Town Council Regular Meeting

Page 1 of 4 TOWN OF ST. JAMES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES November 5, 2025 The St. James Town Council met in Regular Session at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, in the Earl Dye Council Chamber. Council Members Present: Mayor Jean Toner, Mayor Pro Tem David DeLong, Councilors Jim Board, Dennis Barclay, and Lynn Dutney Staff Present: Town Manager Jeff Repp, Finance Director Pauline Haran, and Town Clerk Jamie Burns Others Present: Wes MacLeod, Anchorpoint Planning, Sam Franck of Ward and Smith, State Port Pilot Reporter Eliot Duke, and 26 residents. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Toner opened the meeting at 4:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE All in attendance joined Mayor Toner in honoring our flag. Before proceeding with the agenda, Mayor Toner provided guidelines for public comment, explaining that: • A public comment period is provided at the end of the meeting • The public comment period is 30 minutes long • Individuals may speak for 3 minutes • Groups holding the same position may appoint a spokesperson to speak for up to 8 minutes • Public comment is not a dialogue; Council will respectfully listen but not engage speakers • Inquiries or questions brought up during public comment may be referred to the Town Manager for follow-up. • Public comment is also accepted on financial matters on the agenda prior to a vote. Mayor Toner also addressed misinformation circulating on social media regarding the proposed development around town hall and the event center. She emphasized that there is no connection between the town’s potential approval of the annexation and development, and membership with the St. James clubs. She stated that the town has not been and will not be involved in any discussions between the development group and the clubs, as Troon is a private business. She noted that this development, which was approved by Brunswick County in 2018, will be built whether within the town or county, and that the town council will consider if including the development within town limits is in residents best interest during upcoming public meetings and hearings. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Mayor Toner asked if there were any changes to the agenda as submitted. There were none. Mayor Toner asked for a motion to approve the agenda as presented. Councilor Board moved to approve the agenda. The motion passed unanimously (Vote: 5/0) APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA  Page 2 of 4 TOWN OF ST. JAMES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES November 5, 2025 Mayor Toner asked if there were any changes or corrections to the minutes from the October 1, 2025 Regular Meeting and the October 16, 2025 Work Session included in the consent agenda. There were none. Mayor Pro Tem DeLong moved to approve the consent agenda. The motion passed unanimously (Vote: 5/0) MAYOR/COUNCIL/STAFF REPORTS a. Official Population Estimate for the Town of St. James Effective July 1, 2024 -Town Manager Town Manager Jeff Repp reported that the state certified the population of St. James as 8,249 individuals as of July 1, 2024. Councilor Barclay commented that for purposes of the comprehensive plan he estimated the population by the end of the year would be about 8,500, noting that the state estimate was about a year and a half old and there has been small population growth since then. He added that now that the town is at build-out with only 200 lots available, the population will continue to grow but will likely not reach 9,000 people before 2030, remaining fairly stable for the next several years. b. Certificate of Sufficiency for Harbor & Canal PUD Petition of Annexation -Town Clerk Town Manager Jeff Repp reported that prior to the meeting, the town had received certification from the law firm of Maynard Nixon PC of Atlanta, Georgia, confirming that the individuals on the petition assigning to Ward and Smith are the appropriate individuals to sign the petition. Therefore, the petition was deemed to be valid by the town clerk. OLD BUSINESS – None NEW BUSINESS 25-25 Motion to Approve Resolution 2025-09 Establishing a Public Hearing for Annexation of Harbor Development Corp., Canal Associates, LLC, and D.R. Development Corporation Properties Town Manager Jeff Repp explained that this resolution would establish December 3, 2025, as the date for a public hearing on the annexation of the Harbor Development Corp., Canal Associates LLC, and D.R. Development Corporation Properties. Mr. Sam Franck from Ward and Smith, PA was present and offered to answer any questions. For the benefit of those in attendance who had not attended prior meetings, Mr. Repp explained the annexation process. • The town clerk must first certify that the petition is valid and that the property owners are the legitimate owners seeking annexation. He noted that the annexation petition had been certified as valid. • The town council must then establish a public hearing. • The annexation is one of three actions the council will be involved in, along with conditional zoning and a development agreement.  Page 3 of 4 TOWN OF ST. JAMES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES November 5, 2025 Mayor Toner noted that the resolution would not be read aloud as approximately 80% of it consisted of numbers describing the property boundaries. Mr. Repp mentioned that the town had created a page on its website with all information about the project available for public inspection. Councilor Board moved to approve Resolution 2025-09 establishing a public hearing for annexation of Harbor Development Corporation, Canal Associates LLC, and D.R. Development Corporation properties as set forth in the attached resolution. The motion passed unanimously. (Vote 5/0) PUBLIC COMMENT Mayor Toner invited those who had signed up for public comment to speak, reminding them of the three-minute time limit. Lance Flint (3882 Big Magnolia Way) expressed concerns about the annexation, specifically questioning what town services would be provided to the new development and how they would be paid for. He noted that in the plantation, residents pay privately for roads and storm drains, while the town provides essentially no services. He expressed concern about intention for the new development to join the POA, stating that nobody wants the amenities or the gates opened up. He urged the council to publicly state what services would be provided by the town and how they would be paid for. Phyllis Booth (3065 Somerdale Court) expressed concerns about both the land swap and incorporation. She mentioned that the development would already receive over $400,000 in fire tax fees based on the number of units, and these services would be covered while staying in Brunswick County. She expressed concern about the additional roads that would be built if annexed, including roads around the tower and past the community center. Ms. Booth suggested the developer should build a firehouse outside St. James Plantation given the high-density nature of the development. She emphasized the need for a firehouse outside St. James Fire District due to the shortage of firemen. Michelle Strizki (2674 Four Oak Road) requested that, given the high level of interest from residents, the council consider a larger meeting venue for the December 3rd hearing to ensure everyone who wants to attend in person can do so. David Roll (3641 Wingfoot Drive) stated that while it’s clear the council supports the development and annexation, there isn’t documentation explaining the rationale for that support or why it is beneficial to the town. He requested that before the public hearing the council provide information about why they have taken this position so residents can come to the hearing informed. Mayor Toner reminded everyone of the additional meetings coming up, including the public hearing on annexation on December 3rd at 4:00 PM and a planning board meeting scheduled for 10:00 AM on Wednesday, November 12th to consider their recommendation to town council on conditional zoning. She invited residents to attend these meetings and thanked them for their interest and attendance.  Page 4 of 4 TOWN OF ST. JAMES REGULAR MEETING MINUTES November 5, 2025 ADJOURNMENT At 4:22 pm Mayor Pro Tem DeLong made a motion to adjourn the meeting. All were in favor. (Vote: 5/0) Mayor Toner adjourned the meeting. Respectfully Submitted, Approved, _________________________ ______________________ Jamie Burns, Town Clerk Jean R. Toner, Mayor