From the performance of the town’s law enforcement to future land development plans to curbside recycling, Wrightsville Beach officials are seeking input from residents through a series of surveys that could have an impact on town policy.
The town has two active surveys, one on recycling and the other on land use, while the police department recently concluded a citizen survey. The surveys are available online at the town’s website at www.towb.org or a paper version of the surveys are available at the town’s offices at 321 Causeway Drive.
One of the questionnaires that could result in changes in the town is the survey on recycling, which probes town residents on their willingness to pay for curbside services. Currently, recycling is only available through the county’s recycling center at the town offices, which requires residents to transport the recycling themselves to the bins. Voluntary curbside recycling was available through a private trash service, but the company discontinued curbside pickup in August 2015 after too few residents subscribed to the service.
In a presentation to the town’s board of aldermen during January’s retreat, town public works director William Squires said that curbside recycling wouldn’t be feasible for the town unless all residents paid into the service.
The recycling survey, distributed to residents in late February, asks residents if they are willing to pay up to $5 a month for curbside service. The survey seeks to determine each respondent’s connection to the town, including whether they are full-time or part-time residents or renters, and whether they live in a house, duplex or apartment. The recycling survey also seeks information on the recycling habits of the respondent, including whether they use the county center, how often they recycle and, if they don’t recycle, what it is that keeps them from doing so.
The town is also seeking resident input on its comprehensive review of the town’s land use plan. That survey asks whether residents would support mixed-use development, generally defined as residential and commercial units in the same building, and whether those development should allow for increased height limitations.
The survey asks respondents to rate the town’s best assets, such as the beaches, the piers or the Loop, in addition to the biggest issues facing the town, like tourism, commercial development or parking. The survey comes ahead of a town public input meeting on efforts to update the town’s land use plan, which is required by the state’s Coastal Area Management Act, scheduled for Thursday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m at the Wrightsville Beach Holiday Inn.
The town’s police department also recently conducted a survey of citizen perception of the police force. Nearly three-quarters of respondents rated the Wrightsville Beach Police Department officers as above average or outstanding. It also showed that more than 90 percent believed they were mostly or completely safe in Wrightsville Beach.
Additionally, police chief Dan House said the survey produced several citizen recommendations and suggestions, the leading being an interest in seeing more proactive enforcement of speeding in Wrightsville Beach. Other suggestions included establishing more walking or biking patrols, more neighborhood meetings and more enforcement of the downtown bar district.
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