Topsail votes for public marina

TOPSAIL ISLAND - Topsail Beach commissioners voted to discontinue boat ramp fees and offer the public free water access at its marina.

"The board of commissioners decided the town would operate the marina and was not going to charge any ramp fees," Town Clerk Stephanie Rivenbark said.

After a long legal battle with the previous owner, the board purchased the marina in 2006. Since then, the town has been running the marina and offered daily, weekly and yearly rates for use of the boat ramp.

The town has also decided not to lease the marina's building.

In March 2007, after the town sought proposals for the lease of the building, the commissioners voted 3-2 against a proposal made by Lance and Sharon Jordan for a five-year lease to operate a small restaurant, store and catering business and collect boat ramp and slip fees.

In January, the board once again solicited proposals from interested parties to run the marina. It received two proposals, one for a personal watercraft rental business and another for a convenience store. Commissioners rejected both proposals.

Rivenbark said the board voted to eliminate the fees at the town's marina after it decided not to partner with a private business to lease the building and run its public boat ramp.

"Part of the building was used by the town for storage," Rivenbark said. "All of it will be used for storage now."

Town Manager Steve Foster will put together a management plan for the marina.

Rivenbark said the town will not put restrictions on the usage of the ramp.

"Anyone can use the ramp for free, no matter where they live," she said.

Rivenbark said the town will continue to lease the nine boat slips available at the marina.

"There is a very limited amount of time left, most (of the slips) are booked for the summer," she said.

Contact Topsail area reporter Suzanne Ulbrich at sulbrich@freedomenc.com or 910-219-8466.