In this issue:
- Highlights from the April Village Council regular meeting.
- The third and final ICE Vehicle & Trailer Town Hall took place this week. The Village is requesting input.
- Village Utilities is in the process of installing snorkel devices on several grinder pumps and will be replacing a few hydrants soon.
- Beach bonfire season ends on 4/30 – turtle season guidance.
- The Village has maintained its Class 7 CRS rating, be sure to notify your insurance company so you receive the discount!
- Earth Day and Arbor Day were observed on BHI! Thank you to all who participated!
Reminders & Events:
- Village offices will be closed on Friday, April 18 in observance of Good Friday. BHIT ferry schedule, and Easter info.
- Join us for “Two Lights for Tomorrow.”
- Litter sweep this Saturday, 4/19 starting at 10:00 a.m.
- FY26 budget preparation is underway, the Village Council will conduct a budget workshop on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., how you can participate.
- The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, May 16, 2025.
- Use the Village’s Service Request portal to let us know what needs to be done!
Village Council Regular Meeting
The Village Council conducted its last regular meeting on Friday, April 11, 2025. A full recap of the meeting is on our website HERE.
Below are a few highlights:
- Village Council approved proclamations for Municipal Clerks Week (May 4-10) and Two Lights for Tomorrow (April 18 – more info under Events & Reminders).
- Village Council adopted a text amendment for the maximum building height for single family dwelling units in the PD-2C zoning district.
- Village Council approved a memorandum of understanding with NCDEQ for the Bald Head Woods Reserve Platform Improvement project.
- Village Council received guidance from Dr. Chris Deperno of NC State on deer herd management as the Village prepares for upcoming expenses in the FY26 budget.
A full account of these meetings can be found in the minutes which are posted HERE. Typically, minutes are posted with the agenda of next month’s meeting (e.g. If you want to read the December meeting minutes, they can be found under the January regular meeting agenda).
ICE Vehicles & Trailers
Village staff hosted the third and final ICE Vehicle & Trailer Town Hall for business owners on April 14. The presentations and ordinances discussed at the town halls can be found online HERE.
The Village is accepting comments from business owners through Friday, May 2, 2025, at comments@villagebhi.org.
Village Staff will take all feedback received from stakeholders and develop recommendations for the Village Council. This will include draft ordinance amendments. Before the adoption of any ordinance changes, a public hearing will be held. If you would like to receive notice of hearings via email, please send an email to the Village Clerk (email) with the words “Sunshine List” in the subject line.
Snorkel Devices & Hydrants
Village Utilities and its contractors are in the process of installing snorkel extensions on several grinder pumps on the island. This is in response to PTC #8 flooding on the island last year. The upgraded devices will not completely prevent stormwater from entering the system but will provide more operational control and speed up operability after a flooding event. Letters were sent to the 30 property owners affected by this first set of installations. Village Utilities plans on having a total of 80 devices installed with the next batch to be installed over the next couple of months.
From April 23 to 25 Village Utilities will be replacing three hydrants. One is near the intersection of Federal Road and Kinnakeet Way, one is on Starrush Trail, and the third is on Sandspur Trail.
Flood Insurance Discount
Last month, staff reported that the Village maintained its Class 7 Community Rating System (CRS) rating. This means all Federal flood insurance policyholders on Bald Head Island are eligible for a discount on their NFIP premiums. Since this is still a somewhat new designation for BHI, you may want to follow up with your insurance agent to make sure that the discount is applied. Agents can find the official rating and discount on FEMA’s website HERE under CRS Participating Communities.
Beach Bonfire Season Ends 4/30
In North Carolina, turtle nesting season officially begins on May 1st. This signals the end of beach bonfire season on 4/30.
In previous years, no bonfire permits were issued until November 16. However, a recent update to the Village ordinance indicates seasonal permits may be issued earlier by the Village Manager with consultation from the Director of the Bald Head Island Conservancy. This would likely be toward the end of the season when turtles are no longer nesting and there are no unhatched nests near an access where bonfires are permitted. The Village is updating its webpage and permit application and will make an announcement via the Village’s Voice when the next beach bonfire season begins.
Turtle Season Guidance:
In addition to the Village ordinance on beach bonfires, the Village has ordinances for dogs on the beach, beach equipment, and lights on the beach.
- Dogs must be on a leash from sunset to sunrise. (Section 4-521).
- All beach equipment must be removed between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. and at least 10 feet away from sea turtle nests. (Sections 10-164-166).
- No artificial light except frequencies of red light is allowed on the beach. (Section 10-83)
Below are a few tips from the BHI Conservancy:
- TURTLES DIG THE DARK – Do not shine any light, including red light, on nesting moms or hatchlings.
- REMEMBER LIGHTS ONLY – Only red lights are allowed on the beach. Red flashlights and red turtle stickers for phones or handheld devices are available for purchase at Turtle Central and can be found online.
- FILL UP HOLES & PICK UP TRASH – Holes are dangerous to nesting moms, hatchlings, and the Conservancy’s team!
- TURN OFF BEACH FRONT HOUSE LIGHTS – Brightly-lit houses can disorient moms and hatchlings.
- REPORT ANY TURTLE ACTIVITY – Call (910) 457-0089 x 5. If you think someone is doing something illegal, do not approach, call 911.
During turtle season BHI Conservancy personnel are patrolling the beach nightly monitoring sea turtle nests and doing important research that contributes to the protection and preservation of this endangered species. Please allow them to do their work by maintaining distance from personnel. They have special permits to do this conservation work and are allowed to use UTVs on the beach.
The public’s adherence to Village ordinances and BHI Conservancy tips is appreciated and is what makes the Conservancy’s Sea Turtle Protection Program so successful year after year. Please do your part and help others do their part by reminding them.
If you think someone is doing something illegal, do not approach, call 911 immediately and be prepared to provide as many details as possible.
Earth Day & Arbor Day
Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Earth Day event on April 4! We had a great crowd and a wonderful variety of booths participating this year. Special thanks to the BHA RCB and Betsi Stephen for manning the Bee City USA booth. Many milkweed seed packets were given out. Near the conclusion of the event, Mayor Quinn read the Arbor Day proclamation, then at the Department of Public Safety, a few folks from the Conservancy along with three of our Public Safety Officers helped plant a live oak. National Arbor Day is coming up this Friday, April 18. HERE are some ways individuals can celebrate.
REMINDERS & EVENTS
Village Holiday & Easter Info
Village offices will be closed on Friday, April 18, 2025, in observance of Good Friday. The Island Package Center and Post Office will be closed too, but will be open on Saturday, April 19 (10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.). Please call 911 if you need a Public Safety Officer to come to you.
Bald Head Island Transportation, Inc. has released its Easter Ferry Schedule, you can view it HERE.
The BHA’s Education & Recreation Committee is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Village Common Park (201 SE Beach Drive). More info HERE.
Two Lights for Tomorrow
Join the Village and the Old Baldy Foundation for “Two Lights for Tomorrow” on April 18th. We are both proud to take part in the national America 250 commemoration by honoring a powerful symbol of our nation’s fight for independence.
On the evening of April 18th, 2025, two lights will shine from the top of Old Baldy Lighthouse and the porch of Village Hall as part of the nationwide Two Lights for Tomorrow initiative—an homage to the legendary signal from the Old North Church in Boston, “two if by sea,” that preceded Paul Revere’s midnight ride.
This historic reenactment honors the pivotal night of April 18–19, 1775, when Revere, alongside fellow patriots William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott, rode to alert the colonies of the British advance. Their actions lit the spark that ignited the American Revolution—culminating in the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Bald Head Island’s own shores would later bear witness to the conflict, with the island occupied by British we commemorate our nation’s 250th birthday, it is a moment to reflect not only on the past, but on the enduring ideals of liberty, community, and resilience that unite us still.
We invite all residents, visitors, and others across the nation to join us in this symbolic act. Light two lanterns, candles, or porch lights at dusk on April 18th and be part of a national moment of unity, remembrance, and hope for the future.
Let the lights of Old Baldy shine as a beacon of the enduring spirit of 1776.
Read the Village’s proclamation HERE. Learn more HERE.
Litter Sweep
The BHA’s Resource Conservation & Beautification Committee is sponsoring an Island Litter Sweep this Saturday, April 19, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Everyone will be meeting in front of Room Service (4 Maritime Way). More info HERE.
Budget Workshop
The Village Council will be having a budget workshop on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at the Department of Public Safety. If you are not able to attend online, Zoom access information is posted HERE. We will be posting the presentation slides after the workshop and any other information pertaining to the FY26 budget will be posted on the “Annual Budget” webpage HERE. Taxpayers are encouraged to submit questions and comments and there are instructions on how to do so there, too!
Next Village Council Meeting
The next regular Village Council Meeting is on Friday, May 16, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The agenda will be posted HERE. Zoom information to listen-in remotely can be found HERE.
Service Request Portal
The Village’s Service Request Portal is a great way for you to let the Village know what needs to be done around the island. The portal link is located on the website homepage, you will see a hammer icon with “Service Request” written beneath it. Several buttons to the portal are on other webpages on the site. HERE is the direct link if you would like to bookmark it or add it to your desktop or home screen.
A more recent update to the request portal is a selection for “Missed Residential Trash Pick-Up.” When this is used, the request goes to the Village AND GFL for follow-up. Other types of requests that you can use the portal include beach access issues, yard debris pick-up, public information, road issues, sign repairs, special pick-ups, stormwater issues, tree removal/pruning, and water/sewer issues.
Bald Head Association events can be found HERE.
Old Baldy Foundation events can be found HERE.
BHI Conservancy events can be found HERE.
Village Chapel events can be found HERE.
Project Longevity events can be found HERE.
The Village calendar can be found HERE.
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