North Carolina’s coastal map could look a lot different after next week.
The state’s Coastal Resources Commission meets next Wednesday and Thursday in Ocean Isle Beach to finalize long-awaited updates to Inlet Hazard Areas. These are the zones near volatile inlets where the ocean can shift, erode, or flood without warning.
Current rules haven’t been updated since 1979, and state officials say the maps are decades overdue. Under the new proposal, boundaries would be redrawn at eleven major inlets.
Crucially, the Commission is considering "grandfathering" rules. This would allow current homeowners to rebuild if their property is damaged, but it would strictly limit the size and location of new construction to keep people out of harm's way.
The CRC will also weigh new rules for septic systems in hazard zones and visit the terminal groin at Ocean Isle.
A public comment session starts at 9:30 a.m. next Thursday at the Ocean Isle Beach Town Hall. The meeting will also stream live on the N.C.D.E.Q. YouTube channel.
For web:
Map provided by the Division of Coastal Management of the 10 inlet hazard areas that are in the proposed 2025 inlet hazard area update.
