A few passing clouds. Low 51F. Winds light and variable..

A few passing clouds. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Utility Car

CAPE CARTERET — When the calendar flipped to 2023 at midnight on Dec. 31, 2022 golf cart permits expired, so it’s time for those who use them in Cape Carteret to renew them.

Town Manager Frank Rush said last week the permits cost $75 and will be good from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 of this year.

To obtain a permit, go to https://www.townofcapecarteret.org/golf-carts.html to download the application. The applications should be returned to the town hall anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Once that is done, the Cape Carteret police department will conduct a safety inspection of the cart and issue a tag, which must be on the cart at all times it is used.

Golf carts can be driven on all Cape Carteret streets except Highway 24.

Rush last week also reminded residents that town-issued decals are required on all vehicles that use the parks at the ends of Bonita Street, Manatee Street, Dolphin Street, Anita Fort Drive, Holly Lane, Bogue Sound Drive, Lejeune Road, Bayshore Drive and Easy Street. They are open to town residents and property owners only. The decals are free and can be picked up at town hall during business hours.

Use of the town's public boat launching facility at the terminus of Manatee Street requires a specially-issued annual boat ramp pass. These passes are issued in June and July each year on a first-come, first-served basis and are sold out for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which ends on June 30.

The fine for unauthorized of the facility is $1,000 per violation.

The town board of commissioners last year capped the annual number of permits at 285, in response to nearby residents’ complaints that visitors were parking cars and leaving boat trailers on private property in the neighborhood. In addition, the town in recent years has received numerous complaints about noise and litter at the site.

No decals or passes are required at the town’s kayak launching facility on Pettiford Creek on Highway 58 north of Taylor Notion Road, because it was paid for and built with state grant funds and is open to anyone.

Rush also said he’s planning to kick off the process to develop and approve the 2023-34 budget in a special planning workshop on Monday, Jan. 30 in the town hall off Dolphin Street.

The special meeting will include a review of the town's financial position, preliminary budget projections, a discussion of the town's long-term goals and key budget issues for the next fiscal year. The meeting will be open to the public.

The town budget for 2022-23 totals $2.85 million and the property tax rate is 22.25 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Contact Brad Rich at 252-864-1532; email brad@thenewstimes.com; or follow on Twitter @brichccnt.

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