AN ACT to provide the town of pine knoll shores with the authority to place aids to navigation and establish no‑wake Zones.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  The Town of Pine Knoll Shores (Town) is empowered to make, adopt, and enforce ordinances for the navigable waters of canals and Bogue Sound within the corporate limit and extraterritorial jurisdiction of the Town concerning the following:

(1)        Placement and maintenance of channel aids and markers, anchoring aids and markers, and navigational aids and markers in conformity with the United States Aids to Navigation System and the rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission as adopted for use on the waters of North Carolina pursuant to G.S. 75A‑15(c). Before placing such buoys, beacons, or day marks, the Town Board of Commissioners, by ordinance or resolution, shall identify the location of the same by use of Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates and notify both the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in writing of the intent to place the devices. Such notice shall be at least six weeks prior to the placement of any channel aids and markers, anchoring aids and markers, or navigational aids and markers under the authority granted by this act.

(2)        The enactment of no‑wake zones. For purposes of this subdivision, no‑wake zones are defined as areas where the speed of a vessel is limited to a no‑wake speed as defined in G.S. 75A‑2. Before designating areas as no‑wake zones, the Town Board of Commissioners, by ordinance or resolution, will identify the location of such areas by use of GPS coordinates and notify the Wildlife Resources Commission, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in writing of the intent to make the designation. No‑wake zones designated by the Town under this subdivision will be marked with buoys or markers in the style of no‑wake zones marked and placed by the Wildlife Resources Commission. Notice must be published on the Town's website at least 10 days prior to the effective date of any ordinance or resolution creating a no‑wake zone under the authority granted by this act.

(3)        The enforcement of ordinances adopted under the authority of this act in accordance with G.S. 160A‑175.

SECTION 2.  This act is intended to supersede G.S. 75A‑15(a) and (b) within the town limits of Pine Knoll Shores. In the event of conflict between any local ordinance adopted under the authority of this act and any other statutes, rules, or regulations of the Wildlife Resources Commission, the Department of Environmental Quality, the United States Coast Guard, or the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the State or federal rule or regulation shall supersede and prevail over the local ordinance to the extent of the conflict.

SECTION 3.  Duly sworn law enforcement officers of the Town of Pine Knoll Shores, the Carteret County Sheriff's Office, and the Wildlife Resources Commission shall have the authority to enforce any local ordinances adopted under the authority of this act.

SECTION 4.  This act applies only to the Town of Pine Knoll Shores.

SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.