Due to the restrictions limiting gatherings, these hearings were conducted mostly online and by phone conferencing. The hearings were streamed via Facebook Live and the video was posted to our website. In an effort to better inform citizens about the public hearings, we are releasing a recap or description of each hearing below.

The county also set up a voicemail box to accept public comments for the Board of Commissioners meetings and public hearings. You can now call, 252-926-5288, to leave a public comment. We will continue to utilize this voicemail as an option to accept public comments from citizens that cannot attend meetings or hearings in the future.

Board of Equalization and Review

The Hyde County Board of Equalization and Review convened on May 4, 2020 at 5:00pm and are currently in recess. They will reconvene on May 14, 2020 at 5:00pm and again on June 1, 2020 at 5:00pm. Any changes to the meeting schedule will be promptly advertised.

The board hears and judges appeals to the 2020 Property Tax Valuations.

For a FAQ on the appeals process go to https://bit.ly/2AsVV3v

Your 2020 Property Valuation can be viewed by using the Online Hyde County Property Record Search at:

http://lrcpwa.ncptscloud.com/Hyde/

Real estate appeals will be accepted for the 2020 tax year until the Hyde County Board of Equalization and Review adjourns on June 1, 2020. To file an appeal of your 2020 property valuation, go to 

https://forms.gle/korqmr8K81yYf7gC7 or call the tax office at 252-926-4469.

Flood Maps and Hyde County Flood Ordinance

A Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) has been completed for Hyde County. Hyde County's new flood maps will become effective on June 1, 2020 and upon that date, FEMA and Hyde County Building Inspections will begin to use the new flood maps. These maps can be viewed at https://fris.nc.gov/fris 

Significant changes exist between the previous flood maps and the new flood maps, and for the majority of Hyde County flood elevations have been lowered. Hyde County can and intends to adopt a Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance that requires new constructions and building elevations be higher than the new flood maps recommend.    The Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance can be found and reviewed at    http://www.hydecountync.gov/departments/building_inspections.php

The Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance will add an additional freeboard requirement. Freeboard is a factor of safety usually expressed in feet above a flood level for purposes of floodplain management. Freeboard results in significantly lower flood insurance rates due to lower flood risk.

Public hearings have been advertised and held at the March, April and May Board of Commissioners meetings. On June 1, 2020 at 6:00pm in conjunction with the regular Hyde County Board of Commissioners meeting, a final public hearing will be held and the board will vote to adopt the flood maps and the new flood ordinance. Public comments on the ordinance can also be emailed to lstotesberry@hydecountync.gov

Amendments to the Ocracoke Development Ordinance

Following Hurricane Dorian, the Ocracoke Planning Advisory Board recommended changes to two sections of the Ocracoke Development Ordinance. These changes were recommended to help with the ongoing rebuilding effort in Ocracoke.

It was recommend that Section 36-173, Table of Nonconforming Structures, be changed from 180 days to 365 days. It would now read as, "Any destroyed nonconforming building may be rebuilt to its original dimensions if a permit for rebuilding is applied for within 365 days from the date of destruction. Thereafter, it shall not be rebuilt, except in conformity with the development standards of this article."

It was also recommended that in Section 36-174, the Table of Development Standards footnote be amended to add church steeples. It would now read as, "No structure or appurtenance attached to any structure, except chimneys, antennas, church steeples and weather instruments shall exceed the 35 feet maximum building height and no exempted structure shall exceed 40 feet." 

The Hyde County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing to discuss these changes on May 4, 2020 at 6:00pm. Afterwards, they voted unanimously to adopt the recommended changes.

**Video of the public hearings conducted during the May 4, 2020 Board of Commissioners meeting can be viewed here:

 http://www.hydecountync.gov/newsdetail_T73_R2389.php  The hearing on Amendments to the Ocracoke Development Ordinance starts at minute 5:00 and the hearing on the Flood Prevention Ordinance starts at minute 10:49.**