Holden Beach Property Owners Association

UPDATE AS OF JUNE 15, 2016

We recognize that the Town has requested return of the easements by June 1^st  and June 15^th, so we are providing this update on the the status of the easement review. 

The attorney we engaged, Clark Wright, has now reviewed the easement in light of an easement used in similar projects on the North Carolina coast and has discussed property owners’ concerns with Noel Fox, the Town’s attorney.  

The Town will not be taking any actions to force owners to grant any easements while these discussions continue.

Clark, will be submitting his preliminary opinion and recommendations by the end of this week.  We will share it as soon as it is available. 

Here is an update on our status regarding the Central Reach Easements and the motion that was passed at our Memorial Day meeting.  

We have engaged an attorney who is reviewing the documents and speaking with the Town Attorney.  We are asking him to address the following concerns that have been submitted by our members: 

• Does the easement need to be perpetual and forever, or can it be limited to the duration of the project?
• Could the easement be assigned to an entity that could use it for some other purpose – such as a newly created beach protection authority?
• If the project doesn’t go forward, can the easement be rescinded or nullified?
• Is an access easement to the entire property required?
• What is the area covered by the easement – the landward or seaward toe of the dune?

If you have additional questions that you would like the attorney to address, please send them to us via email: [email protected].  

We will provide another update as soon as we receive the attorney’s opinions and recommendations.  Once again, our goal is to facilitate completion of the Central Reach project (not hinder it) by addressing concerns and reservations in a timeframe that will not negatively impact the schedule for the work.

At the Memorial Day meeting the HBPOA membership voted to retain an attorney to review the Central Reach easement from the property owner’s perspective.  The goal is to facilitate getting all of the easements executed in a timeframe that does not impact the schedule for the project by quickly resolving questions and concerns.   If you are an oceanfront property owner between 240 OBE and 781 OBW, please submit your questions so that we can make sure they are addressed by the attorney, and also please make sure we have your contact information so we can reach you with the results.

We have created a new page on our website for the Central Reach Project.  Please check here for the latest information and any updates about the project.

Click here for the agenda for the May Board of Commissioners’ Meeting.  Highlights include possible changes to the Noise Ordinance, information on the Zika virus from the County and the annual Fire Department update.  Please note that if you plan to speak you need to sign up in advance beginning at 6:00 pm.

You can now review the whole meeting packet here. The packet contains the agenda and all the background information on each agenda item. Thanks to this change, all property owners whether local or thousands of miles away can stay current on what is happening in Holden Beach!

The HBPOA and the NC Coastal Federation hosted an information session about the proposed terminal groin on Friday, April 29^th.  The objective of the session was to provide property owners with information from recognized experts so they can form opinions based on the best available information. 

We recorded all the presentations for our members who could not attend.  You can view the slides and listen to the presentations on our website by clicking HERE.    

The following presenters and topics were discussed:

Mike Giles, Coastal Advocate, North Carolina Coastal Federation,  and Tom Myers, HBPOA President welcomed everyone and provided an overview of the session and informational material that was available.

Dr. Stan Riggs, Coastal Geologist, Department of Geology, East Carolina University, discussed the “big picture” view of our coast, how it is shaped by storms, how the location of sand deposits and water flows through inlets effect beach erosion, and the potential consequences of the terminal groin

Dr. Doug Wakeman, Professor of Economics, Meredith College, and Andy Coburn, Associate Director, Program for Developed Shorelines, Western Carolina University, discussed how property values are a poor measure for project value (since the benefits accrue to the property owners), how tax revenue generated is a better measure, and the potential financial impacts of the terminal groin

Geoff Gisler, Senior Attorney, Chapel Hill Office of the Southern Environmental Law Center, provided an overview of the draft Environmental Impact Statement and discussed his concerns about the models and findings.  

The experts then answered questions from the audience regarding the information that was discussed.

Students at Duke University conducted a survey of Holden Beach property owners regarding beach erosion on the east end of the island and the proposed solutions (e.g., terminal groin).  The survey was associated with a class at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment in which groups of graduate students work with clients to develop and conduct a survey. 

 The purpose of the survey was to understand: 1) How property owners in Holden Beach perceive the effects of beach erosion, 2) Property owners’ opinions about the potential benefits of different proposed solutions, and 3) Property owners’ preferences for various erosion intervention solutions.

You can review the results of the survey here.  Thank you to all who participated!

Click here for the agenda for the April Board of Commissioners’ Meeting.  Highlights include changes to the Noise Ordinance and adoption of the regional hazard mitigation plan.  Please note that if you plan to speak you need to sign up in advance beginning at 6:00 pm.

You can now review the whole meeting packet here. The packet contains the agenda and all the background information on each agenda item. Thanks to this change, all property owners whether local or thousands of miles away can stay current on what is happening in Holden Beach!

The Holden Beach Property Owners Association (HBPOA) and the Coastal Federation are holding a public forum about the proposed Terminal Groin on Friday, April 29^th, from 6:30 – 9:00 PM at the Holden Beach Chapel.

The objective of the session is to provide property owners with both “pro” and “con” arguments from recognized experts so you can form opinions based on the best available information.

Invited speakers include Town officials, consultants who support the project, and experts who will discuss the potential impacts this hardened structure could have on the inlet, beach, private property and the economic wellbeing of the Town.

Advance registration is required since we will be serving a light meal provided by the Coastal Federation and need to know how many people will be attending. 

Please register here:  https://app.etapestry.com/cart/NorthCarolinaCoastalFederatio/default/item.php?ref=840.0.173877335. 

For additional information about the proposed terminal groin, click here.

Please join the 

Holden Beach Property Owners Association 

for our next meeting, 

Saturday, March 26 at 10:00am 

in the Meeting Room at Town Hall. 

We will provide an update on what all has happened over the winter, and what is coming up in the new few months.  You will also hear updates from Town officials and have an opportunity to provide input. 

We look forward to seeing you!