The Dare County Board of Commissioners will hold its regularly scheduled monthly meeting at 9 a.m. on Monday, August 3, 2026. The meeting will take place in the commissioners meeting room, which is adjacent to the Dare County Administration Building located at 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive in Manteo.

View the Agenda: The meeting agenda is available online at DareNC.gov/BOC.

Key Agenda Items:

ITEM 5 - Brightspeed Presentation
ITEM 9 - Proposed Ordinance Establishing Regulations for Sale of Kratom Products

Stay Informed: Catch the meeting live on Dare County's YouTube Channel, CurrentTV.org or Channel 191 (Spectrum TV). Missed it? Watch on-demand the next day at DareNC.gov.

Public Comment: Speak for up to five minutes at the start of each meeting—either at the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo or the Fessenden Center Annex in Buxton.

Catch the Highlights: Meeting highlights are posted on DareNC.gov after each meeting. To get them straight to your inbox, sign up at DareNC.gov/Subscribe.

For more information about the Dare County Board of Commissioners, visit DareNC.gov/BOC or click the button below.

Join Dare County on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 as we celebrate the 87th anniversary of National Aviation Day! Presented by the First Flight Society, this free and family friendly aviation-themed celebration for all ages will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Dare County Regional Airport, which is located at 410 Airport Road in Manteo. 

Established by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1939, National Aviation Day celebrates the development of aviation and is held annually on August 19—the birthday of Orville Wright, whose younger sister Katharine Wright, coincidentally shares the same date of birth. Katharine Wright’s strong character, practical advice and unwavering support for the endeavors of her older brothers—Orville and Wilbur—to achieve flight played an immense and essential role in their ultimate success in achieving the world’s first powered flight on December 17, 1903 in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. 

National Aviation Day 2026 will feature a wide array of programs, activities and presentations centered around aviation, including aircraft displays, guest speakers and exhibitors, a scavenger hunt for the kids, food trucks and Bullseye Flight Team flyovers. The event will also include a food drive supporting the public’s donations of money or nonperishable food items for the local Beach Food Pantry. Admission and parking are free for the National Aviation Day event, 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 on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 to learn more about the many programs and services offered by the county and to chat with local officials and county staff members. For more detailed information about National Aviation Day 2026—including a complete list of exhibitors and planned activities—please visit the First Flight Society’s website or click the button below.

The dredge Liberty Island arrived in Buxton on the evening of Thursday, July 30, 2026 and began pumping sand onto the beach on Friday, July 31, 2026, marking the start of construction for the Buxton beach nourishment project.

The contractor, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, began pumping sand in the middle of the project area, near Ocean Drive, and is expected to progress north. Once pumping within the northern portion of the Buxton project area is complete, crews will begin working south from Ocean Drive until they finish with the southern taper. The fill direction is subject to change based on weather conditions and the borrow area being dredged. 

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company has also announced that a second dredge is expected to arrive in Dare County in mid-August to assist with the project. With the addition of the second dredge, the project is expected to remain on schedule for completion by September 30, 2026.* 

Approximately 2 million cubic yards of sand will be placed along Buxton’s oceanfront beaches from the Haulover Day Use Area to just south of the Buxton Beach Access over an estimated 95-day construction period, depending on weather and ocean conditions.*

View the 2026 Buxton beach nourishment construction map

View the Buxton Beach Nourishment Newsletter- Issue 1 (July 31, 2026)

Dare County is seeking input from residents, property owners and visitors to help identify locations in the county’s unincorporated areas where new or improved pedestrian crossings could enhance public safety. The county is exploring opportunities to apply for funding through the North Carolina Department of Transportation's 2026 Pedestrian Safety Project Call, which supports pedestrian safety improvements in smaller urban and rural communities.

The survey is intended for locations on state-maintained roadways within Dare County's unincorporated areas only. Unincorporated Dare County includes Hatteras Island, the Dare County mainland, Colington, Martin’s Point and the unincorporated portions of Roanoke Island. This survey is not intended for the incorporated towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Manteo. These municipalities within Dare County received the same opportunity directly from NCDOT and will determine whether to pursue projects within their respective jurisdictions. 

Potential projects may include marked crosswalks, curb ramps, visibility enhancements, traffic control improvements at crossings, pedestrian signal upgrades and improvements at unsignalized or midblock crossings. Public input will help Dare County identify and prioritize locations where these types of improvements could have the greatest impact as it prepares potential grant applications.

Community members can share suggested locations by completing the online survey at info.darenc.gov/Crosswalks through August 14, 2026. Although submitting a location does not guarantee it will be included in a grant application or selected for funding, community feedback will play an important role in helping Dare County identify potential pedestrian safety improvements that address local needs. Questions? Contact Dare County Grants & Waterways Administrator Barton Grover at Barton.Grover@DareNC.gov.

The Virginia S. Tillett Community Center is excited to announce that registration for the 10th annual Dare to Scare 5K & Sweet Treat Fun Run event, which will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2026, begins on Saturday, August 1, 2026!

The Dare to Scare 5K is a unique race that leads runners and walkers along a scenic trail throughout parts of Skyco and Manteo. Participants are encouraged to dress in their Halloween best at the race for a chance to win a prize. Prizes will also be awarded to the top three male and top three female race finishers, as well as individuals who participate in the costume contest. Pre-race activities will be held at the Coastal Studies Institute for runners and walkers to participate in prior to enjoying the course. 

The starting line for the Dare to Scare 5K will be at the Coastal Studies Institute (850 N.C. Highway 345, Wanchese), and the finish line will be at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center (950 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Manteo). The Fun Run will take place at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center. The Dare to Scare 5K will begin at 8 a.m., and the Fun Run will begin at 9 a.m. All 5K participants are encouraged to park at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center; transportation from the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center to the starting line will be provided until 7:45 a.m. Please note that no return trips will be provided after the race.

This Dare to Scare 5K and Sweet Treat Fun Run event—which benefits the annual Virginia S. Tillett Community Center Toy Drive that takes place each December—is being held in collaboration with the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center, Coastal Studies Institute, OBX Go Far and the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. Registration will remain open until the day of the race (Saturday, October 24, 2026). 

For more information and to register for the event, please click the button below. Questions? Contact Crystal Corbin at 252-475-9272 or Crystal.Corbin@DareNC.gov.

A day at the beach is meant to be relaxing and enjoyable, but emergencies can happen when you least expect them. Whether it's a medical emergency, a water rescue or another urgent situation, knowing your exact location can help first responders reach you as quickly as possible.

If you're visiting for a week of vacation, spending the summer at your second home or just enjoying your favorite beach as a local, take a moment to familiarize yourself with your surroundings before settling in. Knowing the nearest beach access, street name or milepost can help emergency responders find you faster. 

When calling 911 from the beach, be prepared to provide more than just the name of the town or village. If you’re staying in a vacation rental, make sure you know the property's street address—not just the house name, which may not be recognized by emergency dispatchers. Even if you know the area well, these details can make a significant difference in helping emergency responders quickly locate you on the beach. 

If someone in your group calls 911, and it is safe to do so, consider sending another person to meet first responders at the nearest beach access. This can help guide emergency personnel directly to your location and reduce valuable response time.

A few moments spent identifying your location before settling in for the day can make all the difference during an emergency. Every second counts when help is needed.

For additional beach safety tips and daily beach condition reports, please visit LoveTheBeachRespectTheOcean.com.

Dare County has released a new video about the Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network’s (FIMAN) flood gauges, providing an overview of how residents, visitors and property owners can create a free FIMAN account to monitor flooding and rising water levels at their selected gauge locations and receive real-time alerts. The video, which is available on Dare County’s YouTube channel, walks viewers through the simple account setup process, explains how to locate flood gauges using the interactive map, and demonstrates how to subscribe to email and text notifications for the locations that matter most to them.

Real-time flood gauge information is an invaluable resource for anyone living in or traveling to the Outer Banks, where storm surge and coastal flooding can quickly impact homes, businesses and roadways—particularly during hurricane season. By signing up for a free FIMAN account, users can stay informed as water levels change and receive timely alerts that help them make informed decisions before flooding becomes more severe. Click the button below to view the video, and visit FIMAN.NC.gov to sign up for a free FIMAN account today and be better prepared to protect your property when storm surge impacts your area.  

Our Outer Banks SPCA Pet of the Week is Provie! This handsome 2-year-old boy is looking for a fresh start and a family to call his own. Provie was previously adopted from us, but was sadly returned when his family realized they didn't have enough time to continue working with him. Provie enjoys playtime, especially a good game of fetch, and he's done great with other dogs too! He has a sweet personality, loves attention, and would thrive with an outgoing family.

Ready to meet our Pet of the Week? 

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, 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