TOPSAIL BEACH, N.C. — The south end of Topsail Beach is home to more than 149 acres of undeveloped beach and is one of the last privately owned and undeveloped areas on any of North Carolina’s barrier islands.
However, the property is currently unprotected, meaning the beach could see residential development in the future.
Topsail Beach is known by locals as "south end” or “point.” It’s a site of natural beauty filled with lush dunes, maritime shrubs, wetlands and a variety of coastal wildlife.
Janice Allen, the senior land advisor for the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust, said what really sets it apart is that, unlike other barrier island beaches, this beach is in its natural state.
However, the point isn’t protected, and Allen said the idea of residential development is a very real possibility.
In fact, a man from Raleigh was recently going to build “a family compound,” which would have included seven houses, a pool, pool house and private marina.
Last July, the local planning board denied the request to re-zone the land and after months of opposition from residents, he ultimately pulled out. Now, the Coastal Land Trust is stepping in.
“The good news,” Allen said, “Is that the Coastal Land Trust has recently signed a contract with the owners to purchase the site and to forever conserve it.”
The Coastal Land Trust has just under a year to raise $8 million needed to purchase the land, and while the nonprofit is counting on grants, it's also hoping for donations from people who know how special the area is.
“I think it’s personal to a lot of people,” Allen said. “It’s personal. This is in their backyard. They’ve visited. They have a home that they come to here in the summer, and they want to see this property conserved.”
Within the first couple weeks, the Coastal Land Trust raised more than half of a million dollars, bringing it that much closer to protecting the point forever.
“It means a lot,” Allen said. “I am a biologist by training, so to be able to conserve land forever. It’s permanently conserved, not too many people can say that they work to do that. They have a lasting legacy.”
The Coastal Land Trust has until March to raise the remainder of the $8 million.
Once it purchases the property, the plan is to transfer the property to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Coastal Management so that together they can balance conservation and public access.
If you would like to learn more about the project you can click here.