Dare County Newsletter - August 2024

Dare County would like to remind all members of the community to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and open house event to celebrate the completion of the new Dare County EMS Station 1 and Kill Devil Hills Fire Department Station 14 beginning at 3 p.m. on Monday, August 5, 2024.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony that begins at 3 p.m., an open house will be held until 7 p.m., providing the opportunity to take self-guided tours of the new facility, which is located at 1628 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills (Dare County EMS Station 1) and 1630 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills (Kill Devil Hills Fire Department Station 14).  

In addition to self-guided tours, the open house will also feature ambulance and fire apparatus displays, "Stop the Bleed" training, "Hands Only" CPR training, free blood pressure checks, and various handouts and children's activities provided by Dare County EMS and Kill Devil Hills Fire Department staff members. Light refreshments will also be served.

For more detailed information about Dare County’s multiphase project in which outdated EMS facilities throughout the county are being renovated and improved in order to better serve our residents and visitors, please visit DareNC.gov/EMSProjects or click the button below.

Join Dare County on Monday, August 19, 2024, as we celebrate the 85th anniversary of National Aviation Day! Presented by the First Flight Society and Wright Brothers National Memorial, this free and family friendly celebration for all ages will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dare County Regional Airport, located at 410 Airport Road in Manteo, and from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, located at 1000 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills. 

National Aviation Day 2024 will feature a wide array of programs, activities and presentations centered around aviation, including vintage and modern aircraft displays, airplane rides, a variety of vendor booths and exhibitors, food trucks, a scavenger hunt, special appearances by “Wilbur Wright” and an outdoor movie in the park beginning at 8 p.m. at the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Admission to the events at both locations is free, and members of the public from throughout the Dare County community and beyond are encouraged to attend! 

Stop by Dare County Government’s booth at the Dare County Regional Airport event to learn more about the many programs and services offered by the county and to chat with local officials and staff members. For more detailed information about National Aviation Day 2024—including a complete list of exhibitors and planned activities—please click the button below. 

The Dare County Board of Commissioners recently voted unanimously to adopt an addition to the Dare County Code of Ordinances that bans the intentional release of balloons within the unincorporated areas of the county. The addition prohibits the intentional release of any type of balloon inflated with a liquid, air or gas within the limits of unincorporated Dare County, including any waters within the zoning jurisdiction of unincorporated Dare County and the beach and/or dune areas within unincorporated Dare County.

By implementing this balloon ban, Dare County joins a growing list of communities on the Outer Banks that are dedicated to protecting area wildlife and maintaining a cleaner, safer environment. Residents and visitors are urged to support this initiative by spreading awareness and adopting eco-friendly practices in their celebrations. Together, we can make a significant difference in safeguarding our beautiful coastlines and diverse ecosystems for future generations. 

To view a PDF of Chapter 96: Littering of the Dare County Code of Ordinances, which contains the details of the balloon ban, please click the button below.

Dare County has announced that, in response to the rapid rate of erosion that is occurring along the shoreline on Hatteras Island, the beach nourishment projects that were originally scheduled for 2027 in the villages of Avon and Buxton will now take place in 2026. The decision to nourish portions of the beach in Buxton and Avon one year earlier than was previously planned was made during the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting that was held on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. 

The accelerated timeline for the upcoming maintenance beach nourishment projects is a proactive measure to stabilize portions of the beach that provide an essential buffer protecting N.C. Highway 12, which serves as a vital lifeline for Avon and Buxton, as well as the island’s southernmost villages of Frisco and Hatteras. 

Beach nourishment projects in Dare County are designed to last approximately five years under normal conditions, and at the end of each five-year interval, renourishment—or “maintenance”—projects are necessary in order to restore the shoreline. In the summer of 2022, approximately 2.9 miles of shoreline in Buxton was nourished, as well as approximately 2.5 miles of shoreline in Avon.

Although Avon has not experienced erosion as rapidly as Buxton, the Dare County Board of Commissioners approved moving its renourishment project from 2027 to 2026 due to the significant amount of money the county will save in mobilization costs if the projects in both Buxton and Avon are performed at the same time.   

Sufficient funding for the Avon and Buxton beach nourishment projects—which are expected to cost an estimated $30.4 million—is currently available in Dare County’s Beach Nourishment Fund, and completing these two projects in 2026 will not impact the funds that have already been committed to the maintenance beach nourishment projects that are still scheduled to take place in 2027 in the incorporated towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head.  

For updates about the Avon and Buxton projects as more information becomes available, and for additional information about beach nourishment projects in Dare County—including a variety of frequently asked questions and a series of photos and videos from previously completed projects—please visit MoreBeachToLove.com or click the button below.

The Dare County Tourism Board recently announced the introduction of a new initiative called the Outer Banks Promise, a destination pledge designed to inspire responsible behavior and a greater respect for our local culture, natural environment and safety among residents and visitors of the Dare County community.  

Aimed at fostering responsible tourism and preserving the natural and cultural heritage of the Outer Banks—a region known for its diverse and fragile ecosystems and unique historical significance that has supported a special way of life for generations—the Outer Banks Promise is a voluntary commitment that encourages all residents and visitors to do their part to protect it.

To learn more about the initiative and join in the effort to preserve the vitality of the Outer Banks community while protecting this special place for generations to come, please visit OBXpromise.com or click the button below.

Dare County, in partnership with Current TV, has released a new video that highlights the Caregivers’ Day Out program, a free service provided by the Outer Banks Dementia Friendly Coalition that offers a variety of hands-on activities for seniors living with dementia, including games, music, arts and crafts, exercise and snacks.   

In addition to providing those living with dementia an opportunity to socialize and meet new friends while participating in unique and meaningful activities facilitated by trained volunteers, the Caregivers’ Day Out program is also designed to support their primary caregivers by providing a time to recharge and take care of their own needs while knowing their loved one is engaged in a series of purposeful activities in a secure social setting.  

The Caregivers’ Day Out program is held every Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dare County Youth Center at Family Recreation Park, which is located 602 Mustian Street in Kill Devil Hills. The Caregivers’ Day Out program is also held every Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center, which is located at 950 Marshall C. Collins Drive in Manteo. To view the video featuring the Caregivers' Day Out program on Dare County’s YouTube channel, please click the button below. 

Meet Penne, Ravioli and Rigatoni—also known as “the Pasta Dogs”—our Outer Banks SPCA Pets of the Week! These 4-month-old pups get along great with other animals and are super playful, full of personality and looking for their forever home!

To meet "the Pasta Dogs," stop by the Dare County Animal Shelter, located at 378 Airport Road in Manteo, and click here to watch a video produced by Current TV. For more information, please visit OBXSPCA.org or contact the Outer Banks SPCA at 252-475-5620!

Outer Banks SPCA Adoption Hours:

Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for naptime)
Saturday & Sunday: By appointment only