This trip follows a similar visit made in August of 2009 when Town officials had the opportunity to address U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff to comment on the Service’s digital mapping project.  Back then it was requested that the Service use the historical records provided by the Town and recommend that Congress correct the boundary lines.  Approximately seventy percent of the Town’s land area is within the CBRA zone.  The Town’s records clearly show that when the CBRA designation was made that the Town had the required infrastructure in place to facilitate full residential development of the area and did not qualify to be designated CBRA.  After waiting almost two years for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make recommendations to Congress, and because the Service doesn’t have the resources to address the Town’s needs, the Town has taken the initiative to urge its representatives in Washington to correct the errors on the CBRA map through legislation.

The purpose of the Coastal Barrier Resources Act was to discourage new development of coastal barriers and encourage the conservation of coastal barriers by restricting Federal expenditures that encourage development, such as Federal flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. The Act was found to be effective by a 2006 Government Accounting Office study in all but a few areas, including North Topsail Beach.

Mayor Tuman stated, “the meetings last week were cordial and Town representatives had ample opportunity to explain the purpose for their visit and to show how well they were prepared in support of the Town’s request,” he added, “the next step is to follow-up with North Topsail Beach’s U.S. House and Senate representatives to move ahead with the preparation of the necessary legislation and its coordination.”

Click here for more information on CBRA and North Topsail Beach.