[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6316359,"mediaKeyId","2377115-8dab3fc6870c39689fa0f4c0cb142148","parentId",2377115,"title","Town, county and state guidance unclear as Highlands commissioners weigh septic repair-area rules for subdivided lots","audioSeconds",693,"startMs",3120325,"endMs",3814075,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377115-8dab3fc6870c39689fa0f4c0cb142148&start=3120&end=3814","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377115-8dab3fc6870c39689fa0f4c0cb142148/thumbnail_3120325.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6316359/Highlands/Macon-County/North-Carolina/Town-county-and-state-guidance-unclear-as-Highlands-commissioners-weigh-septic-repair-area-rules-for-subdivided-lots","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316359-998b2c9f3a10be3c3601027dab1dd2fb/orig.mp4?Expires=1775495719&Signature=bQJwXHM13cdJ49NOAMdbaAuqQqY8z8uEiqFlocsxn5rxsgfiJ7ZPnUCdX1PIU1WWV6hf6amB7SsJ8TfGJ3JrT8K1X7tsqwMOcy7GrMENksWBL8iYK6ajXh4BqihRZ4cYbcE1NdmYZ8r~d0ai-WoyX1Ya16STzE6RP91qjoDn3Rsx-lsg6CrxGX2OsWrB1uo67GkQpqfYuQuj27Xkcz5qVCn8rLPBBjwJWkyRmFMO9bsDIxKvnNWcr9-7wmDp8E7Q40dDST3B74cTD~CdRI~nXoracC6av-Xy~PQWvcpKPIqiYIfgqyfclvjiyV6YQninoPttSq0Bodj0EvduG5ZkCQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Town of Highlands, NC","date","2025-02-21T12:05:57Z","article","Town staff and commissioners discussed whether subdivisions that split pre-1983 lots can require a septic repair area for the remaining lot that contains an existing house. Josh, a town staff member, summarized guidance from the North Carolina Division of Public Health and said the AG’s office had provided an interpretation.

Why it matters: Commissioners identified a regulatory gap that can leave an owner with an existing house and an undersized lot without an identified space for septic repairs. That can reduce property value or force emergency measures such as pump-and-haul.

What staff reported: Josh said he called Wilson Mize at the Division of Public Health, Environmental Health Section, who told staff that a lot created with an existing house and platted after 01/01/1983 would not be exempt from repair-area requirements. Josh told the board that Mize and the AG’s office said the exemption in the regulations applies only to tracts described in deeds or plats recorded before Jan. 1, 1983; however, if an exempt lot is subsequently divided the exemption is lost and the rules leave no direct mechanism to require creation of a repair area on the remaining lot.

Town staff noted the town’s subdivision ordinance already requires a letter of approval from the county health department \"indicating that each has adequate area land area and soil conditions to accommodate the proposed method of water supply and sewage disposal.\" Josh told commissioners that the county has in practice sometimes not insisted on a repair-area determination in similar cases and that practices vary by county.

Board action and next steps: Commissioners asked staff to coordinate with Macon and Jackson county health departments, clarify the application process necessary for a soil/repair-area determination and return with proposed ordinance language if the town wishes to require a formal repair-area review for subdivided lots. Commissioner discussion recognized this is a relatively infrequent issue but one with significant consequences for affected property owners.

Ending: Staff will report back after county consultation and legal review; no formal ordinance change was made at the workshop.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Town of Highlands Regular Board of Commissioners Workshop - February 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Town staff reported that state environmental-health guidance and the Attorney General’s interpretation leave a gray area when pre-1983 lots are subdivided and an existing house is left without an identified repair area; staff will coordinate with county health departments and return with recommended ordinance language.","taxTitle","Highlands, Macon County, North Carolina","taxId",54262,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316362,"Town staff outlines multi-stage plan to split Highlands electric grid into smaller circuits",551,2568230,3120085,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377115-8dab3fc6870c39689fa0f4c0cb142148&start=2568&end=3120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377115-8dab3fc6870c39689fa0f4c0cb142148/thumbnail_2568230.jpg","/articles/6316362/Highlands/Macon-County/North-Carolina/Town-staff-outlines-multi-stage-plan-to-split-Highlands-electric-grid-into-smaller-circuits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316362-3b6b2c27a97e645234edec793a161ffa/orig.mp4?Expires=1775495719&Signature=Zx8D5i2NLAXovzEtogWES6oAh~I1ZQw6bGchZxCc9~ukgFQ6aY4usc8jwHRmRqRxg3oigMy9x5zEXQnUB9jhcffgkZj0KhAx61~j9UcCXDLrE54un2MQQBjQhg1JlWM4T7luc4rDvcco4xiBUxgmYjSzmuabfIqsyToBRC409e2BITxOc2oaFZsQH-JwaVuGP5V5Y3ie2073YNl5nvQ5cyeaJHDK9Qpu~k7mpNF~7~~jL25-uBN~d9ZaVzbIfDwwiMoP1Qp0jajE00a-JZ3YytWL0TCDZoyU7k3XMKDCTj4WonU0JD79G~CfsQM7eJLX9DogyISEtoOx5ExnSrHjwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lamar, a staff member from the Town of Highlands electric department, briefed the board on Feb. 5 on a multi-stage electrical upgrade to reduce overloads and improve resilience after recent weather events.

Lamar said engineering analysis recommended dividing the town’s single-source distribution into smaller metered circuits. \"The correct answer to get us up to speed, we need to break it into fourths, the 4 meter points,\" Lamar said, describing the recommendation from Progressive Engineering and negotiations with Duke Energy.

Why it matters: Town staff said dividing the distribution will decrease load on vulnerable circuits, reduce outages and allow more targeted switching to restore power during storms. Commissioners asked whether the substation at Route 64 could support the plan and whether construction would disrupt customers.

What staff described: The plan is being implemented in phases. The first phase would create an additional metering point near Sherwood Forest on U.S. 64 (minimal construction on the town’s side, materials already on hand); that contract (labor and equipment) has been bid, and work could begin within weeks if the board approves to proceed. Duke Energy would keep the same substation capacity at the Mirror Lake Road/Route 64 site; distribution-side metering would be modified to split service into three and eventually four circuits. Lamar said the initial phase would, if approved, move the town from two meter points toward three, then four, reducing load where customers have seen blinking and service interruptions.

Board questions and technical limits: Commissioners asked whether the existing substation could carry the town’s needs and whether temporary outages would be required during work. Lamar said the existing substation has sufficient capacity for the proposed distribution split but noted some work requires shutting transmission or distribution lines temporarily. He said Duke had been cooperative with planning and that easements for parts of the work had been secured.

Next steps: Staff requested the board to approve the contractor award and bonding (the meeting packet included design and bids). If approved, town staff said installation of the first phase could finish in late spring or early summer. No formal vote on the project was recorded during the workshop; the board was briefed and questions were answered.","Town electric staff briefed commissioners on a planned split of the town electric system into additional meter points to reduce loading and improve resilience; work on the first phase is out for bid and materials are on hand pending board approval.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6316364,"Highlands-Cashiers Hospital describes emergency response, staffing programs and housing plans after Hurricane Helene",2186,378795,2565109,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377115-8dab3fc6870c39689fa0f4c0cb142148&start=378&end=2565","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377115-8dab3fc6870c39689fa0f4c0cb142148/thumbnail_378795.jpg","/articles/6316364/Highlands/Macon-County/North-Carolina/Highlands-Cashiers-Hospital-describes-emergency-response-staffing-programs-and-housing-plans-after-Hurricane-Helene","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6316364-26f206ae4a6dd806c0744a6be1f97aac/orig.mp4?Expires=1775495719&Signature=K01nwxh7boxulcqGYXVT2Tz82YpBh3XUsgkdmZ6Rg9TN42jGy5yX~p0PaI~oXYFX3r1AsIkLciJWxyERyqRQvJyuNC01V1FcQ7zi5yvtNL8cdiOudMDUKslSMw4bkWJ8RVEPwpGsGGTXC-suGmzQFaHWkE0jiQ3sLq3xfqznWb9hDs9dW-wdYKA-9rRlB3Kp731USoUaJ1Ww-v2~h95vWCP9j6RmeokwfkBBlv8nHhyRioppzEnYc13QgNlGAsSBoxSEZTswAfJXLxr-qoyPydescPaI6qq51IT8rtda2zv99pYn6bJdMHkmhWDLCrUf12n5jLh6-4Xyt1Sk1I3qNQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tom Veil, a representative of Highlands-Cashiers Hospital (part of HCA Healthcare), told the Town of Highlands Board of Commissioners on Feb. 5 that the hospital sheltered staff, kept its emergency department open and relied on staged HCA resources after Hurricane Helene.

Veil said the hospital sheltered about 60 staff members during the storm and kept them onsite for roughly five days while the facility managed road closures and widespread damage. \"Our mission at that point was to keep the patients inside of the hospital safe, to keep the emergency department open, and to make sure that all of our staff are safe,\" Veil said.

Why it matters: Veil framed the account as an example of local resilience and of how regional systems and corporate resources can affect rural hospitals during major weather events. Commissioners and staff pressed for follow-up on communications and redundancies after the storm.

Veil described key emergency-response supports HCA provided, including staged helicopters and fuel deliveries. He said HCA staged a heavy-lift helicopter to deliver food and supplies and noted the aircraft could carry 12 litter patients. HCA also parked a tanker on the hospital campus to top off generators and employee vehicles, and organized a \"mini-mart\" of free supplies for staff. Veil said HCA provided employee assistance through a company \"hope fund,\" and that HCA directed donations into Western North Carolina in the wake of the storm.

Veil identified specific operational and workforce actions the hospital is pursuing: expanding a \"grow-your-own\" certified nursing assistant (CNA) program (the hospital is starting its ninth class after about 80 graduates and said roughly 11% have progressed to nursing school), expanding primary care and surgical services, and recruiting clinicians through residency and partnership programs such as MAHEC and Galen College of Nursing. He said roughly 80% of CNA graduates remain employed in the hospital system or local facilities.

On workforce housing, Veil said the hospital and a nonprofit developer have discussed a planned housing project that would start at 60 units and could expand to 80 units, with land provided by the hospital and an eligibility restriction prioritizing health care workers. He said costs and final financing were still being worked out and that Helene had increased estimated construction costs.

Financial and capital details Veil provided: HCA has invested about $60 million in capital in Highlands-Cashiers since he arrived, including a roughly $5 million imaging/therapy project that will replace the MRI and CAT scanner and add a therapy gym; the hospital reported paying about $1.9 million in sales tax to Macon County last year and cited about $20 million in charity care delivered across Western North Carolina. Veil also said HCA made \"close to $100,000,000\" in donations to Western North Carolina agencies (as stated in his remarks).

Veil noted clinical achievements, including a decade without certain hospital-acquired infections for central lines and Foley catheters and recognition for emergency department performance (Press Ganey top 5%, he said). He highlighted a stroke case in which thrombolytics were given in 28 minutes and the patient later had no symptoms.

Board response and next steps: Commissioners thanked Veil and asked follow-up questions about communications and emergency redundancy after Helene, and about the hospital's workforce housing timeline. Veil said the hospital will likely reach out to the community in spring for possible support on housing and that it is pursuing partnerships to expand clinical training and residency rotations.

Ending: The board heard the hospital presentation as part of a workshop session on community resilience, workforce and capital planning and did not take formal action on the hospital’s proposals during the meeting.","Hospital leadership told the Town of Highlands board that Hurricane Helene forced sheltering of staff, exposed communication and fuel shortages, and accelerated planning for workforce housing, training and capital investments.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Town, county and state guidance unclear as Highlands commissioners weigh septic repair-area rules for subdivided lots

Town staff outlines multi-stage plan to split Highlands electric grid into smaller circuits

Highlands-Cashiers Hospital describes emergency response, staffing programs and housing plans after Hurricane Helene