THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 30, 1997 TAG: 9701300568
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CURRITUCK LENGTH: 58 lines
Come to Corolla and you can visit a historic hunt club, climb to the top of a lighthouse and, of course, go to the beach.
But you can't use a public restroom.
None is open between November and May.
Last year, Currituck County opened its first restroom facility at the Pine Island public beach access in the southern section of Corolla. The project cost $180,000 and was funded with occupancy tax revenue, which is generated by visitors.
Commissioner Ernie Bowden, who lives on the Outer Banks, wanted to have the facility open year-round for the benefit of winter and early spring travelers.
It would cost an additional $10,600 to insulate and heat the building during cold months. Regular cleanings and utilities would raise annual operating costs by about $3,000 - to around $11,370, officials said.
``I just don't see the point in starting something up there and leaving it idle,'' Bowden said during Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Commissioners in Currituck.
Commissioner Gene Gregory, from Shawboro, agreed that the bathrooms should be accessible all the time.
``It is the only public restroom up in that area. And it is going to be paid with occupancy tax,'' Gregory said.
But the three other commissioners on the board begged to differ - and voted down the idea.
``There is a potential for kids going in there, vandalism, drugs, all sorts of things,'' said Commissioner Eldon Miller Jr. of Moyock.
Specifically, Miller said he feared that ``young adults looking for a place to smoke pot and do other things'' would be attracted to a heated facility.
At-large Commissioner Owen Etheridge also raised concerns. ``It would be nice if we could keep it open. But without it being manned at this time of year, we'd be asking for trouble,'' he said.
It was an act of vandalism that prompted the discussion earlier this month.
The men's restroom had been broken into by someone apparently desperate to use it. ``As I understand, it was a mess,'' County Manager Bill Richardson said at a Jan. 6 commissioners' meeting.
Bowden said he also received a call from someone concerned that the bathroom facility was closed.
``About any place you go to on the island has a sign that says `No Public Restroom,' '' Bowden said earlier.
The lack of a rest area for Outer Banks-bound travelers also is a problem for merchants on Currituck County's mainland, who have complained of customers interested only in using their restrooms.
The only public restrooms on the mainland are at a state-run rest stop along U.S. 158 in Coinjock.
On Tuesday, commissioners also decided to ask the state to erect a restroom facility by the Currituck Lighthouse public beach access at the other end of the unincorporated beach town.
Although the vote was unanimous, at least one board member expressed his doubts about the request.
``I don't think it will ever fly,'' Bowden said. ``I don't think the state will find justification.''