Town of Lake Lure, 

North Carolina

Well, I have been the mayor of Lake Lure for one year now. As I look back on this past year and ponder the happenings, I am happy to see that quite a bit has been done and Lake Lure is in very good shape. After talking to each council member and the town manager I find that they too have spent time reflecting on our town’s recent past. Early in the year 2001, I will ask the council for a special meeting to further prioritize and implement our ideas for the town. We have, of course, already spent quite a bit of time with the creation of the Capital Improvement Plan and we have the Lake Management Plan, the Land Use Plan, and the Final Report of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee to work with. In the meantime, I have asked the council to individually compile a “critical issue list” to work with during this special meeting. (Commissioner George Pressley first asked for this list.) If you have any wants or wishes, please call me or one of the council members and we will try to address your interests.

* Council created the Parks and Recreation Board.

* Worked with the Golf Course Advisory Board and the Golf Course Membership Committee to help improve the municipal course.

* Council had very good success with settling lawsuits and stopping others.

* Found and hired a contractor to start the hydroelectric interconnect project.

* Found and hired a contractor to build the lift station for the sewer treatment plant.

* Reworked the contract with Lake Lure Tours for the lease of the town marina and beach.

* Worked with Town Manager Chuck Place to create a Capital Improvements Plan.

* Reworked and resubmitted the applications for the water and sewer grants.

* Changed the commercial zones in Lake Lure to correspond with the existing ordinance.

* Started the process of selling unneeded town property.

* Allotted $300,000 for the removal of silt in the lake. Town Manager Chuck Place developed a dredging action plan to work with.

* Had a joint meeting with Chimney Rock Village to discuss the possibilities of combining our sewer and water departments.

* Changed the zoning setback rules to make them more practical and enforcement much easier.

* Changed the fees for zoning and lake structures permits.

As mayor, along with working with the town council and town employees I have been fortunate to participate in the following:

* Appointed to the Tourist Advisory Board.

* Member of the Isothermal Planning and Development Commission.

* Volunteered to be a monitor at the Bat Caves.

* Appointed to be a delegate to represent Lake Lure at the North Carolina League of Municipalities Annual Meeting.

* Appointed to the Isothermal Narcotics Task Force Board.

* Went to Raleigh and met with our representatives and senators. While there I also met with Governor Hunt, Mike Easley and the Director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

_______________________________

by H. M. “Chuck” Place III, AICP

We are getting closer to finalizing the plans to dredge the head of the lake and some work has already started. The impoundment area on the south side of the river in Morse Park near the town hall has been cleaned out and reshaped to meet state and federal standards and the north side impoundment area clean out is underway. Sand, silt and water dredged from the lake will be deposited into these impoundment areas where the solids will settle out and the water will then be allowed to flow back into the river. You have probably noticed the dump trucks hauling sand on US 64/74A in recent weeks. The material cleaned out of the impoundment area has been taken to the golf course and deposited on the driving range. The range has been in very bad condition for several years and this material will allow us to completely reshape the facility. We will then improve the irrigation system and re-seed the range. It should be ready for play by spring.

Bits and Pieces

Don’t forget that the lake will be lowered 4˝ feet starting on December 11.

Christmas is coming and it starts with the Lake Lure Christmas Boat Parade on December 2. If you haven’t registered yet, call Beth Rose at 625-4493.

Police Chief Mike Bustle has been selected to attend the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA after the first of the year. This is a singular honor for Mike and reflects well on the town. Congratulations to him!

The lift station replacement at the sewer plant is almost completed. This project will replace the old station which was damaged by the 1996 flood and get it out of the flood plain.

________________________________

by Betty Hinson, Personnel Director

DeVault Edgerton, employee of the month, has been with the town since November 1, 1966. DeVault, more than any other employee, has worked through many changes with the town. This month marks the 34th anniversary of DeVault's tenure with the town and quite often we each have to draw on his memory for clarification of various problems.

Before DeVault's employment with the town, he was employed with Camp Lure Crest in Lure Lure. He retired from full-time employment in 1993 and since then has been with the town on a part-time basis. If we have an emergency, DeVault is always available to assist wherever needed. DeVault, we say a special thank you for a great job and look forward to many more years with you.

________________________________

TOWN COUNCIL ACTIVITIES

REGULAR MEETING: The regular town council meeting was held on Tuesday, November 14, 2000, at 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Lure Municipal Center.

Under the "consent agenda," Council:

* approved resolution no. 00-11-14 (authorizing the release of the town's share of funds to the Isothermal Planning & Development Commission);

* approved a request from Erosion Control Specialist Pamela Pyles for the hiring of an assistant. Americorps, Division of Soil and Water Conservation Partnership will pay the cost of this position; and

* approved an Inter-local Cooperative Agreement for a narcotics task force.

In other activities, Town Council:

* Police Chief Mike Bustle presented to Sgt. Eric Hester the Mayor Jack Powell "Top Gun" award;

* approved a request from Fire Chief Ron Owenby to waive the boat permit fee for the Broad River Fire and Rescue Department boat for training exercises;

* approved a request from the Hickory Nut Gorge Kiwanis Club to suspend the town's peddling ordinance and the use of town property for a "Memorial Days" event to be held on May 26-28, 2001;

* Mayor Jim Proctor presented a proclamation honoring Veteran's Day held on November 11, 2000. This proclamation was given to the following Town of Lake Lure employees and commissioners who have served in the armed forces: Gerald Gosda, Steve Greenlee, Mark Pobanz, Chuck Place, George Pressley, William Smith, Michell Smith and Jack Stanier;

* received a request from Mark and Larkin Hammond regarding video poker machines at Larkin's on the Lake restaurant;

* received a proposal from Rick Coley to purchase town property;

* adopted ordinance no. 00-11-14 (providing for the delayed harvest of fish to be caught in Lake Lure). Upon recommendation by the Lake Advisory Committee, Town Council approved the request of delayed harvesting of fish to be caught in Lake Lure during the period of December 1, 2000, through March 16, 2001. During this time period, all fish caught in Lake Lure shall be released and all fishing shall be done with artificial lures having single barbless hooks;

* held a discussion about new cluster mooring facilities and similar multiple boat mooring areas requiring Lake Structures Appeals Board approval;

* approved an interim water purchase contract between the Town of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock Village;

* approved a request to waive the Lake Lure Community Center rental fee for the 15th annual Hickory Nut Gorge Children's Christmas party to be held on December 2, 2000 from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.; and

* approved Police Chief Mike Bustle's request to attend FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia during the months of January, February, and March 2000.

____________________________________

COMMUNITY POLICING NEWS

by Police Chief Mike Bustle

Congratulations goes to Sgt. Eric Hester for winning the Lake Lure Police Department designation of “Top Gun” during our recent firearms state mandated firearms qualification. This competition, in memory of prior Mayor Jack Powell, consisted of the normal state required day and night firing sequences, as well as a lengthy combat course emphasizing physical endurance, tactics, and accuracy, all within a stressful timed parameter. A certificate was awarded to Sgt. Hester during the town meeting of November 14th and a plaque memorializing Jack Powell and each winner of the competition has been designed to hang in the department’s foyer.

* * * * * * *

The Lake Lure Youth Center has now officially opened and is in operation daily from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. weekdays. Director Butch Kelly advised that approximately forty children have registered to participate in programs and approximately twenty youth visit daily. Thanks goes to Mark and Larkin Hammond for their donation of $1,000 to be used towards the youth center. A Wal-Mart contribution of $1,000 was recently won by the police department for the center during the “Make a Difference Day” competition in Rutherford County.

* * * * * *

In case you have noticed all the various police vehicles in town lately, the police department has hosted several training sessions at our firearms range. An F.B.I. and North Carolina Justice Academy police sniper training class recently hosted twenty officers from all across North Carolina. Five surrounding police agencies have recently utilized our facility for their annual state mandated qualification. Many of these officers have visited your local businesses and will return soon with their families!

____________________________________

by Zoning Administrator Terri Potts

With the lowering of the lake this winter, there will be ample time to repair seawalls, docks and boathouses that are in dire need of repair. All of these activities require a permit. These permits are good for as long as the construction is underway. Permits pulled that have no activity are only good for six months. Building permits from Rutherford County are required. This past summer, I spent several weeks photographing every lake structure. The purpose of this activity is to ascertain the structures on the lake that require moderate to extreme repair. Some of these structures must be repaired or torn down, as they are a hazard to the public at large. There will be one letter sent to the owners of these structures notifying them about the repairs which must be done. If these repairs exceed more than 50% of the tax value of the structure, it should be torn down and replaced with a new structure. If you have any questions as to what needs to be repaired, please feel free to call me at 828-625-9983 ext. 107. The primary goal of this project is to develop a system of tracking by accurately re-numbering all boathouses, locating manholes and giving each structure a Geographical Positioning Systems location so that in the event of an emergency, the structure can be easily located from the water. It will also give us a current map of what is on the lakefront. This project is considered mitigation which requires structures to be kept in a condition that will meet North Carolina Building Code. The hard part is over, every structure on the lake has been photographed and given a GPS location. Each piece of data must now be matched up with property owner, assigned new numbers, and documented. This will not happen overnight, but it will happen. There are many structures that beg to be removed and/or repaired. Any and all cooperation to meet this end will be greatly appreciated.

As many of you have probably seen, there have been some trampolines and other floating recreational devices placed around the lake. These items must be permitted through this office. The placement of these devices in the lake without a permit is a violation of the town ordinance. If you currently have one of these type devices in the water without a permit, please contact me to get the proper paperwork required.

Town Council adopted the following new schedule of permit fees at their regular town meeting held October 10, 2000.

Certificate of Zoning Compliance $50.00

Land Disturbance Permit:

Under 500 sq. ft. of Disturbed Area $10.00

500 to 10,000 sq. ft. of Disturbed Area $50.00

Over 10,000 sq. ft. of Disturbed Area $100.00

Sign Permit $25.00

Amendment to Zoning Code $100.00

Variance Request $100.00

Zoning Appeals $100.00

Conditional Use Permit $100.00

Lake Structure Permit $50.00

Lake Structure Appeal $100.00

Just as a reminder, we still need members for the Boards of Adjustment, Planning and Zoning and Lake Structures Appeals. Anyone interested in participating in the future of Lake Lure is encouraged to contact the office and apply!

____________________________________

UPPER BROAD RIVER WATERSHED

PROTECTION PROGRAM

Free Riparian Buffer Kits Available! The Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program is offering free riparian buffer tree kits to property owners in the upper Broad River watershed. Our watershed consists of 94 square miles and reaches East to the Youngs Mountain Range in Rutherford County, extends North to the Continental Divide near Black Mountain, reaches West to the edge of Henderson County at Little Pisgah Mountain, and goes South nearly to Edneyville in Henderson County.

What is a riparian buffer? The term riparian buffer is used to describe lands adjacent to streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands where vegetation is strongly influenced by the presence of water. These buffers contain flowers, native grasses, shrubs, and trees that line stream banks. They are also called vegetated buffer zones. A healthy riparian area is a sign of wise land use management.

We have ordered the riparian trees through the North Carolina Forest Service seedling program. Each riparian buffer tree kit will include 40 trees for planting an area 35 feet wide by 100 feet along the stream bank. Tree species include River Birch, Sycamore, Water Oak, Willow Oak, Blackgum, Green Ash, River Birch, Silky Dogwood, and Tulip Poplar. Don’t miss the opportunity to plant trees on stream banks. You will be improving air quality, water quality, and wildlife habitat.

Property owners who do not live in the upper Broad River watershed will pay a nominal fee of $8.00 to cover the cost of these trees. Please call the Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Program at the Town of Lake Lure at 828-625-9983, ext. 123. Come participate in our next watershedp protection meeting on December 13^th at 9:00 a.m. at the Town of Lake Lure Municipal Center and meet other conservation minded folks.

by Len King, AIA

I came upon a small book some time ago that surprised me quite a bit. It talked about trees in relation to real estate values, the environment, and neighborhood planning as well as the more personal aspects that are close to my tree hugger heart. The thing that surprised me was not the fact that the book existed, but that it was created by the Homebuilders Association in conjunction with the American Forest Association--two groups that I had previously witnessed as hostile to the conservation cause. As a suburban boy turned city boy who then turned county boy when my wife and I moved here 10 years ago, this booklet was very encouraging. Whereas all of the “locals,” especially the builders, seemed to regard trees as a nuisance or not at all, here was a book finally telling them that trees were valuable as something other than lumber and firewood. And it was written by their own association!

While I wish the book had gone into some of the cited studies in more depth, and while I wish we had more room to reprint excerpts here, I still think it warrants as much attention as possible by all sorts of folks. So here are a few quotes in an attempt at giving you the feel. (It is available from Home Builder Press, 800-223-2665 and is entitled “Building Greener Neighborhoods”).

“In 1993, the National Assoc. Of Home Builders... polled 1,000 homeowners on how builders can help the environment; 89% advised them to leave as many trees as possible, while 77% said builders should add more trees . . .” In another survey, the vast majority of home buyers paid from $3,000 to $10,000 more for wooded lots.

“The savings that homeowners can reap from well-placed trees range form 10 to 50% during summer cooling season . . . ;” therefore, a developer who has strategically saved and/or planted trees can legitimately advertise this product as more energy efficient than a comparable parcel.

“ In 1993-94, American Forests used CITY green to conduct a detailed analysis of the city of Frederick, MD (population 40,000). . . It was discovered that the city saved $1 million per year in cooling benefits from its existing trees. Even more significant, the study found that strategically placed trees could save the city another $2 million . . . and that indirect savings are equal to direct savings, doubling the overall amount saved to $6 million.”

“Virginia Tech. . . compiled the reactions of survivors of Hurricane Hugo in Charleston, SC. Although the storm devastated trees, homes, churches, and businesses with equal fury, the trees were considered the single greatest loss. . . Residents of Miami and Mobile, Alabama expressed similar sentiments . . . following Hurricane Andrew and Frederic. . . ”

“Many people mistakenly think that if a tree doesn’t show signs of dying the spring after the damage occurs the tree is okay. The fact is it takes several years or more for the signs of death to appear because a tree will live off its own trunk and stem nutrients for some time. . .” (quoted from a local arborist).

And finally, “ . . . in a nine-year study of gall bladder patients. . . those whose rooms looked out on a pleasant scene with trees required fewer painkillers and had 10% shorter hospital stay . . . than those whose didn’t.”

To close, maybe trees are like other important matters in our lives which suffer from being taken for granted and often a large dose of ignorance.

Printed with permission from local Architect Len King.

_________________________________

LAKE LURE VWIN RESULTS FOR

General: Samples were collected on August 26th and September 23rd. There had been a light shower before the August collection date and moderate to heavy rain preceding the September collection. All sites exhibited very good water quality for the August monitoring, but many sites were impacted by sediment during the September monitoring.

The Broad River watershed: Ten sites are monitored monthly. These include one site each on the Broad River, Hickory Creek, and Reedypatch Creek which all flow into the Rocky Broad River at Bat Cave, two sites on the Rocky Broad River at Chimney Rock and at Lake Lure, and one site each at Pool Creek, Cane Creek, the Public Golf Course Creek, Buffalo Creek, and Fairfield Mountains Creek.

The first five sites are on streams that flow directly into the lake.

All sites exhibited excellent water quality during the August monitoring event, but in September the rains resulted in runoff of sediment mainly into the Broad River watershed sites upstream from the lake. The most severely impacted sites were those in the Rocky Broad River between Bat Cave and Lake Lure followed by Reedypatch Creek, the Broad River, and least affected was Hickory Creek. All of these sites except Hickory Creek exceeded the water quality turbidity standard for aquatic life. Copper concentrations exceeded the state water quality standard at the site on the Broad River at Bat Cave.

Monitoring for stream sedimentation in September carried out by the Upper Broad River Watershed Protection Committee showed severe sedimentation in Rock Creek, Rush Branch, and in the lower middle section of the Broad River in the Broad River watershed. In the Hickory Creek watershed, Bearwallow Creek and Middle Fork exhibited very high sedimentation levels. The Reedypatch Creek watershed must have received less rainfall during the September rain as fewer sites collected samples, but the upper Reedypatch Creek site showed very high sedimentation levels.

Lake Lure: Four locations on Lake Lure are monitored for temperature and dissolved oxygen at one meter depth intervals. These locations are at the dam, in the main channel, at Buffalo Bay, and at Tryon Bay. A secchi (pronounced seckee) depth is also taken at each of the four locations to measure water clarity (the greater the secchi depth, the clearer the water). The extent of light penetration is approximately twice the secchi depth. The dam and lake center locations are also monitored for phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations at one meter from the surface and one meter from the bottom.

The lake continued its progression of stratification and loss of oxygen through August and September. The surface layer (epilimnion) extended down to 4 meters (about 13 feet). Temperatures remained above 26 degrees C (about 79 degrees F) throughout this zone in August, but cooled slightly in September. Water remained well oxygenated throughout this surface layer. Between 4 and 10 meters (about 33 feet) water temperature declined steadily to 10 to 12 degrees C (50-54 degrees F). This layer, known as the thermocline or metalimnion, is where rapid changes in temperature and sometimes oxygen concentrations occur. By August, oxygen concentrations had decreased to less than 3 mg/L in the metalimnion and by September they were below 2 mg/L. Late August and early September would have posed the greatest problem for cold water fish as only the epilimnion showed sufficient oxygen concentrations for these species., but water temperatures were too warm for them in this layer. While oxygen concentrations were still only sufficient for these fish in the epilimnion in late September, surface water temperature had cooled somewhat.

Secchi depth improved in the main channel and at the dam in August to 78 inches at both sites. In Tryon Bay and Buffalo Bay secchi depth was poorer than the other two locations at 64 inches and 57 inches respectively. Secchi depth improved again at all sites in September with a very good 90 inches in the main channel, 84 inches at the dam, and 83 inches in Buffalo Bay. In Tryon Bay the improvement was only slight at 68 inches. Nutrient concentrations were rather high at the surface in both the main channel and at the dam, in August and at the main channel in September. As they tend to reflect concentrations from the Broad River, it is likely that the water in the Broad River is warm enough to be mixing mainly with lake waters nearer the surface.

_____________________________________

NEWS AROUND LAKE LURE

The 15th annual Hickory Nut Gorge Children's Christmas party will be held at the Lake Lure community center which adjoins the visitor center on Saturday, December 2, 2000 from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. There will be games, coloring projects, fruits, toys, cakes and treats. This traditional affair is chaired by Martha Jane Powers. For additional information call Co-Chair Carolyn Cobb at 828-625-1831.

Town of Lake Lure will be sponsoring a blood drive at the Lake Lure Municipal Center on Friday, December 15, 2000 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Blood supplies have reached critical lows nationally, as well as locally. We urge every person able to please come and give. For further information, call Ron Morgan at 828-625-9333.

Dear Supporter of United Way: It is that time of year when, once again, we launch our United Way Campaign for Lake Lure and the Hickory Nut Gorge for 2001. Our goal this year for the Gorge is $10,000. The overall goal for the country is one million dollars. We ask you to send your tax deductible contribution to our office: United Way of Rutherford County, Inc., P.O. Box 823, Spindale, NC 28160. Many of you will be receiving your pledge cards in the mail within the next few weeks and also we will be making personal visits. Your contribution will go to help here at home. United Way of Rutherford County funds over 36 agencies in our county. Agencies such as Meals on Wheels, Hickory Nut Gorge EMS, Hospice Care, American Red Cross, and the Salvation Army just to name a few. So won't you please send your contribution to help assure the continued growth and support of these programs in Rutherford County? If you have any questions, please call me at 828-625-8338 or email me at mransom@blueridge.net. Thank you!

The Hickory Nut Gorge Chamber of Commerce presents their 6th annual Lake Lure Christmas Boat Parade on Saturday, December 2, 2000. Boats arrive at the town beach 6:30 p.m. The town beach will be open from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Concurrent activities on the town beach include Christmas carol singing by the Chimney Rock Baptist choir, selling of food from local vendors and a bonfire. Fireworks off Memorial Point will be the finale after the boat parade. It's not too late to enter your boat in the parade. Call 828-625-4493 or 828-625-1025 for more information. The boat and beach fees are waived for this event. A donation is appreciated.

Hickory Nut Gorge Christmas Auction will be held on Monday, December 11, 2000 at the Lake Lure Conference Center from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Cocktails, Hors D'oeuveres, dessert, and coffee will be served. Silent auction 6:00 p.m. until 7:00. There will be a live auction at 7:30 p.m. Advanced tickets are available at the Lake Lure Visitors Center for $25 each. Tickets purchased at the door are $30 each. Reserved seating is available. Call to reserve your tickets at 828-625-2725 or 828-625-9111.

Chimney Rock Baptist Church invites the community to share in the joy and music of the Christmas season on Sunday, December 17 at the church. The adult choir will present "Glorious Joy" at the 11:00 a.m. during the morning worship service. A musical program called "Twas the Light Before Christmas" will be presented by the children at 7:00 p.m. in the church auditorium.

The Kiwanis Club of Hickory Nut Gorge, as part of its annual fundraising effort to support community services in the Gorge, is planning a cookbook featuring traditional recipes from the region. This book is expected to remain in print for some years, and will be offered for sale in businesses throughout the Gorge. If you have favorite family recipes -- for meats, breads, vegetables, Christmas dishes, whatever -- handed down from your mother or grandmother, or developed yourself from local foods, the Kiwanis Club would be grateful for your help. We'd especially like men's recipes, such as favorite ways to prepare fish or game, favorite firehouse recipes, or dishes you like to prepare on the barbecue. We'd also like recipes that children like to make. Boxes will be placed at area businesses where you can drop off your recipes to be included in the book, or you can mail them to Marcia Hardy, Cookbook Chairman, P.O. Box 335, Lake Lure, NC 28746. Each recipe should be typed or clearly printed, with full information on ingredients, measurements, etc. Please include your name, your phone number (so you can be reached while the book is being assembled) and a

line or two about the origin of the recipe. The background information and names of the donors will be included in the book, and each donor whose recipe is included in the book will receive a copy of the book when it is printed. As usual with Kiwanis fundraising efforts, the proceeds will come right back here to support a variety of community services in the gorge. These include Helping Neighbors, Inc., Church Christmas Outreach, the Hickory Nut Gorge Recreation

Association, Lake Lure Police Department's Children's Fund, the Trauma Teddies used by the fire and rescue groups of the gorge, Soccer Team Sponsorship, Friends of the Library (Mountains Branch), the Hospice organizations of Rutherford and Henderson Counties, and local beautification projects. They are always grateful for your help.

Lake Lure Newcomers invite those who are new residents in Lake Lure (24 months or less) to join them in various activities which include: potluck, gourmet, out'n about, theater, bridge/poker, book club, and hiking. Anyone interested in becoming a member, call Fred Noble or Jeanine Noble at 828-625-8706.

__________________________________

Send mail to  Webmaster@ci.lake-lure.nc.us  with questions or comments about this web site.

The Official Government Site of the Town of Lake Lure.

This Site is dedicated to the memory of former Mayor Jack Powell.

This web site is prepared and maintained by the Town of Lake Lure webmaster.  The information contained in this site was believed to be valid at the time of posting.  The Town of Lake Lure assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions or discrepancies.  Moreover, the Town of Lake Lure is not responsible for the content nor endorses any site which has a link from this page.