This is an unofficial summary of the meeting produced by the Dare County Public Relations Department. It does not include all items that were discussed at the meeting. To view a PDF of the full agenda packet for the meeting that was held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, please click here.

To view the video of the meeting on Dare County’s YouTube channel, please click the button below. Official minutes for the meeting are posted once they have been approved by the board, typically at the board’s next meeting, which is usually held on the first Monday of the following month. To access minutes for meetings dating back to 2017, please click here.

During the commissioners’ business portion of the meeting, Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard provided an update on the Buxton Beach Access, also known as the Buxton Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS), which sustained significant additional damage during Hurricane Erin. Immediately after the storm, on Saturday, August 23, 2025, Chairman Woodard and County Manager Bobby Outten traveled to Buxton, where they met with Commissioner Mary Ellon Ballance and toured the site with Buxton Civic Association members to evaluate the impacts. 

Chairman Woodard described the site as a “disaster,” noting that the storm caused the loss of the entry road, flooding throughout the site, the destruction of the roadway leading to the parking area, and the deposition of several feet of sand and debris. The storm also exposed large amounts of Navy and Coast Guard building debris, as well as remnants of underground infrastructure such as asbestos pipe and fuel lines, and triggered petroleum odors and sheen on the beach—raising serious environmental and public safety concerns.

Following this visit and seeing the situation firsthand, Chairman Woodard sent a letter to U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, as well as Congressman Greg Murphy, urging federal action to ensure the site is fully cleaned and restored. Congressman Murphy promptly responded by sending a letter to Brigadier General Zachary L. Miller, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers South Atlantic Division, stressing the urgent need for a comprehensive cleanup of the site rather than the piecemeal approach that has been taken in the past.

Chairman Woodard emphasized that this swift action was effective, with representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers arriving in Dare County the very next day to assess the damage and initiate additional cleanup efforts. Chairman Woodard, Commissioner Ballance, County Manager Outten and National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent Dave Hallac also returned to the site a few days later to meet directly with Colonel Ron Sturgeon, commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District.

During his comments, Chairman Woodard expressed gratitude for the Corps’ ongoing efforts, noting that Colonel Sturgeon has followed through on his commitments but stressed that the Corps needs additional funding and resources to complete the full cleanup. As he concluded his remarks, Chairman Woodard praised Congressman Murphy for his leadership and support, stating, “This is very encouraging, and I am very, very grateful to Congressman Murphy and his staff. I want to publicly acknowledge that he stepped up to the plate and helped us with this.”

Public Hearing – Colington Zoning Map Amendment

The Dare County Board of Commissioners conducted a public hearing to discuss a proposed zoning map amendment to reclassify seven parcels on Lovers Lane in Colington from R-1 Low Density Residential to a new zoning designation of R-2B Alternative Medium Density Residential. 

The rezoning request was submitted by Colington Glen LLC to allow for a greater flexibility in single-family housing options in R-2B zoning that the R-1 zoning does not allow. The Dare County Planning Board had reviewed the request at its August 5, 2025 meeting and recommended its approval, finding it consistent with the 2022 Dare County Land Use Plan. 

In addition to being consistent with the 2022 Dare County Land Use Plan—since the uses permitted in the district are already in existence in the neighborhood—the amendment would also allow for a diversification in year-round housing options by allowing duplexes and residential group developments while still adhering to the dimensional standards that are on the same scale as the surrounding properties and adjacent lands zoned R-1.  

Based on the recommendation of the Dare County Planning Board and a review of the policies, the Dare County Board of Commissioners approved the zoning change, reclassifying the seven parcels from R-1 Low Density Residential to R-2B Alternative Medium Density Residential. For more information, please click the button below or visit DareNC.gov/Planning.

Public Hearing – FY2027 NCDOT 5310, 5311 Grant Applications 

The Dare County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing for two transportation grant applications, and no speakers came forward to comment. Following the hearing, the board authorized the submission of the FY2027 grant applications for the Dare County Transportation System, which offers curb-to-curb, ride-by-appointment service for residents and visitors.

The requests include a $100,000 5310 Operations Grant to provide transportation for seniors and individuals with disabilities (local share: $50,000) and a $171,997 5311 Community Transportation Grant to offset administrative expenses (local share: $25,800). Combined, the applications total $271,997, with Dare County contributing $75,800.

This funding is essential to maintaining reliable, affordable transportation for seniors, individuals with disabilities and others who depend on the service. For more information, please click the button below or visit DareNC.gov/Transportation.

Dare County Veterans Advisory Council Chairman Justin O’Sullivan provided details about the upcoming Wreaths of Honor project the Dare County Veterans Advisory Council will be hosting in collaboration with the Outer Banks VFW Post 10950 Auxiliary.  

Through this project, wreaths will be placed on the graves of approximately 459 veterans in seven cemeteries across Dare County. The goal of the Wreaths of Honor project is to honor and remember the brave men and women who served our nation by placing wreaths at their final resting places in Dare County during the holiday season. 

In preparation for the project, the Dare County Veterans Advisory Council is currently organizing efforts to coordinate volunteers to assist with wreath placement and wreath removal, raise funds and accept donations to purchase wreaths to ensure every veteran is honored, and to hold a respectful wreath-laying event, which is scheduled to be held on Saturday, December 6, 2025. The wreath removal will take place on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

To support the project, the Dare County Board of Commissioners approved a $3,000 contribution, which will help ensure that every veteran at all participating cemeteries is honored with a wreath.

For more information about the Wreaths of Honor project—including how to purchase a wreath to donate or to sign up for one of the volunteer opportunities that are available—please click the button below or contact Dare County Veterans Services Officer Patricia O’Sullivan at Patricia.O’Sullivan@DareNC.gov or 252-475-5604.  

For more information about the Dare County Veterans Advisory Council, please click the button below or visit DareNC.gov/Veterans. 

The Dare County Board of Commissioners approved $20,000 in funding to move forward with preliminary surveying and development of a conceptual design required in order to apply for grants that would fund the installation of a pathway in Manteo along Harriot Street between U.S. Highway 64 and Groundhog Lane (located behind Manteo Middle School). 

The Recreational Trails Program and Tourism Board grants have been identified as possible funding sources to cover the entirety of the pathway installation costs, which are approximately $200,000. However, these grants do not fund preliminary surveying, design and engineering, which would be required in order to move forward in the grant application process.

The Recreational Trails Program provides funding for shovel ready projects. Based on preliminary review, the south side of Harriot Street would be the primary area to target surveying for a pathway to be installed due to right-of-way constraints on the north side of the street. 

The Harriot Street pathway is being pursued in response to longstanding safety concerns for students and children walking in the area due to its proximity to Manteo Middle School. The proposed pathway would provide a safer and much-needed pedestrian route for local students, families and community members.

Representatives from McGill and Associates—the firm tasked with developing and implementing plans to improve Dare County Parks and Recreation facilities throughout the county—presented their recommendations to the Dare County Board of Commissioners based on the Dare County Parks and Recreation Needs Assessment that was completed earlier this year. 

The presentation included the proposed Parks and Recreation Recommendations and Implementation 2025–2035 Plan (included in the agenda packet), which outlines priorities and strategies for addressing current and future recreational needs throughout Dare County. One of the most important reasons for having a formal plan in place is that it is necessary when applying for grants that could help fund Parks and Recreation projects. 

The plan also highlights that there are significant needs for renovations, upgrades and expansions to Dare County’s Parks and Recreation system—needs that exceed what can reasonably be accomplished within the county’s normal budgeting process. To address this funding gap, McGill and Associates’ recommendations include pursuing a variety of funding sources, one of which is a recommended 0.25 cent sales tax. This proposed sales tax would help supplement county resources and provide a dedicated stream of funding to support future Parks and Recreation projects.

Following the presentation, the Dare County Board of Commissioners decided that a work group composed of several Dare County commissioners, as well as key staff members, will meet to closely review the plan’s recommendations.  

It is important to note that the plan does not guarantee any construction, services or additions to the Dare County Parks and Recreation Department. It is intended to serve as a guide for county officials to use when considering any potential projects or services for the future. For more information about the Dare County Parks and Recreation Department, visit DareNC.gov/Parks. To view the presentation from the meeting, please click the button below.

The Dare County Board of Commissioners adopted the following proclamations and resolutions to highlight and address various issues of interest and concern:  

• Proclamation Recognizing September 17-23, 2025 as Constitution Week

• Proclamation Recognizing September 2025 as Smart Start Month

• Proclamation Recognizing September 15-21, 2025 as Diaper Need Awareness Week
  After adopting the proclamation, the Dare County Board of Commissioners approved a $15,000 contribution from Dare County to the Children and Youth Partnership’s Diaper Bank.

• Resolution - Opioid Settlement Funds

• Resolution - Series 2025B for Public Works

• Resolution  - Buxton & Avon Beach Nourishment Grant Award Resolutions

The newly adopted resolutions will be published on the Dare County website once they have been signed. To access all published resolutions of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, please click the button below. 

The Dare County Board of Commissioners welcomes citizen participation on advisory boards and committees. This type of grassroots public involvement is the foundation of democracy and a vital part of maintaining Dare County as a quality place to live. Following is a list of Dare County advisory boards and committees with terms expiring during the next three months: 

October 2025

• Fessenden Center Advisory Board
• Juvenile Crime Prevention Council

November 2025

• Dare County Older Adult Services Advisory Council
• Dare County Veterans Advisory Council

December 2025

• Equalization and Review Board
• Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
• Special Motor Vehicle Valuation Review Committee
• Tourism Board

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis, and once an application is submitted to the Clerk to the Dare County Board of Commissioners, it will remain on file for three years. For a full listing of current vacancies, and to access the online application, please click here. For more information, please contact Clerk to the Dare County Board of Commissioners Skyler Foley at Skyler.Foley@DareNC.gov or 252-475-5700. 

Click here to view a PDF of the full agenda packet for the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting that was held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.