Holden Beach Property Owners Association

Are you keeping up with what is happening with wind farms and oil/gas drilling on our coast?

Wind Farms

Last summer, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) designated three areas for commercial wind energy leasing.  One area is in off Kitty Hawk/Duck, the other two are off Brunswick County, roughly south of Holden Beach and off Frying Pan Shoals.  The first step in the process is to  construct 394′ meteorologic towers to assess the wind potential.  The BOEM did a Visual Assessment of what these towers would look like from shore which you can view here.  (This file might take a while to load.)  It shows what the towers would look like from different vantage points at different times of the day and night.

The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Wind Energy projects was released for public comment January 22, 2015.  Click here to view the EA, which includes information on how to make comments.  The Public Comment period ends February 23, 2015.  There are also three public meetings, the closest to Holden Beach being February 12 from 5-8pm at the South Brunswick Islands Center, 9400 Ocean Highway 17 W., Carolina Shores 28467.

Oil Drilling Off the NC Coast

This highly controversial form of energy exploration is all over the news.  North Carolina Senators Burr and Tillis are firm supporters of drilling off our coast and attached an amendment to the Keystone XL legislation requiring the government to set up procedures for leasing, exploring and developing offshore oil and natural gas resources by 2017.

The Raleigh News and Observer published an article on the issue recently and this editorial.  You can also read a summary of the issues here.  Former VA Governor Martin O’Malley’s opinion piece on drilling along the eastern seaboard was picked up by the New York Times.

The first step in exploring for oil and gas involves the use of seismic airgun testing.  Two companies are prepared to do this and testing could start this spring.   Read more here.

We hope that you will become familiar with the energy issues facing coastal North Carolina and the potential impact on Holden Beach.

The Town of Holden Beach is proposing changing the way the 35′ building height limit is measured and adding two feet of freeboard.  The Public Hearing for the change will Monday, January 13, at 6:45pm.  You can read the proposed ordinance here.  The Town has been working on the issue for months.  They are not proposing to change the 35″ height limit, just the way it is measured.  The added freeboard will help maintain or lower our flood insurance rates.  Planning and Inspections Director Tim Evans presented at the December Board of Commissions’ meeting and the slides from his presentation can be viewed here and here.  As always, you may contact us at [email protected] with questions.

The design for the bathrooms for the “Bridgeview Park” has been selected.  It will include a shower area and laundry facilities for transient boaters.  At slightly over 1000 square feet, the cost is estimated be between $100,000 and $150,000.

At the November Membership Meeting, the issue of large weddings and the problems they cause was brought up.  Members brought photo boards showing chairs being set up in the dunes, arbors installed on the beach, lit candles tucked amid the sea oats, and described wild parties with over 100 people in attendance, large outdoor dance floors, DJs with thumping bass playing late into the night, intoxicated guests urinating in the yard, trash, illegal and unsafe parking, drunk driving… you get the idea. The situation described plays out persistently at a “mega-house” on the west end, but could happen anywhere else on the island.

After discussion, the membership voted unanimously for the HBPOA to write a letter to the Town urging them to address the situation and ensure that it doesn’t spread to other residential neighborhoods.  Holden Beach is a quiet, non-commercial, family beach and marketing houses as wedding reception venues does not fit that concept.

Here is the letter that was sent to the Town:

HBPOA Letter Regarding Wedding Venue

The November meeting of the HBPOA will be held:

November 22, 2014

10:00am

Holden Beach Town Hall

 Mark your calendar. We hope to see you there!

To see how your property is impacted click here to go the maps, then zoom in on your property and click on it.  Ignore the address that shows up, it may not be correct.  The current flood information will be displayed on the right.  Note your Flood Zone (AE, VE, etc.) and your Base Flood Elevation (BFE).

To see the new map go to the top right corner and click the “Effective” drop down menu.  Select Preliminary and click on your property.  The new information will be displayed.

The new maps are called “preliminary” because you have a chance to appeal the change during a yet to be determined 90 day period.  The maps are essentially in effect now.  For more information on the maps, appealing and why the maps are already in effect check out Tim Evans’ presentation here.

In addition, at the meeting last night the Town adopted Resolution 14-11, a Tax Foreclosure Policy.  You can read it here.

As always, if you have questions or comments about what is happening in Holden Beach feel free to contact us at [email protected].