Math won’t work for current sand plans, Judge says
Comfort Inn South
The commission is an advisory panel, but because it is made up of representatives of the county and its six towns, it has become a key forum for reaching an agreement on how to spend money from the Shoreline Management Fund.
“We can’t fund every project one hundred percent,” Chairman Warren Judge said. “That’s not going to happen.”
Judge is also the chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners and will have considerable influence on how the money will ultimately be divided up.
He suggested that with the current 1 percent occupancy tax for beach nourishment, the county could cover 50 percent of each town’s project, although the fund would be depleted by 2013. He said it would recover to $10 million by 2016 and the $6 million balance from the short-lived 1 percent local sales tax for beach nourishment would remain for emergency projects.
Members of the commission continued to express concerns that the $22 million Shoreline Management Fund would be used up by one or two towns.
Richard Johnson, a Dare County commissioner, said he would like to see projects in Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills move forward, but “I never want to see the fund drained down.”
Nags Head Mayor Bob Oakes continued to push for action on what he has described as a crisis. He said four large structures, the Comfort Inn South, Diamond Shoals condominiums, the Yachtsman condominiums and Bodie Island Resort, all had foundations in trouble from erosion, and another 100 homes were “one storm away” from being lost.
He also said that as many as 30 homes have been tagged as public nuisances and the town was ready to go to court to have them removed from the public beach.
Nags Head wants $20 million from the shoreline fund, which is financed by 1 percent of the occupancy tax. The town proposes adding another 1 percent to the occupancy tax to rebuild the fund and repay a $16 million bond it would need to finance the balance of its $36 million project.
Because the short session that starts in May is reserved for non-controversial issues, the General Assembly is not likely to consider a request for adding 1 percent to the occupancy tax unless the county and all six towns formally agree to it.
Oakes offered a scenario that outlined a $20 million project in Nags Head starting in 2011, followed by hypothetical projects in Kill Devil Hills ($10 million in 2013), Duck ($10 million in 2016) and Hatteras Island ($20 million in 2019). The fund, he said, would reach a low point of $10 million in 2013 and would then rise to $25 million in 2021. Oakes’ plan assumed annual contributions of $3.2 million per 1 percent of occupancy tax, based on recent history.
Johnson questioned the numbers as too optimistic in the current environment and said Hatteras Island would probably need help before 2019. He was not keen on projections of future projects and their timing.
“We are in a situation where all we can do is put out fires,” he said.
Jodie Hess, the Southern Shores representative, asked Oakes if his figures were “illustrative or real projections.” Oakes drew laughs when he said, “These things are hard to predict; they come in waves.”
Meanwhile, Kill Devil Hills has proposed a project that would seek reimbursement from the federal government after it’s done. But the town would need to be fronted as much as $18 million from the shoreline management fund and there is no guarantee that the federal government would pay it back.
Paul Buske, the Kill Devil Hills representative, said his town “would love to partner with Nags Head; it would be a plus for both towns to work together.” He said Kill Devil Hills did not want to wait for a nourishment project “until it’s critical” and that an estimated cost of $27 million presented earlier to the commission was “probably closer to $20 million.”
Buske questioned why “Wilmington had been granted exceptions” by the state Coastal Resources Commission for hardened structures such as breakwaters and reefs, noting the CRC had a number of members from that region.
While nourishment is a short-term fix, Buske said, “reefs and breakwaters are part of the long-term solution” to keep sand on the beaches. He urged Dare County officials to lobby for changes in state regulations and laws.
“Of all the states that touch water, only four, including North Carolina, ban all hardened structures,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gary Perry, Kitty Hawk’s mayor pro tem, clarified his town’s position. He said Kitty Hawk “had not taken a stand for or against beach nourishment.” The town council, he stated, was primarily concerned with two issues: Realtor endorsement of the occupancy tax increase and ensuring to “our citizens some funds would be there for (the town) if there was a catastrophe.”
Satisfying these “hedges,” Perry said, “I suspect you would see a different flavor” from the Kitty Hawk Town Council regarding the Nags Head project.
Neal Morrison of Duck followed suit, noting his town had potential future problems and also wanted to be sure funds would remain for their use. Morrison also asked Judge what he wanted the commission to do next.
“It would be valuable if there was a unified position from this board . . . if the board was able to meet a consensus of support or a method to handle the requests from the towns,” he said, “I think it would be valuable.”
In public comments, former Nags Head mayor Bob Muller told the commission it might need to revisit policies on funding projects relative to public beach access since there were significant differences among the towns.
See what people are saying:
Join the discussion:
Alan says:
I would love to hear these words from a commissioner:
“Hi, as dredge and fill projects have failed twice this decade in those spots, is there a way to do a test now, one that succeeds, and within your current budget?
Because then, if it worked, and you came in here asking for tens of millions we don’t have, you might get more enthusiasm from this board.”
Worker says:
It would be interesting to know the amount of sand (several hundred cubic yards) that is currently being trucked to S-Turns from the southside of the terminal groin. They are running a lot of trucks. It would also be interesting to see how much of this sand is still on the beach at S-Turns after all of these recent storms, comparing the profile before and after, and the project info regarding the profile as agreed upon in the contract. My guess is that this focused project on a narrow stretch could be used as a case study and applied to the larger nourishment discussion (costs, volumes, profiles, retention, loss/gain, etc). I have heard that they have hauled for a week or two only to see one storm take it all away. Then the state/county comes out to question the contractor where all of the sand went.
Stewie says:
“…would seek reimbursement from the federal government…”
Does anyone really believe that in the years to come that the Feds are going to have the money to continue funding these exercises in futility?
If we as a country can’t get serious about reducing federal debt/deficits by even taking the small step of eliminating completely the federal role in paying for these purely local problems I guess we really are screwed in trying to address our national fiscal problems.
Sue says:
Our condo Association has had permits to put sand bags and to push sand from FEMA and CAMA since November and we have encountered nothing but resistance and obstacles from the Town of Nags. They would rather see the building fall in the ocean and at this rate it just might. When will everyone realize that this is a resort town and the beach and house rentals is part of their livelyhood.
Butch Stone says:
Its a shame that 25 homes will have to be taken down at the homeowners expense and the people who own them cannot get their home owners insurance to pay anything.
The ocean has to take the homes, to have a claim. When will the madness stop?
A beach renourishment is the only thing left to keep this from happening again.
Warren says:
I hope that the good people governing the Outer Banks will recognize that nearly their whole economy is based on tourism, and beach replenishment is an important part of supporting that tourism. There needs to be strong cooperation among the localities involved, with the commission setting an example of comprimise and problem-solving. The long-range consequences are immense.
Alan says:
We all agree with Warren, however, the proponents seem to constantly state that the whole of our tourism is endangered because of a few dozen homes. This is not the case. We have 15,000 rentals, 70 are at risk right now. The sky is not falling and none of our numbers support that claim.
There have always been homes in danger, ever since the 50s.
This is a slow process, and not a crisis.
Our tourism continues to grow at about 2% per year, and our available lodging also increases constantly. There is more bed space than demand as well.
What we need from leadership is responsible use of limited funds, and part of this is asking the tough questions such as WILL THIS WORK? (two tries have failed, and remember, they were supposed to be our tests)
And IS IT FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO DRAIN EVERYONE’S FUND WHEN THE RISK IS SO HIGH?
Please start asking the tough questions and examining alternatives, if only to be able to look back and not appear to be fools if the whole thing does wash away in a week.
Selena K says:
Is the company being hired to perform the beach nourishment the same company who completed the washed-away berm in Nags Head a while back?
Red says:
“Our tourism continues to grow at about 2% per year” – Occording to the OBVB our occupancy receipts actually dropped over 6 million dollars last year.
Tim says:
There are not just 70 houses at risk. Drive from the Avalon Pier to the Kitty Hawk Pier. You can count 300 homes in danger. And there are other areas just as bad from Duck to Hatteras.
Alan says:
70 is the number used by Mr. Oakes for this $36 million to protect.
How much would it be to also do KDH and Kitty Hawk? Maybe another $80 million? More, less? What do you think Tim? How much for the Hatteras area? You raise a strong point. Should we be thinking about doing the whole 70 miles? Fair is fair.
Again, tourism up 2.1% overall, but you are correct on lodging, down 1.9% that period, could be the recession? I referred to the total amount of money left in the county, which is what Mr. Judge seems to feel is threatened:
Dare County Tourism Figures
But it’s good to ask questions. Why aren’t our leaders batting these numbers around?
Tim says:
We need Beach Nourishment in a number of places in Dare County. We also need laws changed to build jetties and breakwaters to protect the ongoing nourishment and infrastructure. Eventually a line will have to be drawn. Why wait and lose hundreds of homes, miles of roads, water lines, and other utilities? We need to start now.
Alan says:
Personally, I would prefer no sand to ever be poured onto the beaches near where I live.
I moved here to surf and to fish, and the reports from Surfrider and Surfer Magazine demonstrate that a shorebreak (shore-pound) and no fish are inevitable outcomes of nourishment.
However, if the tourism/monetary interests are the majority position, I would respect that and move to what I consider to be a healthy, natural beach where I can surf and enjoy the fish.
The fact that we are one of the few actual “natural beach environments” left should count for something when it comes to marketing and the area’s attraction. But maybe it doesn’t.
We might become an artificial “Disney Beach,” and again, if that’s what the majority wants and our leaders are making informed decisions based on the will of the electorate, I’ll concede to the democratic process.
Joe says:
to selena
The berm was not the right sand as you can tell. The sand was too fine and like dirt. This new sand comes from to 4 miles out and is very close to the sand we have on the beach now.
They have learned alot from mistakes in the past and one of them is not doing anything at all.
barbara says:
Alan, I agree COMPLETELY with what you said. Pro-bn folks like to paint us as uncaring about the tourist economy, etc. I’m totally against BN because I know our natural beaches are a BIG draw here. The minute we start taxing, charging fees, dumping sand, etc. we just become another Ocean City or VA beach. Let’s be proud of our BEAUTIFUL natural beaches, and all the clean surfing, fishing and other benefits that come with it! That is why I moved here and have called this place home for over 13 years!!!
Joe says:
The beach will take care of itself, if left alone. The natural beach will continue to draw tourists. When the front row of homes is gone, there will be a new front row, whose value and property taxes will reflect the new reality. The previous front took a gamble by buying in a known geologically unstable area. They had their time, and then lost the bet. We should not be bailing them out for their lost wagers.
When do we get real and look at the long-term expense viability of trying to hold a line in the sand?
Ray says:
Good points, Barb.
Wanchese says:
What’s even funnier is this plan if you look at it like this:
Bob Oakes takes 36 million out of the fund, 20 now, then 16 million more over 5 years.
But he promises us hey, in 10 years, it’s back up to 60 million!!!
So Nags Head gets 36 million, then in 10 years, the remaining 5 of you get to SPLIT 60 million? ha ha ha!
He’ll get 36 now when it’s worth 36, you all get 12 each when inflation has 10 more years to devalue it! ha ha ha, that is priceless!
Carey Kelley says:
Has any one that is in opposition walked the beach from NEW pier south.
I have owned for 5 years in Nags Head and am appalled at the condition of this area. You should be ashamed of yourselves to let it get to this. Whenever I heard the words Outer Banks I thought immediatly of Nags Head and beaches, these aren’t beaches they are dumps. Talk about costs, how much will it cost to demo the Comfort Inn, the Yatchsman, the Whalebone motel, Owens motel, etc., and how much revenue will be lost there?
I took video today and would love to see what all the folks on YouTube would think of Nags Head. I am in total disbelief that you could even consider letting this continue.
This has gone on for 20 years and and no one has made a decision and the beaches of Nags Head are embarassing.
I had family down and even though they stayed for free, will be going elsewhere because when they attempted to walk the beaches thru all the DEBRIS they ran into motels and ran out of beach since the ocean was all the way to the dunes. I never would have believed that an OCEAN community could allow this. Unbelievable.