Dare County has announced the recent promotion of Noah Gillam to the position of planning director. Gillam, who began working as a planner for the Dare County Planning Department in September 2015 and has served as assistant planning director since July 2019, was promoted to the position following the retirement of long-time planning director Donna Creef on January 31, 2022.
“I had superior guidance from Donna Creef, and her long tenure with the county helped pave a path for me to follow,” said Gillam. “With hers and others’ support and experience on the planning staff, I was able to learn the ins and outs of development and zoning in Dare County in a way that citizens of Dare County have come to know and trust.”
Having graduated from East Carolina University in 2011, Gillam holds a Bachelor of Science degree in urban and regional planning with a concentration in coastal and environmental planning that he has utilized extensively during his nearly seven years of employment with Dare County.
“I wanted to use my degree and expand my knowledge of planning and development in a coastal community while being able to help the community that I wanted to live in and be an active member of,” he said.
In his new role as planning director, Gillam will work closely with the Dare County Board of Commissioners and the Dare County community to ensure that the Dare County Zoning Ordinance is properly enforced and stays up to date with the current demands of development while also ensuring the protection of the county’s citizens, economy and natural resources.
In addition, Gillam will also be responsible for reviewing site plans, surveys, zoning proposals and permit applications; supervising the enforcement of building, zoning and environmental codes; as well as overseeing storm recovery and reconstruction activities and assisting with the performance of damage assessments.
According to Gillam, one particular aspect of his new position that he considers to be of the utmost importance is maintaining the county’s resilience against the many natural hazards that threaten to impact the coastal community each year—a mission that the Dare County Planning Department achieves by working diligently to promote flood hazard awareness and by implementing a variety of floodplain management and mitigation activities throughout the Outer Banks community.
Gillam also intends to continue Dare County’s extensive and ongoing efforts to ensure that a balance exists between responsible development and the protection of the county’s public lands and abundance of natural resources—as well as to help maintain the unique charm that sets the area apart from so many other coastal communities.
“I hope to continue to work to make Dare County a desirable place to live and work while protecting its natural beauty and resources and keeping the down-home feeling that we all have come to know and love,” he said.