CAROLINA BEACH — Beaches in North Carolina have to open and accessible to the public but what happens when visitors and businesses start leaving structures and obstructions on the beach? In Carolina Beach, town staff is looking to help curb the problem, which has increased over the past few years.
Town Council will vote on an ordinance that if approved will update town code clarifying definitions, as well as the types of obstructions allowed on the beach. The public beach includes areas from the mean high water mark, to the toe of the sand dunes.
Before the town is able to enforce any code that is related to obstructions on the beach, it must define what a structure is.
According to the updated code, “Obstructions means anything located in public space or actions in the public space that inhibits accessibility.”
The updated code would also define a structure as anything constructed that is fixed to the ground or attached to something with a fixed location on the ground.
What about umbrellas?
Umbrellas and canopy’s can help make a trip to the beach more enjoyable by offering shade from the sun, and as long as visitors follow certain rules, beach equipment is permitted.
Visitors must remove any beach equipment from the beach on a daily basis, and any equipment left on the beach between sunset and sunrise will be considered abandoned property and disposed of by the town.
Beach equipment must also not impede or restrict free movement of the beach and may not be placed within 20-feet of the easternmost edge of the sand dunes.
The updated code would explicitly forbid and structures or obstructions placed on the public beach or commit any act that is an obstruction of the beach. Structures that are related to public safety, piers, sand fencing, and beach crossovers are still permitted.
Planning Director Ed Parvin said that if approved, the code would not prevent the use of cabanas, umbrellas, or tents on the beach.
Watercraft, Beaches and Coastal Parks , Article III by Michael James on Scribd
