Posted on April 20, 2021
SURF CITY, N.C. (WWAY) — The Town Council of Surf City received the Town Manager’s recommended budget and also heard details on a beach nourishment project involving the US Army Corps of Engineers.
The Manager’s Recommended Budget was presented to Town Council during their work session Fri., Apr. 16th.
The proposed FY 21-22 Town of Surf City budget is balanced and totals $23,306,298 for all operations. The budget is spread over the following funds: General Fund $13,747,990; Accommodation Tax Fund $1,298,122; Water & Sewer Fund $5,848,969: Beach Renourishment Fund $2,411,217.
The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and representatives of North Topsail Beach met with Surf City town staff to gain a status update on a federal storm mitigation project.
USACE has had some shifts in the developed and un-developed properties. The net changes total three properties.
The Parking and Access standard submitted to USACE will be included in the Project Partnership Agreement.
USACE has been working with US Fish & Wildlife to widen the environmental windows. Widening the environmental windows would allow contractors to dredge/place sand for a longer period of time, it will also cut down on timing and cost.
Currently, regulations do not allow for dredging/sand placement from the middle of April to the middle of November of each calendar year.
Surf City will potentially be dealing with an 18-month dredge timeframe with a 24-month contract. Surf City’s contract will overlap with a North Topsail Beach’s contract for an estimated one-year timeframe or total project timeframe of 36-months.
Contract one will be for the Surf City portion of the project, which will begin at the Surf City Topsail Beach town line and run north estimating 6 million cubic yards of material.
The USACE expects to go out for bids in August with an expected bid opening date of September 17th. This would allow for a contract award in October 2021 with an expected start time of December 2021.
The federal project is estimated to add an additional 12 million cubic yards of sand to the beach, build a new dune that is projected to be 25’ wide and 14’ high and widen the beach with a 6’ high and 300’ wide berm.
Oceanfront citizens should have already turned in the perpetual easements. Those residents who have not received oceanfront easement should contact clerk@surfcitync.gov or (910)-328-4131 x106.
The town stresses that this is not the same easement that was previously signed in 2019. This is a new easement required by USACE for the new beach nourishment project.
Aerial plat maps for each oceanfront parcel have been loaded online. Oceanfront owners can view their property by using the link to open the Key to find the corresponding map to property.
