The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management (DCM) recently awarded 20 grants to 19 communities for Phase 3 and Phase 4 projects as part of the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP). Dare County was the recipient of two grants: one for a Phase 3 design project in Salvo ($234,000) and the other for a Phase 4 construction project in Hatteras Village ($160,000).  

The Salvo project will cover engineering, surveys, a drainage study, geotechnical analysis and wetland delineation in order to design a project to reduce flooding along the section of N.C. Highway 12 (near the Wind Over Waves subdivision). 

The Hatteras Village project will facilitate the installation of a series of swales and culverts along N.C. Highway 12 (near the Hatteras Civic Center) to collect and store ocean overwash and stormwater runoff.  

Both projects were identified as areas subject to recurring flooding by Hatteras Island residents and property owners who participated in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the RCCP, which included a risk and vulnerability assessment, as well as a public survey to determine the priority areas to be addressed. 

Dare County was previously awarded Phase 3 funding for the design of stormwater improvements along Old Lighthouse Road in Buxton. Utilizing this design, Dare County obtained $770,000 in May 2024 from the N.C. Emergency Management Disaster Relief and Mitigation Fund Grant. The goal of the project is to collect stormwater and ocean overwash and to improve drainage to reduce flood depths and duration of flooding on roadways and adjacent properties. 

According to Dare County Grants Administrator Barton Grover, “The Resilient Coastal Communities Program paired local knowledge with engineers to identify, design and construct projects to make Hatteras Island more resilient. We are excited to receive grants to move these three projects forward and look to continue seeking grants to address additional areas of concern identified in the risk and vulnerability assessment.“                                         

The N.C. the Resilient Coastal Communities Program aims to facilitate a community-driven process for setting coastal resilience goals, assessing existing and needed local capacity, and identifying and prioritizing projects to enhance community resilience to coastal hazards. 

For more information about the N.C. Resilient Coastal Communities Program, please click the button below. For more information about Dare County’s Resilient Coastal Communities Program projects, please contact Dare County Grants Administrator Barton Grover at Barton.Grover@DareNC.gov or 252-475-5628.

In December 2023, Dare County received more than $5 million for the elevation of 31 homes as a result of Hurricane Dorian. These houses are located in various areas throughout Dare County, including Kitty Hawk, Manteo, Wanchese, Stumpy Point, Manns Harbor, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras.

---

In August 2021, Dare County received a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant of more than $6 million to improve disaster resilience by elevating 27 flood-prone homes throughout the county. This FEMA funding became available as a result of Hurricane Florence being declared a federal disaster.

The homes raised with this grant are located in Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Manteo, Manns Harbor, Stumpy Point and Wanchese, as well as Rodanthe, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village. 

---

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to local governments so they can rebuild in a way that reduces or mitigates future disaster losses in the community. This grant funding becomes available following a federally declared disaster. Residents who are interested in elevating their homes are encouraged to contact the Grants & Waterways office, which maintains a database to ensure the County is aware of existing needs during future grant application cycles.

Homeowners may also contact the N.C. Office of Recovery & Resiliency (NCORR). The Homeowner Recovery Program provides assistance to repair, reconstruct, replace, or elevate your home or reimburse you for completed repairs due to damage from Hurricane Florence or Hurricane Matthew. Eligibility and application information can be found by visiting ReBUILD NC.

For more information on the types of hazard mitigation grants that are available, visit the North Carolina Department of Public Safety or FEMA. 

---

Dare County has received a $150,000 FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance grant that will be used to update the county’s Stormwater Master Plan. This master plan serves as an outline of our stormwater management policies in unincorporated Dare County and allows the county to evaluate drainage issues and develop a capital improvement plan to address stormwater issues. The grant also provides the funding needed to identify and map the county’s stormwater infrastructure, and to have an engineer develop two project designs (or site plans) for critical areas.

Once the designs, narrative and costs for these two projects have been determined, the county will apply for construction grants that would be used to complete the projects. The county has selected the engineering firm of Withers Ravenel to update the Stormwater Master Plan.

Due to file size, please contact Barton Grover, Grants & Waterways Administrator at barton.grover@darenc.gov for appendices.

Dare County Stormwater Master Plan

In October of 2022, Dare County applied for and received a Golden LEAF Foundation Flood Mitigation Grant of $250,000 for stormwater drainage improvements near Airport Road on Roanoke Island. The proposed project began January and was completed in June of 2023.

Project Map

Dare County received a $24,000 grant from the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management Planning & Management Grant Program.

The proposed project will determine how much sand would be needed to build a beach that provides adequate storm protection to the exposed interests. The County will partner in this effort with a consultant to update results of a 2013 feasibility report presenting similar analysis of beach conditions and options for future nourishment in Rodanthe.

The proposed work consists of re-establishing control and stations for a systematic survey along the Rodanthe beach. Topographic and bathymetric data will be used to determine the minimum beach volume necessary for 5 years of storm protection along critically eroded areas where private property and/or infrastructure are exposed to wave attack during high water events. This time frame is based upon Dare County’s internal funding models for beach nourishment cycle planning in concert with their ongoing beach management efforts.

This work is preliminary to a more complete analysis and design/permitting effort for future nourishment as part of a 30-year design life project, by documenting historic and projected volumetric losses, anticipated maintenance triggers, and long-term sand needs for critically eroded portions of Rodanthe.

Final Report

During the Dare County Board of Commissioners Meeting on Monday, October 7, 2024, the commissioners voted to approve applying for a FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant to address storm-related damage and repetitive flood loss on Hatteras Island, specifically in the Rodanthe area. A  project development specialist recently hired by the NC Department of Emergency Management is reaching out to eligible homeowners who may be interested in this voluntary program. 

The project targets approximately 20 insured and repetitive loss properties in Rodanthe that are located close to the ocean and within 300 feet of stable vegetation. These properties are eligible for voluntary acquisition/buyouts, meaning FEMA could provide up to $360,000 per property to cover the costs of acquisition, demolition and other related expenses. 

It’s important to note that FEMA grants typically take three to four years from application to award, and any acquisition or demolition must occur after the grant is awarded. 

During the Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday, October 7, 2024, the commissioners voted to approve a grant application to receive state funding from the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, which is responsible for expanding access to broadband infrastructure, supporting affordability, advancing digital literacy and building digital equity in North Carolina. If awarded, the grant—which is part of the North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s Stop-Gap Solutions Program would be used to extend and provide broadband coverage to the mainland Dare County communities of East Lake and Mashoes.