Over the past few months, a variety of very interesting and important issues concerning Hatteras Island have been at the forefront of our local headlines. Some have been resolved, and others will probably be with us for the foreseeable future. Here is a summary:
- On November 6th, Hatteras Island voters defeated a referendum on whether liquor by the drink should be permitted in restaurants and other types of businesses. Currently, beer and wine are served in most restaurants and with the necessary permit “brown-bagging” is also allowed. The unofficial vote was 855 against the proposal and 657 in favor of the measure.
- Hurricane Noel passed well east of Hatteras Island earlier this month. We experienced strong winds but no significant damage. The main impacts were that Highway 12 at the north end of Rodanthe was closed for a while, and the power was out for about three hours. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the island made it through another season without a major storm. If you would like to see some incredible kite surfing videos go to - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajQrWFVqxz0
- You may recall the anxiety that arose earlier this year when a federal judge ruled that because the National Park Service did not have an off-road vehicle plan, there was no legal basis for allowing anyone to drive on the beach. The National Park Service, which has been working on the necessary plan for some time, took no subsequent action to prevent or restrict beach driving except in areas where endangered species were nesting. The pace of progress was apparently not swift enough for some environmental groups, and the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) filed a suit in Federal Court on September 18th, claiming that the National Park Service was not meeting its legal responsibilities to develop a beach driving management plan, and it was not doing enough to protect endangered species. The director of the SELC indicated that the groups involved in the lawsuit would not seek an injunction preventing beach driving “at this time”. Most recently, the Dare County Board Of Commissioners took action to be a party in the lawsuit. Driving on the beach has not been impacted, except for limited area closures, although a cloud of concern continues to hover over this important aspect of Hatteras Island’s unique appeal.
- On Ocracoke, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) is getting ready to replace the seven bridges on Highway 12. Between January 2nd and March 15th, a portion of Highway 12 will be closed to traffic. Reportedly, only four-wheel drive vehicles will be permitted to use the 3 mile beach detour around the construction area. Other vehicles will be expected to use the Swan Quarter and Cedar Island Ferries to get to and from Ocracoke.
- Discussions and meetings are still being held regarding the replacement of the Bonner Bridge over Oregon Inlet. The NCDOT has stated that with the proper repairs, the existing bridge should last another ten years. It appears that the “short bridge” alternative will be the favored option. Under this choice a new bridge would be built parallel to the Bonner Bridge. If the parties involved in the protracted negotiations can reach agreement, bids could be solicited in early 2009 with the completion of construction possible in 2013.
- A Wings store is planned for Avon. The store will be located on an unimproved lot north of the Avon stop light between the Subway and the mobile home community across from the Ocean Isle subdivision. Since the property is relatively narrow, the exposure on Highway 12 may be less than the frontage that characterizes most of these stores.
- Hatteras Island now has an online newspaper – the Island Free Press. We encourage you to visit the Island Free press web site at – http://www.islandfreepress.com where you can sign up for automatic e-mail notification when new articles are posted. We are certain that you will enjoy the wide range of content including, Local & Community News, Island History, Fishing, Real Estate & Business, Life & Lifestyles, Special Features, and Links. We will be writing the main real estate articles for the site. The Island Free Press fills a long-standing void in reporting news and events concerning the island, and we are pleased to be a part of this exciting new venture.
Please contact us at hranicka@hatterasisland.com if there are any topics or issues that you would like us to research or analyze.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, November 17th, 2007 at 12:58 pm and is filed under Uncategorized.
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