Preliminary Plat Approved by Commissioners for Carova Beach Lot Reconfiguration

As reported on before, the effort to reconfigure large blocks of land in Carova originally earmarked for future business is now one step closer to becoming "The Estates of Carova Beach", an open space subdivision of lots for residential development and several acres dedicated to Currituck County for public use. By unanimous consent, the Board of Commissioners approved preliminary plat approval of the reconfiguration request with just one stipulation: tear down the dilapidated oceanfront home on the oceanfront by the Carova Beach Firestation. Finally! To view a full copy of the development impact proposal, you can click here.

Board Unanimously Approves Carova Service District

Tuesday night after a quick public hearing the Currituck County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of establishing a service district. You can click here to watch watch the public comments and the outcome.

Upcoming Board of Commissioners Meeting Tues Sept 8th

There are a few topics below of interest to 4x4 residents/visitors/fans/etc... happening at tomorrow's BOC meeting, I have highlighted them below. If you are interested but cannot attend, you can watch the video live by clicking here.

Disclaimer: Video may lack the HD quality and edge-of-your-seat suspense commonly associated with County Gov't Meetings



Currituck County
Board of Commissioners Agenda
Historic Currituck County Courthouse
Date: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 Time: 7:00 PM
Work Sessions
5:30 p.m. Economic Development Board
Regular Agenda
7:00 p.m. Invocation
Pledge of Allegiance
Item 1 Approval of Agenda
Item 2 Public Comment
Please limit comments to items not appearing on the regular
agenda, please limit comments to 3 minutes.
Item 3 Proclamation for Constitution Week
Item 4 Update on County Inspection Review Process
Item 5 Public Hearing and Action on the Creation of the Carova Beach
Road Service District
Item 6 Public Hearing and Action: PB 08-45 Estates at Carova Beach:
Request for preliminary plat/special use permit approval of an open
space subdivision to re-plat 20 existing lots into 28 residential lots
in Carova Beach Subdivision, Sections 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9, Fruitville
Township.
Item 7 Public Hearing and Action PB 09-24 Jarvis Landing: Request to
establish a 15.3 acre Residential Multifamily (RMF) overlay district.
Property is located at 7400 Caratoke Highway, approximately 750
feet North of Case Landing Rd, Tax Map 110, Parcel 74, Poplar
Branch Township.
Item 8 Presentation and Discussion on updating the County's Hazard
Mitigation Plan
Item 9 Appointment to Jury Commission


 
   
Item 10 Consent Agenda:
1. Transfer Unspent FY 2008/2009 ROAP Allocation
2. Moyock Welcome Center Addition - Change Order #1, Revelle
Builders
3. RO Water Treatment Plant-Change Order #5, ML Water System
Upgrades
4. Budget amendments
5. Resolution Authorizing Sale by Upset Bid Residential Structures
at Milburn Sawyer Road and North Spot Road
6. Resolution declaring surplus property and authorizing auction of
surplus property
7. Approval of Board of E&R minutes
8. 2009 Tax Levy & Prior Year Taxes to be Charged to the Tax
Collector
9. Approval of August 17, 2009, Minutes
Item 11 Commissioner’s Report
Item 12 County Manager’s Report
Item 13 Closed Session:
1. According to GS 143-318.112 (4) to discuss economic
development
Adjourn
Special Meeting
Tourism Development Authority Meeting
Call to order
TDA Budget amendments

Another write up on the Carova Beach Service District

Finally report by Jeff Hampton of the Virginia Pilot, here's more information regarding the Service distict. All interested parties should try to attend the Commissioners meeting Tuesday night.

By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© September 6, 2009
CURRITUCK COUNTY

Carova Beach's sand roads, cratered with pond-size holes, could get improvements soon after years of resistance by locals who wanted the community to remain mostly undeveloped.

A public hearing is set for Tuesday to create a road service district in Carova Beach, a neighborhood in Currituck County's northern Outer Banks.

The plan includes using occupancy taxes charged on beach rentals to pay for filling and leveling unpaved roads there and in some cases clearing ditches to aid drainage, said Currituck County Commissioner Vance Aydlett.

"From what I've seen, 75 percent of the people in Carova Beach support it," Aydlett said. "They're tired of their vehicles being torn up, wheel bearings and stuff like that."

In the past, locals have resisted a new tax and preferred the rough roads to help deter development. Former Commissioner Ernie Bowden tried several times over nearly 20 years to get a road improvement district.

This time the district would only include Carova Beach, would be paid for with occupancy taxes and would include a local advisory board, Aydlett said.

Residents and county officials have held at least four meetings at the fire station, he said.

An advisory board of locals and emergency personnel would first assess the roads, make a report to commissioners and then work could begin, Aydlett said.

Initial efforts are expected to cost about $300,000. Currituck County raises around $9 million annually in occupancy taxes.

"I have not received any phone calls opposing it from members of the Fruitville Beach Civic Association or from the locals," said Tom Hudak, president of the association. "To me, it looks fine."

In the summer, hundreds of visitors a week stay in beach rental homes in the communities of Carova Beach, Swan Beach, North Swan Beach and others along 11 miles of the narrow beach strand. About 150 people live in the area year-round.

Emergency vehicles and construction trucks struggle to navigate the roads after normal rain.

Dozens of renters were stranded in 2006 after Tropical Storm Ernesto. Along some roads, underground phone lines had surfaced and were crushed by big tires, knocking out service to several homes. Mud holes also tend to be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

But in the past even some tourists lamented that improvements could take away some of the untamed appeal of Carova Beach.

On Wednesday, Travis Moretti of Virginia Beach stalled his Jeep trying to pass through a mud hole more than 3-feet deep that spanned the width of Ocean Pearl Road, one of the most traveled roads there. It is also the address of the only fire station.

Water rose to his door handles and flooded the engine. An older Jeep pulled him free while his friends pushed. The hole was one of several similar in size on Ocean Pearl.

Even so, Moretti did not support fixing the roads. He liked the unpredictability and wildness of it. Not far away from where he stalled, wild horses grazed and a feral pig scampered across the road.

"It was my Jeep and I still wouldn't support it," he said of the road improvement plan. "It's kind of cool like it is."

Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com