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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Use Plan Update Environmental Resources & Constraints-1991 -Environmental Resources & Constraints in W. Hanover Cou_ n_ ty ;December 4991 New Hanover County Planning Department - .-Dexter Hayes; Director ,Patrick Lowe. Assistant Director Staff Planners Walter "Pee" Avery Wanda Coston Sam Burgess Chris O'Keefe ' CAMA'Intern JoAnne Shadrout Administrative -Secretary Phoebe Saavedra Graphics Planning Teci*.nician Lisa Elaine Home New Hanover ,County Board of Commissioners E. L: "Matt" Mathews, C' iairman „- _ .,Robert G., Greer, Vice Chairina_ n Jonathan Barfield FredfRetchin i - William H Sutton .v Planning.Board Members ; i EarnestPuskas, Chairman71 - Kenneth A--Shanklin, Vice Chairman Robert McDonald Wesley 0: Nixon ► - William Grathwol C. Richard Boisky Charles R. Howell - ` The prcpanUm of thu docsmeat wa fmaoced m part, through a CUKW Aroa AmagemeotAd Y t ) t J grAl the North Cara= Caasta! t Pd� by.the p±�+m. through Funds provaui by the Coastal Zme btamgemem Ad 14T2; r amended,. which is admk6teeed by the Office of Ocean and Caeshal Resouros Marogemeot. Namaoal OoaanicaodAW—pbe-Ad-kkh*m Environmental Resources & Constraints in New Hanover County December 1991 Wilmington - New Hanover County Land Use Plan Update_ X C U Preface The Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), enacted in 1974 by the North Carolina General Assembly, requires that the 20 coastal counties of the state prepare land use plans. These plans provide a framework used to guide local leaders as they make decisions for the protection, preservation, orderly development and management of the North Carolina coastal area. The original CAMA Land Use Plan for New Hanover County was adopted in 1976. Updates to the plan are required by CAMA on five year intervals This report is part of the third plan update (1981, 1986 and 1991) performed in conjunction with the Wilmington -New Hanover Comprehensive Planning Program, initiated in 1974. Inaccordancewith CAMA requirements, the land useplan consists ofthefollowing elements: 1.) Summary of data collection and analysis; 2.) Existing land use map; 3.) Policy discussion; 4.) Land classification map. This information plays an important role in the formulation of local development regulations, such as zoning ordinances, and it provides input for growth policy decisions. These reports also provide useful data to the public and private sector in considering development proposals. Table of Contents I. WATER RESOURCES 1 A. Groundwater 1 1. Physical Characteristics I 2. Yield and Hydraulic Characteristics 2 3. Groundwater Quality 2 4. Groundwater Classes 4 B. Surface Water 5 1. The Cape Fear River 5 a. Quality of Use by the City 5 b. River Quality 5 c. Drinking Water Treatment 8 2. Environmental Quality Factors 9 a. Commercial Resources 9 b. Degradation Sources 9 i. Septic Systems 9 ii. Urban Runoff 10 iii. Point Source Discharges 10 O 3. Surface Water Quality Classes 16 a. Fresh Waters 16 b. Tidal Salt Waters 16 c. Supplemental Cases 17 II. FRAGILE AREAS 17 A. County Classification 19 I. Swamp Forests 19 2. Pocosins 19 3. Savannahs 19 4. Ponds 19 5. Fresh Marsh 20 6. Brackish Marsh 20 7. Barrier Island -Beach Complex 20 8. Maritime Shrub Thickets 20 9. Salt Marsh 20 10. Primary Nursery Areas 21 11. Animal and Plant Natural Areas of Special Significance 21 12. Significant Historical, Archaeological, and Architectural Sites 21 B. State Classification 21 1. The Estuarine System 22 O a. Coastal Wetlands b. Estuarine Waters 22 22 c. Public Trust Areas 22 d. Estuarine Shorelines 22 Table of Contents Continued... 2. Ocean Hazard System 3. Public Water Supplies 4. Natural and Cultural Resource Areas C. Federal Classification III. HAZARD AREAS A. Ocean Hazard System 1. Ocean Erodible Areas 2. High Hazard Flood Areas 3. Inlet Hazard Areas B. Floodplains C. New Hanover County International Airport D. Industrial Hazards E. Sea Level Rise IV. ' SOILS V. AIR QUALITY VI. RESOURCE POTENTIAL AREAS A. Prime Farmland B. Forestry Resources C. Mineral Resources Sites D. Public Land VII. REFERENCES CITED. 22 22- 22 23 23 23 23 24 24 24 24 25 26 28 28 29 29 30 31 31 35 w 101 G List of Figures Figure 1. AquiferSensitivity........................................................................................................ 3 Figure 2. PrimaryNursery Areas ................................................................................................ 12 Figure 3. ClosedShellfish Beds.................................................................................................. 13 Figure 4. Permitted Point Source Discharge (NPDES) Sites ........................................................ 14 Figure 5. Permitted Point Source Nondischarge Sites................................................................. 15 Figure 6. Surface Water Quality Classes..................................................................................... 18 Figure 7. IndustrialSites............................................................................................................ 27 Figure 8. Suitable Prime Farmland and Additional Farmland Areas ............................................ 32 Figure 9. ForestResources......................................................................................................... 33 Figure 10. Parksand Public Lands............................................................................................... 34 List of Tables Table 1. Water Quality Index (WQI) Scores for Stations in or near New Hanover County.............::................................................... 6 Table 2. New Hanover County Finfish and Shellfish Landings .................................................. 11 Environmental Resources and Constraints in New Hanover County This document is the 1991 update to the 1986 "Environmental Resources and Constraints of New Hanover County", one of the technical reports of the Coastal Area Management Act (LAMA) Land Use Plan. The purpose of this technical report is to describe and discuss the environmental resources and constraints that will be instrumental in shaping the direction, type and rate of O growth in New Hanover County. This report examines water resources, fragile areas, hazard areas, soils, air quality, and resource potential areas. ' I. WATER RESOURCES Water resources in the County can be broken down into groundwater and surface water systems, although it is important to note that water moves with limited restrictions between the two systems. Approximately 54% of the population of New Hanover County receives their water supply from groundwater and 46% receive their water from the Cape Fear River. The County report, "Drinking Water in New Hanover County" (1989), summarizes the various water systems currently utilized by County residents and examines some of the factors associated with possible implementation of a county -wide water system. A. Groundwater 1. Physical Characteristics The County's fresh groundwater system consists primarily ofanear-surface, unconfined aquifer and two deeper, confined aquifers. The unconfined aquifer is generally sandy and wells exposed to it range in depth from approximately 20 to 75 feet. The two deeper confined aquifers are composed of limestone and sandstone, respectively. Wells exposed to these Oaquifers range in depth from about 75 to 200 feet. Wells deeper than 200 feet will usually yield brackish water. These confined aquifers slope southeastward from where they Figure I located approach the surface in the Castle Hayne and Wrightsboro areas (delineated as area 2 in page 3. Figure 1), and extend in the subsurface to a maximum depth of two hundred feet along the coast. The degree of connectivity between all of these aquifers varies considerably. 2. Yield and Hydraulic Characteristics Very little information is available on the attributes of the near surface, unconfined aquifer. As a general rule, the water yield from a shallow well is sufficient to supply a single family residence on a 1/3 acre lot. However, in the industrial corridor along Highway 421, where the unconfined aquifer is thick and composed of coarse -grained sand, a large well can produce two to four hundred gallons per minute (gpnr) on a 24 hour sustained yield. Due to its shallow depth and transmissive nature, this aquifer is extremely vulnerable to pollution. The confined aquifers are the principally -used aquifers in the County. It has been roughly estimated by N.C. Department of Environmental Management staff from the Groundwater Section that approximately 71.7 million gallons per day (gpd) of groundwater are available on a continually sustained basis for the entire County. Sustained yields in any one area may be between 200,000 to 2,000,000 gpd per square mile. Althoughthe amountof groundwaterutilized across New Hanover County has not been documented since 1980, a shift in usage has occurred and should be noted. As a result of annexations, many residential areas are now utilizing City water rather than groundwater systems, thus decreasing residential usage. However, the continued development of the Beach towns and new golf course projects, both of which utilize groundwater, have increased commercial usage. The extent of these changes and the total amount of groundwater being used is not available to date. Utilizing estimates based on the 1980 usage figures, if it is assumed that the average per capita use is approximately 140 gallons per day, the County's groundwater system could theoretically support a maximum population of approximately 441,000 ( "Drinking Water in New Hanover County",1989). 3. Groundwater Quality Presently, the County's groundwater system is still relatively free of pollution but there are a growing number of incidents of contamination. As of January 1991, approximately eighty incidents of contamination had been documented, most of which are associated with accidental industrial spills or leaking storage tanks. These sites are located throughout the county but are somewhat more abundant in the northern part. Two sites in New Hanover County have been identified as State Priority Sites due to the size of their contamination plumes; however, one of these sites does not affect the deep aquifer system. Both sites are located in the northern part of the county and are being monitored. The aquifer in the Flemington area has become polluted, resulting in the County's provision of a small 280,000 gpd system. A well monitoring system has been established for this area to determine the extent of groundwater impacts. The natural quality of the near -surface, unconfined aquifer system is extremely variable. Generally, it is characterized by the presence of carbon dioxide and sodium, AN K EO To BISGAW NEW HANOVER COUNTY TO Cimn%)N .{j. O •� , `'2 ` ` • ®'� 1 ` 1 or 2 * To JACKaOrMu.E �,� 1- •� � ,� lor6 TO V/Hnzvn.LE "� „+i MASON IN18T Wilmington t,yr WRIGHTSVTn t E BEACH IN ••' 'i MASONROROINIET • J ' ` - AQUIFER SENSITIVITY ,�•� January 1991. Primary recharge area of principal aquifers I (combined Castle Hayne and Peedee i0 Q aquifers -confined artesian ° CAROUNA REACH a1E7 2 Secondary recharge areas for Castle Hayne or Peedee where occurring near land surface under water -table conditions JC. Recharge area of Sandhill aquifer -water -table CAROUNA BEACH conditions Chiefly a discharge area for ground -water I now KEME BEACH Nondescript area -a relatively poor aquifer and not a recharge source of principal ( aquifers A shallow water -table sand aquifer and Qunderlying 6 artesian aquifer containing fresh Q� water over salty water Approximate Scale 1' - 3 MGles 0 NEW 1NU:T 3 Figure 1 located page 3. n IN resulting in an acidic, soft, and slightly corrosive water quality. Iron content can range from none to high. The deep, confined aquifers are characterized by the presence of calcium bicarbonate, resulting in a typically hard quality of water, with a basic ph. The unconfined aquifer is recharged by rainfall. In turn, water in the shallow aquifer eventually moves down into the deep aquifer system. The deep aquifer has a primary and a secondary recharge area as shown in Figure 1. The primary recharge area is where the greatest quantity of recharge takes place. The secondary recharge area, though smaller in area, is more vulnerable to pollution due to its shallow depth. Thus, it has become increasingly important to closely control and monitor development activities within that recharge area. A bond referendum for a county -wide water system using the deep aquifer system failedin 1979. Ifsuch a system were eventually developed, ithas been proposed that the wells - be located in the east central part of the County. 4. Groundwater Classes The State has classified all groundwaters for purposes of monitoring and regulation. The different classes are defined in teens of depth, salinity and best possible use. The classes in New Hanover County include the following: a. GA -These waters can be best used fordrinking and food preparation without treatment, except that necessary to correct naturally occurring conditions. They have a chloride content less than 250 milligrams per liter (mgll) and begin at the top of the near -surface water table, generally at depths of about 10 feet. b. GSA -These waters are similarto GA waters except that they have a chloride concentration greater than 250 mg/1 and cannot be used for drinking without reduction of salinity. c. GC -This class includes those groundwaters that do not meet quality criteria of GA or GSA waters and for which efforts to restore these waters to a higher classification, while still in place, would not be feasible or in the best interest of the public. The North Carolina Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources has developed extensive standards for regulating pollution ofthese different waterclasses. These water quality standards deal with maximum allowable concentrations of heavy minerals," bacteria and synthetic organic compounds. The regulations do allow some degradation of the groundwater resources; however, degradation is not allowed beyond either established compliance boundaries orproperty boundaries. It is the intent of the regulations to preserve the quality of the groundwaters and allow no degradation of any class below the standards established for that class. 4 B. Surface Water 1. The Cape Fear River a. Quantity of Water Use by the City of Wilmington City of Wilmington residents and certain residents in the unincorporated County are presently served by a municipally owned and operated water system utilizing raw water from the Cape Fear River pumped from King's Bluff, approximately 23 miles northwest of the City. The design capacity of the City's pumping system and filtration plant is 15 million gallons per day (gpd). This system presently is operating at approximately 75-85% design capacity, satisfying average daily demands ranging generally from 9.0 million to 13 million .tom• It is anticipated that the system will be expanded, providing an additional 10 million gpd within the next three years, as a result of a March 1991, City Bond Referendum. The need for expansion results from increased demands on the current system due to recent annexations, extension of water lines beyond the City, and projected commercial and industrial growth. The additional water will be pumped from the Lower Cape FearRiver by the Lower Cape Fear Water and Sewer Authority. The entire Cape Fear River basin covers an area of 9,140 square miles and is the largest river basin in the State. The lower Cape Fear basin covers an area of about 5,995 square miles and includes all or portions of 13 counties. b. River Quality Several water quality studies have been done on the lower Cape Fear River. In a 1982 study, "North Carolina Water Quality Inventory" by the N.C. Division of Environmental Management (DEM), the lower Cape Fear River basin was found to have a generally low waterquality as compared to otherriver basins in the state. Table 1 gives Water Quality Index (WQI) scores for three sites on the river near the County. The WQI is a rating based on the parameters of temperature, dissolved oxygen, ph (acidity), fecal coliforms, nutrients, organic toxicity, and inorganic toxicity. The WQI has a range of 0 to 100, with any score greater than 20 indicating a violation of standards for the parameters. A score of 1 to 20 is considered "good". Although it is difficult to generalize from these ratings due to variable sampling conditions, the study did indicate that water quality on the Northeast Cape Fear and the Cape Fear Rivers could not be considered completely "good". DEM cited a lack of adequate dissolved oxygen in the waterand the presence of inorganic toxics as being problem elements at these stations. Inorganic toxics included zinc, lead, copper, mercury, cadmium, chromium and arsenic. Table I located page 6. 0 In 1984, a study was done by the School of Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill entitled 5 X 181 TABLE 1 Water Quality Index (WQI)* Scores for Stations in or near New Hanover County Average Average Worst Station Year Annual WQI Three Months Cape Fear River 1980 26 37 near Kelly, NC 1981 26 27 Cape Fear River 1980 NA NA several miles south of Wilmington 1981 35 63 Cape Fear River 1980 48 57 at Snow's Cut 1981 30 37 The WQI is a rating based on a range of physical parameters. Any score between 1 and 20 is considered good and any score greater than 20 indicates a violation. go O "A Survey of Potential Population Exposures to Chemical Contaminants Present in Unprotected Surface WaterSupplies in North Carolina". The study indicated that the Cape Fear River basin was second highest out of 17 North Carolina river basins studied in terms of the number of point source pollutant discharges, e.g. industrial or domestic waste treatment discharges. In terms of the number of point source discharges upstream, the City of Wilmington was sixth highest out of 156 communities that use surface water supplies, with a total of 296 upstream discharges. For the purpose of comparison, Charlotte had 122 upstream dis- charges, Greensboro had eight, and Raleigh had 37. In addition to examining point source discharges, this UNC-Chapel Hill study estimated that the Cape Fear River basin was second highest out of the 17 river basins studied in terms of the estimated annual use of agricultural pesticides in its basin. This amount equaled approximately 4,814,000 pounds per year or nearly 18% of the total used in the State at the time of the study. It is important to note that this study does not attempt to go beyond estimating the number of point source discharges and the amount of agricultural pesticides used within the river basin. No effort was made to measure their impact on the water supply systems. These impacts area function of distance between the discharge point and the receiving water supply, the type of discharge and flow conditions. Forinstance, approximately 45% of the pesticides O used are herbicides, which tend to break down fairly rapidly. In North Carolina, all named streams have been classified as to their "best usage". In a recent study, "Water Quality Progress in North Carolina" (1988) by the Division of Environmental Management, it is shown that for streams and rivers in the state, 60.6`Io support their uses, 24.8% partially support and 4.7% do not support their uses (9.9% were not evaluated). This "use support" classification is based upon water chemistry data and involves computing percentages of the values in violation of applicable North Carolina standards. For example, `fully supporting" is defined as standards exceedances less than or equal to 10% of the total observations with the meanof measurements less than the standard. By comparison, species richness values are calculated for three groups of pollution intolerant benthic fauna. These biological classifications generally correspond to the "use support" rankings; poor = not supporting, fair = partially supporting, good -fair = support threatened, good -excellent = supporting. For the total Cape Fear River basin "stream miles" (6,189 miles), this 1988 DEM study shows that 34.6% fully support, 20.5% fully support -threatened, 28.2% partially support, and 7.8% do not support their uses (9.0% were not evaluated). The major sources (reasons) for partially- and nonsupporting streams for the Cape Fear River are municipal waste water treatment plants (WWTP) (9.1 %), unknown nonpoint sources (42.1 %), agricultural runoff (34.8%), urban runoff (9.9%) and industrial WWTP's (3.1). The major causes of the degradation are undifferentiated (18.0%), multiple (18.0%) and sediment (54.1 %). This Oreport states that there were 391 active permitted surface water discharges in the basin, an increase of 25% since 1984. 7 Of the tidal saltwaterestuaries and sounds in the Cape FearRiver basin, this 1988 DEM study shows that 90.9% fully support and 9.1 % partially support their uses. Most of the partially supporting areas are in the Lower Cape Fear River, near Southport and Wrightsville Beach. Major causes of partially supporting streams are largely sediment and fecal coliforms. By comparison to otherrivers and streams in the state, the Cape Fear Riverranks neither in the highest percentages of supporting streams, nor in the lowest. Analyses for this report were based on benthic macroinvertebrate data, fish collection surveys, and various other biological, chemical, and physical data about the stream. Citizens of New Hanover County and Wilmington are concerned about the possible water quality impacts as more development occurs upstream. Stricter regulations may be forthcoming. In keeping with the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear River's status as Primary Nursery Areas, the Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources has proposed to reclassify these waters from "CSw" to "HQW" (note that these classes are defined below in the section titled "Surface Water Quality Classes" of this report). Should this reclassification be enacted, new and expanded discharges will be required to undergo advanced waste water treatment to achieve effluent limits of 5 mg/1 BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) and 2 mg/1 NH3-N (ammonia). This reclassification is currently under review. A large scale study, involving several local industries, the Committee of 100 (Wilm- ington Development, Inc.), and in cooperation with DEM, has been initiated to evaluate the current condition of the lower Cape Fear River. The results of the first phase of this study are expected to be available in the Spring of 1991. e. Drinking Water Treatment The City of Wilmington presently uses a multi -step treatment process for the drinking water supply. Alum is added to remove mud and other solids. Lime is added to reduce the acidity. The water is filtered to reduce turbidity. Chlorine is added in two separate steps to eliminate bacteria. Chlorine dioxide is added to control the formation of harmful disinfection by-products. For example, trihalomethanes (THM's) such as chloroform are generated when chlorine is added to water containing organics. These THM's are currently being monitored and regulated. Fluoride is added for dental care. A phosphate compound is added to reduce the water's corrosiveness. The City constantly monitors the water to ensure that applicable maximum limits for certain pesticides and heavy metals are not exceeded. According to the City, all standards have always been met. However, new and stricter regulations will require significant improvements in water treatment facilities and techniques, which may become very expensive. U K K 8 U pa Table 2 located page 11. Figure 2 located page 12. Figure 3 located page 13. 2. Environmental Quality Factors a. Commercial Resources , Waterquality constraints strongly influence the intensity and location of future growth. Maintenance of an adequate level of high quality surface water is extremely important to the County's economy and environment. Finfishing, shellfishing and clean water for recre- ational activities help support the areas high quality of life that is enjoyed by residents and tourists. Table Two contains the preliminary dockside value of finfish and shellfish which were reported for New Hanover County from 1979-1989. Note that these numbers and values represent landings, i.e. only the amount which was sold to commercial fish houses; thus. these amounts are extremely conservative. Figure 2 shows the location of Primary Nursery Areas (PNA's). These areas have been designated by the State as being highly conducive for juvenile habitat for marine species. Destruction of these areas, either physically by dredging and filling orby pollution, damages the ecosystem, decreases or eliminates certain economically valuable sport and commercial fishing and reduces the overall attractiveness of the County and it's adjacent waters. Figure 3 indicates where shellfish beds are closed as a result of pollution. This designation declares it unlawful to possess, sell or take oysters, clams or mussels in these areas. These closed beds are generally shown to be near the most developed areas of the waterfront, e.g. near dense subdivisions, marinas, and waste treatment plant outfalls. Historically, once an area has been closed, it is likely that the closure will become permanent. Note that the extent of closure surrounding marinas is dependent on size and other characteristics of the marina. b. Degradation Sources There are basically three sources of pollution that influence waterquality: septic system pollution, urban runoff and waste treatment and disposal systems. L Septic systems - Septic system failure can result from septic systems that are inadequately designed, placed in poor soils, or inadequately maintained. The result may be leaching of untreated or partially treated domestic waste into surface waters. Now that more stringent regulations and setbacks are in place governing septic tank installation, the more common causes of septic tank failure are attributed to unsuitable soil conditions and users exceeding the system design capability. In a 1982 report, "The Impact of Septic Tanks on Shellfish Waters", DEM demon- strated that shellfish beds on New Hanover County creeks tend to become closed if septic system density exceeds one system per seven acres. With the increasing intensity of development this "seven acre" ideal situation is not feasible. However, with improved design and installation, negative environmental impacts of these systems can be mitigated. It should be noted that the construction of the County -wide sewer system will also help to reduce, if not eliminate, this particular problem. 6 ii. Urban runoff - Urban runoff pollution is a rather broad term used to describe a number of sources and types .of pollution. Urban runoff includes the washing off of petroleum products, animal wastes, and other debris from roads, parking lots and roofs; runoff of lawn pesticides and fertilizer; and the intrusion of large "slugs" of freshwater and sediment -laden water from impervious surfaces which upset the estuarine salinity and turbidity balance. A special case of urban runoff is marina operations which not only involve runoff pollution and freshwater intrusion from impervious surfaces, but also petroleum product leakage and wastewater flushing from boats. Urban runoff has been drawing considerable attention from regulatory agencies in recent years as development pressure on lands adjacent to state coastal waters continues and recreational -type uses increase. These problems are collectively referred to as stormwater management issues. The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission, which is responsible for the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) permitting of coastal and estuarine development, has adopted, along with the Division of Environmental Management, water quality policies to handle stormwater management issues. These policies include limits and guidelines on such topics as percentage of impervious surfaces, setback distances, configuration of drainage ditches and the type of drainage systems permitted. According to the State's stormwater regulations, any development which requires a Sedimentation and Erosion Control Plan, as required by the county in situations where greater than one acre is developed, must also satisfy the state's stormwater guidelines. Those developments greater than five acres must obtain a state permit to discharge stormwaters into surface waters. In 1990, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began requiring that municipalities and most industries apply fora permit for point source storm water discharges to state waters or to separate storm water systems. The intent of the new legislation is to monitor and more closely control pollution impacts associated with storm water discharges. Cities, towns and counties that operate facilities with certain industrial activities must apply for the permits. In New Hanover County, this includes vehicle maintenance facilities, landfills, wastewater treatment plants, airports, "waste to energy" facilities and certain wastewater sludge disposal facilities. New Hanover County adopted a Conservation Overlay District (COD) in 1984 as part of the Zoning Ordinance. This plan is further described below in the section titled, "Fragile Areas". The COD regulations can significantly reduce urban runoff pollution by utilizing stormwater retention, buffer strips, setbacks and the preservation of wetlands in their natural state. iii. Waste treatment and disposal systems - Figures 4 and 5 show the approximate location of waste treatment and disposal systems in the County. A minimum discharge rate of 2,000 gallons per day was used as the cutoff value. Figure 4 located page 14, Figure 5 located page 15. U 10 K III TABLE 2 New Hanover County Finfish and Shellfish Landings` Finfish Pounds Value Shellfish Pounds Value County Total Pounds Value 1989 1,419,865 $1,404,161 610,226 $1,512,483 2,030,091 $2,916,644 1988 908,522 906,630 364,833 1,056,548 1,273,355 1,963,178 1987 876,159 840,538 398,586 1,987,396 1,474,745 2,827,934 1986 1,089,543 1,006,738 467,306 1,050,759 1,556,849 2,056,497 1985 798,978 694,858 240,259 479,015 1,039,237 1,173,873 1984 1,021,759 847,161 579,404 1,021,849 1,601,163 1,869,010 1983 928,812 647,375 623,020 963,578 1,551,832 1,610,953 1982 1,412,155 1,500,453 607,500 1,034,845 3,000,800 2,535,298 1981 1,728,819 1,242,152 673,353 902,248 2,402,172 2,144,400 1980 2,086,460 1,127,507 1,054,335 1,643,000 3,140,795 2,770,507 1979 2,393,300 1,500,453 607,500 1,034,845 3,000,800 2,535,298 * These data are preliminary dockside values obtained from the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries. Amounts are extremely conservative, including only the amounts that are sold to commercial fish houses. * These values are annual totals and have not been adjusted to reflect current dollar value. 11 NEW HANOVER COUNTY 101 w TO CLvMN _11 TO WHIMILLE --% Wilmington OApproximate Scale 1' - 3 Miles CAROLINA BEACH Mur CAROLINA BEACH �\ TO JACKSONVILLE WRICHTSVILLE BEACH MASONHORO INLET 12 70 BURGAw NEW HANOVER COUNTY O73 CLUMN _IN Wilmington C I� Q !o Q WOUNA BEACH BILU Jos'`•. CAROLtHA !EACH r;-.�::. KURE BEACH .--- �:;:;. OApproximate Scale Q�} 1' . 3 NMIeS 0 NM INUT 13 ,\ TO JACSSONV[LLE CLOSED SHELLFISH BEDS January 1991 Prohibited Areas • Marina NOTE. Areas subject to enlargement or re- duction as conditions change. Extent of closure surrounding marinas is dependent on size and other characteristics of each marina. TO Et1RCAW NEW HANOVER COUNTY TO CLIMON \\ _ -IN To VanTEVILLE --% Wilmington Approximate Scale 1' - 3 Mies v, ° r - �o Q ° I CAROUNA BEACH INLET wrvcvr CAROLINA BEACH �I A : I KIIRE BEACH NEW /AZFT �\ TO ,MCKSONVILLE PERMITTED POINT SOURCE DISCHARGE (NPDES) SITES January 1991 Industrial/Commercial Discharge (NPDES) Site • Residential Discharge (NPDES) Site 14 TO BtRGAW n V HANOVER COUNTY C TO CLVMN TO wiffrEVII1.E Wilmington N Approximate Scale t • - 3 N6les M@2vr es 7 � B r- !0 V Ip Q C I CAROUNA BEACH INLET �1 awr ■ GtOUNA BEACH �t j, t Q� 0 NEW INUsT TO JACMKV= P� 0 MASON INLET VMICSTSVU r e BEACH MASONBORO INLET PERMITTED NONDISCHARGE SITES January 1991 IndustriaVCommercial Nondischarge Site ie Residential Nondischarge Site 15 U Figure 6 located page 18. 01 There are two types of treatment and disposal systems: (1) "discharge systems" -those that discharge treated effluent into surface waters (which are regulated by DEM and require a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit) and are considered to be point source discharge sites: and, (2) "non -discharge systems" -those that disperse treated wastes onto the ground through spray irrigation orinto the ground using a subsurface disposal system (private systems are regulated by the CountyHealth Department and public systems are regulated by DEM and require an NPDES permit). Approximately two-thirds of these systems are from local industries, including several from licensed public utilities and privately operated waste treatment facilities. Approxi- mately one third handle domestic wastes from subdivisions. 3. Surface Water Quality Classes The State has classified the water quality of different surface waters in the County as shown in Figure 6. These classes are based upon the "best usage" for each water body, as determined through studies, evaluations and the holding of public hearings to consider the proposed classification schemes. Each class is subject to protection toward maintaining "best usage" and regulation of discharges into the waters. Note in Figure 6 that some of these waters have multiple supplemental classifications. More details on each class can be found in "Classifications and Water Quality Standards Assigned to the Waters of the Cape Fear River Basin" (1990) by the Division of Environmental Management. The areas shown are subject to change. a. Fresh Waters: Class WSIII waters can be found at only one location in the County, Toomer's Creek just north of the City. This means that the waters of Toomer's Creek could serve as an alternative source of drinking water for the City, assuming adequate treatment was provided. T000mer's Creek is sometimes used to supplement the Cape Fear River as a source of drinking water in emergency situations. Class B waters are used for primary recreation and other usage as specified by the C classification. Class C waters are those areas best used for aquatic life propagation and survival, fishing, wildlife, secondary recreation and agriculture. b. Tidal Salt Waters: Class SA waters are best used for commercial shellfishing and other uses specified by SB and SC. Many of the County's SA waters are also classed as Outstanding Resource Waters, described below. Class SB waters are bestused forprimary recreation and otheruses specified by the SC class. Class SC waters are best used for aquatic life propagation and survival, IR fishing, wildlife and secondary recreation. Note that shellfishing is not allowed in Class SC waters. c. Supplemental Classes: Swamp waters (Sw's) are waters which have low velocities and other natural characteristics which are different from adjacent streams. High Quality Waters (HQW's) are waters which arerated as excellent based on biological and physical or chemical characteristics through Division of Environmental Management monitoring or special studies. This class includes some Primary Nursery Areas (PNA's), critical habitat areas and special water supply watersheds. These areas, shown in Figure 6, are protected from significant water quality degradation in order to maintain existing uses of those waters. Activities such as development and new or expanded wastewater discharges into High Quality Waters are controlled by Federal Anti -degradation regulations. Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW's) are unique and special waters of exceptional state or national, recreational or ecological significance which require special protection to maintain existing areas. This designation, which applies to many SA waters in the County, requires that new development within 575 feet of the waters meet coastal stormwater management regulations as specified by DEM. For example, the built upon area for development within this 575 foot area is limited to 25 % of the parcel. The ORW designation also prohibits new or expanded discharges and new or expanded marinas. Also, additional stormwater control and land development restrictions may apply to areas with this classifi- cation. II. FRAGILE AREAS Fragile areas in the County cover a wide range of environmental resources, some of which have been briefly mentioned in previous sections of this report. There are County, State and Federal levels of classification and regulation schemes which apply to the fragile and hazard areas described below. Note that there is considerable overlap of the resource areas regulated by each level of government and some areas may fall under the auspices of all three. For example; a parcel of marsh may lie in an area described and mapped as part of the County's "Conservation Overlay District" and thus, be protected from certain levels of development. It may also be positioned along the estuarine system, thus designating it as part of the State's Coastal Wetlands Area of Environmental Concern (AEC)s and eligible for protection under the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) regulations. And finally, the parcel may be defined as a "404" Wetland and be protected by Section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act from being dredged or filled. Local regulations may be more stringent than federal regulations, but in all cases, the strictest regulations imposed on an area will apply. 17 TO BURGAW NEW HANOVER COUNTY s TO CLWMN _.\ TO WHfrEvnix Wilmina N Approximate Scale 1" s 3 Miles CAROUNA LEACH XUAE LEACH ,\ TO JACSSOPMLLE SURFACE WATER QUALITY CLASSES January 1991 ® SA SC SA/ORW BSw SB CSw SB# WSIII � SCSw ® SC/HOW# ® SC# These Water Classes are subject to protection toward maintaining "Best Usage". Formore com- plete definitions, see "Classifications and water quality standards assigned to the waters of the Cape Fear River Basin", Division of Environmen- tal Management, November,1990. 18 A. County Classification The County Zoning Ordinance established a Conservation Overlay District (COD) to help protect fragile areas through required preservation of 50% to 100% of the conservation resource, buffer strips and drainage controls. Setback distances range from 25 to 100 feet, depending on the COD classification. The fragile areas have been mapped on aerial photos and transparencies at a scale of 1" = 400'. The COD includes the following fragile areas, referred to as Conservation Resources in the Zoning Ordinance. These resources are more fully described in the County Planning Report, "Conservation Resources in New Hanover County", prepared in 1984 by wetlands consultant, David Dumond. 1. Swamp Forests Swamp forest communities occur along all major and many minor freshwater streams and rivers of the County. Swamp forests are also associated with pocosins located at heads of streams. Much of the swamp forest is subject to tidal influence. The major tracts of swamp forest are along the Northeast Cape Fear River and its tributaries. Swamp forests generally have a highly organic soil. Characteristic tree species include cypress, red maple, black gum, sweet gum, and swamp chestnut oak. Q2. Pocosins Pocosins, meaning "pond on a hill", make up the greatest acreage of any natural vegetation in the County. Pocosins include Carolina Bays, transition areas between swamp forests and upland areas, and any other broad, level terrain where wateris perched. Although the soil type may vary considerably, the County has expressed concern for those pocosins overlying highly organic soils. Pocosin vegetation usually consists of a scattered or diffuse canopy of pond or longleaf pine and a varied inventory of largely evergreen shrubs and briars, including fetter bush, several species of hollies and bays, and others. Venus fly traps and pitcherplants can be found in pocosins. - 3. Savannahs Savannahs, relatively rare in the County, are characterized by longleaf pine and wire grass. Periodic fires are instrumental in preventing this vegetation type from becoming pocosin. Venus fly traps, pitcher plants, orchids, and other relatively rare herbaceous plants are associated with savannahs. 4. Ponds Natural ponds are found throughout the County, usually where underlying marl has dissolved and the surface has slumped into the water table. Often less than an acre in size, they contain rare and diverse combinations of plants. Some County ponds contain loose 19 water milfoil and dwarf bladderwort, both listed as threatened species in North Carolina. These natural ponds are exceedingly fragile and vulnerable to impacts from recreational vehicle use and indiscriminate drainage. 5. Fresh Marsh Fresh water marsh occurs along the Northeast Cape Fear River and its tributaries and is associated with natural ponds. This type of marsh is characterized by pickerelweed, cattails, water willow, and other relatively salt intolerant species. 6. Brackish Marsh Brackish marshes intergrade between freshwater and saltwater marshes. They include most of the Cape Fear River marshes from Ness Creek south to Snow's Cut and are dominant at the headwaters of generally saline creeks such as Hewlett's and Whiskey Creeks. The characteristic species, in rough order of decreasing salinity preference, areblack needle rush, sawgrass, giant cordgrass, cattails, tearthumbs, and others. Brackish marsh also encom- passes the old rice fields north of Wilmington that were cultivated in the 1700s and 1800s. 7. Barrier Island -Beach Complex The barrier island -beach complex represents the linear shoreline islands fronting the Atlantic Ocean. They are composed of unconsolidated sand and, therefore, are unstable and vulnerable to hurricanes and natural erosion processes. Vegetation is generally sparse, consisting of such grass species as sea oats, beach grass, and coarse panic grass on the seaward dunes. Scattered woody vegetation, including yaupon holly, wax myrtle, and red cedar, may be found in more sheltered areas further back from the ocean. Barrier island -beach complexes include Zeke's Island and Masonboro Island, which are part of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve Program, the beach area south of Kure Beach, and Figure Eight Island. Zeke's Island is technically part of B nmswick County but is more accessible from New Hanover County. Masonboro Island is being purchased by the State of North Carolina and should remain under public control. 8. Maritime Shrub Thickets These thickets of shrubby vegetation are characterized by an alternately wet and dry environment, subject both to stone and spring high tides and to salt spray. The typical species is wax myrtle, with some silverling, lobolly pine, yaupon holly and live oak. These thickets also contain the northernmost extensions of the natural range of cabbage palm. 9. Salt Marsh Salt marsh occurs in the regularly saltwater flooded muck soils of estuarine streams and behind barrier islands. These well documented productive systems are characterized by smooth cordgrass, salt meadow cordgrass, salt grass and other saline tolerant species. N n 101 20 O10. Primary Nursery Areas (PNA's) Primary Nursery Areas, discussed in an earlier section of this report and shown in Figure 2, overlay much of the salt, brackish, and fresh marsh in the County. The location of Primary Nursery Areas is determined by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission. 11. Animal and Plant Natural Areas of Special Significance This class of fragile area includes important breeding animal locations (four sites), important animal and plant species locations (14 sites), potential natural areas (14 sites), and important community complexes (12 sites). 12. Significant Historical, Archaeological, and Architectural Sites The County has hundreds of historical and archaeological sites where either Native Americans or early settlers left evidence of their existence. Based on information provided by the North Carolina Department of Archives and History, 25 have been designated as significant. These sites tend to be located along the streams and rivers of the County. Such areas of special significance can be nominated as "Areas of Environmental Concern" (AEC's) as described by the Coastal Area Management Act (LAMA). If the site is designated as an AEC, the Coastal Resources Commission will either adopt a management plan or use Ostandards that apply to the site in order to preserve and protect the resource. The architectural resources of unincorporated New Hanover County plus Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure Beaches have been inventoried. Of those 197 structures which were examined,143 have been judged to be historically and/or architecturally significant. These have been described and photographed in the publication "Historic Architecture of New Hanover County, North Carolina" (1986), which is available forpurchase from the County Planning Department. Two structures, Mt. Lebanon Chapel and the Bradley -Latimer Summer Home, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Masonboro Sound Historic District is still under consideration for National Register listing. B. State Classification Due to the sensitive nature of the coastal region, the 1974 Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) directed the Coastal Resources Commission to involve local governments in preparing planning guidelines for each coastal county. The local governments are required to identify and designate "Areas of Environmental Concern" (AFC's) in order to control development which might cause irreversible damage to property, public health and the natural environment. CAMA authorization is required to develop or build within these areas and specific guidelines apply to each category. There are four categories of AEC, as described below. These are the Estuarine System, Ocean Hazard System, Public Water Supplies, and Natural and Cultural Resource Areas. These areas are described in greater O detail in "A Guide to Protecting Coastal Resources through the CAMA Permit Program" (1988) by Division the of Coastal Management. 21 1. The Estuarine System The Estuarine System is a complex, highly productive biotic system that contributes enormous social, economic, and biological values to North Carolina. Any project in the Coastal Wetland, Estuarine Waters or Public Trust Areas that requires a CAMA pen -nit must meet certain standards, as officially stated in Title 15, Subchapter 7H, Section .0208 of the . N.C. Administrative Code. a. Coastal Wetlands - These wetlands include any marsh subject to regular or occasional tidal flooding. They have tremendous value in contributing vegetative material to the foodchain, filtering pollutants, trapping sediment, providing nursery areas to some marine life and serve to reduce flooding and shoreline erosion. b. Estuarine Waters - These are the sounds and creeks that serve as the bonding element of the entire estuarine system, supporting finfish and shellfish populations. These waters transport nutrients and plankton, control salinity and cleanse the Estuarine System of pollutants. The Estuarine Waters also support boating, swimming, hunting, fishing and other human activities. c. Public Trust Areas - These include waters of the Atlantic Ocean under State Jurisdiction and the lands under the ocean and estuarine waters. These areas hold valuable resources and are rightly open to the public for recreation, navigation, and other activities. d. Estuarine Shorelines - Estuarine shorelines include the area 75 feet landward of estuarine waters. This area is important because of its vulnerability to flooding and erosion, and the impact of shoreline development activities on the estuarine system. Development within this 75 foot area is restricted such that impervious surfaces are limited to less than 30 percent of the lot area. In areas that lie adjacent to ORW's, development activities are restricted within 575 feet of the water. 2. Ocean Hazard System These areas are described in detail in the section below titled HAZARD AREAS. 3. Public Water Supplies Small surface water supply watersheds are specifically designated for possible use as public watersupplies. Toomer's Creek, as previously discussed, has been classified as WSIII by the Division of Environmental Management for this purpose. 4. Natural and Cultural Resource Areas The Natural and Cultural Resource Areas include complex natural areas, areas that sustain remnant species, unique geologic formations, and significant historic architectural structures. These AEC's are important to the entire state because of their role in maintaining the coastal ecosystem, value for scientific research and education, historic significance and/ or aesthetic value. n K N 22 0 C. Federal Classification According to the "Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands" (1988), an interagency cooperative publication, wetlands can be characterized by three parameters. These are hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and wetland hydrology. This 1988 Manual is presently undergoing review at this time. To date, wetland areas that meet these criteria are protected by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. This Act regulates the filling or dredging of U.S. waters such as open water areas, mud flats, vegetated shallows and other aquatic habitats. In New Hanover County, environments protected by Section 404 would include salt, brackish and fresh tidal marshes, pocosins, ponds and swamp forests. These areas can sometimes be developed within certain federal restrictions, or as allowed by County or State regulations. In addition to the three classification schemes described above (e.g. County, State and Federal), the Soil Conservation Service delineates wetlands on agricultural landin assessing fanner eligibility for agricultural benefit programs, in accordance with the "Swampbuster" provision of the 1985 Food Security Act. III. HAZARD AREAS OHazard areas are defined as those locations in the County where development should be controlled due to the existence of natural or man-made dangers to human safety. Hazard areas in the County include the Ocean Hazard System, consisting of Ocean Erodible, High Hazard Flood (including estuarine "V" zones) and Inlet Hazard Areas of Environmental Concern (AFC's), Floodplains, New Hanover County Airport, Industrial Hazards and areas directly impacted by Sea Level Rise. A. Ocean Hazard System The ocean hazard system includes those lands along the oceanfront and inlets that are vulnerable to storms, flooding and erosion. These hazard areas are defined and regulated by the State through the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA). CAMA permit standards for development within or adjacent to these areas are designed to minimize loss of life and property due to storms and reduce damage to the natural environment. 1. Ocean Erodible Areas This includes the area between mean ocean low water and a distance landward from the first line of vegetation equal to 60 times the natural erosion rate, plus the distance equal to the erosion caused by a 100 year storm. This width varies for different sections of the O oceanfront, ranging between about 145 feet to over 700 feet. Within this area, development is regulated. 23 2. High Hazard Flood Areas These areas include lands subject to flooding, wave action, and high velocity water currents caused by a major storm. Any "V-zone" (defined in the section below titled "Floodplains") located within an oceanfront community, as well as any estuarine V zone" is included in this area. This includes "V zones" on flood insurance maps, prepared for oceanfront communities by the Federal Insurance Administration. 3. Inlet Hazard Areas These areas are delineated on an individual basis depending on an analysis of the stability and migration rate for the inlets. The individual inlet hazard areas range in width from about 250 feet for more stable inlets to about 4,000 feet for the most dynamic inlets. B. Floodplains New Hanover County's flooding problems are almost completely due to hurricane induced storm surges. In 1978, the County adopted a Floodplain Ordinance regulating development, construction and use within all areas of special flood hazard. The Ordinance has been amended several times since its adoption. The County's floodplain maps have also been revised, with the major change being the reclassification of areas along the sounds from V to A zones. Floodplains in the County can be generally grouped into the following classes: V Zone - The V zone is the most hazardous zone. It is defined as those areas which would be flooded by a 100 year storm and which would be subject to the battering and erosive actions of waves. A Zone - The A zone encompasses those areas which would be flooded by a 100 year storm but not be subject to wave action. B Zone - The B zone encompasses those areas between the limits of the 100-year flood and 500-year flood. In 1990, the County established a Floodplain Management Plan to further establish alternative measures to prevent flooding damages. The County's participation in the Community Rating System, as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has resulted in a number of regulatory, public outreach and other measures. C. New Hanover County International Airport It should be noted that in September, 1990, New Hanover County completed a new passenger terminal building to accommodate current and projected increases in airport traffic. AN N 24 U Figure 7 located page 27. The County's airport poses a possible threat to development through the potential for airplane crashes mainly within designated flight zones. Development, in turn, poses a threat to air traffic both by the intrusion of towers or other tall structures into the flight zones; by the need to minimize excessive airplane engine noise during landing and taking off over developed areas, which may impact the safe operation of airplanes; and by the use of lighting or signals that could interfere with airplane navigation. The County, therefore, has created Airport Residential and Industrial Districts. Both districts restrict the density and height of development and restrict the use of pulsating lights or similar devices interfering with navigation. The erection of tall structures must also comply with Federal Aviation Agency regulations. The City has an Airport Industrial District within its Zoning Ordinance. The County has also adopted a separate Airport Height Ordinance. A small private airfield associated with a residential subdivision has been constructed in the southern part of the County between U.S. Highway 421 and River Road. The County has not adopted regulations specifically controlling airparks oruses surrounding this orothcr potential commercial or private airstrips. D. Industrial Hazards Industrial hazard areas generally result from the presence of volatile, reactive or toxic chemicals (i.e. hazardous materials) in quantities sufficient to pose fire or health hazards to residences in the event of a fire, spill or release. These hazard areas tend to be concentrated along the Cape Fear and Northeast Cape Fear Rivers, as indicated by the existing land use study. Most major industries have developed plans and procedures in case of emergency. The transportation of volatile or toxic chemicals can also pose hazards to residences. Major highways and rail lines serve as the primary conduits for these hazards. These highways include U.S. 74-76, U.S. 421 north of Wilmington, I-40, U.S. 17 and 117, and NC 133. The rail line looping through the City of Wilmington also poses a potential risk. In addition, the state port along the Cape Fear River frequently handles and temporarily stores materials which could pose a health hazard to County residents in the event of an accident. The New Hanover County Department of Emergency Management is the lead agency for the County in support of hazardous materials inventory and Emergency Response Planning in conjunction with the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA ) Title II of 1984. At present, the Department has recorded approximately 23 billion pounds of chemicals at 161 business and industrial sites. Figure 7 shows the location of the larger industrial sites where some type or amount of hazardous material is located. The Hazardous Material Emergency Response Plan, which is regularly updated, serves as a reference for activating response teams and procedures in case of a disaster. The Department of Emergency Management also coordinates the activity of the New Hanover County Hazard- ous Materials and Emergency Planning Committee, as required by the SARA legislation. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has established a system of identification of the fire hazards of materials which may present a danger to life and health 25 of individuals exposed to or handling the material under conditions of fire, spill or similar emergency. The system applies to industrial sites, businesses or institutions that manufac- ture, process, use, or store bulk amounts of hazardous materials. The NFPA system identifies the hazards of materials on colorful, diamond -shaped signs which are posted on the exterior of buildings and within view of approaching emergency personnel. The hazards are displayed in terms of 4 categories: health -located on the left, with a blue background; flammability -located at the top and center, on a red background; reactivity -located on the right, on a yellow background; and, special hazard - located on the bottom and center, on a white background. The NFPA system also indicates the degree of severity by a numerical rating that ranges from four (4) indicating severe hazard, to zero (0) indicating no hazard. Presently, nearly any industrially -zoned area in the County could pose a potential threat depending on the use and association of materials on site. The County, however, attempts to buffer these areas from high density residential areas through transitional zoning of commercial, light industrial and low density residential uses. Wilmington attempts to provide transitional zoning designations of light industrial or commercial zoned areas. It is important to note that there are also a number of industrial sites across the Cape Fear River and in adjoining counties which utilize hazardous materials and could, in an emergency, pose a potential threat to residents of New Hanover County. t E. Sea Level Rise A wide range of potential sea level rise projections have been developed by many respected authorities. Using the scenario outlined by Hoffman et al (1983), sea level rise may range from 11 to 50 inches by the year 2050, and 30 to 144 inches by the year 2100. Hoffman et al suggest that the rise will mostly be in the mid range of these estimates. Potential impacts from sea level rise are numerous and diverse. They include inundation of developable land, increased flooding impacts, increased shoreline erosion, loss of wetlands, and saltwater intrusion into fresh groundwater. The impacts would be significant in the County because much of the County's barrier island and estuarine shorelines are less than 15 feet above sea level. The range of measures that a local government can take to mitigate sea level rise impacts can be broadly classified as whether the measure attempts to halt the approach of the sea, i.e. "no retreat", or allows the sea to rise and avoid the impacts, i.e. "retreat". "No retreat" measures include construction of levees, sea walls and revetments to protect the shoreline, development of groin and breakwaters to reduce wave energy and trap sand, and other shoreline stabilization measures. "Retreat" measures include such regulations as increased set back distances and building elevations for new construction, policies for purchase of low lands, restriction on reconstruction of damaged structures after severe hurricane damage, and other planning-orientcd measures. K W NEW HANOVER COUNTY TO CIMM\N111 _ A TO WFOTEVn1X Wilmington K OApproximate Scale 1' - 3 MIM MAM IN V Q CAROLINA BEACH INLET CAROUNA BEACH �\ TO ]ACKSONVni,E WRIGMVUAZ BEACH MASONBORO INLET INDUSTRIAL SITES January 1991 Industrial Site containing some type or amount of hazardous material 27 0 IV. SOILS The suitability of soils for septic systems historically has been a major factor in determining the density of development in New Hanover County. The construction of a county -wide sewer system will eliminate soil suitability for septic systems as a major constraint to development. Although certain highly organic soils may pose construction difficulties, these can generally be overcome through certain engineering and land modifi- cation practices. Detailed information on County soils may be obtained from a previous Technical Report, prepared as part of the 1981 Land Use Plan Update, called "Classification of Soils in New Hanover County for Septic Tank Suitability". This report, along with 1 "=400' transparency maps, classifies all soil types with regard to septic system suitability as being either suitable, suitable with moderate limitations, severely limited, or unsuitable. Generally, the more unsuitable soils tend to be found in the flat, wet parts of the County along drainage ways. Additional information on soil types can also be found in the U.S. Soil Conservation Service report,"SoilSurveyofNewHanover County, North Carolina",which discusses soil productivity, permeability, and other factors. V. AIR QUALITY The Division of Environmental Management's Air Quality Section monitors compli- ance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards(NAAQS) in New Hanover County. New O Hanover is part of a seven county region which includes Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Duplin, Onslow and Pender Counties. NAAQS have been established for six pollutants: total suspended particulate matter (TSP) and particulate matter less than 10 micrometers (PM-10), carbon monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead. TSP, PM-10, and ozone are routinely monitored at three ambient air monitoring stations in the County. By comparison with other metropolitan areas in the state, New Hanover's air quality is considered excellent as none of the counties within the region have exceeded any ambient air quality standards. In compliance with North Carolina and Federal Law, industrial facilities in the County are required to obtain an Air Quality permit which regulates the type and amount of air pollutant allowed to be discharged to the ambient air. Permits have been issued to 70 industrial facilities in the County. These permits are renewed on a 5 year basis. In addition. major new facilities and major modifications at existing facilities are subject to Federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) rules which prohibit degradation of air quality beyond significant levels established by the Clean Air Act of 1977. Only one facility in the County has been permitted under PSD rules. According to the Environmental Protection Agencies' (EPA) "National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report, 1987", national figures (1978-1987) show that industrial processes and fuel combustion account for the majority of particulate and sulfur dioxide emissions; and transportation and fuel combustion account for most carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and lead emissions. Volatile organic compounds primarily come from O I transportation and industrial processes. This 1989 EPA report shows that nationally, total emission amounts for these substances have decreased fairly consistently from 1978 levels. 28 However, despite efforts to regulate and decrease.toxic chemical emissions from industries, this study shows that the largest source of air pollution still remains vehicle use, i.e. the automobile. In 1989, the North Carolina Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) completed a report titled "Toxic Air Emissions in North Carolina: An Update for 1989". This study reports that four of the state's ten largest industrial toxic air emitters are located in the region of which New Hanover County is a part. Of these, the largest is in Brunswick County, the second and tenth largest are in New Hanover County, and the sixth largest is in Columbus County. In this ranking, industries are compared by total pounds of toxic chemicals released into the air, regardless of the relative toxicities of the chemicals. Thus, a facility that releases alarge quantity of a relatively low toxic chemical would be ranked higher than a facility that releases a small amount of a relatively high toxic chemical, even though the latter factility may be more of a health hazard. Nonetheless, New Hanover County ranked third in the state for total pounds emitted by industries, and Columbus and Brunswick Counties ranked fifth and sixth. In the EDF report, twenty different toxic chemicals* are listed for the seven largest toxic air emitters in New Hanover County. These same three counties also ranked fourth (Columbus), 16th (Brunswick), and 17th (New Hanover) in a listing of the counties with the greatest carcinogenic emissions in 1988 (greater than 100,000 pounds). The data for this EDF study was obtained from reports filed by the industries, as required by SARA Title III, Section 313 legislation. It should be noted that in terms of air pollution, New Hanover County has a natural advantage overinland areas. Due to the differential cooling and heating rates of land and water, sea breezes blow air offshore in the evenings and onshore during the day. According to the State's Air Quality Section, this sea breeze effect provides ample air movement to limit accumulation of airborne toxic chemicals in New Hanover County. * Inorderofdecreasing abundance, these chemicalsare: methanol,p-xylene,tolulene,methylethyl ketone, ammonia, formaldehyde, acetone, hydrochloric acid, terephthalic acid, dichloromethane, dimethyl phthalate, chlorine, cobalt, hydrogen fluoride, ethylene glycol, nitric acid, freon 113, triehloroethane, benzene, and sulfuric acid. VI. RESOURCE POTENTIAL AREAS Resource potential areas refer to lands, other than those previously discussed, that are of value to the County in terns of their natural characteristics. They include prime farmland, forestland, mineral sites, and publicly owned land to be used for low intensive outdoor recreation. A. Prime Farmland Prime farmland, as specified by the Governor's Executive Order No. 96, includes land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics and is available for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oil seed crops. These characteristics include the presence of proper climate, soil, and water table conditions for a specified portion of the growing season. These conditions are described in greater detail in U.S. Department of Agriculture Regulations (DR9500-3). FZ Figure 8 located page 32. U In New Hanover County, Craven, Norfolk, Onslow, and Wrightsboro soil types can meet these conditions. Prime farmland is that which consists of at least one of these soil types, is ten acres or greater in size and is undeveloped. Additional farmland areas sustain farming ventures but do not fall into these particular soil types and are therefore not considered prime farmland. Figure 8 shows the location of the larger tracts of the County's farmland. These areas are mapped based on input from the Soil Conservation Service and Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, soil maps and 1990 aerial photographs. Note that most of the prime farmland is located in the Castle Hayne area and the northwest part of the County. Additional farmland is located as small tracts distributed across the county. Individually owned agricultural land consisting of at least ten contiguous acres, in actual production, and having produced an average gross agricultural income of at least $1,000.00 for the past 3 years may qualify for "present use value" for property tax purposes. The property must be in production under a sound management program, as designed by the Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service and available to the public. In the northeast corner of the County, several tracts of Kenansville soil are excellent for the production of peanuts and sweet potatoes and will probably be used for this purpose until ongoing development absorbs these lands. New Hanover County has a few areas of "unique" farmlands devoted to the production of blueberries, a high value crop. The soils where blueberries are grown support wetlands in theirnatural state. Unless present rules are modified, no more areas can be cleared for blueberry production because the wetlands are protected from destruction. According to the Soil Conservation Service's 1987-88 "Annual Strategy Plan", New Hanover County had approximately 6,320 acres of cropland. Currently, approximately 5,000 acres of cropland remain in the County. The 1990 "Summary of Income Estimates" by the Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, reports that approximately $7.6 million was derived from farming and forestry ventures in the County. Of this $7.6 million, food crops made up'41 %, ornamental trees and shrubs, greenhouse crops and outdoor flowers made up 30%, and forestry made up 28% of this total. Crops grown in the County include com, wheat, soybeans, oats, hay, tobacco, peas, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, grapes and pecans. B. Forestry Resources According to the U.S. Forest Services' "Forest Statistics for the Southern Coastal Plain of North Carolina (1990)", 49,329 acres of the County's total 118,106 acres are considered timberland. In 1973, the Forest Service documented that the County had 60,312 acres of timberland; thus, the County lost 18% of its timberland during those 17 years. The Forest Service defines timberland as "land at least 16.7 percent stocked by forest trees of any size, or formerly having had such tree cover, not currently developed for nonforest use. capable of producing 20 cubic feet of industrial wood per acre per year and not withdrawn from timber utilization by legislative action." 30 Of the 49,329 timberland acres: 29,075 are owned by individuals; 9,692 by corporations, 3,509 by forest industry; 3,231 by farmers; and 3,822 total by county/ municipal, state and federal governments. Individually -owned forestland consisting of at least 20 contiguous acres, in actual production and not part of a farm unit, may qualify for "present use value" for property -tax purposes. The property must be commercially growing trees under a sound management program, as designed by the Forest Service. This service is available to the public and can be obtained by contacting the Division of Forest Resources. The most abundant forest types are, in order of descending abundance; oak -gum - cypress, loblolly-short leaf pine, oak -pine, longleaf -slash pine and oak -hickory. Figure 9 shows the location of the larger tracts of forest land in the County, utilizing a minimum cutoff of approximately 100 acres. The areas are mapped from 1990 aerial photographs and have not been field checked. Itis important to note that this map does not necessarily include all timberland in the County, nor does it infer that these tracts would all necessarily be defined as timberland by the Forest Service. C. Mineral Resource Sites The County's major mineral resource sites are along the Northeast Cape Fear River. These limestone deposits support several major cement and crushed stone manufacturing firms. In addition, several small borrow pits are located around the County for mining sand. D. Public Land Public low -intensity, recreational -use lands in the County include several large County and City Parks as indicated in Figure 10. Hugh MacRae Park, including an adjoining tract of County property across College Road, is probably the most utilized park facility in the City and County. < As recommended by the County's "Master Plan for Parks and Recreation" (1988), the County is currently increasing park acreage through the purchase of additional land. Funds have been made available by the 1989 Bond Referendum and the money is allocated for purchase and development of recreation properties. To date, one property has been acquired foruse as both passive and active recreation. A second property is in the final stages of being purchased and 3 additional properties have been acquired through donations. In September 1990, Snow's Cut Park was expanded to include additional parking, picnic shelters and a gazebo. State facilities and land also include Carolina Beach State Park, Ft. Fisher, the Marine Resources Center, and the undeveloped lands surrounding these facilities in Federal Point. In addition, the existence of a buffer area for the Sunny Point Military Terminal also limits intense development in the Federal Point area. Masonboro Island and Zeke's Island, perhaps the two most significant low intensive use public lands available to the County, are managed as part of the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve program. Masonboro Island has entered the final stages of acquisition. Both of these sites have been dedicated as State Nature Preserves through the State Natural Heritage Program. Both islands provide research and educational opportu- nities, in addition to low -intensity recreational uses. Figure 9 located page 33. Figure 10 located page 34. K 101 101 31 ° To xta"w OTo CLIIMN TO WMTEVILLE -=� Wilmington N O Approximate scale 1' - 3 MIN - V �o Q ° I CAROUNA 8eACB NUT SUITABLE PRIME FARM LAND AND ADDITIONAL CAROUNA MUM FARMLAND AREAS I �r January 1991 I KURE REACii Prime Farmland / Additional Farmland Areas 0 WW INIZZT 32 To 31MCAW NEW HANOVER COUNTY 70C!Z?MN K� TO vvnrrEvttl.E IT Wilmington rf A� N OApproximate Scale 1"- 3 MleS TO JACKSOtMUZ . MASON IML-wr WRIGHnVILLE BEACH MASONDOR0 INLET CAROUNA BEACH INLET CAROLINA BEACH J :I XURE BEACH NEW INUT FOREST RESOURCES January 1991 Forest Areas 33 M BURGAW NEW HANOVER COUNTY TO WTnTrVn1x X Toucnorri= MASON 1NZZr WRIGHTSVn.0 NFACII MASONBORO JNI" 0 �Q w CAROUNABEWN EMU PARKS and ............ PUBLIC LANDS CAROLD(A BLACH :b KURE ZZACH O Approximate Scale 1*-3PAleS MnV 1NLFr A New Hanover County Parks Undeveloped County Park Lands City of Wilmington Major and District Parks - State -owned Facilities and Lands Publically Maintained Boat Ramps 34 O REFERENCES 1. "A Guide to Protecting Coastal Resources Through the CAMA Permit Program,"Division of Coastal Management,1988. 2. "A Survey of Potential Population Exposure to Chemical Contaminants," UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health,1984. 3. "Classification of Soils in New Hanover County for Septic Tank Suitability," New Hanover County Planning Department,1980. 4. "Classifications and Water Quality Standards Assigned to the Waters of the Cape Fear River Basin," Division of Environmental Management, 1990. 5. "Conservation Resources in New HanoverCounty,"NewHanoverCountvPlanningDepartment & David DuMond,1990. 6. "Drinking Water in New Hanover County," New Hanover County Planning Department, 1989. 7. "Federal Manual for Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands," U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Soil Conservation Service.1989. 8. "Forest Statistics for the Southern Coastal Plain of North Carolina," U.S. Forestry Service, 1990. QBull.17,1970. 9. "Geology and Ground Water Resources of New Hanover County, N.C.." Bain, G.L. USGS 10. "Historic Architecture of New HanoverCounty, North Carolina," CountyPlanningDepartment, 1986. 11. "Identification of the Fire Hazards of Materials," NFPA-704, National Fire Protection Association, 1990. 12. "Master Plan for Parks and Recreation," New Hanover County Planning Department and Parks and Recreation Department,1988. 13. "National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report, 1987," Environmental Protection Agency,1987. 14. "New Hanover County Aquifer Management Program," LeGrand, H., and New Hanover County Planning Department, 1982. 15. "North Carolina Water Quality Inventory," Division of Environmental Management, 1982. 16. "Soil Survey of New Hanover County, NC," Soil Conservation Service, 1977. 17. "Status of Water Resources, CFR Basin Study 1981-1983," N.C. Department of Natural Resources and Community Development & U.S. Water Resources Council,1983. 18. "Summary of Income Estimates,"New Hanover CountyAgriculture Extension Service, 1990. 19. "The Impact of Septic Tanks on Shellfish Waters," Division of Environmental Management, 1982. O 20. "Toxic Air Emissions in North Carolina: An update for 1989,"North Carolina Environmental Defense Fund, 1990. 21. "Water Quality Model of the Lower Cape Fear River," Federal Paper Board, 1990. 22. "Water Quality Progress in North Carolina," Division of Environmental Management,1988. 35