Topsail Beach Planning Board recommends rejection for potential development on “The Point”

TOPSAIL BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The Topsail Beach Planning Board unanimously recommended to reject a rezoning request at “The Point.”

“The Point” in Topsail Beach, is a piece of land many locals never want to see developed.  With many local residents and people who frequent the south end area the island, in attendance for the meeting.

“To actually plan what looks very much like a resort type facility, you know right in the middle of that pristine area, will forever destroy that as being any kind of usable conservation land,” said Roy Costa, a member of a group called “Conserve the Point.” The group’s efforts aim to conserve the land as much as possible.

At Wednesday’s planning boarding meeting, the board unanimously voted to deny the rezoning request for a potential development.

According to Ryan Meyer, who’s been coming to the area for years, says he hopes the area will stay just like it is.

“My family’s been coming here for 25 plus years, came here with my grandparents, hope to someday come with my grandchildren. We’re really pleased that the town has decided that this is a part of the island that deserves to be preserved and conserved for years to come.” said Meyer, another member of “Conserve the Point.”

Laura Olson, wife of Todd Olson, who wants to purchase and build on about 30 acres of the land, came away from the meeting feeling like she learned some things.

“I feel pretty neutral, I think at the end of the day all of us pro or against, just want to conserve the point and what we propose, is the way that we think that we can with our means. I think this is, the planning board gave us good information about what that they saw was missing,” said Olson.

The final decision with come from the Topsail Beach Commissioners, in a vote that will likely take place sometime this summer.