The Wrightsville Beach Board of Aldermen will move forward on a plan to raise fines for residents who charge visitors to park in their driveways or property. The aldermen agreed during an Aug. 13 meeting that raising the fine for illegal driveway rentals from $50 to $250 should be enough to deter those residents from allowing beachgoers to park in their driveways in exchange for payment.
“We’ve had several situations recently where $50 didn’t stop anybody,” Mayor Bill Blair said.
One resident has received three separate citations, town manager Tim Owens added.
Blair said driveway rentals hurt town revenue because residents make room in their driveways for paying customers by using their residential hangtags to park in nearby metered spaces.
Other civil violations should still be punishable by a $50 fine, board members agreed, but the penalty will escalate for repeat offenders. Each day the violation continues is considered a separate offense, town attorney John Wessell added.
The penalty should be adequate to deter residents who, for example, illegally display signs or banners on their property for days at a time, director of planning and parks Tony Wilson said.
“At $50 a day, if it’s an ongoing offense, it adds up,” Wilson said.
The board also decided the town’s Unified Development Ordinance administrator shouldn’t be required to send a letter to notify residents they are in violation of the ordinance before giving a citation.
“It’s not a very flexible process when things are urgent and need to be dealt with right away,” Owens said.
Town staff will draft the board’s changes and bring the amended ordinance before the planning board and then the board of aldermen.
Holiday construction noise
The aldermen voted unanimously Aug. 13 to amend the town’s noise ordinance to limit construction noise on holidays after residents voiced complaints, Owens said. The ordinance already regulates construction during certain hours and days.
“Folks are trying to enjoy family time on those holidays,” he said.
Alderman Lisa Weeks asked what qualified as an emergency repair.
“I think it’s a case-by-case basis,” Owens said. “I think neighbors will probably monitor that.”
The holidays specified in the ordinance are Memorial Day, July Fourth, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
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If a home owner is renting their home legally and claiming ALL (parking include) income, you have a class action suit pending.