KURE BEACH — Byron Ashbridge, retired business executive, is eyeing one of two seats open on Kure Beach Town Council.
It’s Ashbridge’s first time seeking public office, though he has already served on the planning and zoning commission for the town for four-and-a-half years and in the role of chairman for more than three..
“Given my Planning and Zoning Commission experience, and the fact that two of our current councilman decided not to run again, this was the perfect time for me to step up and take on this increased responsibility,” he said “And based on that experience, I feel I can hit the ground running in order to be a very effective member of town council.”
The Kure Beach council race is a nonpartisan race, though Ashbridge is unaffiliated with a party. He is up against Mark Dirks (R) and Tracy Mitchell (R).
Port City Daily asked all candidates a slate of questions about topics that are tracking high with voters and residents of Wilmington currently. Ashbridge’s answers have been edited below for clarity.
- A few things to consider this election season: A valid ID is required to cast ballot in North Carolina
- Election Day is Nov. 4, 2025, with voters required to go to their assigned precinct locations
- Early voting opens Oct. 16 and closes Nov. 1, and voters can cast a ballot at any of these four sites: Northeast Library (1241 Military Cutoff Road), Carolina Beach Town Hall’s Police Training Room (1121 N. Lake Park Blvd.), Cape Fear Community College’s McLeod Building, (411 N. Front St.), and New Hanover County Senior Resource Center’s Multipurpose Room, (2222 S. College Road). See all hours of operation here where you can also track the wait times at each early voting location.
Anyone who wants to register to vote can do so here through Oct. 10 or register and vote in one stop during early voting
The paywall has been dropped on candidate profiles to help voters make informed decisions ahead of the election. Candidate opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily.
Port City Daily: What makes you qualified for a seat and sets you apart from other candidates?
Byron Ashbridge: In addition to working on the Planning and Zoning Commission, I already have worked with the mayor, town commissioners, and very talented town staff on many of the things that make Kure Beach so special. So it allows me come into this role with all the experience necessary to be very effective.
Additionally, my 40-year business career as both a corporate executive and Business Owner has given me a unique skillset that I believe lends itself well to the responsibilities of a commissioner.
PCD: If you had to rate the status of the town’s infrastructure — streets, stormwater and water systems, sidewalks and bike paths — how would you do so? What projects do you think the town should prioritize?
BA: I am passionate about improving walkability and rideability for our pedestrians and cyclists and implementing initiatives (crosswalks, sidewalks, and the Greenway extension as examples) will be a big priority for me. Last year’s September storm certainly brought heightened understanding of our challenges with our storm water infrastructure and although work is already underway to improve our ocean outflows, more needs to be done to mitigate this issue. These, along with doing everything possible to retain our small beach town charm, are my top 3 areas I want to focus on.
PCD: Residents commonly say they want KB to retain its small town charm. What is your approach to that in growing regions? What specific initiatives would you support or vote against to accomplish this?
BA: Again, my Planning and Zoning experience has given me a first-hand understanding of how effective oversight and decision-making regarding our zoning regulations stay aligned with our Land Use Plan and vision for our town’s future. We are unique in that we have a 35 foot maximum height limitation on all residential and commercial structures that, in itself, does much to control over-development and I will stay steadfast in denying any attempt to raise that height limit.
PCD: Beach renourishment is already on the plate for sustainability of Kure Beach, but how else should the town address environmental mitigation against erosion, susceptibility to storms, rising sea levels, etc.?
BA: As many of our coastal town partners face these same issues, we need to stay diligent in our support and involvement with county and state agencies who assist in these matters. I am hopeful once elected, to be the town council point person going forward with these agencies and to personally bring greater awareness and recommended initiatives back to our town in order to address these issues.
PCD: What is one other issue not discussed above that you have a plan to address if elected and how would you do so?
BA: Although this does fall within the desire to maintain our small beach town charm, the balancing act around the value of tourism and the quality of life for our citizens is something that we need to continue to assess and reassess continuously. Tourists like Kure Beach for the same reasons our citizens love our town and the financial value of tourism can’t be overlooked. But, foremost, we need to make sure Kure Beach retains what makes it so special today and that our citizens achieve the quality of life they have come to expect. This will be a guiding principal for me as a Commissioner.
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