Posted on April 16, 2020
North Topsail Beach recently completed its $5.4 Million Hurricane Matthew dune restoration project, a task that Mayor Joanna McDermon said was done in time.
The project was wrapped up April 1. It was funded through FEMA for damages from Hurricane Matthew in 2017 while another $1.6 million was used from the state for repair dunes from te Surf City line to the 4300 block of Island Drive.
The project contract was with S.T. Wooten and it began on Dec. 2, 2019. Overall, 5.2 miles of dunes were restored while 242,912 cubic yards of sand was hauled in during the repairs.
McDermon added that the project helped repair damage from Hurricane Florence in 2018, but that additional planning is in the works to further that task.
“The Florence project is still in its planning stages,” she said. “We want to bring in sands that everybody lost.”
North Topsail Beach announced that the size of the project requires many dune crossovers to be partially buried. If property owners feel that modifications to their crossover re-required to maintain accessibility, they can attach a ship’s ladder to an existing piling or post at the top of the dune while not needing a CAMA (Coastal Area Management Act) permit.
They can also extend the crossover, which does require a CAMA permit from the N.C. Environmental Quality Department.
McDermon said that work on the town parks started last week and that town officials hope one half will be done by Memorial Day with the other half to be completed by July 4.
Town Hall still needs work, too, she added.
“Town Hall still needs plans before we start putting it back together,” McDermon said.
Regarding the COVID-19 crisis, McDermon said North Topsail Beach citizens “are holding up pretty well,” while practicing social distancing.
“We have no public parking,” she said. “The beach access remains open, but we have no public parking to help us comply with the governor’s orders.”
Chris Miller can be contacted via email at chris.miller@jdnews.com or by calling 910-219-8472. Follow him on twitter @jdnsports.
Source: jdnews
