Outer Banks Vacation Homes

On Thursday, May 1^st at 3:30pm, also the 6^th anniversary of the Town’s incorporation, the Town of Duck is holding a ribbon-cutting for its new 10.33 acre sound side municipal park and boardwalk.  After the ribbon cutting ceremony at the main entrance to the boardwalk located at the park’s northern entrance, there will be complimentary guided tours of the park.  Also located in the park is a picnic shelter, gazebo, public kayak/canoe launch, and the park trail system, which completed the first two phases of this multi-phase project.

In case of inclement weather, the ribbon-cutting ceremony may be cancelled or rescheduled.  Please call the events hotline at (252) 255-1286 for the most up-to-date information regarding the May 1 ribbon-cutting and other Town meetings and events.

The North Carolina Aquarium Society has raised $18 million in revenue bonds to fund the pier reconstruction project, expansions to the Roanoke Island Aquarium and additional storm water management enhancements.   Jennette’s Pier, the oldest pier on the Outer Banks, has been a historic landmark since 1939 and is owned by the State of North Carolina.  The pier sustained significant damage of approximately 540 feet during 2003’s Hurricane Isabel. 

Beginning on or about April 21, 2008, John Bassett, Inc. (JBI) of Edenton, N.C., North Carolina Aquariums contractor, will be demolishing Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head. The contractors will have 45 days to finish the work.  The restoration of the pier at its original site includes the construction of a 1,000 foot fishing and educational pier built entirely of steel reinforced concrete.  The project will also provide for a two story pier house and two large aquarium tanks to display fish species of the Outer Banks.   Upon its completion, scheduled for 2011, the site will be operated by the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.

There’s a lot of excitement in the air!  Not only because it is spring time again, but also because the rental office in Duck, North Carolina, is getting a fresh, new look! 

New paint for all the walls and trim, new carpet downstairs and in the stairwell, beautiful tile in the kitchen, upstairs hall and bath, and new blinds for the windows were all on the “facelift” agenda. 

We are very pleased with the addition of a complimentary kiosk computer station with a very large, wall-mounted monitor in our lobby for the purpose of accommodating our visitors and guests.  With our website displayed, all properties can be viewed on this wide screen with a multitude of pictures, floor plans, descriptions and amenities listed for all of the vacation rental homes that we manage.

In addition, a baby changing station has been installed in the public restrooms for our visitors and guests.

Monica Thibodeau, our Principal Broker, and Michelle Layne, our General Manager, put their expertise, time and energy into these projects.  The results are phenomenal and appreciated by all who are benefiting from the upgrades.

Thank you to all of our staff for your patience, muscle, and coordination of services while the work was being completed.  It was worth the effort and will be enjoyed for years to come!

Whether you are a vacation rental home owner or a guest staying in one, the local YMCA has something to offer you.  The memberships offered tailor to your specific needs.  As a homeowner, you can provide your guests with YMCA membership privileges as well as have personal use for you and your family while staying in the rental home.  As a guest, you may choose a home that offers this as an amenity or contact the YMCA for a weekly membership during your stay on the Outer Banks.  The programs that they offer are limitless for all members of the family including an indoor and outdoor pool, a skate park, fitness facility, day care, racquetball courts, a teen hang out, exercise classes, a huge gym with basketball courts and more!  Our facility is located in Nags Head at MP 11.  Treat your mind, body and spirit to a healthy vacation that will be long lasting after it’s over.

Call 252.449.8897 for more information.

Outer Banks Hauling/Bay Disposal, located at 465 East Indian River Road, Norfolk, VA 23523, has been contracted by the Town of Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, to provide the collection of curbside recyclable materials. Beginning May 1, 2008, this new subscription-type service will become available to residential property owners by calling toll free at 866.312.7495 or locally at 252.480.6699 to sign up for their service.  The cost of $8.95 per month, billed to you quarterly, will provide pick up for one container once per week.  Collection days will be either Monday or Tuesday, depending on your location.

All carts must be placed 2 feet from the curb and 3 feet away from surrounding objects, opening facing the street, the night before or by 5:00 a.m.   The items collected in the container may be mixed.  Accepted recyclable material includes the following:

The following items may not be placed in the containers.  If these items are found in the container, it will not be emptied and a tag will be left on the container with information regarding unacceptable material.

After a lengthy struggle, a proposed agreement to allow limited off road vehicle (ORV) access in Cape Hatteras National Seashore between all parties; i.e., County of Dare, County of Hyde, Cape Hatteras Access Preservation Alliance, among others, was filed with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  The agreement stipulates that a permanent ORV management plan for the national park area needs to be in place by 2011.  Federal Judge Terrence Boyle will rule on the proposed agreement at the next scheduled hearing which has not yet been disclosed.

“Access to our beaches is an essential part of our heritage and an important aspect of our local economy,” said Warren Judge, Chairman of the Dare County Board of Commissioners.  “Dare County has always supported — and will continue to support — open access to our beaches for the many traditional uses enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.  We all must continue to work together for the next two years to achieve a lasting ORV management plan that will protect both the wildlife and the lives of the people who live and visit Dare and Hyde Counties and the Cape Hatteras National Recreational Seashore.”

All over the world, in the month of April, cities, towns, and municipalities will celebrate an important event, Earth Day.  The actual date designated for Earth Day is April 22^nd.  In honor of “green” awareness, a Green Party for the Planet will be held at the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island on Saturday, April 19^th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Opportunities to go green will be presented by vendors highlighting energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality, site design, materials and finishes.  Gardening practices such as xeriscaping, composting, rainwater harvesting, and rain gardens will also be a focus.

Come join the party, call for details at 252.473.3494.

An immediate release of information from the Government Affairs Director of the Outer Banks Association of Realtors has announced that “a consent agreement on the beach driving injunction was not reached as of last Friday, however, the involved parties did resume discussions over the weekend and an agreement has been reached.  The Dare County Board of Commissioners, defendants - interveners in the lawsuit, will be holding an emergency closed session meeting this Wednesday, April 16th at 10:30AM to review the settlement agreement that is under consideration of all parties.

Details of the agreement will not be released to the public until all terms are finalized by involved parties.”

After much time, effort and discussion, an agreement between the County of Dare, the national Park Service, the Defenders of Wildlife and the National Audubon Society could not reach a settlement on the parameters for beach driving in the Cape Hatteras National Recreational Seashore.  A date for another hearing will need to be set.  More information on a settlement and/or hearing to come at a later date.

In their 10^th season, the Frisco Native American Museum and Natural History Center will open the ancient ancestral grounds located behind the center for their annual Inter-tribal Powwow ”Journey Home” on April 26 & 27, 2008.  This well attended event for local Native Americans and spectators alike brings people together to enjoy the drum beat, song and dance as they allow all can participate in the dance circle.  Hear the flute and drum beat while enjoying a walk through the well maintained nature trails of this wooded area, as you see and experience wildlife and nature all around you.  Around every bend in the trail, there are vendors set up with wares and/or demonstrations of ancient traditions and artwork.

Powwows have been traditional, inter-tribal celebrations with emphasis on the sharing of cultures and the opportunity to gather on ancestral grounds. Dancers were in traditional apparel and full regalia throughout the weekends, and vendors shared beautiful crafts and authentic native foods.

This project is funded in part by the Tourism Assistance Grant Program of The Dare County Tourist Bureau.  There is a small admission fee.  For more information, call (252) 995-4440.