(a) No motor-driven vehicles shall be allowed on the sand dunes of North Topsail Beach other than town, county, state or federally authorized vehicles. The only exception is the “Permissible Driving Area.”
(b) Permitted vehicles shall operate only during the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. October 1 - March 31 and the hours between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. April 1 - September 30.
(c) Four-wheel drive vehicles only shall be allowed in the area designated as “Permissible Driving Area.” Vehicles entering this designated area shall be obligated to obtain an access pass. A valid hurricane re-entry pass shall be used by current property owners to enter. To obtain passes non- residents shall pay the daily, weekly, annual, or “early bird” fees as designated by the Board of Aldermen in the town’s fee schedule. Vehicles entering this area without an access pass shall be fined as designated by the Board of Aldermen in the town's fee schedule.
(d) No motor-driven vehicle shall be allowed on the beach strand unless the vehicle is a factory manufactured four-wheel drive vehicle (exception: farm tractors used by commercial fishermen and dune buggies). Certain specialized vehicles (see §
10-36
) may be driven on the beach strand by disabled persons. The Police Chief shall decide if a person is disabled according to the definition in §
10-36.
(e) The speed of any motor-driven vehicle operating on the beach strand at North Topsail Beach shall not exceed ten mph.
(f) No motor-driven vehicle shall at any time cross to the beach strand unless crossing is at accessways designated by the Board of Aldermen as vehicular crossings, public or private.
(g) Pedestrians, swimmers and sunbathers shall have the right-of-way over all vehicles being operated on the beach strand.
(h) It shall be illegal to ride or walk horses on the beach strand and sand dune area of North Topsail Beach (unless on a public or private road, developed lot or parking lot).
(i) No joyriding shall be allowed on the beach strand, sand dune area, and on any public trust area, including the “Permissible Driving Area” of North Topsail Beach at any time. Violation of this section shall be treated as a civil penalty under the law and enforceable by the Police Department.
(Ord. passed 10-3-1990; Ord. passed 9-18-1991; Ord. passed 10-1-1992; Ord. passed 1-10-2000; Ord. 2014-8, passed 7-9-2014; Ord. 2017-5, passed 5-3-2017; Ord. 2017-6, passed 7-5-2017; Ord. 2017-10, passed 9-6-2017) Penalty, see §
10-39