Resident Updates - Request for Information (RFI)

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The Mayor and Council Members often get similar questions from multiple people. Listed below are some of the more recently asked questions, along with answers from Carolina Beach staff. Responses are listed in the order the inquiries were submitted.

ISSUE	QUESTION/CONCERN (From resident with Mayor or Council Member comments)	ANSWER
MAY 2019

Dumpster at entrance to Freeman Park	Was the plan to place a large dumpster at the entrance to Freeman Park?	Staff has consolidated the existing dumpsters on Freeman Park to two centralized areas. There are now four dumpsters at the southern boundary of the camping areas. It is not the recommendation of Staff to place any large dumpsters near the entrance to the Park. The servicing of this dumpster by Waste Industries would be difficult and it would most likely interfere with the traffic flow in that area. There are also concerns for having large open top dumpsters in proximity to the residential area along Canal, CBA-North and Salt Marsh.
Publix	Any delays in the Publix desire to open o/a 1 JUL?	Staff is not aware of any changes to the tentative opening date.
West Side Town Marina	West side Town marina. What's the estimated completion/certification of the west side?	We estimate being done with the west side of the town marina by the end of May. Cleats, rub rails, electrical, and dock transition plates are the last additions.
NCDOT	NCDOT replies to the Town's written formal submission. As I recall, NCDOT advertises a 45-day response time to a Town's formal submission on State highway modifications to a roadway. Given that, should we expect DOT's formal reply in late May or early June? Assumption: the Town provide the written requests o/a 12 April.	Requests to NCDOT Regarding Pedestrian Safety Issues: April, the Town listed various concerns and possible means of improving pedestrian safety on Lake Park Boulevard/421. Representatives indicated a need to review the issues and proposed a turnaround time of about 45 days for this issue. Since that time, we have spoken with NCDOT representatives and they have stated that they have some answers, are working on the remnant answers and will follow up with the Town very soon.
Recycling Bins	Hamlet recycle bins. Though they are blue barrels, can the Town affix an additional message stating "RECYCLE ONLY" or something?	The twin bin trash/recycling at the Hamlet parking area is clearly marked. The blue barrels on the beach side are trash receptacles used along the beach strand . We have ordered decals to place on the blue barrels to indicate “Pitch In/Do Not Litter”.
Potholes	Elton Ave potholes. The gravel fill is not doing the job. The gravel is being washed out.	A contractor has been scheduled to repair the asphalt in this area and that should occur by the end of this current week.
APRIL 2019
Streetlights	Streetlight. Got a note from a resident on the North End. The streetlight at CBAN and Pelican Lane is (was?) out.	This is a service request and has been addressed as such.
Beach Renourishment Survey	Post-renourishment survey. Did USACE address the seeming shortage of sand IVO the CB Pier? Was there as assessment on the template not being met in this area?	We have talked to the ACOE about the profile design. This year’s project was the largest coastal storm damage reduction project we have seen in decades. The profile was strategically designed by engineers to protect our shoreline. As an added benefit we get more beach, but adding a bigger beach is not the project goal. In other words, the sand is there, but it may not be as visible. Please view information on the project by clicking on “projects” on the towns home page.
Single-Use Plastic Bags	Banning single-use plastic bags. What would it take for the Town to enact such a ban, whether it's something that Council would want to in the first place. I remember a Town on the Outer Banks which enacted such a ban. The State legislation overturned the ban	Although there is a growing trend across the country to ban single-use plastic bags, in 2017 – the NC legislature made clear that plastic bags are legal. Nevertheless, the Town recognizes that plastic bag debris can be harmful to sea turtles and other land and marine life in and around our shores. It is well established that the turtles that nest on our shores are particularly sensitive to waterborne debris pollution. We encourage residents and visitors to properly dispose of single-use plastic bags.
Henniker's Ditch	Henniker's Ditch. We've discussed the one-time maintenance of the ditch on private property. I spoke to Noel on Wednesday. She'll be at Town Hall meeting with Brian on Monday. I'm caught up to speed on the project and there's progress.	We've discussed the one-time maintenance of the ditch on private property. There is progress.
Dogs off a leash	What is the number of complaints called into the Police Department on dogs off their leash in the past year? How many tickets have been issued? What steps have been/can be taken to increase enforcement? Finally, do we consider increasing the fines? (A particular problem spot (already) is on the IG.)	Dog Attacks:5 Dogs off Leash Citations: 27 Dogs on Leash reports aren't’ accounted for.
Speeding (Dow Road)	How many tickets issued for speeding on Dow in the last two years? Any desire on the Town's part (not saying there's one now) to reduce the speed for a certain stretch will rely on an up tick in speeding tickets, so a resident found out when she contacted NCDOT.	We have made the request for this information. We are waiting for the data from e-citation, the state owned digital citation platform.
Boardwalk Kiosks	Status update?	These two kiosks are in production. The fabrication and powder coating of the support bases is near completion. Once those are in hand, we can erect the structures on Harper and near the gazebo as planned. The Chamber of Commerce is looking into the production of the maps for these kiosks.
MOTSU - Leased property requests	Back in January, we submitted our requests to MOTSU on uses for our leased property, all tied to a longer-term lease (5+ years). We did this through the JLUS committees, which is the right way to proceed. Any feedback from Malcolm or Steve Kerr?	Nothing yet. We will update this post as soon as we hear back.
Billboard messaging	We've received a number of recommendations for messaging. Janeen (Magik Beanz) suggests "Be A Looker". She liked the way it looked in Wilmington.	"Be a Looker" Campaign is underway, working with WMPO. Billboard ads can be requested throughout the year.
Street sweeper in the CBD	Got a request from a business owner that the street sweeper make its rounds in the CBD early in the morning. Maybe 5 or 6am, if possible.	Typically, the street sweeper begins his adjusted Summer season schedule near Memorial Day. The Street Sweeping begins around 6:00am. During this time period and his focus is the CBD and Lake Park Boulevard.
Paving on Moorefield	Is paving in the near future part of the Town plan?	Paving of Moorefield drive is not planned at this time. To perform this the homeowners in that area would need to partition the Town for the paving. At that point estimates would be attained and each property owner would pay an equal part of the project cost in the form of an assessment.
Water intrusion under the rocks at end of CBAN	Can the buried rocks be raised? Anyway, I wonder if some of the sand significant amount sand, placed just offshore, will naturally accrete as the seasonal winds and current shift from south to north.	Staff coordinated with a contractor to reposition the rock revetment closer to its original profile, and to place sand across the Salt Marsh, Sea Oats and Sand Fiddler walkways. We have received approval from CAMA to perform the work and repositioning the rocks is currently underway.
Speeding (Mackerel)	Any tickets issued on/vicinity of Mackerel? A resident laments the speeding and lack of drivers stopping at Stop signs.	We have made the request for this information. We are waiting for the data from e-citation, the state owned digital citation platform.
Dune fencing	Does the Town plan to place dune fencing this season? I imagine it requires a CAMA or USACE spot permit. The RFI focused on fencing near Alabama and Texas.	Fencing of the dunes has not been planned at this point. The fencing would have to be located in the parallel, 45 degree positioning, as prescribed in CAMA regulations. This pushes the fencing out into the beach strand by about 6’ to 8’ . It also allows openings between rows to allow for passage of wildlife.
NCDOT and Town coordination and activities	Status update	This was addressed at the Council meeting.
Routine maintenance on the check valves	Does the Town conduct regularly schedule preventive maintenance on the check valves?	Stormwater staff performs routine inspection and maintenance as needed on a quarterly basis. Inspections are also conducted pre and post major storms.
Island Greenway (speed limit)	When I approach the IG crossing on Ocean but it has taken some time to get there. The real problem with that crossing is twofold: 1. It has blind pedestrian/cyclist approaches both directions. 2. It is in a 45 MPH zone. I wonder if there would be a way of using flashing lights to warn oncoming traffic that can be both manually and motion activated. If there were motion zones on the pathway approaches these could be used to activate the lights. Because approaching traffic is potentially doing 45mph we would likely need a near and far set of lights on both sides. I have now twice seen cyclists cross without stopping (and barely assessing the oncoming vehicles).	Staff is looking into this matter. Updates will be posted as soon as a solution is ready.
Island Greenway (IG easement)	Has the Town received formal approval for the IG easement?	Malcolm gave Ed the green light back on March 7 and we formally opened on the 13th.
Texas Pump Station Preventive Maintenance	What does the maintenance plan consist of?	This consists of routine inspection of electrical equipment and components. We are currently with the pump and programming technicians to determine a viable inspections/maintenance list to Town staff as well as formalizing a routine inspections and maintenance schedule though Xylem Pumps.
MARCH 2019
Taxes	When was the last time that Council raised property tax rates?	The tax rate for FY 2009/2010 through FY 2011/2012 was .175 per $100; a tax revaluation was done FY 2011/2012 and the rate increased to .235 per $100; there was no change in rates from FY 2012/2013 through FY 2016/2017; in FY 2017/2018, another tax revaluation was done and the rate changed to .225 per $100
Taxes	Given the very rough boogey on anticipated revenues, would a 1-point tax increase exceed the often mentioned $195,000?	Based on the latest updated from the New Hanover County tax office, . 01 cent would give a $196,293 increase in tax revenue. Using last years audited financial figures, this would increase fund balance by approximately 1.35%
Taxes	Making some assumption on the final revenues and expenses in this current FY, what increase in fund balance might we see?	It is estimated 24% if the FEMA reimbursements come in as expected.
Taxes	The remaining $1.2 or 1.3M associated with the lake dredge project can be used for "like S/W or infrastructure projects, correct?	The revenue bond funds must be used on either Water, Sewer or Stormwater infrastructure projects. We need to obtain financing for the Stormwater portion of Phase C and the Northend projects. These are options Council may want to consider.
Traffic	Residents are reporting concerns about "rolling stops" at Clarendon and 8th Street.	Additional enforcement at this intersection could temporarily relieve this issue, however this is not a fix. This is a Catch 22 type scenario. The 4 way stops are recommended by traffic engineers when a intersection’s level of service exceeds the capacity of the two way but does not warrant a stop light. Many of our 4 way stops were put in for slowing traffic vs. having an actual need for the stop. All traffic engineers will tell you “do not install a 4 way stop if it is not needed.” Despite this most town’s put in more than are needed and CB is no exception. Removing the 4 way would resolve the issue, but this would be unpopular with the neighborhood. There are other traffic calming mechanisms that could be put in place instead of the 4 way stop if it was to be removed. Regardless, the stop signs are part of our Town Code. Any changes would need to go through a Technical Review Committee Review and approval by Town Council.
Street Signs	Please provide update on citizen concerns with bent or fallen street signs.	Staff has been addressing the leaning signage in an ongoing manner. Some of the missing signs are being reordered as they are not in our inventory. We are also experiencing occurrences of the utility contractor displacing signs during portions of their fiber optic installation.
Canal/Starfish Gazebo	Regarding the Gazebo at Canal Dr. and Starfish...what are the plans for repairing, and do we need to work with nearby property owners?	100% of this structure needs to be replaced. To meet CAMA requirements, the Town will need to approach the adjacent property owners and attain permission to replace the facility as part of the CAMA permit process. This had been an obstacle in the past, but we will reassess and move forward.
Clarendon Multi-use Path	When can we expect a rendering of the Clarendon Ave. multi-use path, and will there be a public forum?	The Clarendon project was moving forward at the same time as Cape Fear, but we did not have grant funding and Town Council eventually decided to hold off. We received the formal grant award letter the week of March 9th. The Clarendon MUP will look like Cape Fear Blvd. but with different landscaping in the buffer. We already have the construction plans that we’re having DOT review with the hopes of using these plans with minimal required modifications. Essentially, the path runs down the south side of Clarendon starting at 4th street. The path crosses over to the north side at 6th street to minimize utility conflicts. We will be posting the plans on our website under projects as soon as we hear back from NCDOT. At that time we can also advertise the plans at Town Hall for public to view.
Lights at MC Park	There have been a few reports of lights being on at Mike Chappell Park during late hours...are they on a timer?	The spring sport season is in full swing right now with many Pleasure Island Soccer Association and Pleasure Island Youth Baseball teams practicing. The fields are used, weather permitting, every night of the week. The skate park is on an automatic timer. The lights at the skate park go on at dusk and turn off at 11:00 PM. The tennis and basketball courts are on a winded timer and will turn off after an hour, unless the timer is wound again. The soccer field and ball field lights are not on timers, but the switches are locked. The respective coaches have the combinations and unlock the lights at the first practice and lock them after the last. We are currently researching how to get the lights on a timer, with the hope of being able to turn them on and off remotely. If anyone notices the lights on without anyone playing, they can contact the Recreation Center or give Ed Parvin a call/text at 910-523-6935.
Crosswalks	Traffic study on North Lake Park. I'm sure the NCDOT has seen the results on the NLP traffic study. A few observations: (1) the traffic incident rate was shown to be 50-60% higher than comparable state highways and, (2) by the DOT's own standard, there should be a traffic light every quarter miles or so. The distance between the NLP/Dow intersection and NLP/Harper is over a quarter mile. All that said, their response last summer to expect "about 4-5 years" is entirely unacceptable. There's no doubt: someone is going to get seriously injured or killed crossing the road at/near Lazy Pirate and Hoplite. What do we need? A crosswalk and a traffic light at NLP and Winner. It's irrefutable that this is needed.	This is a NCDOT right of way and they have to approve the changes. However, they are usually amenable to making changes if the Town is willing to fund them. This may be a good item for the Bike Pedestrian Committee to review and prioritize. UPDATE 3/29/19: The Town is in active discussions with NCDOT.
Crosswalks	Resident that lives on the North End of island suggested fines associated with driving through crosswalks or increasing fines associated with vehicles that neglect stopping for pedestrians.	Staff is currently looking at updating ordinances.
Biological Dredging	A citizen asked "I think someone has likely looked into this, but has anyone explored biological dredging (beneficial bacteria) as part of the dredging plan? I think this, and some water lilies to ingest nutrients that cause algal blooms might be good options. We also have a wealth of knowledge at the University and Com College that might be tapped."	We have looked at the biological dredging and it did not have a high level of cost/benefit for CB Lake. Lilies were also tried in the lake and they quickly overtook the Lake. We had to go back an eradicate them.
Construction Projects	How many construction projects are going on now?	Currently, there are 577 open permits.
Blue Barrel Signage	A resident suggested purring DO NOT LITTER on blue beach barrels.	We are working on this suggestion and will develop vinyl lettering for the blue barrels that indicate "DO NOT LITTER."
Signage	A resident encouraged more signage about beach restrictions for dogs as well as signs associated with dog waste.	The Town constructed and installed the large existing beach access signs with the pet restrictions listed in an effort to improve the image of the beach. We will look into this issue.
Alligators	A resident asked that "Warning: alligators in area" be added on the Island Greenway, before the two retention ponds. Maybe 2x signs prior to each.	Sings indicating “ Caution, Beware of Alligators, No Feeding of Wildlife, Fishing or Swimming” have been ordered and will be installed as soon as they are available.
Reflectors	The traffic island near CVS the beginning of it needs new reflectors. On a clear night it’s hard to see where it begins, going southbound, rain and fog, it’s impossible.!	We will coordinate this with the NCDOT for their action, as this is within their jurisdiction.
Stormwater North End	Any traction on getting the storm water infrastructure cleaned out on the north end?	Issue was discussed in February and the focus area is from the 1500 block of Canal northward.
Low Impact Development/Water Quality Protection Workshops	Do you think anyone in Operations or perhaps someone from the Canal Flood Committee would be interested in the Low Impact Development Basics for Water Quality Protection Workshops?	Yes-Dale Walters, or a member of his 9-person committee, may be interested in attending. As for a Town employee, the Town Manager and his assistant are also attached to this email.
Bridge Fenders	Is the project still on target for a July or August 2019 completion?	The fenders are still on track to be finished in August. The contractor haws experienced some delays, but has started working on Saturdays to keep the August completion date.
Island Greenway	Island Greenway start/finish. I believe the answer is "start" point at Mike Chappell Park, where public parking will be more plentiful. Just wanted to be sure...	The start could be Mike Chappell, Alabama or any of the street ends. The focal point would be MC Park.
Seawater under rocks @ CB Pier	Please share with Jim Medlock of the USACE the photos and video of seawater coming up under the rocks at high tide near the CB Pier; the contractor was supposed to place extra sand in that area and we need to verify they did.	In progress. Staff is still working on this.
Speed limit on Ocean Blvd.	Can we lower the speed limit on Ocean Blvd. or make it uniform	Ocean Blvd. is maintained by the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT). Any changes to the speed limit would have to be approved by NCDOT. When considering a request to lower the speed limit on a road, NCDOT looks at several criteria, including roadway alignment, sight distance, the weighted average speed, crash history and development. To get a speed limit changed, please contact the NCDOT traffic engineer, 910-341-2000 and request a speed zone study. They can be changed by ordinances enacted by NCDOT. Changes, either higher or lower, inside town limits require the agreement of the municipality and NCDOT. When the DOT conducts a speed zone study and recommends a speed limit, it drafts the ordinance and submits it to the State Traffic Engineer’s Office for approval. When it is approved, the Traffic Services Unit installs the appropriate speed limit signs.
Speed Bumps	Can we install speed bumps around town, specifically on Canal Dr, Spartanburg?	Speed bumps in Town have typically been an item that has been processed through the Town Council. Other than the entrance to Freeman Park at Canal Drive, there have been no speed bumps installed without the approval of Council. This is due in part to the maintenance involved and the noise impacts to the adjacent property owners.
Marriot Walkway	Why is the Marriot walkway blocked off?	The Marriot put up a barrier to block access to enter their property at the end of Carolina Beach Ave S. They have removed the barrier.
Porta Potties	Porta potties knocked over at the park	This has been remedied through a service request.
Dog Signage on the Beach	Dog signage on walkways to beach.	The Town put forth a strong effort to clean up the walkways and consolidate signage to beautify the walkways for beach goers. The access signs reflect all the applicable rules for the beach strand, including dogs. Please see the image.
Police Ticketing	Social media tally of PD ticketing broken down into categories	We are in the process of accurately capturing state uniform citation numbers, locations and violations. Because this information is compiled on a state data platform, we become a requesting party. We are currently waiting for this information. Unfortunately we do not have an expected delivery time from the data management team, but will post as soon as it is received.
Police Presence at Boardwalk	More PD presence on boardwalk especially on family night	We have increased patrols of the Boardwalk area. As a yearly practice, when weather grows warmer and more seasonable, so does our need for more police visibility and strategic officer placement. Security checks continue in other areas such as the Island Greenway, business district, beach strand and crosswalks. We will continue to manage increased calls for service with location security checks to the best of our ability.