Posted on May 13, 2026
Dare County commissioners approved plans Monday to move forward with a larger beach nourishment project in Buxton, after lower-than-expected financing costs and growing confidence in pending FEMA reimbursement opened the door for additional sand placement.
The Dare County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved expanding the Buxton project to the full permitted volume of two million cubic yards of sand during a special meeting Monday morning.
County Manager Bobby Outten told commissioners the county originally planned either a 1.3 million cubic yard project or a two million cubic yard project if FEMA funding materialized.
But improved financing terms and additional revenue in the county’s beach nourishment fund now allow the county to proceed with the larger project even before FEMA money is formally obligated.
“We’ve worked hard with FEMA, through lots of sources, to try to get the FEMA money,” Outten said. “It looks like now we’re close and very optimistic that we would get the FEMA money. Just don’t know when.”
Finance Director Matthew Motyka said the county’s financing bids came in below initial projections, giving the project additional borrowing capacity.
Motyka said the county received a 3.41% interest rate for straight five-year amortization financing and 3.62% for financing that includes a call option allowing the county to pay off debt early if FEMA funds arrive.
The county expects FEMA reimbursement could total roughly $30 million tied to storm-related erosion damages in Buxton.
Motyka said the county evaluated the possibility of completing a smaller nourishment effort now and returning later for another project but determined that option would be significantly more expensive because mobilization costs alone total approximately $12 million.
“The downside of doing that is that you have to pay the mobilization twice,” Motyka told commissioners.
The overall beach nourishment package includes projects in Buxton, Avon and Nags Head totaling just under $63 million.
Motyka said the Buxton project alone is estimated at about $42.2 million, while Avon totals approximately $7.7 million, and the county’s portion of the Nags Head project is estimated at roughly $13.1 million, including financing and issuance costs.
Nags Head is paying the rest of the cost for their $36.4 million project that is slated to begin by the end of the month.
The county also approved authorization for staff to finalize and execute related capital project ordinances once financing figures are completed.
Commissioner Ervin Bateman praised county staff for structuring the financing in a way that allowed the county to expand the project.
“I just think this is outstanding, that we were able to do this, because Buxton definitely needs it,” Bateman said.
Outten said Great Lakes Dredge & Dock is already mobilizing equipment in Avon and is expected to begin work there before the end of May. Work in Buxton is expected to begin around the second week of June.
The county is also continuing work on the proposed terminal groin project in Buxton, with construction bids expected to come before commissioners in June.
The Buxton groin repair project involves the rehabilitation of approximately 640 linear feet of the existing groin structure near the former location of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton.
The work includes removing old debris and deteriorated sheet piling, installing new PZ-40 steel sheet piles, placing thousands of tons of armor stone, and installing marine mattresses designed to reduce scouring and rock slumping.
Although permits for the groin project have not yet been finalized, Outten said county officials expect approvals soon and plan to move forward simultaneously with nourishment operations rather than delaying beach work.
Commissioners also approved the county’s annual audit contract during Monday’s meeting. Motyka said the agreement marks the fourth year of a previously negotiated multi-year arrangement with the county’s auditing firm.
