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Planning staff previews Soundside/boardwalk concept, seeks property‑owner buy‑in and public engagement
Summary
Planner Joe Costello presented a staff report and 3D model for the Soundside/‘Soundside at Nags Head’ corridor, proposing UDO flexibility and public engagement to align the commercial outdoor recreation district with the comprehensive plan; staff plans outreach to property owners and the tourism board next month.
Planner Joe Costello updated the Nags Head Planning Board on staff work to reconcile the town’s Unified Development Ordinance with the comprehensive plan vision for the commercial outdoor recreation district (CORD) and previewed a SketchUp/3‑D animation of a potential Soundside boardwalk.
Costello said staff’s existing‑conditions report identified opportunities to add flexibility for mixed uses and better connectivity between the outlet mall, multi‑use path and the Soundside Event site. He described constraints imposed by state law on down‑zoning and said the board can pursue text amendments that add allowable uses or design flexibility without running afoul of statutory limits. “We just want to look at this more holistically than just from a zoning perspective,” Costello said.
Board members discussed next steps including inviting property owners and the tourism board to the September meeting, conducting field visits to potential sites and exploring funding sources such as grants, donations or naming opportunities. Members suggested rebranding the corridor (several favored “Soundside at Nags Head”) to support marketing and engagement.
Costello said staff will reach out to business owners and the tourism board and consider follow‑up text amendments informed by public input; he recommended tours and a property‑owner conversation before drafting specific ordinance language.
