Home Care In Southport, NC

READ MORE: Could funds expand for transportation needs in Surf City, Topsail, Southport and more?

The board must decide by the end of the month if they want to join an organization that will handle future transportation projects and advocate for the town’s specific needs.

After the board’s development services committee met with members of the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Grand Strand Metropolitan Planning Organization, committee head Travis Henley reported his findings to the board at its Thursday meeting.

The WMPO covers urban transportation projects for New Hanover, eastern Brunswick and southern Pender counties. During its 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, some of the projects it’s focusing on includes Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement, Military Cutoff/Eastwood Interchange, Independence Boulevard extension, a section of the Hampstead Bypass, and the interchange between Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway and Kerr Avenue.

Municipalities have to opt into an MPO to participate, but it has to be mutually agreed upon by the organization.

WMPO asked Southport about its interest to join. The Southport BOA has until the end of July to respond.

By federal rules, the WMPO must re-evaluate its coverage boundaries at a minimum every 10 years, following the Census. When a regional area’s population exceeds 50,000, an MPO must be established. MPO boundaries reflect the central urban areas of a region, as well as where those areas are expected to expand in the next 10 to 20 years.

That is what makes Southport a viable option.

“We are in a unique situation where two MPOs are looking at us to see where they’re going to expand,” Henley said.

Southport wants to join an MPO because it would bring in more state and federal funding for road and transportation projects.

It’s currently a member of the Cape Fear Rural Transportation Planning Organization, housed within the Cape Fear Council of Governments, but RPOs don’t receive federal funding. The town of just over 4,300 has been a member since 2001, and the partnership has resulted in the widening on North Carolina Highway 211 and a pedestrian transportation project in the town.

“We’ve had quite a lot of success with the RPO over the years and we’re working with them right now on other projects,” Henley told the board.

An offer has already been made to Southport by GSATS. Based in Georgetown, South Carolina, the organization entered into an agreement in 2013 with North Carolina governmental agencies to create a bi-state MPO, in which Brunswick County joined.

GSATS head Mark Hoewoler said Southport’s growth captured by the 2020 Census made it worth expanding into and he expects the area to continue growing.

“It’s plainly obvious that, by the next time the Census rolls around, the growth will be contiguous all along the coast, from the state line all the way down to Southport,” he said. “Unless the Census changes its definition of population density, which they did the last time.”

Municipalities that already have joined GSATS are Ocean Isle, Shallotte, Holden Beach, Carolina Shores, Calabash, Varnamtown and Sunset Beach. Southport’s entry into GSATS depends on whether or not communities surrounding it, St. James, Oak Island and Boiling Springs, choose to join.

Should St. James or Oak Island choose not to join, then Southport is automatically out.

“We’ve heard St. James is interested, but we haven’t heard anything from Oak Island yet,” Henley said.

Hoewoeler said he has reached out to both localities.

“We have scheduled to meet with St. James on an informal basis, and we will be sending out letters to all the areas to see if they want a formal presentation,” he said.

If GSATS chooses to expand into Southport, the organization will likely open a new office in North Carolina. The board members have until the end of the year to give the MPO an answer.

North Carolina projects completed or begun by GSATS include the Carolina Bays Parkway extension, bike lane projects in Ocean Isle and Holden beaches, a new signal system along Wall and Main streets in Shallotte, and a study along the Holden Beach Causeway Corridor.

Henley told the board members to weigh the pros and cons of each option, for not every project under the MPOs will benefit Southport.

“A project up in Pender County is not going to do much good for us,” Henley said of WMPO. “Same thing if we’re in GSATS, the Carolina Bays Parkway is going to help Calabash, but it’s not going to help us.”

Unlike Brunswick County, which is a member of both WMPO and GSATS, as well as the Cape Fear RPO, Southport is a municipality, and therefore would lose its status within the Cape Fear RPO should it join either of the MPOs.

Alderman Rich Alt said he attended a couple of previous MPO meetings held by Wilmington and Grand Strand organizations, and he wasn’t truly impressed. He added that based on the Census, it would be years before Southport would benefit from membership in either organization.

He also said a workshop to gain more knowledge was needed.

“We’re seven or eight years away from having any additional sums of money from the two big ones, and we might be better off staying with the RPO that we’re in,” Alt said.

When asked if it were a benefit to stay within the Cape Fear RPO rather than join an MPO, Henley said among Southport, Oak Island or St. James, Southport is among the most coveted in the group.

“We would be one of the biggest fish — if not the biggest fish — in the pond, however,” he said.

Henley said Southport is a small town with an urban feel, which is why it is also a benefit to possibly remain in the RPO.

“Personally, there really aren’t a lot of places that have the urban feel like we do, so we’re in a better position for many of these projects,” he said.

[Ed. note: The article has been updated to reflect Rich Alt as the alderman to suggest a workshop was needed, not Thomas Lombardi, and that Southport would not remain a part of Cape Fear RPO if it joined an MPO. PCD regrets the error.]

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The state may be closer to buying more than 400 acres in Southport, a move that would lead to the permanent conservation of property teeming with habitat that supports federal- and state-listed species.

Earlier this month, the Southport Board of Aldermen agreed in a majority vote their intent to sell the tract to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission for $660,000.

Board members pushed a formal offer to sell at the request of Brunswick County because of ongoing talks between the two governments to merge water and sewer service.

During the Feb. 8 meeting, Mayor Richard Alt asked aldermen to hold off on voting, noting the county asked for additional time and that the city’s attorney recommended the pause.

“I’m not trying to stop,” selling the land, he said. “What I’m trying to stop is us selling it now when we’re in negotiations with the county and have been asked not to do it by the county and our own attorney, that we hired specially to help us through this transition period, told us don’t do it now.”

Brunswick County Communications Director Meagan Kascsak confirmed in an email that county officials suggested the city consider “waiting to decide on the future of this property for a short period to give the County time to consider whether there is a potential beneficial use for the land related to utility services.”

“However, this piece of property belongs to the City of Southport and their leadership has the right to decide whatever action they feel is best for the organization and the property,” she wrote in the email. “Any decision the City might make would not impact our continued collaboration with the City on the potential merger agreement.”

The city bought a majority of the tract in 2005 with plans to use it as a spray irrigation site for a new sewer plant. But the city eventually opted out of building a plant, ultimately deciding to merge its water and sewer with the county.

The Wildlife Resources Commission for the past few years has been eyeing the property, which borders ammunition port Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, or MOTSU, with hopes of expanding the game land footprint in the area. The property is adjacent to the state’s Green Swamp Game Land.

Ben Solomon, assistant chief and land acquisition manager of the commission’s Land and Water Access Division, said the agency is moving forward with plans to buy the tract.

“The Commission has raised sufficient grant funding to purchase the tract at the appraised value of $660,000,” he wrote in the email.

About two years after the state wildlife agency expressed an interest in buying the land, a commercial construction firm tossed in an offer to the city to buy or lease no fewer than 50 acres.

The Polote Corp. wants to mine clay-like material from the land, move it next door, and use it to build up eroded earthen berms that buffer ammunition and explosive areas within the Army installation.

The Savannah, Georgia-based company previously mined a portion of the property to do the same thing more than a decade ago.

Polote representatives explained to city leaders back in late 2022 that the land’s proximity to MOTSU made it particularly desirable because the next closest areas that contain material suitable for berm-building were a little more than 40 miles away.

But the potential mining of that property has raised concerns among some town residents about the impacts to habitat and wildlife, including federally endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers and dozens of state-listed species of amphibians and reptiles, water quality issues related to runoff, and septic issues.

Southport Alderwoman Karen Mosteller said during the board’s Feb. 8 meeting that because of the land’s proximity to the 16,000-acre ammunition port, the largest in the country, the federal government prohibits development on the property.

“It’s with these restrictions it seems inconsistent that we would ruin the land that has this highest conservation value for its dirt when there are already over 35 open sand mine permits in Brunswick County. So, there’s plenty of places for them to get sand and dirt in Brunswick County,” she said.

Solomon said there is a safety easement on the tract.

“This safety easement contains language that restricts human habitation, erection of new structures, as well as the number of persons allowed to attend events hosted on the property without written permission form the appropriate Government personnel,” he said in an email. “At this time, the Commission has no concern with the safety easement, and we do not anticipate the easement hindering our management or planned uses.”

The board’s vote stipulates the city enter into an agreement with the Wildlife Resources Commission to sell 431 acres of the 441-acre property, leaving 10 acres under city ownership.

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Molly Wilhelm

Southport offers breathtaking coastal views, iconic film locations, and a vibrant dining and shopping experience, all complimented by the warm hospitality of its residents, according to World Atlas’ list of the seven friendliest towns in North Carolina.

Strolling through downtown Southport on the weekend, you can find many residents leisurely walking their dogs, taking in the views from the pier, or engaging in conversations with their neighbors and friends.

During the summer months, the city “comes alive...as vacationers flock to the area because of its seaside atmosphere and welcoming energy,” reads the World Atlas article.

“Tourism is our greatest industry and our city is as welcoming as a Hallmark movie where everyone is treated like family and friends,” Mayor Joseph P. Hatem said, describing the local community. “If you walk through our unique neighborhoods, you will always be greeted with a friendly hello,” he added.

More:Travel study: Wilmington named among state's most 'charming' river towns

A popular destination for retirees, Southport is currently populated with roughly 4,000 residents, a majority of whom are over the age of 60, according to 2021 census data.

“Southern hospitality, a rich history, natural beauty, warm weather, and year-round activities and events, are just a few of the reasons that many are happy to call the area home,” according to the city of Southport residents webpage.

Hatem emphasized the role that local businesses play in defining Southport’s warm and welcoming charm.

“Every local business contributes to the town's friendly atmosphere,” Hatem said. Many of the small businesses in the city are family-owned and operated, an asset that adds to the town’s appeal, according to Hatem.

Mr. P’s Restaurant, Moore Street Oyster Bar, Southport Water Tours, Downtown Southport Inc., and the N.C. Maritime Museum were among the long list of local businesses that Hatem cited as adding to the city’s character and feel.

More:PHOTOS: Tour of the NC Maritime Museum at Southport

Sitting atop the northwest bank of the Cape Fear river, Southport is home to a variety of community events and traditions, such as the annual North Carolina Fourth of July Festival. Other notable events include the Easter Spring Festival, the Southport Wooden Boat Show, the Christmas Tour of Homes, and numerous vintage car shows, according to the mayor.

Hatem referred to Southport as a “definite destination as you travel in North Carolina.”

“Southport is a spiritual, caring, loving, welcoming, and festive community,” Hatem said. “These are some of the many reasons people want to live here and continue to move here,” he added.

World Atlas includes the following cities alongside Southport upon their list of the seven friendliest towns statewide:

SOUTHPORT, N.C. (WECT) - A debate over ethics turned confrontational at Southport’s Board of Aldermen meeting Thursday.

Board member Robert Carroll raised questions about a meeting on January 17 between development firm East West Partners and several city leaders, including Mayor Rich Alt, Mayor Pro Tempore Rebecca Kelley, City Manager Bonnie Therrien, and a city attorney.

The focus was on zoning for a parking lot at Indigo Plantation, where Alt and Kelley live.

Carroll says the meeting happened without the rest of the Board of Aldermen’s knowledge.

He admitted the meeting was legal, but questioned whether it was should have happened under the board’s ethics code, which states: “Governmental decisions and policy must be made and implemented through proper channels and processes of the governmental structure.”

CARROLL QUESTIONS MAYOR PRO TEMPORE

During the discussion, Carroll asked if Kelley was invited because East West Partners wanted to meet with the new leadership, to which Kelley said yes.

Carroll then referenced an email saying Kelley “held her ground” in the meeting, to which Kelley responded: “You have put words in my mouth ... There was no ground to be held. This was not a negotiation. It was merely a conversation.”

Carroll called it “a very expensive meeting” because the city’s development attorney, Tom Terrell, drove several hours to attend, adding: “it wasn’t for nothing.”

MAYOR RICH ALT WEIGHS IN, CITING ATTORNEY

Mayor Rich Alt responded to Carroll by reading a statement from Terrell, written several days after the meeting with East West Partners.

Terrell’s statement said, in part: “It is my legal opinion that the meeting on January 17 did not violate a statute, ordinance, or ethical policy that I can identify. There are no laws or policies requiring board members to share with each other what they learn or have heard from interested parties, but it is often a good practice.”

Alt then weighed in on the meeting himself, saying to Carroll: “This is normal business practice. This is what you do. The fact you got your feelings hurt, and you keep throwing out unethical, unethical, unethical ... that is outlandish behavior.”

Carroll interjected: “Mr. Mayor, I stand by my comments.”

You can watch the full Board of Aldermen meeting below:

EAST WEST PARTNERS AND SOUTHPORT

East West Partners have a long history in the Cape Fear Region. The firm planned the River Place development in downtown Wilmington, and proposed the controversial “Project Indigo Phase II” development that would have doubled Southport’s size. Those plans were withdrawn in 2022 after negative feedback from neighbors and opposition from the Planning Board.

Developer withdraws application for Project Indigo Phase II

Copyright 2024 WECT. All rights reserved.

SOUTHPORT, N.C. (WECT) - A Spanish learning and language center has opened in Southport.

Escuela Del Sol is a new facility that allows people aged 5 and up to take Spanish classes. On Saturday, the facility had an open house.

“So there is an increase in Spanish population. In fact, by the year 2040, the United States will be 29% will be Spanish-speaking. So it’s very important for our youth to learn the language and it’s important for the adults to learn the language as well because they travel and they have people that they work with that they need to communicate,” said Gisella Brosche co-owner of Escuela Del Sol.

Brosche is a native Spanish speaker and says that the classes help people interactively learn the language.

" It is very different than how we learned it in high school and college because it is conversational Spanish. So we do not worry about grammar or conjugating verbs or any of that we speak it naturally the way you learned how to speak a language when you were a baby,” said Brosche.

“We are both born in South America so we’re native Spanish speaker’s first language so they’re getting somebody that speaks the language,” said co-owner Fabiana Santucci.

Student Edward Anderson has been taking classes with the school since September and says he is excited to have a new building to learn in.

" I love learning Spanish and I think it’s great,” said Anderson.

Others say they appreciate in-person learning versus digital platforms. They say the Spanish classes help them while at work or traveling.

“We’ve tried using online programs, but those are very formatted,” said Jay Beard. “Here, it’s more conversational and it’s it’s more of a natural way of learning. But, you know, you get to hear the words in different cadences,” he added.

With a new building to hold classes, the hope is more people will take a chance to learn a new language.

“The outpour from the community has been astonishing. I never imagined we were going to be just embraced the way we have been. So it’s really exciting,” said Brosche.

Copyright 2024 WECT. All rights reserved.