Ahead of the next legislative session in Raleigh, Carolina Beach’s leadership may desire meeting with area delegates to focus on issues like beach nourishment funding, inlet dredging and a possible smoking ban on the sand.
“Given that we had a recent election and considering some of the issues that we have been dealing with, a legislative breakfast or meeting may assist us in advancing some of these items,” stated a memo Carolina Beach Town Manager Tim Owens prepared for the town’s council, which is expected to discuss the topic at its next regular meeting, scheduled for Tuesday.
Beach nourishment and funding sources for it remain steady topics the town, which plans to set aside $400,000 for sand-project savings in its fiscal 2013-14 budget. But short of a dependably adequate revenue generator for recurring beach nourishments, which can cost several million dollars each, the town wants the help of its state representatives to identify possibilities.
Among the recently elected are former New Hanover County commissioners Ted Davis and Rick Catlin, who won terms in N.C. House districts 19 and 20, respectively. Both have experience and interest with coastal issues. Davis, for one, has placed beach nourishment as a top focus for the legislature’s upcoming session, which will begin Jan. 9.
During a September discussion with Town Council, board members said they didn’t want to raise renourishment money entirely through burdensome property taxation or assessments. Mayor Pro Tem Steve Shuttleworth wondered aloud about a possible increase to the local sales tax or perhaps a special accommodations tax that would dedicate revenue to beach projects.
Upcoming renourishments at Carolina and Kure beaches are set to cost $14 million together. While federal funds have come through for such projects in the past, this time around that help was limited, leaving the state (also limited) and local sources to cover the bill. The county’s government committed $9.6 million to the renourishment from its occupancy tax fund.
Funding for inlet dredging and possible legislative power for a beach-strand smoking ban are also noted possible topics for the town’s desired meeting with legislators.
Since August, Carolina Beach has had an ordinance on the books banning smoking on the beach strand, but the town’s leaders see it as ineffective without a blessing from the N.C. General Assembly. Town Council members have inquired about statutory support.
Wrightsville Beach recently became the first North Carolina town to ban smoking on a beach strand, ratified by a referendum that passed with more than 65 percent “yes” votes.
Like at Wrightsville, the ban Carolina Beach’s leaders seek would not be town-wide. “All we’re talking about is the beach strand, let’s get that clear,” said Carolina Beach Mayor Pro Tem Steve Shuttleworth during a September discussion on the topic.
State law gives local governments the authority to regulate smoking in public places and on local government grounds, but that doesn’t cover the beach strand, staffers explained during a discussion with the council August 14, the night the local ban passed. The town said it would need statutory authority before it could enforce the ordinance.
Carolina Beach Town Council will meet Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., at the Municipal Administration Building located 1121 N. Lake Park Blvd. The agenda is viewable here.
Contact Ben Brown at [email protected] or (910) 772-6335. On Twitter: @benbrownmedia
