N. Topsail Beach considers allowing beach equipment to stay overnight

MNORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY) — North Topsail Beach town leaders heard a proposal for a new ordinance tonight that could change rules about tents on the beach.

The proposal actually weakens the rules about leaving beach equipment on the beach overnight.

Umbrellas and tents line the sand in North Topsail Beach in the summer, but assistant town manager Carin Faulker said there are reasons why they cannot be left on the beach overnight right now.

“One is the turtles,” Faulkner said. “If something is left out overnight when they nest it could impede them. They’ll turn around and not lay their eggs. Another reason is it is an eye sore.”

After some recent requests, Faulkner said the town is reconsidering those rules.

“Some of the oceanfront, year-round properties, it’s a hardship for them if they are older or have health problems to haul the canopies up and down every day.” Faulkner said.

The town is now considering an ordinance similar to one in Emerald Isle that would allow oceanfront properties to leave two pieces of equipment on the beach. Faulkner said each oceanfront property would have to apply for stickers. She said condominiums would be different. She said the HOA of a condominium complex would be given two stickers, not every condo.

“I don’t think that would be fair,” Sneads Ferry resident John Geoghegan said. “There are a lot more people that use the beach than people with beach front properties.”

Sneads Ferry resident John Geoghegan is one of those people.

“If there were already chairs and tents and there not even being used, we couldn’t even use that space,” Geoghegan said.

He said there may be some exceptions, but not every oceanfront property.

“If they had a handicap sticker, special circumstances may warrant that, but the majority of the people here, I think can manage to get it out to the beach and off the beach at night,” Geoghegan said.

The board of alderman did not pass the new ordinance.