THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 6, 1994 TAG: 9407060384
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY MARGARET TALEV, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines
After Hurricane Emily battered Hatteras Island last August, angry out-of-town property owners were kept out while full-time residents were allowed to return.
In the months that followed, the non-residents complained bitterly and demanded equal access in the future.
Responding to their criticism, Dare County officials have given both residents and non-resident property owners equal access to their homes if another major storm strikes,
Out-of-towners welcomed the policy change. But several residents expressed concern Tuesday that more than doubling the number of people with re-entry priority would increase the length of time residents could be homeless and without supplies. Some pointed out that unlike non-residents, most Dare County residents have no other shelter.
About 60 percent of the 26,430 re-entry permits issued to property owners last week went to non-residents.
``Most locals at this point are saying that they will not leave if they cannot get back in . . . so, yes, you are courting a possible catastrophe. Safety has taken a backseat to pressure,'' said Jean T. Meyer, president of the Avon Property Owners Association.
Bryan Perry of the Hatteras Island Emergency Support Group, which issues Hatteras emergency recommendations to Dare emergency officials, said his group wrote county officials voicing opposition to the new policy.
After Hurricane Emily, there was barely sufficient power, water, food and other supplies for residents, he said.
``Until we can support the people that live here, I just have second thoughts about it,'' he said. ``I don't support their decision. I feel like the other process had evolved through various elected administrations. The only constant had been us. Then they come on and change it because of pressure.''
The Dare County Emergency Management Control Group that approved the changes this spring includes County Commission Vice Chairman Clarence Skinner, the mayors from the five municipalities, Dare Sheriff Bert Austin and a member of the National Park Service.
Skinner did not return phone calls Tuesday. County Commission Chairman Robert V. Owens Jr., who is not a member of the control group, said, ``Before the storm I thought only residents should be allowed back into the county. Since the storm, I've done a 180-degree turn on that issue. Hurricane Emily made me realize that taxpayers have a right to look at their property and protect it.''
But Perry said officials north of Oregon Inlet have never experienced a storm of Emily's magnitude and don't understand how few people can be supported by the infrastructure after a major hurricane. ``When the storm comes above the bridge, I think they'll understand.''
Meyer said that three officials attended the April meeting of the Avon Property Owners Association to discuss re-entry policy: Skinner; Sandy Sanderson, the county's emergency management director, and Tommy Gray Jr., the Hatteras Island emergency operations facility coordinator.
``At that particular time they made no commitment. My recollection is that there would still be a three-stage re-entry,'' Meyer said.
``As a resident I do not feel that they have a right to come in at the same time. . . because those people have a roof over their heads and somewhere to stay.'' However, Meyer added, it was her job to represent the members of the association.
``I cannot believe that they would hold residents out and make them spend money they didn't have to keep a roof over their heads until they could rebuild the infrastructure to support the non-residents,'' she said.
Avon resident Danny Gray said, ``I think what it means is chaos when everybody gets to come back home'' after a hurricane. ``The non-resident people? They're living in nice warm comfortable homes. The residents have the damage and need to get their homes fixed,'' he said.
``These non-residents most of the time have more money and would snap all the contractors right up and leave these people out in the sand dunes. By doing this they have done the residents wrong. They should have discussed it with the people and got the opinions of the people.''
Sanderson described the meeting at which the changes were approved as a ``very intense exchange between people who are very concerned about the decisions they make.''
One Control Group member, Southern Shores Mayor Kern Pitts, said, ``I don't think they'll have to wait longer, and I suspect that people who want to come in but don't live here aren't going to be waiting at the gate or across the river or something.'' by CNB