Editor’s note: The article was updated to include a response our request for information from the city manager.
City attorney talks about extending ‘city limits out to the center of each river’ in New Bern.
Th New Bern Board of Aldermen adopted an additional article to Chapter 86 — “Waterways” of the Code of Ordinances on June 9, 2026, that “establishes rules and regulations to prohibit the abandonment of vessels in navigable waters within the city’s jurisdiction as permitted by North Carolina general statutes. It also allows us to find boat owners and is another tool on our belt when we do have abandoned boats that are within the city limits that we can address them in a quick manner,” according to City Manager Foster Hughes. The amended chapter can be found on page 313 of the meeting packet.
The meeting was held at City Hall in New Bern, NC.
The city manager told the board that they contact the Wildlife Resources Commission if a boat isn’t in the city limits. He also said the main channel of the Neuse (River) and the Trent River are not within the city limits.
City Attorney M. Scott Davis told the New Bern Board of Aldermen “We will be looking at extending the city limits out to the center of each river in areas where it’s not currently. There are places where we cross the river because we’re contiguous. There are places where we go to the center of the river, and there are places where we follow the shoreline. So, in places where we follow the shoreline, we’re going to push those limits out to the middle of the river. So, you’ll see that either in July or August in the agenda.”
He added, “I can’t recall the last time we’ve been able to find an owner.”
This comes at the same time as the city works on a river crossing under the river between Olde Towne and Kelso Road for the electric system.
NewBernNow.com reached out to Mayor Jeffrey Odham on June 9, 18, 22, and July 15 to ask him a couple of questions about city business (including this topic), but he didn’t respond to our request for an interview.
We reached out to the city manager and city attorney on July 29 as a courtesy about two hours before we published this article which summarized what was said during a public meeting. Instead of responding, it looks like Mayor Odham and City Attorney Davis turned to the Vice Chairman of the City of New Bern Housing Authority/Chairman of the city’s Municipal Service District Advisory Committee Chairman/radio/internet reality show host’s news media network to frame the narrative in an article titled “Aldermen may consider extending city jurisdiction halfway across its river” which was published after this article was published on Wednesday.
The city manager responded on July 31 and said, “The May 12, 2026, amendments to the Waterways chapter were proposed in response to operational issues staff encountered at City-owned boat ramps and docks. The changes establish regulations for commercial and working vessels, prohibit overnight mooring at the city docks without a permit, and address issues involving abandoned and derelict vessels.”
“As discussed during the June 9, 2026, Board of Aldermen meeting, consideration of extending the City’s jurisdiction to the center of the river in certain locations is solely to provide the authority necessary to enforce City ordinances, including those related to abandoned vessels. Where the City’s boundary ends at the water’s edge, the City has no legal authority to enforce its ordinances in the water.”
“The ordinance amendments also address the commercial use of public boat ramps, which has created safety and operational concerns, and to allow commercial tour boat operators to apply for use of a dock at Union Point Park.”
“The City responds to factual questions regarding official actions but does not respond to hypothetical scenarios or speculation.”
“Requests for comment received after normal business hours are typically reviewed on the next business day. When an article is published before the City has had a reasonable opportunity to review a request and provide a response, the City generally will not provide comment,” Hughes said.
We asked him what part of the July 29 article was “hypothetical scenarios or speculation” but we haven’t received a response by press time.
Watch the full discussion here:
Related news:
The Board of Aldermen will meet on Aug. 11, 2026, at 8 a.m. in the second-floor courtroom at City Hall, according to the meeting schedule which is subject to change.
Video recordings are usually uploaded to City 3 TV, city’s Facebook page and/or YouTube channel. Meeting agendas and packets can be found here.
Editor’s note: The article was updated to include a link to the Waterways chapter.
By Wendy Card, editor. Send an email with questions or comments.