THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 21, 1994 TAG: 9409210431
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: COROLLA LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
Despite requests from many homeowners to postpone a vote for at least a few weeks, Currituck County officials on Monday night approved a Corolla Light developer's plans to shuffle recreation sites and expand commercial property.
Many property owners in and around the 10-year-old northern Outer Banks planned development wrote, called or came to Monday evening's regular Board of Commissioners meeting. Most asked for a delayed vote on a revised sketch plan for the Corolla Light subdivision.
But all five board members voted in favor of the changes, led by Commissioner Ernie Bowden, who represents the Currituck Outer Banks.
``Is it all right to be a little pregnant?'' he asked of those questioning commercial expansion, adding moments later that, ``I think along with change comes more changes.''
At issue are relocating tennis courts, adding a pool and pier in another area and rezoning three tracts of land within Corolla Light from residential to commercial or limited business.
The conversion would create almost 20 acres of commercial property in the resort area. But the parcel would still be well under the 10-percent maximum acreage allowed for total commercial development.
``I believe that the Board of Commissioners has acted prematurely on this application of the developer,'' attorney James A. Alexy said Tuesday.
Alexy was one of several people to speak at Monday's meeting. He asked the board to defer a decision until after an Oct. 8 meeting in Corolla.
At that time, Alexy and about 350 other members of the Corolla Light homeowners association are expected to discuss the direction the development and its creator plan to take.
Developer Richard Brindley, president of Outer Banks Ventures Inc., has changed the sketch plans for Corolla Light eight times in the past decade. Monday's request was the ninth since 1984.
``It's not unusual to have that many changes,'' Currituck Planning and Inspections Director Jack Simoneau said Tuesday.
Brindley and his attorney said Monday evening that the latest revisions, as with past proposals, merely reflect market changes.
Brindley also said the tennis court relocation was requested by the Corolla Light Community Association's Board of Directors, elected by homeowner members.
Others, however, believe property owners should be better informed and deserve more of a say about the future development of their subdivision.
``The decisions on the evolution of Corolla Light should no longer be made without input from those of us who have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in this community,'' wrote Paul E. White, who traveled from his Pennsylvania home to speak at Monday's meeting.
``For many of us, this is not just an investment, it is the fulfillment of a lifetime dream,'' he continued. ``To tarnish this dream by making a zoning decision without input from CLCA may be expedient. But it is certainly not fair to the taxpayers of Currituck County and Corolla Light.''
Last month, Bernard A. Mancuso Sr. of Mirage Development Co. filed a federal lawsuit in Elizabeth City against the Corolla Light Community Association, its board of directors, Brindley and Outer Banks Ventures.
The Mirage development is part of Corolla Light and has its own homeowners association with about 35 members, Alexy said.
According to court documents filed Aug. 5, Mancuso claims the developer has maintained ownership and control over common properties and roads that homeowners pay to maintain or improve.
The plaintiff also believes the developer has too much power over the association's board of directors, which include Brindley's son and stepson, according to the lawsuit.
The county planning staff earlier recommended approving the latest changes in Corolla Light with the following condition:
``Approval by the permitting authority is not intended to ignore the fact there is a private property dispute involving the land in question. The applicant is hereby put on notice that moving forward with this request is at the applicant's own risk.''
KEYWORDS: COROLLA LIGHT CURRITUCK COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS by CNB