THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 18, 1995 TAG: 9505180705
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY BETTY MITCHELL GRAY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
Dare County beach towns acquired a new weapon this week to deal with jet skis, air boats and other noisy watercraft.
The General Assembly passed a bill that extends the towns' jurisdiction over noise levels to the Atlantic Ocean and the sounds.
The measure gives the towns the means to respond to citizen complaints about noise from the sounds, which had previously been beyond the towns' jurisdiction, according to Webb Fuller, Nags Head town manager.
``Are we looking at anything now? The answer is no,'' Fuller said. ``But if it does become a community issue, then we can deal with it.''
The General Assembly gave final approval to the measure, sponsored by Rep. William T. Culpepper III, a Chowan County Democrat, earlier this week. It became law Tuesday when it was signed by House Speaker Harold J. Brubaker and Lt. Gov. Dennis A. Wicker.
The measure gives Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk and Southern Shores the authority to to adopt ordinances restricting noises - coming from the Atlantic Ocean or other waters adjacent to city limits - that disturb or frighten residents.
Fuller said Nags Head officials had received a few complaints from residents living in the western sections of the community who were concerned about increased noise, particularly from air boats, on the water.
Although the town had already extended its extraterritorial zoning authority to the adjacent waters, the town had no authority to regulate noise levels on those waters until passage of the law, Fuller said. by CNB