Brunswick Commissioners discuss Gullah Geechee study, vote against animal shade laws

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — Brunswick County Commissioners heard more about a plan that would create a trail to preserve the area’s Gullah Geechee history, as well as a proposed ordinance change that would protect animals kept outside during the hot summer months Monday afternoon.

Commissioners were shown a presentation about the Gullah Geechee Heritage Trail Feasibility Study.

The trail could begin at Navassa’s Phoenix Park and end at Brunswick Nature Park in Winnabow.

The trail would be broken into 9 segments, each requiring different construction work, like a new bridge over Sturgeon Creek or a walkable path under Highway 74 in Leland.

Greer Templer is with the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

She said the project had received a lot of support and interest from residents and officials.

“I think people are really excited about it,” Templer said. “We’ve had a great reception. Thankfully, we’ve been working very closely with our partners on this but people have been very responsive to the idea of not only being able to grow our active transportation network but also providing that opportunity to learn more about our culture, the culture of the region along the way.”

Commissioner Mike Forte said the project is still years away from seeing any work started, let alone completed.

“I also know that this project is not even close to coming to fruition,” Forte said. “The money involved, it’s hundreds of millions of dollars. You got to acquire the land, you gotta do all this. You got bridges, sidewalks, there’s a lot to it.”

The study gave an estimated cost of more than $105 million for all 9 segments of the trail, with some segments predicted to take more than 15 years to be completed.

Commissioners also discussed amending the county’s ordinances to allow shade laws to protect animals kept outside.

Supporters of those laws spoke during the meeting’s public comment section, but commissioners unanimously voted against changing the county’s ordinances.

MaryAnn Harris is the owner of Homestead Animal Rescue.

She said this won’t stop her from protecting animals as best as she can.

“I am going to continue to fight for this,” Harris said. “There are other issues down here that we need to address with the situations of dogs living year-round outside without proper protection. And I’m going to continue to fight and I have so many supporters that have signed petitions and we’ll just keep, we’ll just keep pushing along until, you know, we see some change.”

However, Forte said there are already enough laws at the state level regarding keeping animals outside, and the commissioners felt that adding more would not help law enforcement.

“There really was no need for more laws. If people are not being responsible with their pets, no matter what it is, whether cat, dog or what have you. I can’t regulate them into doing the right thing. They’re going to do what they do whether the law is there or not.”