No-shows at land use open house in Sunset Beach

SUNSET BEACH—No citizens showed up for an open house to review the town land use plan last Thursday morning, March 20.

The planning and zoning board session, which lasted about 15 minutes, was scheduled to offer the public a chance to view the town’s draft of its updated CAMA land use plan.

Penny Tysinger, town planning consultant with the Cape Fear Council of Governments, said the no-show could be a good sign indicating citizens have no more questions following a succession of meetings over the past two years.

“We hope it’s the fact it was such an open process involving the public,” she said. “We have addressed concerns. We hope it just wasn’t worth the coming out.”

The town has been updating its land use plan from 1997. Board members reviewed that last Thursday.

“We just went over where we go from here,” Tysinger said.

The state agency will then take what is expected to be a lengthy time to review what the town has done. Once the comments are sent back, Tysinger will meet with a district planning steering committee and results will be forwarded to Sunset Beach Town Council for a formal public hearing and ultimate adoption of the updated plan.

Copies of the draft can be reviewed during normal business hours at town hall or can be checked out for a 24-hour period.

The plan also can be viewed on the town website at www.sunsetbeachnc.gov.

For more information, call the town administration department staff at 579-6297.