The Board of Commissioners for the Town of Ocean Isle Beach feel that it is necessary to provide for the maintenance and preservation of the island’s concrete canals and the fragile estuarine environment. The Town’s marine engineer and the Planning Board have considered the proposed modifications to the Town’s ordinances to address concrete canal maintenance and repair and that the issue has been subject to discussion and consideration by the Board at length. 

Effective November 8, 2005 the Board has established mandatory requirements for the repair of concrete canals bulkheads and the establishment of standards for the construction and maintenance of such concrete bulkheads along the concrete canals as follows:

(1) Any person performing construction, repair and/or maintenance  activities for bulkheads along the concrete canals shall obtain necessary    permits from the Building Inspections Department.

(2)  Construction, repair and/or maintenance activities shall be in accordance with the uniform design standards approved by the Board of Commissioners and available in the office of the Building Inspector, which is included within this section.  Said description entitled “Concrete Overlay Repair Rev. 2 9/28/05”.

(3)   Prior to the start of new construction on canal lots with concrete bulkheads, an inspection must be scheduled to ensure the bulkheads are not in disrepair.  If the bulkheads are in need of repair, repairs must be completed prior to setting the pilings for new construction. 

(4) The Building Inspections Department will conduct periodical checks to  ensure existing bulkheads are not in need of repair.  If the Building  Inspection Department determines a bulkhead is in need of repair, repairs must be handled by the property owner within ninety (90) days from the date of notice.  Failure to repair these bulkheads within the allotted time frame or in conjunction with design standards will result in civil penalties as outlined in Section 42-19 of this ordinance.