In this issue:
- Highlights of the October Village Council regular meeting.
- Island Package Center & Post Office lobby refresh begins next Monday, 11/2.
- Stormwater StoryMap is now available for viewing online.
- New emergency planning zones for Brunswick Nuclear Plant will go into effect this November.
- Emergency Services Director, Paul Anderson, featured in SPT OKI magazine.
- Public Information Officer, Carin Faulkner, receives NCBIWA’s Member of the Year Award.
- The PSA is selling limited-edition BHI Public Safety challenge coins as a fundraiser; order yours today!
- Brunswick County rescinds Stage 1 water restrictions; beach bonfire season on hold until burn ban is lifted; update on drought.
Reminders & Events:
- There’s still time to participate in Public Safety’s community survey!
- Trick-or-treating on BHI will take place on Saturday, October 31, from 1-3 p.m.
- Village offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
- Hazardous waste drop-off days are coming up on November 18 and 19 (please note these dates are slightly different than previously announced).
- The next regular Village Council meeting is on Friday, November 20, 2026.
- Brunswick County Utilities and Village Utilities have made the annual change from chloramines to chlorine; the change back is expected to be toward the end of November.
Village Council Regular Meeting
The Village Council conducted a regular meeting on Friday, October 23, 2026. Below are a few highlights:
- The Village Council heard from Rex Cowdry, a member of the BHI Transportation Authority Board, who announced that the Bald Head Island Transportation Authority website (bhita.com) is up. He thanked the Council for encouraging the Authority to improve its communication. He gave a brief tour of the website and the items that are available for public view.
- Council received an update from staff on the efforts to apply single-family deed restrictions to vacant properties in the PD-2C and PD-3C commercial districts. Council was receptive to extending the moratorium, and staff will be prepared to have the public hearing for another 60-day extension on the agenda for next month’s meeting.
- Staff’s second set of proposed amendments to Chapter 28, Traffic and Vehicles, Subsection 28-3 Definitions and 28- 91 Classes of Trailers were adopted unanimously. This establishes one standard maximum width and length for trailers. Trailers that are currently on the island and out of compliance with the new standard will be grandfathered through June 30, 2027.
- Council received updates on the Village’s efforts to survey the marina channel entrance, the next Wilmington Harbor Channel Maintenance event scheduled for late 2027/early 2028, Kent Mitchell Nature Trail, and more.
A full recap with additional details is posted monthly on our Village Council meeting recap webpage. Or you can listen to a podcast episode reviewing the meeting. All questions should go to public.information@villagebhi.org.
A full account of these meetings can be found in the minutes, which are posted on our agenda webpage. 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).
IPC/PO Lobby Refresh
Starting next Monday, November, Village staff will be removing everything from the walls in the IPC/PO lobby to repaint the area. This work will be performed outside of the package center’s operating hours. Please be sure to check your PO Box during those hours, as access will be limited while work is underway.
Some items in the lobby will be relocated, and some items will not come back. If your business, for instance, has a stack of business cards, a sign holder, etc. Those items will need to be removed by November 2. Those items are not permitted in the IPC/PO after the refurbishment.
As far as the bulletin boards are concerned, all items remaining on November 2 will be removed and recycled. The boards will be reinstalled in the lobby and these new guidelines for community posting and display will be in effect. Please note, in the future, this space may be used for additional post office boxes or other use at the Village’s discretion at any time.
Any updates on this project will be posted on the IPC/PO webpage and the Village’s social media channels.
Stormwater StoryMap Now Available Online
The GIS StoryMap that was introduced at the August 13th Stormwater Education Event is now available for public view. The education session introduced a new stormwater master plan aimed at managing the island’s distinct drainage challenges. Funded by a state grant (LASII), this GIS StoryMap is a feature of the project and is designed to help residents visualize local elevation, soil types, and groundwater patterns on Bald Head Island.
A recording of the educational session is on the Village’s YouTube channel, and it can help you navigate the Village’s StoryMap.
New Emergency Planning Zones for Brunswick Nuclear Plant
Brunswick County, in conjunction with New Hanover County, North Carolina Emergency Management, and Duke Energy, recently announced upcoming changes to the Emergency Planning Zones this November.
Starting Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, community members can use Duke Energy’s interactive map to identify a property’s specific zone number and relocation center should any local- or state-issued instructions be issued in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency. The online interactive map will not be updated with the new zones until next Monday, but this PDF shows a general visualization of the new zone map compared to the original.
There are no changes to the size of the EPZ area, but the boundaries for several zones will be changing. The map will also expand from 13 zones to 20 zones, so a property’s zone number may be different starting in November.
Brunswick County will share reminders over the coming weeks and months about this change. Homes and properties in the Emergency Planning Zone will also receive a postcard soon from Duke Energy with this information.
Anderson Featured in SPI OKI Magazine
A few months ago, when he first arrived, Paul Anderson, the Village’s new Emergency Services Director, was interviewed by SPT OKI Magazine, a quarterly publication covering Southport, Oak Island, Bald Head Island, Caswell Beach, Boiling Spring Lakes, St. James, and surrounding coastal communities. We just wanted to share the feature article, which is now available online.
Faulkner Receives NCBIWA Award
Carin Faulkner, the Village’s Public Information Officer, received the “Member of the Year” award from the NC Beach, Inlet, and Waterway Association (NCBIWA) at its 29th annual conference last week. Ms. Faulkner serves on NCBIWA’s executive board as secretary and has been involved with the organization over the last several years while working for BHI and other coastal NC communities. She was recognized as one of those individuals who work in the background to quietly get things done and pitches in and assists whenever needed to ensure that the organization continues to run smoothly and accomplishes its goals. Congratulations, Carin!
Challenge Coin Fundraiser
You can help support the BHI Department of Public Safety by purchasing a limited-edition challenge coin. Proceeds go to the Public Service Auxiliary, which is a 501(c)(3) organization. They are $20 each, and you can order them online.
Stage 1 Water Alert Rescinded, Burn Ban Remains in Effect
In an October 16 announcement Brunswick County announced that it had rescinded its Stage 1 Voluntary Water Conservation Alert effective October 16. Please review the announcement for details.
Coinciding with Brunswick County’s June 8 burn ban, the Village of Bald Head Island remains under a burn ban. All burning within 100 ft. of any structure is banned on BHI.
Once the burn ban is lifted, the Village will start accepting beach bonfire permit applications. If you recall, last year was the first year the Village started basing the season start time on turtle nesting activity. The last nest was excavated today on October 8. For additional information, check out our beach bonfire permit webpage.
The Drought Management Advisory Council’s most recent report indicates Brunswick County was downgraded to D2– severe drought conditions.
REMINDERS & EVENTS:
Community Survey
There is still time to participate in the Department of Public Safety’s community survey! Your feedback will help ensure the Department’s 3-year strategic plan reflects not only the operational needs of the department, but also the needs of the community we serve. Additional details and a link to the survey are on our Community Survey webpage. The DPS would like to thank everyone who has already completed the survey. We have had robust participation so far and are excited about that!
Trick or Treating
Trick-or-treating will take place this Saturday, October 31, from 1-3 p.m. The Bald Head Association created this map of homes and businesses participating.
Veterans Day
Village offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. This includes the Island Package Center/Post Office and Public Safety administrative offices.
Hazardous Waste Drop-Off
The second of two hazardous waste drop-off periods in 2026 is coming up. Due to barge scheduling, the dates have changed from previous announcements. Hazardous waste will be accepted at Public Works, near the trash compactors, on the following dates and times:
- Wednesday, November 18, 2026 – 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Thursday, November 19, 2026 – 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
If there are barge delays or another circumstance in which the days need to be rescheduled, the Village will send out an announcement. Additional details can be found on the Village website.
Next Regular Village Council Meeting
The next regular Village Council Meeting is scheduled for Friday, November 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Meetings are held in the multi-purpose room in the Department of Public Safety (273 Edward Teach Ext.). The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the agenda webpage. Zoom information for listening remotely can be found on the meeting schedule webpage. If you are unable to attend, we will be publishing a written recap on the Village Council meeting recap webpage.
Annual Change from Chloramines to Chlorine
The annual change from chloramines to chlorine occurred earlier this month. Brunswick County Public Utilities changed on October 1, and Village Utilities followed on October 12. These conditions are not harmful and are temporary.
Along with this change, the Village will be blowing out dead ends to “burn out” the free chlorine. This may cause some ponding on Village roads. Consumers may notice some discoloration, which can be cleared by running outside spigots. Please call (910) 457-9700 ext. 1000 for assistance.
For more information, view the County’s full statement and the Village’s full notice, which is posted on the Village Utilities webpage.
The change back to chloramines is expected to take place toward the end of November and will be announced.
ISLAND EVENTS
Bald Head Association
Old Baldy Foundation
BHI Conservancy
Village Chapel
Project Longevity
Village of Bald Head Island
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