Wrightsville Beach News

12/18/2023

Holiday Trash Collection

12/13/2023

WB Board of Aldermen Monthly Thursday Dec 14 at 5:30pm.

Key Agenda items:
Swearing in of Mayor Mills and Aldermen Degroote and Partin.

Presentation by USACE regarding the 2023/24 Beach Renourishment Project.

Presentation of the of the WMPO 2023 Annual Report (about our area transportation systems & network).

Public Hearing for Zeke's Beans and Bowls regarding SUP for outdoor seating and parking exemption.

consider approval of amendment to current contract for Pivot Parking.

Full agenda can be accessed through this link.

11/30/2023

This is a fantastic sea turtle story share by our local Turtle Watch leader Nancy Hutchison Fahey

https://www.facebook.com/100064677848436/posts/758139419685313/?app=fbl

11/30/2023

Please follow our page for updates and other local news.

One million cubic yards of sand coming to Wrightsville Beach starting in December.

According to the town, the project will likely wrap up “sometime between March and April, 2024.”

11/29/2023

A Summary of USACE Wrightsville Beach Renourishment data was compiled by the Consulting Firm Moffatt & Nichol. This was presented at the monthly meeting of our Board of Aldermen. The 3 data slides address the history of our renourishment projects and also summarize the sand quality testing related to the sand borrow area. The full presentation (PowerPoint) is available from the Town Clerk [email protected]

11/28/2023

https://www.facebook.com/100063558101827/posts/862600902535172/?mibextid=9R9pXO

11/27/2023

11/27/2023

Update on WB Sand Renourishment.

11/27/2023

https://fb.watch/oAm30oPWME/?mibextid=9R9pXO

11/25/2023

Flotilla Weekend Crafts, Art, Food & Vintage Vehicles...Festival.

11/25/2023

Christmas on Harbor Island Garden

https://www.harborislandgardenclub.com/

11/11/2023

New Hanover ABC Board distributes $4.5M in extra profits to local governments | Port City Daily
https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2023/11/09/new-hanover-abc-board-distributes-4-5m-in-extra-profits-to-local-governments/

11/10/2023

Joe Suleyman is the award-winning director of New Hanover County’s Recycling and Solid Waste Department, but he was once a salesman, an aspiring pilot and an Army Corps of Engineers platoon leader.  After growing up in Ohio, Suleyman attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. However, his gra...

11/10/2023

The annual Taste of Wrightsville Beach brings together the beach town’s – and across-the-bridge neighboring area’s – favorite eateries to raise funds and awareness for Weekend Meals on Wheels of New Hanover County.     “We are extremely involved in the community and it’s the basis of ...

11/10/2023

The town of Wrightsville beach echoed tonight with the sounds of calm waters and community cheer. First on the agenda for Thursday's Board of Alderman meeting was a celebration of a life and of those who stood up to save it.

11/10/2023

The mixed-use development is in the planning and under review by the city of Wilmington.

11/09/2023

https://www.facebook.com/1333899843/posts/10232374835936854/?mibextid=9R9pXO

09/14/2023

https://portcitydaily.com/local-news/2023/09/13/usace-awards-13-6-million-beach-renourishment-contract-in-wb/

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH — A local beach town's long-awaited beach renourishment is now contracted for this winter. READ MORE: It’s been 57 months since WB was renourished — and it is delayed again The…

07/18/2023

Update:

The Ad Hoc Committee meeting and the joint meeting with the Planning Board have been canceled.

The original purpose was to reach an agreed set of requirements to allow Lifts in the setback.

A none quorum meeting took place today with several BOA, Planning Board and Ad Hoc Committee members.

No details of the discussion or decisions have been revealed.

Why this went from a transparent public process to a non-transparent process of a closed unannounced meeting deserves some explanation.

While the BOA have the power to change coarse and approach they now owe their citizens an explanation. Will it come?

WBN

07/15/2023

Synopsis
TOWB Public Hearing regarding “Open Space Requirements” otherwise known as Lifts in the property setback.

This post is based on multiple viewings of the meeting video, review of local Facebook comments and follow-up phone interviews. We do make some observations and statements that can be taken as Editorial content. Please judge these in the full context of this meeting our long term tracking of this issue and our investigation.

The meeting came to order with more than half the Town Chambers filled with local residents.

Before the Board of Aldermen (BOA) this evening, were essentially two identical draft Ordinance Amendments, with clear notable exceptions.

The 1847 Amendment reflected the work of the Ad Hoc Committee that was supported by 5-0 vote to allow Lift installation anywhere within the side and rear within setback, (among other items outdoor showers, arbors, 30’ utility stands, stairways to stands etc.)

The 1848 Amendment reflected the revisions to 1847 by the Planning Board with a 5-2 vote that removes sections covering lifts and outdoor showers in the setbacks.

The third 1849 Amendment, stemming from a filing almost a year ago, was more general in nature and used terminology such as “elevator”. This item received no relevant discussion.

Following a short briefing on these Amendments Mayor Mills opened the floor for an orderly array of public comments and questions. All comments were supportive of allowing lifts in the setback.

What became obvious, however, was that the underlying complexities of this issue are not reflected in those many comments.

There was an overwhelming sentiment expressed that "this issue has been around long enough". "Just pass it, people just need accessibility." Comments did not acknowledge what neighboring owner’s rights might need to be considered, what ADA requirements for lifts are involved.

What seemed truly unfortunate was that a well framed basis for a solution has not been developed despite many Board and committee hours.

Let us clarify a few relevant points:

• There is a legitimate need for people with mobility challenges to access their homes
• Mobility challenges are not uniquely age related, anyone of us could have an accident and in that blink of an eye our mobility may be temporarily or permanently changed.
• Despite zoning ordinances our town has an array of inconsistencies in property lines, shapes, setbacks and buildings.
• Property Owner Rights work in both directions. Neighbor vs. neighbor means understanding and respecting this, such that solutions must find a balance.
• The Lift issue has taken a multi-year journey through numerous municipal processes (Board of Adjustment, Planning Board, Ad Hoc Committee, Board of Aldermen and now again cycling back through.

While there is ample room for both criticism and lessons learned it is of paramount importance that issues receive study and potential consequences of decisions at hand be understood. Communication from the BOA is a critical starting point for the work of the appointed boards. Personal preferences and frustrations driven by social media comments have no place in

During the discussion by the BOA questions, concerns and frustrations were raised, but a unanimous support for getting a solution in place to allow lifts was strongly stated. It was clear that just a simple support of 1847 was not going to be approved. The desire seems to be to have lifts in the setback as the exception rather than the rule... and then with clear restrictions.

Aldermen Dull referenced a "matrix" document that identified some decision criteria. It was attributed to a resident Neal Briggi, who was in the audience and was asked for some explanation. We have contacted Mr. Briggi for more detailed understanding. We will cover that in a subsequent post.

Mr. Briggi explained that a way to determine if a location in the setback might overrule a location out of the setback, would be to consider the path of accessibility to get to the lift on the ground level and then the complexity of installing a lift in that spot including what complexities exist above in first and second floors. (Note: Mr. Briggi is in his second term in the Planning Board and has been on the Ad Hoc Committee since it's start 2 years ago). Mr. Briggi did state that he had raised this document in both the PB & AHC during their deliberations but received no traction for the ideas.

The devil is in the details and both 1847 and 1848 are missing some based on the above.

So.

• What criteria can be used to approve a lift in the setback (accessibility, complexity)?
• What Criteria can Staff apply consistently?
• What locations should be restricted in the setback?
• What sizes, coverings, ADA requirements are needed?
• What is the complete definition of a lift?

It was the decision of the BOA that these types of questions need to be addressed through a joint working session(s) of the Planning Board and the Ad Hoc Committee supported by Staff.

A joint proposal of majority vote by both the Planning Board and Ad Hoc Committee is expected to be heard by the BOA at their September monthly meeting

WBN

 This link will take you to the WB BOA Mtg. 07122923. The public hearing content runs from 00:04:30 through 01:34:00. The auto generated Closed Caption has many inaccuracies https://vimeo.com/84496655

This is "07-12-23 BOA" by Town of Wrightsville Beach on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

07/11/2023

Resident input requested, please.

07/11/2023

Mark your calendar! Urgent opportunity.

A public hearing will be held at 4:30 at the Wednesday, July 12 meeting of the Board of Aldermen in Town Chambers. Public input is welcome and valued as the Board makes their decision at this meeting.

The hearing will address a proposed Amendment to "Open Space Requirements" of existing town ordinances. Among the changes to be considered is the easing of current regulations that prohibit the placement of non- enclosed exterior lifts within the property setbacks, for existing homes.

This is a real quality-of-life issue for the elderly and handicapped in our community. This will enable people with mobility challenges to continue to reside in their multi-level homes.

A resident driven petition, launched late last year, favoring elevators in setbacks received wide community support with 228 signatures.

This pending amendment has had a favorable review from the Ad Hoc Committee appointed by the BOA to study open space requirements.

The Ad Hoc Committee proposal covers a range of issues regarding items to be permitted to encroach in the setback maximum of four feet (utility stands up to 30 ' + access stairways, arbors, enclosed outdoor showers and non- enclosed lifts). Currently the ordinance allows propane tanks, roof overhangs, gutters, utility stands (length not specified) and fences & walls (6 feet in height)

The Planning Board in a 5-2 vote rejected the Ad Hoc proposal.

The logic applied by the Planning Board to accept some items and reject others seems inconsistent and worth noting. Architectural restrictions or perhaps better stated as "I just don't like the look of the outdoor lift" are not within the responsibilities of the Planning Board nor Board of Alderman.

The sentiments of the Board of Aldermen are not definitively known at this time. Previously the Board did refer the Planning Board rejection back to the Ad Hoc Committee for a specific review of those rejected items by the Ad Hoc Committee. The Ad Hoc Committee reaffirmed their unanimous support for the Amendment with minor adjustments. It is also worth noting that the Ad Hoc Chairperson is Aldermen Zeke Partin who was a part of the unanimous supportive vote in that committee.

Quoting a local resident Henry Temple "It will take significant turnout at the public hearing to ensure passage of this kind and beneficial amendment. It has no downside and harms no one, but it makes Wrightsville Beach a more livable community."

Mr. Temple can be credited with driving this issue since 2022 when he initiated his application for a variance with the Wrightsville Beach Board of Adjustment to allow a lift in the setback of his side yard.

Please come and let your voice be heard.

07/03/2023

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=247136194772811&id=100084292952036&mibextid=Nif5oz

07/03/2023

https://links.morningbrew.com/c/925?mbcid=31969177.2755188&mid=d36f3cf902ec529a69f6b85d839024c6

But the pryos aren’t going down without a fight.

06/23/2023

Nice turnout by the WB Community.

06/09/2023

The final WB FY 23/24 Budget Summary to be voted by Board of Aldermen Thursday June 22 at 5:30 pm Town Hall.

Highlight: $ 20.275 million balanced budget; property taxes $ 0.0923 per 100 property valuation remains the same as previous year.

The full 160 page document can be accessed at TOWB.org or use this link https://www.townofwrightsvillebeach.com/DocumentCenter/View/6663/Scanned-Version-of-Budget-for-Board-Approval

WBN