FORMATION

The reduction in federal funding for the Topsail Island Shoreline Protection (Beach Nourishment) projects in Fiscal Year 2004 resulted in the towns of Topsail Beach, Surf City and North Topsail Beach entering into a contract with Marlowe and Company, a Washington-based lobbyist, for the purpose of securing additional Federal funds. Working together, the Topsail Island municipalities developed the concept for a Topsail Island Shoreline Protection Commission, whose mission would be to develop plans and programs to restore and maintain wide, sandy beaches and dunes through beach nourishment for all of Topsail Island’s oceanfront.

PURPOSE

The Commission’s purpose is to secure funding for the placement of sand on the islands beaches at the federal, state and local levels for storm protection, and to mitigate further erosion of existing dune structures by enhancing its build-up to the maximum extent possible. The Commission acts as the liaison between federal, state and local regulatory authorities involved in beach nourishment activities.

GOALS

The goals of the Commission are: to deal with the adverse affects of beach erosion; promote the restoration, maintenance and enjoyment of Topsail Island beaches for the general public and property owners; improve the quality of recreational public beaches for families to enjoy; and restore and maintain habitat essential to the survival of sea turtles, shorebirds and native dune plants. These goals are accomplished by each of the town’s beach committees and members of the Commission working directly with the Wilmington District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for project coordination and execution.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Commission is responsible for:

1. Assisting each town in developing a financial plan for implementing and executing approved Army Corps of Engineer and locally sponsored shoreline protection projects;

2. Seeking innovative methods and procedures to streamline the beach nourishment process and

3. Promoting policies that require the Army Corps of Engineers navigation projects for the dredging of sand from the Atlantic Intra-Coastal Waterway and New River and New Topsail Inlets for placement on Topsail Island beaches.

Current TISPC Charter

Each town is allowed 3 representatives and each County (Pender and Onslow) gets one representative, which brings the total membership of TISPC to 11 members.

The Town of North Topsail Beach has chosen Alderman Deborah Lanci as its elected official representative, Alderman Robert Swantek as an at-large representative and Alderman Dick Macartney is the Town's Beach Nourishment Committee chairman and serves as the Town's representative as such.  Alderman Lanci was selected as the Vice Chair of TISPC.

Main Website for TISPC