History & Media
TIMELINE
1963 – Town of Topsail Incorporated
1960s – McLeod family purchases property on Topsail Beach now known as “The Point”
2005 – Wall Street Journal: “Battle Over Rights To Build” article
2005 – The McLeod family places the property on the market for sale
2005 – The first “Conserve The Point” organization was formed
2008 – The McLeod property was removed from the active sales market in the recession
2019 – The McLeod property was again placed on the market for sale
2019 – NC Coastal Federation Study about concerns for developing The Point. report
2022 – September 2022 – Town of Topsail Beach approves adding “Conditional Rezoning” to the Topsail Beach Code; the change was requested by Mr. Todd Olson. Meeting video 9/14/22
2022 – October 2022 – Residents receive notice about a public meeting regarding the proposed development by Mr. Todd Olson. Town of Topsail Public Hearing announcement article. See Olson Development Plan scan
2023 – January 5, 2023 – Olson’s Zoning Application submitted to Town of Topsail Beach
See Olson plan – documentation pdf and Olson plan – land use image
2023 – January 25, 2023 – Town Planning Board takes public comment on Conditional Rezoning. View Agenda
2023 – March 27, 2023 – Olson completed application presented to Town of Topsail Beach Planning Board for review. Staff and state and federal agencies comment on proposed development.
- View Planning Board agenda for documents and video for presentation.
- View Completed Application
- View Current Plan
- 2023 – April 19, 2023. Town Board of Commissioners denies waiver request for town Attorney Coggins to represent the Town in the south-end conditional rezoning application. Watch meeting video
- 2023 -May 3, 2023 Planning Board meeting. Watch the meeting video.
- 2023 -May 24, 2023 Planning Board Meeting. Topsail Beach Planning Board votes NO on rezoning request. Watch the meeting video on Town website.
- 2023 – July 24, 2023. Town Board of Commissioners place conditions on the rezoning application from Todd Olson. Read the staff report with the conditions. 07-24-2023_Staff_Report. Watch the meeting video on the Town website.
- 2023 – August 9, 2023. Town Board of Commissioners revise timeline for the Olson conditional rezoning application and agree to delay the September 13, 2023 public hearing, although no future date was set. Watch the meeting video on the Town website.
- 2023 – September 6, 2023. The Town Board of Commissioners held a special workshop on the Conditional Rezoning application and voted to extend the review until early November to give the applicant time to complete special studies and present a revised Master Plan. Watch the meeting video on the Town website. More information can be found on the CTP website here.
MEDIA ABOUT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
12/7/2005 – Wall Street Journal: “Battle Over Rights To Build” article
8/21/2019 – Coastal Review: “Topsail Island’s Southern Tip Back on the Market” article
8/15/2022 – Port City Daily: “Tech Entrepreneur Requests New Zoning” article
8/17/2022 – Port City Daily: “Concerns Voiced Over Open Land” article
10/8/2022 – Port City Daily: “One Man’s Family Compound” article
10/15/2022 – Port City Daily: “Conservation Group Warns of Development” article
11/1/2022 – Port City Daily: A “David and Goliath struggle ensues: Topsail residents grapple with potential development” article
11/2/22 – News & Observer: “Pendo founder’s wants to build a family compound on 40 acres of pristine Topsail Island” article
11/14/2022 – The Charlotte Observer: “Don’t let an NC millionaire, or anyone else, develop tip of Topsail Island” article
1/26/23: WECT: Neighbors opposed to proposed development southern end of Topsail Island” article
3/21/2022 – Port City Daily: “Raleigh Tech Giant Ups Development Acreage…” article
3/28/2023 – Port City Daily: “Topsail Planning Board has 65 Days…on rezoning request” article
3/28/2023 – Coastal Review Online: “Clock Ticking for Recommendation on TB Request” article
3/31/23 – WECT: “Neighbors Concerns Growing About Proposed Development” video
4/4/23 – Herald Sun: “Public Backlash over Pendo’s Founder’s NC Island estate plans” article
4/13/23 – StarNewsOnline: “Topsail’s Serenity: Future of Undisturbed Land Remains in Question” article
5/4/2023 – Port City Daily: “The Point rezoning application faces last big hurdle before Topsail Planning Board vote” article
5/5/23 – NC Coastal Review: “Topsail Beach holds hearing on inlet property rezoning” article
5/22/23 – StarLine News: “Topsail planning board to decide on proposed serenity point family compound” article
5/24/23 – Port City Daily: “Planning Board recommends denial of Point rezoning, though residents say ‘fight is not over'” article
5/24/23 – WECT: “Topsail Beach Planning Board recommends rejection of controversial development proposal”
5/25/23 StarLine News: “Even as development on Serenity Point wasn’t recommended, opposition remains. Here’s why” article
5/25/23 NC Coastal Review: “Topsail Beach Planning Board votes no on rezoning request” article
5/30/23 – Herald Sun: Topsail planners snub Pendo founder’s vacation compound, but the deal’s not dead yet” article
5/31/23 WRAL Techwire: “Raleigh software exec’s 30-acre plan for Topsail Beach KO’d by planning board” article
7/9/23 Star News Online: “A call to forever preserve The Point on Topsail Beach,” Ryke Longest, Guest Columnist, read article
7/13/23 Wilmington Star News: “Decision on family compound project in Topsail on hold as entrepreneur considers new plans.” Read article.
7/14/23 Port City Daily: “Topsail residents form nonprofit, prep to purchase The Point if development fails” Read article
7/19/23 Coastal Review: “Topsail Beach board to discuss The Point rezoning request” read article
7/25/23 Coastal Review: “Topsail Beach Board wants more study before rezoning” Read article
7/25/23 Port City Daily: “We’re not developers: Olsons agree to more investment to quell concerns on Point rezoning” Read article
8/11/23 Port City Daily: “Topsail commissioners extend timeline on Point rezoning”. Read article
9/6/23 WECT: “Topsail Beach Commissioners hear update on controversial zoning request.” Watch the news coverage.