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The new Currituck County board is anxious to get to work at the first meeting in December. Currituck video still

Paul O’Neal was appointed chairman of the Currituck Board of Commissioners. Currituck video still

NCDOT has suggested two alternatives to the aging Knotts Island Bridge over Corey’s Ditch: either replace the bridge in place (alternative 1) or close the man-made canal and pave it over with new roadway (alternative 2). Courtesy NCDOT

NCDOT has suggested two alternatives to the aging Knotts Island Bridge over Corey’s Ditch: either replace the bridge in place (alternative 1) or close the man-made canal and pave it over with new roadway (alternative 2). Courtesy NCDOT

New county commissioner Janet Rose encourages the board to spend time inside the classrooms in the county. Currituck video still

Paul O’Neal is sworn in as commissioner for Currituck County. Currituck video still

Tony Angell is sworn in as commissioner for Currituck County. Currituck video still

Four county commissioners were sworn in at the December 2 meeting: returning commissioner Selina Jarvis, along with Janet Rose, Tony Angell, and Paul O’Neal.

O’Neal returns to the board after serving as a commissioner from 1994 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2016, and serving on the NC House of Representatives from 2022 to 2023. Commissioners appointed him chairman and appointed Jarvis vice chairman.

In his opening statement to the board, O’Neal shared some goals for the county to increase community accessibility, and he also asked for grace as the board works through these changes.

“We want to get back to the point where we have a relationship with our constituents; where they trust us and we can trust they are going to support us when we have to make tough decisions,” O’Neal said.

The new board got right to work, holding a public hearing to consider a request from Morris Farm Market owners about food truck regulations. Due to multiple-day events hosted at the farm market, the owners asked for a change to the UDO to allow food trucks to remain on the property overnight.

Chet Morris, son of owners Walton and Ginger Morris, explained to commissioners that the business holds weekend events and the frequent movement of food trucks is a safety concern, including hooking and unhooking gas lines and driving large vehicles on and off a property crowded with people.

“You’re building a food truck in there every day,” he explained of the process. “There is plumbing [work] involved and underground power and propane.”

Commissioners approved the request. They then approved a text amendment to provide consistency between the future land use map and the UDO related to density.

In new business, commissioners passed a resolution acknowledging receipt of state funds for Moyock Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. County manager Rebecca Gay said that the Department of Environmental Quality, through the 2023 General Assembly, appropriated $13,762,000 for sewer and water infrastructure.

Gay said that the county is working on specifications for a mobile wastewater plant. Though she said the project is coming along, she could not give a definite completion date.

At the December 16 meeting, commissioners held a public hearing for a preliminary plat/special use permit for Sunrise on the Sound, a 15-lot single-family conservation subdivision off Tulls Creek Road in Moyock.

The density level for the development is 0.86, well below the allowed two dwelling units per acre.

The parcel is approximately 17.5 acres, with proposed 40% open space. Developer Hugh Miller said he’s developed a variety of projects in the county including airplane hangars, office spaces, and residential subdivisions.

Regarding school capacity, Miller said that with permitting and construction, he expects to be at least 18 months away from home completion. The subdivision is expected to generate three elementary students. Shawboro Elementary is currently overcapacity, but Tulls Creek Elementary is scheduled to open in the fall of 2025 with a capacity for 800 students.

Jarvis asked if he would be willing to submit to a condition that he not present the first certificate of occupancy until Tulls Creek Elementary opened. Miller said that while he didn’t not think three students was significant enough to require this, he would agree to the condition if the board felt it was important.

The lot will include street trees, sidewalks, and a buffer along Tulls Creek Road.

Though he did not give an anticipated home price, Miller did say that the development will be located next to a development that sells between the $400,000s to the $800,000s, and will be similar in terms of lot size, home size and finishes.

Commissioner Owen Etheridge made a motion to approve the preliminary plat/special use permit. The motion passed unanimously.

During commissioner reports, the board discussed a community meeting in Knotts Island regarding the possible closing of Corey’s Ditch.

NC Department of Transportation is considering replacing the bridge on NC 615 (Marsh Causeway) over Corey’s Ditch Cory’s Ditch in Knotts Island.

There are two current alternatives: either replace the 180-ft bridge in place or close the man-made canal and pave over it with new roadway. Construction costs are about the same for the either option. Construction is expected to begin in the winter of 2027.

Knotts Island residents are not happy about the possibility of closing the ditch, which was built in 1927 and is a popular local fishing and recreation spot.

“[NC DOT needs] to understand that this ditch has a lot to do with drainage, and closing this ditch is going to have some severe impacts on Knotts Island,” said Chairman O’Neal.  “And not just Knotts Island – it’s going to cause water to dam up into Northern Currituck, Moyock, the Outer Banks. Without that flow of water going through there it’s going to create a lot of problems beyond what they’re looking to do.”

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