Commissioner hear public comments on future Shallotte Point expansion

HOLDEN BEACH—Town commissioners on Tuesday had a public hearing seeking input for an ordinance to establish an annexation agreement between Holden Beach and the towns of Shallotte and Ocean Isle Beach.

After outlining the current town limits to the public, Mayor Alan Holden said the agreement was for the town of Shallotte to incorporate any of the areas toward the Intracoastal Waterway, Holden Beach and Ocean Isle Beach along the Shallotte River.

“Shallotte is moving its boundaries closer to us, Holden Beach, and closer to Ocean Isle,” Holden said.

“We are trying to move forward as Brunswick County continues to grow and as the towns within Brunswick County begin to expand,” Holden said before opening the public hearing.

While no Holden Beach residents spoke during the public hearing, several Shallotte Point residents expressed their concerns to commissioners.

Ronald Hobbs, chairman of the Shallotte Point Preservation Group, told commissioners he would like to see Shallotte adhere to the county’s land use plan for future annexation and development of Shallotte Point.

“Our problem right now is multi-family development without planning,” Hobbs said, noting the town’s satellite annexation has created a “hodge-podge” of zoning districts in Shallotte Point.

“We could encourage the town of Shallotte to accept the plan the county already has in place,” he said.

Donna Giles, who lives on Bill Holden Road in Shallotte Point, told commissioners she is concerned with the development of Shallotte Point.

“I feel that we live in a beautiful part of the world, and we have an opportunity to become a model of how coastal development should proceed,” Giles said.

Giles urged commissioners not to approve the annexation agreement without further planning for the future development of Shallotte Point.

“I feel that until we can all get on the same page, agreeing on the vision for the growth and the development of the area, you should not approve the annexation agreement that’s before you,” she urged.

Commissioners took no action on the agreement following the public hearing.

In other business, board members:

•Discussed an amendment to the town’s solid waste ordinance. The amendment to the ordinance would require rental homes on Holden Beach be required to have a minimum of one trashcan per two bedrooms.

•Approved a resolution in support of Senate Bill 599, which would permit terminal groins to be used as an inlet management tool.

•Holden told board members and the audience a request to operate a parasailing business within town limits would be on an upcoming agenda.

•Appointed Margaret Lancaster as the town tax collector.

•Scheduled a workshop for March 15 to begin the budget process for the upcoming fiscal year.

•Received an update from the local CAMA permit officer about recent and proposed changes to oceanfront setbacks.

•Received an update from police chief Wally Layne. “The state of the island remains calm at this time,” Layne said, noting only a handful of offenses have been reported this month.

•Approved a resolution in support of the establishment of Passport Procurement Services in Brunswick County. Holden said the intent of the resolution was for county residents to receive a passport from the register of deeds office at the county complex in Bolivia, rather than have to leave the county.

•Approved an addendum for interior planning services for the town hall project with Stewart, Cooper, Newell.