Cape Connection

Welcome to the Inaugural Edition of "Cape Connection"

The Town of Cape Carteret is committed to providing timely, concise, and relevant information to the residents, property owners, businesses, and visitors to Cape Carteret, and "Cape Connection" is our newest effort to ensure that our community is well-informed about the Town's issues, services, projects, and initiatives. We hope that you will find this new monthly newsletter helpful, and we will continue to work to improve the Town's public communications in the future. 

To join our mailing list, please click HERE , scroll to the bottom, and enter your email information. Please also share this edition of "Cape Connection" with anyone else who is a resident, property owner, business, or visitor to Cape Carteret, or is just interested in keeping up with the Town of Cape Carteret. 

"Cape Connection" will be issued at least monthly, and more frequently if necessary to keep the Cape Carteret community informed about hurricane threats, special events, or emerging issues.

Thank you for your interest in the Town of Cape Carteret!

Town Transitioning to

New Facebook Page -

Please Like "Town of Cape Carteret, NC"

Technical issues with the Town's current Facebook page - "Town of Cape Carteret" - have compromised the Town's ability to efficiently post new information, and as a result the Town has created and is transitioning to a new page - "Town of Cape Carteret NC". Please note the "NC" on the end, and make sure you like the correct page! Or, simply click HERE  to access the new page.

The Town also maintains a presence on Instagram - "townofcapecarteret" - and on Twitter - @TownofCapeC - so please follow us on these platforms also! 

Chief McKinney Set to Retire

Police Chief Bill McKinney is set to retire on September 30 after serving the Town of Cape Carteret for the last decade, including the last 4 1/2 years as Police Chief. Chief McKinney has served the Town faithfully, and is credited with bringing stability to the Police Department following challenging times. His service and leadership is greatly appreciated and will be missed. 

The Town will recognize Chief McKinney's service at the September 12 Town meeting, beginning at 6 pm.  The Town wishes Chief McKinney the very best in the next chapter of his life!

Town Currently Recruiting for Next Police Chief

The Town of Cape Carteret is currently recruiting the next Police Chief, and applications are due by September 30. The full advertisement is available on the Town's website by clicking HERE.

Town Manager Frank Rush expects to name an Interim Chief later this month, and the Interim Chief will serve until the next Police Chief is selected later this fall. Interviews are expected to occur in October, and the new Police Chief is expected to be on board with the Town by Thanksgiving or soon thereafter.  

New Town Manager On Board

At a special meeting on August 3, the Board of Commissioners named me, Frank Rush, as the new Town Manager in Cape Carteret. I am excited to be serving the Town of Cape Carteret in this role, and I am thankful for the confidence and support of Mayor Baker and the Board of Commissioners. I look forward to working closely with them, the Town staff, and our partners to continually improve Cape Carteret!

I have worked in local government for nearly 29 years, including 25 years in North Carolina. I previously served as the Town Manager of neighboring Emerald Isle from 2001 to 2018 before moving to California. I returned to North Carolina earlier this summer, and began serving Cape Carteret in an interim capacity in late June.

It is a high priority for me to keep the community well-informed, and I will be working hard to ensure that Town government is accessible to our customers and communicates effectively. I will also be working hard to ensure that the Town provides helpful customer service and remains focused on the projects and services that make a difference in the quality of your lives - and ultimately create a prosperous community of people who enjoy their lives and develop meaningful relationships with their neighbors.   

Please don't hesitate to contact me at Town Hall at 252-393-8483 or via email at frush@capecarteret.org if I can be helpful - or just stop by Town Hall at 102 Dolphin Street. I am fortunate to already know many good people in Cape Carteret from my previous experience, and I look forward to meeting everyone else in Cape Carteret!

Yard Debris Collection Begins on September 26

Town staff will begin collection of residential yard debris on Monday, September 26, and will continue collection over the next several days until a full pass of the Town has been completed. 

Residents should place all debris at the curbside between September 16 and 26, and should be careful to avoid placement under utility lines and large trees. Limbs should generally be limited to 8 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter. 

Town Focused on Storm Water Improvements

The Town continues efforts to resolve chronic nuisance flooding concerns in various locations, and is poised to make significant progress on these issues over the next year and beyond. 

The Town has earmarked more than $877,000 of Federal and State funding specifically for neighborhood storm water improvements, and is currently awaiting the results of an initial assessment of 12 locations throughout the Town. This report is expected in the next month, and will help to determine the specific improvements necessary to resolve these concerns. Following the receipt of this report, the Town will engage a qualified engineering firm to complete design and permitting work for the initial locations, with a goal to begin construction of the first improvements in early 2023. It is anticipated that the Town will focus initially on problems in the Sutton Drive and Neptune Court areas, but will also be working diligently on solutions for the other 10 locations over the next year and beyond.

In addition to the improvements noted above, Town staff continue regular maintenance activities to ensure that catch basins, pipes, and ditches remain clear of obstructions. If you are aware of storm water features that may need maintenance or are not functioning correctly, please let us know - either by calling Town Hall at 252-393-8483 or by emailing publicworks@capecarteret.org or frush@capecarteret.org . 

Town Working to Develop New Zoning Regulations to Allow Alternative Housing Options

Town staff and the Planning Board are currently working to develop new zoning regulations to allow for the limited development of alternative housing options in Cape Carteret in the future. The need for alternative housing options was identified in the Town's recently updated Comprehensive Plan, and recent proposals for townhouse development have prompted the Town to carefully consider this issue to ensure that any future projects are compatible with existing residential development in the Town.  

Preliminary work has focused on identifying specific parcels in the Town where low-density townhomes and single-family patio homes may be suitable, with appropriate design standards to prevent impacts on any nearby properties. Discussion thus far has focused on identifying parcels outside of established single-family neighborhoods, strictly limiting density, promoting effective storm water management, requiring attractive landscaping, and promoting convenient living for older residents.

The Planning Board is scheduled to discuss this issue again at its meeting on September 27, and any recommendations would be considered by the Board of Commissioners in October or November. If the Board of Commissioners ultimately approves new zoning regulations, specific parcels would also need to go through a separate rezoning process before any alternative housing projects could be constructed. Appropriate public notices will be provided to adjacent property owners and the community at large if / when any parcels are considered in the future. 

Fall Festival - Saturday, November 5

The Cape Carteret Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, November 5 from 1 pm - 6 pm at Town Hall and the Community Park on Dolphin Street. 

The festival will feature musical entertainment (Hank Barbee and Justin Castellano), arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, a hayride, axe throwing, a BMX exhibition, and more! Come on out and enjoy the fun!

Bicycle Path Work Still Ongoing

Town staff are working to address construction deficiencies on the new bicycle path segment on Taylor Notion Road between Ardan Oaks and the Western Carteret Library, and hope to resolve these deficiencies and complete construction of the new 0.3 mile path segment in the next few weeks. Town staff have expressed concerns about both the structural and aesthetic quality of the new path segment, which does not comply with project plans and specifications, and does not meet the Town's quality expectations.    

Once this segment is complete, the Town's bicycle path will be complete from NC 58 at MacDaddy's to Starbucks, along NC 24 from NC 58 to Taylor Notion Road, and along Taylor Notion Road to Adran Oaks - a grand total of 2.3 miles of dedicated, 10 ft. wide path. The Town intends to construct the remaining segments along Taylor Notion Road to NC 58, and back to MacDaddy's, over the next year with earmarked State funding.  

Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Event - Saturday, September 24

Friends of Western Carteret Library Seeking Volunteers, Board Members

Do you love to read, and want to support your local library? 

The Friends of Western Carteret Library is a dynamic group looking to recruit new members to serve on its Executive Board, committees, and get involved in all of the Friends' activities. The Friends host fundraisers, run the Second Chances Bookstore, host their own book club, host local authors, and sponsor other activities and events. 

If you'd like to get involved, please contact Tina Siegel at 910-340-8700 or tsiegel@ec.rr.com . 

Did You Know?

The Town of Cape Carteret boasts more than 6 miles of waterfront shoreline along Bogue Sound, Deer Creek, and adjacent canals, and another 1.5 miles along Pettiford Creek and adjacent canals.