The Wrightsville Beach Planning Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. on July 15, 2025, in the Town Hall Council Chambers, 321 Causeway Drive, Wrightsville Beach, NC, to consider the following:
• Discuss and review a proposed ordinance text amendment to PART III. Outdoor lighting 155.9.7-155.9.14 of the UDO, amending the Town’s lighting regulations.
Purpose
Staff is forwarding a draft text amendment that targets lighting on commercial and private docks and piers. The amendment’s central goal is public and navigational safety. Poorly shielded waterfront fixtures create disabling glare for boaters, reduce night-time visibility for pedestrians, and distract motorists and boaters. The proposed standards attempt to eliminate those hazards while preserving functional illumination.
Key Safety Provisions
- Shielded fixtures only. All lighting must be full cut-off or otherwise shielded so that there is no glare, no up-lighting, and no spill onto adjoining properties or public trust waters.
- Height limits. Fixtures on commercial docks are capped at 15 ft above the lowest platform; those on private docks may not exceed 10 ft above the landward tie-in. Lower fixtures reduce the angle of direct light entering a vessel operator’s line of sight.
- Ban on bare lamps and outline lighting. Rope lights, neon strips, and similar exposed lamps are prohibited because they can obscure navigation aids and confuse depth perception.
- Under-water lights prohibited. Decorative or fishing lights attached below the waterline attract marine life into traffic lanes and create bright points that degrade night vision. These measures align with the Town’s CAMA Land Use Plan goals for safe navigation, reduced light pollution, and protection of coastal ecology.
Summary of Request
- July 15 Planning Board meeting: Staff will present the amendment for discussion and feedback. No vote is requested.
- Mid‑July – Mid‑August: Staff will advertise the draft language, post it on the Town website, and solicit written comments from residents, waterfront businesses, and boating groups.
- August Planning Board meeting (date to be confirmed): After reviewing public input, the Board may choose to vote on a formal recommendation to the Board of Aldermen.
- Confirm that the safety rationale is clear and adequate.
- Provide any recommendations that improve enforceability or clarity.
- Endorse the public outreach schedule leading to a possible vote in August.
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Planning Board review the text amendment, consider public input, and provide a recommendation to the Board of Aldermen.