THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 11, 1996 TAG: 9609110466
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, Staff writer
DATELINE: KILL DEVIL HILLS LENGTH: 59 lines
Despite calls from some board members for more public input, the governing body of this beach community has approved a proposed 40-year water agreement between Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Dare County.
Passage of the draft agreement came after Mayor Duncan Wright cast the deciding vote against a motion to delay action Monday night. Wright and Commissioners Bill Morris and Jeff Shields voted to go ahead. Commissioners E. M. ``Coy'' Harbeson and Jimmy Dean Hanks voted for the delay.
Morris, Hanks and Shields then voted to approve the measure. Harbeson cast the lone dissenting vote.
At a public hearing before the votes, only two residents spoke on the issue.
Bill Pitt contended that passage of the agreement was necessary for the town to continue its growth.
``We have made a conscious agreement to emphasize family values and family atmosphere,'' Pitt said. ``We're right now at 60 percent build-out, and within the next 15 years we're going to be at about 85 percent build-out. In order to support that kind of growth, we need to have the infrastructure in place to accommodate that.''
Barry Jones, however, urged the board to delay action on the proposed agreement.
``I'm not for or against the agreement,'' Jones said. ``I think there are a number of questions that need to be answered. We need to have more public input on this issue.''
Jones said a key issue is the matter of the ownership interests of the three entities. He also expressed concerns that the town was ``contracting away its right to negotiate.''
Harbeson called for more public hearings on the issue.
``I think our people would like to have more input in this,''
Harbeson said. He added that the ownership issue needed to be resolved.
Under the proposed agreement, the town would be guaranteed a 3 million gallon-per-day allotment of water. The proposal provides for arbitration in the event of disputes, and establishes a policy in the event of a severe dry spell. None exists now.
The towns currently do not pay a fee for their allocation of water from the county. Instead, the cost is borne by individual customers. Under the contract, that would not change.
In other action, the moratorium on adult-oriented businesses was extended for one year.
``We need to promote a family atmosphere without all the smut,'' Wright said before the meeting. ``I don't think the Outer Banks is ready for something like that, not that it ever would be. I think it would hinder our tourism.'' ILLUSTRATION: DRAFT AGREEMENT
Under the proposal, The town would be guaranteed a
3-million-gallon-per-day allotment of water.
It provides for arbitration in the event of disputes. It also
establishes a policy in the event of a severe dry spell; none exists
now. by CNB