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Community

October Board of Adjustment meeting rescheduled

BURGAW – The Pender County Board of Adjustment, which was scheduled Wednesday, Oct. 20 has been canceled. Any agenda items that were slated for Oct. 20 will be addressed in the November Board of Adjustment meeting.

The Nov. 17 meeting will take place in the Pender County Board of Commissioners’ Chambers at 805 S. Walker St. in Burgaw, beginning at 9 a.m.

For more information, please call the Pender County Planning and Community Development Department at 910-259-1202.

Election Day is Nov. 2

Attention all registered voters in the North Burgaw and Sloop Point precincts

 BURGAW – Temporary precinct change notices were sent to registered voters in the North Burgaw and Sloop Point precincts with the incorrect Election Day date. The card states the Municipal Election is Nov. 3, 2021.

“The cards were printed with the wrong date,” said Susan Williams, Pender County Board of Elections director. “Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 2.”

The information on the postcard is important. Voters who live in the North Burgaw precinct who live in the Town of Burgaw will be temporarily transferred to the South Burgaw precinct, located in the Burgaw Middle School, 500 S. Wright St., Burgaw.

Voters who live in the Sloop Point precinct who live within the Town of Surf City will be temporarily transferred to the Surf City precinct, located in the Surf City Community Center, 201 Community Center Dr., Surf City.

The polls will open on Nov. 2, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Clearing of Pender County creeks and streams to begin Oct. 11

BURGAW- Contractors will begin clearing creeks and streams beginning Oct. 11 throughout Pender County.

“Workers will remove debris such as fallen trees and limbs from the waterways,” stated Daniel Adams, Pender County floodplain administrator. “Work will continue in the following months at 31 specific sites, including creeks and streams in Hampstead, Rocky Point, and Willard.”

This project is grant-funded through a state and federal cost-share program associated with Hurricane Florence Recovery, with money coming from the United States Department of Agriculture and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

“This project will assist in the management of potential flooding, which eventually impacts the farms and families of our county,” said Adams.

County online payments will be not be available on Oct. 12

System upgrade will make online payments impossible on Oct. 12

 BURGAW- Pender County’s online payments system will be offline Oct. 12 due to a software upgrade.

Residents and property owners will not have the ability to pay taxes, permitting fees, or utilities online on Oct. 12.

Walk-in services for payment will be available, but all account numbers must be provided at the time of service. Clerks will provide handwritten receipts on Oct. 12. In the tax office, please bring documents that identify the property or account you wish to make a payment to, as staff will not be able to look up your property.

All walk-in payments will not be posted until Oct. 13.

Pender County apologizes for the disruption of services.

 

31st Annual River to Sea Bike Ride, Oct. 16

Registration is now open for the 31st Annual River to Sea Bike Ride to take place on Saturday, Oct. 16. This event is a 20-mile bike ride from downtown Wilmington to Wrightsville Beach and back along the historic route of the Wilmington Beach Car Line.
 
All levels of cycling experience are welcome to participate but must be able to ride 20 miles at a casual pace. Cyclists will depart from downtown Wilmington at 7:30 am. There is a fifteen-minute break at Wrightsville Beach Park before beginning the second half of the ride. Bicyclists are expected to arrive back downtown no later than 11 am.
Helmets are required and cyclists should give their bicycles a thorough safety inspection prior to the event. There is no cost to participate but t-shirts are available for purchase until Sept. 17.
 
Registration will close at 450 participants. Because of the registration cap, participants are highly encouraged to only register if they plan to attend. Registration is available the morning of the event and will have a charge of $5.
Find out more and register at https://www.gocoastnc.org/news-events/
Contact Nick Cannon, WMPO TDM Coordinator, nick.cannon@wilmingtonnc.gov for more information. 

Library hosts NOAA meteorologist

Important storm information to be shared

BURGAW – On Thursday, Aug. 19 at 6 p.m., Pender County Library will host a meteorologist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for an exciting talk about hurricanes, storm safety, and being prepared during hurricane season.

This hour-long discussion will be held in the newly dedicated Michael Y. Taylor Meeting Room at the Main Library in Burgaw.

Evacuation maps, information about evacuation zones and shelter locations, hurricane prep checklists, pet preparedness, and other informational materials will be available at the event.

Registration for this event is suggested but not required. Online registration is available at bit.ly/PCLhurricanes, or go to the library’s website, https://penderpubliclibrary.org, and follow the links under “Events.” You can also call the library and staff will take your registration by phone.

For more information or assistance, call Pender County Library at 910-259-1234 during regular business hours.

 

Does your hurricane preparedness plan include your pets?

Here is a handy checklist of items you may need for your pet

Your family hurricane preparedness kit includes water for the entire family, but did you include water for the family pet(s)?

Water, medication, and the family pet’s important papers are needed as well. It’s a lot to think about in a time of disaster, so prepare now for the safety of your animals.

disaster-prep-pet-emergency-checklist ready_pet-preparedness-flyer

 

Applications period opens July 1 for $79.6 million hurricane disaster relief program for poultry and livestock, plasticulture and forestry producers

Program focuses on losses suffered from Hurricanes Florence, Michael and Dorian

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has received a $79.6 million USDA block grant to assist producers and woodland owners in 90 counties who suffered losses in 2018-2019 from Hurricanes Florence, Michael, and Dorian. The application period runs from July 1 to Oct. 1.

This program will offer direct payments to eligible poultry/livestock and plasticulture producers. Assistance will only involve losses associated with these hurricanes that were not covered under other USDA disaster programs.

This program will also offer technical and financial assistance to woodland owners in the emergency-declared counties that were affected by these hurricanes. Comprehensive forest management plans will be offered to those landowners in order to assess the storm impacts to their woodlands and identify beneficial management recommendations.

“Eligibility requirements differ significantly between the agricultural and forestry categories of this block grant,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I would encourage farmers and forest owners who think they may be eligible to check the online links for the agricultural applications or contact their local N.C. Forest Service County Ranger Office for the ‘Woodland Recovery’ component.”

Poultry/livestock and plasticulture producers will need a current and completed IRS W9 form ready to scan into the application. Additionally, growers are encouraged to research and gather any evidence of poultry/swine structure damage and any damage evidence for plasticulture and greenhouses from those specific storms. They should be prepared to scan documents into the application for consideration of payment.

Details about the “Woodland Recovery” program will be available beginning mid-July by contacting a local N.C. Forest Service County Ranger’s office. A list of contacts can be found at https://www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts/contacts_main.htm

For more information, including links to the poultry/livestock and plasticulture applications, visit www.ncagr.gov/agriculturaldisasterprogram or call 1-919-707-3362.

Q&A regarding the gas pipeline installation in the Hampstead area

The Pender County Board of Commissioners received several community inquiries regarding the large yellowe pipe that is being installed along US Hwy 17, Sloop Point Loop Road, and Country Club Drive.

We reached out to Piedmont Natural Gas for an update on the project. They responded quickly to answer community questions.

Where is the gas line being installed? Is it called the Hampstead Gas Line Project?

The Hampstead project consists of much more than the name implies. It is to connect Wilmington with Jacksonville. The project started near the New Hanover County & Pender County line along Highway 17 all the way to Jacksonville where it will connect near the air station. The route mostly follows Highway 17 except for a slight detour where the line jumps off US Hwy 17 and follows Country Club Drive to Sloop Point Loop Rd where it loops back to US Hwy 17.

What is the purpose of installing natural gas?

The primary purpose of installing this line is to be available for the anticipated growth along Highway 17, especially in the Hampstead and Surf City area. Piedmont Gas hopes to serve commercial markets such as restaurants, grocery, hospitals, retail shopping centers, schools and more.

Will residential customers be served by Piedmont Gas?

We hope to serve many new planned residential subdivisions but will also consider some existing communities to serve. We currently have agreements to serve several Pender County schools in the Hampstead and Surf City area. Piedmont Natural Gas is usually half the cost of propane, so it saves the taxpayers a lot of money.

After the initial work along US Hwy 17 is complete, what is next?

As soon as Piedmont Gas finishes installation along US Hwy 17 and Country Club Drive, the company plans to extend a line to reach Surf City. The extension can serve much of the commercial and residential growth.

And after the infrastructure is completed along US Hwy 17 and to Surf City, Piedmont Natural Gas will target expanding the system to reach more commercial projects and residential communities, mostly new developments.

Do you have a completion date?

Piedmont Natural Gas expects to be completed with the US Hwy 17/Hampstead project within a couple of months. Work on the Surf City connector will follow, about 6 months.

Will current homeowners have the opportunity to tap into the line for natural gas?

Most Piedmont Gas residential and commercial customers with gas lines directly in front along the street can receive a service line and meter to their building at no cost to them if they connect a primary gas appliance/s. For example, most residential homes can receive free installation (up to certain footage) for agreeing to connect either a water heater, or primary central heating, or a gas dryer, or a combination of gas cooking accompanied with one additional gas appliance of choice.

Most existing residential communities will not be considered for natural gas conversion; however, many will be considered, and some will qualify to have gas lines installed. When considering existing residential communities, surveys can be done to determine the level of interest among the homeowners. When there seems to be adequate interest for a project to be feasible, Piedmont may require a certain number of commitments from homeowners before approving a project. Usually, there is not a cost to homeowners when an existing community is served; rather the decision to approve is based on anticipated usage and usually takes a large percentage of agreements. When serving newly developed residential communities, the developer and/or builders will often agree to use a minimum of gas heat and gas water heater in every home. Some residential subdivisions may only require a minimum of gas water heaters, all depends on the cost of the project and the number of homes.

 

Will businesses have an opportunity to tap into the line too?

Piedmont Natural Gas commercial customers usually qualify at no cost for a service line and meter by connecting either a water heater or heat or cooking equipment.

Both residential and commercial projects that are in the vicinity of a natural gas line but don’t have direct access must use enough gas to justify extending a line or pay a Cost in Aid of Construction to make up the difference.

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