More than 60 full-time and seasonal residents of Corolla gathered Monday for a town hall meeting with a panel of government, tourism and local business leaders to share issues they see as important headed into future.
The gathering was held at the Corolla Light Sports Center in conjunction with a joint celebration of neighborhood unity and the first Corolla Cup in October.
Panelists for the town hall were Brindley Beach Vacations owner Doug Brindley, District 3 state Sen. Bobby Hanig (R – Powells Point), Currituck Travel and Tourism Director Tameron Kugler, and Corolla Light General Manager Ben Stikeleather. Scott Wheeler, CEO of Corolla Realty, was the moderator.
“Our (primary visitor) demographic is women between the ages of 34 and 64, with a household income of $125,000,” Kugler said. “Pennsylvania is our main market, (followed by) Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and for the first time we’re seeing Florida.”
Kugler also said they have been surprised to find that visitors from Colorado are now among the top 15 states the Currituck Outer Banks attracts.
Hanig presented some highlights from the 2023 legislative session, including direct appropriations to Currituck County in the state budget of more than $20 million.
But he warned the audience that they need to stay aware of what’s happening in Raleigh, along with what’s going on in Currituck County, and to keep both himself and his colleagues in local and state government what’s happening in Corolla.
“Don’t ever be afraid to share with somebody,” Hanig said. “I don’t want you to call me after I screw something up. I want you to call me before.”
“If we haven’t started planning for what’s coming in the next five to eight years, we’re behind the curve,” Hanig said.
Brindley praised Hanig’s leadership as both a county commissioner and member of the North Carolina General Assembly, while echoing Hanig’s statement about being prepared for the future.
“I’ve been in the real estate game here for…it’ll be 40 years in 2024, and most of it spent right here,” Brindley said. “I kind of joke and say that I donated a bunch of blood clearing the land here back in the day.”
“It’s been really exciting as it has been dynamic,” Brindley said. “The Outer Banks has been a petri dish in which vacation rental businesses have tried everything. We’ve made it work and taught the rest of the world how to operate.”
Brindley noted he will be attending a conference this coming February in Paris to share with industry leaders from around the world how the Outer Banks visitor economy operates and the type of services the region delivers to vacationers.
“I think one of our biggest challenges is to work with the change that’s coming, because it’s coming and you can’t stop it,” Brindley told the gathering. “So you best work with a plan, well ahead in advance, and be ready when it occurs.”
Stikeleather offered his unique perspective since moving to Currituck County in 2018. After serving two years as Currituck County Manager, he has been in charge of Corolla Light Resort.
“I’ve been impressed with the ability of Corolla, especially with the Corolla Cup as the best example, of this community coming together,” Stikeleather said.
“From a county government standpoint, the one thing that I would encourage everybody here to do is…remember that your public servants, especially the employees and the elected officials…they work hard for you,” Stikeleather said.
“If you have something you want to talk to them about, or even a complaint, that’s fine,” Stikeleather said. “But also try to find something to thank them for…it goes a long way. I think sometimes we forget that you catch a lot more flies with honey.”
Members of the Currituck County Board of Commissioners were invited to participate, but were unable to attend as the town hall could only be held the evening of December 4.
That was the same date as the commissioner’s December monthly meeting, which includes their annual vote for a new chair and vice chair.
Update on the proposed Mid-Currituck Bridge
Hanig said the proposal to build a 7-mile-long bridge between Corolla and the mainland has cleared all legal hurdles, and is currently undergoing an update to its funding study, which is expected to be completed next spring.
That includes how to fund construction that has been estimated to cost at least $500 million, and how much to charge for a toll to pay back the financing that would be done through the issuing of bonds.
“Securing funding will likely involve a public-private partnership model, though the specifics are still to be determined through the funding study process,” Hanig said.
While he could not commit to any specific dates on the start of construction, he anticipates it could begin as early as spring 2025 once the funding is secured, and take around five years to complete.
Beach nourishment along the oceanfront
Currituck County is still in the process of developing a long-term beach management plan after completing studies of the areas that are in most need nourishment, and identifying offshore sand sources.
“Beach nourishment is seen as a short-term solution rather than a long-term sustainable one, as the available sand sources are limited and costs will continue rising for future rounds of nourishment,” Hanig said.
He advocated for other measures to slow beach erosion that have been used outside North Carolina, including hardened structures that are currently banned by state law.
According to Hanig, immediate funding from occupancy tax revenues was suggested to focus on addressing the most critical erosion hotspots in Corolla first before broader nourishment projects.
He said ensuring property values increase, and subsequently tax revenues, to help fund future rounds of more expensive nourishment is necessary as costs rise over time.
Dredging projects in Currituck Sound to open boating access
Hanig said he is committed to pushing the Army Corps of Engineers to reconsider dredging the Whalehead Channel and surrounding areas, and that he will be joined by a group of county leaders at an in-person meeting with the Corps’ leadership in Wilmington in January to advocate for the project.
He also said there have been initial discussions about building a second dredge similar to the Miss Katie that is operated through a partnership between the state, Dare County and a private contractor.
Addressing problems caused by Currituck Sound aquatic vegetation
Improving water flow and dredging was discussed as a way to help address issues like aquatic weeds and low oxygen levels along the soundside and in the Whalehead basin.
A public hearing was held Thursday in Washington, N.C., on new rules for allocations to projects through the state’s Shallow Draft Channel, Aquatic Weed Control, and Coastal Storm Mitigation funds. Public comment on those rules, which all three of the Corolla issues may benefit from, is open through next month.
Invasive alligator weed and milfoil form massive mats over the shallow waters of the sound, blocking out sunlight to native underwater grasses that die.
Consistent southwest winds and high air temperatures over the second half of summer led to the deteriorating grasses to pile up along the shoreline and rot, producing an overpowering odor that could even be smelled inside homes well away from the sound.
The Currituck County Soil and Water Conservation District tapped into some of the already state available funds for treatments that target the invasive weeds, along with other methods, in hopes of preventing the same situation from happening next summer.
Other topics brought up during the town hall were traffic and development concerns in the four-wheel drive area that threaten its remote nature and the Corolla wild horses; a proposed 172-room hotel at Monterey Shores putting more pressure on the already vulnerable beach and infrastructure; safety improvements to crosswalks and lighting of sidewalks along N.C. 12; exploring options to improve access to medical and mental health care on the Currituck Outer Banks; and allowing virtual participation in county commissioners meetings by Corolla residents.
