The Southern Shores Town Council will likely not make a decision about its commitment to the proposed 2027 beach nourishment project at its meeting this Tuesday, if the agenda and written materials for the meeting are any indication.
Instead, the Council probably will approve a request by Town Manager Cliff Ogburn to authorize more funds for pre-permitting and other services now being conducted by its coastal engineering consultant, and thereby “maintain the Town’s option to participate in the project,” while delaying a vote on full authorization of design and environmental permitting services work.
The Town Council will meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Pitts Center.
See the agenda and meeting packet at:
Meeting Packet: https://mccmeetings.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/soshoresnc-pubu/MEET-Packet-dadbe266b35a478290143246b2cd54d8.pdf
In a somewhat confusing meeting agenda item summary, Mr. Ogburn suggests that “tasks” that consultant/manager Coastal Protection Engineering (CPE) must perform now in preparation for the 2027 project can be parsed out and funded so that the Town Council can keep Southern Shores’ hand in without making a decision to fully commit.
CPE is currently providing services to the Town under the “Pre-Permitting Coordination and Sediment Analysis” contract that the Town Council approved on June 4.
According to Mr. Ogburn’s agenda item, on July 10, the Town staff, not the Town Council, authorized an increase of $15,000 to the pre-permitting cost limit approved by the Council in order to “keep CPE staff working through Aug. 5 on services that would have otherwise fallen under tasks” outlined in the Design and Environmental Permitting Services contract, which the Council has not yet approved.
Delaying until September its approval of CPE’s “overall contract,” Mr. Ogburn writes, would allow the Town Council to “more fully examine” all beach survey data collected by CPE since the 2022-23 project—including data collected just this past June—and “to further deliberate” about its commitment.
As reported by The Beacon 7/13/25, Ken Willson of CPE will present the preliminary findings of the beach monitoring survey performed in June at Tuesday’s meeting. He will also discuss the contract for a potential 2027 beach nourishment project.
We will attempt to sort all of this out for you after Tuesday’s meeting.
E-BIKES
Also on the Town Council’s agenda Tuesday is another report by Police Chief David Kole about the operation of e-bikes, a subject that came up recently on the Next Door social media site in the context of potential hazards posed by e-bikes on sidewalks and other multi-use pathways.
Chief Kole gave the Town Council a thorough presentation about e-bikes and their possible regulation in Southern Shores at a Council meeting in November 2022. He was in favor of prohibiting “electric-assisted” bicycles from operating on sidewalks, but the Town Council did not agree.
For reports on the Chief’s and the Council’s discussions, see The Beacon on 10/28/22 and 11/2/22.
In its just-emailed Aug. 1, 2025 newsletter, the Town provides “key points” about North Carolina’s e-bike laws, including the requirements that riders be at least 16 years old and that e-bikes be treated like regular bicycles on the road and on sidewalks.
According to the Town newsletter, North Carolina defines an e-bike as a bicycle with a motor under 750 watts, a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour, and operable pedals.
In August 2023, the Town Council unanimously voted to approve a Town Zoning Code amendment that allows e-bike riders to drive on the beach. See The Beacon 8/3/23.
ALSO ON TUESDAY’S AGENDA are a presentation to honor Corporal Darrell T. Brickhouse for his 20 years of service in the Southern Shores Police Dept. and the introductions of two new employees, presumably in the fire and police departments. We will inquire of Town staff on Monday the full names of each new employee and the department that each will serve.
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FATAL SHOOTING AT THE AVALON PIER: As most of you undoubtedly know, a fatal shooting occurred last Thursday afternoon, July 31, at the popular Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills that involved two area teenagers, one of whom was a minor.
Killed in the tragic incident in the pier’s parking lot, which witnesses said was the result of a “feud,” was Zane Hughes, 19, of Colington.
Another minor, who was a bystander, was shot in the leg by a ricocheting bullet and flown to Norfolk Sentara General, where he was treated and released. The injured 15-year-old boy said he was vacationing in Kill Devil Hills with his family.
Henry Lee Hargis, 16, has been charged with first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury in Mr. Hughes’s death.
Originally identified as being a resident of Kill Devil Hills, The Outer Banks Voice reported today that Mr. Hargis lives in Southern Shores.
We base our facts on reports by The Voice and Island Free Press and are hesitant to say more. The Southern Shores Police Dept. was reportedly involved in taking Mr. Hargis into custody. Perhaps Chief Kole will speak at Tuesday’s meeting about this apprehension.
According to the local media, a GoFundMe account has been set up to assist Mr. Hughes’s family with the expenses for his funeral. See https://www.gofundme.com/f/nonprofit-fund-for-zane-hughes-funeral-arrangements.
The Fund goal of $15,000 has already been exceeded.
By Ann G. Sjoerdsma, The Southern Shores Beacon, 8/2/25
The Southern Shores Beacon 