DARE COUNTY, N.C. — Beginning Monday, some people who own property in Dare County -- but who don't live there year-round -- were allowed to return to the area.
“We need to restart the economy and this is the first step towards that,” explained Outer Banks Visitors Bureau executive director, Lee Nettles.
The county is allowing re-entry based on the alphabetical order of property owners' last names. On Monday, people whose last names started with "A" through "I" were allowed to return (if they had the proper permission from the county).
“It’s really great to see the cars going by, people are waving. They were waving their hands and honking their horns. They are happy to be here and we are happy to have them,” local Douglas Brindley explained.
Brindley and several other local business owners who do live there were standing by to welcome them with brightly painted signs as they entered the county.
Brindley owns Brindley Beach Vacations. He said the Outer Banks heavily relies on tourism, especially in the summer.
“If you don’t work for the government or you don’t work for the school system -- which is the government -- you don’t have a job on the Outer Banks,” he said. “All of our businesses are related to the guests and the owners who are coming in here.”
Dare County restricted access for non-residents for weeks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. County health officials reported only 15 cases of coronavirus, and of those people, 14 recovered.
The warm greeting from people who live in Dare County came about a week after some people who had out-of-state license plates found unwelcoming flyers on their cars and at their homes.
The staggered reopening for non-resident property owners will stretch through May 8. On Wednesday, qualifying homeowners with last names that start with "J" through "R" can enter the county, and on Friday, the same goes for people whose last names start with "S" through "Z."
So far, officials have not said when vacationers or visitors are welcomed back.