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Ocean Dunes committee says 2,000–2,500 feet of Kure Beach shoreline is at risk, seeks FEMA grant sponsorship and $115,000 local match
Summary
At the May 18 Kure Beach Town Council meeting, a presenter for the Ocean Dunes Beach Protection Committee outlined erosion risks affecting about 2,000–2,500 feet of shoreline, estimated $450,000 planning/design costs, and a FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) application that will require municipal sponsorship and a $115,000 local match if awarded.
William Hensley, speaking for the Ocean Dunes Beach Protection Committee, briefed the Kure Beach Town Council on May 18 about what he described as an at‑risk stretch of shoreline and a multi‑step grant strategy to address it.
Hensley told council the Ocean Dunes area faces roughly 2,000 to 2,500 feet of shoreline and buildings with little or no erosion protection; he said the community has recorded more than $5 million in property damage over the past decade. The committee engaged an engineering grant firm and estimates the conceptual planning and design phases at about $450,000.
The committee is pursuing FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program. Hensley said FEMA‑FMA awards must be sponsored by a municipality; the State of North Carolina is the formal applicant and TOKB is listed as a sub‑applicant bundled with other municipalities. He said Ocean Dunes and TOKB executed an MOU and that preliminary scoring for the application was strong.
Hensley described outreach to federal and state officials to bolster the application: letters of support and meetings with U.S. Representatives Rouzer and Ezell, contact with NC Representative Miller and NC Senator Lee, and consultations with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on conceptual design considerations. He said NCDPS had requested clarifications about the project’s scope and that updates to cost estimates were provided in spring 2026.
If a FEMA‑FMA award is made, Hensley said Ocean Dunes and TOKB must finalize internal working agreements and secure matching funds estimated at $115,000 before project work can proceed. No contract awards or funding commitments by the town were made at the meeting; Hensley presented the committee’s findings and the next procedural steps should the grant award arrive.
The committee asked for council awareness and future coordination if the state application is successful; Hensley closed by thanking the council for listening and outlining the administrative steps that would follow an award.
