There will be no improvements to the unpaved roads north of Corolla unless residents of the remote Outer Banks area want them, Currituck commissioners said this week.

In addition, commissioners will not push for creation of a service district in Carova and Swan beaches.

The county's new board is moving in a different direction from the previous one, which favored grading Sandfiddler Road, and in 2005 supported a 2-cent increase in the occupancy tax rate, partly to finance road improvements in the off-road area.

Earlier this week, County Attorney Kate McKenzie said improvements to Sandfiddler Road could help take traffic off the beaches. She said the county did not have the power to build or improve roads, but commissioners in coastal counties are able to set up service districts for "street maintenance."

McKenzie said a public meeting was held in 2001 on the creation of a service district north of Corolla. Commissioners ultimately rejected the move, however, after more than 150 residents signed a petition against the proposal. Most of those opposed to the proposal feared it would spark further development on the northern Outer Banks.

On Monday, Gene Gregory, the commission board's vice chairman, said creation of a service district made little sense if residents oppose it.

"I would hate to do this unless we had overwhelming support from the residents up there," Gregory said.

Barry Nelms, the board's chairman, said "every single person" he had spoken to in Carova Beach had been opposed to road improvements. He also said there would be little point pursuing a service district there.

Commissioner Owen Etheridge, however, pointed out that road improvements on the northern beaches were one reason the previous commission board agreed to the increase in occupancy taxes.

Although no vote was taken, the board's consensus was that the county would not proceed with a service district.

Fruitville Township Commissioner Ernie Bowden, who has repeatedly called for road improvements to eliminate conflicts between beach users and motorists, did not attend Monday's meeting.

Tom Hudak, president of Fruitville Beach Civic Association, welcomed the board's new stance.

"Folks have never been in favor of the service district and have viewed it with distrust," he said. "By taking traffic off the beach it will be put in the middle of the community. We were concerned it would lead to further development."