Outer Banks Coastal Studies Institute Takes Another Step Forward

Posted on January 31, 2011

Outer Banks - UNC Coastal Studies Institute

Last April we wrote a post about the UNC Coastal Studies Institute that is being planned for Roanoke Island. At the time, a conditional use permit was issued to begin building, but as with most projects of this scale, it’s never quite as easy as it seems.

The vision has been over six years in the making, and it is still in the planning phase, but an important step forward was taken at the end of last week.

On Friday afternoon, the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce posted the following on their Facebook page:

“This afternoon the NC Attorney General’s office approved the UNC Coastal Studies Institute project contract, thus encumbering the remaining $22 million in state funds to construct the research building and marine support facilities at the Skyco Campus on Roanoke Island. This allows them to move forward to collect and open bids. The bid date is 8 February.”

This project is estimated to cost $30 million and will include a 56,800 square foot building, a 9700 square foot building, two dormitories, a boat storage building, boat slips and parking.

The OBX has a strong “green” presence, and the campus will be no exception; it will include environmentally friendly equipment and methods of operation. Current plans call for a staff of 60 and 120 students that will be living on campus.

An exciting addition to Dare County…assuming the process continues to move along.

New Outer Banks Bridge Gets the Go-Ahead

Posted on December 21, 2010

Bonner Bridge on the Outer Banks

After 47 years of use and two decades of planning/debating, the replacement for the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge that connects the northern Outer Banks to Hatteras Island was finally approved last night.

The Virginia Pilot is reporting that the Federal Highway Administration made the approval official Monday night by signing a record of decision giving the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) green light to move forward with construction of the replacement bridge.

The planning and debating have been on-going for years, and the Bonner Bridge has far exceeded its expected 30-year life span. Now that an approval is in hand, a sense of urgency is taking over…rightly so. The Bonner Bridge is the only access to Hatteras Island by land, and nearly 2 million vehicles cross it every year (11,000 per day during the summer!). The bridge is vital to maintain tourism to the area, but it is also essential to safety since it is crucial for evacuations.

The replacement bridge will be designed and built under the same contract, and NCDOT already has three eligible design-build teams expected to compete for the contract. Bids for the $300 million project will open in June 2011, construction will start in early 2012, and the new bridge will be open to traffic is 2015…assuming all goes well.

The plan is to build the new bridge parallel with the current span, through the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Outer Banks Beach Report, Jennette’s Pier, & OBX Surf – 9.22.10

Posted on September 22, 2010

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach Report for September 22, 2010.

This video was shot at about 9:15 in Nags Head, just north of Jennette’s Pier.

Beautiful day. High is the lower 80′s, sunny, light southwest wind. Great OBX surf. Leftover swell from Igor still hanging around.

Quick view of Jenette’s Pier under construction, and a view of the Nags Head Comfort Inn just to the south, where the Outer Banks Pro will be held this weekend.

Enjoy.

Lowe’s Coming to the Outer Banks?

Posted on July 21, 2010

Lowe's Logo

The Outer Banks Voice is reporting today that Lowe’s, the home improvement “mega store,” recently submitted a site plan for a store in Kill Devil Hills.

The plan calls for a 158,000-square-foot store on the “highway” between West 1^st St. and West Landing Drive. The area is already zoned commercial, so the approval process could be as straight-forward as a site plan approval, but it’s too early to tell.

New Outer Banks Bridge Could See Further Delays

Posted on July 13, 2010

Bonner Bridge on the Outer Banks

A new bridge to replace the failing Bonner Bridge on the Outer Banks is running into the potential for further delays.

The 2.5 mile Bonner Bridge linking northern Outer Banks to Hatteras Island opened in 1963 and was designed to last 30 years; quick math ends the lifespan in 1993…17 years ago! Over the years, the bridge has been battered by strong currents, even stronger storms and damaging saltwater. The structure is in need of replacement, but the approval process has been slow, to say the least.

The bridge is currently rated poor, but the state has spent millions for repairs to keep the span safe until it is replaced. However, even these repairs have a lifespan that ends around 2017.

Planning for the replacement began 20 years ago, but the project has been slowed by environmental challenges, government agency disagreements, controversy about the design, and threats of lawsuits. An environmental assessment was released in May, and most people have assumed the planning marathon was nearing the end and the construction would start soon. But those assumptions are being called into question after a recent public hearing.

Transportation officials are hesitant to commit to a timeline before reviewing all of the comments on the current Environmental Assessment to determine whether there are any significant changes from the previously–approved plan. If there are changes, another supplement to the environmental plan would be required, which would then require additional public review period before recording a final decision.

Some comments submitted by environmental groups have indicated that impacts have changed significantly and that an important environmental review in the plan is flawed. This seems to lead to the potential for further environmental assessment…and more delays.

HOW TO SUBMIT COMMENTS

If you missed the public hearings, you can still submit comments until Aug. 9.

Citizens who did not speak at the meetings but would like to provide comments can mail them to Drew Joyner, Human Environment Unit Head, NCDOT, 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1598. They may also call or e-mail their comments to Drew Joyner at (919) 431-6700 or djoyner@ncdot.gov.

NCDOT, the Federal Highway Administration, and other agencies will review the comments received and then determine if additional environmental studies are needed.

To read the Environmental Assessment and view the project maps, visit the NCDOT Web site or the Outer Banks Task Force Web site.

New Development Approved on the Outer Banks

Posted on May 20, 2010

Corolla Club & Resort

A public hearing was held regarding the new Corolla Club and Resort on Monday.

It seems that supporters of the development view the development as a means to offer new housing opportunities for visitors to the area. Opposition to the new resort claim that the project dosen’t go with the current atmosphere of the area and seems out of place for Corolla.

The Builder-developer, SAGA Construction, states that the development will help the area by creating jobs and providing accommodations for vacationers on the Outer Banks.

During the public hearing, three major issues were addressed:

(1) Is the development compatible with surrounding residential areas?

(2) Should the land be protected because of its unique environmental qualities?

(3) Will Corolla neighborhoods be negatively impacted by the new development?

County Planner Ben Woody stated in the hearing that the development fit the criteria for a special-use permit and fits in with the overall plan for the community. Before the testimony began, Sumit Gupta, principal owner and developer of SAGA, said the new development was carefully designed and would benefit Currituck County.

It was a hotly contested issue, and testimony and closing statements extended past 1 a.m. At the end of the lengthy hearing, the commissioners, without comment, unanimously approved the developer’s application for a special use permit with some recommended changes from the planning staff.

New Outer Banks Pier on Schedule to be a Big Attraction

Posted on May 12, 2010

New Outer Banks Pier

The reconstruction of Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head is expected to be a big attraction to visitors to the Outer Banks. The pier was originally constructed in the 1930s and torn down after it was heavily damaged by Hurricane Isabel in 2003. The new pier is at the being built on the same site and keeping the original name.

The North Carolina Aquarium is funding the construction. With a design that is hurricane resistant, the pier will look a lot different than the original structure, and it will have more to offer than a traditional pier. “The new Jennette’s Pier will be a major educational and interactive attraction for the millions who visit the Outer Banks annually,” mentioned local OBX resident and Senator, Marc Basnight. For instance, visitors will have the opportunity to see the catch of the day before they venture out on to the pier; the two-story, 16,000-square-foot pier house will have live animals on display that showcase some of the catch fisherman will be pulling up with their rods out on the pier. In addition, the green technology used to build the pier will be an important visual demonstration of conservation at work.

The pier is under construction and about half complete. It is set to open April 2011.

Outer Banks Bridge Delayed

Posted on February 12, 2010

Bonner Bridge on the Outer Banks

The Bonner Bridge, spanning the Oregon Inlet on North Carolina’s Outer Banks, is in need of repairs and/or replacement. As with most major projects of this magnitude, the process is complicated, especially considering the environmental impact the project could have on the pristine Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

It seems the process is getting a bit more complicated; construction of the replacement bridge is being delayed again to allow planners and engineers to conduct another environmental impact study. It is reported that the decision came from the state department of transportation. The final phase of planning is currently under review process and will be released at the end of the month.

Construction Projects Raise Alarm for Outer Banks Wild Horses

Posted on January 29, 2010

Outer Banks Wild Horses

Residents of Corova have historically been resistant to commercial construction on the northern beaches of the Outer Banks. This resistance stems from the desire to keep the area as pristine and natural as possible, but also to protect the wild horses that are a main attraction of the northern OBX beaches.

Shops in Corolla sell t-shirts and other horse related items by the hundreds. Truckloads of visitors have made the trek into the dunes to catch a glimpse of the wild horses.

In fact so many people have shown interest that the county will support a $300,000 project that will make major improvements to Ocean Pearl Road on Corova Beach.

Most of the residents of the area are in favor of the project (it will be funded with county occupancy taxes). However, the fact that the wild horses often wander along the sides of these roads is a concern to some locals.

Another cause for concern is the fact that not far from the beach in Swan Beach, a developer proposes a commercial district of 31.71 acres that would include an inn, shops, restaurants and residential units. Also in the same plans is another small commercial area of 5.86 acres that would include a fishing pier to the ocean and a bait shop.

Original plats done in 1969 set aside these tracts for commercial use. County zoning calls it residential. The commission turned down an application for a similar project on the same tract in November 2008 after residents protested.

Old Deeds Could Save Millions for New Outer Banks Bridge

Posted on May 6, 2009

outer-banks-bridge Plans to replace the bridge over the Oregon Inlet on the Outer Banks have been discussed for years. It is a complicated project, but two old deeds found recently may help the planning and create a large savings for the new OBX bridge.

A State transportation official has indicated that the discovery of two old deeds will help North Carolina save $300 million in the replacement of the bridge across the Oregon Inlet. The existing bridge, named the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge, was built in 1963. The deeds were discovered in the archives of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. The documents where dated from 1953 and 1968.

These deeds give the state the right of way through the wildlife refuge. This gives the State the ability to create the most cost effective approach rather than following the restrictions set by the refuge, and as a result there could be a significant savings in design and construction costs. The cost for this project is estimated to be between $1.1 to $1.4 billion.