the county in 1981. Warren Fraizcr said his address will go from 56 to 10005 and that house numbers will count down instead of increase as one progresses into the subdivision. "It'd be very confusing to me," said Fraizcr. "Res cue workers all know Olde Townc like the back of their hand." Rivcrcroft subdivision is located on N.C. 133 across from Okie Towne. Resident Walter Kelly said his ad dress will change from 2 to 10212. "The numbers arc ridiculous," said Kelly, "and it's very irresponsible." The much-delayed 911 program will begin May 8, said Lcdgett. "It's going to happen on diat date," he told commis sioners. The program was originally set to begin Jan. 1. Building design setbacks forced a delay until April. When radio consoles were late arriving from the factory, it forced another delay last month. A master plan for Brunswick Plantation was approved by the plan ning board in October 1990 anil the preliminary plat was adopted March 20, 1991. The one-year period under the old subdivision rules, which did not require prior street and drainage improvements, expired last month. However, lots in the development between U.S. 17 and No. 5 School House Road (S.R. 1305) more than meet the requirements of the new subdivision ordinance, said Harvey. "Their requirements or setbacks are more protective than the mini mums in the ordinance," said Har vey. Setbacks refer to the location of homes from property lines and street right of ways. The first nine holes on the golf course have been completed and opened for play last week, said Anderson. I he remaining nine holes will open in the fall. Anderson said Caw Caw has in vested in excess of S6 million in the project and directly employees 21 persons. Contractors, marketing and sales agents employ another 75 peo ple. "In short, lliis is a major industry providing substantial employment in the area," said Anderson. If the development was defined as an industrial or manufacturing com pany providing the same number of jobs, the Resources Development Commission for Brunswick County and other agcncics would feverishly attempt to provide funds or infra structure needs to promote the pro ject, he said. The intent of the ordinance should not be to interfere with the "normal business ojieration of a creditably-run corporation and a creditably -run pro ject such as this," he argued. In other business, the board waived a 60-foot right of way re quirement on the Theodore Apple gate and family tract on the Cape Fear River near South port. A home is under construction in the path of a proposed 60-foot right of way but is on an existing 20- foot road. The family-owned tract cannot be further subdivided along the 20-foot road, the motion stipulated. business conflicts, said his board will meet April 28 to discuss its po sition fully. "We favor a merged system," he emphasized, "but we need to get out the details on how municipalities could keep their share of the money." Ramsey added, "This is really just a territorial problem. I have some al ternatives to suggest that will come out at the meeting." He noted that 80 percent of the county population live outside mu nicipalities, so county stores are needed. Redwine observed that "county commissioners have been silent on this issue". Board of Commissioners Chairman Kelly Holden could not be reached for comment. "I sure am open to suggestions from anybody," said Rcdwinc. Weather Forecast Wasn't Available A weather report was not avail able lor the South Brunswick Islands this week. Shallottc Point meteorologist Jackson Canady, who provides weekly forecasts for The Brunswick Deacon , was out of town. The weather report will return next week. Bridge Openings Prompt Debate (Continued From Page 1-A) Fluegel said Friday she and Mayor Mason Barber had discussed the issue after learning about the resolution through the newspaper. "We can't do anything else," she said in reference to the hourly open ing. "All you have to do is go out there this weekend and see what's happening. "If they really want to help the town, they ought to adopt a resolu tion supporting construction of the high-rise bridge," she said. Easter weekend traffic was ex tremely heavy, with vehicles backed up at various times on the mainland, island and waterway. Sunset Beach police officers have to direct traffic on both approaches to the bridge at busy times during the tourist season, especially on weekends. Most of the time, she said traffic "flows through very niccly," unless traffic is extremely heavy or a DOT crew is working on the bridge, cither of which can cause additional delays. Sunset Beach residents and visi tors have learned to plan around the bridge schedule. "They don't go buy milk and ice cream and get stopped at the bridge," she said. If Ocean Isle Beach Commis sioners pursue their resolution, she said, they're going "to stir up a hor net's nest" at Sunset Beach. "We're not going to sit back and take it lightly," she said. "Nobody knows the situation until they've lived with it." Opening of the bridge involves not only the time involved in boats passing through, but the time neces sary to swing the bridge barge in and out of position. Two S.C. Residents Killed On U.S. 1 7 (Continued From Page 1-A) Stanley was traveling south on U.S. 17, Lewis slated. The impact knocked the Glover vehicle into a 1989 Nissan stopped on N.C. 904 and driven by Shonda Smith Ward, 22, of Shallotte. Both Stanley and a passenger in the Glover car, Gcraldine H. Glover, 66, received serious injuries and were taken to The Brunswick Hospital by ambulance. Ms. Smith received minor injuries. Damage was listed at S3.5CX) to the Glover car, $2,500 to the Stanley vehicle and S600 to the Smith car. No charges were filed. Bolivia Wreck A Maryland man was charged fol lowing a four-car accident on U.S. 17 in Bolivia Saturday. Michael Thomas Cataldo, 32, of Edgcwater, Md., was charged with following too closely by Stale Trooper C.E. Ward. According to Ward, several cars had slopped for a vehicle making a left turn into the Bolivia Post Office driveway when the 12:30 p.m. acci dent occurred. Cataldo's vehicle struck the rear of a 1991 Nissan driven by Guilford Stanley Ide, 46, of Wilmington, Del., Ward stated. That started a chain reaction that involved two oth er vehicles. Also damaged in the wreck were a 1990 Lincoln driven by Robert D. Ott, 56, of Marlborough, Mass., and a 1988 Honda driven by Robert Arthur Diseker 111, 23, of Winston Salem, reported Ward. Ide and two passengers in his car, Rachael Elizabeth Ide, 17, and Elizabeth C. Ide, 47, each received minor injuries. Damage was listed at S3,2(K) to the Ide car, $1,800 to the Cataldo car, $250 to the Diseker car and $2(X) to the Ott vehicle.