§ 113A-134.1. Legislative findings.
Part 6. Public Beach and Coastal Waterfront AccessProgram.
§ 113A‑134.1. Legislative findings.
(a) The General Assembly finds that there are many privatelyowned lots or tracts of land in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and thecoastal waters in North Carolina that have been and will be adversely affectedby hazards such as erosion, flooding, and storm damage. The sand dunes on manyof these lots provide valuable protective functions for public and privateproperty and serve as an integral part of the beach sand supply system.Placement of permanent substantial structures on these lots will lead toincreased risks of loss of life and property, increased public costs, andpotential eventual encroachment of structures onto the beach.
(b) The public has traditionally fully enjoyed the State'sbeaches and coastal waters and public access to and use of the beaches andcoastal waters. The beaches provide a recreational resource of great importanceto North Carolina and its citizens and this makes a significant contribution tothe economic well‑being of the State. The General Assembly finds that thebeaches and coastal waters are resources of statewide significance and havebeen customarily freely used and enjoyed by people throughout the State. Publicaccess to beaches and coastal waters in North Carolina is, however, becomingseverely limited in some areas. Also, the lack of public parking isincreasingly making the use of existing public access difficult or impracticalin some areas. The public interest would best be served by providing increasedaccess to beaches and coastal waters and by making available additional publicparking facilities. There is therefore, a pressing need in North Carolina toestablish a comprehensive program for the identification, acquisition,improvement, and maintenance of public accessways to the beaches and coastalwaters. (1981, c. 925, s.1; 1983, c. 751, s. 13; 1989, c. 344; s. 2; 1995, c. 183, s. 2.)