All right, good morning everyone. This
the Wednesday, August 5th, 2026
regular meeting of the Nags Head Board
of Commissioners is hereby called to
order. If you will, please join me in a
few moments of silence.
Now, if you'll stand as you're able and
join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.
» [clears throat]
>> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
» Um before we begin, I'd like to
recognize uh former Mayor Bob Muller's
here with us today. Welcome, Bob. Always
glad to see you.
Um
the next item on our agenda is the
adoption of the agenda and note um
the retirement recognition of David
Perry has been moved to the September
2nd meeting and a motion would be in
order.
>> So moved.
>> I have a motion, is there a second? I
have a motion and a second. All those in
favor signify by saying I.
>> I.
>> Opposed? Thank you.
Uh that brings us to recognitions and
we'll start with Kelly.
» Good morning, Mayor and Commissioners.
I'm pleased to introduce our new Chief
Building Inspector, Rick Gotchy.
Rick brings 12 years of building
inspection experience, all with
Currituck County, as well as 2 and 1/2
years experience with a local home
builder, BC Custom Builders. He holds
level three certifications in building,
electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and
fire, um and he is also a certified
flood plain administrator and a licensed
commercial drone operator,
which is exciting. Um Rick lives in Dare
County with his wife, Michelle. Um they
have two daughters, Caitlin and Madison.
Uh
Caitlin and Madison grew up and attended
Dare County schools, and they now live
in Marietta, Georgia and Orange,
California. Um outside of work, Rick
enjoys traveling, college football, and
music. Uh we're very fortunate to have
someone with Rick's experience and
qualifications join our team. Um we're
glad you're here and we hope you stay
here uh for quite a bit and you're up
here again for your 5- and 10-year.
Thank you so much. [laughter]
I appreciate you.
>> [applause]
» Welcome.
>> Thank you.
» Glad to have you.
» Next with a um new employee is Amy
Miller.
» Good morning, Mayor and Commissioners.
Um please help me in welcoming Jessica
Gallop as our new tax collector. Um
she's been working with Jackie, who was
our also our tax collector right now as
Steve is here, he's retiring. Um so
she's going to be moving on, but we're
actually very grateful for the notice
that Jackie gave us um because we're
able to time this with the tax bills
going out. We actually received the tax
scroll this week, um and so it's really
good timing. Um,
we've also asked Becky, who is the tax
collector of Dare County, to come work
with us. So, we've really been um, it's
really good timing and we feel very
fortunate. Um, obviously we work hand in
hand with Dare County, so this is just
like really a good start um, to her
career at at Nags Head. Um,
addition In addition to her great
attitude and strong work ethic, um,
great references
uh, when we reached out. Um, she has
really the perfect background to be the
tax collector here. Um, she worked in
Camden County
tax department as a tax specialist for
14 years um, and she is certified as a
personal property appraiser from the
North Carolina Department of Revenue.
Um, she primarily worked with personal
property at Camden County. Um, but you
know, we collect personal property and
real property here and the personal
property statutes fall under the
umbrella of the real property statutes,
so it's it's just really a great fit.
So, she has a really strong background
um, and knowledge in tax collection. So,
it's going to be a really smooth
transition. And yes, she is aware of the
high expectations we have with our
high tax collection rate. That's always,
you know, put that on the table first
and foremost. So, she's ready for the
challenge and she's going to be a
welcome addition to the team. We're
really fortunate to have somebody so
qualified to be able to step in in this
position in this timing where it's
really critical to learn how to do this
when we're sending out the tax bills
now. Um, so I know that she's going to
help set the town up for success in the
future. Um, we're glad to have you. I'm
sorry to throw you in the fire, and but
welcome to the team.
>> [laughter]
[applause]
» Welcome.
>> Thanks, thanks for having
just checking
instead of being able to do
» That brings us next to a recognition for
years of service and Chief Hale.
» Good morning Mr. Mayor and
Commissioners.
It's my [clears throat] pleasure to come
before you today to recognize Sergeant
J.C. Mitchell
for his 10 years of service with the
town.
J.C. began his career in Kiddie Hills
and joined our agency in 2016 as a
patrol officer.
In early 2018, Mitchell expanded his
patrol duties and became a K9 handler
with the agency and was partnered with
K9 Amy who recently retired in 2024 and
now lives as a family member within the
Mitchell household.
Mitchell was promoted to sergeant in
2024 in March and has become a great
leader within our department.
In the small time frame of just 2 years.
He's one of the agency's general
instructors and oversees the agency's
Governor's Highway Safety program.
In his free time, J.C. loves to spend
time with his wife Ashley, his three
children, and three dogs that live with
him.
Congratulations J.C. on your 10 years
and we look forward to many more.
>> [applause]
[clears throat]
[snorts]
» And the Chief and Sergeant Mitchell are
going to stay there for another
presentation.
>> Absolutely.
Um
We'd like to take a moment to honor
Sergeant Mitchell for receiving a very
significant statewide honor.
Sergeant Mitchell was named the 2025 DWI
per capital enforcer of the year by the
Mothers Against Drunk Driving of North
Carolina.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, better
known as MADD, was founded in 1980 after
a 13-year-old girl was killed by an
impaired driver.
Since that time, MADD has grown into the
nation's nation's largest nonprofit
organization dedicated to ending drunk
and drug impaired driving, supporting
victims, and preventing underage
drinking.
Each [snorts] year, MADD North Carolina
recognizes law enforcement officers from
across the state who demonstrate an
exceptional commitment to impaired
driving enforcement.
This is not simply a departmental or
regional award. It is a statewide award
of excellence. This year's event was
held in Selma at the end of April with
eight officers from across the country
attending for a
uh meal,
presentation from the leaders of MADD,
um
and recognition from several senators
um throughout the state, um
commissioners, um
I was unable to attend. I hated that
with JC. Um we had uh
an event going on at the end of April
that I needed to be here for. Um
but it was an honor for JC to be able to attend and recognize
for his efforts and to be a part of our
agency just goes above and beyond for
what he does.
Sergeant Mitchell
>> [clears throat]
>> earned this award after making 35
arrests during the 2025 year. This means
that 35 suspected impaired drivers were
removed from our roadways before they
could potentially injure or kill
someone.
To take it in perspective, there are
roughly 22,000 sworn law enforcement
officers serving throughout North
Carolina.
For an officer from the Nag's Head
Police Department to be selected and
recognized is a tremendous
accomplishment and something our entire
community should be proud of.
The award reflects the efforts of
Sergeant Mitchell puts into his job
every day.
He is an extremely hard worker,
a solid leader, and someone who
consistently brings a positive attitude
to work. That attitude is contagious and
has a positive effect on the officers
around him and those especially that he
supervises. We're very proud of Sergeant
Mitchell and grateful for his dedication
to the department and to the safety of
our community. Please join me in
congratulating him on his prestigious
and well-deserved statewide recognition.
>> [applause]
» Congratulations.
Sergeant.
» Well done.
>> Well deserved. Thank you.
» We had some pictures in there. I don't
know if we've got a little bit of a
technical difficulty. Did it come up?
And we're asking Sergeant Mitchell to
stick around for a few minutes, if you
will, for photograph a little bit.
>> Okay.
All right.
Thank you. Um Nags Head's
very fortunate to have a number of
officers who are recognized um
and who are specialists uh regionally or
in the state, and uh we really
appreciate their their above and beyond
level of service.
Uh the next item on our agenda is a
recognition for 25 years of service.
Andy and Roberta.
» Can you come up to the podium?
>> [laughter]
>> All right. Well,
make this short and sweet. Got front and
back today.
>> [laughter]
» So,
little did we know that on June 25th,
2001, would turn turn out to be a
historic day for the town of Nags Head.
I know I'm being a little grandiose
here.
It was the day that Roberta Thuman
walked through our doors for the first
time and gave us her talent, her energy,
and her heart.
Roberta was hired by Town Manager Webb
Fuller originally as an executive
assistant, but anyone who has worked
with Roberta knows she didn't stay in
that box for long. Over the next 25
years, she grew into that role. She grew
that role into something the town
couldn't function without, our public
information officer and quite simply the
face of Nags Head. Think about what the
world looked like in 2001.
Back then, only half of American
households had internet access at home.
Today, the number is around 93%.
Facebook didn't yet exist. It wouldn't
launch until 2004. Twitter came along in
2006, and Instagram didn't arrive until
2010. Roberta start When she started
here, our website was little more than a
digital bulletin board, the most basic
tool we had for getting information out
to the public. Roberta didn't just adapt
to that change, she led us through it.
In 2018, she spearheaded a complete
transformation of the town's website, a
full modernization that gave our
residents and visitors a genuinely
better way to engage with their local
government and find the information they
need. And she didn't stop at the
website. Today, the town's Facebook page
has grown to 48,000 followers and nearly
9 9,500 posts. I'm sure you did all of
those.
Our Instagram following stands at over
10,000, and for some perspective, that's
more Facebook followers than some of our
neighbors Dare County 14,000
and Kitty Hawk 30,000. [laughter]
That kind of reach doesn't happen by
accident. It happens because one person
understood that showing up where people
actually are is how you truly serve a
community.
But Roberta's impact goes much deeper
than this. She had many passion projects
throughout her career that had a major
impact on the town.
Anybody who's worked alongside her on
beach nourishment, they'll tell you that
Roberta has an absolute been an
absolutely vital part of that effort.
She's procured more easements than she
probably ever cares to remember,
quietly, patiently doing the unglamorous
work that makes the massive project
successful.
Her impact goes well beyond easement
acquisition. She can talk dredge
operations, project templates,
surveying, dune management, and even her
favorite word, equilibration.
>> [laughter]
>> Right alongside our engineers and
project team. She understood that this
deeper understanding of of the project
is necessary to really communicate to
our community.
Uh this is the probably communications
is the single most important aspect of
this project, especially when you're
dealing with it in the summertime. And
she's done four of these now.
Roberta has also been the storyteller of
Nags Head's history. She has produced
the vast majority of her government
access videos, keeping residents
informed about town services and
projects. And beyond that, she's created
many documentaries
that capture pieces of who we are. Most
notably, her documentary on the Ash
Wednesday storm and the history of Nags
Head Ocean Rescue. Both of those films
premiered at Jennette's Pier, and both
times the house was packed. That tells
you something.
People don't just show up in numbers for
just anyone. They show up because they trust the person telling the story,
and because Roberta has spent 25 years
earning that trust, one resident, one
relationship at a time.
And that might be the thing that stands
out most about Roberta. Yes, she's
mastered the technology. She's grown our
digital present presence beyond what any
of us probably imagined back in 2001.
But underneath that all is something
simpler, a warm presence, genuine care
for people. Roberta has built
friendships here that will last a
lifetime, professional relationships
across the region built on respect and
trust. She is in every sense of the
phrase the face of the town, not because
of the title, but because of the way she
has shown up for Nags Head that single
day for 25 years. Roberta, on behalf of
the entire town of Nag's Head, thank you
for your dedication, your creativity,
your patience with easements and
equilibration,
and for the countless ways, seen and
unseen, you have shaped this town and
how and tell its story.
Here's to 25 remarkable years, and
hopefully there's more still ahead, but
probably not.
>> [laughter]
[applause]
» Roberta?
>> I know I made sure Roberta arranged for
somebody to take pictures.
>> [laughter]
» I got to do it now.
Would you like to say something?
>> Uh actually,
I'm really, really honored to work for
this town
since 2001, and it's it's so much fun.
>> Glad it's fun.
So, we have a certificate of
appreciation for Roberta, which I will
read in part.
Throughout your career as public
information officer, you have
demonstrated exceptional
professionalism, creativity, leadership,
and communicating vital information for
promoting town initiatives, fostering
strong relationships between the town
and its residents, visitors, and
stakeholders.
Nag's Head Board of Commissioners
applauds the positive impact you have
made on the town, your dedication,
expertise, and unwavering commitment to
public service, and Nag's Head Board of
Commissioners and are deeply
appreciative.
» Thank you all for allowing me to come
here.
» And sadly, we have a retirement this
morning.
Kelly.
>> Thank you. Before I begin, I want to
make sure that this is working.
Wonderful.
Thank you so much, um, mayor, members of
the board, and everyone here today.
Um, it's my honor and, uh, also very
bittersweet to recognize Steve Symanski
on his retirement with the town of Nags
Head.
Steve began working for the town on
January 3rd, 2013.
And during his more than 13 years with
us, he has served as a building
inspector, our chief building inspector,
and our floodplain administrator.
Those are positions that carry a
tremendous amount of responsibility.
The work is technical, demanding, and
not always appreciated. Um, particularly
when your job requires you to tell
someone something they do not want to
hear.
But Steve has always done his job
exceptionally well.
Back in 2022,
I nominated Steve for employee of the
year.
In that nomination, I described him as
punctual, accountable, dedicated,
dependable, efficient, consistent,
approachable, responsive, and adaptable.
Um a lot of adjectives, but Steve earned
every single one of them.
At the time, Steve's supervisor said
that Steve knew the North Carolina
building code better than any inspector
he had ever worked with. And that his
knowledge was second to none.
In the years since, Steve has become the
person that the rest of us has relied
upon for that knowledge.
If someone had a question about building
code, flood plain regulations, or just
how how to handle a difficult situation
within the town, Steve was the person
that we went to.
One of Steve's colleagues described him
as steadfast and dependable,
a true to his word friend.
They spoke of his extensive knowledge,
unwavering work ethic, fairness,
trustworthiness, and his no-nonsense,
get-it-done
attitude. And that describes Steve
perfectly.
Steve's integrity was every bit as
important as his knowledge.
He administered the codes fairly and
consistently, regardless of who was
asking. It didn't matter if you were a
first-time homeowner,
a long-time contractor, a prominent
property owner, or even a member of this
Steve held everyone to the same
standard.
He didn't bend the rules based on
someone's name, title, or influence.
He treated people with respect and
equity, and he took seriously his
responsibility to protect the safety and
welfare of all the people who live and
work, and play,
within the town of Nags Head.
Steve was also incredibly dependable. He
arrived early, ready to take the first
phone call,
or help the first person that walked
through the door, often
before some of us, myself included, um
ever made it out of the house to come to
work.
>> [laughter]
» If Steve told you he would take care of
something, you knew that that would be
taken care of.
You rarely needed to follow up with
Steve because Steve was always following
[clears throat] through.
Now, um
in that 2022 nomination, I also wrote,
and I want to be honest, that uh
Steve was likely not the employee that
you um went to if you wanted to leave
feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
>> [laughter]
>> I don't know. Some of you might remember
that from 2022, but I probably undersold
him a little bit. Um
he's uh he's behind being the very
direct building inspector
um who
uh will often tell you to stay in your
lane sometimes.
Um he's incredibly thoughtful and
caring.
Steve began many mornings by sharing a
beautiful sunrise photograph.
Uh one coworker told me that she will
miss those photographs so much
and that her inbox is probably over its
size limit. Sorry, Karen.
Uh because she's kept so many of Steve's
emails over the years.
Um I think that says a lot. Steve didn't
just notice the beautiful moments, but
he took the time to share them
um with everyone and the people he cared
about.
Um
if we were especially lucky, uh Steve
arrived with something he had baked.
Cookies,
cakes, pies, some other sweet treat
would mysteriously appear in the office,
and no one ever had the willpower um to
not dive in immediately.
We are certainly going to miss Steve's
knowledge and his dependability, but it
would be dishonest if we said that we
weren't going to miss all the baked
goods as well.
>> [laughter]
>> Another member of our team shared that
Steve was always eager to answer
questions and generously share his
knowledge of building regulations and
the code.
They said they would miss working with
him, miss those delicious treats, and
hope retirement would allow him to kick
up his feet, go fishing, and do whatever
he wants with his time.
And then they offered that what might be
the best uh retirement tribute that
anyone could give Steve, quote, "I can't
believe I'm saying this, but go Birds."
>> [laughter]
» Um
when Steve first told me he was ready to
retire,
I'll admit that it was hard for me to
process. Selfishly, I wasn't ready to
lose him.
Not because of everything he brings to
our department, but because of how much
he means to all of us.
But then
I thought about
pictures like this.
Steve sent this to me about a year ago.
Steve's dad lives in Delaware,
about 5 hours away,
and his dad loves playing hot shots at
the VFW on Thursday nights.
So, every other week, Steve makes that
drive and takes his dad to the VFW.
Knowing that retirement means Steve will
have more time for nights like this,
more time with his dad, makes losing him
to retirement a whole lot easier.
Because as much as we will miss having
Steve here with us every day, this is
exactly where he deserves to be.
Steve, thank you for your knowledge,
your integrity, your loyalty, your
consistency, and your friendship.
Thank you for always being there when we
needed you, for holding all of us to the
same standard, and for leaving this
department and the town better than you
found them.
We hope retirement brings you many more
trips to Delaware,
many more Thursday nights at the VFW,
plenty of time to fish, and the freedom
to spend your days doing exactly what
you want to do. You have certainly
earned it. We are going to miss you.
» [applause]
» And I'm going to ask the board to come
around and Steve to stay up for
presentation.
Go Burns.
» There's a small financial token.
>> Cash money in the envelope.
>> [laughter]
>> And a plaque which reads as
To Steve Mansfield, a volunteer
firefighter, with greatful appreciation
for his well
and service 2013.
That's awesome.
Thank you, Steve.
Appreciate it.
>> Okay.
>> Just enjoy it.
>> I'll wear it.
>> Yes.
>> Mayor, do you want to say a few words?
>> Oh, yes, I do. I'm sorry, Steve. Please.
>> Don't forget.
>> JC, we've got with your award, please.
>> Sure thing.
» Yeah, sure I can.
» Is there a way
» Oh.
Okay, hold on a sec.
>> Okay, then.
>> Turn it around.
>> Okay, then.
>> [laughter]
>> I have no idea.
» All right.
>> Thank you.
» It's a tear jerker.
Right.
Okay with me.
>> I don't know.
>> How about you?
>> I don't know.
>> How about you?
>> You know I think that that set of recognitions
represents to the degree to which Nags
Head is really also a family. Uh
you know, people who really respect each
other and and enjoy working with one
another and it's uh it's a it's one of
the great things about our town and as
we as we see employees come and go, it's
uh it's pretty awesome.
>> That brings us next to public comment,
Mr. Leiby.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. At this time uh
the Board of Commissioners welcomes
members of the public to comment to the
board on matters of interest or concern.
Uh it's not an opportunity for dialogue
and the board rarely responds, but for
anyone who wishes to address the board
on matters that you're interested in, if
you will please uh go to the podium,
start by telling us your name
uh and where you live and then I will
let you know when your time is almost
up. Also, we do have one public hearing
on the agenda for today. If you were
here to provide comment for that
hearing, you should reserve your
comments until that public hearing is
called. But for anyone else, if you wish
to provide comment to the board,
this is your opportunity.
Anyone?
Mr. Mayor, seeing no takers, I think we
should conclude public comment.
>> Right. Very good. Thank you, sir. Uh
that brings us to the consent agenda,
which you have before you with seven
items and a motion would be in order.
>> So moved.
>> I have Okay, have a motion and a second.
All [clears throat] in favor signify by
saying I.
>> I.
Opposed?
Thank you. And that brings us to our uh
public hearing and I will turn this over
to uh
Mr. Liedy and Director Kelly Wyatt.
>> All right, thank you, Mr. Mayor Smith.
This time we will begin the public
hearing to consider a text amendment
application that was submitted by Ms.
Suzanne Bear uh on behalf of BIPA LLC to
amend section 7.32 of the Unified
Development Ordinance in order to allow
water-dependent recreational uses as a
permissible use within commercial mixed-use developments,
including shopping centers located
within the commercial outdoor recreation
overlay. And we'll begin the board's
consideration of this uh by receiving
the staff's analysis presented by uh the
Planning and Development Director, Kelly
Wyatt.
>> Thank you. I was hoping I would have
more time before I was back at this.
>> [laughter]
» Um
As you stated, this is a public hearing
to consider a text amendment application
submitted by Suzanne Bear on behalf of
BIPA BIPA LLC.
The request is to amend section 7.32 of
the Unified Development Ordinance
to allow water-dependent recreational
uses within commercial mixed-use
developments, including shopping
centers, when those developments are
located within the commercial outdoor
recreation overlay district or as we
often call it the COORD.
Um just as some background, this request
originated from discussions concerning
the property located at 7531
uh South Virginia Dare Trail. Uh this is
Caribbean Corners shopping center. Um it
has Fresh Fit, uh pizza place, Lost
Colony.
Um just so you can get your bearings of
uh where we're talking about.
Uh that property is located on the sound
front. It's within the C-2 general
commercial zoning district and it's also
within the court.
Um it's developed as a shopping center
which is classified in our ordinance as
a commercial mixed-use development.
Although the property um that prompted
this request, um I did want to emphasize
that this is a legislative text
amendment and the board is not
considering a particular site plan or
special use permit this morning. The
approval of this amendment would not
constitute
approval of or support of any particular
business or proposal at Caribbean
Corners.
Uh that's just where the text amendment
precipitated in the applicant in this
scenario.
Um under section 6.6 of our UDO,
water-dependent recreational uses are
already considered within um commer-
within the commercial outdoor recreation
overlay district. Um however, in section
7.32,
which regulates
um commercial mixed-use developments, it
does not currently list water-dependent
recreational uses among the uses that
can be included within those
developments. And that is the excerpt of
the ordinance that we are requesting to
amend, but I did provide the entire 7.32
within your packet. So hopefully you've
had a chance to look at that and if not,
um I'm happy to bring it up on the
screen.
Um
Therefore, even though the underlying
zoning and the overlay district may
allow the use, it cannot currently be
located within a development classified
as a commercial mixed-use development or
a shopping center without the amendment
that's before you today.
Um there are several things that this
amendment would not do, so I wanted to
speak to those.
It It not increase the maximum number of
permitted commercial water recreational
vendors that are allowed within the
town.
Um
based on the carrying capacity study
that was also included in your packet,
that number has been at seven
businesses, and it would remain at seven
businesses. We're not looking to
increase the number
of recreational businesses within the
town.
It would not expand the geographic
boundary of the commercial outdoor
recreational overlay district. That
would stay the same.
Um that's right there in the Wellbone
area, um
starting around Lakeside, uh going
around Wellbone and across the causeway.
Um this would not increase the number of
personal watercraft allowed per vendor.
Right now, that's eight jet skis allowed
per vendor. That came from the um
the carrying capacity study for the
sound front as well. This amendment does
not change that in any way.
That stays at eight.
Um and this proposed amendment would not
eliminate the requirement that anyone
looking to take advantage of this
would need to come back before the board
for their special use site plan
amendment.
Um this text amendment would simply
allow the existing category of use to be
considered within an additional type of
commercial development, specifically
commercial mixed-use developments,
including shopping centers.
The history behind the town's regulation
of water-dependent recreational uses
important.
In 1998, the town began experiencing
increasing concerns regarding personal
watercraft rental operations on the
Roanoke Sound.
Those concerns included safety,
congestion, conflicts among different
user groups,
uh potential environmental impacts, and
the overall quality of the recreational
experience.
In response, the Board of Commissioners
at the time adopted a moratorium on the
expansion of personal watercraft rental
operations while a comprehensive
carrying capacity study was completed.
Um that's included in your packet.
The town retained PMA planners to
conduct that study.
During the summer of 1998, the
consultants completed 317 interviews at
12 locations along the Nags Head
shoreline of Roanoke Sound.
The participants included personal
watercraft users,
powerboat users, non-powered watercraft
users, and shoreline users such as
swimmers, anglers, and crabbers.
The purpose was not to prohibit personal
watercraft or commercial recreation.
It was to determine how much
recreational activity the sound could
reasonably accommodate
before congestion, safety concerns, user
conflicts, or impacts to the experience
became unacceptable.
The study found that users were
generally satisfied with their
experiences on the sound,
that the sound was not experiencing
widespread degradation or unacceptable
congestion,
and that the management measures in
place at the time seemed to be working.
Seven commercial rental operations
existed when that study was completed,
and based upon those findings, the
consultant recommended we keep that at
seven businesses.
Um eight personal watercraft was also
what was permitted at the time, and
that's why we're um that's why we
currently have that, and we're proposing
to keep that in place.
Um
one of the more significant conclusions
of this study
was that the principal concern was not
necessarily the environmental
degradation of the sound itself, but it
was the potential for conflicts among
many different people
sharing a finite recreational resource.
The resulting regulations were intended
to balance recreational opportunities
with safety, compatibility, and the
long-term management of the Roanoke
Sound.
Staff recognizes that recreational
activity on the sound has changed since
that study was completed um more than 25
years ago.
We now have delivery-based rental
services, more privately owned
watercraft used by visitors,
transient docking facilities, and a
broader range of commercial activities.
Businesses that may once have focused
primarily on personal watercraft now
frequently offer pontoon boat rentals,
kayaks, stand-up paddle boards,
parasailing, kiteboarding, dolphin
tours, and many other activities that
have grown over the years.
Therefore, even though the number of
commercial operators has remained
relatively consistent,
the variety and the potential intensity
of recreational activity has certainly
increased.
The history is relevant. However, the
proposed amendment does not necessarily
alter the town's carrying capacity
limitations.
It does not add vendors, it does not add
personal watercraft, or add territory to
the overlay district.
The question raised by this request is
whether an otherwise [clears throat]
permissible water-dependent recreational
use
should be allowed to seek approval
within a commercial mixed-use
development.
And that raises um somewhat different
set of concerns.
Unlike stand-alone waterfront
recreational businesses, a shopping
center is typically designed around
multiple tenants
that are sharing parking, drive aisles,
pedestrian areas, and other
infrastructure.
Those tenants may include restaurants,
retail businesses, offices, and personal
service establishments.
Adding a water-dependent recreational
use to that environment
could raise some legitimate concerns
about
where watercraft and other equipment
would be stored or staged.
Where customers would gather and receive
their instructions.
Whether adequate parking would remain
available for all tenants.
How vehicles, trailers, pedestrians, and
customers would circulate through the
property.
Where docking facilities or related
infrastructure would be located.
Where fueling would occur. And if so,
how spill prevention and safety would be
addressed.
Whether the operation would affect storm
water management. Is it going to be
compatible with the neighboring tenants?
And whether the overall site would
continue to function safely and
efficiently.
Staff believes those are very important
questions. However, we acknowledge they
are more site-specific questions.
The legislative text amendment cannot
tell us
where the equipment will be stored on a
particular property, how many spaces
will remain available, etc. Um or how it
might conflict with the additional
businesses within the shopping center.
Those are items that are going to have
to be evaluated through a special use
permit and site plan amendment.
That process would allow the town to
examine the actual property,
the proposed operation, parking
calculations, circulation patterns,
equipment storage, docking, fueling
arrangements, storm water, and the
relationship to the proposed other
tenants.
Any applicant would have to demonstrate
independently that the proposed use
satisfies all the applicable ordinance
requirements and the special use permit
standards.
Staff also recognizes that the amendment
could offer potential benefits.
It could provide greater flexibility in
the use of existing commercial
properties, allow businesses to share
existing infrastructure,
concentrate commercial activities within
established commercial developments,
and provide convenience for customers
who may be using other businesses at
that location.
Um relevant comprehensive plan policies
encourage the town to preserve Nags
Head's character
while allowing commercial development
that serves residents and visitors
and remains compatible with adjacent
properties.
The plan also directs the town to review
its regulations for ocean and sound
waters, commercial boating,
and personal watercraft to protect the
recreational, scenic, and environmental
value of those resources.
Staff believes that allowing the use to
be considered while retaining carrying
capacity limits,
the seven businesses and the eight jet
skis,
and requiring the site-specific special
use permit,
we believe that this text amendment is
consistent with those policies.
The planning board considered this
amendment at its June 16th meeting, and
after discussing all the potential
concerns that we've gone over here as
well, um the planning board voted
unanimously to recommend approval of the
text amendment, noting that um any
business would require the site-specific
special use permit
to be reviewed and approved by the
planning board and this board.
Um
That being said, uh staff staff's
recommendation is the same.
Uh we do recommend approval of the
amendment as it's been presented, noting
that um
any individual business wanting to take
advantage would require site plan review
as well.
So, I am happy to answer any questions
that you may have related to the text
amendment, and we do have um Suzanne
Bear available in the audience. She is
the applicant and the property manager
for Caribbean Corners.
>> Thank you.
>> All right, does the board have any
questions for Ms. Wyatt?
» I don't.
Thank you for a very thorough
presentation.
>> Yes.
Thank you.
>> All right, thank you, Kelly.
Uh Ms. Bear, do you have anything to
present?
>> No, I just want to say thank you for
your consideration on the
>> All right.
Does any member of the public wish to
comment on the proposed text amendment?
Does the board wish to receive any other
information from staff or the applicant
before you begin your deliberations?
If not, at this time we will conclude
the public hearing and the board may
begin its deliberations on the proposed
text amendment.
All right, board, are there any comments
before we entertain a motion?
Okay.
All right, then we'll entertain a
motion.
» I'll make a motion to
approve this as it is presented.
>> Thank you. Do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> I have a motion and a second. I will say I do appreciate the concerns
that the planning board expressed about
the that will be site specific.
I also appreciate the fact that you know
multi-use allows
people to be on the road a little less.
In other words, you can enjoy you know
whoever's in a car can enjoy multiple
functions on the same site,
which I think is the the benefit of the
mixed use and so we will see how this
goes.
All right, I have a motion and a second.
Hearing no further discussion, all in
favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed?
Thank you.
All right, Kelly.
You're busy you're a busy lady today.
» This next item will go much faster.
Um
I will just provide a few highlights
from the planning and development
department's monthly report.
Um their written report has information
about permitting, inspections, code
enforcement, septic health activity from
June. Um and I can dive deeper into any
of that if needed. Uh the planning board
uh did not meet in July. It's next
meeting is scheduled for August 18th.
And we're going to um to be hearing a
text amendment submitted by Eddie
Goodrich concerning cottage courts.
The amendment would provide greater
flexibility by modifying existing
graduated size and design requirements
for individual dwelling units.
Um
that sounds kind of vague, but
essentially what that is is the um
the last time we heard this
uh
I think the applicant wanted to increase
the size of cottage courts.
And this is kind of going the other way.
Uh the current applicant is interested
in providing smaller homes, um one story
consistent with a loft. Um and because
we have that graduated scale that says
1/3 has to be single story, 1/3 story
and a half, 1/3 two story um
with the scale of graduated habitable
living space. Um this
text amendment would keep that in place,
but allow an alternative option for
something um for more
consistent one-story structures. Um
and we'll have more on that at the
planning board's agenda. Also, um at
this next planning board meeting
uh
the conversation about accessory
dwelling units that is on our strategic
plan.
Uh we don't want to lose sight of it. We
know it's a really large conversation.
We have several new planning board
members currently um who may not be
privy to all of the history behind ADUs
and the discussions,
um, and the concerns. So, um,
we're going to start the process of
updating the planning board on the
history, um, so that possibly in the
months down the road, um, if we want to
consider another ordinance, um,
everybody's aware of of where we've
been.
Um, the Board of Adjustment met on July
9th
as to consider, uh,
appeal from Sebastian Ohangoran. Uh,
that was an appeal from an
interpretation regarding front yard
setback reduction, and the board voted
unanimously to uphold staff's
administrative decision.
Um,
the Board of Adjustment meets again
August 13th to consider an appeal filed
by Loretta Patrick regarding the denial
of a permit to demolish an existing,
um,
beach access walkway within the Pelican
Park subdivision, so.
Um, adjoining property owner
notifications have gone out. The site's
been posted, um, and we'll be holding
that hearing, um, on Thursday, August
13th.
Um,
as far as the DWMP, we continue to have
strong participation in the septic
health initiative during the past fiscal
year.
The town completed approximately 190
septic inspections,
issued 158 water bill credits, and
facilitated 10 septic repair loans.
Um, a recent outreach mailer generated
approximately 70 inspection requests,
and introduced several new property
owners to the program, so that was
really exciting.
Um, staff have also mailed targeted
information, um, about the new zero
interest septic loan program to those
properties that are
um considered to be vulnerable based
upon their proximity to a water body and
elevation.
Um
staff continues to work with OTT
Hydromet on our groundwater loggers and
we're meeting with researchers from ECU
to learn more about their groundwater
monitoring work and possibly explore
opportunities to collaborate with them
as well.
Um Estuarine Shoreline, there's been a
lot of movement there.
Um Harvey and Soundside event site
permit application was submitted
following completion of wetland survey
and some minor design revisions. Um
we're continuing to address access for
um kayak and wind sport sport users.
Um permits are anticipated in September,
bidding to follow, and construction is
currently planned for January of 2027.
Um
we've also had productive engagement
with property owners on Village Dunes
Drive and Soundside Road. At Soundside
Road, the project will focus on a
nature-based resiliency berm and
associated stormwater improvements
intended to reduce overtopping
um of the roadway, improve habitat, and
protect the infrastructure.
Draft easement um language has been
shared with the affected property owners
and we're just continuing outreach with
them at this time.
Um staff are also developing policy for
technical assistance funding that the
board allocated during the budget
process for private property owners and
small groups that are interested in
living shorelines. Um we're going to be
putting a policy together on how that
technical assistance will be awarded and
that should be coming back to you in
September.
Um we have issued our request for
qualifications to update the town's
parks and recreation plan.
That was the number one priority in the
strategic plan update, so that is now
underway and very exciting.
Um summer programming at Dowdy continues
to be extremely successful.
Um great attendance at really
everything, farmers market,
um concerts, fitness, family fun.
Everything's just going really well, so
very thankful for that. Um and we're
also pleased to welcome a new um
employee, Erica Warbocker. She is a new
part-time, year-round events assistant.
Um
most of y'all have probably seen her by
now. She's out there with Paige on
farmers market days and she's just been
a huge asset to have her, so um thank
you. She's been wonderful.
Um
and I believe that's it.
>> Okay. Great.
Any questions for Kelly?
>> No. Thank you, Kelly.
>> Thank you.
>> [clears throat]
>> Kelly.
Uh that brings us to uh new business and
committee reports and I will start on my
right with Commissioner Vaughn.
>> Uh the tourism board does not meet in
July, so I have not much of a report no
report for you this month.
>> All right. Very good. Thank you.
Commissioner Sanders.
>> Um the Dare Housing Foundation is still
moving forward with their um sandcastle
weekly building contest, so and it's in
its first year, so we're still trying to
get the word out about that and hoping
that'll grow. And also um more
importantly, they're actively seeking
some grants to to get things going, so
it's it's moving in a really positive
direction.
>> Good. Good. Great to hear that.
Uh Commissioner Weaver.
>> Um Kelly Gre gave a great report update
from the septic health committee, but I
did just want to say an extra thank you
to town staff. Um I've been on the
septic health committee for years on
planning board in this and it's just
rare to me to see so many staff members
involved in with this loan program, the
amount of work that Kelly, Joe, Amy, and
Connor have been putting into it, and
Andy has been immense, and it's just
well beyond the traditional scope of
work, I would think, with the septic
health program. So, thank you again.
I'm really excited about the loan
program.
>> Very good.
>> Thank you.
>> Commissioner Harrison.
>> Um government access channel committee
met in July, and it's kind of business
as usual. Things are just rolling along.
I just wanted to point out that
Roberta's content from the past year,
since the committee's been developed,
it's just been it's been stellar. If you
go and you look through all the videos
of all the that are there, a lot of the
Nags Head videos really stand out, and I
just want to commend Roberta for that.
>> Yep.
>> Yes.
>> Great. Great work.
Very good.
Thank you. That brings us next to
consideration of resolutions authorizing
fall 2026 fishing tournaments. These are
long-standing [clears throat]
tournaments for the Outer Banks
Association of Realtors, the Fraternal
Order of Eagles, and the Nags Head Surf
Fishing Club. And I think that we can do
that with a single motion.
Okay.
>> Yep.
>> Okay. So, a motion would be in order.
>> So moved.
>> I have a motion. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> I have a motion and a second.
Um any discussion?
Right.
Hearing none, all those in favor signify
by saying I. I. Opposed? Right. Thank
you.
Uh Mr. Laidig, do we have anything from
you today?
>> Uh yes, we have two things. One, um I
want to give you an update on the uh
Cherry uh litigation. As you know, that
um in that case, we've obtained a
summary judgment last summer uh
dismissing the case, and uh Cherry uh
appealed from that. So, the case is
pending in the Court of Appeals. Uh just
last week, we received notification from
the Court of Appeals that the appeal
will be considered on August the 27th
without oral arguments. So, they'll be considering it on the on the
briefs that we submitted, that the um
appellant submitted and that were
submitted by
amicus from the Southern Environmental
Law Center.
>> Okay. Great.
>> And the other thing I want to point out
is
I just wanted to
since Roberta Thuman was recognized
today I just want to point out that in
the easement acquisition process for
beach nourishment that's something we've
spent a lot of time on. It couldn't be
done without her assistance. So, I just
want to give her that credit.
>> Yeah. Very good.
Thank you.
Uh that brings us to items referred to
and presentations from the town manager
and first Amy.
With the financial update.
>> Jared just said make it rain Amy. I
don't know. We'll see.
I mean although I will say it
this is going to be about fiscal year 26
cuz there's really nothing to report in
27. We haven't even built taxes. We're
working on that obviously but so
obviously this is unaudited. We're not
closed out. We're still waiting on some
things. So, just really a high-level
overview. Um
So, in the budget we kind of put a lot
of work into discussing, you know,
financial planning and there was a supplemental narrative in there about
the general fund balance projection.
Um and so what we talked about in the
budget was a 30% fund balance which was
a 3% increase
from the fiscal year 25 unassigned fund
balance.
Um and you know, we wrote that in March
or April. So, now that we're in August
and we progressed towards
you know, closing out the books in 26
I still think that that 30% holds true
if not 31 or 32%
which is great because again that is an
increase from last year.
Um and again as as above our fund
balance policy in the general fund of
25%
but it is below the 35% I do not think
from every which way that I've sliced
and diced it going back from March and
April to
last week, um I don't think we will hit
that 35% but again, you know, something
could happen. Um
So, I don't think we will be uh putting
funds into the capital investment fund
anything over 35% would go in there.
But, again, that the capital investment
fund does have its own fund balance
policy and this fiscal year we will be,
you know, above our policy of 20% and
the way that we did the budget both in
uh 27 and the financial plan we were
within that policy of the CIF as well.
So, I don't anticipate any problems
there. Um the fund balance policy uh
calculation for the general fund
the way you calculate that, um open
purchase orders that will be carried
forward, that will be a budget amendment
that the board will approve probably in
October. Um that gets that hits the fund
balance, if you will. So, that's taken
to an account. Um the fund balance
appropriation, I know we talked about
that in the budget process for 27, that
hits the fund balance. I took that into
account. And we also have to account for
the $12 million transfer made from the
capital reserve fund because in the
financial statements the capital reserve
fund, the capital investment fund, and
the general fund are all combined for
the front of the statements. Um so, we
do have to take that into account as
well. So, all those things were factored
into that. Um and again, our fund
balance policy does not include special
obligation bond debt, which would be the
public services complex and that was 1.2
million. So, we backed that out to get
to our fund balance calculation of what
the board policy is for fund balance. Um
Some reasons for the increases we did
the revaluation.
Um we did receive a half a million
dollars more in ad valorem revenue
because of our almost 100% collection
rate. I think that was in the packet for
this month. Um the in the revenue
neutral rate, we talked about that with
the board with the appeals.
Um the county, the towns, everybody
accounted for a 5% appeal process.
And uh the latest email I could find
from the county was ours was less than 3
and 1/2% so that accounts for some of
that um
interest income over budget by $150,000.
Um utilities franchise tax uh over
budget by about that same amount. Um and
also with the grants, the timing of it
um you know, we have to get
reimbursement. We have to pay for it
first and we have to get it back. So
we've been getting uh finally on the
back end of some of those reimbursements
so that's helping us also. Um the shared
revenues
I think we're on an uptick. I I hate to
say that out loud. Um but
>> [laughter]
>> we're
we are cuz at first I was like, "Oh,
we're going to be about 50,000 under."
Well, now I think we're going to be
about 50,000 over which is pretty much a
net zero for budgeting. Um you know,
land transfer tax was 5% less than it
was last fiscal year. Sales tax was up
1%. Occupancy tax 2% lower. So based on
these figures, you know, we were
transparent I think with the board and
in the budget how we did a very
conservative flat revenue for shared
revenues and based on this, I think that
that's the appropriate decision that was
made um
again, we're going to say conservatively
optimistic if that's a word.
>> [laughter]
>> And for utility, we budgeted about 4.3
million in revenues and I think that's
where we're going to exactly where we're
going to land, maybe a little bit over.
Um but the good news is is that the
water that we purchased from Dare
County, that was uh
17 and 1/2% under what we budgeted. So
we're buying less water but
we're actually meeting our revenues. So
to me again, that says a lot about the
conservation and the leak detection and
the meter, so
um I think that's that's kind of a good thing. Um tipping fees,
about $800,000.
Um that is slightly under budget. We we
met our budget for that pretty much, and
we did reduce them by 6% in fiscal year
'26. So, we're forecasting a drop in
tipping fees, and I think this year it
was
closer to 830,000 that we budgeted, but
the fees are going up, the gas
going up. So, the it's not necessarily
the tonnage, but more so the cost per
ton.
Um and really that's it at a very high
level. Um
looking forward to working on the
financials now, and um we do this
quarterly, but I'm always available to
answer any questions, but um thank you
for your time.
>> Any questions?
>> Thank you, Amy.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank
>> Questions?
>> Thank you, Amy. It's it's it's really
fun to see
a win like the water meters. I mean, it continues to thrill me that uh you
know, something so technical, so sort of
mundane, turns out to be not just a
financial win for the town, but a win in terms of public perception,
because we've heard so many stories
about people who have
uh where the town's been able to detect
a leak for somebody that they didn't
know that they had, um and and be
responsive. So, so that's that's really
that's that's fun.
All right. Uh David,
update on the multi-use path.
» Good morning, Mayor and Commissioners.
So, we thought that
this would be a good opportunity to go
ahead and just provide a concept for the
planning of the next phase of the
Westside multi-use path.
Um what I've got up on the screen is
just an aerial overview of the section
that we're looking at. I'll go ahead and
zoom in.
Um this is essentially to go ahead and
fill in an existing gap within our
multi-use path network.
Uh we have to the north
um
from Carolista Drive all the way up
through A Street, we have a segment of
multi-use path that currently exists.
And so, this would be a continuation of
that from Carolista Drive all the way
through to West Side Side Road, where we
would then connect up with a section of
multi-use path that was constructed back
in 2020.
So,
a couple things of note with this
section that is a little bit different
from what we've uh come across with some
of the prior projects.
Um we've got some existing constraints.
Um one being an existing drainage ditch
network, which spans from Carolista
Drive to just south of Conk Street. Um
this is part of
uh a drainage network that captures
runoff from US 158.
And then there's a cross culvert pipe at
Conk Street, which then flows through
that network and through an ocean
outfall at that location.
Additionally, we've got underground
utilities that we're going to have to um
work around. And topography, I think, is
our biggest challenge.
Um the topography from Jockey's Ridge
State Park, um especially when we get
into this section,
um I've got uh Sue's Barbecue as a point
of reference here along the east side of
158.
This is
really where the topography starts to encroach
um out close towards the existing edge
of pavement.
And so,
this is [snorts and clears throat] this
may require some pretty extensive
grading as well as some bulkheading in
this area.
And this extends through to the
crosswalk at Jockey's Ridge
crossing, and then 2 points south of
that until that slope starts to taper
off some.
So, just to give you a sense of what
we're looking at as far as topography,
especially in that area that we were
just looking at on the north side,
we start to see
it really start to constrain in here.
The existing roadway elevations are
somewhere around an elevation of 9 ft
above mean sea level, and these contour
lines represent a change in grade at
1-ft intervals. Um and you can see they
go up to about 22 ft over a short span
of distance. And so, due to that
and the placement of the path, that we
would look at going ahead and starting
our retaining wall,
um we'd be looking at approximately
about 1,000 ft of retaining wall in
length, um starting at about 4-ft high
as an exposed height, and maybe even
increasing as much as 8 ft in height to
be able to keep that sand back and have
an open pathway um for us to place the
path as well as any drainage
improvements in that area.
And that that extends south
through the crosswalk. We would have an
opening here within the retaining wall
um to allow uh passage of pedestrians.
And then also that retaining wall would
then continue southward.
Give me a
second.
Southward up into a point where that
slope really starts to taper back.
And so um we're looking at some some
pretty extensive grading in that area.
We're also looking at a reduced width of
the multi-use path. In In the past,
traditionally, we've had a 10-ft wide
multi-use path. But because of these
challenges and these constraints, beyond
the regulatory constraints that we have
where we have a 10-ft wide separation
from the existing edge of pavement
or as an alternative, we could have a
um
vertical curb and gutter that would
serve as a barrier where we can locate
that pathway um
3 ft on the back side of that curb and
gutter. Those are some of the other
constraints and we've been working with
North Carolina Department of
Transportation as well as Jockey's Ridge
State Park to go ahead and discuss how
we can navigate some of these things and
still work within their permitting
framework.
Um I wanted to just show a visual
representation of what this may look
like.
Um when we talk about the the the
separation and having a grass buffer,
this is what the path would look like
um conceptually if we were to have a
10-ft wide grass buffer and have
separation from the travel lane to where
the beginning of the
edge of sidewalk would begin. And then
in some of those areas where it starts to tighten up, we would look at
the retaining wall
where we would have uh potentially curb
and gutter,
pathway, and then uh little bit of
separation to where that retaining wall
would would go ahead and start. Just to
go ahead and give you an idea of what
this finished product may look like.
So, we are currently working with uh
Withers Ravenel now who's doing the
engineering design for this
um and still having these conversations
with North Carolina Department of
Transportation, as well as Jockey's
Ridge State Park to be able to come up
with a final alignment um as well as
uh final uh walkway width
um to be able to um get to a point where
we can submit for permits,
put it out to bid, and start
construction on the project.
So, I'll be glad to answer any questions
that you may have.
>> Questions?
>> If that bulkhead gets to like 8 ft in
some areas, will there be I imagine
there'd be some sort of like guardrail
or to keep people from wandering over
it?
Or you know what I mean? Like if they
come down
Yeah, you'd hope they wouldn't, but I
mean
>> It's
We anticipate that some of those exposed
heights where it's 8 ft that they're
going to be really concentrated and
focused, so it's not going to be over a
large area. So, it would be over a small
area. And I don't know if some of those
areas are actually accessible.
>> Okay.
>> So, um but it would it's definitely
something that we'll go ahead and
consider and look at to see if there's
additional safety treatments that we
need to put in place
as a result of that.
>> Thank you.
>> Question.
>> Um I have a question. Is the park
seemingly um open to moving sand? And
these plantings look new, so are they open to
moving sand and planting stabilization
plants on the dune?
So far?
>> And
in some of our initial discussions, um
they were really uh focused on
vegetation uh preservation.
And so, with the alignment, we've tried
to minimize the amount of vegetative
removal.
Um but we also understand that
with the grading and the bulk getting,
that there will need to be some type of
planning behind there in order to go
ahead and keep that in place. So.
>> was my question. Are they are they
seemingly open to new plantings on the
dune?
>> Uh yes, and and I I think uh that's key
for them uh because of the fact is if
you don't have that vegetation, then
it's going to be that much more
difficult to be able to stabilize those
slopes.
>> Mhm.
» And schedule?
Uh so,
the the schedule is um
once we go ahead and refine
the um the plans,
get all the permitting and regulatory
agencies on board, then we can go ahead
and submit for permits.
Um our plan is to try to be under
construction this fall.
>> Okay.
>> Um but we do realize that that's really
going to be a function of the permit
review. Um we realize that we're going
to have to go through the Division of
Coastal Management and get a CAMA permit
for the sand removal, um
as well as getting authorization through
Jockey's Ridge State Park. We've got
state sedimentation erosion control.
There will likely be stormwater
management and through North Carolina
Department of Transportation and a
right-of-way encroachment. We engaged
most all of these agencies to start this
conversation so that when we submit, we
can hopefully expedite those reviews so
we can be under construction sooner
rather than later.
>> Okay.
>> All right.
>> Andy, you were going to add something.
>> Well, I was just going to discuss the um
discussions we've had with Jockey's
Ridge State Park.
Um obviously, they're going to have a
lot
of interest in what we're doing here.
You know, we sort of had some questions
about getting some of the approvals if
we were going to work beyond the
property line. Obviously, this is a CAMA
AEC, the Jockey's Ridge AEC, and so
we know the sand sand's going to have to
stay in the park. And we were advised to
basically submit for our CAMA major
permit application, and then all those
things could be addressed as part of
their review of the application,
including where they would direct us to
place sand inside the park.
And so I think most likely, you know, we
would be placing sand. They have a They
have a sort of a dis- disposal area
inside the park on the north side of the
park where they they've been placing the
sand that they've been moving, and so we
would probably be putting it there. And
so the some of those things would be
addressed during the permitting process,
and I think there's some additional
coordination with them on the plantings
and the buffer strip and things like
that that we've got to work out. We We
We've got some issues we've got to work
out with the retaining wall and the the
grading that's going to occur behind
that as well. We're talking with Withers
Ravenel about that, but um
you know, I
the grass strip between the the sidewalk
and and the roadway,
that's something that we may want to
talk about how that that's going to
look. I mean,
you know, this pic- picture right here
it it kind of shows this very uniform
hardened edge.
>> Yeah.
>> And I I don't know if
you know, how folks are going to react
to that.
>> All right.
>> So I think we have to be mindful of
that, you know, and perhaps this grass
strip is is more
not not just regular grass, but
something else and something we could
talk about, you know, maybe more more of
a natural
um type grass like a love grass or
something like that.
>> Mhm.
>> But,
you know, um
the the the picture is a little
deceiving because I think as David was
saying, you know, the the path is not
straight.
>> Right.
>> And the bulkhead's not going to be
continuous at the same height. It's
going to go up and down and then
disappear in a section and come back up
and so,
you know, it
um
I'm just saying that some if someone
looked at that, they're not thinking of
the finished product.
>> [laughter]
>> Exactly.
>> Yeah.
>> Probably.
>> I wonder if it's worth investing
the time, as we get a little further
along, to renderings that would address
the
you know, sort of the final
configuration.
Yeah, I don't know how much of a special
order that is given whatever kind of
software they may be using to
design this.
>> Right. And as as we near the the final
planting, then we can go ahead and
modify and update it so it's a little
bit more realistic and more in tune with
that final design is going to look like.
>> Yeah. Okay. I think we may like to see
that
when the time comes.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
>> All right, thank you.
>> I think you're staying there for the
>> stormwater master plan
>> presentation.
>> Yes. Okay, so uh first off, I'd like to
go ahead and apologize. Um in your
packet, uh there was uh several packets
of information included to include um a
rating sheet as well as a uh CIP summary
sheet and then the in the individual
project listings.
And
in
going through that in advance of this
presentation,
um was able to note that there was one
project that was missing that was very
integral
um to the overall planning in the Sound
Side Road area.
Um and that was the third phase, which
basically connects
three other projects together.
Um this was presented previously to the
board and it had a pumping station noted
at
uh the intersection of Deering Street
and Sound Side Road. I think uh
Commissioner Vaughn had commented that property in that area likely would
not be available for that. So, we looked
at an alternate location to the north uh
for the siting of that pump station, um
but it was in inadvertently left out in
the packet um that was um it that was in
the board packet and um
this information that I'm giving you
today
reinserts that back in there. It does
not materially change the overall
priority,
um but it coincides with the other
projects in that area.
So, I just wanted to start off by by
stating that and uh
Okay, so
the overall stormwater master plan, that
framework has included uh many different
items to include an asset inventory and
assessment, which has been completed. Um
there was also a public workshop, um
which we had last August.
Uh there is a geo-database management
and dashboard. I I that was previously
um
presented to the board um earlier this
year.
An asset condition assessment uh that
was completed as well. Um and also part
of the work that was included was a
hydraulic analysis along South Memorial
Avenue, which is one of our main
drainage trunk lines within the town.
And um this analysis looked at
identifying any deficiencies within that
network.
Um and uh improvements that could
increase the level of service from the
either a 1-year or 2-year and try to
increase that up to a 10-year level of
service.
Um also, what we're going to talk about
today is the capital improvement plan
project prioritization and scoring. Um
and then also uh in the works is a
watershed action plan um which is part
of the overall scope of work. And that
will really um enable us to focus in on
grants not only just related to
stormwater, but also along the Estuarine
shoreline.
And lastly, um all of this is going to
be combined into a final report um which
we would like to go ahead and bring back
to the board at your November meeting,
which ties all of this together.
All right. So, just for the
prioritization summary, there is two
project 22 project areas that were
prioritized.
Um they were evaluated based upon um
scoring that ranges from 0 to 75.
The highest scored project was the ramp
one alpha, which is in South Nags Head,
and that came in at 64 points. And the
lowest scoring was one of the the
of the Dune Street improvements, which
is phase 2B, and that's scored at 40
points.
But most all of these projects scored
between 55 to 45
um points.
And
really the lowest cost projects with the
highest number of residents
um really those
were the ones that were scored the the
highest.
All right. So, included in your packet
and included in the information um that
you have before you is a summary table
which prioritizes
and ranks all of the 22 projects
along with the score and the cost for
each one of these projects.
And then there is also a graph
uh which goes through the ranking for
each one of the projects uh ranging from
that 64 as a high to the 40 as a low uh
for Dune Street phase 2B.
What we have up on the screen is an
overall map of where all these project
areas are located.
Um you can see we've got a a high
density of projects
um from the north end of town up along
Memorial Avenue
all the way through the Whalebone
Junction and then in South Nags Head
down at Ramp 1. And you can see that it
really does encompass
um
primarily all of the all of the town um
addressing many issues that we have seen
uh historically and
some that we've seen more recently that
have validated that um we continue to
have problems in some of these low-lying
areas.
So, the criteria that was used for scoring
was through a scoring matrix. And this
is uh
a matrix that the town currently has in
the stormwater management um operating
procedures.
And it looks at um
items like flooding frequency, flooding
impact, existing system condition, uh
water quality benefits associated with
projects, um maintenance, the number of
residents impacted, uh safety, the
sources of flood. It could be
rainfall-based, it could be overwash, uh
with consideration for that, um any
constraints that may be associated with
the projects, um budgetary concerns, um
the location, whether it's within the
town street, a private street, or within
the North Carolina Department of
Transportation right-of-way.
And then, lastly, flood reduction is
looking at um the reduction in flood
time and recession.
And all of those were assigned
a uh
there was three different um scores
for the rating.
Um
For example, for flooding frequency, you
had frequent had a score associated with
it, occasional, and infrequent.
And then, there was a weighted
percentage that was applied to that
item.
And so, uh
these were looked at for each project, a
score assigned,
and able to go ahead and develop the
overall ranking for each of the
individual projects.
So, um
I'll try to
go through this um
as rapidly as possible. Um
you've got these sheets included in your
packet, and this These are the
individual rankings for each one of the
projects.
Uh the ramp one outfall, which was
ranked um the number one project out of
the 22 projects identified, um it's got
a cost of $85,000 associated with it.
Um it's got the prioritization
parameters and their associative scores
and the total score. And um
in comparison comparison to some of the
other projects, it's it falls on the
lower level of cost. It's got the
highest number of residents impacted
because of the Westside ditch that spans
from about James Street all the way down
to ramp one. That um
that was one of the major contributing
factor factors to the high ranking. Uh
the frequency of flooding down in that
area, um the need for maintenance, and
um also the need for safety because a
lot of the flooding that we see is
within the roadway surface, and that
leads to safety concerns associated with
um vehicular uh circulation throughout
that area.
Um
South Memorial Avenue, as I had noted
before, there was a hydraulic analysis
done on Memorial Avenue, and it
identified some improvements
through um
throughout that corridor,
and the highest ranking one was up in
the Admiral Street
um area.
Now, this is broken out into two parts
uh with the sidewalk improvements
um that are ongoing that will continue
this fall that we were able to go ahead
and take care of a portion of these
drainage improvements with that work.
And this would be the second half of
that work, which spans along the east
side of South Memorial Avenue from
Admiral Admiral Street um and proceeding
northward.
And that would be
really upsizing the existing um storm
drain system within that area.
And uh the cost of that is about
$180,000.
It's got some low site constraints. It's
got some safety improvements.
Um and also just the number of
residences in that area that are
impacted by drainage. Um and this being
a critical segment for that, that this
led to the um
the ranking of number two overall of the
uh 22 identified.
The third ranked project is Sound Side
Road phase one.
Um we've seen it out here most recently
with rainfall runoff and extensive
ponding
uh along this corridor.
That this would comprise uh putting in a
36-in diameter
um trunk network, which would span from
the very south end of uh
Sound Side Road um up towards uh the
curve where we have existing
infrastructure.
Um this is a relatively high cost
project at $750,000.
Um but due to the frequency of flooding
and the number of residences impacted um
as well as um other factors that uh this
was ranked uh number three out of the 22
projects.
The um fourth ranked project is Dune
Street phase one.
Um that's another project where we've
seen flooding at the intersection of
South Virginia Dare Trail and Dune
Street with a pretty high frequency.
And so, this would be potentially the
first phase of a three-phase project uh
where we could go ahead and we could
capture some of the runoff, most of this
runoff uh which is seen from the
adjoining shopping center to be able to
go ahead and capture that and infiltrate
that locally. Um
this has got a a medium-level cost. Um,
it doesn't have as many residents
impacted by it, but because of the
frequency in in flooding and the um
safety concerns with the flooding at
this intersection, um it ranked number
four.
Um South Memorial Avenue
that um
uh again, as part of this overall
network and the number of residents that
it serves along on this uh main trunk
line, um this is in the area of East
Baltic Street and this would be
increasing the existing pipe size of
that storm network in order to increase
that current level of service from a
one-year storm um to a two-year storm
in some case and uh a 10-year storm on
the outermost pipes uh for this
proposal.
The
um
I
some of these projects you'll see
they'll receive the same ranking and
that is because they both achieve the
same score.
And so, um you'll see that in the
summary list and that's noted on each
one of these individual sheets. So, East
Epstein Street is an example of that
where this is ranked number four with
the uh South Memorial Avenue project.
This is a relatively low-cost project.
This finishes off some of the work that
we started along South Virginia Dare
Trail back in 2019
and this will go ahead and connect from
Epstein Street down to the north side of
town hall and then also continue on over
to fire station 16 and make some
improvements there since this is part of
an overall network within the village
that starts at Seven Sisters and then
flows all the way through the village
through the golf course and out to the
sound. And so it's important to
have the downstream part of this network
in place prior to making upstream
improvements. Otherwise um
if you don't do it within that sequence,
you'll continue to have flooding at the
upstream ends.
Uh the next project is Memorial Avenue.
Uh this is identified as area one and
this is a relatively low-cost project
and this is up-sizing some culvert pipes
um at select residences just south of
Atlas Street.
Uh there are several of the culvert
pipes at that location that are
undersized and this would be up-sizing
and
bringing more continuity to the overall
drainage network.
Uh the eighth ranked project is West
Lookout Road.
Um this is a
an area over in the Northridge
subdivision
um especially during
um large rainfall events where they've
had some significant flooding back on
these residences.
And so
this is a um
high level of residences impacted. Um
it's got some high constraints because
there's also the potential for back flow
from the uh Westside ditch along 158.
And it uh it will have some increased uh
maintenance needs associated with it.
And the cost for this project is
approximately $340,000.
Um
also rank eight is the Seven Sisters
subdivision.
And as I had noted before, it's the
focus would be on the downstream
improvements first before you could see
the impacts
for the Seven Sisters subdivision. Um
this is a subdivision where most of the
building pads are up high and the road
sits low. So, after a rainfall event of
two or three inches, you'll see some
pretty extensive ponding um within that
subdivision. And it it does flood at a
pretty high frequency. And so, with the
improvements that we've made and then
also um with the one scheduled for
Epstein Street, that we could see some
major improvement with the installation
of a storm drain uh collection network
to be able to drain out this subdivision
after a uh rainfall event.
Um also rank number eight is South Old
Road phase one. Um this is another
street that's on the south side um off
of uh Lakeside Ave that uh floods with a
pretty high frequency.
And this could be part of a phased
approach. And so, the um phase one would
consist of installing uh
a uh drainage network in this area uh
that could be made up of perforated sock
pipe that would aid with infiltration in
this area and improve the level of service
from what is currently being seen after
a rainfall event.
Also ranked eighth was the Wellborn
Junction area.
This is a an area that we see with a
pretty high frequency of flooding.
We have
a lot of standing water especially in
the area of the Dune Burger and the
surrounding area and so this would be an
attempt to go ahead and formalize that
network with connections to an existing
ditch network
that has existing conveyance out to the
sound through the Catfish Farm.
This is a relatively high project cost
and only a minimal number residences
that would be impacted. But
this could make a major improvement in
that area
which I had noted does flood at a pretty
good frequency.
Got Memorial Avenue area number three.
This is a low cost project. This is near
the intersection of Bonnett Street and
this is essentially
just a replacement of a single pipe in
order to increase that level of service.
Project rank number 13 is Buccaneer
Drive.
This is also over in the North Ridge
subdivision. This is very similar to the Lookout Drive um
project in that it has low lying areas
that backs up to the west side ditch
along 158.
And um this would take a very similar
approach with the improvement of
infrastructure within this area
and then conveyance out to the 158
ditch. Um and the addition of a backflow
preventer to ensure that we don't solve
a problem and create a problem at the
same time.
Uh Carolinian Excuse me, Carolinian
Circle um is also ranked number 14. This
was on the previous stormwater master
plan um and um did not move forward. Uh
this would take a little different
approach than what was previously
proposed, and this would be the
installation of a storm drain collection
network that would tie into the existing
drainage network out at 158.
The uh estimated cost for this is
approximately $425,000.
Um
this does
this area does um flood occasionally,
but especially when we have significant
rainfall. Um we do see extensive ponding
back in this area.
Um
also [clears throat] ranked number 14 is
Sound Side Road phase two. Um
and this is the area in the Southridge
subdivision. When we had our our public
workshop, we had several homeowners from
this area along Ridgeview Way um who had talked about some of the issues back
there. So, this would be improvements
that would extend from from Ridgeview
Way out to Sound Side Road to and
connect up to the existing
infrastructure there with Sound Side
Road phase one.
Sound Sound Road Road phase three
is the um is the pumping station, which
we previously had at the intersection of
Dearing Street and Soundside Road and
have relocated this northward uh to an
undeveloped parcel that would connect to
the existing infrastructure from from
South Ridge and from Soundside Road and
be able to um
take that, pump that over to two
undeveloped parcels along Soundside
Road. Um this is a pretty expensive
project due to the cost of uh property
purchase.
Um and that cost is about $1.8 million,
but what it does is it connects
the two other projects
plus
Dearing Street
to provide a comprehensive
um drainage solution in this area.
Um and uh Dearing Street, which was
ranked at number 17
that
this is a relatively low-cost project
and it would be the installation of or
the restoration of swales and the
installation of some storm pipe in this
area for conveyance to the Soundside
Road system, which then is connected up
to the pump system to be able to provide
some relief in this area.
Um
also ranked number 18 is West Bluejay
Street.
Uh the cost for this is $270,000.
Uh this is a medium project cost and
this
is the function of topography. You've
got some very high elevations to the
west that intersect there at Bluejay
Street and Pamlico Ave. And so by going
ahead and capturing that runoff, um
minimize the impact to some of those
um lower-lying residences there on the
south side of Blue Jay Street.
Um South Old Road base two. Um this was
previously discussed as a potential um
second part of the phase one
improvements. And this would be a a
pretty um costly project because this
would tie into the existing
infrastructure at Old Road. And then it
would use it would incorporate a pump
station and then pump out to um several
undeveloped parcels out by 158.
All right. And lastly, we've got
Barracuda Drive,
which is uh ranked number 22.
And this takes three different areas. Um
this takes uh
an an existing issue out at Mackerel
Court with
um some lower-lying elevations to be
able to capture runoff um as well as
Salmon Court and then near the
intersection of Hesperides and Barracuda
Drive
to be able to capture that road roadway
runoff um
in advance of being discharged onto some
of the adjoining properties. And a lot
of this is just a function of topography
is that we've got some really high
elevations. We've got water that flows
pretty rapidly through there and being
able to capture and um try to infiltrate
that locally um so it minimizes any
impact on the adjoining residences.
Uh
Um
Yeah, you have to excuse me.
That slide was out of sequence.
Um cuz we still have the last two are
Dune Street um
phase 2A
and then 2B
and then this could be a second and
third part of Dune Street
where the second part would include the
installation of a storm pipe collection
system spanning from the intersection of
Dune Street up to uh an existing ditch
about 1/4 mile to the north of there.
That ditch then connects up to the 158
roadway network and then to the um
Soundside Road drainage network.
And then 2B
would be a project that would include as
needed the purchase of a parcel, an
undeveloped parcel there at the
intersection of Dune Street and South
Virginia Dare Trail and utilize that as
an infiltration area
uh if needed as part of the other
improvements with the phase one and
phase 2A.
Okay, so
the um
key findings with all this is the ramp
one um outflow that ramp number one
um followed by the Memorial Avenue area
two
and then Soundside Road phase one. Um
those roads to the top just because of
the fact of the frequency of flooding,
the number of residents it served um and
the lower end of the the cost.
The um
Typically
these projects um scored higher as
um the cost decreased. And so, um
that, in conjunction with the fact that
you had a lot of surrounding residences
that were impacted by it, um they had a
tendency to go ahead and score higher.
So, next steps in the process
is that we would like to receive any
board feedback as to the the ranking for
these projects.
Um what staff would like to do is once
we receive the feedback,
we would like then to refine the the priorities, and then try to pair
those up with other project work that we
currently have in our CIP over the next
5 years, similar to what we've done in
the past, and then we would come back to
you, potentially at your fall retreat,
um with that refined list, um to ensure
that um we follow that approach that
we've taken over the past uh 4 or 5
years.
Um
and then lastly, we'd like to go and and
present the final report to the board um
here in November that encapsulate
all of the work that has been done
associated with the stormwater master
plan.
There's a lot to cover there.
>> [clears throat]
>> And uh
>> [laughter]
>> just uh any initial thoughts or feedback
with you we can have some time for you
to go ahead and try to digest it and uh
share it with the town manager if you
like, but if there's any initial
thoughts um that you would like to share
that maybe something seems out of place
or something that we should start to
look at uh sooner rather than later.
>> Thank you, David. Any immediate
questions?
>> I have a question.
>> Okay.
>> Um with properties that are bordering
waterways like the sound and maybe ramp
one on the ocean, why was no ranking
given to water quality?
They all they all have a a none
for water quality.
» Um so for ramp one,
um that that would include the installation
of a backflow preventer at that
location.
And that doesn't have any treatment
associated with it. But what that can do
is that can eliminate the ebb and flow
of water through that ditch system.
Which we see that consistently. We don't
have that here in the north end cuz
there are some backflow preventers on
some of the northernmost outfalls,
Soundside Road, Conk Street, Curlew
Street, as well as Gallery Row. And so
there is
There's Since there's not a specific
treatment mechanism associated with
that, we can't say that it qualifies for
water quality benefits.
>> Okay.
So flooding for instance on Soundside
Road or Old Road,
you're saying because it's not going to
be treated for water quality, we can't
count it as a water quality project. Is
that what you're saying?
>> Well, currently as presented. And and so
these are just looking at the the
stormwater aspect of it. Now, if we get
to phase four
for Soundside Road, there's going to be
a water quality benefit to that since
we're using
infiltration practices which are natural
practices that that can filter out
pollutants and sediment.
Um
but
when you look at the three other
projects that it's connected to,
that those are just
those
can have a water quality benefit
>> Mhm.
>> through infiltration, but if the ground
is saturated it starts to lose that
water quality benefit.
>> Okay.
>> And that's a lot of what we've seen here
recently.
>> Okay.
And then another question I had for
those same projects, Sound Side Road and
Old Road
the the flooding source was only rain
but I think both of those sites would
flood from tidal
water as well. So, was that not factored
in?
>> I think it was, huh?
>> Sound Side.
>> Overwash?
yes.
>> Yeah, yeah, so
>> Yeah, not tidal as much as overwash.
>> Overwash.
>> Right?
>> Yeah, yeah, so um overwash and tidal
influence, yeah, should be considered
for both.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
>> I have kind of a general question about
the relationship between phases.
So, the the value of of one phase
now and say we never got past phase one
or two, how does how is that
accounted for or is it just I know it's
accounted for in your mind, but
>> There there are different ways that we
can approach this.
>> Right.
>> Um if we were able to go ahead and
secure some grants
that we could look at these more
collectively and we could knock these
out all as a single project.
But
also looking at the cost of each one of
these projects
is that it may not make it feasible to
incorporate that into
our annual
CIP. So, we just try to make it a little
bit more digestible and that we can look
at this in time
and just spread those funds out over a
period of time to incorporate these
improvements.
>> Mhm.
And the Sound Side projects
for them all to really work, we need to
get to that last one.
Or for them to work well?
>> Um we need to get to the third phase.
>> The third phase. So if we I get off
biting it off, but if we don't if a
future board decides not to do the
third, those first two are kind of
>> There is So
I I think the critical component is
going ahead and getting it in in the
infrastructure for that phase one.
>> Okay.
>> Once you have that in, then you could
swap out phase two and phase three. So
you could go ahead and put the pump
system in then and then all the
subsequent phases, you could go ahead
and connect up to it.
>> Okay.
>> So there there is some flexibility with
each one of these phases and it doesn't
lock you into a certain sequence.
Um
and it just gives us more flexibility to
be able to adapt um because uh we
My experience is
we always
change things up based upon the current
conditions. That could be cuz of
funding, that could be
um based upon other factors, but just
trying to give us our ourselves the most
flexibility to be able to work within
the framework, I think is is what we're shooting for.
>> But ideally if we start biting into the
Sound Side projects, we would want to
have the plan long-term that we would be
doing all of them.
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
>> And and I think the other thing too is
with that watershed action plan, it does
um open us up ourselves up to additional
grant opportunities that we can go ahead
and pair with some of the SR and
shoreline work.
>> And the work
>> And that's a good point.
>> If you want to qualify for some grants,
you're probably going to have to do
phase three cuz that has the water
quality benefit and the water quality
benefit is what
gets the money.
>> And the other phases probably make us
want to do something.
>> that that one might be one that you
bundle together
even with the resiliency project on the
shoreline.
>> Yeah, I was going to ask about
>> And and that's probably how we would
look at it. And there as David was
mentioning
you know, this this prioritization of
this
stormwater projects is looking at this
kind of singularly in a vacuum, but
we're not going to look at it like that
when we do our CIP.
>> Okay.
>> And then we're going to look at how
these tie together with the other
streets projects like
overlay work, paving work waterline work
and then we're going to have to put
things in order based on what we can
accomplish, you know, financially but
also what we can get grants for.
And so
the one thing that I I noticed about
this is that once you get past the first
couple of projects, the scores are so
close together that you know, you can
really move one move them around um
because they're
it's not like one has a drastic benefit
over another. And so that that's helpful
when we go to do the CIP cuz we're going
to be opportunistic in the CIP. Like if we need to move a project up because
we only have that much money that year,
then we'll do it. If we get a grant for
a project, and we're going to combine it
with some other work, we're going to
move it up. And so we'll we'll try to do
our best to
come up with a plan for the CIP
you know, for the next 5 years but then
the board always looks at it every year.
And then so it it ends up being an
iterative process. So even though we try
to, you know, do our best
>> Right.
>> you're going to move things around and
that's what we've been doing with with
the sidewalks, with the streets, you
know, over the years we've been doing
that.
And then David mentioned the retreat and
this is something we've been talking to
the board about. You know, we're going
to have to
sort of build this into our financial
model as well
and and figure out like the funding
levels we need to do what we want to do.
Our hope is to try and model that for
the board, so the board can say, "Okay,
we want to be able to afford to do X, Y,
and Z, and so that's how much money
we're going to have to figure out how to
come up with to do that."
And then the board can settle on, you
know,
>> [snorts]
>> that cuz that that leads into revenue
and taxes and things like that.
>> And with the phases, our grant
eligibility probably increases if we're
proactive with other phases.
>> Yes, I think but like the water the
water quality benefit, I think cuz when we with the grants we've gotten so
far for a lot of these projects like
RCCP and land land and water fund, David
mentioned the watershed action plan,
they're going to be looking for a water
quality benefit
>> Okay.
>> for for those grants. And so, just doing
a flood control project might not make
us score as high as if you include a
water quality component. And I think
that's the purpose of us doing the
watershed action plan is to make
ourselves more position ourselves for
those grants.
>> Yeah.
>> So,
I hope that's clear.
>> Thank you.
>> That is correct.
And really the intent of the the scoring
was to go ahead and look at this in an
objective manner.
Um noting that
sequentially, this may not play out like
this. Uh we've seen this on prior master
plans where we've had to go ahead and
adapt based upon other project work that
we could incorporate this into. So,
um this was just an exercise to go ahead
and come up with a ranking noting that
there are other factors that may um
take a little bit more weight to go
ahead and shift things up, but like the
town manager said, the scoring is so
close on so many of these projects, it's
like
you know, you you can go in many
different ways.
>> It's a little scary, too, when you see
these numbers, but
>> [laughter]
>> the um
And I've seen previous plans where it
was worse than this, but you know, every
time we um
get into
the the 2-year budget and we start
putting these projects in a 2-year
budget, you know, I think what typically
happens is these these are very
high-level looks at these projects. Once
David gets a hold of it,
then, you know, he can start to really
refine these projects into something
that's manageable,
you know, and so, that's all it's always
evolving, you know.
And so, um
» No, it's a very comprehensive plan, and
my question was about funding, but both
of you have kind of answered that for
me, so I appreciate it. Yeah. No, I
appreciate it.
>> Yeah, this is very helpful.
>> I wanted to say one thing as the and we David and I
talked about it cuz obviously, you know,
it started raining right when David
started speaking.
>> [laughter]
>> But, um
you know, what we've been dealing with the past week with the the rainfall
and then obviously last week with with
the
Conk Street area, you know, we had an we
had an issue there and largely with the
outfall, but that is probably an area
that does need something and it's not in
this plan, and David David's response to
me was, "Well, you know, we can't keep
doing everything along NC 12
just in a vacuum. We've got to involve
DOT and get their participation."
And so, I think that's really what our
goal should be however we can do that.
Um David's already engaged them about
the outfall and what's going on there.
But, I think that that may be something
that we look at maybe separate from this
plan.
And if we have to eventually come up
with something and incorporate it into
this, we can,
but, you know, really getting them to
sort of take the lead on on some of that stuff.
Yeah, and you can see on here, you know,
you've got
um Virginia Dare Trail in the village.
You've got Virginia Dare Trail at Dune
Street. I mean, we're already proposing
to put piping in a lot of the Virginia
Dare Trail,
you know, as part of this plan. So.
>> Yeah, we had the ability to log a lot of
time out there by the Conchs Street
intersection here recently and see how
that system works.
Um yeah, that there there's definitely
room for improvement there.
Uh but there are some things that people
don't always notice is the influence of
uh groundwater rise, especially during
um frequent rainfall events. Um we're
seeing a lot of that throughout town.
And we've gotten numerous phone calls
from here in the village, South Nags
Head, um not so much in the north end of
town. Um but
when you have
month of July, we had 15 days of rain
out of the 31 days.
Um
South Nags Head, I think
got hit the hardest.
Um and then as you progressively went
north, um
it it was not as severe as some of the
other impacts that we've seen throughout
town.
But um groundwater rise, especially
during saturated conditions, limits our
ability to infiltrate. Infiltration is
our main way of managing storm water
runoff.
Um and conveyance is
really plays back up to infiltration.
And when infiltration doesn't occur,
then that's when we really have
extensive flooding throughout our area.
Um and we we were able to observe the
conditions um post rainfall and just
really see
how much groundwater plays into some of
the localized flooding. Um
but it's been helpful that we've had our
groundwater wells because it really
gives us an indication of how much that
groundwater comes up over a period of
time.
Um Connor shared some data
um here recently. It was uh Thursday,
Friday, we had back-to-back storm
events. We saw the water table rise 2
and 1/2 ft
>> Oh my god.
>> over that period. Wow.
And
what I don't have a sense of because
it's been very difficult. There's been
more rainfall events after that, but
it's it's stayed up pretty high, and
it's starting to come back down, but
every rainfall we event we have after
that, it keeps on going back up.
And and that
primarily what we're seeing in these
here recently that's led to a lot of
concern from a lot of people in this
area that, "Hey, I've never seen this
before."
I I can't recall in recent history
having
this amount of rainfall over this time
period with this frequency.
Um I I can probably recite the rainfall
that we had back in 2016, '17, and '18.
Back in 2012. Back in the early 2000s,
but I don't recall a pattern like this.
Um
and especially in the south end of town,
which has got hit the hardest, and the
central part of town
that we've had this frequency of rainfall without
having the availability to recover.
And until we get that drying out period
and that recovery period, I think we're
still going to see a lot of this water
persist.
» It would be there would if especially if
there's more to it than what you just
expressed, cuz that's pretty
fascinating.
Um some of our learnings from our from
our wells, I think I think I would love
to hear some of that.
>> I'd love to hear a presentation.
>> Okay. [laughter] Uh about that. I think
that would be I think that would be
fascinating. Uh what what we're learning
from that. I'd love to see a
presentation in one of our meetings.
>> Yes, and I I think just trying to figure
out
that recovery time and how long that
takes. Um that's important to know, too,
so we can go ahead and set up an
expectation when people come across
these conditions
what that recovery time may look like.
>> One thing I just want to add and I was
planning to bring up on the
commissioner's agenda was um I've I
think we've all heard from a lot of
people and we've seen a lot on Facebook
about stormwater and people see ponding
water, but I have also heard a ton of
praise for our staff. Um you guys have
been very visible over the weekend with
Conk Street. Um
I know you guys probably hear people
complain more than anything, but
I think that a lot of residents that
have seen the changes over the years and
the leaps and bounds Nags Head has made
in stormwater is apparent and I just
want to relay that cuz I have heard so
many people reach out that have seen you
guys working on the weekends in the rain
at Conk Street. I've seen it. I've seen
the improvements and other people have,
too. I know we constantly have new
challenges, but it's clear that we're
taking them on and we're very, very
proud of everything you guys have done.
>> Yeah.
>> Well, thank you and I think from what I've seen in the
north end of town where we've made some
significant improvements, we're not
seeing that reoccurrence of of flooding,
not to the levels that we've seen in the
past. Um
we've got some improvements down in
south Nags Head.
Um
they're probably not as quick as people
would like it, but we have seen some
improvements.
And um I I think that's important,
especially long-term, when you have
saturated conditions that you're able to
go ahead and drain that off and so
not only aesthetically does that look
better, but you know, you you don't get
the mosquitoes, you don't get the ground water mixing in and having
that brown water standing for an
extended period of time, so.
>> This is also a great time to remind
people. I know a lot of people have been
pumping because the water table is so
high, but it's a great time to remind
people about the water credits that we
offer because I from what I've heard
from Jimmy, they've been pumping like
crazy from alarms going off and stuff
and just getting ready for that next
rain. It's a good time to pump your tank
and get ready for it.
>> Yep.
>> Right. Well done.
>> Cool.
>> Good point.
>> Excellent.
>> Great.
>> Thank you, Dave.
>> Yeah, that weekend, you know, that you
were referring to, you know,
we were waking up in the morning and all
right, what's going on? And well, 6:30
a.m., he's already been out looking at
things in South Nags Head. Well, on a
Sunday, Steven's already cleared the
Conk Street outfall, you know,
first first first line,
you know, they're all
and then Steven was checking the pumps
at like midnight on Saturday night.
>> You know, so it
they were working hard and the whole the
whole public services crew was out
there,
you know, water and public facilities,
everybody working on the pumping.
Yeah, so and David, you know, it was
just round the clock.
So, it
you know, it's nice to know that you're
you can trust that you're going to be
covered like that.
>> It's very appreciated.
>> Nice.
>> Very much so.
» Great. Thank you.
Uh that brings us to our beach driving
season update.
Chief?
» [snorts]
>> Good morning, Mayor and Commissioners.
I guess we've been having fun cuz time
has flown this summer and we're talking
about beach driving.
Um
as usual, the season's going to open
this year October 1st and run through
April the 30th
uh with a half hour before sunrise and a
half hour uh past sunset for those with
a
pass um either online or through the
town
or tackle shops. Um
we start selling permits about 2 weeks
before actual driving date, that way it
gives those the opportunity to go ahead
and acquire, but also keeps uh people
from being too anxious that want to get
out there a little bit before uh the
driving season actually starts.
Um this year we're going to request to
keep the section from Nags Head Pier
north to 8th Street closed um as in
prior years. This request comes to do
the sand conditions up there, a lot more
shell beds um or in that area that makes
the the sand
softer, looser, um
and it um
is hard to navigate um
in that area
um during certain times. It's not as
wide as well. Um
but keeping this closed also gives an
area for beach growers um to be able to
be on the beach and not have conflicts
with vehicle traffic. Um believe it's
been closed for the past four or five
years um that we've kept it closed just
because of the conditions, if not a few
years longer um than that um due to the
conditions of the sand all the way.
Um that's been the main reason, but we
have also seen that as the weather
uh stays a little bit
warmer in October and starts warming up
uh a little bit earlier in April some
years,
the amount of people that are on the
beach that gives them a space um that
they don't have to worry about traffic.
Um so that's what we're requesting um
with the nourishment project just
finishing up. Um the southern portion
last year was closed from Juncos to Ramp
1. With this project just being
completed, we see no need to keep that
closed as the condition of the beach um
is back wide as it was before. Last year
we had several weather systems that came
through um that caused some dune erosion
um and just the conditions itself were
too narrow um to keep that open down
there. So we don't see any problems with
keeping um
that closed this year and should be open
and good to go.
Permits this past season 25 26 we sold
288 permits. We were 14 off from the
year before.
From reading the printouts it seems all
14 were Nag's Head residents, but of the
permits sold this year 129 or last year
excuse me 129 were Nag's Head residents
or property owners.
And the remaining 159 came from our
surrounding area and the state of
Virginia.
>> Have we got that map that we can pull
up?
» It's an attachment on the agenda.
>> [snorts]
» So we have our drive over accesses.
Everything is marked on the map that
we've got that'll be on the website and
people can get copies of it or print
copies of it. Our drive over accesses
that will be open will be Conk,
Enterprise, Forest, Gulfstream, and
Junco's.
Those north of the pier will remain
closed obviously open for emergency
vehicles. We will have signs posted up
at 8th Street
that designates as we've put out in the
years past the driving season is closed
in this area and at each access there'll
be you know a sign displaying that a
permit needs to be displayed. So we're
looking forward to another good driving
season.
We'd like to remind everybody that use
the marked accesses, display your permit
on your driver side windshield.
Obey the speed limit of 15 miles per
hour and most importantly to reduce the tire pressure down to at least 20
pounds.
A lot of people seem to forget that and
when you don't reduce it it does tear
the beach up a lot more than giving you
a little bit wider platform for your air
pressure to be out of the tires. I'd be
happy to answer any questions that you
may have.
>> All right. Great.
>> Thank you, Perry. Any questions?
>> No.
>> She By the So, Junco Street to ramp one
was closed in years last year.
Um and then the pier north was closed
last year as well. So, that means this
year we'll actually have more room for
people to drive.
>> Yes. Um and I believe next to pier north
is is been at least 5 years, I do
believe, if not a couple more than where
we've closed it um due to numerous
vehicles getting stuck up there. It's
not that wide doing a lot of the
nor'easters that kept it done. Um and
that sand up there with that shell beds
and it's just I mean, I get nervous when
I drive out there if I have to go out
there for the emergency call. So, um it
is kind of tight up there. So, that will
stay closed, but from next to pier all
the way south to ramp one, we see no
issues this year.
>> Okay.
>> anything will be closed. Um hopefully we
don't have any weather systems that
would do anything differently. Um but
yes, Junco's to ramp one, that'll be an
extra area this year um being that it
was closed last year.
>> All right. Thank you.
>> It really started after COVID.
You know,
the that [snorts] fall, you know, you
remember the Admiral Street
>> Yeah.
>> where we added the walkway cuz we had
people that were
>> um using the drive over to walk to the
beach and people were driving up and and
they were almost [clears throat] getting
hit. So, we added the walkway sort of in
the middle of a year with some of the
extra money we had. And then we just saw
so many people on the beach in October.
The weather was still nice and people
were here and so
>> [clears throat]
>> it's kind of continued since then, but
it it really has worked well give people
an area of reprieve from from the
vehicles. And
it's a heavily traveled trafficked area
of the beach and you get a lot of people
that come from Kill Devil Hills to use
those accesses, too. So,
it it's worked well.
And I don't know, you know, obviously if
you've heard from people that
you know, they want
>> I've heard sometimes people complain
that they pay for the permit and some of
their access has been cut off, but
hearing that Juncos is open, that's a
great thing to respond to let them know
that they actually do have extra area
this year.
>> about
leaves about 10 miles of beach that you
can drive
>> Yeah.
>> amazing
>> 10 miles will be 11.
>> Good stuff.
>> Have we ever considered adding signage
during beach driving season to to not
walk over those ramps? Cuz I have seen
some very hair-raising
encounters with pedestrians and then a
vehicle flying over similar to what was
happening at Admiral.
>> Admiral, the walkover really cuz there
was lots of close calls. I think 4th
Street, that walkover helps a lot, too.
Um
>> But still people walk there. I don't
know. As
>> surfers like to, I guess.
>> Yeah.
>> I don't know.
>> Admiral scares me.
>> Made a note of that.
» Okay.
>> All right.
>> Great.
>> Thank you.
» Yeah.
» All right. Uh that brings us to our
Board of Commissioners agenda and I
think I'll start um down here with
Commissioner Harrison.
>> Um I don't really have anything. I just
wanted to say that um thank you to
everyone involved in beach nourishment,
Andy and Roberta and David and everybody
and all the people who've been so
involved. I mean, the beach looks
amazing.
Um it's very wide and beautiful and I
think everybody's enjoying it very much.
And also to Public Services, our town
looks really good. It's clean. It looks
great. Um
Thanks to everyone who handled the
flooding and just it's
great summer out there and staff is
responsible for that.
>> Right.
>> Yeah.
>> Thank you.
>> Mhm.
>> No comments. Just echo what Commissioner
Harrison said.
>> Okay. All right.
>> I don't have anything to add. Thank you.
>> Commissioner Boland
>> I concur and I'll throw in 4th of July
because our last meeting was obviously
was actually before that and that was a
great day and event evening. I was out
and about and again Steph always does a
fabulous job. It was safe and beautiful.
Fireworks all of it. So,
of course we appreciate the pier.
>> Yes.
>> [laughter]
>> We do.
All right.
Thank you.
Uh I do not have anything for us today.
Uh we do not have any closed sessions
published. I don't believe need for one
has emerged.
Um so, is there any other business come
for the board?
And we do not need a mid-month meeting.
So, we will be back in September. And
so, a motion to adjourn would be in
order.
>> So moved.
>> Uh do I have a second?
>> Second.
>> Anybody wants to stay for a little while
longer?
I have a motion and a second. Uh all in
favor say I. I. Opposed? Thank you.
>> Thank you.