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The Duck Town Council, at its April 2 regular session meeting, voted 4-1 to deny a request to allow amusement arcades as a specially permitted use in the Village Commercial Zoning District of Duck.

Citing concerns that approval would open a Pandora’s box of issues, along with an overwhelming number of comments opposed to amusement arcades, the vote to deny sends the applicant, Keith Bliss, back to the drawing board.

Bliss had already modified his application more than once, and then requested a delay until a full council board was available.

Pitched as an indoor family-friendly activity within his Duck Commons property at 1211 Duck Road, which is roughly half the Paul F. Keller Meeting Hall, Bliss emphasized that currently during inclement weather days, locals and visitors must leave Duck must go elsewhere for entertainment.

While there are no specific development plans, he said more than once that this application was needed to be able to move forward. He said also that Duck has a history of approving outdoor music, dining and non-conforming alcohol events and that an arcade site would be a conforming family-friendly alternative.

Although public comment speakers for and against were fairly even, town clerk Lori Ackerman read the names of people submitting emails with seven in favor of amusement arcades, 64 opposed and one with no opinion.

There were also a couple of good arguments to approve the request during public comments, including Jim Braithwaite saying there has always been a rift between locals and visitors and that some of the more than 400 people that voted against allowing the gas station across the street now buy gas there.

It was also noted that three Planning Board members voted to recommend denial, saying the request did not meet the town’s Land Use Plan while two Planning Board members voted in favor of recommending the request, saying it does meet the town’s Land Use Plan.

Duck senior planner Sandy Cross also pointed out that the property, when operating as Duck, Duck Burgers, was approved to have an arcade, but since it has been closed 10 months or more it is no longer grandfathered in.

Almost two hours into Wednesday’s meeting, Bliss was not able to sway council and the majority of council voted to deny the request, saying they had too many concerns about the proposal and needed more information to move forward.

Earlier, during special presentations, Matthew Dudek was sworn in as Duck Fire Department fire chief, followed by an oath of office by Jeffrey Del Monte as Duck Fire Department deputy fire chief.

Dudek began his firefighter career more than 25 years ago as a volunteer with the Virginia Beach Fire Department while serving in the United States Navy. Following his military service, he rose to the rank of captain with Troy Fire Department in New York. Along the way, he earned a bachelor’s degree in fire and emergency management from the State University of New York and a master’s degree in homeland security from the Naval Postgraduate School. After retirement, Dudek moved to the Outer Banks where, before joining Duck Fire Department, he served as Southern Shores Fire Department deputy fire chief.

Dudek was named fire chief effective March 24 and has served as acting fire chief since December 2024, when Donna Black left for a position as deputy U.S. fire administrator.

Dudek then announced the appointment of Jeffrey Del Monte as deputy fire chief.

Del Monte, who has served as acting deputy chief since January, began his career in October 1997 when he joined the Buxton Volunteer Fire Department, where he continues to volunteer as deputy chief. A graduate from the  Regional Fire and Rescue Academy at Wilson Community College, Del Monte signed on with Town of Kill Devil Hills Fire Department in 2001, took on contract work in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom serving as a contract firefighter 2008 to 2009, and joined Duck Fire Department as a shift lieutenant in September 2009.

Del Monte has also served as president of the Dare County Association of Fire Officers and is credited with playing a key role in the department’s transition to full-time staffing.

Other business for the day included Marc Murray and James Cofield both being reappointed from a field of four applicants to serve three year terms on the Duck Planning Board. Murray, a member since 2013, is the current chair; Cofield has also served on the Planning Board for at least 10 years.

A hearing on a code amendment to the current tree protection and penalty standards in the zoning ordinance to reduce the minimum size of replacement trees from a three-inch caliper to a two-inch caliper was scheduled for May 7.

A consent agenda passed with March 5 meeting minutes; a resolution honoring Wilbur Wright on his birthdate and recognition of the vital cultural and economic contributions of the Wright Brothers to the “first in flight” legacy of Dare County and North Carolina; a resolution declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention month; a resolution declaring April as Fair Housing month; a resolution encouraging the State Legislature to expand authority to construct housing for local government employees; amendments to the town’s Adopted Position Classification Table; an audit contract with Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co., P.A. for fiscal years 2025-2027 services; a lifeguard services contract amendment with Sandski, LL; and a budget amendment recognizing an anonymous $10,000 donation for the purchase of two electric police bicycles.

Also approved were ordinance changes for alarm systems and alarm system fees, and an agreement with the Carolina Dunes Association formalizing conditions regarding town property use at 145 Buffell Head Road.

A dune/beach planting contract discussion was rescheduled for the mid-month meeting to allow time to review the budget.

Duck Town Council will meet again 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16.

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