Paid parking coming to Oak Island; false alarm violations to be penalized

OAK ISLAND, NC (WECT) - Paid parking will be coming to Oak Island for the first time.

Oak Island town council voted 3-2 at its meeting Tuesday to choose NC Parking as the company to run its paid parking program. An ordinance to regulate police response to false alarms and implement fines for violations was also approved. Town leaders also discussed plans for the Oak Island pier complex at the meeting.

The town plans to have approximately 1,100 paid parking spaces up and running by April.

A workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, March 5 at 6 p.m. at town hall to work on the logistics and details, including how much parking will cost per hour, if the town will sell parking passes and if there will be costs to residents.

NC Parking guaranteed city council the town of Oak Island will receive at least $400,000 a year through the paid parking program.

A fee of $50 after the 4th alarm response and every additional alarm response within a calendar month will be implemented. The first three false alarm responses in a calendar month will be without penalty.

A false alarm is defined as “an alarm caused by malfunctioning of the alarm system, owner, employee or resident error, inappropriate alarm equipment installation, improperly monitored equipment or inappropriate use of alarm including, but not limited to, use of robbery alarm for shoplifting or other lesser offenses,” according to the town council agenda.

The purpose of the ordinance is to “encourage alarm users and alarm companies to maintain the operational reliability of alarm systems and to properly use alarm systems in order to reduce or eliminate false/accidental alarm dispatches of Police personal.”

Council voted 4-1 to have the town run the pier and the bait shop, and to move forward with the process of hiring someone to manage/run the businesses.

The town had been looking for someone to run the pier complex.

Town council members also voted unanimously to have Ruby’s by the Sea operate the restaurant and a retail space next door to the restaurant space.

The town did not get any bids to rent out the building beside the pier.

Council decided to open that process back up for bid. A decision is expected in March if they get bids.

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