A House bill sponsored by Rep. Ted Davis Jr., R-New Hanover, could offset costs assumed by the local community to fund quarterly dredging at Carolina Beach Inlet.
After passing legislation in the 2013 session that allocated state funds for shallow-draft inlet dredging, Davis said he realized beach communities struggled to gather the dollar-for-dollar local match needed to receive it. Discussions with New Hanover County officials suggested an untapped resource that could be used for the local match: more than $1 million of District U room occupancy tax.
The District U taxes were collected in unincorporated areas of the county and earmarked for beach renourishment in those areas. Since no beaches in those areas need renourishment, the fund has not been used since its 2006 creation. Davis’ bill will expand acceptable uses of the fund to include dredging for shallow-draft inlets in the unincorporated areas of the county.
“The funds are just sitting there. My thought was, why can’t we change the legislation so that those funds can be used for beach renourishment or be applied to the dollar-for-dollar match for shallow inlet dredging,” Davis said during a June 4 phone interview.
Carolina Beach is the only shallow-draft inlet currently eligible to make use of Davis’ provision. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredges the inlet four times per year.
The most recent dredging, lasting April to June, cost $206,900. The county picked up 75 percent of the $103,450 local match for the project. Carolina Beach shouldered 13 percent, while Kure Beach and Wrightsville Beach each picked up 2 percent of the tab. The City of Wilmington covered 6 percent.
Both Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington officials warned they would not offer financial support for future Carolina Beach Inlet dredging projects.
“Funding is always a challenge and the ROT language was in our minds a bit restrictive of the use of the District U funds. This will allow us to hopefully take some of the pressure off the local municipalities,” said county shore protection coordinator Layton Bedsole during a June 4 phone interview.
If the inlet is not maintained at a navigable depth of 8 feet, boats could be grounded.
Following a May 23 closed meeting called by the county manager’s office to discuss Davis’ plan, Carolina Beach Mayor Dan Wilcox said he was grateful for the effort to find funding sources.
“Everybody realizes where we are now. They realize federal funds aren’t going to be available. They realize we’re on our own and it’s time we all got together to work toward the common goal. … I’m pleased that people are coming up with ideas,” Wilcox said on May 28.
Wilcox said Carolina Beach town officials are considering ways to set aside additional money for the local match.
The House bill also increases penalties for Venus flytrap poaching, making the act a felony in New Hanover, Pender, Brunswick and Onslow counties.
The bill received a favorable report during its first committee presentation. Davis said it will soon move to the House floor.
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