29 Jan 2015
New Hanover County: Planning Public Meetings on Future Land Use Map & Place Types
New Hanover County has released the DRAFT Future Land Use Plan Map and is in the process of holding public meetings to discuss. According to the County: “While the Future Land Use Map is not legally binding, it is intended to be a general representation of the vision of New Hanover County for the next
29 Jan 2015
Editorial – Costly loophole for homeowners
If freshman Sen. Michael Lee makes good on his stated intent to fix a state law that allows insurance companies to shake down homeowners for higher rates than the state allows, he’ll secure a legion of fans in the Cape Fear region. Folks near the coast already pay generally higher rates than their inland counterparts.
29 Jan 2015
NC bill would give more flexibility from school calendar law
Another battle is looming between the tourism industry and educators over giving North Carolina school systems more flexibility on when to start and end the school year. One of the first bills filed Wednesday in the General Assembly, House Bill 9, would restore the ability of the State Board of Education to give local school
27 Jan 2015
Sunday StarNews cover story on Homeowners Insurance, consent to rate letters and potential legislative action
Lawmakers hear uproar over ballooning homeowner insurance rates WILMINGTON | Insurance companies are using a decades-old law to push higher-than-approved homeowner insurance rates on North Carolinians, says Sen. Michael Lee, calling the statute a loophole that needs to be closed. Lee, R-New Hanover, who is on the Senate Insurance Committee, said he is going to
27 Jan 2015
EPA Publishes Final Water Science Report , the main basis for Waters of the US Rulemaking
On January 23, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Research and Development released the final science report, Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters. You’ll remember that this Science Report, in draft form, was the basis for the Waters of the US Rulemaking which caused so much distress in 2014. Well, now the
22 Jan 2015
Sea-level rise policy top priority for coastal regulators
COASTAL N.C. | After political support eroded the first time around, North Carolina’s coastal regulators are again trying to develop a sea-level rise policy that can navigate the choppy waters between science and skepticism. Whether this latest attempt leads to the implementation of adaptation measures, such as limiting development in vulnerable coastal areas or increasing
14 Jan 2015
Holden Beach Clarifies “Building Height”
As many of you know, each municipality has a different/unique/confusing method of measuring building height. With the recent release of flood maps in our counties and the hubbub around flood insurance increases, the definition of building height has become very important for everyone. Measuring height to enable flood insurance savings and architectural features has become
13 Jan 2015
DENR announces leadership changes
RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Secretary Donald R. van der Vaart announced today the appointment of Tom Reeder as assistant secretary for the environment and Mary Joan Pugh as interim assistant secretary for natural resources. Reeder succeeds Mitch Gillespie, who will serve as a department liaison in the Asheville regional
09 Jan 2015
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TAKING ACTION ON FLOOD MAPS
In January, Wrightsville Beach voted to hire a firm to begin the process of challenging the new flood maps, specifically for Harbor Island. According to the Lumina News, the Board of Aldermen are concerned about “illogically high-risk flood zones for much of Harbor Island” and have been carefully and thoroughly exploring the possibility of an
07 Jan 2015
COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION DISCUSSES LAND USE PLANNING CHANGES
At the October and December Coastal Resources Commission meetings, DCM Staff presented proposed amendments to the 7B CAMA Land Use Planning Requirements and 7L Local Planning and Management Grants. The draft language was the result of comments and input gathered at two regional workshops held during the previous year in which input on the CAMA