Sunday, December 3, 2023
By Kip Tabb | Outer Banks Voice on November 8, 2023
As plans move forward for a proposed 13-acre mixed use development in the Monteray Shores subdivision of Corolla, residents and property owners in the area have launched a petition drive opposing the project.
The online petition STOP Proposed Multi-Use, High Density Development Plan in Corolla – Monteray Shores makes a point of “requesting Currituck County Commissioners place an immediate halt to this plan.” As of the evening of Wednesday, Nov. 8, the petition had garnered 1,150 signatures.
Although plans for the subdivision are still tentative, a preliminary plan presented by the developer, CB Land Development and SAGA CEO Sumit Gupta, would include a 172-room hotel, retail and restaurants with apartments above the business space, as well as residential homes.
In a Zoom interview with the Voice, Michael Momenee, whose wife started the online petition drive, explained his concerns. “This development…is very much not in keeping with the remainder of the adjacent neighborhood in which we own and reside,” he said.
Skip Lane, who has owned a home in the Whalehead Club since 2021, expressed similar concerns, noting though, that the zoning allowing a hotel had been approved some time ago. “The zoning has been in place for such a development, mixed use, no specifics, not on the size of the hotel… Condos that are going to go in this complex on top of the retail. So it’s quite dense,” he said.
Currituck County zoning for the property has been place for 16 years according to Bill Newns, Interim Director of the Currituck County Planning and Inspections Department.
Corolla resident Elizabeth Lindemann, who has owned property in Corolla for more than 35 years, raises another concern. She points out that since the plans were originally approved, circumstances have changed dramatically in the area, noting, among other things, that “the fact that Route 12 is a death trap in the summertime was not necessarily in play all those years ago.”
Concerns about the property and plans for its development were triggered by an Aug. 21 quasi-judicial hearing when the Currituck County Commissioners voted to approve an amended sketch plan for the development that would reduce open space by 1.45 acres.
According to Newns, the reduction in open space would still meet “the open space requirements for Monteray Shores Planned Unit Development as well as the subject parcel.”
The rules governing a quasi-judicial hearing are very specific. It is an evidentiary hearing and unless compelling evidence is presented to commissioners indicating information on the request is either being withheld or incorrect, the commissioners must vote to approve the plans.
Nonetheless, Corolla residents are continuing to press for the approval to be reviewed. And at the Nov. 6 Currituck Board of Commissioners meeting, Corolla residents addressed the subject in public comment.
“I strongly believe the high density…hotel project…will irrevocably change Corolla, both as a safe destination and family friendly tourism destination. You will see that as a poison chalice,” Corolla resident Don Howard said.
“The Corolla market is overwhelmingly families and groups of families who stay in in homes for a week at a time. A 172-room hotel, surrounded on three sides by residential communities, is plainly not in harmony with the area,” Bill Tarlton said.
SAGA’s Gupta contends that a hotel is needed.
“We don’t have enough hotel rooms, they’ve gone down on the Outer Banks,” he said during an interview with the Voice, adding that the area is disproportionately dependent on vacation home rentals.
“Those [rentals] have to be, whether we like those or not, staying somewhat full, otherwise they’re dead weight,” he said, adding that “We need hotels to bring new people to keep those houses relevant, to create new demographic people to have options here.”
Under any circumstance it is unclear if the county could legally rezone the property. A property zoning carries with it vested rights, defined by the NC General Assembly as, “the right to continue a use or complete a project as it was approved, despite subsequent changes to the ordinance.”
The approval of the commissioners on Aug. 21 was for a preliminary plan. As the project moves forward, detailed plans will have to go through a technical review committee. That review process, however, is internal and does not include public comment.
“It’ll all be internal department staff,” Newns said.
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Comments
Go to comments
john
They buy up land and build developments that for the most part destroy the character of many towns throughout the outer banks. Yes they were approved, but that speaks to town leadership elected. Contractors that care about quality of the products they help build no longer work for them. It’s all about the almighty dollar vs. what is the proper construction to weather the elements of the obx. Thankfully some leaders were unseated in recent elections.
OBX Dan
Not enough restaurants in Corolla?!? It just shows you how out of touch Gupta is. Existing Corolla restaurant owners can’t find staff to fill shifts as it is, resulting in most having to close 1-2 days per week during the “season.” I don’t just blame Saga, although they certainly deserve blame. Blame the Currituck County Commissioners and “Ike” McRee for destroying Corolla. Zero accountability. It’s time for Corolla residents and property owners to incorporate Corolla and free ourselves from the greedy Currituck mainland Commissioners! Corolla can certainly afford to run itself with all of our tax revenue!
Ronaround
I sense a strong undercurrent of prejudice and, yes I’m going to say it, racism towards a man who makes a lot of money and by all accounts does it within bounds of the law, zoning and regulations set forth by all of the municipalities around Dare and Currituck.. SAGA is doing what everyone wishes they could do and that is to capitalize on the opportunities available on the OBX. Folks the good old days disappeared in the 1980’s around these parts and if anyone is to blame for the so called “destruction of the Outer Banks” it the families that owned the land for generations and sold it off to the developers.
Steven
Ronaround, why do you think folks sold of family land? They were forced to with the rise of values and property taxes, they could no longer keep it.
Since when is something/someone that helps destroy communities
considered racist. Culture is not race..
Jimmy John
How are you going to keep having ire toward the businessman who is a developer, for developing land he owns, and gets the permits, go ahead etc. legally necessary to develop?
It’s not like they just roll up to a piece of property and just have at it. Quit smearing the businessman and complain about your government maybe? People are dense.
Dan-O
Gupta likes to use modifiers: “disproportionately represented by rentals”…”keep those houses relevant”…Without offering a shred of evidence or metrics to back up his statement. He showed his hand when he stated “we need hotels to create a new demographic of people with options.” OK, we get it: demographics. We own a house in Corolla and spent weeks in shoulder & off seasons there. The last three years, we have spent some summer weeks to get re-acclimated to the nature and tenor of the summer crowds. We have decided to sell when the time is right and retire elsewhere. The decision makers & Guptas of the world have made their decisions. Well, there is a boatload of coastline in the United States. Corolla is looking quite different than 20 years ago.
m
Ronaround, what a bull-sh_t statement! This discussion is about County Supervisors whom have no regard for the community and a company that doesn’t care what happens to the Outer Banks and for those who live and work here. Both Counties are creating an unsafe environment for the tourist and for the people who live here.
Goose that Lays Golden Eggs
I feel sorry for the people who own property on the Currituck County beach side (Corolla, Carova, etc.) but unfortunately this overdevelopment is just going to get worse and worse. The vast majority of the citizens in Currituck County who are eligible to vote live on the main land. For them the beach side of the county is the goose that lays the golden eggs. It pays the majority of their taxes for the rest of the county. If the bridge ever gets built it will be even worse.
Currituck County has 7 county commissioners that are assigned by voting districts based on resident population. 6 of the 7 are from the mainland. The beach side is assigned just 1 commissioner. To make matters worse that 1 commissioner from the beach side is the big boss who rules over the horse tour industrial complex. He is chairman of the board of the county commissioners, he is vice chainman of the “non-profit” Wild Horse Fund, and he own the two largest horse tour companies which gives him influence over all the other local voters who benefit from the horse tour businesses. He is also the most pro-development of all the commissioners.
In this version of Aesop’s famous fable, Corolla, Carova and the rest of Currituck County beach side play the role of the goose.
Obxserver
Reading through the comments of OBX Dan and “Goose” above: Suppose Corolla and Carova figured out a way to secede from Currituck County and become a part of the town of Duck (yes therefore Dare County but shielded from that hot mess by being part of Duck) until they could get organized enough to incorporate on their own. Take control of their destiny. Currituck would be just fine continuing to develop as a southern suburb of Chesapeake. Actually makes more sense geographically and representationally. Then in spite Currituck could block the bridge. Win-win all the way around.
Beachie Keen
Curious how many who have commented know that SAGA is requesting changes to the Currituck UDO so they don’t have to provide handicap ramps!
Fat old guy
Whoa! According to a poster above, if you oppose something that he believes in you must be racist. Really? Did you proof read your comment? Where do you live? I’m betting not here.
How about the poster come spend a few days here in the Summer?
Endure the slow moving sightseers, the slow moving lost, and the speeding pool and house cleaners.
The vibrant businesses that will be adversely affected, restaurants and inns have provided employment and services.
Please explain how 172 additional rooms will add to the quiet charm that is Corolla.
Years ago, the Summer after super storm Sandy we had numerous visitors from New Jersey. Most loved the quiet, family atmosphere
In Corolla as it differed from the Jersey shore. A strange few asked where our oceanfront boardwalk and rides were.
Yeah, let’s encourage the latter.
Maybe if we are lucky, SAGA will add a casino.
Greg
The bottom line is that there is no public parking at the beach in this area. There is almost no public beach parking in all of Corolla.
Chapter2
Hope the voice will stay on this story especially after the special use permit granted the developers came back so they would not have to comply with the parameters of that permit
Seems Virginian Pilot might be on board
Who knows a wider story that could energize other “David’s fightin Goliath”