THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 5, 1995 TAG: 9507050088
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Currituck County is considering extending the regulation of beach bonfires to areas north of Corolla.
The county's Board of Commissioners agreed Monday night to hold a discussion in September on regulating bonfires in the more remote Swan Beach and Carova Beach areas of the northern Outer Banks.
The meeting is expected to be held at the county's satellite office in Corolla.
Other Outer Banks-related issues will be on the agenda.
The possible spread of a bonfire permit system was prompted by a petition signed by about 100 people and initiated by the president of the Fruitville Beach Civic Association, Thomas Hudak of New Jersey.
``Members of the Fruitville Beach Civic Association, as well as other property owners/taxpayers owning property north of the North Beach Access ramp, have an equal right to the protection'' in the ordinance, the petition said.
Last year commissioners enacted a bonfire permit system in the populated Corolla areas to enforce control of the open-air blazes and to reduce vandalism and potential house fires.
Private lawn furniture and a salt-treated lifeguard stand last year were used to kindle and maintain large bonfires, some of which were not properly extinguished.
Since the county began requiring people to obtain bonfire permits from the Corolla Fire and Rescue Squad, debris has been properly removed and blazes have been kept a safe distance from buildings, said Ernie Bowden, chairman of the Board of Commissioners.
``I have to say, in all fairness, they have cleaned up their act,'' said Bowden, who represents Currituck's beach communities.
Bowden, who lives in Carova near the Virginia line, does not want bonfires to be regulated north of Corolla.
The Swan Beach and Carova areas are accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicles along sand-packed roadways or the oceanfront, or by boat.
Homes are generally more scattered than in Corolla.
``Very frankly, there is so little for young people on that northern end of the Outer Banks to do for entertainment,'' Bowden said.
``There's just no recreational facilities at all up there except bonfires,'' he added, mentioning the enjoyment children receive from roasting hot dogs and marshmallows around an open fire.
Also Monday, the commissioners asked County Attorney Bill Romm to draft an ordinance restricting the sale and use of fireworks by minors.
An Outer Banks man two weeks ago called Bowden to complain about how easily his 7-year-old son had bought fireworks from a local store.
There currently are no age restrictions.
``This individual's concern seemed to be the fact that an individual, in order to buy cigarettes, must be 16, and to buy alcohol had to be at least 21. But that a child 7 years old could buy fireworks,'' Bowden said.
``Frankly, I believe a 7-year-old shouldn't be allowed to purchase them,'' he added.
The proposed regulations, to be discussed in August, will involve popular, inexpensive fireworks like string poppers, caps, snakes and glow worms.
``These are more sparks-and-light stuff, but they're dangerous. They need adult supervision,'' Romm said. by CNB