Newspapers / The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, … / Sept. 24, 1992, edition 1 / Page 2
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Bird Island's Development Conservation Potential Explored BY LYNN CARLSON Bird Island has some, though limited, development potential and should be zoned as a conservation district in which homes could be built only with permission of the Sunset Beach Board of Adjustment. Those were the conclusions of two Wilmington-based consulting firms report ing to a joint workshop ol the town council and planning board Monday night. No ac tions were taken in the informal session, and members of both boards expressed satisfac tion with the consultants' findings and rec ommendations. Bird Island's future has become an issue of increasing concern in the town since own er Janie Pace Price of Greensboro began seeking permits to develop 1 5 building sites there and to connect them with Sunset Beach by a 1.15-milc-long system of causc way and bridges. Bird Island lies in Mad Inlet between Sunset Beach and Little River and straddles the N.C.-S.C. border. Areas of Bird Island are nesting sites for threatened and endangered species including the piping plover, least tcm, black skimmer and loggerhead turtles. At least one rare plant, the seabeach amaranth, also grows there. It is a popular spot with local residents and vacationers who for years, without au thori/aiion from Pricc, have taken boats there or walked to the island through Mad Inlet at low tide. Price's proposal currently is on hold in the state's Office of Coastal Management while her agents provide additional details about her plans. Legislation sponsored earlier this year by Rep DaviH Rcdwine, D-Brunswick. nrn vided for a feasibility study to determine whether the state might buy Bird Island, one of two remaining undeveloped barrier is lands in North Carolina. That study is sched uled to begin in mid-October. If the island were to come under state ownership, the town's zoning and land use regulations would become moot. Rob Moul of Wilmington's Land Management Group presented a report de tailing the natural and regulatory restrictions affecting Bird Island's development poten tial. Those limitations, he said, include soils, water table depths and wetlands, as well as rules and regulations such as those imposed by the state's Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA). While the island's total land mass is 148.4 acres, Moul said, more than half of it is protected saltwater and freshwater wel " The fact that it's going to be impossible to get insurance is probably the most significant obstacle to development potential ? Rob Moul lands. Another 32.7 acres is unusable frontal clune, upper beach and low-elevation sand flats which would fall within the CAMA or Sunset Beach setback requirement zone. That leaves 33 acres of buildablc up lands which could support septic tanks, but any homesites would have to be "highly scattered and non-contiguous," Moul said, "making much of (the suitable land) practi cally unusable." His report adds, "There are certainly large enough segments of the property which meet all regulatory thresholds, but they arc scattered about, making access and utility extension a critical and expensive is sue." Bird Island's east and west ends have been identified by the regional CAMA of fice as inlet hazard areas. Moul said these areas could support "only low- density easily relocatable structures;" although the twin rock jetties along Little River Inlet have sta bilized the eastern end of Bird Island, the narrow west-end beach is vulnerable to for mation of another inlet, he concluded. Although Bird Island has no "classic" maritime forest, Moul's report says, "evi dence indicates the island is relatively young and unstable. The ground water table is ris ing and the dune system is still migrating." The most significant regulatory barrier to Bird Island's development could prove to be 1982 federal "COBRA" law, Moul said, which made Bird Island ineligible for feder al flood insurance. In addition, claims result ing from massive hurricane damage in re cent years have most private insurers "bail ing out" of insuring properties in COBRA areas, Moul added. "The fact that it's going to be impossible to get insurance is probably the most signifi cant obstacle to development potential," he concluded. CONSERVATION ZONE Moul's report was followed by that of Peggy Hayes of Wilmington's Hayes & Associates, who said the town's wishes to properly zone Bird Island and to establish a conservation zone for Sunset Beach "turned out to be one and the same." Hayes presented plans for a conservation district which would spell out uses for Bird Island. Under her proposal, single-family residential dwellings which meet several cri teria would be allowed, but only through special permission of the town's board of adjustment. That board, Chairman Richard Good explained, is "the planning board wearing a different hat." Among the proposed criteria are a mini mum lot size of one acre; a 50-foot buffer between homes and wastewater treatment systems, wetlands, streams or ponds; maxi mum lot coverage of 10 percent by buildings or pavement; 35 feet height limit; and a maximum of four bedrooms per home. Hayes said her proposal would allow the board of adjustment to impuse additional criteria when applications are filed. This process would "put the burden of proof on the property owner," Hayes said. "They'd have to provide evidence of what they plan to do." iSiblic hearings would be have to be held on the applications. Good added. Gail Burrojf and her son Sammy. Police Fear For Family Missing After Indictment (Continued From Page 1-A) ment is handed down, she contacts the defendant and asks them to turn himself in. Burroff told Simpson he had arranged for someone to post his bond and would turn himself in Sept. 2, but he failed to showed up. Simpson said the next day she called the home of a woman in Ocean Isle Beach, where Burroff had been stay ing. The woman told the detective that Burroff was asleep and would her call back later. Neighbors of the BurrofTs mobile home off Stone Chimney Road say they last saw the family Sept. 4. Three days later, a relative went to the trailer and notified police that the family had disappeared, Simp son said. It appears that they had left sud denly without packing, Simpson said. Supper was on the table. There was food left to defrost in the sink. The children's clothing and shoes were still in their rooms. There were diapers on the table and clothes left hanging on the line. Mrs. Burroff had told friends that she was scared, that Burroff had beaten her before and that she was thinking of leaving the area, Simpson said. Her father had given her a check for SI 00. "She never cashed it," Simpson said. BurrofTs roommate in Ocean Isle told Simpson that he "had been de spondent and thinking of suicide." She said that on Friday, Sept. 4, she had driven Burroff to the Ocean Isle Beach pier, supposedly to meet with Mrs. Burroff. He never came back. Someone said they had seen Burroff in the Holden Beach area last week, but that report has not been confirmed, Simpson said. She also said there was no evi dence to support a rumor that Burroff had recently purchased a pistol from a local pawn shop. "I've checked the gun permits for the past few years. If he bought a handgun, he bought it illegally," she said. She said Burroffs roommate told her he owned a rifle, but it was still at the house after he disappeared. Simpson asks anyone who might have seen the Burroffs who or has information about their whereabouts contact the Brunswick County Sheriffs Department at 253-4321. HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRUNSWICIf#tACON POST OFFICE BOX 2558 SHALLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA 28459 I 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 publioation, in time for dispatch to out-of-town addresses that day. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY MAIL: Sr. Citizen In Brunswick County Q6.30 N.C. Sales Tax .38 Postage Charge 3.68 * TOTAL 10.36 ?5.30 .32 3.68 9.30 Elsewhere in North Carolina N.C. Sales Tax Postage Charge TOTAL ?6.30 .38 8.18 14.86 ?5.30 .32 8.18 13.80 Outside North Carolina Postage Charge TOTAL ?6.30 9.65 15.95 ?5.30 9.65 14.95 Complete And Return To Above Address Name Address .... City, State . Zip Boards Leave Orton Lands In Rural Zone (Continued From Page 1-A) ular tourist attraction, and Orton Pond, the county's largest freshwa ter lake. The land use plan identifies these as important historic and wet land areas that should be protected. Because of its access to a deep water port, Foy said land along the western shore of the Cape Fear River has historically been consid ered an ideal location for heavy in dustry. He said a petroleum compa ny had once considered building an oil refinery there, but the plan was scrapped. Calling the family "good stew ards" of the land, attorney William Fairley said the tract was too large to attract a single buyer and would have to be developed in pieces. He said it would be in the Sprunts' best interest to assure that one part of their land was not devalued by an inappropriate use of another. "It would take a lunatic to sell part of the land to an industry that would lower the value of the neigh boring land owned by the Sprunts," Fairley said. Noting Brunswick County's high unemployment rate, Fairley said that Incorporation To Be Topic For Seaside Rep. E. David Rcdwine and Ellis Hankins, an attorney with the N.C. League of Municipalities, are ex pected to attend a community meet ing next Wednesday on the pro posed incorporation of the Seaside community. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Coastal Auction House (for merly Newsome's Island Supply) at the intersection of N.C. 179/904 and Ocean View Landing Road. The agenda includes discussion of a town charter and proposed boundaries. This is the latest in a se ries of meetings on incorporation of the former fishing village and trad ing center, which is located between Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach. All interested persons are encour aged to attend the meeting to voice opinions and ask questions. If Seaside were to incorporate, it would become the 18th municipality in Brunswick County. It is one of two communities currently dis cussing incorporation; the other is Sunset Harbor on Lockwood Folly River. For either to become a town would require passage of a bill by the state legislature and a communi ty referendum. Seasonable Weather Predicted South Brunswick Islands resi dents can look forward to comfort able weather over the next few days, with near normal rainfall and tem peratures. Temperatures should range from the mid-60s at night into the mid 80s during the daytime, with about a half-inch of rainfall, Shallotte Point meteorologist Jackson Canady said Tuesday. For the period SepL 15 through 22, he recorded a maximum high of 89 degrees on Sept. 16 and a mini mum nightly low of 64 degrees on SepL 15. A daily average high of 87 de grees combined with an average nightly low of 69 degrees for a daily average temperature of 78 degrees. That was about 3 degrees above av erage, said Canady. At his home near the Point, he measured 1 .56 inches of rainfall. restricting industrial development of the Orton lands would "cut off this area of the county from decent jobs." He said that without another large industry, the Southport area could only look forward to a future of relatively small employers offer ing low-wage jobs. "By taking away the highest and best use, you run the danger of forc ing the owners to develop smaller tracts and make some use of the property that would maximize their return," Fairley said. Foy said the Sprunts were being punished for not developing the property sooner. He said restrictive zoning could deter an industry from choosing a site on the Orton proper ty and force the owners to subdi vide. "You might end up with one-acre tracts and expensive houses along the river," he said. "But 1 don't know how many people in Bruns wick County could afford them." Glenn Harbeck, the Wilmington planning consultant hired to help up date the land use plan, said the "rur al" classification would not prevent the Sprunts from attracting heavy in dustry to the area. It would, howev er, give the county some measure of control in assuring an appropriate use for the land. The land use plan says, "Indus tries may also locate in the rural area or, in the case of especially large in dustries, may wish to seek special designation as a rural industrial area." Noting the presence of fragile land and water areas along most of the riverfront, the plan also gives the county "the option to assist industry in accommodating their access needs to the shipping channels of the Cape Fear River." Planning Board Chairman John Baibee said he had heard much con cern expressed in the Southport area that an inappropriate industry could spoil the appearance of approaches to the city. Several miles of N.C. 133 between U.S. 17 and Southport are bordered on both sides by the Orton lands. Under the proposed zoning ordi nance, the Orton lands are classified as "rural," which would prohibit in dustrial development Laurence Sprunt has asked the board to zone the properly "rural industrial," which would allow such uses as "animal slaughtering and processing operations," incinerators "for human and animal life forms" and "haz ardous materials treatment facili ties." Representatives of the City of Southpon last week asked the plan ning board to remove several of those proposed uses from the "rural industrial" zone, v/hich currently en compasses the Brunswick Nuclear Plant and the Military Ocean Term inal at Sunny Point, located just north of Southport Calling the Orton lands "a beauti ful, pristine area," Barbec said he was opposed to a "rural industrial" zoning designation. "We're not opposed to an indus try being put there, we just want some control over it," Barbec said. Commissioner Gene Pinkerton agreed, suggesting that the boards retain the "rural" land use classifica lion and consider a "commercial manufacturing" designation on the zoning map. Any official change to the zoning map would have to wait until after a public hearing. "Mr. Sprunt and I aren't going to be here forever," Pinkerton said. "I just don't want to give him a blank check." Under the proposed zoning ordi nance, the "commercial manufactur ing" zone would allow such uses as warehousing, freight handling facili ties, trucking and transfer operations and lumber yards. Manufacturing plants arc not listed as permitted us es, nor are they included among the uses allowed by special permission by the board of adjustment. The board of commissioners has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed zoning ordinance for Tuesday, Sept. 29. at 7 p.m. in the public assembly building at the county complex in Bolivia. Jt's Up To You To Find Out ?If you own property in certain areas of Brunswick County, you could be required to have a 20,000-square-fooi lot to build a house while your neighbor needs only 7,500 square feel. ?If you have a certain type of billboard or sign that advertises your business, you might not be allowed to repair it if a freak storm blows it down. ?If you buy a mobile home that was constructed before July 1, 1976, you may not be allowed to live in it anywhere in Brunswick County. ?If you want to build a gas station north of U.S. 17, there may be only five areas in the county where you can do so. Those are just some of the proposals that will become law if the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners adopts the zoning law now under consideration. Yet fewer than 200 county property owners have taken the time to examine the draft ordinance or the map of proposed zoning districts, ac cording to County Planner John Harvey. The planning office now has 261 detailed maps showing exactly where proposed zones will begin and end. Harvey encourages anyone who owns property in Brunswick County outside town limits to visit the planning department and determine the land's proposed zoning classifi cation. Copies of the zoning law also are available for inspection, A public hearing on the draft zoning ordinance will be held on Tuesday, Sept 29. at 7 pjn. in the public assembly room at the county complex in Bolivia. "The public hearing is to solicit comments about the ordinance and the zoning map. It is not a time for people to ask how their land is zoned. They need to find that out before they come," Harvey said. Questions about particular parcels of land cannot be answered over the phone, he said. Property owners who want to find out how their land is zoned should come to the planning office in person with an accurate description of the location, preferably by parcel number. Incentives Part Of Johnston Contract (Continued From Page 1-A) board and superintendent no later than July 15 each year, except this contract year, when the goals are to be set by Jan. 15, 1993; ?semi-annual written comment on any inadequacies in his perfor mance plus an annual written evalu ation and opportunities to discuss superintendent-board relationships; ?membership charges for profes sional and/or civic groups as the su perintendent deems necessary; ?use of a motor vehicle with cel lular phone for travel within and outside of the system; ?reimbursement for moving ex penses up to $3,500 and five months' housing allowance of up to $700 per month; and ?an annual medical exam at the board's expense. Johnston has also agreed to take on only limited outside employment, subject to the board chairman's ap proval and quarterly review by the READ AND USE BEACON CLASSIFIED ADS! To place a fast-acting classified ad, just dial 754-6890. To read the classified ads, just turn to section C of this issue. board. The board is to refer criticisms, complaints and suggestions to Johnston for study and recommen dations, and is to "refrain from indi vidual interference with the adminis tration of school policies except through board action." Johnston will succeed P.R. Hankins as superintendent Han kins plans to retire the end of the month. THE BRUNSWICKtftACON Established Nov. 1, 1962 Telephone 754-6890 Published Every Thursday At 4709 Main Street Shalloue, N.C. 28459 SUBSCRIPTION RATES IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY One Year $10.36 Six Months $5.55 ELSEWHERE IN NORTH CAROLINA One Year $14.86 Six Months $7.90 ELSEWHERE IN U.S.A. One Year $15.95 Six Months $8.35 Second class postage paid at Shalloue, N.C. 28459. USPS 777 780. Postmaster, send address changes to: P.O. Box 2558, Shallotte, N.C. 28459-2558
The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, N.C.)
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Sept. 24, 1992, edition 1
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