Holden Beach Property Owners Association

Commissioners Pat Kwiatkowski and Mike Sullivan have noted that trash cans sitting on the sides of the road are unsightly, present a safety hazard by blocking drivers’ line of sight, and the cans/corrals near the roadways are smelly for bikers and walkers. The Commissioners are proposing to re-adopt the 2018 ordinance which was passed and then substantially modified after significant concerns were received about the implementation.

The concerns about the ordinance remain the same:

• Removal/moving of trash corrals;
• Timing (with $50/day penalties) for rolling your trash cans out and back;
• Rolling back full trash cans that missed the pickup;
• No viable solutions to help property owners comply.

We have updated our Hot Topic page to include these latest developments along with the background information from 2018 and 2019.  Click here: https://holdenbeachpoa.com/hot-topics/trash-and-solid-waste/

The proposed ordinance has been discussed at the last two monthly Commissioners meetings and is expected to be on the March 16 meeting agenda for discussion and possible approval.

We have created a new Hot Topic page to provide additional background information about the parking situation on the island.  Click here: https://holdenbeachpoa.com/hot-topics/parking/.  One of the questions we address is “how many current public parking spots do we have?”  We counted the cars and vehicles with trailers shown on Google Maps (which appears to be from a typical peak season day) and came up with 460 cars plus 43 vehicles with trailers parked between the bridge and the east end of the island.    Click here to see the pictures.   There is also a large private parking lot at the pier with 77 spaces.

The next Parking Committee Meeting is this Friday, March 5^th, at 10:00 AM.  It will be live-streamed on the Town’s Facebook page.  Vendors who provide paid parking services have been invited to describe the new technology available.  The meeting agenda and packet are available here.

HBPOA received many of the over 200 letters that the Commissioners received (links on the Hot Topic Parking Page).  We found these to be well thought out, well-written responses from the citizens and taxpayers to the Town government and Staff about what the community envisions for parking in the future.  HBPOA read the feedback and summarized the most common points.  The following was sent to the Parking Committee and the Commissioners.  If you have comments as always please contact us!  Our email is [email protected].

After the HBPOA notified property owners about the Town’s plans to build new public parking lots, over 200 letters and emails were submitted.  These comments provide a very comprehensive view of what property owners want and don’t want with regards to public parking.  After reviewing this feedback, here is our summary:

Overall:

1. Protect the unique character and beauty of the island (don’t ruin paradise to create parking).
2. Don’t overly burden property owners in an effort to accommodate day-visitors.
3. Recognize we won’t always be able to provide a sufficient number of parking spaces to meet future demand.

Specifically:

1. No new small “pocket” parking lots in residential neighborhoods next to or across from homes and spread out such that visitors have to drive all over the island looking for a spot.
2. No right-of-way parking in property owner yards or adjacent to residential property.
3. Any new public parking should be:
   –   Close to public beach accessways
   –   Close to permanent public restrooms (not porta-potties)
   –   On land zoned for commercial businesses who could benefit from the visitors (and vice versa)
   –   Centralized as much as possible to minimize traffic congestion and improve safety.
4. Public parking should pay for itself and not be a financial burden on the property owners:
   –   Paid parking should be implemented to help cover the cost of the additional services needed as the result of day-visitors (e.g., police, garbage collection, bathroom cleaning, etc.)
   –   Any land purchased for new parking lots should be cost neutral (i.e., the parking revenues should pay for the purchase cost within a reasonable period of time).
5. Start planning now for what we will do when the public parking spaces on the island are all full:
   –   Determine how many spaces we plan to have on the island for public parking (i.e., what is our total capacity goal)
   –   Determine how we will know when all these spaces are full so we can notify day-visitors before they come on the island that there is no place for them to park
   –   Engage the County regarding off-island parking/shuttle service solutions, since it is predominantly County residents who are the day-visitors coming to the island.
    

The HBPOA, as a representative of the property owners, will support plans that achieve these objectives.

The Town Commissioners removed the proposed parking lots (agenda item #22) from their February 16th meeting.  They also modified agenda item #20, which would have appropriated funds enabling the immediate construction of the lots.

We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of property owner sentiments regarding the parking lots.  Over 200 letters and emails were received by the Town.  They can be viewed here.

The HPBOA truly appreciates the time, effort, and emotions spent in communicating and sharing your opinions.   Hopefully, this information will help the Town develop long-term parking plans that property owners can support with the same passion as has been shown this past week.

Stay tuned for additional updates as we continue our work to help address the Town’s parking challenges.

The Town of Holden Beach Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, February 16^th for their regular monthly meeting.

The agenda includes possible action to create the new parking lots that were described in our email to members.  The public hearing prior to the meeting is for changes to the building height measurement point and not the parking lots.  Regular meeting highlights also include possible change of speed limits during the off-season on OBW, changes to the trash can rules, and increases in the water rates.  Click here for the meeting packet, the parking lot information starts on page 140.

We encourage you to send your comments to the Town Clerk and/or the Commissioners prior to the meeting.  The HBPOA has heard the following complaints regarding the new parking lots:

1. The parking lots provide no benefit to taxpayers/property owners
2. The impacts to property owners have not been considered
3. There have been no opportunities for public input or notice
4. There has been no analysis of the ongoing costs
5. The plans should, at a minimum, follow a re-zoning process since they are changing the purpose of the property

If you have comments to submit but want to remain anonymous, please send them to [email protected] and we will represent you.  The HBPOA as an organization has not yet taken an official position, but we have also not heard from any property owner who is in favor of these new free public parking lots.

The Town is considering the creation of free public parking lots in the 300, 700, and 800 blocks of Ocean Blvd West, and along Avenue A.  The Commissioners could vote to approve some or all of these lots at their meeting this coming Tuesday, February 16.

There will be no public hearing regarding these plans, and the only opportunity for public comment will be at the beginning of the Commissioners’ meeting related to agenda topics.

Public parking is a significant problem due to the high growth of housing and RV park developments on the mainland combined with increasingly more people who want to visit the beach.  Since land on the island is limited, so is our ability to accommodate parking for all these visitors, especially during peak season holidays.

Since no parking is truly free, it is a question of who pays and who benefits, and the balance between property owner rights and accommodating day visitors.  Creating a public parking lot between or across from homes in a residential area burdens the property owners and guests who have to deal with the traffic, noise, trash, porta-potties and possible trespassing if a public beach accessway is not convenient.  It will also burden all taxpayers with the cost of creating and maintaining the lots going forward.

For more information, click here for a copy of the Parking Committee Meeting Packet showing the locations and costs for the planned lots.  Maps begin on page 5 of the packet. 

The Commissioners would like to receive your input, and we encourage you to provide it.  Click here for information about how to contact the Commissioners prior to their decision. If you want your comments to be included in the official record for the meeting, you need to send them to the Town Clerk, Heather Finnell. 

The HBPOA will continue to monitor and report on this important issue, recognizing how difficult it is to keep up with what is going on while the Town is closed due to the COVID emergency.  As usual, we will be emailing information about the BOC meeting agenda prior to the meeting on February 16^th.  

Check the photos below – do you own property in these areas?

The Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will be meeting Wednesday, November 18 for their regular November meeting.  On the agenda is the response from the Science Panel to the comments received at the public hearings and via email.  You can read the Science Panel’s response here.  There were 141 pages of comments, none were noted to be in favor of the boundary changes, and the majority were regarding the massive increase in the IHA on the west end of Holden Beach.  If you wish to listen in to the meeting or make comments prior to the meeting, the link is on the agenda here.

Proposed Inlet Hazard Area on West End.

Proposed Inlet Hazard Area on East End.

The Town of Holden Beach Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, November 17 for their regular monthly meeting.  Highlights include the ’19-’20 Audit, possibly hiring a new Town Attorney, revisiting compliance of the required number of trash cans at rentals, and forming a parking working group to address the parking issues.  The agenda is below.  Click here for the meeting packet.

Thanksgiving Meeting Canceled

Due to Covid-19 the Thanksgiving Membership Meeting has been CANCELED.  Members whose dues are current should watch their USPS mail for a ballot to approve the 2021 Budget and Director elections.  To check the status of your membership dues and or pay, update your mailing address, or add/change email addresses go to our Wild Apricot Membership Site.

We wish you and yours a safe and joyful holiday season!