The Coastland Times

WHAT THE SEASHORE PARK CAN MEAN TO OCRACOKE ISLAND

By JIM RUSH
(In The Winston-Salem Journal)

Since the plans for the National Seashore park were revived a few weeks ago by the donation of $618,000 to help acquire the necessary land, and the state gave a similar sum, there have been reports of opposition to the park by residents of the Outer Banks. One person went so far as to say that 95 percent of the registered voters on the island opposed the park.

This estimate is undoubtedly an exaggeration, and if a public meeting which was held at Ocracoke recently is any criterion, the opposition which exists arises mostly from a lack of information on the part of the Outer Bankers. The proposed series of public hearings dispel much of the present opposition.

Representative Herbert Bonner of the First District paid a visit to Ocracoke early in August. No ordinary tourist, Mr. Bonner stayed at the Coast Guard station. The purpose of his visit to the island, other than the obvious one of political fence mending, was to talk with the residents about the proposed park. Several days before the meeting was to be held, typewritten cards were posted about the town informing the citizens of the time and the place.

On a Thursday evening at the recreation hall of the Ocracoke School, about 75 persons (a good turnout for a community which numbers only a few hundred) gathered to hear Mr. Bonner. After taking about half his allotted time to tell the people about himself and what he was doing for them in Congress, Mr. Bonner discussed the proposed park.

Mr. Bonner minced no words. He said he was wholeheartedly in favor of the park, and that he was sure all of the Outer Bankers would be too, when they knew the facts. A question period followed the talk, and it was through the questions that an observer could most easily determine what was on the mind of the residents. The questions indicated no opposition to the park, merely a desire to find out just what the park would mean to the Bankers.

The questions asked by the Ocracoke residents were: What is going to happen to my land? What will happen to my taxes if a large amount of the county is going to be taken from the tax rolls? How will the exact boundaries of the park be determined? How will the land be taken over? What changes can the National Park Service be expected to make in the area? What about our hunting and fishing rights? Will the park mean that Ocracoke Island will finally get a road, as Bodie Island has had for some years and as Hatteras is now getting?

In answer to a question as to the limits of the park with respect to the various towns on the Outer Banks, Mr. Bonner replied that the exact boundaries will be determined by conferences between the National Park Service and the towns; that each town would be left with sufficient space for future expansion without encroaching on the park property.

This will probably be more difficult than it appears because the towns on the Outer Banks have no municipal organization comparable to that of Winston-Salem. There are no Mayors, for instance; and no city halls or police departments. The towns will undoubtedly have to name representatives to deal with the Park Service officials.

He also said that he was sure the Park Service would inaugurate improved ferry service across both Hatteras and Oregon inlets.

How will the land be taken? Mr. Bonner said that the first step will be for the land acquisition committee of the Seashore Commission to try negotiating with land owners for the sale of their property to the state. (The state will then turn the land over to the National Park Service, which is forbidden to buy land for national parks.)

In the event negotiations fail, condemnation proceedings in the courts will be undertaken. Mr. Bonner expressed a preference for this method because he felt it would not only insure an equitable price, but it would help establish property lines which-on the sandy Outer Banks, at least-have become obscured over the years.

As for an increase in taxes, Mr. Bonner did not seem to think there would be any need to fear this would happen. The land to be taken over is for the most part unimproved, and the tax loss to the county would probably not be great.

Of primary interest to Ocracoke residents is the construction of a road from the town north to Hatteras Inlet, where a ferry is in operation to Hatteras Island. In answer to a question about the road, Mr. Bonner said he was certain that part of the development plans of the National Park Service would include the road so long desired by Ocracoke residents.

THE HOTELS

He predicted a great increase in the tourist trade when the park is created and made more accessible, and he pointed out that the residents would realize the profits, either through their own tourist facilities or by leasing facilities.

Because Ocracoke's main income is from fishing, and from sportsmen who go there for both hunting and fishing, the residents wanted reassurance that their present rights would not be curtailed. Mr. Bonner assured them that it was part of the act of Congress creating the park that these rights must be left intact as far as the legal residents of the Banks are concerned.

Mr. Bonner concluded the meeting with a warning of what could happen if the park is not created and development is left to private individuals. He cited the Nags Head area where, he said, there is not a single foot of public bathing beach left from north of Nags Head down to Whalebone.

He pointed out that private development of the proposed park area would inevitably mean that outside money would be used, and that the money gained from private development would leave the area, never to return.

On the other hand, he said that a national park would draw a constant stream of tourists, all of them bringing "new" money into the area, to be left with the residents who would provide the services.

When the meeting at the Ocracoke School recreation hall broke up, it was evident that, for the first time citizens of the island had been given an understandable picture of what the park would mean to them. If there was any opposition to the park at the beginning of the meeting-and it wasn't obvious, if there was-the residents seem to feel that insofar as Ocracoke is concerned, the park looked like the answer to a lot of prayers.