THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 10, 1996 TAG: 9607100349
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: 73 lines
One man's home may be another man's hassle, at least in this beach community.
Ray Zartman says the tranquillity of his Atlantic Street neighborhood has been trashed by a three-story rooming house, where a number of college students live. And he's asking town officials for help.
``The condition of that place is a public nuisance,'' Zartman told Kill Devil Hills commissioners Monday night. ``You've got 18 to 24 people living there at one time. It's unsightly.''
Zartman, 75, and his wife spend six months of the year in their home. But now, in part because of the noise and trash at the rooming house, his home is for sale.
``That's part of the reason we're moving,'' Zartman said. ``We've had people park in our driveway, and when we've asked them to move, we get profanity like you've never heard before. The situation has gotten deplorable.''
Zartman said he and his wife have picked up several bags of loose trash from around a Dumpster at the building.
``We even found an old mattress,'' he said. ``There's bottles and glass everywhere.''
Zartman, who lives in Florida and Virginia Beach when he's not at the Outer Banks, said he has never been inside the rooming house.
Bob Gabriel, president of Lifeguard Beach Services, told town commissioners the situation is only part of a larger problem.
``We have summer employees who need a place to live,'' Gabrielsaid. ``We have people who rake four months rent out of these kids. They require first month's rent, last month's rent and deposit. Don't just blame the kids. They have to share a place like that so they can afford a place to live.''
Gabriel said the problem has spread from the apartment areas to nearby beach accesses.
``I've seen trash, bottles, broken glass,'' he said. ``I've seen people get beaten and assaulted. We need to address the whole problem.''
The manager of the house troubling the Zartmans, Richard Baer, was out of town and could not be reached for comment.
Town Manager Debora Diaz, Planning Director Greg Loy and Acting Police Chief Mike Harris were scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the situation.
In other business, the board of commissioners tabled a request by West Hayman Boulevard resident Susan Vaughn for an additional traffic light on U.S. 158 between Kmart and the northern boundary of the town.
In a letter to the commission, Vaughn said heavy traffic makes it nearly impossible to turn onto U.S. 158.
The town would have to make a formal request to the state Department of Transportation to determine if a light is needed.
``I'd like to talk to some of the other residents of West Hayman to see if there is a need,'' commissioner Jimmy Hanks said.
In other action:
The final draft of the water services agreement between Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Dare County was presented. For a number of years the county has provided water services through the towns through a number of different agreements. After a year of negotiations, those agreements are now contained in one document.
Commissioners tabled action on an alternate appointment to the board of adjustment. More than 20 applications have been submitted.
The board also accepted two grants, one for $66,151 to provide funding for a new community policing officer, and one for $18,504 from the North Carolina Office of Waste Reduction. The town must provide $4,600 in local matching funds.
The board approved three site plans: R&M Services' request to convert a house into offices; Outer Banks Chrysler Plymouth Dodge's request to expand its parking facilities; and a proposed shopping plaza at 2200 North Croatan Highway.
The panel also gave the go ahead for improvements to a gravel lot near the Western Sizzlin' restaurant. The lot will be used for employees. by CNB