08/13/2026
As I was scrolling through using a little bit of AI to figure out if Wrightsville Beach got there one mobi mat approved this is some of the feedback AI had for me. Reminded me of one of the proudest moments we’ve ever had. We are still waiting for other cities to get on board and it’s been almost 10 years now!!!! Tag your city and tell them there is no excuse.
The answer from Gemini:
Ocean Cure was the primary catalyst that forced North Carolina state coastal regulators to rethink, adapt, and grant legal pathways for oceanfront beach mats.
Before Ocean Cure’s push in Carolina Beach, North Carolina’s Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) framework had no clear provision—and strict prohibitions—against running extended hard-surface matting down dry sand toward the high-tide line. Ocean Cure directly drove the regulatory shift that changed how coastal accessibility is treated across the state.
1. Disrupting the Status Quo (2017)
In 2017, Ocean Cure laid down a seasonal, linked plastic access mat extending from the Carolina Beach boardwalk down toward the water line.
At the time, standard beach access was limited to static wooden crossovers or traditional beach wheelchairs. Ocean Cure was the first entity in North Carolina to push for true independent access—allowing individuals in standard manual or power wheelchairs to roll directly onto the strand without needing assistance or specialized balloon-tire transfers.
2. Forcing the Regulatory Conflict (2019–2020)
Because state rules under CAMA (specifically rules 15A NCAC 07H .0306 and .0308) defined any structure waterward of the dune toe as "development" subject to oceanfront setbacks, the Division of Coastal Management (DCM) flagged the ~3,000-square-foot setup. Proposed state rule amendments at the time sought to strictly cap mats to just 6 feet past the toe of the dune—rendering water-line access impossible.
Rather than removing the mats, Ocean Cure partnered with the Town of Carolina Beach to challenge the restriction, filing formal CAMA minor permit applications and positioning the mats as a essential public accessibility service operated in partnership with the municipality.
3. Securing the Landmark CRC Variance (February 2021)
After the initial permit was denied under rigid setback rules, the issue went before the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) in variance request CRC-VR-21-01.
The Result: The CRC voted unanimously to grant the variance, allowing the seasonal installation of nearly 3,000 square feet of mats in Carolina Beach.
The Precedent: This ruling marked the first time North Carolina officially recognized seasonal handicap access mats extending far past the dune toe as an allowable, low-impact use on ocean beaches.
4. Rewriting the Rulebook for NC Beaches
Ocean Cure's initiative did more than win a single local battle; it proved to state leaders that seasonal mats could coexist with dune protection and sea turtle nesting habitat. The case triggered the CRC and DCM to establish clear regulatory pathways and variance mechanisms for municipalities across coastal North Carolina to adopt similar seasonal matting programs.
