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Dare County Commissioners approved two planning matters in early December.

William J. Meyer Jr., applied for a zoning text amendment for the VC-2 zoning district, only mapped in Colington. He requested that “marinas” be added as a special use to the zoning district.

Meyer owns two adjacent parcels in the VC-2 zoning district, which are located at 1648 Colington Road and 1636 Colington Road. The property located at 1636 has shoreline that fronts on Kitty Hawk Bay and the entrance to the Colington Cut, states the memorandum from planning director Noah Gillam.

On Colington Island, planning staff found no boat launching or docking facilities open to the public. The area does have privately available launching facilities in waterfront neighborhoods.

States Gillam’s memorandum, “It is planning staff opinion that the addition of marinas to the VC-2 would not disrupt the flow of the surrounding neighborhoods, since the district already allows waterfront and boat dependent uses and the entire list of accessory uses associated with marinas are already permitted uses allowed in the district, many of which are businesses currently in operation. The addition of marinas to the VC-2 district would offer a service to the permanent residents and seasonal visitors that are not found anywhere in Dare County, other than on Roanoke Island and the southern portions of Hatteras Island.”

The Dare County Planning Board reviewed the proposed text amendment at its Nov. 6, 2024 meeting. The Planning Board found that the proposed amendment was consistent with the policies found in the 2022 Dare County Land Use Plan and it recommended favorable action on the text amendment.

The commissioners unanimously approved the text amendment to add marinas to the VC-2 zoning district.

The second planning item was a special use permit to construct a travel trailer park at 19147 Hwy. 64 in East Lake. Jimmie and Dana Summerell own two adjacent parcels that, when combined, will measure 2.74 acres.

The plan calls for 22 travel trailer slots, a 630 square-foot bathhouse, 46 parking spaces (the travel trailer ordinance requires 22), four on-site wastewater systems, and a six-foot fence surrounding the property for a buffer, though the commissioners suggested using existing vegetation when available.

Some 20 conditions were proposed in the draft special use permit. Among them is “Travel Trailers may be allowed to remain in the park on a year-round basis however such units shall not be used as permanent dwellings. Any travel trailer that remains in the park on a year round basis shall be fully licensed and ready for highway use. Highway use is defined as remaining on its wheels or jacking system and is attached to the site only by quick disconnect type utilities and has no permanently attached additions.”

Commissioner Mary Ellon Ballance wanted a condition added that no vacation rentals by owner would be permitted.

Commissioner Steve House suggested a condition that telephone and email addresses of travel trailer owners must be available for notification to move trailers out of the park.

The special use permit with a couple of additions was approved unanimously on Dec. 2, 2024.

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