Article In Daily Advance address potential cuts for Ferry & Bridge

Interesting article...


Ferry, Bridge Could Be Cut
Ferry, bridge could be cut
By Cindy Beamon
The Daily Advance

Tuesday, March 29, 2011


The proposed mid-county bridge and the Knotts Island ferry in Currituck could be on the chopping block.

Both are included in a newly released list of possible spending cuts that state legislators plan to consider during upcoming budget deliberations.

State Sen. Stan White said he received the 100-page list of reduction options from the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Monday night. Among the possible cuts would be eliminating the Knotts Island ferry altogether and cutting state “gap” funding for the mid-county bridge.
White, D-Dare, said those projects and a broad range of other “devastating” budget cuts may be up for consideration as the Republican-controlled Legislature eyes ways to cut costs during a tight budget year.

Currituck County officials plan to meet with top-ranking Republicans and appropriations committee members this week to lobby against the possible cuts.

Vance Aydlett, chairman of the Currituck Board of Commissioners, said eliminating the ferry would have a “devastating effect on school children,” as buses would be forced to drive the more time-consuming route through Virginia. Aydlett, a Knotts Island resident, said the hour-and-a-half drive on narrow two-lane roads through Virginia Beach and Chesapeake is also a safety concern.

Possible cuts to funding for the mid-county bridge have also prompted Currituck officials to rally support for the span that would cross the Currituck Sound from the mainland to the Outer Banks. Last year, the General Assembly, at the recommendation of now-retired Senate leader Marc Basnight, approved gap funds needed to keep down tolls in the public-private venture.

The first installment of the $15 million a year was set to begin this year, but a Republican takeover of the legislature and a $2.4 billion state budget deficit have threatened the project.

Currituck commissioners recently reaffirmed their support of the bridge.

In addition, the Currituck Chamber of Commerce has alerted interest groups to send letters to state legislators in support of the span, estimated to cost between $600 million and $800 million.

Jim Owens, member of the Chamber’s Legislative Affairs Committee, said the span has long been supported by area businesses and a majority of local residents. He said the Chamber was prompted to act because of upcoming budget deliberations and because of the “culture change in Raleigh.”

“This year there could be some members (in the legislature) who are not favorable to the Currituck bridge, so we have to be vigilant to make sure that we cover the bases,” he said.

Aydlett said cuts in gap funding would end a project that has gained strong community support over more than two decades.

“It would be a blow to the vision that has been supported by a majority of residents of Currituck County for 25 years,” he said.

State Rep. Bill Owens, D-Pasquotank, said critics of the bridge need to understand the long history of the proposed project and its importance to the county and the region. He said the meeting between lawmakers and county officials will be aimed at clearing up “misunderstandings” about how the project was funded.

Cutting the projects would have an adverse effect on the local economy, local officials said.

The mid-county bridge promises to open up business opportunities on Currituck’s mainland, Bill Owens said.

Aydlett said eliminating the ferry would hurt Knotts Island economically by cutting it off from the rest of North Carolina. He said motorists enjoy taking the ferry across the sound and visiting the two wineries and restaurant on Knotts Island. Area residents also use the ferry to conduct business and attend meetings at the county governmental complex, he said.

Without the ferry, “Knotts Island would be a dead-end road to nowhere,” Aydlett said.

According to the N.C. Ferry Division, almost 28,000 vehicles and 85,000 passengers — including two buses loaded with students each school day — crossed the Currituck Sound by ferry in 2009.

The list of possible state budget cuts also includes other changes in ferry operations and hours along the state’s coast. Another proposal would require tolls for all ferries, including those on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands.

White said the ferry changes were among other “huge cuts” in transportation that would adversely affect the lesser populated counties.
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NCTA announces its preferred route for Mid-Curituck Bridge

Much anticipated and speculated, the North Carolina Turnpike Authority has chosen and submitted for approval the preferred route for the mid-Currituck Bridge. On the Outer Banks side, they have selected the Northernmost terminus point North of Monteray Shores and South of Corolla Bay. On the mainland side, it appears that Aydlett road will not be closed, something that was contested by residents there. For the official press release document from the NC turnpike Authority, click here
While this shows some progress on the investigation side of the bridge feasibility, the question now becomes whether or not it is financially feasible with the public funds committed by the State in jeopardy.

Ocean Pearl Road Improvements in Carova

In sort of a Chicken-or-the-Egg process, the county continues to move forward with improving Ocean Pearl Road in Carova. Below is an article discussing one of the last components standing in the way.

On N.C. road, potholes are so big, they're wetlands

By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 9, 2011
CAROVA BEACH

Which came first, wetlands or potholes?

Currituck County has planned for nearly four years to grade three miles of Ocean Pearl Road, a rough, sandy road in Carova Beach that serves as a main artery though the four-wheel-drive area.

But in recent meetings with environmental agencies, the Army Corps of Engineers told the county to mark and measure wetlands affected by the project up to 300 feet from both sides of the road. Including the 100-foot right of way on Ocean Pearl Road, the swath is 700 feet wide.

Currituck hired an expert who mapped more than 9 acres of wetlands along the road right of way. By federal definition, three pond-sized potholes in the road qualified as about one-tenth of an acre of wetlands.

The e stimated cost to fix the road and dig drainage swales on both sides is $300,000. The Corps of Engineers may also insist that the county mitigate or replace wetlands elsewhere, at double the roadwork cost, adding $637,316.

If the corps forces the county to mitigate the wetlands, the project climbs to nearly $1 million, a shock to Currituck officials.

"It's untenable to me that the corps can come in and call roads that were platted in the 1960s wetlands," said Currituck Commissioner Paul O'Neal. "It's unbelievable."

Currituck has applied for a permit to fill only the potholes without having to mitigate the other wetlands.

As part of the application, Currituck makes the point that old ditches near the roadbed haven't drained the existing wetlands.

U.S. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., has been asked to intervene for the county.

"They are not wetlands," O'Neal said. "They are mud puddles."

Wetlands were there before the road was, said Susan Clizbe, spokeswoman for the Corps of Engineers in Wilmington.

"The road runs through wetlands," she said.

The corps has not ruled on Currituck's permit, she said. Typically, applicants get three options -avoid the wetlands, minimize the effects on them, or mitigate them, she said.

The road needs fixing, O'Neal said.

"It's very important that we get this road restored," he said.

The county made attempts to create a road-improvement district in the communities of the four-wheel-drive area for about 20 years.

Residents were opposed to improvements, concerned that better roads would bring more people and more vehicles at higher speeds and put t he wild horses grazing along the roadside in danger.

But three years ago, residents agreed to improve a section of Ocean Pearl Road, only in Carova Beach, the northernmost community.

Ocean Pearl Road serves as an artery for emergency and construction vehicles and is the address for many high-end beach rentals. A fire and EMS station sits along Ocean Pearl Road.

Dozens of renters were stranded in 2006 and emergency vehicles could not get through after Tropical Storm Ernesto.

Along some roads, underground phone lines surfaced and were crushed by big tires, knocking out service to several homes.

Mud holes also tend to be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Senator Marc Basnight (D) reitres after 25 years

Due to a number of reasons, Senator Basnight has retired from politics. This leaves a Senate seat to be filled and the Mid-Currituck Bridge in question. Regardless, the man served the Outer Banks and North Carolina well for a quarter century. Thank you Senator.

Marc Basnight, N.C. state senator, to resign
By Erin James
The Virginian-Pilot
© January 5, 2011
MANTEO, N.C.

Marc Basnight, the Dare County Democrat who harnessed more than 25 years of legislative power to funnel millions of dollars into northeastern North Carolina, will resign Jan. 25, the day before he was to relinquish the most powerful seat in the state Senate.

Basnight, 63, won election to a 14th term as Democrats lost the majority in the state Senate in November. He cited health reasons for his retirement from public service. He was diagnosed several years ago with a rare degenerative nerve disease that affects his speech and coordination but not his cognitive abilities.

"Not being able to clearly speak on the Senate floor is an incredible disadvantage," Basnight said Tuesday. "If a politician cannot debate, he's ... not worth his salt."

Basnight was first elected in 1984 to represent eight northeastern North Carolina counties. Since 1993, he had served nine terms as the Senate's president - the longest leadership tenure in state history.

"To lose Marc Basnight in Dare County is like losing a right arm," former First Flight Society President Alvah Ward said. Basnight was instrumental in creating the First Flight Centennial Foundation, which planned the 100-year anniversary celebration of the Wright brothers' first flight on the Outer Banks, Ward added.

Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Warren Judge said Basnight was an advocate for improvements to Dare County roads and bridges. Judge said he was a champion of the project to replace the Bonner Bridge, which won final approval last month.

"He put northeast North Carolina and Dare County on close to an equal footing with much of the rest of the state, " Judge said.

Basnight's Republican opponent in last year's election said he believes Basnight is leaving primarily because Democrats lost control of the Senate.

"In this case, it shortchanged eastern North Carolina. If I was their Republican senator, I would certainly be heard in Raleigh," said Hood Richardson, a Beaufort County commissioner. "I think if people had known that he was not going to serve in this Senate that I would have won the election."

Basnight had said soon after the election that he would serve in the Senate through 2012, then retire. But he decided over the holidays to leave sooner and told his family Monday of his decision. Now Democrats in Basnight's northeastern district will choose a successor.

Basnight said he will spend more time operating his Nags Head restaurant, the Lone Cedar Cafe. He also announced Tuesday he is engaged to Manteo High School librarian Sue Waters. Basnight's wife, Sandy, died in June 2007 after being treated for leukemia.

County to discuss limits and guidelines for Corolla area buildings

In an attempt to stem some of the development in the historic areas of Corolla, Currituck County is seeking input on how best to preserve what is left of the "village" going forward. Below is an article from the Virginia Pilot with some meeting times for upcoming meetings. For a tour of the Corolla Village, click here

County may write guide for historic Corolla development
By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 26, 2010
COROLLA, N.C.

A plan to guide development in historic Corolla could guard against "eyesores" and "monstrosities" but raises concerns of giving Currituck County too much control.

The county wants to write a small area plan for 322 acres surrounding the Currituck Beach Lighthouse and the historic Whalehead Club.

The original historic village, west of N.C. 12, still has about a dozen structures built decades ago, including a school house and homes converted into shops.

On the east side is a modern subdivision known as Corolla Village developed since the 1980s.

Similar to the countywide land-use plan, a small area plan concentrates on a single community with guidance from an advisory committee of local residents and county staff members.

"A house on pilings with a swimming pool, a big-box store, a go-cart track would completely alter the village quality," said Sharon Twiddy, a member of the advisory committee. "Architectural guidelines that suggest ways of building that are consistent with existing homes and businesses would be welcome."

The Twiddys, owners of Twiddy & Co. Realtors in Corolla, have restored old buildings in the historic village.

A survey of about 50 Corolla residents who attended an October meeting showed that the top priority is keeping the historic village unchanged, with plenty of trees and open space.

One respondent wrote, "Keep it tranquil and wonderful as is, no city style."

Another wanted tight restrictions to "get rid of eyesores and the Wings monstrosities" and lamented "vagrants" and "day trippers who come to drive onto the beach and get drunk, pollute the beach and contribute nothing to the local economy."

The latest meeting was held Dec. 7. No date is set for another meeting planned for early January.

Expected to be finished next year, the small area plan would be a nonbinding guide for the Currituck County Board of Commissioners and the planning staff on issues of rezoning and permit applications, said Holly White, senior planner for Currituck County.

"This would not be regulatory," White said. "It is a community-driven plan."

But such plans can evolve into more controlling documents as boards and staff change, said Corolla native Norris Austin.

"Most people in the old village who I know are against it," Austin said. "It's not really historic anymore. It's nothing like it was when I was growing up."

Austin's family has lived in Corolla since the late 1800s. Austin grew up there in the 1940s and remembers the community having only a handful of people who farmed, hunted, fished and worked in local government jobs when available.

Mail and supplies for a post office/country store run by Austin's father came largely by boat. Austin took over for his father as the Corolla postmaster and worked there for decades.

As late as the 1970s, there were fewer than two dozen people living in Corolla, with no paved roads and few amenities. Austin has told his stories of old Corolla in books and as a volunteer at the Whalehead Club, a restored hunt club built in the 1920s.

A developer in the 1970s built a paved road that was gated, allowing only property owners to pass.

In 1984, the state took control, opened the paved road, and heavy development followed for the next 20 years. Corolla morphed into a busy and almost completely developed resort, with one posh subdivision after another.

"If you don't have some type of plan in place, then anything can happen," said Gary McGee of Corolla Light neighborhood, near Corolla Village. "We do see that anything can happen in other parts of Corolla."

The county still seeks public input and will advertise upcoming meetings. White is asking people to bring old photos of the village to the next meeting.

The Winds of Change may be Coming....

As we approach 2011 with a new all-Republican Board of Commissioners in Currituck County, they will (hopefully) be tackling a host of issues that will directly impact the 4x4 areas. For a preview, the Virginia-Pilot's Jeff Hampton wrote the following article:

Decision time: Currituck to tackle big issues in '11
By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© December 12, 2010
CURRITUCK, N.C.

A new Currituck County Board of Commissioners sworn in Monday faces a tough slate of decisions, including highway corridor development, home sizes on the Outer Banks and congestion on the four-wheel-drive beaches.

For the first time, the Currituck County board is all Republican after a wave of straight-party voting in the November election.

Democratic incumbents Gene Gregory, Janet Taylor and Barry Nelms were replaced by Republicans Paul Martin, Marion Gilbert and Butch Petrey, who join the remaining four Republican incumbents.

Elected two years ago, Vance Aydlett of Knotts Island was voted in as the new chairman of the board Monday, with John Rorer as vice chairman.

"We're all Republican, yet we're probably as diverse as ever," Rorer said.

The new board has approaching deadlines to settle difficult issues, said Ben Woody, director of the Currituck County Planning Department.

"They are going to be really busy in early 2011," Woody said.



Mid-Currituck County Bridge: The North Carolina Turnpike Authority is expected to announce a decision early next year on whether to build a five- to seven-mile bridge from Aydlett to Corolla at a cost of about $1 billion.

Aydlett and Corolla residents oppose the project, but most officials support it.

The project is too far along to stop, they say. Commissioners will have to zone for development on the highway approaching the bridge, which is expected to attract 30 to 40 businesses, including a hotel on the mainland side, according to an economic development study done two years ago. That area south of Coinjock is rural now.

Home sizes, Currituck County is undergoing a rewrite of its development ordinance, the first in more than 20 years. Among other things it could set standards on home sizes on the Outer Banks. Begun late last year, the ordinance rewrite is expected to be completed by late next summer.

Outer Banks homes could be restricted to 5,000 square feet, a rule proposed in part after construction of a 23-bedroom mansion earlier this year. The home is an attraction for large wedding parties where dozens of people can stay. But it falls under residential law rather than commercial laws that require safety measures such as sprinkler systems, Aydlett said. He wants commissioners to consider home size restrictions.

"I'm looking at it from a public safety standpoint," said Aydlett, who is a retired fire fighter. "I don't want to be reading about a disaster in the newspaper."

Signs in Corolla: Last spring, commissioners allowed 3-foot-tall sandwich signs along N.C. 12 in Corolla during the summer season. It was a temporary experiment to see whether they would be effective or unsightly.

In 2007, commissioners passed a sign ordinance that prohibited sandwich boards from being used during the tourist season after a committee of residents and shop owners agreed to a compromise. Sandwich boards were allowed from Oct. 1 to April 30.

New commissioner Martin believes businesses benefited from the signs. Commissioners will decide on sandwich boards before the new tourist season begins.

"Maybe that's something that's going to have to stay," Martin said.

Congestion in the four-wheel-drive area: Traffic in the northern Currituck Outer Banks is getting worse, according to locals and officials. Over the years, citizen groups have proposed methods of restricting the number of vehicles to protect wild horse habitat and enhance safety for those using the beach. So far, commissioners have rejected limits.

In the middle of the summer, vehicles park on the beach almost nonstop from the entry point to the Virginia line 12 miles north. Families with children play close to the surf where traffic tends to run. Locals travel up and down daily. Construction trucks rumble within feet of children playing in the sand.

"That is a nightmare for the Sheriff's Office," Martin said. "It is really a problem, and we're going to look at that quickly."

Corridor development: Development along the 43-mile highway corridor has been debated for

more than 20 years. Rules have been put in place, but clutter and disjointed construction remains a problem. Commissioners plan to address corridor development as part of the new development ordinance.

More Speculation that the Mid-Currituck Bridge may not be such a "done deal".

Below is an article from the Virginia Pilot. It appears that the "Public" financing portion of the Public-Private Partnership may be in jeopardy.

Don't U-turn on Currituck bridge

The Virginian-Pilot
© November 28, 2010
After decades of debate, it appeared this spring that North Carolina officials were ready to proceed with construction of a toll bridge linking Currituck County's mainland and the Outer Banks village of Corolla. But the project may be headed for a traffic jam in Raleigh.

Republican lawmakers won control of the General Assembly in this month's elections, and - as The Pilot's Jeff Hampton recently reported - the search for potential budget cuts is leading some folks to the proposed bridge over Currituck Sound.

The connector has long been championed by Marc Basnight, a Democrat who'll lose his influential position as president of the state Senate next year. He's played a key role in steering money toward a public-private partnership to build and maintain the bridge.

The legislature needs to close a projected $3 billion to $4 billion deficit in its next session, and some lawmakers see the bridge as a potential savings. Current plans call for initial funding of $15 million annually, with the figure rising to $28 million a year in 2013 and continuing as long as 40 years.

The funding dispute fuels an already long-running controversy over whether the bridge should be built and, if so, where it should go. Residents on both sides of the bridge route are concerned about disruptions to their neighborhoods, and federal officials have expressed concerns about potential environmental damage.

Even supporters would agree the bridge isn't an ideal way to ease the summertime crawl to the beaches. But it's certainly preferable to the status quo, and it appears to be a more effective option than widening existing roads.

The bridge - which would begin near Aydlett, about 25 miles south of the Virginia-North Carolina line - would cut travel time for folks headed to the northern end of the Outer Banks.

The nearest existing crossing is the Wright Memorial Bridge, about 20 miles south of Aydlett. To get to Duck and Corolla, travelers have to go south toward Nags Head, then make a U-turn and head north another 10 to 20 miles.

The convoluted route has long been a source of safety concerns. A new bridge is expected to reduce evacuation times, boost tourism on both sides of the sound and curb pollution from idling vehicles.

There are potential downsides, most notably the effects on Aydlett and Corolla if precautions aren't taken to minimize disruptions and limit development that would undermine the benefits of a new bridge.

The push to re-examine the cost of the bridge is understandable, given tough economic times.

But North Carolina officials should bear in mind two things that their Virginia counterparts often neglect. First, the cost of construction is not likely to drop any lower than today. Second, talking endlessly about chronic transportation problems doesn't bring a solution any closer.

Mid Currituck Bridge May Lose Public Funding.

With the changing political winds in the NC Legislature, the Public funding portion for the Mid Currituck Bridge may be endangered by Budget cuts and a new Republican controlled Senate. Below is an article from Jeff Hampton of the Virginia Pilot:

Political shift could put $1 billion N.C. project in limbo
Posted to: News North Carolina Login or register to post comments

By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© November 14, 2010
CURRITUCK, N.C.

Opponents of a new $1 billion bridge over the Currituck Sound have new momentum after Republicans promising to cut spending won control of the North Carolina General Assembly on Nov. 2.

Under the direction of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, the controversial bridge - debated for more than 20 years - appeared on its way to construction using a combination of tolls, private investment and public money.

The state set aside $15 million a year, called gap funding, to make up for an expected shortfall from tolls and private money. Annual state funding is to increase to $28 million in 2013 and continue for as long as 40 years. Without it, the project could stall.

Democrat Marc Basnight, who pushed for bridge funding, will no longer serve as president pro tempore of the state Senate when Republicans take charge. The General Assembly will be looking for ways to close a $3 billion to $4 billion budget deficit next year.

"The reality of the political situation on the ground is the state is hurting for money and looking to cut spending - and a billion-dollar bridge is a good place to start," said John Woodard, a Republican who lost in a close House race against Democrat Bill Owens.

But bridge gap funding is not coming from the general fund and would not resolve a budget deficit, Owens said.

"I don't see where it would have any effect."

Owens believes the bridge will be built. "I think we're too far along now," he said.

Cost estimates on the bridge range from $600 million to more than $1 billion, depending on a variety of construction alternatives.

One option includes a seven-mile-long bridge connecting Corolla to the mainland in Aydlett. It would span the five-mile-wide sound and two miles of swamp before connecting to U.S. 158 south of Coinjock.

Another option has the bridge ending in Aydlett with a road continuing through the swamp to U.S. 158.

"They pushed this project because it was Marc Basnight's project," said Jennifer Symonds, who has helped lead a citizens group opposing the bridge. "He is why this thing was a high priority. It is not a high priority in the state."

State legislators have backed the bridge because the local board has supported it. During the primary and general elections, voters ousted three Democrats on the Currituck County Board of Commissioners, including bridge proponent Gene Gregory, making all seven members Republican.

"There is still a commitment to the bridge," said Owen Etheridge, a member of the Board of Commissioners.

The Environmental Protection Agency expressed several concerns about the effects of a bridge on water quality, wildlife, the swamp and farmland. It also noted the state has underestimated maintenance costs.

"Shrinking transportation dollars and increased maintenance and repair costs for infrastructure in areas that are very vulnerable to severe weather conditions such as high winds and storm surges and salt air and water should be a very important consideration for decision-makers," wrote Heinz Mueller in a June letter to the Turnpike Authority. He is an EPA chief in Atlanta.

The EPA prefers widening existing roads, he wrote.

In May, the state released a draft environmental impact statement, a major step in the approval process.

A final environmental impact statement, scheduled for a September release but still unavailable, is expected to pick one of the several construction alternatives.

"It's taking a little longer to get resolution on a preferred alternative," said Jennifer Harris, director of planning and environmental studies for the N.C. Turnpike Authority. The project has not changed, she said.

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

Update on the EIS Report for the Mid Currituck Bridge

While there is nothing new to really report regarding the Mid-Currituck Bridge, I recently received an email for John Page, Project Manager for the NCTA regarding the timing of the record of decision and found it noteworthy to post. It appears the official decision on the EIS will be in the first quarter 2011. For more information you can visit their website here

Dear Mr. Summerton:


The Turnpike Authority is working with environmental regulatory agencies to resolve key environmental concerns associated with a Mid-Currituck Bridge. Other design refinements are being made to the bridge project to address a variety of concerns raised during the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) comment period. It is currently expected that a Preferred Alternative will be selected by the end of the year. If a bridge project is selected, the Turnpike Authority will issue a Final EIS, followed by a Record of Decision (sometime next year). I do not have a more precise time right now.

John Page

Parsons Brinckerhoff

Project Manager

Travel Video News Rates its Top Ten Beaches for Sun, Surf & Solitude

It is always good to see Carova Beach competing with other elite beaches. Below is the full article from Travel Video TV:



Top 10 US beaches to mix sun, surf and solitude
Seeking out sun, surf, and sand is an easy enough task, but is it possible to stir seclusion into the mix, too? Our editors say “shore”! We’ve dug deep into our arsenal of secret sands to present our top picks for secluded U.S. beaches, where quiet coasts invite in-the-know sunbathers to savor their relative solitude. Sure, some of these destinations are fairly remote (some even require off-the-path travel to offshore islets), but some of the most isolated shores are right under beachgoers’ noses, in popular stateside spots like Florida, California, and Hawaii. You’ll just have to plan a visit soon – while these semi-private sands remain undiscovered for the moment, the cat’s officially out of the bag.


Enderts Beach, California

Living as long as 2,000 years and growing as high as 35 stories, the imposing old-growth redwoods that make up Northern California’s Redwoods National Park tend to overshadow the region’s sublimely secluded U.S. beaches and coastline, which are separated from the lush forest by wide swaths of sand and marsh. That doesn’t bother the birds and occasional sunbathers at Enderts Beach, an idyllic stretch surrounded by wildflower-carpeted bluffs. The half-mile walk from the parking lot, about 500 feet above sea level, down to the driftwood-strewn beach is rewarded with bracing breezes and dramatic views of the Pacific and its denizens (migrating whales can be spotted in March and April), with nary a human in sight. Once you hit the sand, send the kids off on a ranger-guided tide pool walk or pitch a tent at the Nickel Creek campground and spend the night in this land of giants.

Bowman’s Beach, Florida

The secret’s out about the beauty of Sanibel Island’s linen-white sand beaches – situated about 25 miles southwest of Fort Myers, Florida – so you won’t be alone in searching for a stretch of a secluded U.S. beach to call your own. But that’s just what you’ll get when you leave your car and make the quarter-mile walk to Bowman’s Beach, Sanibel’s most peaceful place. The island is well-known as one of the best shelling spots in the country, but you’ll find little competition here. There’s minimal development and ditto on amenities – though Bowman’s does have one perk not found on any other beach on Sanibel: barbecue grills.

Carova Beach, North Carolina

This barrier beach covers the upper stretches of the Outer Banks, North Carolina, and is the most undeveloped of an already spartan beach chain. Part of what keeps the region mellow is the lack of paved roads, with Highway 12 stopping north of Corolla. Four-wheel drive is a must, as the only route to these secluded U.S. beaches is a ride on the sand or a primitive system of dirt roads connecting vacation homes in the wooded interior. Drive slowly to see the wild horses (some are descendants of shipwrecked Spanish mustangs) that roam the protected dunes.

Cumberland Island, Georgia

This protected National Seashore in Georgia (it’s also designated a United Nations International Biosphere Reserve) has been an in-demand getaway and secluded U.S. beach since the late 19th century, when the Carnegies used it as a family retreat. In the 1970s, the civic-minded family fought to protect the powder-smooth sand from high-rise developments, making it possible for beachcombers to enjoy the wild horses, armadillos, and sea turtles that call the island home. These days, the National Park Service limits the number of day visitors and campers to just 300 per day, but if you stay at the luxurious Greyfield Inn – built in 1900 by the Carnegies, and the island’s only hotel – you’ll get unlimited access to a 1,000-foot-wide band of sand that stretches for miles.

Dry Tortugas, Florida

Accessible only via boat, Florida’s Dry Tortugas are a seven-island cluster in the Gulf of Mexico with excellent reef snorkeling, swimming, and bird and marine life spotting opportunities. The isolated national park will take some planning to get to – a couple of catamaran operators make the 5-hour round-trip journey from Key West, a worthwhile splurge that includes a tour of Fort Jefferson (an unfinished 1846 fortress that encompasses half a mile and has 50-foot walls), snorkeling gear, breakfast, and buffet lunch. To enjoy crowd-free time on one of the top secluded U.S. beaches, reserve one of the limited overnight camping spots; it requires packing all essentials, though, including drinking water.

Kaihalulu, Hawaii

A hard-to-find location, dangerous surf, and a treacherous cliff-hugging path down to the shore make Kaihalulu, also known as Red Sand Beach, one of the top secluded U.S. beaches indeed – and off limits to all but the most adventurous. South of Maui’s Hana Bay on the far side of Ka’uiki Hill, this reddish Hawaiian cove – the product of an eroded volcanic cinder cone – is surrounded by tall black cliffs and lined with green ironwood trees. While the strong Pacific currents are somewhat tamed, thanks to a rocky lava seawall that acts as a natural barrier against the surf, swimming is still risky as the jagged rock wall can be as dangerous as it is protective. All the same, the striking sight of the stretch of red-and-black sand set against the turquoise blue lagoon, and guarded by the black rock barrage, make the trip here worth it. Come early in the morning for the utmost isolation.

Orient Beach State Park, New York

Long Island’s (in New York) amazing beaches are no secret, but there are still a few places for those seeking secluded U.S. beaches to get away from the crowds and spread out their blankets in the sand. Delightfully desolate Orient Beach State Park, on the tip of the island’s North Fork, has a 300-foot sandy stretch and plenty of amenities like a playground, picnic area, and barbecue grills. Head out for a family-friendly guided hike of the thick forest and marshes that border the beach and keep an eye out for the resident ospreys. Bike and kayak rentals are also available to help you explore on your own.

Point Bennett, California

Pods of bottlenose dolphins vault through the air as your boat approaches San Miguel in the Channel Islands National Park, better known as North America’s Galapagos. Point Bennett, at the westernmost tip, is one of the Channel Islands’ most secluded U.S. beaches and as far from Southern California freeway culture as you can get. In addition to seasonally pupped pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), the islands are home to some 2,000 species of plants and animals, 145 of which are found nowhere else on the planet. Ferries run from Ventura, a quintessential California coastal town teeming with trendy eateries and lounges (don’t miss the bustling roof deck and fresh California fare at the Watermark on Main), antique shops, and quirky bed-and-breakfasts around its revitalized Main Street; its scenic harbor is also the site of the Channel Islands’ Visitor Center.

Roque Bluffs, Maine

Getting to Roque Bluffs is half the fun. From Route 1 in Machias, Maine, follow Roque Bluff Road for 6 miles, past lobster-trap-scattered blueberry barrens, dense stands of boreal fir trees, and finally through a thicket of fragrant beach roses, where you’ll access one of the state’s hidden gems (and one of the most secluded U.S. beaches). The park consists of a freshwater kettle pond and an ocean-facing pebble beach, both of which provide pristine but chilly swimming (thanks to the Labrador Current). Facilities include picnic tables, grills, changing rooms, and bathrooms, but the real draw is the solitude of the beach and the pure cobalt waters on Englishman’s Bay.

Sandbridge Beach, Virginia

Only 15 miles south of the busy Virginia Beach resort area, Sandbridge Beach seems a world away, offering a peaceful haven of golden Atlantic-fronted sands in an area dubbed the “Outer Banks of Virginia.” Stretch out on 5 miles of secluded U.S. beaches, marked by pristine sand dunes and surf-worthy waves (surfing instruction can be arranged). Nearby, opt to rent a kayak for exploration of the adjacent Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, which consists of beaches, woodlands, and marshlands occupying 9,000 acres, or cast a rod at the fisherman’s paradise that is False Cape, a gorgeous, mile-wide barrier straddling Back Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Currituck Tourism having a great year so far

I get a lot of calls seeing how the rental market is doing. Below is a very good snapshot into how 2010 is shaping up by the Daily Advance's Cindy Beamon:

By Cindy Beamon
Staff Writer

The signs are good. Vacation homes are booked. Weekend traffic toward the Outer Banks creeps along, a frustration for motorists no doubt but a positive omen for business owners remembering last year’s disappointing season.

As the peak of the tourist season shows promise, the only spoiler could be the unpredictable — a tropical storm or the unmentionable something worse.

Currituck Tourism Director Diane Nordstrom said the heavy traffic is a good indicator that tourism on the Outer Banks is returning to normal. Vacation bookings are also looking up. Last year, vacationers could wait for a better deal by delaying their plans. This year, vacationers who wait are missing out. Most vacation homes and hotel accommodations are near capacity, Nordstrom said.

One case in point, said Nordstrom, was the call she received from a frantic vacationer after his plans fell through for a private rental. He needed accommodations for 19 and had only a couple weeks to make the arrangements. Last year, he would have been more fortunate. This year, he went through a list of the big rental companies and found nothing.

Vacation rental companies say those who wait to reserve vacation homes risk losing out.

For hotels, vacationers are continuing to reserve rooms at record rates, said Jeff Tack, general manager for the Hampton Inn in Corolla.

“We’re having a fantastic, record-setting year,” Tack said.

Since early spring, the 123-room hotel has filled 119 to 120 rooms every night, he said.

Tack said the hotel did well last year as vacationers opted for shorter, less-expensive vacations. This year is even better, although there is a difference, he said. Instead of Porsches and Mercedes in the parking lot, like last year, the Hampton Inn is back to accommodating more of its regular clientele. The average stay is about three or four days, Tack said.

Only one thing could spoil the good season: bad weather and more particularly, Tropical Storm Colin which threatens to move toward the East Coast by Sunday. Hotel guests are already concerned, although projections track the hurricane making landfall closer to South Carolina and Georgia.

Ross Twiddy, director of marketing for Twiddy Realty, said a storm has the potential of ruining a good season so far.

“If it’s a quiet storm season, I think it’s going to be a great year for the Outer Banks,” Twiddy said.

Vacation bookings got off to a slow start this spring, but have picked up dramatically in the summer months. As long as the weather remains clear, the season should be the best it’s been in two years, a welcome relief from previous years when a downturn in the national economy scared away vacationers.

“It’s a strong season, and it looks to continue into late August and September,” Twiddy said.

Rentals for 2010 are already better than 2009 with bookings at or near 100 percent. For next weekend, Twiddy’s company has rented 880 vacation homes at 100 percent capacity. Only 15 rental homes are open for the next week, and the rest of the month looks just as promising.

One of the positive indicators that tourism is on the upswing has been the traffic snarls that Twiddy calls a “cursed blessing.”

Highway Patrol Sergeant Tony Parrish said heavy traffic has been the cause of several fender-benders, particularly over the weekend. Last weekend, the highway patrol responded to 14 collisions in Currituck. Since early July, the Highway Patrol has responded to seven to 11 collisions each weekend.

Parrish said the Highway Patrol has increased its presence on N.C. Highway 168 and U.S. Highway 158 in response to this season’s heavy traffic.

At this week’s Currituck commissioners meeting, Chairman Paul O’Neal said he was caught in bumper-to-bumper traffic from the Wright Memorial to Coinjock last weekend.

“It’s just like old times again,” O’Neal said, referring to the heavy traffic before the downturn.

Although vacation bookings are up, the health of retail sales remains uncertain, Nordstrom said.

The best indicator will come in three months when county sales tax receipts are available, she said.

For vacationers this season, the best advice Janice Farr, vice president of Sun Realty, offers is not to wait to book that vacation.

For rental home owners and all the other businesses that benefit from the tourism industry, everyone is keeping their fingers crossed for a strong finish to a good year.

“A few more weeks to go with no weather events, and we’ll be happy,” Farr said.

Corolla Charter School not selected but not giving up.

Despite making the final round, the Water's Edge Village School was not selected by the State for charter but the group remains optimistic about getting the school up and running. Below is an article from the Daily Advance's Kristin Pitts:

By Kristin Pitts
Staff Writer
Saturday, August 7, 2010
They didn’t get the State Board of Education’s approval on Thursday, but supporters of the Water’s Edge Village School aren’t giving up just yet.

The Corolla-based proposed charter school made it to the final round of consideration, but ultimately lost its bid to become the state’s 100th and final charter school.

Instead, the state board granted preliminary approval to Union Independent School in Durham.

In an interview Friday, Water’s Edge president Meghan Agresto called Union Independent a “very deserving school,” adding that the board’s votes went primarily to schools like the one in Durham that were already up and running.

“What we’re getting just from their vote is that they’re not funding the dreamers, and that’s OK,” Agresto said. “We don’t think of ourselves as dreamers. We think of ourselves as people who had an idea, see a need, and are going to fill a need. There’s an under-served population here and we’ll do what it takes to get a school started.”

Agresto says that the group’s next step will be to talk with Currituck County Schools Superintendent Meghan Doyle. Following that conversation, the group will meet with parents and community members.

Agresto says Water’s Edge backers are not exactly certain what the future holds, but that she wouldn’t be surprised if the school becomes a reality within the next year.

“If in 2011 in September we have a school up and running, I won’t be surprised,” she said. “We are an active bunch with a vision and a mission and we are moving toward it. It might not happen, but I’m not going to be surprised if we manage to get it to happen.”

Whether the funding for the school comes from grants, public or private funds remains to be seen, Agresto said.

The idea of creating Water’s Edge originated from a desire to meet the needs of students who don’t have convenient access to a free public education. Currently, parents of students in the Corolla area may either send their children on what for some students amounts to a three-hour round-trip commute to a Currituck school, pay out-of-county tuition to a closer Dare County school, or home-school their children.

Weighing in on the state board’s decision Friday, Doyle said she was disappointed to hear that Water’s Edge’s bid to become a charter school had fallen short.

“I will continue to work with Water’s Edge Village School, the Corolla Education Foundation and Meghan Agresto to see if we can come up with solutions that are better than having very young students on the bus before 6 a.m. in the morning,” Doyle said. “The Corolla Education Foundation has done a great deal of work that is not in vain that I am sure will benefit us as we look for other options.”

Agresto said the biggest thing she had learned from the charter school application process was the importance of already having a school up and running.

“We’re moving forward and we’re feeling good,” Agresto said. “So that’s where we are right now.”

Mr. Wilson finds time for a beach day

We should all make time to play at the beach...

Currituck to Consider Moratorium on Wild Horse Tours

UPDATED ARTICLE on July 5th.

As someone who spending every working day in the off-road area and works at a "stop on the tour", I am glad to see a review of policy on this. Hopefully a practical solution can be explored and realized. Below is an article from Jeff Hampton of the VA Pilot:

By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© June 27, 2010
THE OUTER BANKS

Currituck County may limit tours to see wild horses, one of the biggest attractions on the Outer Banks.

So far this summer, eight companies with 45 vehicles carrying as many as 324 people are operating under the county's new permit system.

Another company with two 52-person capacity monster buses also seeks a permit.

Permitted tour businesses include a golf cart tour in Corolla, two kayak tours along the Currituck Sound shoreline, and two Segway tours - one in Corolla and one in the four-wheel-drive area.

"We are having a difficult time permitting and enforcing all these tours up there," said Ben Woody, director of the Currituck County Planning Department. "It is getting a little overwhelming."

Commissioners are considering a moratorium on new horse tours.

"We want some time to look at it," said Commissioner Vance Aydlett. "We want to take a look at the number of people and the number of vehicles."

The Currituck Outer Banks is among the few places where people can see wild horses roaming along the dunes.

The herd totals about 100 horses, but they typically travel in small groups. A stallion and a few mares can show up on the beach and attract a hundred people in moments.

Tour companies ride up the beach a few miles before crossing the dunes onto the rough unpaved roads that run through the neighborhoods.

Over the years, approximately 100 permanent residents have complained of speeding, noise, trespassing and harassment of the horses.

The county has attempted to write ordinances that balance the complaints with the demand for seeing the horses, the unique attraction that separates it from the Dare County beaches. Wild horses are featured on the county website and in tourism literature.

"At least they are guided now," said resident Kimberlee Hoey. "That helps, because you don't have as many wild cowboys driving around."

The market controls some of the problem, said Richard Brown, owner of Wild Horse Adventure Tours, the largest tour company there.

"There are only so many customers," Brown said. "If they don't give customers what they want, they're not going to stay in business anyway."

On Monday, the Board of Commissioners turned down a request by a Carova couple to operate an airboat tour along the Currituck shoreline.

Residents there opposed the tours, and both the planning board and planning staff recommended denial. Noise, safety and turbidity in the water were among the objections. The tour would have operated from a residential area on Teal Road in Carova along a canal.

"I have no problem with the tour," Aydlett said. "It's just the place."

But owners David and Polly McMillan said the denial was arbitrary and wrong. As they progressed through the permit process, the McMillans complied with every request, Polly McMillan said.

A noise test taken by a Currituck County deputy from 25 feet showed the boat put out 61 decibels idling and 70 decibels when under way. At 50 feet, the engine put out 84 decibels at high speed from feet 50 away. A vacuum cleaner measures about 70 decibels, according to a chart by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

An airboat engine is above water and creates less turbidity than a motor boat, David McMillan said. Regarding the commercial activity in a home district, many other small businesses operate within Carova, he said.

"I'm not asking for something special," McMillan said. "I just want equal treatment. We've put a whole lot of work into this. It kind of destroys your faith in the system."

New permit requirements, first mandated this year, mostly control wild horse tours. Companies must have adequate parking at their base. A guide certified by the Corolla Wild Horse Fund must lead the tour. Each vehicle must have an identification sign on it. Permits must be renewed each year. Violators will be subject to a fine up to $500.

Despite the limits, the horse tour business is thriving this year. Bookings are already what they would normally be in peak weeks in July, Brown said. He typically runs five lead vehicles and five "tag-along" vehicles carrying up to 65 people. He started this business four years ago with two old vehicles.

In the parking lot just before a tour began, Wild Horse Adventure Tours guide Jeremy Winegardner explained some of the rules: Avoid the large mud holes in the unpaved roads, stay out of the ocean surf and stay 100 feet from the wild horses. The county ordinance says 50 feet, but Brown's guides are told to double that distance.

William and Tena Bishop, of Hickory, N.C., listened carefully. Celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, the Bishops were here to see wild horses.

"This is something I've always wanted to do," she said.

Off-Road Commercial Zoning request pulled from Agenda

In the 11th hour, the Developer pulls the request from the BOC agenda. Below is the article from the Daily Advance's Cindy Beamon

By Cindy Beamon
Staff writer
Monday, June 7, 2010
The developer of a proposed 302-unit inn on one of Currituck’s remote beaches has withdrawn his rezoning application amid outcry by nearby property owners that the project would spoil the landscape and strain scarce resources.

A public hearing on rezoning 37 acres in Swan Beach for the inn was scheduled for Monday but canceled at the request of Chip Friedman, owner of Swan Beach Corolla. Friedman, who notified The Daily Advance by e-mail of his decision Sunday, could not be reached for comment Monday.

Property owners identified as the “Currituck Off Road Community” had protested plans for the inn, claiming it was out of character with nearby residential housing and the natural surroundings.

The proposed project’s proximity to the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, a Natural Heritage Area, was of particular concern to county planners who had recommended denial of the rezoning request. Planners were also concerned about the project’s impact on the delicate Outer Banks eco-system and unpaved roadways.

Friedman’s decision apparently halts the developer’s third attempt to bring commercial development to the off-road beach area.

In 2004, the developer requested that almost 19 acres be rezoned from residential to general business. The request was denied by commissioners. In 2008, another request that would have created an overlay district for the property was heavily opposed by nearby residents and also denied.

Friedman said earlier that the inn would have no greater impact than the “mega-homes” currently built in the area.

“If we build 12 mega-homes, like what is occurring right now, there will be a much higher intensive use of resources and far less conservation,” he said in an e-mail last week.

Off-Road Commercial Development plan meeting local and County opposition

Passions are being ignited as the Board of Commissioners meeting draws near to approve or deny a rezoning request for commercial development in Swan Beach. Below is an article in the Daily Advance by Cindy Beamon:

By Cindy Beamon
Staff Writer
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A plan to build an inn on one of Currituck’s most remote beaches has evoked stiff resistance from county officials and a citizen’s group that asserts the project will spoil the landscape, drain scarce resources and threaten plants and wildlife.

Swan Beach Corolla is seeking to rezone 37 acres in Swan Beach from residential to commercial for a 302-unit inn, recreational facilities, indoor pool and helicopter landing pad. The proposed project would be located near the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, a Natural Heritage Area designed to protect plants and animals in environmentally sensitive areas.

The county Planning Board has recommended denial of the project after reviewing a long list of objections from the county’s planning staff. The Currituck Board of Commissioners is scheduled to consider the request on Monday.

County planners stated that the proposed plan would be incompatible with the off-road community’s surroundings, encouraging traffic and commercial services in an area designed to discourage both.

The developer argues that the project would have no greater impact than building “mega-homes” on the site, and that the project would generate more tax revenue for the county.

Another major concern of the county planning staff was the proposed project’s proximity to the National Wildlife Refuge that should be “preserved and protected” from outside disturbance, planners said in a case analysis report.

In addition, the project would be ineligible for federal flood insurance within the high hazard area. Concerns about erosion, availability of fresh water, traffic and septic system management were also cited.

Also objecting to the rezoning request is a group identifying itself as the “Currituck Off Road Community.” Lynne Wilson, speaking for the group, said opposition to the proposed rezoning is “enormous.”

“The Currituck Off Road Community is just that, a community of people who live here and own property here. It is not a formal organization,” Wilson said in an e-mail response to The Daily Advance.

“The Currituck Off Road consists of thousands of privately owned lots and properties,” Wilson said. “Of those thousands, those who have expressed their opinion on this request to bring commercial zoning to the Off Road, the majority are opposed.”

In an e-mail that Chip Friedman, owner of Swan Beach Corolla, said was against his attorney’s advice, Friedman said, “As it stands, if we accept the County’s position, we could construct 12 homes with a total of 288 bedrooms on these same lots. What we are proposing is a resort which will have 302 bedrooms that will give the County more tax revenue, more jobs, and less traffic because our guests will be shuttled to the resort.”

The e-mail further states, “If we build 12 mega-homes, like what is occurring right now, there will be a much higher intensive use of resources and far less conservation. Furthermore, we have removed the fishing pier from the project. If the County wants to support sprawling development, it will reject our project”

The rezoning request is not the first submitted by Swan Beach Corolla. In 2004, the developer requested that almost 19 acres be rezoned from residential to general business. The request was denied by commissioners. In 2008, another request that would have created an overlay district for the property was also denied.

“The repeated requests by the developer is to commercialize an area whose greatest value, both intrinsic and extrinsic, lies in its remote nature and its unique character, its rare beauty attributable to its noncommercial character,” Wilson said.

The rezoning request must be approved by commissioners because the property is currently zoned for residential use and is located within a Limited Service Area, which discourages commercial and road development.

resistance

Wild Horses to become NC State Horse

According the the article by Virginia Pilot's Jeff Hampton below, a bill is awaiting the governor's signature to make the Spanish Mustang the State Horse.

By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© June 3, 2010
Corolla’s wild horses and others like them are expected to become the official state horse of North Carolina.

The General Assembly ratified a bill today naming Colonial Spanish mustangs as the state horse. The governor is expected to sign the bill into law.

Believed to be descended from Spanish mustangs that arrived here in the 1500s, about 100 wild horses live in the four-wheel drive area of the Currituck County Outer Banks. Another 120 live in Shackleford Banks in Carteret County.

The Corolla herd naturally divides into smaller groups of a lead stallion, a few mares and young horses. Groups can be seen frolicking on the beaches or grazing in the yards of homes behind the dunes. Wild horses are among the most popular tourist attractions on the Outer Banks.

The idea for the legislation came from students at Shawboro Elementary School in Currituck County

Property Tax Rate to Stay the Same in Currituck County

With every county and town in the State having to make tough budget decisions, Currituck County managed to get it done without raising taxes or laying off numerous county employees. Bravo. Below is an article from the Daily Advance's Cindy Beamon:

No tax hike in $45M Currituck budget
By Cindy Beamon

Friday, May 28, 2010
CURRITUCK — Property owners won’t be paying a higher tax rate and no county employees will be losing their jobs, but that doesn’t mean Currituck County residents won’t see the effects of a tough economy in next year’s proposed $45 million county budget.

The county expects to receive less money from property taxes in fiscal year 2010-11, but it will manage the shortfall by making cuts to departmental budgets, County Manager Dan Scanlon said this week.

The county will spend 7 percent less than it did last year, mostly by cutting out or delaying purchases of technology, educational courses, travel and other operating expenses, Scanlon said. Also, capital outlay spending will drop about 25 percent as the county pares back on major construction projects.

Income from property taxes is expected to decrease — not because of lower property values or lower tax rates but because the county anticipates it will not be able to collect as many taxes from property owners in financial trouble. Last year the county anticipated it would collect 98 percent of taxes due; this year, that figure has dropped to 96 percent. The 2 percent difference in collections accounts for about $300,000 less than in earlier projections.

Property taxes, currently assessed at 32 cents per $100 valuation, account for more than half the revenue in next year’s proposed budget. State sales tax revenue, another important source of income for the county, has remained flat, Scanlon said.

The shortfall in funds has forced the county to tighten spending, but the county should be able to retain its 359 employees and absorb most of the increased costs for health care and other benefits, he said. No cost-of-living pay increases are included.

“I want to give the departments a lot of credit for understanding the dire economic conditions,” Scanlon said. “We were asking them to go back through their budgets to see what items they could cut, what items they could delay, and I think they did a great job.”

Also feeling the pinch will be the Currituck County Schools, which will face a $134,773 reduction in county funds earmarked for instructional use. Two factors have contributed to the reduction — lowered inflation and fewer students, Scanlon said. For several years, the county has calculated its funding based on the number of students attending schools and the rate of inflation. Next year, the number of students is expected to drop by 45 and inflation is down, which reduces the county’s contribution.

The reduction in local funds for education may foreshadow a shortfall at the state level as well. The school system is awaiting word from the General Assembly before determining its final budget for the coming year.

At the local level, school funding for capital outlay will also take a hit because of a reduction in sales tax revenues. During 2009-10, the schools received $1.1 million in sales tax revenue from the county; next year it will be down to $990,000.

Even with these reductions, the county has managed to tuck away $1 million for future school construction projects. No immediate project is under way, but the county needs to continue saving for future projects, Scanlon said.

In addition to the general fund budget, the county is projected to operate an $8.7 million tourism budget fueled by occupancy tax revenue. By law, those revenues must be used to promote tourism and tourism-related expenditures. Occupancy tax collections are down from the previous year because of reduced bookings and discounted rentals on the Outer Banks last year.

Commercial Development In 4x4 Area Back on the Commissioners Agenda

It appears that the Commercial Development proposal by Swan Beach Corolla, LLC in Swan Beach is on the Board of Commissioners agenda for June 7th after being removed for the agenda earlier in the year. I have reprinted my earlier post. I invite all of you to voice your opinions as this will have a dramatic impact if approved.

PREVIOUS POST:

Commercial Development has always been a wildly unpopular idea in the 4WD off-road area of the Outer Banks. The most recent (and most ridiculous) proposal came before the planning board on Feb 12th, and fetched a resounding NO. Below I am pulling the minutes from the planning board meeting for accuracy on this subject.

PB 10-03 Swan Beach Corolla: Request to rezone 37.36 acres from Outer
Banks Limited Access Residential (RO2) to Conditional District-General Business
(CD-GB). The property is located in Swan Beach, Tax Map, 101 and 101A,
Parcels A,B,C,D,1A,M1 and M2, Fruitville Township.
Brian Plumlee, Mark Bissell, Elizabeth White, Debra Lanucci, Lillie Daniels, Bob
Albrecht, Michael Cherry and Greg Lampy appeared before the board.
Ms. Voliva presented the following case analysis to the board.
Link for case analysis for PB 10-03 Swan Beach Corolla
DISCUSSION
Mr. Plumlee stated they are asking for conditional zoning meaning they would be
required to follow the conditions set by the county. Mr. Plumlee stated his client
has been paying taxes on this property since 1969 as a business parcel. What
his client is proposing to build is a private beach resort for weekly rentals and
special events. It would include a chapel, fire and rescue station, wellness center
and commercial for neighborhood services. At the south end there would be a
fishing pier. Mr. Plumlee addressed staff recommendations for denial.
• The proposed request is not consistent with the Carova Sub-area Policy:
What they are proposing is an old beach village style development and
clearly these plans can be tailorrd by the county. They will be very small
structures, 900 to 1200 sq. ft. They are looking into the potential of shuttle
service for people using the resort.
• The proposed uses and development plan does not promote compatibility
between the subject property: Having smaller structures is going to be a
better development.
• The intensity of the proposed uses and development plan will encourage
commercial services in the off-road area: The pier will be at the southern end
of the property and the Inn will be at the northern end. The Inn will not
encourage adjoining commercial structures because of shuttling people in.
Currituck County Planning Department
February 9, 2010
Page 11
The fishing pier is to encourage fishing. Mr. Plumlee stated to consider these
two items separately, the Inn and the pier. His client is mostly focused on the
resort.
• Vehicular access: Mr. Plumlee stated he hopes they have addressed this
with the shuttle services and they would have to buy their own private
insurance.
Mr. Bissell provided an overview of the project, addressed the community
meeting comments, and examples of the building styles.
Ms. Taylor asked where in Corolla are the cars are going to be parked.
Mr. Bissell stated the developer has a special use permit for a remote parking
site.
Mr. Wright asked how vehicles or emergency vehicles will pass under the pier
when the water comes up and the height of the pier will decrease as it gets
closer to the dune line?
Mr. Bissell stated this will have to be addressed in the design.
The Board was concerned with more traffic being routed from the beach to the
local roads.
Mr. West asked for clarification on the Inn and individual cottages.
Mr. Bissell stated it is an Inn in multiple structures. Two buildings will have 8000
sq. ft. on each floor with 12 units per floor. It will be operated under single
management. Mr. Bissell stated each unit will have their own individual septic
system.
Ms. Wilson stated that Mr. Plumlee stated that Mr. Friedman is doing this for the
community. She lives in the community and from the community meeting that
was held the community is not asking for this. Ms. Wilson stated that
architecturally it is nice but it is still a commercial development. Ms. Wilson stated
it is setting a precedent because other properties that are currently zoned
residential could put in a request for conditional rezoning for commercial.
Mr. Clark asked if the beach would be open in front of the development so the
public to drive down the beach.
Mr. Bissell stated yes.
Ms. White stated she is a resident of Swan Beach and the president of the Swan
Beach Property Association. The members of the Swan Beach Property
Association are against the conditional rezoning request and are in agreement
with staff recommendations for denial. Ms. White stated this request will lead to
Currituck County Planning Department
February 9, 2010
Page 12
incompatible and disruptive activity and will be detrimental to the general welfare,
safety, health and well-being of their community. The community is not
requesting any of the services in this proposal. The Swan Beach Property
Association is asking that the board deny this request.
Ms. Lanucci stated she is property owner in Swan Beach and is against the
rezoning request because it is a drastic change in the landscape of Swan Beach.
Ms. Daniels stated she hopes the board will deny this request and leave it like it
is. It has worked in the past and hopefully will work in the future.
Mr. Albrecht stated he is against the rezoning request because of the lack of an
adequate infrastructure, septic systems, and not in harmony with residential
nature of the community.
Mr. Cherry stated he is the former president of the Swan Beach Property
Association. Mr. Cherry stated he lives in a house that had been moved and if
the pier was built this would eliminate the ability to do this. Mr. Cherry stated this
project is not in harmony with the residential nature of the community and asking
that the board deny the request.
Mr. Lampy asked the board to deny this request.
Mr. Plumlee stated what is popular is not always right and what is unpopular is
not always wrong. They do believe this project would reduce impacts compared
to the results of residential developments at this location. The pier is not the main
part of the project. This development will not decrease the value of adjoining
properties. This is a lower impact plan. If it is the concern to lessen impacts then
you would adopt this plan, if it is the issue of controlling what is happening at all
times around you then you would reject it, it is as simple as that.
Ms. Wilson stated she has a letter from the North Swan Beach Property Owners
Association, a statement from the C.O.A.S.T. environmental group and the
Corolla Wild Horse Fund in opposition to this rezoning request.
ACTION
Ms. Wilson recommended denial with staff recommendations and LUP Policies,
OB6, CD5, ES8, ES7, and ES6 to rezone 37.36 acres from Outer Banks Limited
Access Residential (RO2) to Conditional District- General Business (CD-GB).
Ms. Taylor seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously.

The final say will be on May 3rd (NOW JUNE 7TH)when the Board of Commissioners vote to approve or deny. I cannot see how the BOC will approve so close to an election and without planning board approval in the midst of rewriting the Unified Development Ordinance. Nonetheless, if you have an opinion, it is important to be heard. There are two websites to visit depending on your stance on this issue. If you oppose commercial develpment, you should go here. If you are for commercial development, you should visit here.

Public Meetings on Currituck Bridge Brings Both Support and Opposition for Project

From the Viginia Pilot's Jeff Hampton, He provide's feedback from the public meetings around the area below:

By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© May 23, 2010
CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C.

Opinions on a bridge to the Outer Banks depend on the neighborhood.

During public hearings held last week by the North Carolina Turnpike Authority, Corolla and Aydlett residents generally opposed the five-mile span. Residents in Duck and Southern Shores, though, mostly supported the bridge.

Groups have formed on both sides: Build the Bridge - Preserve Our Roads in support and No Mid-Currituck Bridge in opposition. Each has a website and advertises on billboards.

"I feel like this is a want, not a need," Corolla resident Nancy Baker said. "I don't want to pay $800 million to solve traffic flow."

Baker was one of about 125 people who attended a hearing in Corolla on Wednesday. A hearing was also held in Kill Devil Hills on Tuesday and another in Barco on Thursday.

"On balance, the benefits outweigh the negatives," said Duck resident Allan Starr, among a minority who spoke in favor of the bridge at the Corolla hearing.

The North Carolina Turnpike Authority proposes building a bridge across the Currituck Sound from Ayd-lett to Corolla, ranging in cost from about $600 million to more than $1 billion.

The project has been debated for more than 20 years and went through public hearings in the 1990s with opinions divided according to locality. Lack of funding and environmental issues delayed the project.

Options include a five- mile span across the sound that would turn into a short road through Aydlett before becoming a bridge again through two miles of swamp to intersect with U.S. 158.

Toll plazas would sit at the U.S. 158 intersection just south of Coinjock. Aydlett Road would remain in place parallel to the bridge.

In another configuration, the bridge would end at the Aydlett shoreline and merge into a road that would travel through the swamp to U.S. 158. Aydlett Road would be closed and toll plazas would sit in Aydlett.

Currituck County officials who have supported the bridge oppose building toll plazas in Aydlett and further disturbing the community.

Building a road through the swamp saves about $60 million on the project, b ut environmental agencies prefer a bridge to allow free flow of water and wildlife.

On the Corolla side, the bridge could connect to N.C. 12 near the TimBuck II commercial complex or near the Corolla Bay subdivision about two miles north.

Another alternative is not to build a bridge and instead widen existing highways.

Aydlett is a community set along the Currituck Sound without traffic lights, gas stations or convenience stores.

Most residents own at least a small boat, part of an old tradition of traversing the sound without a bridge. Many tend gardens as large as small farms. The bridge would destroy the rural character and quiet lifestyle, residents say.

In Corolla, a tourist resort area, the bridge would increase day-trippers and burden N.C. 12 with more traffic, not less, opponents said.

Corolla lacks parking and other facilities to handle the swell of day-trippers. Crime would increase because of the extra escape route offered by a bridge, opponents said.

"Day-trippers bring their own food and beer and leave their trash," Corolla resident Barry Richmond said during Wednesday's public hearing.

In Duck and Southern Shores, traffic would probably decrease with a new bridge. Now, traffic clogs on N.C. 12 as it winds north from Southern Shores to Corolla.

Travelers heading to Corolla would take the bridge, trimming about an hour off the circuitous route through southern Currituck, across the Wright Memorial Bridge into Dare County and then north about 20 miles on N.C. 12 through Duck to Corolla.

Hurricane evacuation and medical services would be faster, supporters said. Currituck County employees and construction workers would have a quicker trip to the Outer Banks.

The public can make comments to the Turnpike Authority through June 7. The state plans to make a decision on the preferred option in August and issue a final environmental impact statement in September.

If approved, construction would begin in 2011 and the bridge would open by 2014.

The bridge would be built and operated by a private developer with state oversight. Tolls could run from $6 to $12 each way. The state sets aside $15 million annually to help pay for the bridge.