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On April 7, Dare commissioners considered five items and made four findings as required to move the Avon beach nourishment project forward.

Provided in the commissioners’ agenda book was information about population, property values and tax rates.

For Avon in 2010, the resident population was 776. The 2020 Census is not available yet. A county staff projection is 802 residents now.

Using the 2010 average residents per home (2.3) multiplied by homes with Avon addresses, the number of residents in the proposed oceanside district is 64 and in the non-oceanside district, 738 residents.

The appraised tax value of the properties in the oceanside district is $214,383,900 and in the non-oceanside district $477,929,900 for a total tax value of $692,313,800. As of April 1, Avon has the highest property tax value on Hatteras Island, except for the combined value of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo at $782,143,200.

Service district tax rates in the county are, per $100 valuation, $0.4146 for Duck, $0.1350 for Kitty Hawk, $0.2400 Kill Devil Hills, $0.1430 Nags Head and $0.1957 for Buxton. The average rate is $0.2256.

Avon’s current tax rate for county, fire, rescue and sanitation is $0.5577. Only Frisco’s rate is lower at $0.5458.

The commissioners set four findings:

– a need for the beach nourishment project in Avon exists. Rapid beach erosion has sent ocean water scooting under beachfront homes, across Ocean View Drive, under another row of homes and onto NC 12, the only through highway on Hatteras Island. At times, the flooding stops buses to school, delivery trucks to businesses and trips in the village.

– it is impracticable to provide the service countywide.

– the project is financially feasible. The county’s beach nourishment fund will provide 70% of the project cost and Avon service districts will provide 30%, said county manager Robert L. Outten.

– people in Avon asked for the project. A group of people from Avon approached the county commissioners requesting beach nourishment.

Dare County will now prepare a report along with a map of the two proposed service districts. That information will be mailed to every property owner in Avon along with a notice of a public hearing set for at least four weeks after the mailing.

If the commissioners move ahead with the project, the final moves are to create the service districts and to set the tax rate effective in the fiscal year following its adoption.

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