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Currituck commissioners had four public hearings and five items of new business at Monday’s meeting.

First, commissioners approved an amendment to the unified development ordinance for Truck Accessory Center to allow off-site storage and display of recreational vehicles and trailers.

Second, they approved changes to the ordinance per the state’s 160D requirements, which consolidates planning and zoning authority given to local authorities. Many of the changes had already been incorporated into Currituck ordinances. Conditional use permits will now be called special use permits; quasi-judicial public hearings will now be called evidentiary hearings. For land use permits, the Technical Review Committee (TRC) will now review and offer comments to the Board of Commissioners rather than offer recommendations to approve or deny.

According to the report, “The Planning Board shall advise on and comment on whether the proposed text amendment is consistent with 2.4.2.B.8(b) and shall make a written recommendation to the Board of Commissioners that addresses plan consistency and other matters deemed appropriate by the Planning Board. The Board of Commissioners is not bound by a Planning Board recommendation.”

Third, commissioners heard from community members about the possible expansion of the Moyock Watershed Improvement District for the purposes of increasing the fund base to make improvements to drainage in the township. Commissioners approved the motion, but voted to exclude some properties from the district.

Fourth, commissioners approved the 2021-22 budget with some minor changes including updating the budget with actual numbers for worker’s compensation and liability and property insurance; reclassifying the positions of aging and senior director, animal control officer and clerk to the board and adding engineering fees for electrical engineering design.

In new business, commissioners began with reviewing the Revised Wild Horse Management Agreement. Commissioner Paul Beaumont was the one dissenting vote, citing a lack of revision to the report: “Someone hasn’t updated this. They tweaked the action items but this agreement needs to be revised.”

Commissioner Bob White commented: “The parts that are important have been revised.”

Beaumont continued, “This [opposing vote] has nothing to do with the policies and the agreements, but looking at taxpayer money, this is a report they have to give, they had ample time to get this updated.”

Next, the board approved the license agreement between the county and the Corolla Volunteer Fire Department for the location of a training facility on county property. Beyond the benefit of the training itself, commissioners mentioned that with a nearby training facility, firefighters can train while they are still on duty rather than being paid overtime while training.

The next item of new business involved allowing Pass the Salt Restaurant to use the county’s parking lot for customers during construction. “This is a way for us to be a good neighbor,” Stikeleather said. The motion was approved.

Finally, commissioners approved out of state travel for commissioners Mary Etheridge and Selina Jarvis. Etheridge and Jarvis will travel to Prince Georges County, Md. for the National Association of Counties Annual Conference July 8-12.

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