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Rich Alt for Southport

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10/19/2026

Did you know?

On Saturday, October 17th, I attended the Indigo Plantation POA annual meeting wherein a representative of East-West Builders gave a presentation regarding the status the Waterway development. Phase 1 is under construction (see attached photo, phase 1 is the colored areas) with the roads, stormwater system, and other utilities being installed. There is an expectation that Phase 1 will be open to buyers in the March/April 2027 timeframe, with full road completion in the July 2027 time period. There are 250 mixed use residential units proposed for this phase. Ninety-three of the two-hundred-fifty lots have already been sold. The vast majority of the 93 are owned by the 7 custom builders who are authorized to build in this development.

There was no specific time frame provided for the build-out in the old Baldhead Ferry parking lots. With that said, the original plan had up to 160 residential units in those 4 parking lot areas. That has been reduced to 105 units. Within the old parking lots sits the marina which is undergoing refurbishment. Additionally, there will be two parks, one on each side of the marina. The first park will have amenities that will be open to the public. The second park will be for the exclusive use of the condo slip owners in the marina.

It has been a while since the city and the developer agreed to various provisions which included that the entire Waterway project, including all the lands currently in the county, will be annexed into the City of Southport. One of those concessions was that the luxury condo buildings along the waterfront of the parking lots will have a total height of 55 feet.

I am hoping that the city actually took up the offer by the developer to weekly ride with them over the entire project, to include the county land, so the city does not continue the past missed chances to identify utility and road non-compliances, as was the case in Cades Cove, Price’s Creek, and the Hammock neighborhoods. An update on those weekly reviews would be a welcomed addition to aldermen meetings.

Feel free to share if you think appropriate
Rich

10/03/2026

A good news story

I received information today (10/03/26) that the culvert expansion at Bonnet’s Creek under Moore Street (Rt. 211) is about to commence. The County and the NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) are in the process of moving a sewer pipe. Once that is completed the actual culvert work will begin.

While this has been a 2-year process, the normal time line for such a project is approximately 7 years, and that assumes your project gets selected over the hundreds of other highway projects throughout the state.

The expectation is that the new culvert will allow for a much greater stormwater flow to the river, which in turn will reduce the backlog that floods the hospital, the rehabilitation center, Fodale Avenue and Stewart Street. Step two for the flooding issue in that area is awaiting the city providing an up-to-date engineering study so that FEMA can release the ~$3.2 million we applied for in 2024. That project will replace the existing stormwater ditches and old pipes with improved piping.

This was not a one-person success story. There were many hands involved, to include the NCDOT Wilmington Regional Director, our local State Representative, our local State Senator, and Alderman Kelley. The rest of us played supporting roles and there are too many to name in this post. I will be reaching out to the others to thank them for the identification of the choke point and historical knowledge of the decades old flooding issues in that area (thanks much Marc Spencer). All of those who have worked as a team on this project should take pride in its success.

If you reside by the ocean, there will always be flooding, but measures like these, will reduce the impact, and speed the recovery. There is still much to do, but we should be committed to continually addressing issues rather than just talking about them.

09/30/2026

Proposed Fire Marshal’s Office Fire Pit Revenue Generator

I had the occasion the other day to attend the city’s Beatification Committee’s photo op celebrating the four new benches they constructed for the City Pier’s visitors. I was taken in by the vocal outcries by many in that volunteer group to their push back on the proposed fire pit inspections and now yearly inspection tax (as the Supreme Court Chief Justice has called all government fees). This was very similar to the citizens push back on the Historic District Committee’s draconian regulatory proposals. Interesting it is the some of the of same city’s cast of characters involved in both.

Let’s call this as it is, a means to generate more revenue to increase the imbalance of a program that cost the city’s tax payers ~$400,000 a year if you consider all the true costs of the program, versus the revenue intake of ~$40,000. All of this could be handled by the county’s fire marshal program that we already pay for.

A review of the document shows we have some real trouble in ‘River City’ in terms of presenting a legal document for consideration. If a lawyer reviewed the document and gave it a thumbs up as being legally sound with sections that are clearly in violation of state law this is unacceptable. I will go into further detail, of another section of very questionable legal status, and certainly a grab for power. This document would never get by a first-year law student.

If the document was present for aldermen and public review without going through a legal review, there is a process problem, in and of its self, that is very troubling.

There is one section where if a business owner has hired a food truck to support an event that was licensed in Southport to do business, and the food truck on site fails a fire marshal inspection, the fire marshal can close the entire event down, if the vendor takes exception to the violation. The business owner, would have no control over the food truck safety. If the fire marshal thought it was unsafe, then close the food truck down, and if need be, impound the vehicle, but don’t close the event. There is also no clear appeal process to any of these violations and actions.

This proposal may be on the October 08, 2026 Board of Aldermen agenda for a vote. I offer for your consideration that you let the Aldermen know your thoughts on this topic.

The next submission for your review will be on the State’s statutes regarding fire inspections of churches and religious institutions, and how Southport employes a 300% burden on such institutions.

Feel free to share
Best regards
Rich

09/17/2026

The Condition of the Downtown Street Lighting:

I had the occasion of having dinner last night at a local restaurant. The owner and I engaged in a conversation concerning the deplorable street lighting on Howe and Moore and other streets downtown.

If you drive on East Moore Street from Howe Steet in the business district, there is only one streetlight working neat St. Philips Church. Even that one light pole is tilted backwards making for a scene reminiscent of a decaying town; SOUTHPORT IS NOT A DECAYING TOWN!

The white lights on the trees on Howe and Moore, that at one time added a festive felling to the business district, are now hanging off the trees, most of them are burnt out, and some of the trees have been stripped completely of these lights.

Somehow, a couple of aldermen put themselves in the position of being electricians, and decided what replacement streetlights to purchase. The newer street light poles do not have any electrical outlet built into them. That means there will far less Christmas wreaths as each year passes.

Almost two years ago the city installed a” Walmart parking lot like” streetlight on Burrington Street. The height of the pole has the Kleig light shining directly in a house, making midnight look like high noon. A shield would remedy this issue, even if one had to be specially built. As of today, the homeowners have to have WWII blackout curtains to sleep.

If you walk down the city pier you will notice that some of the lights on the poles are titled rather badly; I have been told they will not fall off, but just look bad.

The fix:
The city needs pause, and not go running around replacing worn out infrastructure without taking into account all the purposes that the equipment provides. We can do better. There is plenty of money in the Electrical Fund, which can ONLY be used for electrical issues.

Yes, I am aware that as the electrical lines are placed underground there is less need for as many poles. Southport is not the first municipality to have this issue and we need to start using best practices from others to maintain our small-town charm. We can do better.

09/09/2026

Subject: 9/11 Remembrance

I had the honor of being invited to a 25th anniversary forum for the 9/11 terrorist attack on the Pentagon this week. It was held in a hotel that overlooks the Pentagon, in Arlington, VA. There were 180 invited guests with ~120 of them having been deployed to the crash site from moments after the crash, and for the next 30 days.

At the time the Arlington Police Department had ~500 total employees which included the Emergency Communications staff (they were spectacular throughout), civilian administrative support staff, as well as the sworn personnel.

A common theme from the speakers and the individual conversations during the social part of the event was that the scene for the first three days, as the building burned, and the roof continuously shooting fire balls skyward, due to the horsehair insulation used back in 1941 was that the scene was "controlled chaos". We were well trained with every supervisor from sergeant up, being selected on their ability to take initiative, use common sense, and come to work as a team. That training paid off for I have no recollection of anyone loosing emotional control; there were many jobs to be done, and while we were maxed out with only the on-duty personnel, withing minutes it was all hands-on deck.

The Department has lost two officers over the years from the various carcinogens they inhaled on the rubble piles and throughout the inner perimeter. Twenty-five years later the Federal government is still testing us medically.

The event had its intended goal of being ther**eutic as the group gathered in small groups to relive events.

The next day, Deb and I drove to the Flight 93 Memorial site in Pennsylvania.

08/28/2026

Comments on the re-write of the Unified Development Ordinance and how it can go sideways

The city has announced that it is seeking a consultant to assist with rewriting the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). There is little question that the UDO needs to be rewritten. It is outdated, and portions of it have become inconsistent with current state statutes and the needs of the community. However, the process used to rewrite the UDO is just as important as the document itself.

Over the years, I have spoken with members of the previous consultant group and asked why particular provisions were added, omitted, or changed. The explanation I repeatedly heard was that a subset of appointed individuals would add or remove issues before the full Board of Aldermen had an opportunity to see the complete range of possibilities. If that is an accurate description of what occurred, it raises a serious concern about transparency.

The city has also just come through a deeply divisive and prolonged debate over the proposed Historic District. That process lasted approximately four years and was marked by significant administrative problems. Citizens who raised questions were, at times, treated disrespectfully, and the concerns of an 80% majority of the people who would have been immediately affected did not receive the consideration they deserved.

Ultimately, the state legislature brought the Historic District debate to an end by passing legislation prohibiting Southport from establishing such a district. Rather than simply moving forward, members of the former Historic District effort subsequently proposed creating an “Appearance Committee.” Had that proposal moved forward, it could have given the city considerably greater authority over how private property owners for the entire city maintained or altered their homes and property. Fortunately, that proposal did not materialize.

Those experiences should be taken seriously as the city begins the UDO rewrite. If individuals who were heavily involved in the previous efforts to regulate how property owners could build, renovate, or maintain their homes are again placed in positions where they can substantially shape the UDO, there is a legitimate concern that the new ordinance could become overly restrictive. The purpose of rewriting an outdated development ordinance should not be to create another layer of government control over private property.

The rewrite should therefore begin with a commitment to balance and restraint.

Southport needs a modern UDO that is clear, legally sound, predictable, and easy for citizens and property owners to understand. It should encourage responsible development while protecting the character and economic vitality of the community. Most importantly, it should not become a vehicle for giving appointed boards or committees excessive authority over the ordinary use of private property. The city needs to focus on moving away from the past ranker and stop using the UDO for petty personal perceived grievances, like the placement of flag poles, that the Planning Board Chair tried to slip in as emergency legislation.

This is an issue that will affect virtually every property owner and future development decision in Southport. The city needs level heads, open discussion, respect for differing opinions, and a genuine commitment to following state law. The goal should be a better UDO—not an ordinance that gives government unnecessary power to dictate how people use and maintain their own property. If the proponents of the Historic District and subsequent proposed Appearance Committee are selected for the UDO rewrite, rest assured the city will be one big HOA, because this time even Raleigh cannot ban a municipality from having a UDO.

We will know on day one after the appointments, if the city will end in another bitter 80/20 fight and this time the minority will win.

Please feel free to share this document. If the wrong people are appointed to this endeavor, at a minimum it will take a decade for the city to recover. Not to mention the heartache of those property owners who will face the overreach by the city government.

08/20/2026

Justice in the legal sense, but it will never bring back the 12-year-old girl.

I write this post to honor one of the finest investigators I have had the privilege of working with. Detective George Loydgren of the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office in Florida is dedicated not only to pursuing legal justice, but also to providing closure to families who have lost a child to horrific crimes.

In 2017, three other investigative contractors and I, working with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), were deployed to Hernando County, Florida, to assist Detective George Loydgren with a 24-year-old cold case involving a 12-year-old girl who was abducted shortly after getting off her school bus and subsequently r***d and murdered. Every parent’s nightmare.
NCMEC was asked to help organize the massive number of investigative reports, evidence lists, press stories, and tips that had been preserved over the preceding decades. It took several days to review the material and enter all 77,000 pages—that is not a typo—into a NCMEC software system. This process allowed investigators, prosecutors, and defense attorneys to search for information on virtually any topic within seconds.

The database also allowed Detective Loydgren to link various data points, and a suspect was tentatively identified. Over the following nine years, Detective Loydgren reached out to NCMEC for various forms of technical support.

On Monday, August 17, 2026, I received a phone call from Detective Loydgren informing NCMEC that the suspect tentatively identified nine years earlier had been arrested and that jury selection had just begun.

On Thursday, August 20, 2026, just three days after the initial call, I received another call. The suspect had been found guilty on all charges, including CAPITAL MURDER.

During the investigative process, it was also established that the suspect arrested had committed a nearly identical crime in a neighboring county: the abduction of a young girl from a school bus, followed by r**e. In that case, however, the young girl survived despite being left for dead.

At any given time, Detective Loydgren has four to six other cold-case homicides on his desk. His dedication to these victims and their families is extraordinary.

He is a true pleasure to work with, and I am proud to have had the opportunity to work alongside him.

Rich

07/16/2026

Is Division and Property Devaluations the Aldermen’s Theme?
Southport has just emerged from a four-year conflict that pitted neighbor against neighbor and many citizens against the Board of Aldermen. Throughout that process, residents endured contentious Historic Preservation Commission meetings where speakers were sometimes shouted down, while a majority of the Board of Aldermen, with the mayor's support, sought to impose its interpretation of property rights; one that many viewed as a significant reduction in individual property rights.

When local efforts failed to resolve these concerns, citizens turned to the North Carolina General Assembly for legislative relief. Despite that outcome, again that same majority of the Board has now voted to pursue continued city oversight through yet another plan, even though approximately 80% of the affected property owners have indicated they do not want it.

Instead of refocusing the Board of Aldermen’s attention on topics that will unite the citizens, the latest idea from some on the Board who want to wear bib overalls and call themselves, Mr. & Ms. Green Jeans, is to allow residents in a highly dense residential area to raise chickens.

Here are just some of the negative impacts on residential home values, along with a host of health issues that is sure to bring about harmony in neighborhoods.

1. Noise
Hens are generally quieter than roosters, but they still vocalize, especially after laying eggs.
Roosters can crow throughout the day, not just at sunrise, often exceeding 80–90 decibels at close range.
In neighborhoods where homes are only 10–20 feet apart, noise can become a nuisance.

2. Odor
Poorly maintained coops can generate unpleasant smells from accumulated manure and wet bedding.
Hot, humid climates can intensify odors.
3. Attraction of Pests

Improper feed storage or poor sanitation can attract rats and mice, Raccoons, Opossums, Foxes, Coyote, Snakes, Flies and mosquitoes, to name just a few.
Rodent infestations are among the most common complaints associated with backyard chickens.
4. Disease Concerns
While healthy backyard flocks generally pose a low public health risk, they can carry Salmonella, Campylobacter, Avian mites, and Internal parasites

5. Property Value and Neighborhood Character
Many residents view chickens as inconsistent with suburban residential character, a potential source of nuisance, and a factor that could influence buyer perceptions.

6. Enforcement Challenges
Municipalities must determine maximum number of chickens, whether roosters are allowed, minimum setbacks from property lines, coop construction standards, sanitation requirements, inspection and complaint procedures. Enforcement can require additional staff time and resources.

7. Waste Management
Each chicken produces approximately 0.2–0.3 pounds of manure per day. A flock of six hens can produce more than 400 pounds of manure annually.
Improper disposal can contribute to odors, nutrient runoff, and water quality concerns.

8. Neighbor Conflicts
Common disputes involve noise, odors, escaped chickens, flies, the visual appearance of coops, and differing expectations of residential living.

Thank you, Aldermen Kelley, Gross, and Spencer, for trying to keep the neighbor vs. neighbor conflicts to a minimum.

Please feel fre toshare if you think appropriate.
Rich

07/06/2026

Another successful 4th of July is now in the books and Hugh Fosbury along with his hundreds of volunteers can take a sigh of relief and congratulate themselves on a job well done!
Just some of the highlights my extended family participated in were the Southport Kid Zone event at Taylor Field along with the Kids’ Event held by Oak Island at Middleton Park. Each of these events were different and each entertaining.
We were able to participate in the Red, White, and Blue Flotilla sponsored and orchestrated by the Cape Fear Yacht Club; there were over 30 boats all decked out in patriotic splendor. A special thanks the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Marine Unit and the US Coast Guard for standing safety watch over all of us.
The Naturalization Ceremony is one of my favorites. I think there were 47 new Americans from 20 countries who proudly took their oath to the United States.
The Chapel of the Cross was well attended due to the volunteer docents of St. Philips Church.
The street vendors and their placement along the waterfront was a successful endeavor and had a continuous high attendance level.
The parade was surely hot! But the crowd fully enjoyed the event. It is the epitome of small-town patriotism and one of the city’s crowning events along with the expanded fireworks display that had the crowd cheering wildly when it concluded.
The satellite parking and trolley system at the elementary school took a lot of pressure off downtown parking. Kudos for the emergency lighting along 9th Street to protect the walkers.
Thanks to all!
I do hope the city can clean up the negative press and conflicting city story lines over the water use at one of the city’s 4th of July events that brought into the conversations, county commissioners, executive county staff, the H20 President asking who gave permission to use their water, if in fact it was used, and the press. The maxim, “perception is truth” is in order and not “for thee but not for me”.

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6165 Cottage Creek Rd
Southport, NC
28461

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