By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – It's back to the drawing board for the town of North Topsail Beach to figure out to pay for beach renourishment.
A $34 million bond referendum to replenish the beach was voted down Tuesday night, leaving town leaders searching for another solution.
Beach erosion is a problem for the northern end of Topsail Island as well as Figure Eight Island, the north end of Ocean Isle Beach and Holden Beach.
Cape Fear Coast Keeper Mike Giles calls renourishment a temporary measure leaving nothing but tough choices for the long-term. And says right now homes along the coast are getting ready to fall into the water.
It doesn't look good for our beaches. Without some renourishment we're going to lose some of our beaches and there by some people are going to lose their live savings, their life investment and their homes.
Coastal damage from Hurricane Ophelia last year forced North Topsail Beach to condemn eight homes along the coast.
North Topsail Beach currently has an occupancy tax providing roughly a half-a-million dollars a year for renourishment.