Possible topless sunbathing ordinance to be discussed at Topsail Beach Board of Commissioners meeting

TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY)– The Town of Topsail Beach is planning to discuss a possible ordinance on topless sunbathing at its board of commissioners meeting on Wednesday. Currently, the town does not have an ordinance in place prohibiting it.

WWAY spoke with Commissioner Tim Zizack, who says while the town has not had an issue with topless sunbathing on the beach, he has seen it become an issue in other places. The discussion is a step to be proactive.

Topsail Beach Commissioner Tim Zizack approached the town attorney to see if a topless sunbathing ordinance was an option to be prohibited, and if they could draw up information about possibly creating one for the town. The information found will be discussed at the Board of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday.

“This is just a discussion, we don’t have a draft ordinance to vote on tomorrow, it’s just to get input from the community, my fellow commissioners, the mayor and the staff to see if we need to do anything to make our town better,” said Tim Zizack, Topsail Beach Commissioner.

The town attorney, Stephen Coggins, is expected to provide examples of other local towns with topless sunbathing ordinances already in place, Like Surf City, Wrightsville Beach., and Oak Island.

The neighboring town on the island, Surf City, has an ordinance that lists the “exposure of female breasts are prohibited in public places, or in such a manner that there may be seen from any street or highway, any place of entertainment, including any restaurant, club, or any other public place of any kind by a member or members of the opposite sex.”

“Just having something on the books, –having an ordinance versus not having one and looking at other beach communities and seeing that some do and some don’t. I mean we have a community to our North that has one and we do not, and I am curious to see why they do or why we don’t, and go from there. You know, we’re a family-friendly community, and I think everyone in community, the citizens here would like to keep it that way,” said Zizack.

Zizack said although topless sunbathing has not been an issue yet, he believes an ordinance would maintain Topsail Beach as a family-friendly environment.

“No issues at all, at all, with anything pertaining to that. It’d be more to have something in case someone is looking to visit, we have an ordinance that does not allow that,” said Zizack.

The discussion of a possible topless sunbathing ordinance will be held during the Board of Commissioners meeting at Topsail Beach Town Hall on Wednesday at 6pm.