Planning board recommends allowing limited 'wine bar' and 'tap room' uses, citing noise, hours and liquor limits

The Nags Head Planning Board voted April 21 to recommend a text amendment to the town's Unified Development Ordinance that would create two new land-use categories — wine bar and tap room — with supplemental standards intended to allow lower-intensity alcohol-serving venues while continuing to prohibit standalone bars.

At a public meeting where residents, the applicant and planning staff all spoke, planning staff framed the change as a cautious, incremental step designed to address enforcement and nuisance concerns while giving restaurants and small craft producers a framework to operate. “The town does have a long-standing desire to prohibit bars,” staff member Kelly told the board, explaining the proposal’s intent to allow limited on‑premises beer and wine service while excluding distilled spirits in the initial step.

Why it matters: The amendment grew out of a broader debate about a…