Dare Planning Board recommends approval for Dare Challenge permit

Published 7:55 am Sunday, December 27, 2020

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Dare County’s Planning Board recommended for approval of a conditional use permit for Outer Banks Dare Challenge, Inc.

The application requests expansion of its existing Wanchese facility at 2263 NC Hwy. 345.

The expansion includes a 9,920-square foot multi-purpose building and two 1,768-square foot residential buildings, with each building accommodating 16 residents or staff.

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The buildings will have outside safety lights.

The recommendation includes a five-year time period for securing the necessary permits and raising funds for the project.

The conditional use permit recommendation will be scheduled for the Jan. 4 Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The Planning Board continued its discussion about camping cabin regulations as referred by the Dare County Board of Commissioners.

On Oct. 19, the commissioners approved revised rules for travel trailer parks and campgrounds for unincorporated areas of Dare County, as recommended by the Planning Board.

The major ordinance addition to the new rules is defining and permitting camping cabins or alternative camping units in travel trailer parks.

Camping cabins are described as 600 square feet enclosed with 300 square feet not enclosed. The facility may or may not have kitchen and bathroom facilities. Camping cabins or alternative camping units must be constructed according to North Carolina State residential codes, the Dare County Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance and all other applicable federal, state and local regulations

On an initial 4-3 vote the Planning Board recommended that a maximum of 50% of a travel trailer park can contain camping cabins.

The commissioners referred the split back to the Planning Board.

On Dec. 14, the Planning Board considered four options and narrowed the field to two. Some members of the board stood for the original recommendation that camping cabins not exceed 50% of a campground.

John Finelli, Planning Board chair, summarized the to-be-considered second alternative as an option combination: limiting the density of camping cabins to 14 units per acre.

The board will vote on Jan. 11, 2021 on the two options.

Additionally, at the Jan. 11 meeting agenda, the board will consider a preliminary plat review for West Side Subdivision for Roanoke Island, another preliminary plat review for Payne Estates, Section 5, also on Roanoke Island, and a conditional use permit application for a cluster home development for Maritime Ridge, 50636 NC 12, Frisco. The Frisco property is on the soundside between Spencer Lane and Water Association Road.

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