Kure Beach stormwater committee names chair, sets AI-assisted review of SWMP

Kure Beach, N.C. — The Kure Beach Stormwater Oversight Committee appointed Bob Cooil to serve as its chair and set a review process for the town's final Stormwater Management Plan during a meeting on Jan. 19.

Commissioner David Heglar, who called the meeting to order, said the committee has until July to complete its review and that the first step will be an AI screening. "The first step is to perform an initial artificial intelligence (AI) assessment to identify omissions, as well as potential eliminations, or edits," Heglar said, adding that he will ask town staff to initiate that analysis.

The review will run in parallel with manual checks by committee members. Heglar also said the committee will compare the final SWMP to the town's existing Universal Storm Water Ordinance, adopted Sept. 1, 2007, and that he would investigate any updated recommendations from the DEQ that might affect ordinance changes.

Bob Cooil, listed on the attendance roster as Assistant Vice Chair (Kure Beach Village/Keys), volunteered to assume the chairperson role; Paul Markson seconded the volunteer motion and it was approved unanimously by those present. The committee then approved the Jan. 5 meeting minutes on a motion from Cooil, seconded by Michael Davenport, and later approved a motion to adjourn, also moved by Cooil and seconded by Davenport.

The committee tentatively scheduled its next meeting for Feb. 17, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Ahead of that meeting, Heglar said town staff will begin the AI assessment and committee members will flag inconsistencies between the SWMP and the 2007 ordinance for later discussion.