Public meeting held on Ocean Isle Beach paid parking program

OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — One of the last local holdouts against paid parking is set to fall.

Ocean Isle Beach held a public meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3 about the town’s proposed paid parking program.

Parking will be enforced from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. between April 1 and Oct. 31, 2025.

The meeting began with a change to the proposal brought on by concerns from other towns.

A recent interpretation of federal law by the US Army corps of engineers has recently forced Carolina, Kure, and Wrightsville beach to change their programs to keep getting federal funding for beach nourishment.

Due to that interpretation, residents and non-residents will have to pay the same rates. The proposed parking rates per vehicle are $5 per hour for up to three hours, $20 per day, $80 per week for seven consecutive days from the time of purchase, and $175 per calendar season.

One resident noted that Mayor Debbie Smith used to oppose paid parking.

“Times have changed,” Smith answered. “There’s so much growth in this county. These people who are moving in […] they’re going to put more demand for us to expand parking in the future, too. Is it fair that you pay for that as a taxpayer and they contribute nothing?”

You can read more about the program here.