Dare County Newsletter - May 2025

The Dare County Public Works Department reminds Dare County residents, property owners and members of the local agricultural community that its annual three-day household hazardous waste collection event will be held from Thursday, May 8, 2025 through Saturday, May 10, 2025 in Kitty Hawk, Manteo and Buxton.  

During this free event, Dare County residents and property owners can drop off a variety of hazardous materials—including motor oil in spill-proof containers, along with paints, polishes, varnishes, fluorescent lightbulbs, household cleaners, pesticides and insecticides, small batteries, automotive fluids, pool chemicals and more—for safe and convenient disposal at any of the following locations in Dare County during the designated times. 

Northern Beach Collection: Kitty Hawk Town Hall (101 Veterans Memorial Drive), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025

Buxton Collection: Buxton Transfer Station, (47015 Buxton Back Road), 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025

Manteo Collection: Dare County Public Works (1018 Driftwood Drive), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025

Please Note: This hazardous waste collection event is only for Dare County residents (both property owners and year-round residents), as well as the agricultural community/farmers within Dare County. Residents of Dare County may use any of the three locations noted above during the three-day household hazardous waste collection event for their convenience. For more information, please visit DareNC.gov/HHW or click the button below to view a short video on Dare County’s YouTube channel.

All Dare County offices and facilities will be closed on Monday, May 26, 2025 in observance of Memorial Day. Offices and facilities will reopen and resume their regular operating hours on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Additionally, Dare County Public Works—which only provides trash collection for the unincorporated areas of the county as well as the Town of Kitty Hawk—has announced that there will be no changes to the Dare County Public Works trash collection schedule for the week of Memorial Day 2025. 

All areas whose trash collection and sanitation services are provided by the Dare County Public Works Department will therefore operate on their normal schedule during the week of Monday, May 26, 2025 through Friday, May 30, 2025.

To view a list of trash collection schedules for the unincorporated areas of Dare County and the Town of Kitty Hawk, please visit DareNC.gov/Trash or click the button below.

The Dare Master Gardener Volunteer Association will host its 21st Annual Coastal Gardening Festival on Saturday, May 3, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the grounds surrounding the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center, which is located at 300 Mustian Street in Kill Devil Hills. The highlight of this annual event is the huge plant sale, featuring a wide variety of plants grown by local Master Gardeners, including trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, vegetables and houseplants. Click here to view the 2025 Coastal Gardening Festival Plant List.

More than 50 artisan vendors will also be onsite offering garden art, pottery, refreshments and a wide variety of hand-crafted items. Additionally, there will be plenty of fun aspects of the festival for kids to participate in, such as the “Ask a Master Gardener” booth, which will be available to answer your gardening questions and provide information about the plants that can be purchased, as well as the Dare Master Gardener educational booth, which will highlight information on the wonderful world of roots! 

Don’t miss this opportunity to stop by the Dare County Extension booth on Saturday, May 3, 2025 to learn about the various workshops, camps and programs that are coming up this year. Visitors to the Coastal Gardening Festival are also invited to take a self-guided walking tour of the nearby Outer Banks Arboretum and Teaching Garden, where they will discover many flowering and native plants that thrive on the Outer Banks.

There is something for everyone to enjoy at the 2025 Coastal Gardening Festival! This event will be held rain or shine, and admission is free. All proceeds from the event benefit the Outer Banks Arboretum and the education and outreach programs of the Dare County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, in association with North Carolina Cooperative Extension - Dare County. For more information, please call the Dare County Extension office at 252-475-9245 or email Tanya Lamo at telamo@ncsu.edu.

In celebration of National EMS Week 2025—which will be observed from Sunday, May 18, 2025 through Saturday, May 24, 2025—Dare County EMS will host an open house event at the new Dare County EMS Station 1 in Kill Devil Hills from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2025. 

Located at 1628 N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills, Dare County EMS Station 1 officially opened in August 2024 and provides essential emergency services in one of the busiest and most populated areas of the county. 

The free open house event on Saturday, May 17, 2025 will feature a variety of public education materials and displays, including several equipment demonstrations, an assortment of preparedness and prevention materials, and information from multiple agencies, as well as fun activities for children and adults alike!   

Attending the open house is a great opportunity for members of the Dare County community to learn more about the life-saving services that are provided to residents and visitors by Dare County EMS personnel and their partners in the public safety arena. For more information about Dare County EMS, please click the button below or visit DareNC.gov/EMS.

Looking for a unique way to spend your Saturday learning about the world of aviation and its history on the Outer Banks while also getting an up-close-and-personal view of various aircraft competing against one another to win a friendly race against the clock? Stop by the Dare County Regional Airport (KMQI) on Saturday, May 17, 2025 to check out the OBX 50/150 Cross-Country Air Challenge, which will be hosted by the Sport Air Racing League from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the airport, which is located at 410 Airport Road in Manteo. 

This free event will bring a thrilling display of speed and precision as pilots compete in a cross-country air race, navigating the skies and “checking in” at a series of local airports across northeastern North Carolina. In addition to the racing action, attendees can take self-guided tours of the Dare County Regional Airport Museum and enjoy offerings from a coffee truck onsite. The OBX 50/150 Cross-Country Air Challenge is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for residents and visitors to experience aviation up close, learn about the Outer Banks’ rich and decades-long aviation history, and support an exciting family friendly community event.  

For more information about the 2025 OBX 50/150 Cross-Country Air Challenge, please click the button below.

The Dare County Tax Department would like to remind eligible Dare County property owners that the June 1, 2025 deadline to submit an application for three property tax relief programs authorized by the State of North Carolina is just one month away. Dare County seniors age 65 and older, disabled individuals and disabled U.S. veteran homeowners who meet the requirements specified by the North Carolina General Statutes are encouraged to apply as soon as possible! 

- Seniors & Disabled Program: Homeowners who are age 65 and older or 100 percent disabled can receive an assessment reduction of $25,000 or up to 50 percent off their home value, whichever is greater, if they meet certain income (gross income of $36,700 or less in 2024) and ownership requirements. Married couples may qualify even if only one partner is age 65 or older or disabled. This tax relief benefit does not need to be repaid.

- Circuit Breaker Tax Deferment Program: Seniors, as well as those who are 100 percent disabled, who have owned and occupied their home for more than five years may choose this program, which ensures their property tax bill will not be more than 4-5 percent of their income. Homeowners may have to repay some of this tax relief benefit, for example, if they move or sell their home. 

- Disabled Veterans Program: Veterans with a 100 percent total and permanent service-connected disability, or their unmarried, surviving spouse, can receive a $45,000 assessment reduction, regardless of income. This tax relief benefit does not need to be repaid. A certification form must be completed in addition to the application.

To qualify for any of these programs, you must be a resident of Dare County who owns and occupies your home as your primary residence as of January 1, 2025. Property owners must file an application by the June 1, 2025 filing deadline. 

For more information, please visit DareNC.gov/TaxRelief or contact Dare County Personal Property Manager Michael Elliott at 252-475-5854 or TaxRelief@DareNC.gov.

The Department of Veterans Affairs—an agency that provides an assortment of services and resources to veterans and their dependents—will host a free town hall event for veterans in Dare County from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2025 at the Thomas A. Baum Senior Center, which is located at 300 Mustian Street in Kill Devil Hills.

Veterans Affairs (VA) representatives from claims, healthcare and the Vet Center will give a presentation and be onsite to answer questions from service members, veterans and their families to inform them of the various benefits that are available, including disability compensation. These onsite VA representatives will also be able to answer questions attendees have regarding claims that are currently in progress. In addition to representatives from the VA, local veterans services representatives will also be available.

For more information about this free informative event, please contact Dare County Veterans Services Officer Patty O’Sullivan at 252-475-5604 or Patricia.O’Sullivan@DareNC.gov. For more information about the wide array of services and resources that are available for Dare County veterans, please visit DareNC.gov/Veterans or click the button below.

Dare County, in partnership with Current TV, has released a new video that provides an overview of the county's recently completed waterline replacement project, during which a 47-year-old pipe originally installed beneath the Roanoke Sound floor in 1978 was replaced by the installation of a new, more durable pipe. 

The pipe—which runs beneath the Washington Baum Bridge and connects the Skyco Water Plant on Roanoke Island to the North Reverse Osmosis plant located in Kill Devil Hills—delivers up to 3 million gallons of water per day during the peak summer months, making it an essential piece of infrastructure that Dare County’s tourism-based economy depends on. 

The waterline replacement project got underway in February 2025—and what would typically be a multi-year project was successfully completed at the end of April 2025. Made of a much thicker material than the previous pipe—and now buried 80 feet beneath the sound floor for protection from the harsh coastal environment—the replacement waterline installed in early 2025 has a lifespan of 100-plus years. To watch the video about the project on Dare County’s YouTube channel, please visit YouTube.com/DareCounty or click the button below.

Meet Klaus, our Outer Banks SPCA Pet of the Week! Klaus is a playful and affectionate 1-year-old gray domestic shorthair tabby who loves attention and thrives in the company of people of all ages! 

Adventurous and an explorer at heart, Klaus is a chatty little guy who enjoys the freedom to roam and discover new things in his environment. He also loves toys, making playtime an especially exciting part of his day. Although he gets along reasonably well with other cats, Klaus might be best suited for a home where he can be the star of the show—or a home with other playful cats who can appreciate his spirited nature.

This sweet boy adores getting rubs and pets from anyone and everyone who is willing to give him some love and attention! So, if you're looking for a sweet and lively companion with plenty of love to share, Klaus just might be the perfect addition to your family!

Want to get to know more about Klaus? Click here to watch a video produced by Current TV, or stop by the Outer Banks SPCA, which is located within the Dare County Animal Shelter at 378 Airport Road in Manteo anytime during the hours listed below for a meet and greet!

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