Highlights of the October 2025 Dare County Board of Commissioners Meeting

The following is a summary of the October 6 Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting and does not include all items that were discussed. To view the full video of the meeting on Dare County’s YouTube channel, click here. Official minutes for the meeting are posted once 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, click here.

During his opening remarks, Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard provided an update on the ongoing debris removal and cleanup efforts in Buxton and Rodanthe following the recent collapse of nine oceanfront homes as a result of offshore storms.

Woodard noted that, although neither of the storms were direct hits for Hatteras Island, they still caused extensive damage, resulting in the loss of eight homes in Buxton and one in Rodanthe. The collapsed homes—which were built between 1973 and 1998 and varied in size—had a combined assessed value of more than $5 million. As of this morning, seven of the eight homeowners in Buxton have already hired private contractors to handle debris removal from their properties.

Chairman Woodard continued by expressing his appreciation to National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent Dave Hallac for leading the substantial cleanup efforts currently underway, despite the staffing limitations posed by the ongoing federal government shutdown. Over the weekend, approximately 40 National Park Service employees assisted with the operation—many volunteering their time—removing around 140 truckloads of debris from the beach in Buxton alone.

Chairman Woodard also recognized the Buxton Civic Association for its role in coordinating cleanup activities and community communications. He acknowledged that a considerable amount of debris remains in Buxton and shared that another volunteer cleanup effort is being planned, with additional details to be announced by the Buxton Civic Association as they become available.

Release: Dare County to Begin Debris Removal in Buxton on Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Dare Community Housing Task Force Chair Donna Creef delivered a presentation outlining the task force’s recent outreach activities, recommendations from the 2024 report and plans to establish the Dare Housing Foundation—a new nonprofit organization focused on addressing local housing challenges.

Following the presentation and discussion, the Dare County Board of Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve the task force’s request for $200,000 in annual funding for two years to support the formation and operations of the nonprofit organization, as well as the use of office space within the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo.

The motion approved by the board also included Chairman Woodard’s recommendation to appoint Commissioner Mary Ellon Ballance (Hatteras Island) and Dare County Manager Bobby Outten as the two Dare County representatives to serve on the housing nonprofit once it is established.

Commissioner Rob Ross cast the sole dissenting vote, stating that while he supports the initiative, he believes the county should not be solely responsible for the full $200,000 in funding for the nonprofit and that the six municipalities in Dare County should contribute financially as well. For more information about the Dare Community Housing Task Force, please visit DareNC.gov/Housing. To view the presentation that was delivered during the meeting, please click the button below.

Quasi-Judicial Hearing – October 6, 2025 (Buxton)

The Dare County Board of Commissioners conducted a quasi-judicial hearing to consider an amendment to an existing Special Use Permit (SUP) for High and Dry LLC in Buxton. The request, submitted by John Canning, sought approval for an addition to one of the existing storage warehouses within the group development located on Parcels #031013001 and #031013002.

The proposed project involves constructing a 1,576-square-foot addition to an existing warehouse, bringing the total size of that building to just over 7,300 square feet. The new space will provide additional non-climate-controlled storage units. In addition, a recombination of an adjacent parcel is required to accommodate the expanded footprint and ensure compliance with county zoning regulations.

The Dare County Planning Board reviewed the proposal at its September 2, 2025 meeting and recommended its approval with conditions, including the requirement that the parcel recombination be completed and recorded by the Dare County Register of Deeds within three months. Following the quasi-judicial hearing, the Dare County Board of Commissioners accepted those recommendations and voted to approve the amendment.

Quasi-Judicial Hearing – October 6, 2025 (Hatteras)

The Dare County Board of Commissioners held a quasi-judicial hearing to consider a request from Tim and Patricia Midgett for a Special Use Permit to designate their property located on MV Australia Lane in Hatteras Village as a Historic Residential Structure Properties Group Development. The request involved combining two adjoining parcels (Parcel #015421002 and Parcel #015421000), which currently contain three homes, into a single parcel for recognition under the county’s zoning ordinance provisions that were adopted last year for historic residential sites.

This designation is intended to preserve and formally recognize older residential properties—those that predate November 20, 1975—allowing them to be maintained and used as a group development under the zoning code. Two of the three homes on these adjoining parcels were constructed prior to November 1975, qualifying a combined parcel for historical designation. Following the quasi-judicial hearing, the Dare County Board of Commissioners voted to approve the Special Use Permit.

Deputy County Manager/Health & Human Services Director Dr. Sheila Davies and Dare County Public Health Nursing Manager Debbie Dutton delivered a presentation detailing the wide array of clinical services that are provided by the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services at its locations in Manteo, Nags Head and Frisco.

These services include immunizations, family planning, maternal and child health programs, communicable disease testing and treatment, wellness screenings, and other essential public health services that help protect and promote the health of Dare County residents. For more information about the services that are available for children and adults in Dare County, visit DareNC.gov/Health. To view the slides from the presentation, please click the button below.

The Dare County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution in support of the community’s 2025 participation in Operation Green Light, a National Association of Counties initiative that encourages residents and businesses to honor veterans by displaying green lights in their homes and businesses to let local veterans know they are seen, appreciated and supported.

The Board of Commissioners urges members of the community to participate in the initiative by shining green lights from November 4, 2025 through November 11, 2025 as a symbol of appreciation for the service and sacrifices made by our veterans. During this period, numerous Dare County government buildings will also be illuminated to show support for our local heroes. For more information, please visit DareNC.gov/GreenLight.

During his opening remarks, Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bob Woodard presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Osborne “Chuck” Hester—the oldest living veteran on the Outer Banks—in recognition of his lifetime of service and dedication to Dare County and the United States of America.

Hester, who will celebrate his 100th birthday on October 27, 2025, joined the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and served his country honorably during World War II. In addition to his service in the military, Hester helped build vital bridges across our region—including the Old Manns Harbor Bridge, Alligator River Bridge and Wright Memorial Bridge—and devoted years of service to the National Park Service as well as the Roanoke Island Volunteer Fire Department.

“Throughout his 100 years, Mr. Hester has not only contributed to the infrastructure of our community but also to its spirit—embodying service, hard work and kindness,” said Woodard. “Today, it is my privilege to present this Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, recognizing Mr. Hester for a century of life, service and leadership.”

Hester was also recognized by Jennifer Freeman, Coastal Carolina Regional Manager for the North Carolina Division of Military and Veterans Affairs (NCDMVA), with a certificate of appreciation from NCDMVA in recognition of his 100th birthday and his service to the United States of America.

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

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:

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

January 2026

Working Watermen Commission

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.

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