A request from the Town of Belville for a conveyance of the county-owned Brunswick River Park—eyed as an integral piece of the town’s long-desired riverwalk project—is the topic of a hearing at tonight’s regular meeting of the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners.
The town has requested title for the park, which Belville deeded to the county more than a decade ago, to accommodate its plans for a riverside enhancement featuring amenities such as shops, a farmers’ market, a restaurant and a kayak launch.
Having maintained the park as one of 13 that comprise the Brunswick parks system, county staff says it’s neutral on the transfer request, seeing pros and cons with retaining ownership, such as access to the river but costs to maintain and improve an existing boat launch.
The county’s parks and recreation advisory board, however, recommends approving the transfer request, having voted 5-1 on the issue previously. Commissioners will receive public comment in the hearing, which is scheduled to be held during the board’s regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Brunswick County Government Center.
In a letter dated Oct. 28 to County Manager Ann Hardy, Belville Mayor Mike Allen requests the transfer of title “as soon as possible following the November 4, 2013 public hearing on the matter.” Allen notes the town is in the process of applying for grants that he describes as “necessary for the project’s development” and “dependent on the town holding title” to the park.
The town is proposing a public-private venture that would add a riverwalk and amenities to an area once slated for a major revitalization project. That project, an urban mixed-use village proposed for Belville’s downtown district, was never realized, and the town has since proposed this alternative approach to enhancing the riverfront area.
Related story: Belville seeks input on riverwalk project; meeting scheduled tonight
In a memo to commissioners, county staff notes the town owns adjacent land and has an agreement with the N.C. Department of Transportation to acquire additional state-owned land in the project area. “The park,” the memo states, “is the key piece of property because it is the only property that has a setback from River Road and the Brunswick River large enough to accommodate commercial development and the associated parking.”
Located across River Road from Belville Elementary School, the 22-acre park currently features seven acres of developed amenities including the boat launch, three picnic shelters, restrooms, a playground, paved trails and a boardwalk pier. It was developed in the mid-1980s and was originally owned and operated by Belville, but by the turn of the century, the town had stopped maintaining the park and asked Brunswick to take it over in 2001.
The county has since acquired 15 adjacent acres from the state that it has planned to incorporate into a master plan and major overhaul of the riverside park—the county park system’s only coastal access. That renovation is anticipated by 2020.
“Staff remains neutral on the issue of converting the land to the Town of Belville,” the memo states. “The River Walk project may be a great asset to Brunswick County and the residents therein if Belville is able to accomplish what is being proposed. Brunswick River Park is the only park in the Brunswick County system that has coastal access, so it is a great resource for the County.
“The existing park is very well liked, well used and is aesthetic. However, it does produce its share of deficiencies,” the memo continues, listing dredging and renovation challenges with the boat ramp, which is currently only usable during high tide. The memo also notes reductions in park maintenance staff and a lack of personnel dedicated specifically for maintenance of the site.
Should the county transfer ownership to the town, staff anticipates the fiscal impact to the county as a minimal, estimating between $3,000 and $4,000 spent each year on park operations.
Tonight’s meeting will be held in the administration building of the Brunswick County Government Center, located along U.S. 17 Business just southwest of Bolivia. The full agenda for the meeting can be viewed here.
Jonathan Spiers is a reporter for Port City Daily. He can be reached at (910) 772-6313 or [email protected]. On Twitter: @jrspiers
