Despite the warm temperatures, many members attended the Spring Picnic at the Burgwin-Wright House. The co-chairs, Trisha McGarry and Tony Kirkegaard, organized the event and laid out the many delicious dishes contributed by the members. We thank Denis McGarry for his past years as the volunteer bartender, but Denis has turned over his duties to a professional. Phoebe Bragg presented the Dolly Pearson Garden Award to Allison Green. and Beverly Grasley announced that the Kirkegaard Family is the recipient of the Good Neighbor Award for 2019. (See the award stories in the adjacent column.) The members in the photo above are looking up to the top of the stairs when President Beverly Grasley and Past President Phoebe Bragg led a short business meeting.

When you go downtown for any reason, be a good neighbor and do not park in the residential blocks of Front, Second or Third Street. The parking garages are free for the first 90 minutes so please use them. The residents of the 200 block of Second Street are experiencing an increase in street parking, especially since the summer downtown concert series moved to the corner of Market and Second. Please be considerate of our fellow residents.

ROW Members participated in the annual Azalea Sweep to clean up downtown streets by picking up trash before the Azalea Festival. The participants were treated to lunch at Husk's afterwards.

Outgoing Mayor Phoebe Bragg (on the right)  introduced new Mayor Beverly Grasley at the Member Meeting on March 13.

Residents in the Historic District will be impacted by decisions made by the City, County and State in the coming weeks, months and years that affect the quality of life downtown. These issues are monitored closely by ROW as explained below.

 

I.  The City Council has approved the following regulations for both Home Stay and Whole House Short Term rentals in residential areas of Historic Districts that became effective March 1, 2019:

 

Grace Street Project involves the block that includes the library and is owned by New Hanover County. The County Commissioners are reviewing proposals for a public-private redevelopment of the block that could affect the library, the Story Park, a parking garage, the Register of Deeds building and an empty parcel bordering Grace Street. Moving the Cape Fear Museum to the site is a possibility. A survey of ROW members in March found overwhelming support for keeping Story Park and against 125 Apartments. The results were nearly even for keeping the current library/building a new one and moving the museum. On April 1, the County Commissioners postponed a final decision on the project. 

 

III. The Cape Fear Crossing Project will determine the location of a n ew bridge between Brunswick and New Hanover Counties. The two routes that would impact the Downtown Historic District have been eliminated. Six routes south of the current Cape Fear Bridge, closer to the Port area, are under consideration. In a public hearing at the Leland Town Hall on Feb. 7, Leland residents expressed opposition to any plan that includes a new road through Brunswick Forest. They advocated a more southern route.  DOT estimates bridge construction will take five years. On April 29, Leland residents expressed opposition to a southern route in a public meeting at Hoggard High School.

 

IV. The City has reviewed its brick street policy and repairs and restoration are underway on S. 4th Street between Market and Dock Streets; on Queen Street between S. 2nd and S. 7th Streets; and on S. 7th Street between Queen and Mears.