Temporary parking ahead for Manteo Town Common property; zoning change hearing set

Published 5:24 am Sunday, June 7, 2020

On Monday, June 1, Dare County commissioners approved using the Manteo Town Common area for some summertime, temporary parking.

The parking proposal was presented by county manager Robert L. Outten.

Dare County and the Town of Manteo have a Memorandum of Understanding that governs the proposed Town Common area.

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Manteo town manager James Ayers stated, “we are assessing the current proposal from the Town administration that attempts to balance summertime parking needs with the desire to complete the permanent project without undue impacts to the site or cost burden to the taxpayers.”

The staff report indicates the town is “considering placing wheel stops, signage and related items to provide temporary parking . . .” The idea is to provide 35 to 40 temporary, grassed parking spaces. The wheel stops could be used in the contemplated development of the Town Common. Aggregate material would be used if the drive aisle becomes rutted.

The proposal is expected at the Manteo Planning Board June 9, 2020.

Dare County has received a zoning map amendment request for property in Buxton.

John Canning has applied to have property at 49251 NC 12 in Buxton, rezoned to C-3 Commercial. The property is currently zoned R-3, high density residential.

Dare County commissioners set a hearing on the request for June 15 at 5 p.m.

The property currently has a minor mobile home park and a 30-foot by 50-foot storage building that Canning uses for personal storage and a workshop.

If approved, Canning will operate a commercial storage yard at the rear portion of the two-acre lot. Canning will be required to submit a site-specific plan to separate the mobile home park from the storage area.

Granting the request is recommended by the Dare County Planning Board.

Dare County has three ongoing construction projects and one was pushed forward June 1 by the Board of Commissioners.

The commissioners approved a guaranteed maximum price of $4.81 million for the expansion of the Health and Human Services buildings in Manteo. A.R. Chesson Construction Co., Inc. is the contractor.

All bid alternatives will be included in the work, pushing the project total to $5.73 million.

The project calls for building new space between the two existing buildings. After that section is completed in about six months, the two separate buildings will be joined to the new space.

Construction is likely to start in 30 days.

Site work has started at the new animal shelter. Concrete was expected to be poured Friday, June 5. Construction is slated to end in February 2021. For the new shelter to be operational, furniture and equipment will need to be installed and operations shifted to the new structure.

The new space for the Roanoke Island Dog Park has been graded and grass seed sown. Opening is expected around mid-June.

The new animal shelter, which is located between the Dare County Regional Airport and Emergency Operations Center, is budgeted to cost $6.6 million.

Dare County’s new campus and building for College of The Albemarle is still in the design phase. Recently, a 20-page design schematic was received. The document takes a broad overview of the building forward to detailed descriptions of room space, exterior materials, etc.

Look for demolition of the old Manteo High School/Manteo Middle School buildings to start in the September-October timeframe.

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