Nags Head planning board approves parking‑stall change to comply with state law; routine items advanced

The Nags Head Planning Board on Aug. 19 unanimously moved to amend its meeting agenda and approved a required text amendment to the town’s Unified Development Ordinance that reduces the standard parking stall width from 10 feet to 9 feet, in order to conform with recently enacted state session law.

Chair opened the meeting and asked for a motion to amend the agenda to add a presentation from attorney Lauren Womble; the motion passed on a voice vote. After receiving no public comments, the board approved its July 15 minutes on a second voice vote.

Kelly, the town’s planning and development director, told the board that the change to stall width is mandatory under state law and that the town’s commercial and residential parking tables must be updated accordingly. “We don’t really have an option. It’s now session law,” Kelly said during the discussion, noting the town can still keep wider stall widths for angled or parallel configurations where appropriate.

Board members asked whether the change would affect Americans with Disabilities Act spaces or force property owners to add more parking. Kelly and staff said ADA standards are unchanged by the state provision and that the town is not planning to require additional parking counts because of the narrower stall width.

The board moved, seconded and approved the recommendation to amend the UDO. The motion was a voice vote; the transcript records board assent but does not list individual vote tallies.

The agenda also included a short report of recent Board of Commissioners actions, including the scheduling of a public hearing next month for a spacing amendment filed by TW Outdoor Outfitters and the Board of Commissioners’ decision to keep the dune management cost‑share funding at $400,000 for the upcoming cycle.

The meeting adjourned after additional staff updates and a discussion of next steps on planning matters.