Up & Coming Weekly

October 03, 2017

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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OCTOBER 4 - 10, 2017 UCW 55 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Hope Mills News & Views Town Government by ERICA WALLS On Monday, Sept. 25, the Town of Hope Mills held its Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting with several items on the agenda. Public Hearings: Business Registration e Board unanimously adopted the proposed Business Registration Ordinance that will require businesses to pay a $20 registration fee. No civilian opposed it. Town Manager Melissa Adams explained that this ordinance would help keep track of business- es and help with initial fire inspections. New busi- nesses will require a zoning sign-off. Town Attorney Dan Hartzog Jr. stated that this fee is not a replace- ment fee for a business license or taxes but that it is an annual fee set up from the date a business registers with the town. Public Hearings: Pier/Dock Ordinance Several citizens spoke to the Board about the pro- posed pier/dock ordinance. According to the findings of the Lake Advisory Board, which was set up based on research, the ordinance presents problems that could make the town liable for accidents on personal property. Chair of the LAB, Jesse Bellflowers, brought to the Board's attention that the ordinance, particu- larly Chapter 62, is a copy of Lake Waccamaw's ordi- nance (which was drawn up for a recreational lake) and that the regulations could reduce value to prop- erty, cause liability to the town, and that some piers that are 20 years or older should be grandfathered in. LAB member Al Ferri also brought up the fact that the dam is a different style than that original one that was lost in 2003 because of poor maintenance. Own- ers paid lakefront property taxes for a dam that could be raised to lower the lake when needed. e new dam will not allow the lake to be lowered and will require heavy equipment. is could cause potential for a lawsuit from the property owners. Hope Mills resident Bill Stout shared his con- cerns about the speediness and timing of the new ordinance. He stated that many citizens were not in- formed of the draft and reminded the BOC that Lake Waccamaw and Hope Mills Lake are considerably different in that the number of piers at Lake Wac- camaw require more interaction because of the vast amount of piers compared to less than 20 piers on Hope Mills Lake. ere- fore, he said, the new ordinance is insufficient. e citizens agreed that the new ordinance is not in the best interest of the town of Hope Mills. It places the town in a "new position of insuring pier dock safety," which has never been in effect for privately owned piers. Attorney Bruce Armstrong noted that since he moved to Hope Mills in 1984, "no major accidents or fatalities have occurred on the piers." Retired police officer omas Collins concurred with Armstrong, stating that no accidents have oc- curred on the lake. Mike Mitchell introduced the problem with logistics and said the new ordinance may cause problems with inspections. He also stated that it is not right for the BOC to have total discretion concerning piers when the covenant of lake owners allows piers to be built up to the tree line. He told the BOC that this could pres- ent a legal problem. Rev. Grilley Mitchell advised the BOC that it "comes down to 'What is the liability to the town?'" Military wife and mother Erin Solomon told the BOC that she and her husband could not buy a home on the lake until they bought insurance for the pier. She told them that insurance covers for any accident and that this ordinance causes an undue burden on homeowners. She held up her hand and said, "e last time my husband was home, he was able to stay for five days. ree of those days were spent upgrad- ing and repairing our pier." Solomon told the BOC that it's homeowners like her husband who are most concerned about the safety of the pier because of their children. "We want our kids to enjoy the lake and not worry about keeping up with taxes," she said. LAB member Rob MacLean asked the BOC to not rush the ordinance through and reminded them that the LAB worked for almost three months researching, in- vestigating, and writing a document that, according to Town Attorney Hartzog, will stand in court. Lisa Waring asked the BOC to let the ordinance be tabled, re-examined and looked at. "Please don't pass it until the Lake Advisory Board revises it," she requested. Commissioner Jerry Legge praised the LAB for its integrity and requested that Town Attorney Hartzog meet with the LAB to "develop an ordinance to fit the Town of Hope Mills." Mayor Warner asked Town Manager Adams to ap- point someone from the Inspections Department to also work with the LAB to devise an ordinance that will work. No citizen was in favor of the proposed Pier/Dock Ordinance. It did not pass. GOVERNMENT What's 'Up & Coming' in Hope Mills? A STAFF REPORT • Oct. 5 Hope Meals Food Truck Rodeo Commu- nity Event from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at 5770 Rockfish Rd., featuring BaBann's Southern Fried Chicken, Straight Drop Seafood, Big T's and the Blind Pig. Music will be live streamed from an internet radio station. Visit www.townofhopemills.com to learn more. • Oct 7. Peace, Love and Walk Meet at 3770 Rockfish Rd. Contact ALMS HOUSE at (910) 425-0902 for details. • Oct 9. Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce Monthly Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation, 5770 Rockfish Rd. $10 per guest. • Oct 9. Board of Commissioners meeting at 7 p.m. at the Hope Mills Town Hall, 5770 Rockfish Rd. • Oct 13. Kiwanis BBQ Fundraiser in the grassy area between the Hope Mills Main Street Wal-Mart and Food Lion across from gas station. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monies raised will go toward ALMS House, Shop-with-a-Cop, Bicycle Presentation for Terrific Kids, Boys and Girls Club of Cumberland County, Boys and Girls Homes of Lake Waccamaw, and many other community services. Call (910) 426-7256 for more information. • Oct. 20-21 Ole Mill Days Festival Celebrate the Mills Way! Ole Mills street dance from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20. Saturday, Oct. 21, runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Municipal Parks 1 and 2. Family fun to include: tractor pull, kids' corner, movie night, food, vendors, craft vendors, and a Mills workers reunion. Details: (910) 429-4109. • Oct 21. Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce's Chili Cook-off as part of Hope Mills Ole Mills Days from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. in the Municipal Ball Park. • Nov. 4-12 Heroes Homecoming V at the Hope Mills Public Library. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 4 is the first day of a nine-day ceremonious event to honor veterans. On this day, the focus will be on Vietnam Veterans. Visit www.heroeshomecoming.com for more information. e event is free and open to the public. • Nov. 5 Vietnam Veterans Memorial Ceremony and Flag Display hosted by e Hope Mills Veterans Advi- sory Commission at the Hope Mills Veterans Memorial from 3-4:30 p.m. Special guest speaker will be retired Lt. COL Walt Brinker. Free and open to the public. "Commissioner Jerry Legge praised the Lake Advisory Board for its integrity and requested that Town Attorney Hartzog meet with the LAB to "develop an ordi- nance to fit the Town of Hope Mills."

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