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On Tuesday, June 1, Dare County Board of Commissioners will meet to discuss housing alternatives.

Essential housing for full-time residents has long been on the board’s agenda.

One unsolicited proposal for developing 72 units at the Bowsertown property on Roanoke Island was submitted to the board. The $15.09 million proposal calls for a dozen one-bedroom units renting for $680; 42 two-bedroom units for $820; and 18 three-bedroom units for $945.

The proposal, submitted by SAGA Realty and Construction and the Taft Mills Group, asks for a $4.5 million loan from Dare County, reduction of water connection and impact fees and a “payment in lieu of taxes” of $200 per unit per year, increasing 2% per year. The proposal is open until June 7.

The proposal was discussed at the commissioners May 3 budget workshop. Another party was interested in submitting a proposal.

At that time, distributing a Request for Proposals was considered.

At the board’s mid-May meeting, Dave Hallac, superintendent of National Parks in Eastern North Carolina, presented a 2020 report and outlined work for the next three years.

National Park staffers and contractors will be working on Hurricane Dorian recovery, revitalizing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, adapting to a changing coast, making improvements at Wright Brothers National Memorial, modernizing the seashore’s camping facilities, and making housing improvements.

The commissioners have scheduled a public hearing for 5 p.m. on June 21 regarding updates to Dare County’s Code of Ordinances required by legislation passed by the state’s General Assembly and other changes suggested by a review of the ordinances.

The legislation makes changes to North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160D dealing with land use regulation.

Dare County’s Planning Board has reviewed the changes and recommends approval.

Planning director Donna Creef reports that six ordinances are affected by the required changes. Those ordinances are Chapter 150 Airport; Chapter 151 Flood Prevention Ordinance; Chapter 152 Planning and Development; Chapter 153 Subdivision Ordinance; Chapter 158 Signs addressing roof signs and digital display signs; Chapter 158 Zoning Ordinance where the legislation now references “special use” rather than the current “conditional use” as well as substantive changes.

The various revisions are available for review at darenc.com under Board of Commissioners and the agenda for May 17, 2021.

Two actions affect Hatteras Inlet.

Dare County is asking to continue maintaining Hatteras Inlet South Ferry Channel. Dare County is asking for a grant of $27,450 from the Shallow Draft Navigation Channel Fund to help fund administrative services for three maintenance events during 2021-22. Additionally, the county is asking for a permit modification to permit the “Miss Katie,” the now-under construction public-private dredge, to dredge the South Ferry Channel.

The second action requests through the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, Section 7001, to add the Hatteras Inlet Bar as a part of the Rollinson and Hatteras Federal Authorization.

County Manager Robert L. Outten asked and the commissioners agreed to a one-year contract instead of a five-year contract with Sandski, LLC to provide lifeguard services at the “Ole Swimming Hole” located on Roanoke Island. Contract is between hours of 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. seven days a week beginning Saturday, May 29, 2021 through and including Monday September 1, 2025.

Outten is also asking the contractor to keep a record of the daily use of the facility. The beach profile drops off quickly. Outten said the site is now used infrequently. He said there are probably other areas that could benefit from lifeguard service, such as the Rodanthe Beach Access.

Outten presented a list of one-time items to be paid for in the current fiscal year. The list was reviewed at the May 3 budget workshop. The budget amendment uses $5.11 million of the $6.16 million available in the unassigned fund balance. The major expenditure is $2.48 million to fund the Law Enforcement Officers’ Special Separation Allowance. The move eliminates the related liability.

On May 17, the commissioners made the following appointments:

– Reappointed George Banks, Dennis Robinson and Jeff Oden to the Hatteras Community Center Board

– Reappointed Kaye White and Susanne Kelly to the Senior Tar Heel Legislature for a two-year term.

– Reappointed David Reide Corbett to College of The Albemarle Board of Trustees.

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