Land Use Plan Update-2011

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2009 DARE COUNTY
LAND USE PLAN UPDATE
MISS- - W1, ,OF
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Adopted by the Dare County Board of Commissioners on December 6, 2010
Certified by the NC Coastal Resources Commission on February 24, 2011

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2009 Dare County Land Use Plan
Dare County Board of Commissioners
Warren Judge, Chairman
Allen Burrus, Vice -Chairman
Richard Johnson
Virginia Tillett
Max Dutton
Jack Shea
Mike Johnson
Dare County Planning Board
Elmer R. Midgett, Chairman
Beth Midgett
Ricky Scarborough
John Finelli
Dan Oden
Henry Haywood
David Overton
Dare County Planning Department
Raymond P. Sturza, Planning Director
Donna Creef, Senior Planner
Maps produced with assistance of Greg Ball, Dare County GIS Coordinator

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Dare County Land Use Plan
Transportation Infrastructure
Stormwater Systems
Other —schools, public services and public works
Community Facilities Maps
Land Suitability Analysis
Land Suitability Discussion
Land Suitability Maps
Review of 2003 Dare County Land Use Plan
Evaluation and Use of 2003 LUP
Review of 2003 and Status of Implementation Strategies
Section Two Policies and Implementation Strategies
Vision Statement of LUP
Public Access
Land Use Compatibility
Infrastructure Carrying Capacity
Natural Hazard Areas
Water Quality
Local Areas of Concern
Future land use maps
Future land use classifications
Future Land Use Needs
Analysis of Policies and FLUMs
Comparison of FLUM, Environmental Composite Map and Land
Suitability Map
Future Land Use Maps (Maps 17A-17H)
Section Three Tools for Managing Development
Role of land use plan in decision making
Existing Development Management Program
Implementation Action Plan
108
110
111
117-127
128
133-137
132
Appendix 4
138
141
148
165
177
187
198
206
218
224
225
227-235
248
249
253
Appendices
Appendix 1-- Public Participation Plan
Appendix 2 — VS/Goals Workshop Report
Appendix 3 — Citizen Involvement Poll Report
Appendix 4 — Review 2003 LUP and Policies
Appendix 5 — Pasquotank River Basinwide Report and Portion of Tar -Pamlico Basinwide Report
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TABLES, CHARTS, MAPS AND MATRICES
Dare County Land Use Plan
TITLE
PAGE
Table 1
Population by Decade 1950-2000
11
Table 2
Population by Year 2000-2005
11
Table 3
Average Annual Growth Rate by Decade
11
Table 4
2000 Census Population For Unincorporated Dare County by ZIP
Code
11
Table 5
Various Demographic Facts About Dare County 2000 Census
12
Table 6
Seasonal Population Estimates
13
Table 7
Visitation at Key Tourist Sites
14
Table 8
2008 Housing Units —Total for Dare County
16
Table 9
2008 Housing Units -- Property Ownership Status
16
Table 10
2008 Housing Units Unincorporated vs. Incorporated
16
Table 11
Building Permits — Unincorporated 2002-2007
17
Table 12
2002-2007 Subdivision Lots & Group Housing Developments
18
Table 13
Per Capita Income and Median Family Income
19
Table 14
Employment Sectors
19
Table 15A
Permanent Population Projections for Entire County
21
Table 15B
Permanent Population Projections Unincorporated Dare
21
Table 16 A
Seasonal Population Projections for Entire County
22
Table 16B
Seasonal Population Projections Unincorporated Dare
22
Table 17
Soil Classifications for Wastewater Suitability
27
Table 18
Water Quality Classifications
29
Table 19
Natural Features Listing
32
Table 20
Class Assignments of Natural Features
34
Table 21
Hurricane Isabel Damage
39
Table 22
Acreage Calculations for Existing Uses
74
Table 23
Single Family Home Permits 2005-2008
87
Table 24
Future Residential Acreage Needs to 2030
87
Table 25
Future Land in Development 2010-2030
88
Table 26A
Vacant Acreage
88
Table 26B
Platted Subdivision Lots in Unincorporated Dare County
89
Table 26C
Comparison of Permit Projections to Population Projections
90
Table 27
Dare County Public Water Facilities
104
Table 28
Dare County Water System Statistics
106
Table 29
NCDOT Average Daily Traffic County 2007
108
Table 30
Public School Enrollment
112
Table 31
Ten -Year Student Population Projection
112
Table 32
Land Suitability Attributes and Ranking
129
Table 33
Acreage Calculations for Future Land Use Map Categories
220
Table 34
Future Land Use Map Percentage Calculations
220
Table 35
Distribution of Existing Use and FLUM Designation
221
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Dare County Land Use Plan I
Table 36
Comparison of FLUM Categories and Projected Land Needs
222
Table 37
Estimated Utility Demand at 2030
223
Chart 1
Percentage Breakdown of Residential Permits
17
Chart 2
Percentage Breakdown of Subdivision Lots/Housing Units
18
Map 1
14-Digit Hydrological Unit Map for Dare County
42
Map 2
CAMA Areas of Environmental Concern
43
Map 3
Soil Conditions for Unincorporated Dare County
44
Map 4
Coastal -Non -Coastal Wetlands
45
Maps 5A-1
Erosion Rate Maps for Unincorporated Dare County
46-54
Map 6
Water Quality Classifications
55
Map 7A-B
Fishery Nursery Areas
56-57
Map 8
Flood Zones
58
Map 9A-B
Storm Surge
59-60
Map 10
Historic Resources
61
Maps 11A-D
Environmental Composite Maps
62-66
Maps 12A-G
Shellfish Maps
67-73
Maps 13A-K
Existing Use Maps
91-101
Maps 14A-D
Water System Service Districts and Planned Expansion
117-120
Maps 15A-F
NCDOT Infrastructure Maps and STIP Projects
121-127
Map 16 A-D
Land Suitability Maps
133-137
Maps 17A-H
Future Land Use Maps
227-235
Matrix 1
Public Access Policy Analysis
147
Matrix 2
Land Use Compatibility Policy Analysis
163
Matrix 3
Infrastructure Carrying Capacity Policy Analysis
176
Matrix 4
Natural Hazards Policy Analysis
186
Matrix 5
Water Quality Policy Analysis
196
Matrix 6
Local Areas of Concern Policy Analysis
205
Matrix 7
FLUM Consistency with Zoning Regulations
236
Matrix 8
FLUM Category Standards Analysis
239
Matrix 9
FLUM Consistency with Zoning Districts
242
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Plan Organization Matrix
PAGE
Organization of Plan
Community Concerns and Aspirations
1. Significant Conditions
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2. Key Issues
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3. Vision Statement
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Analysis of Existing and Emerging Conditions
1. Population, Housing, Economy
10-20
Population Projections
21-22
2. Natural Systems Analysis
23-31
Mapping and analysis of natural features
31-35
Environmental Composite Maps
62-66
Environmental Conditions
34-41
3. Analysis of Land Use and Development
Existing Use Maps
92-102
Development Trends
85
Land Use Conflicts
75
Areas Expected to Grow
75-84
Projections of Land Needs
85-90
4. Analysis of Community Facilities
Public and Private water supply and wastewater systems
103-107
Transportation
108-110
Stormwater Systems
110-111
Other Facilities
111-116
5. Land Suitability Analysis
Class 1,2, and 3 lands from environmental analysis
128
Water Quality
129
Proximity to existing development
130
Compatibility with existing land uses
130
Proximity to scenic, historic, or cultural sites
130
Availability of central water and central wastewater
130
Proximity to major highways
131
Land suitability map
133-137
6. Review of Current Land Use Plan
132
Status of Implementation Strategies
Appendix 4
Plan for the Future
1. Community Vision Statements and Objectives
138-140
2. Management Topics
Public Access
141-146
Land Use Compatibility
148-162
Infrastructure Carrying Capacity
165-175
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Plan Organization Matrix I
Natural Hazards
177-185
Water Quality
187-195
Local Areas of Concerns
198-204
3. Future Land Use Maps
227-235
Future land use Classifications
206-218
Future Land Use Needs
218-223
Analysis of Future Land Use Maps
224-225
Tools for Managing Development
1. Role of LUP in Decision Making
248
2. Existing Development Programs
249
3. Action Plan for 2009 LUP Update
252
Policy Impact Analysis
1. Policy Analysis for Management Topics
Public Access Policies
147
Land Use Compatibility Policies
163
Infrastructure Carrying Capacity Policies
176
Natural Hazards Policies
186
Water Quality Policies
196
Local Areas of Concern Policies
205
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Introduction to Land Use Plan
Overview of Dare County Land Use Plan
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Introduction
Located along the eastern coast of North Carolina, Dare County stretches for 85 miles along the
Atlantic Ocean. Known as the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Dare County is recognized as a top
vacation destination because of our abundant natural and historic resources. The islands that comprise
Dare County are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and numerous estuarine water bodies. Miles of
unspoiled beaches and estuarine shorelines, world -class fishing and surfing, and exceptional water
quality draw thousands of visitors to our area every year.
Dare County is also known as "The Land of Beginnings" in reference to our historic role in the founding
of the New World. Another historic event occurred here in 1903 when Orville and Wilbur Wright flew
the first man -powered plane from Kill Devil Hill. The County celebrated the 100-year anniversary of this
historic first flight in 2003.
Land Use Plan Components
The State of North Carolina requires all local governments located within the twenty -county coastal
region to prepare and periodically update land use plans for use in the review and issuance of CAMA
major permit applications and federal consistency reviews. The type of land use plan that must be
developed by a local government is based primarily on the growth rate and population of a
county/municipality. Using these factors, Dare County is required to prepare a "core" plan. The land
use plan must contain a vision statement and general objectives for the community, policies and
implementation strategies to support the vision statement and objectives, demographic information and
population projections, and associated maps of existing land use patterns and desired future land use
patterns.
This introduction section outlines the vision statement and general objectives and goals that have been
identified by the County. Section One contains demographic information and analysis of the existing
conditions of the area including the required maps used in analysis of the current conditions. Section
Two consists of the policies and implementation strategies. This section is the essence of the land use
plan. The future use map is found in Section Two. Section Three addresses how the land use plan will
be used by Dare County in managing growth and development. The final component of the 2009 Land
Use Plan is several appendices of supporting documentation and reports that were used in the drafting
of the Land Use Plan. The various maps developed as part of the land use plan update are included in
the appropriate sections of the land use plan.
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Introduction to Land Use Plan I
The 2009 update of the Dare County Land Use Plan is based on the CAMA guidelines adopted by the '
State of North Carolina in 2002. The previous Dare update, certified in 2003, was developed under the
original CAMA land use plan guidelines adopted in 1974. Work on the 2003 update began before the ,
adoption of the 2002 LUP guidelines by the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission and the
County was allowed to use the old guidelines for development of the 2003 update. There are some '
changes in the format of the 2009 update as a result of new guidelines as detailed below:
1. Expanded mapping components of the 2009 LUP to include the natural systems analysis map, '
environmental constraints map, the land suitability map, and the future land use map (formerly
entitled the land classification map).
2. Six management topics set forth in the CAMA guidelines. These management topics are linked
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to the vision statement and general objectives of the LUP. The policies and implementation
strategies are grouped according to these management topics and are designed to address the
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criteria established by the CAMA guidelines for each topic. These management topics are as
follows: Public Access; Land Use Compatibility; Infrastructure Carrying Capacity; Natural Hazard
Areas, Water Quality, and Local Areas of Concern.
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Use of Dare County Land Use Plan
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The Dare County Land Use Plan, although required by State CAMA regulations, is not an ordinance
Commissioners, Dare
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but is a policy document that is intended to be used by the Dare County Board of
County Planning Board and Dare County Planning Department to guide growth and development in
unincorporated Dare County. The policy statements contained in this document are intended to be
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used for guidance and do not represent regulations as may be found in the Dare County Zoning
Ordinance or Dare County Subdivision Ordinance. The maps that accompany the LUP are intended to
be used for guidance purposes and not designed to establish any type of locally delineated areas for land
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use patterns such as would be established on a zoning map adopted by the Dare County Board of
Commissioners. The Land Use Plan and the associated maps are tools to assist local decision makers I
and it is important to recognize this distinction between the LUP and County Codes.
The Land Use Plan is used by the staff of the Division of Coastal Management in the review of CAMA '
major permit applications for development activities in CAMA Areas of Environmental Concerns (AECs)
and used in federal consistency reviews. Every CAMA major permit application is reviewed for
consistency with the policies and maps of the local land use plan. A consistency determination must be '
rendered by the CAMA staff before a CAMA major permit can be issued. If activities proposed in a
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Introduction to Land Use Plan
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CAMA major permit application are found to be inconsistent with a local LUP, then the CAMA major
permit cannot be issued or a federal consistency determination made.
The Dare County Land Use Plan applies to the unincorporated portions of Dare County (Hatteras Island,
Mainland, Colington, Martins Point, and Roanoke Island outside the boundaries for the Town of
Manteo). The six municipalities in Dare County (Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags
Head, and Manteo) have all chosen to prepare and adopt their own land use plans for their respective
jurisdictions. These municipal plans should be consulted for policies and other information specific to
these six towns.
Public Participation
Due to the importance of public participation in the land use plan process, the first step taken for the
2009 update was the adoption of a Public Participation Plan (PPP). This PPP was adopted by the Dare
County Board of Commissioners in August 2007 and detailed the various activities that would be
undertaken to encourage and incorporate public input in the update process. A copy of the PPP in its
entirety is found as Appendix 1 at the end of this document. Some highlights of the PPP:
1. Endorsement of the Dare County Planning Board as the steering committee for the update
process.
2. Mailing of a Citizen Involvement Poll to all resident and non-resident property owners in
unincorporated Dare County. The Poll was also available for on-line completion on the Dare
County Website.
3. Public workshops for input on the visions statement and issue identification and workshops on
the draft policy statements and implementation strategies.
Community Concerns and Aspirations
The dominant growth -related conditions that influence land use in unincorporated Dare County are
the compatibility of soils and the seasonal high water tables with on -site septic tank and drainfield
systems.
With the exception of those locations where economic factors make the use of a privately -owned
wastewater treatment plant feasible, all other development in unincorporated Dare County is facilitated
by way of septic tanks.
It is anticipated that soil suitability will continue to be the dominant influence on land use for the next
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Introduction to Land Use Plan I
decade. Dare County's elongated configuration and the positioning of federally -owned properties make
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it unlikely a publicly -owned central wastewater treatment plant and pipe collection system will occur in
the foreseeable future.
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The use of on -site septic tanks as the principal means of wastewater treatment serves as a natural
barrier to high -density development due to the amount of green space that must be set aside for
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drainfields and reserve drainfields. Limitations on high -density development reduce the likelihood that
surface waters will be impacted by increased run-off associated with the infrastructure necessary for
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high density development. Septic tank and drainfield systems, however, if not properly maintained, can
contribute to diminished groundwater quality, and when impacted by flood waters, can malfunction.
The second dominant growth -related condition influencing land use in Dare County is the increase in
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regulatory standards adopted and enforced by the County. Until 1987, most of unincorporated Dare
County was an unregulated real estate market. Over the last 20 years the County's Board of
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Commissioners has acted to put zoning regulations and standards for the development of land in place
in all locations except the western -most portion of the mainland commonly known as East Lake. These
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regulatory standards also have a salutary impact on environmental concerns since impacts like
coverage by impervious surfaces, development density, and unwanted/incompatible uses that had been
unregulated for decades are now subject to local land use and zoning standards.
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It is anticipated that political pressure for some level of local regulatory standards for the East Lake and
remnant mainland portion of Dare County will lead to the entirety of unincorporated Dare County being
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subject to some level of local land use regulation. Should grant funds become available, or should local
economic conditions allow, it is anticipated that localized publicly owned and maintained wastewater
have
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districts will be established to remediate the environmental consequences of septic tanks that may
been improperly located or are otherwise incompatible with their setting. One example of this
approach is in the village of Stumpy Point, where such a district has been created and wastewater
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treatment plant is nearing completion for the sole purpose of eliminating the environmental
consequences of septic tanks placed in that village decades ago that in some cases discharge directly
into surface waters.
Community Vision and Plan Objectives
All land use plans must contain a "community vision" which establishes a general vision for the '
future which is supported by general objectives for the community. The vision statement and general
objectives are used for the development of more specific policy statements which are the foundation of I
the land use plan. The County has identified a community vision statement and associated general
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Introduction to Land Use Plan
' objectives for the six management topics identified by CAMA, as listed below. This community vision
and general objectives were identified as one of the first steps in the 2009 update of the Dare County
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Land Use Plan. This community vision statement and management goal objectives were referenced by
the Planning Board and staff during the drafting of the policies for the 2009 update.
2009 Community Vision Statement
Manage the growth and development in a manner that preserves the historical, cultural, and natural
resources that make Dare County a desirable place to live, work, and visit. Unincorporated Dare County
should retain the characteristics typical of the entire County before the incorporated municipalities
experienced urban- style growth. It is the goal of Dare County to shape the growth of the
unincorporated villages in such a manner that they retain their historical character.
Obiectives for Six CAMA Management Topic
Public Access
1. Maintain and enhance access to the beaches, sounds and other public trust areas of Dare County.
2. Explore options to protect working waterfront areas from redevelopment that may result in loss of
access to public trust areas and loss of opportunities for our local fishing industry.
Land Use Compatibility
1. Use existing patterns of village communities as "nodes" of activity and living space in a manner that
relates to the vast publicly owned lands and historical landmarks.
2. The preferred pattern of development is a mix of residential homes that are compatible with existing
development and addresses the need for workforce housing.
3. Use land use planning and zoning techniques to abate the tendency of rapid growth communities to
lose their "sense of place" or be homogenized by growth.
4. Direct development to reflect the historical architecture of North Carolina's coastal heritage.
5. In making and evaluating land use policy and decisions, recognize the vast amounts of publicly
owned land in Dare County and the resulting difficulties to address the varying, and sometimes
competing, needs of the permanent residents and the seasonal visitors on the remaining privately -
owned lands.
6. Commercial land use should be neighborhood or village oriented and not regional or urban.
Infrastructure Carrying Capacity
1. Develop a strategy for an alternative means of transportation that connects the various population
nodes for pedestrians and bicycles.
2. Balance the infrastructure needs of the permanent population with the demands of the seasonal
population.
3. Lobby state and federal agencies to provide the necessary and adequate transportation
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Introduction to Land Use Plan
improvements and permits for Dare County and northeastern North Carolina.
Natural Hazard Areas
1. Direct and design development to fit the natural conditions and landscape rather than modify the
natural conditions and landscape to accommodate development.
2. Mitigate the impacts of development in natural hazard areas by participation in the federal flood
insurance program and administration of the NC Division of Coastal Management local permit
program for development in CAMA identified Areas of Environment Concerns (AECs).
Water Quality
1. Direct and design development to ensure sustainability of our important natural resources,
especially ocean and estuarine water quality. Water quality is vital to the viability of our commercial
fisheries, tourism, and recreational fishing and boating.
2. Support the preservation and protection of water quality of the County's surface water bodies,
including the continuation of local monitoring programs and local initiatives to address stormwater
runoff.
Local Areas of Concern
1. Protect and promote the unique nature of Dare County relative to the other coastal counties of
North Carolina and how our distinctive characteristics should be recognized and fostered in the
development of regulations that affect Dare County.
2. Participate instate and federal regulatory programs and initiatives to ensure that policies and goals
of Dare County are appropriately addressed.
3. Advocate the capability of Dare County to effectively manage our natural resources and direct our
economic development at the local government level.
Overview of Policies
The 2009 LUP update includes 82 policies grouped into the six management topics established by the
CAMA land use planning guidelines. For a quick reference of the policies and implementation
strategies, a separate handout will be prepared once the update has been certified. The narrative
discussions included in Section Two should be consulted for a more thorough understanding of the
policy statements and the analysis that was undertaken in the drafting of each policy statement. A brief
summary of these noteworthy policy changes are detailed below:
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' Introduction to Land Use Plan
' Wastewater -- The 2003 policy on wastewater systems stated a preference for individual septic
tank/drainfield systems and lack of support for package treatment plants. The 2009 policy does not
' include the preference for septic tanks systems and represents a shift from the previous policy in that
centralized wastewater systems are recognized as viable alternatives to on -site wastewater systems. A
new policy has also been added to address the use of drip irrigation wastewater systems that are the
' regulatory jurisdiction of the NC Division of Water Quality. The new policy states that such systems
should not be considered for use in Dare County, especially in VE flood zones.
' Working Waterfronts —This is a new issue for the 2009 LUP and a policy supporting efforts to preserve
and protect working waterfronts and waterfront access has been included.
' Residential Development —The policies on residential development continue the preferred status of
single family residential homes however the policy statements recognize that efforts to address
workforce housing needs may conflict with this preference and that other alternatives such as
' multifamily housing may. be the best approach for the provision of workforce housing. This is a change
from the 2003 LUP in which the policy stated that the private sector should address the workforce
' housing issue. The 2009 LUP acknowledges the County's efforts and role in the workforce housing
issue.
' Energy Facilities —The 2009 update includes three policies under the energy facilities topic. The policy
previously used in the 2003 LUP has been re -stated as the County's position on the location of energy
facilities in our jurisdictional land and waters. A second new policy has been included to address the
' possibility of a revised national energy policy and end of the federal moratorium on off -shore drilling
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that is currently in place. A third new policy has been added to address the development of alternative
energy sources such as solar and wind Power.
Commercial/Industrial Development —The 2009 policies promote the development of commercial and
industrial land uses such as medical facilities and education and research facilities which are deemed to
be "green" industries or industries that do not represent a threat to our natural resources.
Future of Dare County
Dare County officials have spent a great deal of time and effort in the preparation of this latest
version of the Dare County Land Use Plan. Considerable debate and discussion have gone into the
development of these policies and maps that will be used to guide land use decisions over the course of
the next several years. The protection of our natural resources and our local economy are irrefutably
linked. The information in this document recognizes this linkage and its role in how we manage our
growth, how we address our infrastructure needs, and how we direct the future land use patterns of
Dare County.
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Introduction to Land Use Plan I
Protection of our natural resources and how we balance this protection while ensuring the viability of
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our local economy is important for both the short-term and the long-term future of Dare County
residents and their children: The County must remain diligent in our efforts to protect and preserve
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the natural resources that make Dare County the desirable place to live, work, and visit that it is today.
However, the County must also remain diligent in monitoring federal and state regulatory initiatives and
management plans that may have detrimental effects to the local economy and historic uses of our
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property and resources.
With over 80% of the land area in Dare County in public ownership' all infrastructure improvements,
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service facilities, housing, and other private development to meet the needs of the year-round and
seasonal population must be located on the remaining 20% of the County's land area. The challenge
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of this unbalanced public -private ownership of land is unique to Dare County and no other area in the
coastal region of North Carolina is faced with these same challenges in addressing the needs of its.
citizens and visitors. It is the County's position that all privately -owned land in unincorporated Dare
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County is suitable for development with the appropriate level of development determined by site
specific characteristics. Some sites may be subject to varying layers of federal, state or local regulations
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and the scope of available uses limited by these regulations. However the site still offers some potential
for development albeit at a more passive land use than other sites that are not challenged with severe
development limitations. While other local governments may be afforded the opportunity to set aside
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certain areas that they have deemed to be "unsuitable" due to regulatory initiatives or natural hazards,
we are not afforded this opportunity in Dare County because of the land constraints resulting from the
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large amount of publicly -owned areas. This position should not be interpreted as a lack of sensitivity to
natural hazards or disrespect for our natural resources. We are unique and this unique nature requires
that we work with what is available. The maps and policies of this plan have been written to reflect this
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position.
It is anticipated that Dare County will continue to experience growth in both our permanent populations '
and in our seasonal visitors. Maintaining a desirable quality of life for our permanent population is
important as well as providing a quality vacation experience for our visitors. The future development '
of residential and commercial land uses in unincorporated Dare County is addressed by specific policies
and implementation strategies designed to achieve these goals as we continue to grow. Displacement
of our traditional working waterfronts has emerged as an issue of importance at the County and State '
level. Support for funding and other incentives to preclude the displacement or redevelopment of
working waterfronts is vital to the preservation of the County's coastal heritage, to ensuring continued
access to public trust areas, and to the protection of our commercial fishing industry. '
Transportation improvements will continue to be of crucial importance to Dare County due to our
reliance on bridges and ferries for everyday transit and emergency situations. The replacement and '
maintenance of our transportation infrastructure, especially Bonner Bridge, will remain a high priority
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Introduction to Land Use Plan
' for the Dare County Board of Commissioners and our citizens.
The long-term management plan of the National Park Service for the beaches of the Cape Hatteras
' National Seashore and how it impacts access, both vehicular and pedestrian, to the beaches of the Cape
Hatteras National Seashore is of significance to the future of Hatteras Island and Dare County. Closures
' of the beaches for protection of animal and plant species will greatly affect the local economy. Dare
County must remain diligent to ensure that the concerns of the local residents and visitors are
satisfactorily addressed in any management plans developed by the National Park Service.
Other issues that will affect the future of Dare County include insurance reform for coastal counties and
lack of affordable housing for year-round residents and seasonal workers. These topics represent local
' issues of concern as identified by the community and Dare County officials as important and worthy of
policy development.
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SECTION ONE
I Existing and Emerging
Conditions
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Section One
' Section One
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Existing and Emerging Conditions
Population (Permanent)
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Existing and Emerging Conditions
Dare County has experienced tremendous growth over the past several decades as evidenced by
the tables included in this section. Although the preparation of this land use plan update precedes
the 2010 census, population information from the North Carolina State Demographics Center is
available for the years 2001-2005. The population numbers discussed in this section are for the entire
area of Dare County including the six municipalities. In 2005, the population for Dare County is listed
as 34,576 with 16,977 located in the unincorporated portions and 17,697 located in the municipalities
or a total of 51.04% in the municipal areas and 49% of the permanent population residing in the
unincorporated portions of Dare County. This 51/49 split will be used later in the sections that discuss
population projects and seasonal populations. The land use plans for the individual municipalities
should be consulted for more detailed demographic information for their respective areas. These
population figures reflect the continued growth of the County's permanent population. During the
decade of 1970 to 1980, the average annual growth rate was 6.7%. This average growth rate has
decreased over the last decade with an average annual growth rate of 2.8% for the decade of 1990 to
2000. This growth rate, although lower than previous decades, indicates that Dare County continues
to experience significant increases in our permanent population. Based on the information from the
NC Demographic Center, the permanent population of Dare County increased from 29,967 in 2000 to
34,576 in the year 2005. This represents an increase of 4,609 or an average annual growth rate of
2.9% for the timeframe of 2000-2005.
The 2000 Census provided population figures for some areas of Dare County according to ZIP codes
used by the US Postal Service. All of the villages in Dare County do not have individual ZIP codes and
are often grouped with a ZIP assigned to a municipality. For instance, the Martins Point neighborhood
uses the ZIP code 27949 which also serves the Towns of Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, and Duck.
Therefore the ZIP code population count for Martins Point is not available. Despite this lack of
information for all villages, the ZIP code population figures do provide some insight on the breakdown
of the permanent population in unincorporated Dare County. This total is consistent with the 2005
population figure of 16,977 for the unincorporated portions of Dare County mentioned in the
preceding paragraph.
I
Page 10

Section One
Table 1— Population by Decade 1950-2000 (Source: US Census)
.."N.
Existing and Emerging Conditions
Population
Absolute Increase 1950-2000
Year
Count
Year
Increase
1950
5,405
------
1960
5,935
1950-1960
530
1970
6,995
1960-1970
1060
1980
13,377
1970-1980
6382
1990
22,746
1980-1990
9369
2000
29,967
1990-2000
7221
Table 2 — Population by Year 2000-2005 (Source: US Census)
Population
Absolute Increase
2000-2005
Year
Count
Year
Increase
2000
29,967
----
-----
2001
31,134
2000-2001
1,167
2002
32,216
2001-2002
1,082
2003
33,310
2002-2003
1,094
2004
34,223
2003-2004
913
2005
34,576
2004-2005
353
Table 3 —Average Annual Growth Rate by Decade
Decade
Average Annual
Growth Rate
1950-1960
1.0%
1960-1970
1.6
1970-1980
6.7%
1980-1990
5.5
1990-2000
2.8%
Table 4 — 2000 Census Population for Unincorporated Dare County By ZIP Code
ZIP Code
Population
Avon 27915
786
Buxton 27920
1613
-Frisco 27936
401
Hatteras 27943
634
Rodanthe 27968
178
Waves 27982
50
Page 11
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
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1 ." N.
Section One
-' 14.
Existing and Emerging Conditions
P
ZIP Code
Population
Salvo 27972
339
Colington/KDH Outside
27948
3304
Manteo Outside 27954
4116
Wanchese 27981
1556
Mainland 27953 *
1182
TOTAL
14,159
The US Census records did not provide any specific records for the Stumpy Point ZIP 27978 or East lake 27931 ZIP.
The 2000 Census provides some information on the composition of the permanent population of Dare
' County in terms of household size and age groups. Although this information is not current for 2008,
it does provide background on the characteristics of our population, as detailed in Table 5.
1 Table 5 —Various Demographic Facts about Dare County -- 2000 Census
Average Household Size
2.34 persons
Persons under 5 years of
age
1,547
Total Households
12,690
Persons 5-17 years of age
4,864
Family Households
8,451
Persons 18-64 years of age
19,432
Non -family Households
4,239
Persons 65 years and older
4,124
Male Population
15,098
Race — White
29,666
Female Population
14,869
Race — Black
797
High School Grad. or More
88.6%
Race —Hispanic
666
Races— Other
111
'
Population (Seasonal)
With the Outer Banks being a popular vacation destination, our population fluctuates at any given
time depending on the time of the year and weather conditions. The peak seasonal population occurs
'
during the summer months of June, July, and August when all available accommodations are occupied
at, or near, their maximum capacity and day visitors number in the thousands. Guests and family
visiting local residents also is factored into the peak seasonal population. However, the population of
Dare County does not revert to the permanent population following the passing of the Labor Day
holiday which is traditionally thought of as the closing of the summer tourist season. During the spring
'
and fall months, we continue to attract many visitors at decreased numbers resulting in a population
significantly higher than our established year-round population of 34,576. There are also discernible
'
increases during winter holiday periods and during three-day federal holiday weekends such as
Presidents Day in February. For seven to eight months out of the calendar year, Dare County
experiences increases in our year-round population although at lesser amounts than experienced
'
during the height of the tourist season. The dynamic nature of our population makes it difficult to
quote a static population. figure. Although a count for our year-round population can be established,
Page 12

Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
this population is seldom experienced since many of the non-resident property owners choose to use
their second homes on a part-time basis and visitors still make week -end trips or day trips.
The following information details the numbers used by the Dare County Planning Department to
estimate the peak seasonal population. This peak figure is based on housing information from the
Dare County Appraisal office, information from the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, and population
information from the North Carolina State Data Center. This peak population figure is considered to
be reliable for the purposes of the Land Use Plan Update and represents a peak population for Dare
County as a whole and not just the unincorporated portions of the County.
Peak Population Formula: maximum occupancy of residential units owned by non-resident property
owners + maximum occupancy of other rental accommodations + day visitors estimate + permanent
population with 25% increase for summer guests/family = peak seasonal population
Table 6 lists the figures used in the peak population formula. Column A is a breakdown of housing
units from the Dare County Tax records for residential properties owned by non-resident property
owners (non -Dare County ZIP codes were used as the filter on December 2008 records). A 12-person
occupancy was assumed for each seasonal single family home, a 4-person occupancy used for
manufactured homes, and a 6-person occupancy used for multifamily units. Column B is a listing of
hotel units and campgrounds provided by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. For campground sites, a 4-
person occupancy rate was used and for motel rooms a 3-person occupancy rate was used. Day
visitors are accounted for in Column C. Column D represents the permanent population figure with a
family/guest increase of 25%. These column totals are combined for the peak seasonal and the peak
seasonal plus permanent.
Table 6—Seasonal Population Estimates
Column A
Column B
Residential Units Owned by
Other Accommodations
Non-resident Property Owners
SF 14,497 x 12 person occupancy = 173, 964
Campground sites 1900 x 4 person
occupancy = 7600
376 Manf. Homes x 4 person occupancy = 1504
Motel/hotel rooms 3028 x 3 person
occupancy = 9084
2157 Multifamily x 6 person occupancy =
TOTAL=16,684
12,942
TOTAL = 188,410
Page 13
7
7
7
1

Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
i
11
0
Column C
Column D
TOTALS
Day Visitors — based on traffic count
Permanent
Column A
188,410
figures from Chesapeake Expressway
population + summer
for July 4th
guests/family (25%
increase)
Estimate of 5,000 vehicles x 4 person
34,576 + 8644 =
Column B
16,684
occupancy per car = 20,000
43,220
TOTAL = 20,000
TOTAL = 43,220
Column C
20,000
Peak Seasonal
225,094
Population
Column D
43,200
Peak Seasonal +
268,294
Peak Perm.
Population
The peak population increases are significant in contrast to the permanent population. Comparing the
seasonal population of 225,094 to the permanent population of 34,576 equates to a 6.5 to 1 ratio of
visitors to year-round residents. This ratio is used later in this document to calculate the estimated
visitor population growth.
Visitor count information from the Outer Banks Visitor Bureau for visitation at several of the local
attractions is detailed in Table 7. As evident from the tables, the winter months have relatively
modest amounts of visitors at each of the sites. These visitor numbers increase during the spring
months with the peak month for visitors either July or August. The numbers taper off during the fall
months to the lowest monthly totals in December.
Table 7— Visitation Figures at Key Tourist Sites (Source: Outer Banks Visitor Bureau)
Month
NC
Aquarium
Aycock Brown Welcome
Cape Hatteras
Seashore
2005
2006
2007
2005
2006
2007
2005
2006
2007
Jan
3936
4310
4468
5389
12447
11727
70200
73284
63073
Feb
5174
5322
4728
12896
12366
10399
73656
64510
56892
March
18257
10609
10849
25054
19427
19309
109717
119195
167919
April
20873
27277
28938
25226
27165
26208
136296
190575
181584
May
31710
26062
27762
41286
35197
34560
215245
182144
244211
June
59887
52141
52335
50007
45030
45720
363285
335866
373472
July
59579
54360
53926
57588
55524
50782
388888
313194
464692
Aug
54182
59291
55279
48544
47849
47310
322934
329836
310481
Sept.
22048
29882
27703
28075
35609
37119
284518
233994
240804
Oct
16248
15185
15011
27210
26284
28272
147152
177725
159694
Nov
9590
8427
10217
18968
18153
16594
130680
105887
97061
Dec
5894
6023
6064
11721
12091
10794
131460
102121
48026
TOTAL
307378
298889
297280
351964
347142
338794
12374031
2228331
2407909
Page 14

Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
Month
Fort Raleigh
Wright Brothers Monument
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
2005
2006
2007
2005
2006
2007
2005
2006
2007
Jan
4702
5236
5107
8591
6193
8868
Closed
Closed
Closed
Feb
6506
4304
5562
10008
8465
7403
Closed
Closed
Closed
March
9073
7660
11681
50105
26298
28396
5897
Closed
Closed
April
18443
19524
18530
46495
49505
53332
11805
8090
5368
May
39728
34671
35481
45906
48673
49509
18094
16432
16065
June
39587
70171
64825
57339
67871
70372
29762
27441
28692
July
69175
55836
68135
95834
101425
102657
28541
32030
31258
Aug
42278
49273
52678
70213
70783
76918
23784
27254
25585
Sept.
15823
19586
22758
28565
31446
37646
11295
14846
14753
Oct
12281
17671
18132
23885
26593
27396
3324
3958
4143
Nov
13436
10794
13437
14568
19159
22217
Closed
Closed
Closed
Dec
6280
6050
6735
9479
11755
12807
Closed
Closed
Closed
TOTAL
277312
300776
1 323061
460988
468166
497521
132502
1 130051
125864
The major impact of the seasonal population is on the delivery of services and infrastructure support.
Utility systems must be designed to meet the needs of the seasonal peak populations we experience in
the summer months. The local highway improvements are especially impacted by the seasonal
population influx with heavy traffic flows and delays in emergency response times due to the increased
traffic volumes. The increased traffic volume is often cited as the one of the negative quality of life
issues associated with the tourist economy. However, this negative impact is offset by the revenues
received from the tourist population.
Housing
The Tax Appraisal Department files were used to research the number of residential structures
(single family, multifamily and manufactured homes) in Dare County. Filters for Dare County ZIP codes
were then applied to the totals to establish resident or non-resident ownership. Using this
methodology, it was established that 57% of the residential structures in Dare County are owned by
non-residents. The majority of the properties owned by non-residents are used for seasonal rentals
and these units remain largely vacant during the off-season months. In the single-family category,
11,404 of the total 25,901 single family homes are owned by resident property owners or 44% count.
Non-resident property owners represent 56% of the ownership of single family homes. For residential
condominiums and townhouses, non-resident property owners also account for the largest percentage
of owners (79%) which is consistent with the seasonal use of these types of residential structures.
In the category of manufactured homes, resident property owners represent the largest percentage
(69%) of ownership.
Page 15

Section One
Existing and Emerging Conditions
Table 8 -- 2008 Housing Units -- Total for Dare County (Source: Dare County Tax Records)
Number of Units
TOTAL
% of TOTAL
Single Family Homes
25901
86.7%
Manufactured Homes
1211
4.1%
Multifamily Structures
2728
9.2%
TOTAL
29840
100%
Table 9 -- 2008 Housing Units — Property Ownership Status
TOTAL
Resident
Non-resident
Occupancy
#
%
#
%
Single family homes
25901
11404
44.0
14497
56.0
Manufactured homes
1211
835
69.0
376
31.0
Multifamily Structures
2728
571
21.0
2157
74.0
TOTAL
29840
12810
43.0
17030
57.0
Using the same ZIP code filters, a number for the homes located in the unincorporated areas versus
the six municipal areas can be calculated. Table 10 depicts the breakdown of the residential
structures in the unincorporated areas versus the incorporated towns of Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty
Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Manteo. Overall, the incorporated areas account for the largest
percentage of residential development (63%) compared to the unincorporated communities. The
largest percentage of manufactured homes is located in unincorporated Dare County (86.0%) and the
largest percentage of multifamily structures (86.0%) is located in the incorporated areas. In terms of
single family homes, the incorporated areas contain 16,359 homes compared to 9,542 homes in the
unincorporated areas.
Table 10 — 2008 Housing Units -- Incorporated Areas vs. Unincorporated Areas (Source Dare County
Tax Records)
TOTAL
Incorporated
Unincorporated
Occupancy
#
%
#
%
Single family homes
25901
16359
63.0
9542
37.0
Manufactured homes
1211
174
14.0
1037
86.0
Multifamily Structures
2728
2343
86.0
385
14.0
TOTAL
29840
18876
63.0
10964
37.0
Since the 2003 LUP update, the housing market in Dare County experienced tremendous growth.
Building permit information for unincorporated Dare County from the year 2002 to 2007 is provided in
charts on page 17. This information is for the three geographic offices for Dare County building
inspections: the north satellite office for Martins Point and Colington; the south office for the seven
villages on Hatteras Island; and the central office for Roanoke Island and the Mainland villages. These
figures do not represent building permit activity for any of the municipalities. Table 11 depicts the
Page 16

Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
number of permits issued for each office categorized by type of residential permit (single family
homes, manufactured homes, and multifamily units). The accompanying chart indicates the
percentage of these categories compared to the total amount of residential permits. The vast
majority of the residential permits issued are for single family homes. Permits issued for construction
on Hatteras Island outpaced the permits issued in the other two offices for unincorporated Dare
County, followed by the northern office for construction in Colington and Martin's Point, and the
central office on Roanoke Island. The number of permits issued in each office decreased over the five-
year period as construction activity slowed throughout Dare County. This same trend has been
experienced in the Dare municipalities also. The construction of multifamily units represents a
negligible amount of the total residential permits as evidenced by Chart 1.
Table 11— Building Permit 2002-2007 by Geographic Office Location (Source: Dare County Planning)
South
Central
North
SF
MH
MF
units
SF
MH
MF
units
SF
MH
MF
Units
2002
227
26
2
80
40
0
125
3
0
2003
169
20
2
68
25
2
98
17
0
2004
181
16
6
60
37
0
101
15
0
2005
152
9
2
49
20
0
80
0
0
2006
110
14
2
34
23
6
49
0
11
2007
67
4
12
37
12
0
31
0
0
2008
47
3
14
25
9
0
18
2
0
TOTAL
953
92
40
353
166
8
502
37
11
SF —single family homes; MH --manufactured homes; MF units — multifamily dwelling units
Chart 1— Percentage Breakdown of Residential Permits by Type of Permit
Residential Permits 2002-2007
■ Single family ■ Manfactured Homes I Multifamily Units
Page 17

Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
Economy
The local economy of Dare County continues to be driven by tourism and the services associated
with this industry. The impact of tourism extends to the majority of the local retail businesses, many of
which sell tourist -related goods. Local restaurants and food service companies also rely on seasonal
visitors for the bulk of their business. The rental of residential homes as short-term accommodations
in addition to the traditional hotels and cottage courts provide employment to a large number of
property management officials and maintenance service companies. Other sectors of employment
include construction and real estate sales, boat building, and commercial fishing.
The following table indicates the per capita income for Dare County from 2000 and 2005 compared to
North Carolina as a whole and the median household income compared to North Carolina. Table 14
lists the different employment sectors for Dare County and the numbers of employees in each sector.
Table 13 — Per capita and Median Family Incomes For Dare County
Per Capita Income
Median Household
2000 US Census
$26, 853
$42,411
2005 NC Dept of Commerce
$33,463
$46,125
Table 14 -- Employment Sectors 4 t h Quarter 2006 (Source: State Data Center)
Employees
Percentage
Total All Industries
18,670
100.0
Total Government
2,915
15.6
Total Private Industry
15,755
84.4
Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting
4
0.0
Utilities
101
0.5
Construction
1,444
7.7
Manufacturing
778
4.2
Wholesale Trade
427
2.3
Retail Trade
3,350
17.9
Transportation & Warehousing
190
1.0
Information
239
1.3
Finance &Insurance
415
2.2
Real Estate Sales & Rentals
2,216
11.4
Professional &Technical Services
558
3.0
Administrative & Waste Services
601
3.2
Educational Services
1,023
5.5
Healthcare & Social Assistance
831
4.5
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
507
2.7
Accommodations & Food Services
3,742
20.0
Other Services (non-public ad min)
537
2.9
Public Administration
1,641
8.8
Unclassified
139
0.7
Page 19
I
I

•ayQ'i. - awQ�.
Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
Trends in Population, Housing and Economy
' First, population trends for the decades preceding the millennium have consistently placed Dare
County (inclusive of its municipalities) as one of the fasted growing political jurisdictions in North
Carolina. Retirees and in -migration are the dominant factors in this growth statistic and the bulk of the
year-round population increase has been in the incorporated municipalities located along the
oceanfront north of Oregon Inlet. The proximity of these towns to the ocean beaches and the
' availability of housing in a variety of sizes and prices is the driving factor in this population trend. Like
other parts of North Carolina, Dare County has also seen a sudden and difficult to measure increase in
its Hispanic population in the past decade. This increase is attributed to the availability of jobs in the
' low skill and seasonable labor market, particularly during the peak of the housing market expansion.
With the onset of the recession of 2009, the migrant -worker population appears to have diminished as
did the demand for low skill labor. Demographically Dare County does have a significant retirement
population than some of the surrounding counties and is more affluent than adjacent counties in North
Carolina. 13.3% of our population is age 65 or older versus 12.4 % for the entire State in the same age
range with the median income of $51,748 versus $44,772 for the State. Although difficult to predict,
it is anticipated that once economic conditions return to normal, another decade of moderate
' population growth in the range of 6-8% will ensue, led largely by the area's appeal to retirees who seek
a pleasant environment and an escape from congested urban areas. Much of this growth will be
' absorbed by the existing housing supply as the elderly population reaches life expectancy limits. Should
a robust development and construction market return, another burst in the migrant -worker population
is likely as well. Moderate growth is the goal of the County as reflected in this Plan and its respective
' policies and maps.
' Unlike previous decades of the 80's and the 90's, Dare County is currently experiencing a surplus in the
availability of housing, occurring largely as a result of the recession of 2008-2009 forcing many middle
income families to relocate. Many second homes that were trendy or upscale when built one to two
' decades ago have lost their appeal to more modern luxury offerings with a wider range of amenities.
These homes will likely enter the market as moderately priced year-round homes during the coming
' decade. In addition, the County and several of the municipalities have adopted regulatory incentives
for moderately priced housing in recent years. These incentives should abate the lack of affordable
housing that has troubled the area in previous decades. Assuming an economic recovery leads the
' area out of a stagnant housing market, Dare County is well equipped to handle a decade of moderate
growth in almost all infrastructure categories except transportation improvements.
' The end of the recession of 2009 should prompt a return of the strong economic growth that made
Dare County the envy of Northeastern North Carolina. Tourism, the principal economic foundation of
' the local economy remains solid despite the recession but has shown signs of diminishing visitation
and spending compared to the robust decades of 1980-2000. Construction of housing has diminished,
following a national trend due largely to the constraints on the lending industry. Secondary industries
' like boat building and services have also suffered during the economic recession. Long term, this trend
Page 20

Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
is expected to give way to a return to normal economic conditions sufficient to sustain the local
economy. A new focus on medical and educational jobs should help create a sustainable year-round
economy, as the Outer Banks Hospital plays a growing role in providing health care and the Coastal
Studies Institute brings educational job opportunities. Tourism is considered to be the current and
future economic base of the County and this Plan and its policies, focused on protection of
environmental quality and a historical "sense of place", enhances that economic base.
Population Projections
The State Data Center for North Carolina provides projections for permanent residents. These
projections are detailed in Table 15. The growth in the permanent population is not projected to
increase at the same rate as experienced in the 1970s and 1980s which is documented previously in
Section One.
Table 15A - Permanent Population Projections For Dare County (Source: State Data Center)
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
Population
36,432
40,359
43,892
47,535
50,831
Increase
3,927
3,533
3,643
3,296
Rate %Per Year
2.1%
1.7%
1.6%
1.3.%
Table 15B -- Permanent Population Projections for Unincorporated Dare County (based on assumption of
49% located in unincorporated Dare County)
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
Unincorp. (49%)
17,851
19,776
21,507
23,292
24,907
Increase
909
1925
1731
1785
1615
Rate %Per Year
2.1%
1.7.%
1.6%
1.3.%
Estimating the seasonal population is a difficult task. The State Data Center does not provide
projections of this nature and it is left to local officials to establish these projections. Using the
permanent population data and the seasonal population estimates calculated in Tables 16A and 16B,
estimates have been made by the Planning Department for the seasonal to permanent populations for
all of Dare County. These estimates are further broken down into estimates for just the
unincorporated portions of Dare County. For the purpose of trying to establish projections of the
seasonal population, the Planning Department staff assumed previous population trends will continue
as outlined below:
a. A review of the visitor information counts provided by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau indicates
modest increases in our visitor population over the past three years, see Table 7 on page 29. For
the purpose of trying to establish projections of the seasonal population, it is assumed that this
trend of slight increases in visitors will continue over the next several years.
Page 21

Section One Existing and Emerging Conditions
'
b. For the permanent population projections, it is assumed that 49% of the permanent residents will
'
be located in the unincorporated areas of Dare County. Table 15B documents the projections for
permanent population provided by the NC State Data Center for the entirety of Dare County. The
second row of the table indicates the projected population for only the unincorporated areas of
'
Dare County based on the assumption that 49% of the permanent residents are in unincorporated
areas.
c. Using the seasonal population estimates calculated in Table 6 for comparison to the permanent
'
population from the State Data Center, the seasonal population represents a 6.5 to 1 ratio over the
permanent population. This ratio has been applied to the permanent population projections
'
provided by the State to estimate the seasonal population for 2010 to 2030 As illustrated in Table
16A
d. For seasonal population projects for the unincorporated portions of Dare County, it is assumed
'
that 30% of the total visitor population is accommodated in the unincorporated portions of Dare
County. Table 16B lists the projections for the seasonal population for the unincorporated areas
'
only.
Table 16A—Seasonal Population Projections for All Areas of Dare County
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
Permanent
Population
36,432
40,359
43,892
47,535
50,831
6.5 to 1 Ratio
236,808
262,334
285,230
308,977
330,401
Increase Per 5-
Year Period
13,732
25,526
22,896
23,747
21,424
Table 16B -- Seasonal Population Projections for Unincorporated Dare County
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
Seasonal
236,808
262,334
285,230
308,977
330,401
Projection for
Dare County
30% for
71,042
78,700
85,569
92,693
99,120
Unincorporated
Areas
Increase Per 5-
3,514
7,658
6,869
7,124
6,427
Year Period
L
I
Page 22

... L
Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
Natural Systems Analysis
Natural Features Review
The CAMA guidelines for land use planning provide that local governments shall analyze all natural
features in their jurisdictions and to assess their capabilities and limitations for development. The 14-
digit hydrological units (HUC) delineated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service is used as the
basic unit of analysis of natural features. The United States is divided into and sub -divided into
smaller hydrologic units which are classified into six levels. The first of these four levels are established
by the US Geologic Survey: regions, sub -regions, accounting units, and cataloging units. The
hydrologic units are arranged within each other, from the smallest (cataloging units) to the largest
(regions). Each hydrologic unit is identified by a unique hydrologic unit consisting of two to eight digits
based on the four levels of classification in the hydrologic unit system. The Natural Resources
Conservation Service has further subdivided the cataloging units into smaller units — the 11-digit HUC
watershed and the 14-digit (HUC) sub -watershed or local watershed. The smallest level, the 14-digit
unit, allows for best level of analysis since it allows for the assessment of localized conditions and
impacts. MAP 1 on page 42 indicates the 14-digit HUCS for Dare County.
Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs)
Dare County geographically divides itself into a Mainland area, a northern and southern stretch of
islands and historic Roanoke Island. All geographic areas are surrounded by various water bodies that
include the Atlantic Ocean to the east and to the west include the Pamlico Sound, the Albemarle
Sound, the Roanoke Sound, the Croatan Sound, the Currituck Sound and the Alligator River.
Development along the immediate ocean and estuarine shorelines is regulated by the North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management through the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) adopted by the
State of North Carolina in 1974. The CAMA statutes create four categories of Areas of Environmental
Concern (AECs). These AECs are areas of natural importance deemed by the State of North Carolina as
worthy of regulation. The four categories are as follows:
1. the estuarine and ocean system
2. the ocean hazard system
3. public water supplies
4. natural and cultural resources areas.
1. The estuarine and ocean system —There are four components of this system for which CAMA
permits may be required — public trust areas, estuarine waters, coastal shorelines, and coastal
wetlands.
Public trust areas are the coastal waters and submerged lands that the public has the right to use for
recreational and fishing purposes. These areas often overlap with estuarine waters but also 'include
many inland fishing waters. The following land and waters are considered public trust areas:
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Section One Natural Systems Analysis
• all waters of the Atlantic Ocean and lands underneath from the normal high water mark on
' shore to the State's official boundary three miles offshore;
• all navigable natural water bodies and the lands underneath to the normal high water mark on
shore.
' • all waters in artificially created water bodies that have significant public fishing resources and
are accessible to the public from other waters; and
• all water in artificially created water bodies where the public has acquired rights by
prescription, custom, usage, dedication or other means.
Estuarine waters are the State's oceans, sounds, tidal rivers and their tributaries, which stretch across
coastal North Carolina and link public trust areas, coastal wetlands, and coastal shorelines.
' Coastal shorelines include all lands within 75 feet of the normal high water level of estuarine waters.
Along Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW) this includes all lands within 575 feet of the normal high
water mark.
' Coastal wetlands are defined by CAMA regulations as any marsh in the twenty -county coastal region
that regularly or occasionally floods by lunar or wind -drive tides and that includes one or more of ten
' specific plants species as listed below:
' Spartina alterniflora: Salt marsh (smooth) cord grass
Juncus roemerianus: Black needlerush
Salicornia spp: Glasswort
Distichlis specata: Salt (or Spike) Grass
' Limonium spp: Sea Lavender
Scirpus spp: Bulrush
Cladium jamaicense: Saw Grass
Typha spp: Cattail
Spartina patens: Salt Meadow Grass
Spartina cynosuroides: Salt Reed or Giant Cord Grass
Freshwater swamps and inland, non -tidal wetlands are not under CAMA permit jurisdiction unless
' specifically designated as AECs. However, these types of wetlands are regulated under the federal
Clean Water Act and may be subject to Army Corps of Engineers permit jurisdiction.
' AECS can be mapped on a general basis for unincorporated Dare County based on the boundary
guidelines established by CAMA. However for site specific purposes, the AEC boundary must be
' established by Division of Coastal Management personnel by individual site visits and field evaluations.
The boundaries of any AEC are subject to change over time due to weather conditions and events.
' 2. The Ocean Hazard System —There are four components of this AEC: the ocean erodible AEC,
the high hazard flood AEC, the inlet hazard AEC, and the unvegetated beach AEC.
' The ocean erodible AEC is applicable to oceanfront lands that are subject to long-term erosion and
significant shoreline change. The seaward boundary of the ocean erosion AEC is the mean low water
' Page 24

Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
line and the landward boundary is measured from the first line of stable natural vegetation plus an I
erosion rate based on an annual rate of the particular section of shoreline. The width of the AEC
varies depending on the oceanfront location and must be established by CAMA personnel on a site -by -
site basis. Maps of the ocean erodible area are maintained by CAMA.
The high hazard flood AEC involves lands subject to flooding, high waves, and heavy water currents
during a major storm. These areas are also known as the "V" flood zones on the federal flood
insurance rate maps prepared by the Federal Insurance Administration. These "V" zones can be
located on both ocean shoreline and estuarine shorelines. The flood hazard AEC often overlaps areas
designated as ocean erodible and inlet hazard AECs. Flood maps for the unincorporated areas are
available in the Dare County Planning Department offices.
The inlet hazard AEC applies to lands next to ocean inlets due to their vulnerability to erosion and
flooding. Each inlet found along the North Carolina coast is analyzed by the Division of Coastal
Management and a map prepared based on their analysis of the inlet migration, inlet features (both
natural and manmade) and previous inlet locations. For each inlet, the inlet hazard AEC is estimated
to be large enough to cover those lands where the particular inlet can be expected to migrate. Inlet
hazard AECs range in width from 250 feet for inlets that are stable and to about 4,000 feet for those
inlets that are more dynamic. There are no inlet hazard AECs in Dare County. The lands on either
side of Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet are federal property and therefore not designated as an AEC By
the State.
Unvegetated beach AECs are beach areas within the ocean hazard area where no stable natural
vegetation is present and may be designated as an unvegetated beach area on either a permanent
basis or a temporary basis. An area appropriate for permanent designation as an unvegetated beach
area is a dynamic area that is subject to rapid unpredictable land changes due to wind or wave action.
A temporary unvegetated beach status may be applied to areas that are suddenly unvegetated as a
result of hurricanes or other major storm events. An area of Hatteras village was designated as an
unvegetated beach AEC following Hurricane Isabel until the natural vegetation was re-established
along the oceanfront. This area is no longer designated as an unvegetated AEC.
3. Public Water Supply AECs -- This AEC includes two classifications of AECs—the small surface
water supply watershed AEC and the public water supply wellfields. The small surface water supply
watershed AEC protects coastal basins that contain a public water supply classified as A -II by the NC
Environmental Management Commission. In Dare County, this AEC applies to the Fresh Pond located
at the border of Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills.
Public water supply wellfields are areas of rapidly draining sands extending from the land surface to a
shallow groundwater table that supplies public drinking water. The Dare County welifield in Buxton
Woods on Hatteras Island is designated as a public water supply AEC.
4. Natural and cultural AECs —These are specific sites that have been designated for protection
because they represent environmental or cultural resources that are important to the entire State of
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Section One Natural Systems Analysis
' North Carolina. They may receive this designation due to their role in maintaining the coastal
ecosystem, scientific or education research resources, historical significance, or aesthetic value.
' There are four types of natural and cultural AECs — coastal complex natural areas, coastal areas that
sustain remnant species, unique coastal geologic formations, or significant coastal archaeological
' resources and significant coastal historical archaeological resources.
Coastal complex natural areas are lands that support native plants and animal species, providing
' habitats that are unchanged by human activity and are considered key components of natural
biological systems. They provide a historical perspective for scientific and educational research in
coastal habitats and changes in the coastal habitats and they are valuable scenic or cultural resources.
' Development may be permitted in these coastal complex natural areas if the development is found to
provide benefits for the habitat or enhances the area's biological, scientific, or educational values.
' Coastal areas that sustain remnant species provide habitat for native plant or animal species that the
NC Wildlife Resources Commission or the federal government has determined to be rare, threatened,
or endangered. These areas also provide a valuable resource for scientific and education purposes.
Unique coastal geologic formations are areas that contain notable examples of geologic formations or
' processes found in coastal regions. Jockey's Ridge in Nags Head has been designated by the State of
North Carolina as a unique coastal geologic formation.
' Significant coastal archaeological resources and significant coastal historical archaeological resources
contain objects, features, or buildings that are important to the state's or coastal region's history; are
' associated with historical events or the lives of historically important people; or represent a distinctive
characteristic of a type, period or method of construction. There are no sites in Dare County that have
received this designation.
' MAP 2 on page 43 depicts the ocean hazard system AECs, the estuarine shoreline AECs, and the Buxton
Woods public wellfield AEC. This map is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent the
actual location of AECs on individual lots. Specific lot evaluations by CAMA officials are needed to
determine the exact location and extent of such AECs. Erosion rate maps are also prepared by CAMA
' are included in the document as MAPS 5A-51.
Soil Conditions
' Soil characteristics and their ability or inability to accommodate on -site wastewater systems play a
crucial role in land development and construction in Dare County. Within the boundaries of Dare
' County, soil conditions vary based on the geographic region of the County and can also vary
significantly within relatively small areas. On the Dare County Mainland, natural ground elevations
' range from 3 to 7 feet above mean sea level and soil conditions are predominantly poorly drained with
thin organic loam to silt loam surface layers. Along the barrier island portions of Dare County, the soils
are generally well to moderately well drained sand. On Roanoke Island, soils range from loamy sand
' surfaces with sandy clay loamy subsoils to silty clay loam surfaces. The Dare County Soil Survey
provides more specific information on soil types found in Dare County and is the best resource on this
' Page 26

Section One Natural Systems Analysis
information. This document is available from the Dare County Soil and Water Conservation Service
office in Kill Devil Hills, NC. The Soil and Water Conservation Service has divided the County into four
general categories for wastewater suitability: suitable, marginal, unsuitable, and questionable. A
table summarizing these soil types is included below:
Table 17 — Classification for Soil Types for Wastewater Suitability (Source: Dare County Soil Survey)
Soil Type
Depth to Water Table
Suitability Designation
Duneland
6.0'
Suitable
Fripp Fine Sand
6.0'
Suitable
Newhan Fine Sand
6.0'
Suitable
Newhan Complexes
Varies
Suitable
Pactolus-Wakula-Wagram-Associates
NA
Suitable
Corolla Fine Sand
1.5' to 3.0'
Marginal
Corolla Fine Sand
1.5' to 3.0'
Marginal
Beach Foredune Association
0 to 3.0' foredunes 6.0'
Unsuitable
Corolla Duckston Complex
Unsuitable
Hobonny Soils
0 to 2.0'
Unsuitable
Duckston Fine Sands
1.0' to 2.0'
Unsuitable
Duckston Fine Sands, Forested
1.0' to 2.0'
Unsuitable
Carteret Soils, High
1.0' to 3.0'
Unsuitable
Con aby Soils
0 to 1.0'
Unsuitable
Currituck Soils
0 to 3.0'
Unsuitable
Wasada-Bladen Association
NA
Unsuitable
Capers Association
NA
Unsuitable
Dredge Spoil
3.0'
Questionable
Madeland
0 to 2.0'
Questionable
MAP 3 included in this section on page 44 depicts soil conditions throughout Dare County based on
information from the Dare County Tax Department. The Tax Department information is only classified
into three categories: poor, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory. This map is for illustrative purposes only
due to its scale and cannot be used for permitting purposes. The Dare County Health Department or
a soil scientist must perform an on -site evaluation of an individual lot to determine the types and
location of soils.
Throughout Dare County, natural soil conditions have been altered by drainage improvements and
from the introduction of soils from other sources. The placement of fill on undeveloped lots to raise
the natural ground elevation or to accommodate wastewater systems is common practice. Another
factor is the presence of "freshwater" or non -coastal wetlands that are regulated by the US Army
Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act. According to the Corps, non -coastal wetlands are
"areas that are periodically or permanently inundated by surface or groundwater and support
vegetation adapted for life in saturated soils." Certain land development activities in freshwater
wetlands or in proximity to freshwater wetlands may be permitted by the Corps of Engineers.
Individual lot evaluations to determine the presence and extent of freshwater wetlands must be
undertaken by property owners. The criteria used by the Corps of Engineers in the determination of
non -coastal wetlands are subject to interpretation and subject to change based on Corps
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Section One Natural Systems Analysis
administration. MAP 4 on page 45 provides a general outline of coastal and non -coastal wetlands
that was produced as part of the LUP update process. This map should not be used by any individual
or governmental agency for permitting purposes since both coastal and non -coastal wetlands must be
identified by specific on -site evaluations.
Another component to be addressed is the erosion of soils in certain areas of Dare County. As
discussed in the previous section on Areas of Environmental Concern, the Division of Coastal
Management has designated erosion -prone areas along the oceanfront. These areas are periodically
mapped and an erosion rate established by the Division of Coastal Management to account for the rate
of erosion in a certain area. The erosion rate is the basis for oceanfront setbacks used by CAMA. The
erosion rate maps for Dare County can be found beginning on page 46, MAPS 5A-51.
Water Quality Classifications
The North Carolina Division of Water Quality assigns primary and supplemental classifications to all
surface (both tidal saltwater and freshwater) waters in North Carolina. All water must at least meet
the standards for Class C (fishable/swimmable) waters. The other primary classifications provide
additional levels of protection for primary water recreation contact (Class B) and drinking water (Water
Supply Classes I- V). Supplemental classifications are sometimes added to water bodies by the Division
of Water Quality to provide additional protection to waters with special uses or values. To find the
classification for a specific water body in North Carolina, you can contact the Division of Water Quality
or consult their webpage, www.h2o.enr.state.nc.us. The following table lists the different
classifications used by the Division of Water Quality. MAP 6 on page 55 depicts the waters
surrounding Dare County and their associated water quality classification as determined by the State of
North Carolina.
Table 18 — Water Quality Classifications Assigned by North Carolina
Class C
Waters protected for uses such as secondary recreation, fishing, wildlife, fish consumption, aquatic life
including propagation, survival and maintenance of biological integrity, and agriculture. Secondary
recreation includes wading, boating, and other uses involving human body contact with water where
such activities take place in an infrequent, unorganized, or incidental manner.
Class B
Waters protected for all Class C uses in addition to primary recreation. Primary recreational activities
include swimming, skin diving, water skiing, and similar uses involving human body contact with water
where such activities take place in an organized manner or on a frequent basis.
Water
Waters protected for all Class C uses plus waters used as sources of water supply for drinking, culinary,
Supply I
or food processing purposes for those users desiring maximum protection for their water supplies. WS-
(WS-I)
I waters are those within natural and undeveloped watersheds in public ownership. All WS-1 water are
HQW (high quality waters) by supplemental classification.
Water
Waters used as sources of water supply for drinking, culinary, or food processing purposes where a WS-
Supply II
1 classification is not feasible. These waters are also protected for Class C uses. WS-II waters are
(WS-11)
generally in predominantly undeveloped watersheds. All WS-II waters are HQW (high quality waters)
by supplemental classification.
Water
Waters used as sources of water supply for drinking, culinary or food processing purposes where a
Supply III
more protective WS-1 or WS-I1 classification is not feasible. These waters are also protected for Class C
(WS-III)
uses. WS-III waters are generally in low to moderately developed watersheds.
Water
Waters used as sources of water supply for drinking, culinary, or food processing purposes where a WS-
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Section One Natural Systems Analysis
Supply IV
I, WS-II, or WS-III classification is not feasible. These waters are also protected for Class C uses. WS-IV
(WS-IV)
waters are generally in moderately or highly developed watersheds or Protected Areas.
Water
Waters protected as water supplies which are generally upstream and draining to Class WS IV waters or
Supply V
waters used by industry to supply their employees with drinking water or as waters formerly used as a
(WS-V)
water supply. These waters are also protected for Class C uses.
Class SC
All tidal waters protected for secondary recreation such as fishing, boating, and other activities
involving minimal skin contact, fish and noncommercial shellfish consumption, aquatic life propagation
and survival; and wildlife.
Class SB
Tidal salt waters protected for all SC uses in addition to primary recreation. Primary recreational
activities include swimming, skin diving, water skiing, and similar uses involving human body contact
with water where such activities take place in an organized manner or on a frequent basis.
Class SA
Tidal salt waters that are used for commercial shellfishing or marketing purposes and are also
protected for all Class SC and Class SB uses. All SA waters are also HQW (high quality water) by
supplemental classification.
High Quality
Supplemental classification intended to protect waters which are rated excellent based on biological
Waters
and physical/chemical characteristics through Division of Water Quality monitoring or special studies,
(HQW)
primary nursery areas designated by the NC Division of Marine Fisheries Commission, and other
functional nursery areas designated by the Marine Fisheries Commission. The following waters are
HQW by definition: WS-I, WS-I1, SA, ORW (outstanding resource waters), primary nursery areas (PNAs)
as designated by the Marine Fisheries Commission, and waters for which the Division of Water Quality
has received a petition for reclassification to either WS-1, or WS-II classification.
Outstanding
All outstanding resource waters are a subset of High Quality Waters. This supplemental classification is
Resource
intended to protect unique and special waters having excellent water quality and being of exceptional
Waters
state or national ecological or recreational significance. To qualify, waters must be rated Excellent by
DWQ and have one of the following outstanding resource values: Outstanding fish habitat and
(ORW)
fisheries; unusually high level of waterbased recreation or potential for such kind of recreation; some
special designation such as NC Natural and Scenic River or National Wildlife Refuge; important
component of state or national park or forest; or special ecological or scientific significance(rare or
endangered species habitat, research or educational areas).
Swamp
Supplemental classification intended to recognize those waters which have low velocities and other
Waters
natural characteristics which are different from adjacent streams.
In addition to the classifications of surface water bodies applied by the Division of Water Quality, the
NC Division of Marine Fisheries applies classifications to salt marshes and estuaries along the coastal
region that serve as the nursery grounds for the vast majority of our state's fisheries. There are three
categories of nursery areas used by the Division of Marine Fisheries — primary nursery areas, secondary
nursery areas, and special secondary nursery areas. Primary nursery areas (PNAs) are located in the
upper portions of creeks, and bays. These areas are usually shallow areas with soft, muddy bottoms
and are surrounded by marshes and wetlands. Low salinity and the abundance of food in these areas
are ideal for young fish and shellfish. To protect these juvenile fisheries, many commercial fishing
activities are prohibited in these waters, including the use of trawl nets, seine nets, dredges or any
mechanical methods used for taking clams or oysters. In North Carolina, there are 80,144 acres of
designated Primary Nursery Areas. Maps of the specific areas in Dare County that are designated as
PNAs can be found on page 56 and page 57 of this document. Secondary nursery areas are located
in the lower portions of creeks and bays. As young fish and shellfish (primarily blue crabs and shrimp)
develop and grow, they move into the secondary nursery areas. Trawling is not permitted in
designated Secondary Nursery Areas. In North Carolina, there are 35,502 acres of designated SNAs.
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Section One Natural Systems Analysis
' Map 7A depicts areas in Dare County designated as SNAs. Special secondary nursery areas are located
adjacent to Secondary Nursery Areas but closer to the open waters of the sounds and the ocean.
These waters are closed to trawling activities during those periods of the year when juvenile species
are abundant. There are 31,362 designated acres of Special Secondary Nursery Areas in North
' Carolina. Maps of Special Secondary Nursery Areas in Dare County are depicted on MAP 7B on page
57.
' Flood Hazards and Storm Surge Areas
Dare County is surrounded by many water bodies. As a result, many areas of Dare County are located
' in flood hazard areas or storm surge areas. Flood hazard areas are those areas likely to experience
flooding in a 100-year flood. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) produces flood
' maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps or FIRMS) for all of Dare County depicting the various flood zones
that apply in Dare County. The FIRMS depict flood zones using the following designations:
' Zone AE Base flood elevations determined
Zone VE Base flood elevations determined, coastal flood with velocity (wave action)
Zone X Areas determined to be located outside of 500-year floodplain
The site specific flood zone designation affects construction methods and elevations of buildings.
' Most areas of Dare County are located in floodplains and subject to base flood elevations of 8 feet.
Some areas along the oceanfront and immediate estuarine shoreline are located in VE zones, which
establish higher base flood elevations than AE designated zones. Some areas in Dare County are
located in X zones and not subject to floodplain regulations. These areas are generally found in
Buxton Woods on Hatteras Island, northern portions of Roanoke Island, and some small areas of
' Colington. A map of the general layout of the AE, VE, and X zones is included as MAP 8 located on page
58. The FIRM maps are available in the office of the Dare County Floodplain Manager.
' In addition to flood hazard areas, storm surge associated with hurricanes and tropical storms is an
issue in Dare County. Storm surge is the increased water levels associated with hurricanes and
' tropical storms that results in flooding along the shorelines. The exact areas impacted by storm surge
depends on each particular storm and its intensity, forward speed, and angle of approach to the Dare
County shoreline. FEMA produces storm surge models based on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane ranking
' chart (category 1-5). The storm surge areas for Dare County are also depicted on the FIRM maps used
for base flood elevation and floodplain management. MAP 9A and Map 9B illustrate these storm
surge areas (pages 59-60).
Fragile Areas
Dare County has a heritage rich in history with the origin of the first English settlement on Roanoke
Island and the first powered flight by the Wright Brothers in Kill Devil Hills. These sites are under
' federal ownership in recognition of their historical significance to the nation. There are many other
areas in Dare County, due to their historical significance or rich abundance of natural resources, are in
' Page 30

Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
public ownership and protected from development. These areas include Jockey's Ridge, the Cape
Hatteras National Seashore, Pea Island Wildlife Refuge, the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge, and the
Buxton Woods coastal preserve. Most of the areas in unincorporated Dare County that possess
valuable wildlife and mineral resources are under federal or state ownership, thereby protecting these
resources from development or degradation.
In addition to the State owned land in the Buxton Woods maritime forest on Hatteras Island, Dare
County has applied special environmental zoning regulations to Buxton Woods. These zoning
regulations establish one -acre minimum lot sizes, wetland buffers, and land clearing restrictions in an
effort to limit development impacts on the vegetative canopy of the Buxton Woods maritime forest.
The AEC map, Map 1 on page 42, depicts the Buxton Woods area.
The NC Natural Heritage Program (NHP) is a non -regulatory program that maintains a list of Significant
Natural Heritage Areas. Identified areas are based on the NHP's evaluation and inventory of rare
natural animal and plant species, rare or high -quality natural communities, and geologic features. The
rarity of these elements and the quality of their setting determines a site's significance rating. The
sites are representative of the natural diversity of the region and therefore identified as worthy for
protection. Most of the Dare County sites included on this list are in public ownership. Some areas in
Dare County which are privately -owned have been identified by the NHP but this identification does
not translate into any level of protection from development or right to public access.
The Significant Natural Heritage Areas identified by the NHP in Dare County include the following
publicly -owned and privately -owned sites:
Cape Hatteras Point
Colington Woods
Bodie Island Lighthouse Pond
Buxton Woods
Fort Raleigh
Hatteras Island Middle Section
Hatteras Inlet bird nesting islands
Hatteras sand flats
Jockey's Ridge
Kitty Hawk Woods
Nags Head Woods
Oregon Inlet/Roanoke Sound bird nesting islands
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
Roanoke Island Juncus marsh
Southern Shores Cypress swamp
A map (Map 10) of historic resources is found on page 61.
Mapping of Natural Features
As part of the update process, Dare County is required to review the natural features and
conditions present in unincorporated Dare County. This review includes the classification of natural
features into three categories that identify the capabilities and limitations of the natural features and
conditions to support development activities. Maps produced as part of this analysis by the Dare
County Information Technology Office are included in the plan and are available to the general public.
The three general classifications of land as described in the CAMA land use plan guidelines are as
follows:
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Section One Natural Systems Analysis
Class 1— land containing only minimal hazards and limitations that may be addressed by commonly
accepted land planning and development practices;
Class 2— land containing development hazards and limitations that may be addressed by methods such
as restrictions on types of land uses, special site planning, or the provision of public services;
Class 3 — land containing serious hazards for development or lands where the impact of development
may cause serious damage to the functions of natural systems.
Class 1 represents those areas that have only minimal limitations or regulations to address before
development can occur. Class 2 lands are those areas with an increased amount of limitations or
standards that must be dealt with before development can occur. Class 3 lands are those lands that
represent the highest level of regulatory interaction or overlay of government regulations. For this
discussion, development is considered the issuance of a building permit and does not refer to any
specific class of development or intensity of land use. The CAMA guidelines do not specify which
natural features are to be included in each class. This assignment is left to the discretion of the local
government based on their knowledge and analysis of the conditions in the area. Table 19 lists the
natural features found in Dare County.
Table 19 — Natural Features Listing
Natural Feature/Condition
AECs
Coastal wetlands
Estuarine waters
Estuarine shoreline
Public trust areas
Unvegetated beach area
Ocean erodible area
High flood hazard area
Public Water Supply wellfield
Soils
Slight wastewater limitations
Moderate to severe wastewater
limitations
Slight erosion hazards
Moderate erosion hazards
Natural Feature/Condition
Non -coastal wetlands
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Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
Flood Hazards
Located in X/AE zone
Located VE zone
Water Quality
HQW/ORW classification
Fragile Areas
Buxton Woods SED-1 maritime forest
During the land use plan update process, the Planning Board discussed these natural features and their
impact on the development process. From this discussion, the Planning Board assigned an
appropriate classification to each natural feature as depicted in Table 20. The class ranking assigned
by Dare County reflects the analysis of the natural features and how these natural features are
addressed in land use development in unincorporated Dare County. The classifications represent a
realistic picture of conditions in unincorporated Dare County and the limitations associated with
development that are addressed on a day-to-day basis. When compared to the local use plans of other
coastal counties and the technical manual for land use plan development, Dare County officials made
some modifications to the default model of natural features classifications to reflect the uniqueness of
our area. These limitations are recognized and addressed through the use of acceptable land use
planning and building techniques. One example is the 100-year floodplain and flood zones
established by the federal government. The first flood maps for Dare County were adopted in 1978.
Since that time, construction techniques, such as the elevation of buildings to the established
minimum base flood, have been used to mitigate flood hazards. During the Planning Board discussion
of these classifications, it was noted that some of the natural features listed in Table 19, such as soils
subject to slight or moderate erosion, are difficult to map whereas the ocean erodible areas are easily
identified on CAMA erosion rate maps. Therefore, the class rankings included in Table 20 do not
include soils with slight to moderate erosion hazards but only list the ocean erodible AEC.
The natural features assigned a Class 1 ranking are those areas in Dare County that have only minimal
limitations or regulations to address before development can occur. An example would be a lot that is
located in an AE flood zone on the FIRM maps and all proposed structures must be elevated consistent
with the federal floodplain rules. Class 2 lands are those areas which involve an increased amount of
regulatory standards that must be addressed or permits that must be secured before development can
occur. An example of a class 2 ranking would be a lot that was located in a CAMA estuarine shoreline
AEC and a CAMA permit was necessary. Class 3 lands are those lands that represent the highest level
of regulatory interaction or overlay of standards associated with development activities. An example
of this would be coastal wetlands that are restricted by the CAMA use standards. These
classifications are not designed to prohibit development activities but are representative of the levels
of natural limitations and/or regulatory programs that are associated with development activities. All
federal lands are depicted as "government" property and not assigned a class 1, 2, or 3 ranking.
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• 14.
Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
I
L
Table 20 Class Assignments of Natural Features
Class 1 Features
Class 2 Features
Class 3 Features
Soils suitable for
wastewater
Estuarine Shoreline AEC
Coastal Wetlands AEC
X/AE flood zones
Ocean Erodible AEC
Estuarine Wetlands AEC
Non -wetland soils
High Hazard AEC
Public Trust AEC (area/waters)
Public Water Supply AEC
Unvegetated Beach AEC
Non -coastal wetlands
Soils --Moderate to severe
wastewater limitations
VE Flood Zones
HQW/ORW Water Quality
Classification
Buxton Woods SED-1 Zoning Area
Using the analysis of the natural features and their associated class ranking, an environmental
composite map has been developed with the overlays of the various class rankings. (Please note, an
overall map has been produced for the entirety of unincorporated Dare County. However, sectional
maps have also been included since unincorporated Dare County covers so much land area and is
difficult to map). The environmental composite map and associated sectional maps can be found on
pages 62-66. The map depicts the three classes of natural features as described in the preceding
narrative and identifies government -owned areas also. The GIS-based system used one acre units for
the map.
The environmental composite map is required to be developed as part of the land use plan guidelines.
However, the map should not be used by federal, state or local permitting agencies in reviewing
development proposals or performing site evaluations. The map is intended as an illustrative overlay
of natural features in unincorporated Dare County and how these natural features may impact the
development process.
Environmental Conditions
Water Quality
Basinwide plans for the seventeen major river basins in North Carolina are prepared and updated
by the State of North Carolina. These basinwide plans area non -regulatory effort used by the State of
North Carolina to restore and protect water quality in the State's water bodies. These basin plans are
prepared by the NC Division of Water Quality and coordinated with many other State agencies, local
governments and stakeholders in the state. The goals of the basin plans are to identify water quality
problems and impaired waters and to protect high value resource waters.
Page 34

..yN.
Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
The majority of Dare County is located in the Pasquotank River Basin. There is a small area of Dare
County located in the Tar -Pamlico River Basin.
The first basinwide plan for the Pasquotank River basin was completed in 1997 and has been updated
in 2002 and 2007. The Tar -Pamlico basin report was originally prepared in 1994 then updated again in
1999 and 2004. The latest updates provide a good reference for the status of the waters that
surround Dare County. The Pasquotank River basin covers 3,635 square miles of low-lying lands and
open waters. This river basin includes the Albemarle Sound, the Currituck Sound, the Croatan Sound,
the Roanoke Sound, and the Pamlico Sound. The Pasquotank River basin is part of the Albemarle -
Pamlico estuarine system, the second largest estuarine system in the United States. The Pasquotank
River basin is further subdivided into smaller sub -basins. For Dare County, this includes sub -basin 03-
01-51, sub -basin 03-01-55, and sub -basin 03-01-56. Sections from the 2007 Pasquotank River Basin
Plan for each of these sub -basins and from the Tar -Pamlico Basin plan are included as Appendix 5.
This information includes maps that depict the DWQ water classifications for the water bodies that
surround Dare County and information on the areas within each sub -basin that have been classified as
"Impaired" or "Supporting" relative to the use categories monitored for the basinwide plans --aquatic
life, recreation, fish consumption, and shellfish harvesting. The basin wide reports also discuss trends
in water quality for each sub -basin area.
Most of the waters included in sub -basin 03-010-51 are brackish estuarine waters including the
Albemarle, Croatan, and Roanoke Sounds and the Alligator River to the Intracoastal Waterway. There
is one major National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) discharge in this sub -basin. The
major NPDES facility is the Manteo Wastewater Treatment Plan. There have been significant non-
compliance issues identified with this facility in the past two years. Many of the waters in sub -basin
03-01051 are classified as shellfish harvesting (Class SA) and many also have the supplement
classification of High Water Quality (HQW) or Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW). Along some of
the creeks and tributaries of this sub -basin, the waters are listed as shellfish prohibited or impaired
due to fecal coliform bacteria levels. These areas are located along the immediate shorelines.
Stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces and agricultural sources are listed as factors of concern
for this sub -basin.
Sub -basin 03-01-55 consists of the Pamlico Sound from Oregon Inlet to Hatteras Island and contains
Black Lake and Stumpy Point Bay on the Mainland of Dare County. There are no major NPDES facilities
listed in the sub -basin report. There are three minor NPDES permitted facilities in this subbasin, all of
which are associated with the reverse osmosis water treatment plants, the Cape Hatteras RO plant, the
Stumpy Point plant, and the RWS plant in Rodanthe. Many of the waters in sub -basin 03-01051 are
classified as shellfish harvesting (Class SA) and many also have the supplement classification of High
Water Quality (HQW) or Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW). Along some of the creeks and
tributaries of this sub -basin, the waters are listed as shellfish prohibited or impaired due to fecal
coliform bacteria levels. These areas are located along the immediate shorelines. The construction of
a centralized wastewater system for Stumpy Point will allow for the replacement of many older, failing
Page 35

Section One Natural Systems Analysis
septic systems. Once this system is operational in 2010, water quality should improve in this sub -basin
in the Stumpy Point Bay area.
Sub -basin 03-01-56 includes the Outer Banks from the northern portion of Dare County south of
Oregon Inlet including portions of Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Roanoke Sound. There are
no major point -source NPDES facilities located in this sub -basin area. The only minor NPDES permit in
the subbasin is for the Dare County reverse osmosis plant in Kill Devil Hills. Many of the waters in this
sub -basin are classified Class SA for shellfish harvesting. Along some of the creeks and tributaries of
this sub -basin, the waters are listed as shellfish prohibited or impaired due to fecal coliform bacteria
levels. These areas are located along the immediate shorelines. Runoff from adjacent land use is
identified as an issue of concern within this sub -basin area.
The Tar -Pamlico basin covers 5,571 square miles and includes the Pamlico River, a tidal estuary that
flows into the Pamlico Sound. A small portion of this basin includes Dare County, sub -basin 03-03-08.
A map included in Appendix 5 depicts the area of Dare County that falls in sub -basin 03-03-08.
According to the sub -basin report, the Long Shoal River and its tributaries are currently listed as
"Impaired because they are prohibited or permanently closed to shellfish harvesting by the NC Division
of Environmental Health Shellfish Sanitation. The lands adjacent to the Long Shoal River are owned by
the Federal government.
All of the sub -basin reports for Dare County indicate little overall change has occurred in water quality.
Some areas have been closed for shellfish harvesting due to bacteria levels as a result of testing by the
Shellfish Sanitation division. Other areas have been re-classified from shellfish prohibited. The sub -
basin reports do not identify any major decline in the areas waters but do note concerns about
increased stormwater runoff, non-compliance issues with the Manteo central wastewater treatment
plant and older malfunctioning septic systems used throughout Dare County. As noted above, the
construction of the Stumpy Point central wastewater treatment system represents a significant
opportunity for improved water quality in Stumpy Point Bay over the next few years as this system
comes on-line in 2010.
Water quality has always been a high priority for Dare County. In 1995, the County began a voluntary
surface water monitoring program for our surrounding oceans and sounds. This program eventually
expanded into a full-time paid program managed by the Dare County Health Department. About two
years into the local program, the State Shellfish Sanitation section of the NC Division of Environmental
Health began testing the same sites in Dare County for monitoring of recreational water quality. To
avoid redundancy, the County efforts were combined with the State efforts. The County continues to
rely on the monitoring efforts by Shellfish Sanitation. Although the County does not perform the local
testing anymore, the County Health Department does assist with the dissemination of information and
advisories that the County receives from the State's program.
The Shellfish Sanitation office classifies coastal waters for their suitability for shellfish harvesting and
monitors coastal waters for recreational swimming purposes. This agency develops maps which depict
waters that are available for shellfish harvesting and prohibited areas. MAPS 12A-12G located on
Page 36

Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
pages 67-73 depict the shellfish "prohibited" areas for the surrounding waters. These areas are
updated as needed by the Shellfish Sanitation office. Written reports about the growing areas are
updated on a three-year cycle by the Shellfish Sanitation Office and are available from their offices.
One area of water quality concern in unincorporated Dare County involves Stumpy Point village.
Stumpy Point Bay is classified as a prohibited growing area by Shellfish Sanitation. Stumpy Point
village is home is to less than 150 residents. Many of the existing older septic tanks used in Stumpy
Point are known to have straight pipe discharges to a canal that drains directly to Stumpy Point Bay.
In response to this water quality issue, Dare County has secured permits for the construction of a
central wastewater treatment plant to serve Stumpy Point village. Construction of this plant began in
2008 and once completed, the straight pipe septic systems can be disconnected and no longer used.
Water quality in Stumpy Point Bay should improve once this facility comes on-line.
The Shellfish Sanitation office prepares reports on each individual growing area of the coastal region.
These documents, known as "Sanitary Surveys", report on current situations and trends in each
growing area. For Dare County, there are six growing areas G-5, H-1, H-2, H-3, H-4 H-5, and 1-2 that
encompass the estuarine water bodies that surround Dare County. Copies of the entire reports are
available by contacting the NC Shellfish Sanitation Section offices. The reports contain information
on water quality monitoring test sites, wastewater treatment facilities and plants, and other
community information that may be affecting water quality in each growing area. Recommendations
on the reclassification of area waters for shellfishing purposes are made to the Division of Marine
Fisheries based on the results of these sanitary surveys. A brief description of each area is included
below:
The G-5 area includes waters of both Dare County and Hyde County. For Dare County, the area
encompasses Long Shoal River and Pains Bay.
The H-1 growing area encompasses the Roanoke Sound, Shallowbag Bay, Broad Creek and Mill Creek.
The most recent Sanitary Survey for the H-1 area was completed in August 2006.
The H-2 growing area encompasses the waters of the Croatan Sound as well as all nearby creeks and
tributaries. The most recent Sanitary Survey for this area was completed in December 2005.
The H-3 growing area is located in the northern section of the Pamlico Sound and includes Stumpy
Point Bay. The most recent Sanitary Survey for the H-1 area was completed in May 2006. It was
noted that the classification of Stumpy Point Bay will be re-evaluated when the proposed Stumpy Point
wastewater treatment plant is functioning and the use of straight pipe septic systems in the area have
been removed.
The H-4 growing area is located along the western end of Hatteras Island and includes all waters south
of Brooks Point to Durant Point to the western tip of Hatteras Island. The H-4 Sanitary Survey was
completed in March 2007.
Page 37

•.yN.
Section One Natural Systems Analysis
The H-5 growing area is located between Hatteras Island and Oregon Inlet. It includes all waters east
of South Point at Oregon Inlet to Gull Island in the Pamlico Sound to Brooks Point on the north shore of
Hatteras Island. This report was completed in September 2006.
The 1-2 consists of the waters bordered to the east by the Towns of Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty
Hawk and to the west by the community of Mashoes and uninhabited Durant Island. The area is
bordered to the north by the Currituck and Albemarle Sounds and to the south by the Croatan and
Roanoke Sounds. The Sanitary Survey for this growing area was completed in June 2005.
Natural Hazards
The geographic location of Dare County along the eastern shoreline of North Carolina and its
proximity to the Atlantic Ocean makes it vulnerable to flooding, storm surge, and high winds associated
with hurricanes, tropical storms and other coastal storms. To address this vulnerability, Dare County
relies on shoreline setbacks and construction techniques to mitigate the harmful effects of coastal
storms. As discussed in the natural features section, most areas of unincorporated Dare County are
located in a flood zone and subject to the federal flood rules for elevation of structures to mitigate
flood hazards. In certain flood zones, known as VE zones or velocity zones, additional construction
techniques must be employed to mitigate flood hazards. VE zones are generally found along the
immediate oceanfront and some immediate estuarine shoreline areas. The VE base flood elevations
are higher than the base flood elevation requirement in the AE zones. There are some areas in
unincorporated Dare County that are not located in any flood zones. These properties are depicted as
X zones on the FIRM maps used for floodplain administration. There are some X zones located on the
north end of Roanoke Island, in some areas of Colington and in the Buxton Woods maritime forest on
Hatteras Island. There are no minimum base flood elevation or other applicable construction
techniques required for properties located in X zones.
In addition to flood hazards, property along the oceanfront is also subject to erosion and must comply
' with oceanfront setbacks established by the NC Division of Coastal Management (DCM). Coastal
management officials adopt erosion map rates for all oceanfront areas of North Carolina, and these
rate maps are used by DCM staff to establish the appropriate setbacks for oceanfront construction.
' These maps are updated on a regular basis by State officials. In Dare County, these erosion rates vary
according to geographic location. The highest erosion rates are found along the oceanfront at
' northern end of Rodanthe village. Since the early 1990s, several oceanfront structures in the
Rodanthe area have been impacted by severe erosion with some structures relocated to non -
oceanfront sites or rendered un-inhabitable by loss of a wastewater system or undermining of
' foundation pilings
Another area subject to erosion is in Buxton near Cape Point. In 2005, the Coast Guard discontinued
operations at the Buxton base due to impacts of erosion on their base infrastructure, especially the
wastewater treatment plant. Groins extending into the Atlantic Ocean were constructed in 1970s.
' The groin field was constructed to mitigate the effects of erosion at the base facility. Maintenance of
the groin field is needed and it was the management decision of the Coast Guard to discontinue
Page 38
1

"N.
Section One
Natural Systems Analysis
operations at Buxton. This decision was based on the difficulties of securing the maintenance permits
for the groin field from the State Coastal Resources Commission and the cost of the maintenance work.
Erosion along the oceanfront areas of the other Hatteras Island villages is not as severe as the
Rodanthe area.
Since the 2003 Land Use Plan update, one major hurricane has impacted Dare County, Hurricane Isabel
in September 2003. This hurricane caused extensive damage on Hatteras Island, especially in Hatteras
village, where storm surge resulted in the loss of many homes, condominiums, and businesses in the
immediate oceanfront area. NC 12 was severed just north of the entrance to Hatteras village as a
result of the storm surge from Isabel. Permits to fill this area were secured after several weeks and
repairs made to re -open NC 12. Information on the damages from Hurricane Isabel obtained from the
Dare County Tax Appraisal office is included in Table 21.
Table 21— Hurricane Isabel Damage Estimates (based on assessment report thru 10-27, 2003)
District
Public
Property
Damage
Private
Property
Damage
TOTAL
Rodanthe
20,000
10,242,850
10,262,850
Waves
-
1,285,800
1,285,800
Salvo
-
503,400
503,400
Avon
-
1,087,200
1,087,200
Buxton
50,000
5,246,590
5,296,590
Frisco
18,000
3,300,640
3,318,640
Hatteras
623,000
74,377,000
75,000,000
Mainland
10,000
206,100
216,100
Manteo Outside
-
292,500
292,500
Wanchese
-
625,000
625,000
Manteo Town
85,000
2,715,000
2,800,000
Colin ton, KDH Out, Martin's Pt
-
460,000
460,000
Nags Head
971,450
24,234,300
25,205,750
Kill Devil Hills
3,175,000
11,405,900
14,580,900
Kitty Hawk
**
20,600,000
Southern Shores
101,000
919,500
1,020,500
Duck
635,000
4,365,000
5,000,000
Totals:
5,688,450
141,266,780
167,555,230
** no breakdown provided
Page 39

' ••yri.
Section One Natural Systems Analysis
' Mitigation of repetitive flood losses is a priority of Dare County. Since 2000, Dare County has actively
pursued federal mitigation grants to assist property owners with the reduction of repetitive flood
losses. The County has obtained grant funding from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and from
Scattered Site Housing grants which has enabled the rehabilitation and elevation of many older homes
' throughout Dare County. To date, forty-two houses have been elevated through these federal grant
programs.
'
Natural Resources
The physical setting of Dare County includes many natural features that are environmentally fragile
'
and impacts from development must be managed to protect these fragile areas. Many of the fragile
areas are subject to protection under the Coastal Area Management Act as areas of environmental
concerns (AECs) as detailed in the Natural Features discussion on page 23. Other fragile areas are
'
located on federal or state owned lands and protected from development. These federal and state
lands include historical and archaeological significant sites such as Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island,
'
home of the first English settlement. Local measures such as zoning regulations may also be applied
to natural fragile areas. The Buxton Woods maritime forest on Hatteras Island is affected by a local
zoning ordinance with land clearing restrictions designed to protect the vegetative canopy of this
'
unique maritime woods setting. Much of the Buxton Woods forest is included in the Buxton Woods
Coastal Preserve managed by the NC Division of Coastal Management. This 900 plus acre preserve is
recognized is dedicated open space owned by the State.
Areas with wildlife and mineral resources include: potential mineral sites, fish and gamelands, and
productive agricultural lands. Many of these areas are owned and managed by the federal
government. Mineral extraction on federal lands is regulated by the US. Department of Interior.
Some privately -owned lands on the Mainland may have mineral resource potential, especially in terms
'
of sand mining. Mining activities that involve more than one acre of land disturbance are regulated by
the NC Division of Land Resources. Mining activities that involve less than one acre are not subject to
'
any State or local regulation. However, Dare County does have zoning regulations that preclude the
alteration of inland dunes unless authorized by Dare County.
'
Commercial forestry does not have a large role in the economy of Dare County. Occasionally, some
sites are harvested for timber rights, but general there are no large-scale forestry activities in
'
unincorporated Dare County.
There are many fishing and wildlife areas including the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and the
'
Alligator River Wildlife Refuge. Hunting and fishing activities on these federal refuges are managed by
the US Fish and Wildlife Service. There are no confined animal feeding operations within
unincorporated Dare County.
The Dare County Mainland also features productive agricultural lands, but much of the acreage is
contained in the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge and therefore protected from development.
Page 40

Section One Natural Systems Analysis
With the abundance of natural resources in Dare County as detailed in the preceding discussion it is
understandable why many people to choose visit and reside here. Many of our permanent residents
have relocated from other locations to enjoy the opportunities available here. The opportunities to
enjoy the County's natural resources is enhanced by the vast amounts of publicly -owned lands which
provide numerous sites to view wildlife and fish and recreate in the ocean and sounds. The proximity
of the remaining privately -owned lands to these public land reserves and the water resources presents
limitations and challenges in developing the private lands. The many layers of federal, state, and local
regulatory controls discussed in the subsections on water quality and natural hazards are designed to
manage development that maybe detrimental to our natural resources. Balancing the protection and
sustainablity of our natural conditions with the viability of our local economy is important. Continued
participation with the federal flood insurance program for the elevation of structures and maintaining
proper setbacks from our water resources are examples of how the limitations of the natural
conditions can be accomplished in a manner that addresses protection of our resources while
supporting our local economy.
Page 41

G)
m
V
W
ALBEMARLE SOUND - COLINGTON AREA PROHIBITED TERR ITORY
Area 1-2 (Prohibited areas are hatched)
COUNTIES: CURRITUCK, CAMDEN,
DARE, TYRRELL
Harvesting -pi Designated LAv-_lj identifier
in Shellfish k *
boundary1 1
Areas
f • o� -
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Areas area
',�.
+ N State Plane
tell
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MAP 12F SHELLFISH
OUTER BANKS AREA
Area H-5
Locator Map
PROHIBITED TERRITORY
(Prohibited areas are hatched)
Designated A 1 Identifier
Shellfish
Harvesting : �. Boundary
Areas •
Prohibited ^� Boundary
Areas ® Area
Inset Map #11 VW
I
Uncle Jimmy's
Landing
H-5 /
Rodanthe Boat Harbor
Greens Point
Blackmar Gut I
Rodanthe
l
0 150 300
Yards
Inset Map #2 /
Salvo Harbor
1
r
H-5 f
I Salvo
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0 1 150 300
N
NAD83
NC State Plane
0 2.5 5
Inset Map #3
Big Islan-
Gibbs Point
T 1 Mill Creek
y r
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(SEE BACK OF MAP FOR
AREA DESCRIPTIONS.)
PAGE 72

m
D
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m
PROHIBITED TERRITORY
HATTER AS- OUTER BANKS AREA prohibited areas are hatched)
Area H-4 ( COUNTY: DARE
(SEE BACK OF MAP FOR AREA DESCRIPTIONS.)
D
N
m
m

' STUMPY POINT AREA
Area H-3
1
1
1�
i
MAP 12D SHELLFISH
PROHIBITED TERR ITORY
(Prohibited areas are hatched) COUNTY: DARE
1� I"I�
�r
Lake Worth Area
Drain Point Area
Lake
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t
Stumpy
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Drain Point /
/
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♦
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- I
♦
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f
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PAGE 70
(SEE BACK OF MAP FOR
AREA DESCRIPTIONS.)

MAP 12 C SHELLFISH
CROATAN S-0y "ND AREA PROHIBITED TERR ITORY
Area U .. (Prohibited areas are hatched) COUNTY: DARE
♦
♦
� a
v�
�� RALEiGFi
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2
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manns II Sand '
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1 ! Ashbee
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_
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-
-
■
Lf
- AL- J
identifier
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Shellfish
�r
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I ♦•
boundary
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\
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�
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0 1000 2000 Yards
locator map
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®
area
•
•X
..
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I
H-6
I
I
I
(SEE BACK OF MAP FOR
AREA DESCRIPTIONS.)
PAGE 69

III' • `+:
ROANOKE SOUND AREA
Area H-1
1
I
i
�I
PROHIBITED TERRITORY
(Prohibited areas are hatched)
MAP 12B SHELLFISH
COUNTY: DARE
Designated
Shellfish A-1 Identifier
Villa Condominium STP Outfall
♦ ♦I t. Harvesting es�
: Boundary
I
_7 — —
00, �z d \Nays Head ^/ Boundary
Rsnc� � Prohibited
STATE P{�RK
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�\
j Sidi A� : � Q I�
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_
s COAST GUARD
v
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PAGE 68
(SEE BACK OF MAP FOR
AREA DESCRIPTIONS.)

MAP 12A SHELLFISH --
ENGELHARD AREA
Area G-5
Designated
A-- identifier
Shellfish
Harvesting
k •
Areas
/ q boundary
Prohibited
/V boundary
Areas
® area
locator map
yy
N
NA
NC StatetePlane
0 1000 2000 Yards
PROHIBITED TERR ITORY
(Prohibited areas are hatched)
/
� V
n
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(SEE BACK OF MAP PUK
AREA DESCRIPTIONS.)
PAGE 67

"ti .
ENVR COMPOSITE MAP 11 E
9
EAST LAKE
IIA
020
Government Property
Class 1
Class 2
- Class 3
0 7,500 15,000 30,000 45,000 60,000 75,000
Feet
I,
MASHOES
M
1
STUMPY POINT
J
PAGE 66

ENVR COMPOSITE MAP 11 D
Municipal Areas
Government Property
TOWN OF \ Class 1
SOUTHERN Class 2
MARTINS SHORES
- Class 3
POINT
TOWN OF
KITTYHAWK
COL /NGTON
0 2.000 4,000 &000 12,000 16,000
Feet
N A
44 `k '
TOWN OF
KILL DEVIL
HILLS
Page 65

ENVR COMPOSITE MAP 11C
OF
EAD
r
1
w
r
Municipal Areas
Government Property
US Department of the Interior (Nags Head Jurisdiction)
Class 1
Class 2
- Class 3,
0 2,500 5,000 10.000 15.000 20,000 25,000 30,000
Feet
w�
Page 64

ENVR COMPOSITE MAP 11 B
0 7,500 15,000 30,000 45,000 60,000 75,000
Feet
Government Property
Class 1
Class 2
- Class 3
HATTERAS
RODANTHE
WAVES
SALVO ;
PAge 63

.,AP
Municipal Areas lk
Goverment property
Class 1
Class 2
- Class 3
MA"
This map is for illustrative purposes
only and cannot be used by federal,
state or local permitting agencies in
reviewing development proposals or
performing site evaluations.
Miles
0 2.5 5 10 15 20
C:\fvcDare\county\planning Van dclass\com posit2011.m xd
PAGE 62

T
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Fort Raleigh
Historic Site
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* t1rt'Pawl H;ms
�( \; Wight Brothers
MAP 10
1�0#' National Memorial
Festival Park �1 Jockeys Ridge
State Park
Bodie Island Lighthouse
`vo
LLF
4N eI
Buxton Woods
Historic a n d Coastal Preserve
Cultural Sites
Mi I es
0 2 4 8 12 16
APE M`SE Sµp{tE
1:360,000 "T\p.�
v�
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
C:4ArcD are\cou rdy\planning\landclassviistono. mxd

MAP 9B
Fast Moving Hurricane
Hurricane Storm Surge Areas - Fast Moving Storms
(Source: National Hurricane Center)
Predicted to flood during
category 1 and 2 hurricanes.
Predicted to flood during
a category 3 hurricane.
These areas are in addition
to the areas flooded during a
category 1 and 2 hurricane.
Predicted to flood during
-a category 4 or 5 hurricane.
These areas are in addition
to the areas flooded in a
category 1,2 and 3 hurricane.
Miles
0 2.5 5 10 15 20
C:WrcDare\county\planni ng\Ian dclass\slosh_fast.mxd
R

MAP 9A
Slow Moving Hurricane
Hurricane Storm Surge Areas - Fast Moving Storms
(Source: National Hurricane Center)
t
Predicted to flood during
category 1 and 2 hurricanes.
0
Predicted to flood during
a category 3 hurricane.
These areas are in addition
to the areas flooded during a
category 1 and 2 hurricane.
Predicted to flood during
-a category 4 or 5 hurricane.
These areas are in addition
to the areas flooded in a
category 1,2 and 3 hurricane.
Miles
0 2.5 5 10 15 20
C:\ArcDare\county\planning\landclass\slosh—slow.mxd

Th
ani
loc
de,
sit(
0 2.5 5 10
C:WrcDare\county\plann ing\la r
MAP 8
DARE COUNTY
Flood Zone
— X
- AE
- VE
Municipal Areas N
PAGE 58

MAP 7B PRIMARY FISHERY AREAS
sUr-v
Bay
^ .w Long Shoal River
/ .0103 2 a i
+ r" -
a
Broad Creek
.0103 2 a iii
_cam_
G`¢
i
r - --
.0103 2 a ii Deep Creek
Muddy Creek
- 01032ajv
_ = T Clark Creek '
• .01032avii
i- .0103 2 a v Pains
wind
a
roirrf _ —
.0104 2 a
Long Shoal River
r Jumpe' Swamp
'Shed
vans
M
.0103 2 a vi Otter Creek
- - $0,
i
8nar
M�
t
Sang
Pwnr
P„cn.e can
Point
1.0104 2 b I Pains Bay Q'
I
1
1
\
t
1 --
t This map was produced for illustrative purposes as a general guide to
assist the public. Informational data used for this map were collected
from federal, state, county, and private organizations. While every
effort is made to keep this map accurate and up-to-date, it is not
intended to replace any official source. Under no circumstances shall the
State of North Carolina be liable for any actions taken or omissions made
from reliance on any information contained herein from whatever source nor
shall the State be liable for any other consequences from any such reliance.
Background imagery are U.S. Geological Fishery Nursery Areas Fishery Nursery Areas
Survey 1:100,000-scale planimetnc maps. ® Primary
® Permanent Secondary
® Special Secondary
® Military Danger
Zones and
Restricted Areas
locator map
Inland waters (W RC jurisdiction)
Map 7
PAGE 57
Map Datum: NAD83
Map Projection: NC State Plane
Map Date: July 2006 MA1�II�E
1000 0 1000 2000 Yards IM�
<a � �
0.0 0.7 1.4 Miles -
7 Za

I
MAP 7A FISHERY NURSERY AREAS
This map was produced for illustrative purposes as a
general guide to assist the public. Informational data
ay
used for this map werecollected from federal, state,
county, and private organizations. While every effort
is made to keep this map accurate and up-to-date,
it are not intended to replace any official source.
kHaray
i1 HMs
Under no circumstances shall the State of North
Carolina be liable for any actions taken or omissions
made from reliance on any information contained herein
from whatever source nor shall the State be liable for
anv other conseauences from anv such reliance.
tyg Girl F1RO OMAL
lfil 158
110 2
1
tsaj
\
V
Now
---t
,IpCKEY AIOGE
STA'rf PpRK�
N peed
eA
1.0103 1 a ii
Scarborough Creek
Broad Creek
cP
0
Background imagery are U.S. Geological Fishery Nursery Areas Fishery Nursery Areas
' Survey 1:100,000-scale planimetric maps. ® Primary
Permanent Secondary
Special Secondary
® Military Danger
Zones and
' Restricted Areas
locator map
Inland waters (W RC jurisdiction)
Map 1
PAGE 56
Map Datum: N
Map Projection: NCC State Plane
Map Date: July 2006��E
1000 0 1000 2000 Yards
0.7 0 0.7 1.4 Miles

The NC Shellfish Sanitation Agency
is responsible for the designation of
prohibited shellfish areas. This map was
produced from information found on their website -
www.deh. enr.state. nc.us/shellfish/maps.htm
Miles
0 2.5 5 10 15 20
CAA rcDare\county\planning\landclass\shellfisIn. mxd
DARE COUNTY MAP 6
Prohibited Areas as designated
by NC Shellfish Sanitation
Water Quality Classification
- ORW
SA
R
PAGE 55

MAP 51 EROSION RATE MAP
The Trench Goat Island bay
Eagle Nest gay Pamlico Sound - •.
.. l7oaro Sound
Molts Crook
1�. - _ _ Oregon IMet
I �
! ;'1 i ! 1 GON INLET
65 it 85 j-
00 j
2.0
1Z0 ; 13.0 I. 125
110 7.0 - 9.0 1 11.0 12.0 16.0
Atlantic Ocean
Scale ofFeet
0 1,250 2.500 5,000
Scale 1:25,000 0 0.25 0.5 1
Sgle of Miles
N. Pea Island
Lon-q-Term Average Annual Shoreline Chan_qe Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP How to read Setback Factors
North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates 1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
2.0 ---Ili, "2.0" Indicates a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet/ Year
Legend
average rates of shoreline change over approximately 50 years.
developed by:
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area fsl5m caw hansperancy)
reflect the short -tern erosion that occurs during storms. This
NC State University s Kenan Natural Hazards
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
_
map may not be suitable for property -specific determination of
Management
- 2 0 Ft. / Yr.
�� Inlet Hazard Area Boundary g
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a site -specific
determination contact your CAMA Local Permit officer or the
2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
Setback Factor Boundary
regional field office of the North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management.
For more Information contact:
�� 3.5 - 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
Roads
f
This general area has been n
Funding for this project was provided by:
NC Division of Coastal Management:
4 5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
3
influenced by beach nourishment -
1638 Mail Service Center
5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
either for beach protection or �
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
* dredge disposal. This action 4
9
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
(919) 733 - 2293
6.5 - 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
artificially lowers the erosion m
Division of Emergency Management
or visit:
rate in this area.
- 7.5 - 8.0 Ft. / Yr.
w .nccoastalmanagement.net
- 18.0 Ft. / Yr.
Pa a 51 of 60 a
9
PAGE 54

Pea Island Creek
Pea Island Bay
Terrapin Creek Bay The Trench
Pamlico Sound
Terrapin Creek
Terrapin Creek
5
` ,}� Atlantic Ocean
rn �_
Scale 1:25,000
bt
S. Pea Island
Long -Term Average Annual Shoreline Change Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP
64
TYRRELL x,w
HYDE
264
ea
riewuwi.'w`r
Adandc Ocean
LICO /
wmrirrra..>,1 Legend
� ncswware�r
CARTERET a,u, Mhi roM+cwur
.w.e. L oHmrm�
Scales :2,000,000 Orm.nMmr[e�n
Ivor[n uarollna
Division of Coastal Management
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change over appro>amalely 50 years.
developed by:
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
NC State University's Karen Natural Hazards
reflect the short-term erosion that occurs during storms. This
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
map may not be suitable for property -specific determination of
Management
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a sit"pedfic
determination contact your CAMA Local Permit Officer or the
regional field office of the North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management
For more information contact.,
NC Division of Coastal Management:
Funding for this project was provided by:
1638 Mail Service Center
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
[phone]
Division of Emergency Management
Or visit
w .nccoastalmanagementnet
MAP 5H EROSION RATE MAP
Goal Island Bay
Scale of Feet
0 1,250 2,500 5,000
r'k .. . rI , . ty. . . I
0 0.25 0.5 1
Scale of Miles
How to read Setback Factors
2:0 "2.0" Indicates a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet / Year
Legend
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area (sk9hl cobr vensparency)
- 2.0 Ft. / Yr.
Setback Factor Boundary
_ 2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
- Roads
_ 3.5 - 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
This general area has been
influenced by beach nourishment
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
* either for beach protection or N
_
5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
dredge disposal. This action
artificially lowers the erosion
- 6.5 - 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
rate in this area.
- 7,5 - 8.0 Ft. / Yr.
->8.0Ft. /Yr.
Page 50 of 60

MAP 5G EROSION RATE MAP
Sound
/ 1 I I � I i I I RomM Hammodr Bay
a I
I �t i JI � I. Paull Ditch --•-
20
�.
40 it N •I - `.).'•� _�„�" -..
T r.0 85 'J,_I 11.5 14.0 13.0 I1111-275M,
120
Y 2.0
T
gr(avrv: Ornai
F Scale of Feet
0 0 1.250 2,500 5.000
m Scale 1:25,000 0 0.25 0.5 1
Scale of Miles
Hatteras Island at Rodanthe
Lon_q-Term Average Annual Shoreline Change Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP How to read Setback Factors
North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management
"2.0" Indicates a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet / Year
Legend
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change war apprommately 50 years.
developed by:
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area fsllghrc"rmnsparency) B
reflect the short-term erosion that occurs during storms. This
NC State University's Kenan Natural Hazards
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
map may notbe suitable for property -specific determination of
Management
2.0 Ft. / Yr.
�--- Inlet Hazard Area Boundary
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a sitespecific
determination contact your LAMA Local Permit Officer or the
- 2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
--- Setback Factor Boundary
regional field office ofthe North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management.
For more Information contact:
_ 3.5 - 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
Roads E
This general area has been a
NC Division of coastal Management:
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
influenced by beach nourishment i3
Funding for this protect was provided by:
1638 Mail Service Center
- 5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
either for beach protection or
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
(919) 733 —2293
* dredge disposal. This action
g
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
_ 6.5 - 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
artificially lowers the erosion
Division of Emergency Management
Or visit:
rate in this area.
-
7.5 - 8.0 Ft. / Yr.
�
—nccoastalmanagement.n et
->8.0Ft. /Yr.
Page 49 of 60
PAGE 52

f
30 I
No Ao,r Bo,
AN-0,; 0ooan
I J7
d
Pamlico Sound
MAP 5F EROSION RATE MAP
Scale of Feet
0 1, 2.500 5,000 I.
4*
m Scale 1:25,000 0 o.zs Scale of Miles 1
Hatteras Island at Salvo
Lon-q-Term Average Annual Shoreline Change Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP How to read Setback Factors
North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management
2.0 - ►"2.0"Indicates a1998Setback (Erosion) Factor of2.0Feet /Year
Legend
This map is for general information only. The m ap illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change wer approximately 50 years.
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
developed by:
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area rslghrworlranperencyl
reflect the short-term erosion that ocwrs during storms. This
NC State University's Kenan Natural Hazards
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
map may not suitable for properly -specific determination of
Management
2.0 Ft. / Yr.
Inlet Hazard Area Boundary
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a site-spedfic
determination contact your CAMA Local Permit Officer or the
_ 2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
--- Setback Factor Boundary
regional field office of the North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management.
For more information contact.,
3.5 - 4.0 Ft. /Yr.
Roads {
This general area has been
NC Division of coastal Management:
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
influenced by beach nourishment o
Fording for this project was prodded by:
1638 Mail Service Center
5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
either for beach protection or
National Oceanic and Atrnosphenc Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
dredge disposal.
g This action P
Emergency Manageent Agency, and North Carolina
m
(g19) 733 —2293
_ 6.5 - 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
artificially lowers the erosion
Division of Emergency Management
Orwet:
rate In this area. a
-7.5-8.0Ft./Yr.
�
www.nccoastalm anagement.net
->8.0Ft. /Yr.
Page 48 of 60 a
PAGE 51

MAP 5E EROSION RATE MAP
d
4.0 11 440 4.5 �5 � 14.0 1 ,. .. 35 4.0 .
IIi ! _
3.5 I 30
-
Atlantic Ocean
m Scale 1:25,000
Hatteras Island at N. Avon
Lon-q-Term Average Annual Shoreline Chan_qe Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP
TYR R ELL
C HYDE 1
Atlantic Ocean
LICO'
1,99-d
� nimrry Pord
_C—C.vrr VPq )
CARTERET I Ic,wu cwa,
• L �cownr eaumrry
-Scale, 1:2,000,000
Norin uarollna
Division of Coastal Management
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change over approximately 50 years.
developed by:
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
reflect the short-term erosion that occurs during storms. This
NC State University's Kenan Natural Hazards
map may not be suitable for property -specific determination of
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a site-speafic
Management
determination contact your CAMA Local Permit Officer or the
regional field office ofthe North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management.
For more Informadon contact:
NC Division of Coastal Management:
Funding for this project was provided by:
1638 Mail Service Center
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
(919) 733 —2293
Division of Emergency Management
Or visit:
www.nccoastalmanagement.net
PAGE 50
Scale of Feet
0 1.250 2.500 5,000
!iTTT1 . . L-IL I
0 0.25 0.5 1
Scale of Miles
How to read Setback Factors
11111IM11111110 "2.0" Indicates a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet / Year
Legend
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area is qm eae aanspa anerl
- 2.0 Ft. / Yr.
Inlet Hazard Area Boundary
- 2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
— — Setback Factor Boundary
_ 3.5 - 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
Roads
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
This general area has been w
influenced by beach nourishment a
5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
* either for beach protection or
_ 6.5 - 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
dredge disposal. This action
- 7.5 - 8.0 Ft. / Yr.
artificially lowers the erosion
rate in this area.
->8.0Ft. /Yr.

Pamlico Sound
Mill creek
* skongPoinf
.tee ivw•.
0
3.0
T
Atlantic Oman
Scale 1:25,000
Hatteras Island at Avon
Lon-q-Term Avera--ge Annual Shoreline Chan-qe Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP
64
TYRRELL I — a
/�(Ct HYDE 1
264 1\
/� ,. LICO" Atlantic Ocean
�
w9�,w,r Au.n
® CAMI. CoumY lSYutlYPeA�oN
CARTERET - L......, Icmu
L-mra°untl.n
Scale• 12,000,000
North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change over approximately 50 years.
developed by:
The information presented here is not predictive nor does if
Natural Hazards
NC Stateprogram
reflect the short-term erosion that occurs during storms. This
aUniversity's Northenan
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
map may not be suitable for property -specific determination of
Management
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a site -specific
determination contact your CAMA Local Permit Officer or the
regional field office ofthe North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management.
For more information contact:
NC Division of Coastal Management:
Funding for this protect was provided by:
1638 Mail Service Center
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
(919) 733 — 2293
Division of Emergency Management
Or visit:
www.riccoastalmanagement.net
PAGE 49
MAP 5D EROSION RATE MAP
Scale of Feet
0 1,250 2,500 5,000
0 0.25 0.5 1
Scale of Miles
How to read Setback Factors
11111MIIIIII --10, "2.0" Indicates a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet / Year
Legend
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area (sig,,to-wtramsparemcy)
- 2.0 Ft. / Yr.
Inlet Hazard Area Boundary
_ 2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
Setback Factor Boundary
_ 3.5 - 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
Roads
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
This general area has been
influenced by beach nourishment
_ 5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
* either for beach protection or
- 6.5 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
dredge disposal. This action
-
artificially lowers the erosion
- 7.5 - 8.0 Ft. / Yr,
rate in this area.
->8.0Ft. /Yr.
Page 46 of'60

f
ss 1os 1a.o ss �a,ip Imp
-'� _.
4.0 5.0 7 0 •.�L�
N -4l Atldntir, Orovi i
1Z }�
9.�. Scale 1:25,000
Cape Hatteras at Buxton
Lon_q-Term Average Annual Shoreline Change Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP
— /Yrrt s
64 r
f TYRRELLI
HYDE
264
LICO' ���\� �, .ter At/andc ocean
Legend
Ri-1 RoeE
- CMl4 Caunry (—yRe&.)
CARTERET - C_Icuu, c.umy
_- L co�my eo�rta.�y
Scale 1:2,000,000 Rnn.�yu.pu�ny
Ivortn uarollna
Division of Coastal Management
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change over approximately 50 years.
developed by:
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
reflect the short-term erosion that occurs during storms. This
NC State University's Kenan Natural Hazards
map may not be suitable for property -specific determination of
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a site -specific
Management
determination contact your CAMA Local Permit Officer a the
regional field office ofthe North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management.
For more lnformatfon contact:
NO Division of Coastal Management:
Funding fa this project was provided by:
1638 Mail Service Center
National Oceanic and Atm osphedc Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
(919) 733 —2293
Division of Emergency Management
Or visit:
~vmccoastalmanagement.net
PAGE 48
MAP 5C EROSION RATE MAP
Pamlico Sound
9.5 10.0MM
10.5 10.0 9.0 8.0 I�- 7.0�
0 1,250 2.500 5.000
0 0.25 0.5 1
Scale of Miles
How to read Setback Factors
2.0 1111- "2.0" Indicates a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet / Year
Legend
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area (3tt9M colorinnspamncy)
2.0 Ft. / Yr.--
Inlet Hazard Area Boundary
8
2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
-- Setback Factor Boundary
3.5 - 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
Roads E
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
This general area has been a
influenced by beach nourishment o
_ 5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
* either for beach protection or
- 6.5 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
dredge disposal. This action
-
artificially lowers the erosion
_ 7.5 - 8.0 Ft. / Yr.
rate in this area.
->8.0Ft. /Yr.
Page 45 of,60

Pamlico
MAP 5B EROSION RATE MAP
/- � �: over x°'^ -mil• F .
y
Atlantic Ocean
N
WE
$ Scale 1:25,000
Cape Hatteras
Lon-q-Term Average Annual Shoreline Change Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
Scale of Feet
0 1.250 2,500
0 0.25 0.5
Scale of Miles
REGIONAL MAP How to read Setback Factors
6 1
TYRRELL I
d
HYDE \
264
Atlantic ocean
LICO/ -
'P
�"-arormmtl
- CHM Court lss•h PNa^)
CARTERET
�_Ic.w. co^mr
I_ co^my eeo^tl.n
Scale 1:2,000,000°irniy
5,000
North Carolina
Division of Coastal Management
20 -10, "2.0" Indicates a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet / Year
Legend
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change over approximately 50 years.
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
developed by:
1998 Setback Factor
Inlet Hazard Area (s>9M cworrransP---Y)
rated the short-term erosion that occurs during stones. This
an Northenan Natural Hazards
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
Ma State Program
map may not be suitable for property -specific determination of
Management
- 2.0 Ft. / Yr.
Inlet Hazard Area Boundary
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a site -specific
rm deteination contact your CAMA Local Permit officer a the
_ 2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
-- Setback Factor Boundary
regional field office of the North Carolina Divisim of Coastal
Management.
3.5 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
Roads
For more Information contact:
-
a
This general area has been
NC Div lion of coastal Management:
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
influenced by beach nourishment a
Funding tor this project was provided by:
1638 Mail Service Center
i 5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
either for beach protection or
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1838
* g
dredge disposal. This action
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
[phone]
6.5 - 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
artificially lowers the erosion �
Division of Emergency Management
or visit:
s
rate in this area.
- 7.5 - 8.0 Ft. 1 Yr.
�
w .nccoastalmanagement.net
- > 8.0 Ft. ! Yr.
Page 44 of 60 6
PAGE 47

Pamlico Sound
4.5
0
Athlnflr Oc,,,,n
�Y
s Scale 1:25,000
W. Hatteras Island
Long -Term Avera_qe Annual Shoreline Chan_qe Study & Setback Factors
Updated Through 1998
REGIONAL MAP
64
TYRRELL
H2 E
\ 1
T
Atlantic Ocean
LICO
Legend
� Ri�mryRo.tl
�c mY lStitlrRpiep
CARTERET Ic�""0ouiy
c—,e-.a.n
Scale 1:2,000,000
1.; 40
Nortn uaroiina
Division of Coastal Management
This map is for general information only. The map illustrates
1998 Long-term average annual shoreline change rate
average rates of shoreline change over approximately 50 years
developed by:
The information presented here is not predictive nor does it
reflect the short-term erosion that occurs during storms. This
NC State University's Kenan Natural Hazards
map may not be suitable for property -specific determination of
Mapping Program and North Carolina Division of Coastal
erosion rate factors due to its small scale. For a site -specific
Management
determination contact your CAMA Local Permit Officer or the
regional field office ofthe North Carolina Division of Coastal
Management.
For more information contact:
NC Division of Coastal Management:
Funding for this protect was provided by:
1638 Mail Service Center
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal
Raleigh, NC 27699-1638
Emergency Management Agency, and North Carolina
[phone]
Division of Emergency Management
Or visit:
www.nccoastalmanagement oet
Page 46
MAP 5A Erosion Rate Map
The Slash ( Sandy Bay
3.5 3.0
w
Scale of Feet
II0 1,250 2.500 5,000
I�ITIT.I, , -1-1
0 0.25 0.5 1
Scale of Miles
How to read Setback Factors
00111111 --11, "2.0" Indicates
a 1998 Setback (Erosion) Factor of 2.0 Feet / Year
Legend
1998 Setback Factor
® Inlet Hazard Area (svht-wsensp nu,�y)
_ 2.0 Ft. / Yr.
Inlet Hazard Area Boundary
- 2.5 - 3.0 Ft. / Yr.
— Setback Factor Boundary
3.5 - 4.0 Ft. / Yr.
Roads E
4.5 - 5.0 Ft. / Yr.
This general area has been a
influenced by beach nourishment
i 5.5 - 6.0 Ft. / Yr.
either for beach protection or
*
- 6.5 7.0 Ft. / Yr.
dredge disposal. This action
-
artificially lowers the erosion
_ 7.5 - 8.0 Ft. / Yr.
rate in this area.
->8.0Ft. /Yr.
Page 43 of 60

MAP 4
0 2.5 5
DARE COUNTY
_ Coastal / Estuarine Wetlands
- Non -Coastal Wetlands
Municipal Areas
f
This map has been produced in conjunction
with the 2008 DC LUP update. This map is
not intended for use by permitting agencies.
The exact location of wetland areas must be
determined by individual site evaluations for
development purposes and permit review.
Miles
10 15 20
0
C AArcDare\county\plann ing\la ndclass\wetlands. mxd
PAGE 45

0 2.5 5
MAP 3
DARE COUNTY
Soil Suitability
Poor
- Satisfactory
- unsatisfactory
0 Municipal Areas
u:wrcuaretountyNpiann in gua nwasswil. mxa

MAP 2
This map is for illustrative purposes
and cannot be used by federal, state
or local permitting agencies in reviewing
development proposals or performing
site evaluations.
DARE COUNTY
,T Estuarine Shoreline AEC
Ocean Hazard system AEC
Buxton Woods AEC
Municipal Areas
2
C
N
Mile,,
0 2.5 5 10 15 20
c:wrcuare\county\planninguanaclasswtzu.mxa

MAP 1
Dare County
03010205230010
14 Digit Watersheds
03010205030010
03010205050010
0301020502002OX
03010205240100 MII@S
0 3 6 12 18 24
03010205060010
03010205240050 03010205240090 `
03010205240030
03010205240070
03010205240040
03010205240060
03010205230030
03010205170010
'. 03010205230020
03010205180010
11
0301020 5190010
03010205240080
03010205210030
03010205210010
D 03020105090014
030201
�03020105080010 �5080020
0
03010205210020 03020105080015 03020105080025
03020105050010
03020105070020
03020105070010
03020105060010
03020105090016
e
03020105040020
03020105040010
03020105090010
03020105O90020
03020105090030
Page 42

L
0
E
Section One
Analysis of Land Use and Development
Existing land use patterns
Analysis of Land Use and Development
The island geography of Dare County greatly influences the land use patterns of unincorporated
Dare County and has resulted in the establishment of numerous distinct villages. The narrowness of
some areas of the County limits the location of additional transportation routes other than the main
transportation corridors. Commercial development is generally found along the main transportation
routes. Residential areas are located in other areas and accessed by smaller roads and streets.
The predominant land use in each village in unincorporated Dare County is residential, most often
single family homes which is reflective of the County's policy of preferred residential development.
The CAMA land use guidelines require the development of existing use maps to depict the existing land
use patterns. Maps have been prepared for each of the areas of unincorporated Dare County and the
amount of land dedicated to various land use categories have been calculated for each map. These
maps are included at the end of this section on pages 91-101. General land use categories used to
develop these maps are as follows:
Residential —single-family homes, duplexes, multifamily structures, mobile homes and mobile home
parks.
Commercial — retail, food stores, hotels and motels, professional and medical offices, sales, service
establishments, and other business uses.
Industrial — boat building facilities, contractors' offices, warehouses, manufacturing, concrete plants,
wholesale and distribution facilities.
Institutional — churches and religious facilities, schools, cemeteries, public and private utilities, fire
stations, community buildings, recreational areas, improved federal, state, or county property.
Public — undeveloped Federal, State or County property.
Undeveloped — privately -owned vacant land.
The following table summarizes the categories of land uses found in each village area.
Table 22—Acreage Calculations for Existing Uses
Acres
Avon
Buxton
Frisco
Hatteras
Rodanthe
Waves
Salvo
TOTAL
Residential
524
566
510
341
173
129
218
2461
Commercial
80
147
96
81
53
111
31
599
Industrial
0
1.0
2.0
0
0
0
0
3
Institutional
17
168
216
34
34
4
1
1 474
Public
141
3753
1494
65
3
50
112
5618
Undeveloped
1 569
428
633
1 370
1 179
100
178
2457
1331
5063
2951
1 891
1 442
1 394
540
11612
Page 74

Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development I
Acres
Martin's
Point
KDH
Out/Colington
Manteo
Out
Wanchese
Manns
Harbor
Mashoes
East
Lake
Stumpy
Point
TOTAL
Residential
231
859
1366
865
558
41
341
92
4353
Commercial
0
63
78
244
70
0
0
3
458
Industrial
0
2
2
70
14
0
0
2
89
Institutional
0
29
703
38
767
1
4
40
1582
Public
0
29
1680
1210
33171
87
88209
56172
180558
Undeveloped
63
1012
1225
3727
1092
943
4771
1392
14224
294
1994
5054
6154
35672
1072
93325
57701
201264
Resd
Commercial
Industrial
Institut.
Public
Undvlpd
TOTAL
2461
599
3
474
5618
2457
11612
TOTAL
4353
458
89
1582
1805581
14224
1
201264
6814
1057
91
2056
1861761
16681
1
212876
An analysis of vacant land in unincorporated Dare County is found under the discussion of "Future
Land Use Needs" located at the end of this section.
Land Use -Water Quality Conflicts
One identified conflict with water quality is the use of older, non-functioning wastewater systems in
Stumpy Point, many of which discharge into Stumpy Point Bay. A centralized wastewater treatment
plant is currently under construction in Stumpy Point and is scheduled for completion in 2010. Once
on-line, this wastewater system will replace the older systems and water quality in the Stumpy Point
Bay should improve significantly.
Other potential water quality conflicts involve the runoff from impervious surfaces such as roadways,
parking lots, and other surfaces adjacent to water bodies. The State water monitoring program tests
numerous sites in Dare County throughout the year. Test results after heavy rain events often result
in temporary closure of public water access areas due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria levels.
The use of buffer programs to prevent the location of impervious surfaces in close proximity of water
bodies is one regulatory approach that can be effective in addressing runoff concerns. Also, increased
public awareness of the need to remove animal waste along neighborhood streets and walkways will
assist with water quality impacts from runoff. Animal waste from domestic and non -domestic animals
is an identified contributing factor in increased fecal coliform levels following heavy rain events.
Individual Village Descriptions
MARTIN'S POINT— Martin's Point Subdivision is located adjacent to the Town of Southern Shores with
commercial development along the frontage of US 158. The majority of the subdivision is platted as
residential lots. A manned guard gate limits access to the residential section. For years, the
development of Martin's Point was under the extraterritorial zoning jurisdiction of Southern Shores.
However, the residential portions of the subdivision reverted back to the County's jurisdiction in
Page 75

•.y2i.
I
Section One
Analysis of Land Use and Development
October 2000. The commercial areas remain under the ETJ of Southern Shores. Development in
Martin's Point will be limited in the next 5 years to the existing vacant lots in the subdivision. Of the
platted residential lots, about 70% of these lots have already been developed with single family homes.
Some portions of the vacant lots may be located in flood hazards areas or in CAMA AECs along the
Currituck Sound. Recognized construction techniques, such as elevation of the structures and setbacks
from the shoreline, can be utilized to address any limitations associated with the natural features of
the area.
KDH OUTSIDE/COLINGTON —The KDH Outside tax district includes the area locally known as Baum Bay
and is located adjacent to the Kill Devil Hills municipal boundary and continues to the first bridge along
Colington Road. The development patterns for Baum Bay and Colington can be distinguished by the
variation of land uses found throughout the islands. This variation in land use is the result of decades
of unregulated land use. However, in 1997, a zoning map was adopted for all of Colington and the
Baum Bay area. The largest subdivision in the area, Colington Harbour was zoned in 1985. Both areas
continue to be a largely year-round community with a mix of single-family residences, mobile homes
and a handful of commercial uses. The presence of rich estuarine shorelines prompted the
Colington area to be a fishing village with an emphasis on crabbing prior to the discovery of the Outer
Banks as a tourist resort. Commercial fishing and crabbing continues to be an important source of
income for many Colington residents and a source of recreational pleasure for visitors. Commercial
fishing and traditional land uses played an important role in the development of a Colington zoning
map to facilitate these uses while at the same time the map limits the commercial growth potential of
Colington. The development of the First Flight Schools complex nearby serves as an additional
attraction to many families moving to the area.
Access to the area is along SR 1217 (Colington Road), a winding two-lane road with limited right-of-way
width. This heavily traveled secondary road represents a major challenge to transportation planners in
NCDOT 1n District. Further compounding this challenge has been the ever-increasing residential
development in the KDH Outside/Colington area, as well as the 2004 construction of First Flight High
School. Recognizing the need to address these concerns, NCDOT has included the "operation and
safety improvement" of a 4.3 mile segment of SR 1217 in the 2009-2013 Transportation Improvement
Plan (ID# R-5014).
Development in the KDH Outside/Colington area is expected to occur during the next five years
following the established patterns of pockets of commercial development in those areas zoned for
commercial uses with residential development occurring in the numerous subdivisions in the area and
the handful of mobile homes parks. Re -development of some of the older mobile homes parks into
platted subdivisions may occur within the next five years. The KDH Outside/Colington area is
impacted by the limitations associated with the development along water bodies and low-lying areas
of poorly drained soils. Most of the area Is located in AE flood zones with a few elevated areas of X
zones. Construction mitigation techniques of elevation of structures and shoreline setbacks can be
utilized to address any limitations associated with the natural features of the area.
Page 76

Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development
RODANTHE —Traveling south from Oregon Inlet on NC 12, Rodanthe is the first Hatteras Island village
after the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge. All of Hatteras Island, including Rodanthe, is critically dependent
upon the Bonner Bridge, as a means of connection to the remainder of the county. For this reason,
these island villages have a special interest in awaiting the replacement of the Bonner Bridge.
Similar to the other areas of unincorporated Dare County, Rodanthe lacks any defined pattern of
development other than that which is found along NC 12, the only major transportation route in the
village. Elsewhere, residential lots and structures of various sizes and ages can be found throughout
the village. .
In 1997, the County constructed a reverse osmosis plant for the Rodanthe Waves Salvo area. The
development potential for the village has been enhanced by this central water supply but continues to
be limited by poorly drained soils. The availability of a central water supply has contributed to the
quality of life in Rodanthe by eliminating the need for private wells for potable water. In the past,
private wells had been inundated by ocean over wash, saltwater intrusion, and encroachment by
multiple drainfield/septic tank systems.
The Rodanthe village areas continues to be one of the last frontiers in unincorporated Dare County in
terms of the residents' continued resistance to land use controls. However, as land use almost
everywhere else in Dare County comes under zoning ordinances, the introduction of unpopular or
incompatible uses and/or structures has prompted some civic leaders to rethink the need for zoning.
The 1989 adoption of the S-1 zoning district did provide some degree of land -use control, including
density limitations, setbacks, and lot coverage requirements. The efficacy of these regulations and the
need for further regulation will be reevaluated as appropriate.
There are two principal transportation issues in Rodanthe. The first is largely a result of the absence of
subdivision regulations decades ago that has left the village with a multitude of private roads in poor
condition. Secondly, the principal route, NC 12, is at times unreliable due to ocean overwash and a
regulatory/environmental dilemma that has stymied transportation planners at NCDOT. A multi -
agency task force has been working for several years in an effort to develop both short-term and long-
term alternatives for the management and maintenance of NC 12.
Development along the NC 12 corridor is expected over the next five years following the existing
patterns of visitor -oriented businesses. Residential development for seasonal visitors is anticipated
along the oceanfront and near shore areas. Year-round residential development can be expected in
the older platted subdivisions. Re -development of some of the older, smaller seasonal rentals will
occur as owners upgrade their property to compete with the amenities of the newer and larger
vacation rentals. Some multifamily development may be experienced but of a limited amount.
Development along the immediate shoreline is impacted by shoreline erosion and the designation of
VE flood zones. Construction methods consistent with the VE zone will be needed to address these
designations as well as increased setbacks in the erosion -prone areas. There are some areas of
Rodanthe along the Black Mar Gut which feature poorly drained soils that may be unsuitable for
wastewater systems. Black Mar Gut is located between the Atlantic Ocean and NC12. However,
Page 77

'
Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development
engineered wastewater systems may be available for these areas which would not qualify for a
traditional gravity -fed septic system.
WAVES —The village of Waves is predominantly detached residential structures with some commercial
'
development. Like Rodanthe, free market forces have established themselves along NC 12. In
addition, a number of large travel trailer parks, campgrounds, and other tourist -oriented businesses
are located in Waves. The village has also benefited from the construction of the reverse osmosis plant
but development is still limited by soil characteristics that are poorly drained. Demand on existing
infrastructure is predicted to increase with the continued development of subsequent phases of the
Wind Over Waves subdivision, initially approved in 2002.
Development along the NC 12 corridor is expected over the next five years following the existing
patterns of visitor -oriented businesses. Residential development for seasonal visitors is anticipated
'
along the oceanfront and near shore areas. Year-round residential development can be expected in
the older platted subdivisions. Re -development of some of the older, smaller seasonal rentals will
'
occur as owners upgrade their property to compete with the amenities of the newer and larger
vacation rentals. Some multifamily development maybe experienced but of a limited amount. The
oceanfront shoreline of Waves is not as severely impacted by erosion as Rodanthe. Although there
may be some VE zones along the immediate shoreline, most of Waves is located in AE flood zones.
There are coastal wetlands along the estuarine shoreline which are protected by existing CAMA and
Corps of Engineers regulatory programs. The use of buffers and setbacks can be used to address the
limitations associated with these natural features. Existing soil conditions can generally be modified to
qualify for on -site wastewater systems.
SALVO —Salvo is bordered by the village of Waves on the north end and the Cape Hatteras National
' Seashore on the south end. The development of Salvo is similar to Rodanthe and Waves with both
residential and commercial structures located along NC 12. The commercial development is focused
mainly on providing services to the seasonal population. The construction of the reverse osmosis
' plant has removed the reliance on private wells for the Salvo residents, but development is still limited
by the poorly drained soils found throughout Hatteras Island. Salvo will continue to develop in the
established patterns with a mix of permanent homes and businesses along NC 12 and seasonal
' residents along the immediate ocean and estuarine shorelines.
Development along the NC 12 corridor is expected over the next five years following the existing
patterns of visitor -oriented businesses. Residential development for seasonal visitors is anticipated
along the oceanfront and along the estuarine shoreline in subdivisions platted since the 2003 update,
' such as the Wind Over Waves Subdivision. Year-round residential development can be expected in
the older platted subdivisions. Re -development of some of the older, smaller seasonal rentals will
occur as owners upgrade their property to compete with the amenities of the newer and larger
' vacation rentals. Some multifamily development may be experienced but of a limited amount. Erosion
along the oceanfront shoreline of Salvo is not as severe as Rodanthe. Although there may be some VE
zones along the immediate shoreline, most of Salvo is located in AE flood zones. There are coastal
I
Page 78

.I.M.
Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development
wetlands along the estuarine shoreline which are protected by existing CAMA and Corps of Engineers
regulatory programs. The use of buffers and setbacks can be used to address the limitations
associated with these natural features. Existing soil conditions can generally be modified to qualify for
on -site wastewater systems.
AVON —Avon village can be separated into two distinct areas within its boundaries. The first is the
residential development and businesses established to serve the seasonal visitors. The other is the
year-round population located within the old village of Kinnakeet. Along the NC 12 corridor, the
majority of land is already developed with mostly residential structures offered for resort rentals or
platted as residential lots. The commercial establishments along NC 12 cater mainly to the seasonal
population's needs but also provide services to the year-round populations as evidenced by the island's
only franchise grocery store and medical center. Inside the village are residences of the year-round
population of Avon, with a mixture of single-family homes and mobile homes. The influence of
commercial fishing is evident within the old village, particularly along the harborfront. Avon is a
blend of the old and the new with the soundside village composed of extended families and the new
areas developing as a resort accommodations and service community.
Development is expected to continue in the Kinnakeet Shores Soundside Subdivision since there are
many vacant lots remaining in this multi -phase development. Commercial development will occur
along the NC 12 corridor with an emphasis on visitor -related goods and services. Residential
development in the village will follow existing patterns of single family homes and mobile homes.
There are limited areas for multi -family development based on the Avon zoning map. Erosion along
the oceanfront shoreline of Avon is not as severe as Rodanthe. Although there may be some VE zones
along the immediate shoreline, most of Avon is located in AE flood zones. There are coastal wetlands
along the estuarine shoreline which are protected by existing CAMA and Corps of Engineers regulatory
programs. The use of buffers and setbacks can be used to address the limitations associated with
these natural features. Existing soil conditions can generally be modified to qualify for on -site
wastewater systems. Development in the Kinnakeet Shores soundside portions are not impacted by
soil conditions since they are served by a privately -owned wastewater treatment plant.
BUXTON — Buxton is the commercial and institutional mid -point of Hatteras Island. The recently
expanded Cape Hatteras School and newly constructed elementary school are both located in the
village. Buxton is comprised of mostly year-round residents and serves as a commercial hub for the
entire island. The County constructed a multi -use recreational facility known as the Fessenden Center
in Buxton in the mid 1990s that is widely used for recreational sports and other community gatherings.
The now -defunct U.S. Coast Guard base has been targeted for public beach access and recreational
uses. The Buxton Woods maritime forest influences a good portion of the residential development
occurring in Buxton. Development in the Buxton Woods forest must comply with the County's special
zoning regulations established to preserve the maritime forest setting. Buxton will continue to serve
as the commercial and institutional center of Hatteras Island with a mix of single-family homes and
modest residential development serving the year-round residents of the area.
Page 79

•aY`Z.
I
Section One
Analysis of Land Use and Development
'
Development in Buxton will follow the NC 12 corridor for commercial development according to the
zoning map for this area. Although there are a few hotels and rental cottages located in the northern
'
end of the village, Buxton is not characterized by a majority of seasonal resort rentals as is the case in
some of the other Hatteras Island villages. The overlay of the SED-1 zoning ordinance for Buxton
Woods presents an additional layer of regulations that must be addressed in the Buxton Woods area.
'
There are some X zones in the Buxton Woods area but most of Buxton is located in AE flood zones.
Soils conditions are similar to other areas of Hatteras Island and are generally addressed by the
'
placement of fill on low-lying properties to meet wastewater regulations. Wetlands areas are
protected by the appropriate State and Federal agencies. The SED-1 zoning regulations also include a
wetland buffer setback from structural improvements.
' FRISCO — Similar to Buxton, development in Frisco is influenced by the maritime forest known as
Buxton Woods. Several older subdivisions on the soundside of Frisco are beginning to develop with
' seasonal and year-round homes. Minimal zoning regulations of the S-1 district that permits all uses is
established outside the areas zoned SED-1 for the maritime forest. In 1998, efforts to adopt more
' restrictive zoning regulations were unsuccessful due to the lack of a community consensus on desired
land use patterns along the vacant road frontage of NC 12. As a result, commercial development has
continued to dominant the NC 12 road corridor. This pattern of development is expected to continue
tin Frisco due to the restrictive nature SED-1 zoning of Buxton Woods and the lack of use -specific
guidelines of the S-1 zoning.
Commercial development along the NC 12 highway is expected to continue in Frisco over the next five
years. lack of use -specific zoning in Frisco may result in the development of land uses in Frisco that
could not locate in the villages of Avon, Buxton or Hatteras which all have use -specific zoning maps.
Residential development will occur in the older subdivisions, such as Brigands Bay, and along those
oceanfront divisions platted in the late 1980s-early 1990s although most of these oceanfront areas are
developed already.
Development in Frisco will be impacted by the SED-1 zoning in those portions of Buxton Woods
location in Frisco. There are some X zones in the Buxton Woods area but most of Frisco is located in
AE flood zones. Soils conditions are similar to other areas of Hatteras Island and generally can be
addressed by the placement of fill on low-lying properties to meet wastewater regulations. Wetlands
areas are protected by the appropriate State and Federal agencies. The SED-1 zoning regulations also
include a wetland buffer setback from structural improvements
HATTERAS — Hatteras village is the southern -most village of Hatteras Island and serves as an entry
point for Dare County with the location of the Hatteras -Ocracoke ferry landing at the village/County
boundary. The influence of commercial and sport fishing is evident in Hatteras village and many year-
round residents make their homes in Hatteras. Large seasonal resort homes line the oceanfront of
Hatteras village. Commercial development is centered along NC 12 that runs through the village. A
commercial hub has also developed around the ferry landing as part of the Hatteras Landing planned
Page 80

Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development I
unit development approved by Dare County in the early 1990s. Hatteras has done well in retaining its
coastal village character while accommodating growth directed to the seasonal population.
Development in Hatteras will occur in those platted subdivisions that were approved in the 1990s with
an emphasis on seasonal resort homes in these newer divisions. Some areas of the oceanfront that
remain vacant after Hurricane Isabel may be developed in multifamily or hotels although no specific
plans are valid at this point. Commercial development will follow NC 12 in those areas zoned for
commercial uses on the Hatteras zoning map. Most of the commercial development can be expected
to focus on visitor -oriented goods and services especially in the area surrounding the Hatteras ferry
landing. Although there may be some VE zones along the immediate shoreline, most of Hatteras is
located in AE flood zones. There are coastal wetlands along the estuarine shoreline which are
protected by existing CAMA and Corps of Engineers regulatory programs. The use of buffers and
setbacks can be used to address the limitations associated with these natural features. Existing soil
conditions can generally be modified to qualify for on -site wastewater systems.
ROANOKE ISLAND (outside Manteo) —This area of Dare County is predominantly made up of a year-
round population. A mixture of single-family residential structures and mobile homes are located in
the area. This section of Dare County is the oldest and most traditional setting for year-round
residency. The location of central sewer lines along a portion of US 64 that stretches from the
southern Manteo town boundary to the Pirates Cove development has influenced the commercial
development of Roanoke Island. Commercial developments have been constructed along this section
of US 64 that fall under the planning jurisdiction of Dare County but are connected to the central sewer
service of the Town of Manteo. This availability of central sewer from Manteo, and the 2003
construction of the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge from the Mainland to the US 64/NC 345 intersection
will continue to influence this area of Roanoke Island. Effects of these infrastructure improvements
are already being felt, with the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau facility and the Dare County Governmental
complex developed along the new corridor. Educational facilities have also been the subject of
improved development. The construction of a new middle school has allowed the College of the
Albemarle to expand operations to the old middle school facility inside the Manteo town limits. One of
the unique features of the area is the overlay corridor district that runs from the Umstead Bridge to the
Baum Bridge that establishes architectural and vegetation protection provisions along the frontage of
US 64. Roanoke Island is also home to the Dare County regional airport and several cultural facilities,
including the North Carolina Aquarium and Fort -Raleigh -Elizabethan Gardens complex.
Commercial development on Roanoke Island will most likely center around the US 64/NC 345
intersection near the Dare County governmental complex. This area is within the Town of Manteo's
central wastewater service boundary and connection to this wastewater facility can be used to address
limitations of soils that may be found in this area of Roanoke Island. Residential development for
mostly year-round residents will continue at a steady pace over the next five years with little
multifamily development anticipated. There are many areas on Roanoke Island that are in X zones and
Page 81

I
Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development
' not subject to base flood elevation standards. Setbacks along the estuarine shorelines can be used to
address the regulatory limitations associated with wetland areas.
' SKYCO — the Skyco area is located south of the Washington Baum Bridge on Roanoke Island along NC
345 and north of a large wetlands area that separates Skyco from the village of Wanchese. The Skyco
' area is predominately single family residences along NC 345 and Skyco Road and Toler Road. There are
scattered commercial uses in the Skyco area that front on NC 345 including storage warehouses and an
automobile repair shop. The Skyco area was zoned in 2007 with a SNC, Skyco neighborhood
' commercial designation. The "SNC" zoning designation offers both land use controls as well as
protection for the continued activity of existing land uses.
' Limited development in the Skyco area is expected over the next five years. A large tract of land in the
Skyco area has been purchased by the State of North Carolina for development as the UNC- Coastal
' Studies campus. This project is the most significant factor that will affect the Skyco area over the next
planning period.
WANCHESE — Located at the southern end of Roanoke Island, Wanchese is best described as a coastal
fishing community with land development supporting this industry. A large portion of the community
has been developed as the Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park by the State. In recent years, this facility
1
has begun to develop some established businesses, but has yet to reach its full potential due to the
uncertainly of the dynamic and unreliable conditions of Oregon Inlet, which is the only ocean inlet for
northern Dare County. Wanchese is also home to several boat manufacturing firms. Other
commercial development is devoted to the immediate community needs. The population is almost
entirely year-round residents of extended families. Residential development is a mixture of single-
family homes and mobile homes. Wanchese is a year-round community with strong ties to the
commercial fishing and boating industries.
'
Recognizing the need for use -specific zoning to regulate development patterns, the village undertook
an effort to establish these regulations, which were adopted by the Board of Commissioners in 2006.
'
The regulations establish eleven zoning districts that promote the traditional land use activities existing
in Wanchese, while limiting land development activities which might be perceived as being
inharmonious with the coastal village's character.
'
For the Wanchese community, development will be limited to what is needed to support the
residential and commercial needs of the community. Some larger -scale commercial development may
'
occur in the Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park. Multi -family development is not permitted in the
Wanchese zoning districts. Wanchese is characterized by low-lying areas due to its proximity to the
'
surrounding waters. All development activity must contend with the limitations associated with the
low elevations and poorly -drained soils. Traditional construction practices such as building elevations
and setbacks from water bodies can be used to address the limitations of the natural conditions in the
Page 82

Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development ,
Wanchese community. Soils can generally be supplemented with fill material to meet environmental
health requirements for wastewater systems.
MANNS HARBOR— Manns Harbor is located on the Mainland of Dare County. Rural in nature, Manns
Harbor is comprised mostly of year-round residents with limited commercial development. However,
the landing of the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge, constructed in 2003, is located at the US 64
intersection in Manns Harbor, and it is anticipated that this will greatly influence the community over
the next several years. Recognizing this influence, and with the support of the community, zoning
regulations were adopted for Manns Harbor in 2007. Of the two zoning districts adopted, one district
was specifically designated to reflect existing development patterns of primarily residential uses, with a
mix of service and maritime -related commerce. A second district, encompassing properties along the
Hwy. 64 corridor to the new bridge landing, was designed to accommodate a greater variety of uses
needed to facilitate the newly created traffic pattern. Manns Harbor is the largest of the Mainland
villages.
It is anticipated that development in Manns Harbor will be limited to what is needed to support the
residential and commercial needs of the community. Multi -family development is not permitted in the
Manns Harbor zoning districts. Any commercial development will occur along the US 64-264 corridor
as consistent with the zoning regulations in place for that village. Most of Manns Harbor is located in
AE flood zones and any development will be elevated according to FEMA standards. Setbacks from
any water body will be used for compliance with CAMA estuarine regulations. Soils can generally be
supplemented with fill material to meet environmental health requirements for wastewater systems.
MASHOES —The small village of Mashoes is located off US 64 from Manns Harbor. It is a small
community with a handful of year-round residents and no commercial land uses. The area relies
on private wells and individual on -site septic systems for wastewater treatment. Along with Manns
Harbor in 2007, Mashoes was zoned to accommodate and preserve its primarily residential nature.
Only minor residential development is expected in Mashoes over the next five years.
EAST LAKE —The majority of the Mainland area is under the jurisdiction of the Federal government as
either the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge or the US Navy/Air Force bombing range. There is little
development in East Lake except for the residential uses for the area's handful of permanent residents.
Most homes are located along US 64. Dare County's heritage as a rural area and sportsman paradise
remains evident in East Lake. As of 2007, East Lake remains the only village in unincorporated Dare
County with no zoning regulations in place.
Within the next five years, the NC Department of Transportation is scheduled to replace the old
Alligator River Bridge and begin the expansion of US 64 to four lanes. Although these infrastructure
improvements will impact the physical layout of East Lake, development will be limited by the poorly -
drained soils in the area. Residential development for year-round residents will be minor in scope as
will commercial development.
Page 83

r
•..M.
I
Section One
h
Analysis of Land Use and Development
STUMPY POINT— Located off US 264, Stumpy Point is somewhat isolated from the other areas of Dare
County with a majority of the property owned by permanent residents. The influence of commercial
fishing is evident in Stumpy Point due to its proximity to the Pamlico Sound. Poor soils and low
elevations have limited development in Stumpy Point despite being a waterfront community. A central
water system for Stumpy Point was constructed by the County to provide more suitable potable water
for the residents, who previously used private wells with an undesirable water quality. A wastewater
treatment facility under construction in Stumpy Point, and along with existing zoning regulations, is
planned to restrict further development by limiting its service to a predetermined number of lots.
There is no significant residential and commercial development anticipated in Stumpy Point over the
next five years. Although the Stumpy Point wastewater treatment plant will be operational in 2010,
this facility is intended to replace existing malfunctioning septic systems and not to encourage
economic development. The remoteness of the area from the other portions of Dare County
contributes to the lack of development activities for seasonal visitors. Any residential development
that may occur will be housing for year-round residents.
Land Use Compatibility Issues
The large amount of publicly -owned land (80%) in Dare County creates competition for
development of the remaining 20% of privately owned lands. All development and infrastructure to
address the needs of the year-round population and the seasonal visitors must be located on the
privately -owned lands. The shopping and housing needs of the permanent population varies from the
types of businesses frequented by seasonal visitors to our area. A prime example of this variation is
the numerous tourist -oriented retail stores located throughout Dare County. The goods marketed by
these stores are generally designed for vacationers as souvenirs and do not appeal to year-round
residents. This is also the case with residential development as some housing is constructed
exclusively for use as seasonal rentals and not designed or marketed for year-round homes due to their
size and layout. The seasonal home segment of the residential market creates some issues in older
neighborhoods where a resort rental may be constructed next to a structure used for year-round
occupancy. In these instances, there are often complaints about noise, parking, and solid waste
disposal associated with resort rentals.
The lack of use specific zoning in the Hatteras Island villages of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, and Frisco,
which are zoned S-1, often results in some compatibility issues. S-1 zoning permits all uses and it is
possible for a commercial use, such as a restaurant, to be constructed adjacent to a residential lot. In
more traditional zoning districts, residential uses are separated from commercial or other land uses to
avoid use conflicts. This use potential also exists for East Lake, which remains the only unzoned area
in unincorporated Dare County. These potential conflicts are mitigated by gross floor area standards
in the S-1 areas and East Lake by prohibiting certain commercial structures from exceeding a maximum
gross floor area of 20,000 square feet. Similar gross floor area limitations apply in all commercial
zoning districts in unincorporated Dare County.
Page 84

Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development I
The abundance of natural resources in Dare County and the need to protect these resources requires
attention to avoid the location of incompatible land uses. Water quality protection is a priority of
Dare County and the State of North Carolina CAMA program. The establishment of the 30-foot CAMA
buffer along estuarine shorelines is one measure that is used to avoid undesirable impacts on our
natural resources.
Some land uses such as the Dare County Regional Airport on Roanoke Island, the Billy Mitchell Airstrip
on Hatteras Island, and the US Navy bombing range on the Mainland represent manmade hazards to
surrounding development. Height restraints and setbacks are examples of regulatory measures that
are used to address land use compatibility with these sites.
Historic, Cultural, and Scenic Areas
Dare County is renown for our historic, cultural, and scenic areas with numerous national parks and
historic sites, maritime forests, and various nature preserves that are protected by federal and state
ownership. In unincorporated Dare County, these areas include Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island, the
Alligator River Wildlife Refuge on Mainland Dare County and on Hatteras Island, the Pea Island Wildlife
Refuge, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and the Buxton Woods Coastal Preserve. In addition to
the historic and cultural significance of these areas, the scenic vistas offered by the miles of unspoiled
beaches and estuarine shorelines are unparalleled in North Carolina and the East Coast. The location
and extent of these areas are depicted on MAP 10 on page 61.
Development Trends and Future Land Use Projections
The tables and charts found on pages 17 and 18 illustrate the number of building permits issued
and subdivision lots recorded in unincorporated Dare County over the past several years. As evident
from a review of this information, the number of building permits issued annually has decreased since
2002. The housing and construction industry nationwide has suffered a downturn over the past
several months and this trend has been the case locally. The number of permits issued in the
Hatteras Island office continues to exceed the permits issued for the Roanoke Island/Mainland office
and the North Beaches office which oversees Colington and Martin's Point. Although the pace of
construction is expected to increase again, it is not expected to reach the peak number of permits
issued in the year 2002 simply because much of the privately- owned land has already been developed.
Development will continue with an emphasis on residential structures with limited commercial
development. Redevelopment of parcels currently in use as mobile home parks, recreational sites, or
other underutilized sites present a re -development potential, but this potential is difficult to predict.
Development on Hatteras Island will most likely continue to outpace the development of the other
areas of unincorporated Dare County.
The continued use of engineered wastewater systems that utilize more advanced treatment methods
will also influence future land use needs. Although the use of engineered wastewater systems will
become more prevalent over the next 5 and 10 year planning periods and provide better treatment of
Page 85

...M.
1
Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development
wastewater effluent than septic tank/drainfield systems, it is not expected that minimum lot sizes or
other density standards will be reduced to allow for a greater intensity level of development.
Regulations on stormwater management, wetland alteration and fill, vegetative buffers and other
similar regulations will continue to limit the scope of development even though advances in
wastewater treatment technologies may result in less area dedicated to wastewater treatment.
The CAMA guidelines require local governments to provide estimates of future residential land use
needs, both short-term (5 and 10 years) and long-term (20 years) for permanent and seasonal
populations. These projections are challenging to forecast. An analysis of building permit activity for
unincorporated Dare County was selected as the best methodology to forecast these needs. It was the
consensus of the Planning staff and the Planning Board that using building permit data was more
reliable than using the estimates for seasonal population detailed earlier in this section. Building
'
permits are all- inclusive and do not distinguish between whether the structure is intended for year-
round occupancy, as a second home or a seasonal rental. Using permit activity for single family homes
for the years 2005-2008, an average number of permits for single family homes issued each year was
established for each building inspection office in unincorporated Dare County. The Hatteras Island
office (south) issues building permits for all of Hatteras Island. The Roanoke Island office (central)
'
issues building permits for Roanoke Island, including Wanchese and all of the Mainland villages. The
Kill Devil Hills satellite office (north) issues permits for the Baum Bay/Colington area and Martins Point.
The years 2005-2008 were chosen by the Planning Department to reflect the most recent market
'
conditions. Building permit activity in 2002-2004 was much higher than the activity in the period of
2005-2008. However these years were not included in the base permit activity used for the future land
uses needs for several reasons. One reason is that the 2002-2004 development occurred during a
national housing boom that began to decline in 2005. It is not anticipated that this rate of housing
development will occur again since the amount of land in unincorporated Dare County is limited by the
'
large amount of publicly- owned lands. A second reason is the lending practices of financial
institutions and mortgage companies underwent drastic revisions in 2007 and 2008 that will affect the
construction of second and resort homes. Many of the large financial institutions and mortgage
companies in the United States experienced extreme financial difficulties in late 2008 resulting in
federal government buyouts and aid packages to prevent the collapse of the financial institutions. As
'
a result, more regulations on how banks and mortgage companies conduct business and approve
mortgages can be expected over the next several years. This change will impact housing development
'
nationwide and in Dare County. Because of these reasons, the Planning Department felt the building
permit activity for 2005-2008 represented a more realistic base for analysis for the short-term planning
period of 5, 10 years and the long-term planning period of 20 years. It should be noted that these are
only estimated projections. Based on the decline in the number of overall building permit activity since
2005, the average estimate developed for each geographic region may be higher than will be realized.
'
Table 23 presents the building permit activity for single family homes for each geographic region.
I
Page 86

F
Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development ,
Table 23 Single Family Home Permits 2005-2008 (Source: Dare County Planning)
HATTERAS
RI/MAINLAND
COL/MP
TOTAL
2005
151
49
77
277
2006
107
39
49
195
2007
63
27
27
117
2008
47
25
18
90
TOTAL
368
140
171
679
Average
92
35
43
170
The average number of permits was then multiplied by an acreage amount congruent to the average
minimum lot size for each area to determine the annual acreage amount needed to support the yearly
increase of development. This figure was then used to calculate the total acreage needed for
residential development for each 5-year planning period, both short-term and long-term. Table 24
reflects these projections for future residential development.
Table 24 -- Future Residential Acreage Needs to 2030
Average
Average
Total
Acreage
Acreage
Acreage
Acreage
TOTAL
number of
lot size
acreage
2010-2015
Needed
Needed
Needed
residential
per
needed
2015-
2020-2025
building
home
annually
2020
2025-2030
permits
South
92 permits
.35 acre
32 Acres
161acres
161 acres
161acres
644 acres
161 acres
Central
35 permits
.50 acre
18 Acres
90 acres
90 acres
90 acres
360 acres
90 acres
North
43 permits
.35 acre
15 acres
75 acres
75 acres
75 acres
75 acres
300 acres
75 acres
170permits
i
1
1 326 acres
1 326 acres
1 326 acres
1 326 acres
1304 acres
Using the estimates for future needs for residential development, the amount of land in development
in the different land classes of commercial/industrial and institutional can be projected for 2010-2030.
The figures included in Table 25 are based on the acreage amounts from the existing use acreages
presented in Table 22, it is also assumed that the percentages of development dedicated to each land
class included in Table 22 will continue over the short-term and long-term planning periods.
Page 87

I
h
Section One Analysis of Land Use and Development
Table 25 — Future Land in Development 2010-2030
Existing
Projected
Projected
Projected
Projected
Acreage
Acres in
Acres in
Acres in
Acres in
2010
Development
Development
Development
Development
from
2015
in 2020
in 2025
in 2030
Table 22
Residential (% of
68%
6814
7138
7464
7790
8116
existing)
Comm/Industrial
12%
1202
1266
1317
1375
1432
Institutional
20%
2004
2099
2195
2291
2387
TOTAL
100%
10018
10497
10976
11456
11935
Table 26A is a listing of the undeveloped acres in private ownership as calculated on the existing use
maps prepared by Dare County GIS. Table 26B is a breakdown of the vacant land that is already
platted as subdivision lots and individual parcels that are less than one acre in size. It is recognized
that some of the land area may not be usable due to the presence of wetland areas and soil
composition. These figures are provided to demonstrate ability to support the future land use needs
estimated in Table 24. According to the existing use maps, approximately 14,000 acres of
undeveloped land is available in unincorporated Dare County. This acreage amount exceeds the total
acreage of 11,935 calculated as needed for development to 2030 in Table 25. Some of the future
development will occur on the vacant platted subdivision parcels as detailed in Table 26B. As
previously stated in this section, predicting the future land use needs, for both residential and non-
residential uses, is required by the CAMA guidelines. These future land use predictions are not
intended to be used for infrastructure planning or capital improvements planning by Dare County but
represent general estimations to demonstrate the ability to support the County's future land use
needs.
Table 26A —Vacant Acreage
Tax District
Vacant Acres
Rodanthe
179
Waves
177
Salvo
457
Avon
569
Buxton
428
Frisco
633
Hatteras
370
KDH Outside/ Colington
1012
Martins Point
63
East Lake
4771
Page 88

...IN.
Section One
Analysis of Land Use and Development
Tax District
Vacant Acres
Manns Harbor
1092
Mashoes
943
Stumpy Point
1392
Manteo Outside
1225
Wanchese
3726
TOTAL
17037
Table 26B — Platted Subdivision Lots in Unincorporated Dare County
Column A
Column B
Tax District
Platted Lots
Individual Parcels < 1 acre
Rodanthe
212
35
Waves
94
17
Salvo
246
8
Avon
445
69
Buxton
167
106
Frisco
392
55
Hatteras
151
114
KDH Outside
22
2
Colington
671
24
Martins Point
71
0
East Lake
15
17
Manns Harbor
43
34
Mashoes
11
2
Stumpy Point
0
39
Manteo Outside
656
112
Wanchese
106
91
TOTAL
3302
725
Further analysis of all of the projections in these tables and the population projections found on pages
21 and 22 can be performed to provide additional estimates of future land use needs and housing
needs in unincorporated Dare County. According to the figures on Table 26B there are currently 3302
platted subdivision lots and 725 parcels that are less than one acre in size that are available for
development. Table 24 estimates that total building permits for unincorporated Dare County to be
170 per year or a total of 850 structures for each 5-year period. Table 26C analyzes the building
permits from Table 24 and the population projections. The seasonal population projections for
unincorporated Dare County represent 80% of the total increases of the population. Using this
percentage rate for the total number of permits issued each 5-year increment, approximately 680
permits would be issued to accommodate the growth in the seasonal population and 170 permits
would be issued to accommodate the growth of the permanent population in unincorporated Dare
County. According to the vacant lot information provided in Table 266, there is sufficient capacity to
Page 89

' Section One
II
Analysis of Land Use and Development
address the estimated number of permits for both the seasonal population and the permanent
population of unincorporated Dare County.
Table 26C — Comparison of Permit Projections to Population Projections
Number of
Number
Number
Number
Total
residential
of
of
of
building
residential
residential
residential
permits
building
building
building
2010-2015
permits
permits
permits
2015-2020
2020-2025
2025-2030
170 x 5
170x5
170x5
170x5
850
850
850
850
3400
permits
permits
permits
permits
permits
Permanent
1925(20%
1731
1785
1615
7056
population
of total)
increase
2010-2015*
Seasonal
7658 (80%
6869
7124
6427
28078
population
of total)
increase
2010-2015 *
Total
9583
8600
8909
8042
35134
population
increase
I
Page 90

MAP 13A
4
RODANTHE�
.G
WAVES
SALVO
Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo
Tax Districts 15. 19 and 18
ACRES
Rodanthe
Waves
Salvo
Total
Undeveloped
179.4
99.91
177.35
456.66
Public
3.3
49.5
111.44
164.24
Institutional
34.17
3.71
1.19
39.07
Commercial
52.94
111.32
30.68
194.94
Residential
206.54
129.15
217.85
553.54
0 1.500 3,000
6.000 9.000 12,000
Feet
PAGE 91
Undeveloped
- Public
Institutional
Commercial
Residential

Frisco & Buxton
Tax Districts 5 & 2
1�
Undeveloped
Public
- Institutional
- Industrial
commercial
�t
Residential, a
S
FRISCO
BUXTON
AL-
A CRES
Buxton
Frisco
Total
Undeveloped
428.51
633.19
1061.7
Public
3753.39
1494.05
5247.44
Institutional
168.17
215.97
384.14
Industrial
1.03
1.94
2.97
Commercial
146.94
96.21
195.83
Residential
566.51
510.01
1076.52
0 1,500 3,000 6,000 9,000 12,000 15,000 18,000
Feet
I
D
w
0

L���
r"
1,e•
1
d
MAP 13D
Hatteras
Tax District 6
- Undeveloped (369.92 Acres)
- Public (64.99 Acres)
- Institutional (33.51 Acres)
Commercial (80.97 Acres)
Residential (341.37Acres)
0 600 1.200 2,400 3,600 4,800 6.000
Feet
PAGE 94

m
CD
Cn
Colington
Tax Districts 3 & 12
Legend
Undeveloped (1011.78 Acres)
- Public (29.09 Acres)
IF Institutional (28.64 Acres)
- Industrial (1.57 Acres)
Commercial (62.6Acres)
Residential (859.39 Acres)
_4 II 1 i 6
40
A Igo
A 44
�wr ,
t• •
t �
0 750 1.500 3,000 4,500
t*
F41f
law
a ��
6.000
i
Feet 1�
Town of
Kill Devil Hills
r
alp

MAP 13F
Martins Point
Tax District 22
Legend
Residential (231.26 Acres)
I Undeveloped (62.55 Acres)
0 500 1,000 2.000 3,000
M
4.1
PAGE 96

MAP 13G °
p•
r"
Yi {'
Roanoke ( d
Island
nit ryry
Town of
Manteo
\r
® Undeveloped
- Public
I Institutional
- Industrial
Commercial
Residential
Feet
0 2.500 5.000 10,000 15.000 20,000
Roanoke
ACRES
Island
Wanchese
Total
Undeveloped
1224.98
3726.46
4951.44
Public
1679.66
1209.77
2889.43
Institutional
703.19
37.75
740.94
Industrial
1.51
70.4
71.91
Commercial
78.21
244.24
322.45
Residential
1366.01
865.17
2231.18
Town of
Nags Head
Roanoke Island
and
Wanchese
Tax Districts 11 and 17
1
i
,rcDare\county\pla nning'Jandclass\2009\roanoke.mxd
PAGE 97

1
•
•A.
r
Mashoes
o
East Lake
�j Tax District 4
r --- = Legend
-Institutional (3.64 Acres)
0 Residential (340.87Acres)
Stumpy - Undeveloped (4770.82 Acres) t
Point _
- Public (88,209.31 Acres)
l

" MAP 131
Legend
J Commercial (69.7 Acres)
Institutional (766.77Acres)
- Industrial (14.39Acres)
Residential (558.25 Acres)
- Undeveloped (1, 091.95 Acres)
- Public (33,170.85Acres)
Manns Harbor
Tax District 9
i
Mashoes
r
East
Lake f
i;
i�
i
i�
i
f H ,rbor
1,500 3,000 4,500 6.000
Feet
A
PAGE 99

Mashoes MAP 13J
Tax District 13
Legend
® Institutional (0.08 Acres)
- Public (86.92 Acres)
_ Undeveloped (943.06 Acres)
%j Residential (40.82 Acres)
0 600 1,200 2,400 3,600

i
C3
Legend
- Industrial (1.56Acres) D
Institutional (40.0 Acres)
Stumpy Point commercial (3.25Acres)
Tax District 16 Residential (91.63 Acres)
Undeveloped (1,391.76Acres)
0 1,000 2.000 4.000 6,000 8,000 - Public (56,172.74Acres)
Feet

Section One
Analysis of Community Facilities
r
Analysis of Community Facilities
The substantial growth and development experienced in recent decades by both unincorporated
Dare County and the municipalities has placed considerable pressure on existing infrastructure
facilities. Further compounding this issue has been the increasing popularity of Dare County as a
seasonal resort destination. In an effort to accommodate this growing demand, the County has
pursued numerous opportunities to maintain, expand, and improve infrastructure capacity. In some
cases, this has required significant collaboration with other local, state, and federal agencies. A
discussion of these community facilities follows:
Public and Private Water Supply
The Dare County Regional Water Supply System (DRWSS) is the sole producer of water for Dare
County including the municipalities. A public water supply is available to all areas of the County
except for some portions of Roanoke Island and the Mainland villages of Manns Harbor, Mashoes, and
East Lake. Areas not served by central water use individual private wells for potable water. There
are no privately -operated watersystems in unincorporated Dare County. A water system project is
currently underway to extend public water service to all improved properties on Roanoke Island that
are currently not served. The expected completion date is May 2012.
The Dare County Water system provides wholesale water to the Towns of Nags Head, Manteo, and
Kill Devil Hills. These three towns have separate water distribution systems, which they maintain and
distribute water to their customers. The remaining areas outside the Towns' limits receive their water
from Dare County's four separate distribution systems: the northern beach system, Roanoke Island,
Rodanthe-Waves- Salvo system and the Hatteras system.
The DRWSS was formed in the 1970s to develop an adequate water supply for the northern beaches of
Dare County. The first municipality to receive water from the DRWSS was the Town of Manteo in
1980 followed by the Towns of Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head. Water service was extended to the
Towns of Southern Shores and Kitty Hawk, and then the Village of Duck, in late 1980. The initial
installation of water meters was approximately 1000 meters. In June 2009, there were a total of
17,024 customers on the County's system.
North of Oregon Inlet, all groundwater delivered by the DRWSS is produced at either the Skyco plant
on Roanoke Island or the northern reverse osmosis desalination plant (NRO) in Kill Devil Hills. The
Skyco plant is located on the southern portion of Roanoke Island and is supplied by a series of wells
drilled down to 170 to 200 feet below the surface into the Yorktown aquifer. THE NRO plant is located
in Kill Devil Hills. There are fourteen wells used to provide water to this plant for a production capacity
of over 5 million gallons per day. Combined with the Skyco plant, the total production capacity is 11.50
million gallons per day with a distribution capacity of 15.5 million gallons per day, with 200 miles of
distribution line available.
On Hatteras Island, the villages of Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo are served by a reverse osmosis plant
which came on-line in 1996 with 26 miles of distribution line available. Previously, property owners in
Page 103

Section One Analysis of Community Facilities
these villages relied on privately -owned wells for potable water. Construction of this reverse osmosis
plant has enabled the property owners to connect to a reliable source of water and provide water for
fire- fighting protection. The production capacity of this plant is 1.2 million gallons per day. The four
southern villages of Hatteras Island are served by a central water system operated by Dare County.
This central system was privately -owned and operated for many years as the Cape Hatteras Water
Association. In 1997, Dare County assumed responsibility for this system and since that time, has
constructed a new water treatment plant in 2000. The total capacity of this system is 2.0 million
gallons per day and supplies 81 miles of distribution line.
In the village of Stumpy Point, a reverse osmosis plant was constructed by Dare County in 2002 to
provide the residents of Stumpy Point with a clean, safe drinking water supply to replace individual
private wells that were deemed to be unsafe based on water testing performed by the County in the
late 1990s. A grant from the NC Clean Water Trust Fund was used to construct a water treatment
plant for Stumpy Point. This is a small plant for the village with a production capacity of .085 million
gallons per day via three miles of distribution line.
According to the 2010-2014 Capital Improvements Plan for Dare County, all of the water facilities,
including the elevated water storage tanks, are listed good, very good or excellent condition. Table 27
lists the information included in the CIP for the water facilities:
Table 27 — Dare County Water Facilities (Source: Dare County Water Department)
Facility
Location
Year Built or
Acquired
Condition
CHW 3 Million Gallon Resevoir
Frisco
1968
Very Good
Cape Hatteras Water Treatment Plant
Frisco
1999
Very Good
Pump Station
Frisco
1999
Very Good
NRO 3 Million Gallong Resevoir
Kill Devil Hills
1989
Very Good
North Reverse Osmosis Plant
Kill Devil Hills
1990
Very Good
RWS 1 Millions Gallon Resevoir
Rodanthe
1986
Very Good
RWS Elevated Tank
Rodanthe
1988
Very Good
RWS Reverse Osmosis Plant
Rodanthe
1996
Very Good
2 Million Gallon Water Tank
Skyco
1978
Very Good
Skyco Elevated Water Tank
Skyco
1978
Very Good
Skyco Water Plant
Skyco
1979
Very Good
Stumpy Point Desalination Treatment
Stumpy Point
2003
Excellent
200,000 Gallon Reservoir
Frisco
1968
Good
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Section One
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7
Facility
Location
Year Built or
Acquired
Condition
Waste Water Tank
Frisco
1968
Good
500,000 gallon Elevated Water Tank
Colington
1972
Excellent
1 Million Gallon Elevated Water Tank
Duck
1972
Excellent
650,000 Gallon Water Resevoir
Kitty Hawk
1978
Very Good
Pump Station
Kitty Hawk
1978
Good
Water Maintenance Facility
Rodanthe
1984
Very Good
400,000 Gallon Elevated Water Tank
Buxton
1986
Very God
500,000 Gallon Elevated Water Tank
S. Shores
1988
Good
Water Maintenance Building
Colington
1990
Very Good
Water Maintenance Shed
Colington
1990
Good
400,000 Gallon Elevated Water Tank
Avon
1993
Excellent
300,000 Gallon Elevated Water Tank
Hatteras
2006
Excellent
Additional capacity for water system production equipment has been included in the Dare County
Capital Improvements Plan, which is updated annually. These improvements are designed to address
the needs of the permanent population and seasonal population through the next 20-25 year planning
period. The NRO plant has a future capacity of 3 million gallons per day with the addition of four new
wells. There are plans to install an additional well at the RWS facility and install larger pumps, which
will increase the plant capacity by an additional 0.5 million gallons per day. The Cape Hatteras Water
Plant can be expanded by an additional 1.0 million gallons per day with the installation of a
nanofiltration unit that will treat water from the shallow fresh water wellfield currently not fully
utilized.
Dare County will also be piloting a fixed automated meter reading system in late 2009, which will
provide the capability to read meters within the distribution system on a daily basis. This system will
allow the water system to quickly identify leaks and will provide accountability data that will allow the
water system to monitor how users affect the supply during peak demand periods. This data could be
used to restructure rates to reduce peaks demands and delay the need for water production expansion
projects by making better use of the current resources.
There are no water quality issues associated with the five water treatment plants.
Maps of the service districts of the Dare County water system and the proposed expansion of the
Roanoke Island system are provided on pages 117-120.
The future provision of central water will be affected by economic conditions and the geographic
challenges of constructing infrastructure improvements in the various area of unincorporated Dare
County. With the completion of the Roanoke Island water system, the only remaining areas of
unincorporated Dare County that will not be served by central water will be the Mainland villages of
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Manns Harbor, Mashoes and East lake. The provision of central water systems to these areas will be
based on the need to provide a clean, safe potable water supply and not by anticipated population or
growth of these areas. These Mainland villages are generally recognized as more year-round
communities with very little development of seasonal homes. As noted in the preceding paragraphs,
future expansions of the existing water facilities currently operated by Dare County are outlined in the
Dare County Capital Improvements Plan which is updated on an annual basis and approved by the Dare
County Board of Commissioners.
Table 28 — Dare County Water System Statistics (Source: Dare County Water Department) *
Fiscal Year
# of Customers
New
Connections
Average Daily
Demand
(MGD)
Peak Daily
Demand
(MGD)
Maximum
Capacity
(MGD)
2006
16,575
668
5.583
11.700
15.500
2007
16,780
205
6.145
12.945
15.500
2008
16,851
71
6.414
13.348
15.500
• Includes information for all four water distribution systems
Wastewater Systems
All wastewater treatment facilities, whether publicly or privately owned, are subject to review and
approval by either the state Department of Environmental Health or its local subsidiary. Publicly
owned wastewater treatment in unincorporated Dare County is currently available only from the Town
of Manteo, which operates a central wastewater treatment plant. The current estimated capacity of
this plant is 600,000 gpd, The Town does offer excess wastewater capacity to projects within the
unincorporated areas of Roanoke Island that are adjacent to its service boundaries. It is recognized
that projects using the central wastewater treatment from Manteo may eventually be annexed by the
Town.
In 2006, planning began for the construction of a 50,000 gpd wastewater collection facility in the
village of Stumpy Point. The plant is intended to alleviate environmental degradation caused by the
substandard condition of existing private septic systems and is not being constructed to encourage
future growth or economic development in Stumpy Point. The facility will consist of a low-pressure
STEP sewer serving 128 units with a series of pump stations and approximately 19,700 linear feet of
2.5-6 inch sewer main. Regulatory permits and funding have been secured and construction
commenced in 2008. Completion is expected in 2010. There are no plans at this time to seek
expansion of this facility.
There are several privately owned and operated central wastewater treatment plants in Dare County.
Two of the most notable are located within the County's unincorporated boundaries. The Baycliff
Subdivision in Colington features a small package treatment plant for this residential subdivision. The
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Section One Analysis of Community Facilities
1
Kinnakeet Shores Soundside Subdivision is also serviced by a central package treatment plant. The
soundside residential phases of this division and the commercial complex known as the Hatteras Island
Plaza are connected to this treatment plant. A number of other package treatment plants exist both
within and outside of the Dare County unincorporated boundaries.
On -site septic tank and drainfield systems continue to serve as the predominant method of
wastewater treatment in Dare County. In situations where the intensity of land use or soil limitations
preclude the use of a traditional septic system, alternative engineered methods of wastewater
treatment have been used. These include low-pressure systems and peat systems. These systems
have become more popular in recent years, but their maintenance record remains unknown since the
use of the systems is relatively new in North Carolina. Emerging wastewater treatment technologies
have increased the prevalence of both engineered treatment systems and proposals for additional
package treatment facilities, which require approval by the State Department of Environmental Health
if the systems involve more than 3,000 gallons per day of wastewater.
Due to the overwhelming preponderance of individual on -site septic systems, and a lack of reliable
service data for the few existing engineered or private wastewater systems, these facilities could not
be accurately projected on a map.
The lack of County -owned central wastewater treatment facilities throughout unincorporated Dare
County has resulted in the use of small package plants or engineered systems for individual larger
commercial or multifamily developments. It is anticipated that future development will continue to
rely on individual on -site wastewater systems except in situations where the zoning ordinance may
mandate the use of centralized or community -based wastewater systems. The limitations of soils will
continue to influence the size of individual wastewater systems and thus will limit the intensity and
density of future development on a site specific basis. As is frequently the case in other coastal
communities where publicly -owned, centralized wastewater systems exist, the extension of central
sewer is used as a method of directing growth patterns or limiting growth depending on the capacity of
the system that can be allocated on the needs of the permanent population and seasonal visitors. This
is not the case in unincorporated Dare County. The wastewater needs of all development, for both
permanent and seasonal populations, will continue to be addressed through the use of traditional on -
site septic systems, engineered wastewater systems and when mandated by ordinance, on -site
community wastewater systems. Future population needs have been discussed and analyzed in the
preceding sections. The anticipated population growth and development will continue to utilize on -
site wastewater systems and in some instances small package treatment plants where mandated by
the zoning ordinance. Publicly -owned centralized wastewater for unincorporated Dare County is not
likely due to the land constraints associated with dispersal of the effluent, permit difficulties, and the
high costs of providing the collection infrastructure throughout the island geography of Dare County.
I
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Section One
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Analysis of Community Facilities
Transportation Systems
The island geography of Dare County greatly influences the transportation infrastructure. Bridges
are a key component of this infrastructure and serve as entryways to Dare County, except on the
southern end of Hatteras Island, which is accessed by ferry service from Ocracoke Island. Most travel
within the County occurs on three arterial routes, US 64/264, NC 12, and US 158. US 158 runs north -
south from Southern Shores to the Whalebone area of Nags Head. NC 12 runs north -south from the
Dare/Currituck line north of Duck to the southern end of the County in Hatteras Island. US 64 follows
an east -west path from Tyrrell County, while US 264 follows a primarily north -south route from Hyde
County. The two highways merge at a point west of Manns Harbor, and then serve as the primary
thoroughfare through the village of Manns Harbor, and the northern portions of Roanoke Island.
Movements on and off the outer islands are confined to US 64/264, through the Mainland, via both the
Virginia Dare Memorial and William B. Umstead Memorial bridges, and on US 158 along the Currituck
Sound Bridge. Ferry service from Hatteras village also serves as an alternative egress from Hatteras
Island.
Traffic flows within the County vary according to the roadway section, season, and day of the week.
Typical of a resort area, the roadway system in Dare County experiences sizable variations in traffic
demands. The following table illustrates average daily traffic counts provided by NCDOT for several
key locations in Dare County.
Table 29 — NCDOT Average Daily Traffic Counts for 2007 (Source: NC Department of Transportation)
Approximate Location of Counter
Vehicle Counts for 2007
US 158 Kitty Hawk near Wal-Mart/Home Depot
23,000
NC 12 Southern Shores
15,000
US 158 Kitty Hawk —Kitty Hawk Road intersection
32,000
US 158 KDH Colington Road intersection
36,000
NC 12 KDH Colington Road intersection
7,000
NC 12 Nags Head — Oregon Inlet
4,900
US 64 Manteo Causeway west of Pirates Cove
16,000
US 64 Roanoke Island — COA entrance
17,000
US 64/264 Intersection Mainland
4,400
NC 345 Roanoke Island south of US 64 intersection
7,000
NC 12 Rodanthe midway of village (2006)
5,700
NC 12 Avon south of village intersection
7,200
NC 12 Buxton near Buxton Back road intersection
9,300
NC 12 Hatteras entrance from Frisco
5,100
The island geography of Dare County makes bridges an essential component of expedited traffic
movement. This factor is critical in determining the time needed to evacuate the County during a
hurricane event. The time will vary based on the time of the year and the seasonal population. Based
on 2003 estimates, it may take as long as 27 hours to evacuate the county during peak -season periods,
and between 13 and 18 hours during lesser populated times of the year.
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Section One Analysis of Community Facilities
' The most significant transportation improvement constructed in the. County since 2000 has been the
completion of the Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge. Dedicated in August 2002, the four -lane span of
' more than five miles stretches across the Croatan Sound from Manns Harbor to the intersection of
Hwy. 345 on Roanoke Island. It is the longest bridge in the state. Subsequently, a new visitor's center
' and county governmental complex have been constructed on Roanoke Island within close proximity to
the bridge landing.
' The replacement of the Bonner Bridge spanning Oregon Inlet remains the most urgent transportation
concern for Dare County. This project has been added to the NCDOT Transportation Improvement
program (NCDOT B-2500). Other projects included in the State's Transportation Improvement
' program over the next ten -years include:
' • Construction of a flyover at the intersection of US 64/NC 345 on Roanoke Island for traffic heading
to the northern beaches and Hatteras Island. (U-3815)
• Operational/safety enhancements along Colington Road (NCDOT R-5014)
• Continued widening of US 64 to four lanes through East Lake and Manns Harbor (NCDOT R-2544)
including the ultimate replacement of the Alligator River Bridge to Tyrrell County.
Another transportation concern in Dare County continues to be the protection of NC 12 on the
northern beaches and Hatteras Island. Ocean overwash and erosion have endangered portions of NC
12 in Kitty Hawk and along Hatteras Island. The NC Department of Transportation has made the
'
stabilization of the threatened portions of NC 12 a priority project and has dedicated significant
resources to alleviate overwash and sand depletion.
'
Strategies to improve safety along US 158 and seasonal traffic increases continue to be a priority of the
persons attending the public participation workshops held at the beginning of the update process.
Bicycle paths /walkways along many of the major transportation routes in the County, such as those
developed under the auspices of the Roanoke Voyages Corridor Commission, are exceedingly popular
alternative transportation routes among residents and visitors to the area. Similar efforts to develop
pedestrian paths in other areas have been proposed in recent years.
' Dare County has a limited capacity of other modes of transportation. Air transportation is limited to
the Dare County Regional Airport on Roanoke Island, the First Flight Airport in Kill Devil Hills, and the
Billy Mitchell Airstrip on Hatteras Island. At present, there are no scheduled passenger services by a
' regional carrier. Past attempts to establish a commuter service to the Norfolk Airport have failed due
to lack of passengers. A proposal to extend the runways at the Dare County Regional Airport has been
' reviewed by the Airport Authority. However, there was local opposition to this proposal and
environmental constraints as well. In addition to serving the civil aviation needs of Dare County, these
three airports have served as important staging centers for aviation -related activities during hurricanes
' and other storm events.
' Dare County is not served by any bus or railroad operations. There are a number of taxi services
available for hire.
I
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Section One Analysis of Community Facilities
As traffic congestion continues to increase, particularly during peak -season, there will be a greater ,
need to look into dependable public transportation and alternative means of movement such as water
taxis and perhaps more ferries. It appears that a regional approach will be necessary if Dare County is '
to ever achieve the goal of scheduled commuter airline service. The County will continue to work with
its delegation in the General Assembly and the N.C. Department of Transportation to secure additional ,
transportation improvements to insure safe movement of people and automobiles.
MAPS 15A-15G on page 121-127 illustrate the transportation system for Dare County, including I
identified TIP projects.
The planned highway improvements, especially the replacement of the Oregon Inlet Bridge and the
'
four -lane of Highway 64 thorough East Lake, are vital to the safety of our residents and visitors and the
continued prosperity of Dare County's tourist economy. Our bridges are an essential link to the other
,
areas of North Carolina and their viability to handle the year-round and seasonal traffic counts of the
area cannot be over -emphasized.
The replacement of the Oregon Inlet Bridge is the most infrastructure improvement scheduled for Dare
County in the upcoming five-year planning period. The safety and livelihood of the residents of
Hatteras Island are directly linked to the Oregon Inlet Bridge. The replacement bridge will ensure that
'
uninterrupted daily trips to points north can occur, and most importantly, that hurricane evacuations
exercises run smoothly. The replacement bridge will also ensure infrastructure access for future
generations of residents and visitors.
,
The four -lane widening of Highway 64 in East Lake combined with the replacement of the Alligator
River Bridge will dramatically decrease the travel time to inland areas of North Carolina and elsewhere.
'
The resultant decreased travel time associated with these infrastructure improvements will expand the
target market areas more to the west and south of the Outer Banks. For the residents of Dare County,
'
the decreased travel time from these infrastructure improvements are a quality of life improvement.
Some development in the immediate East Lake area may be experienced as a result of the completion
of these infrastructure improvements and it is anticipated that these improvements will result in
'
seasonal visitor increases from different markets than those targeted at the current time.
According
,
to NC Department of Transportation officials, there are no routes in Dare County that have
been classified as unacceptable service levels.
Stormwater Systems I
The relatively flat topographical profile of Dare County contributes to the effects of stormwater
runoff being a significant management concern. While no county -maintained stormwater utility is in '
place, the County does have several zoning and subdivision regulations which mitigate the effects of
stormwater runoff while remaining sensitive to other environmental concerns. Minimum lot size '
requirements, building setbacks, maximum lot coverage requirements, structural fill restrictions,
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•• U. "ti.
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u
I
0
vegetation removal regulations, as well as land use policies, significantly assuage the impact of
stormwater on both the built and natural environment. Where these local restrictions require a higher
degree of regulatory review, the County relies on state and federal permitting authority to augment
local management strategies. Tools such as the Division of Land Resources Sedimentation and Erosion
Control Permit and the Division of Water Quality Stormwater Management Permit are integral to Dare
County's ability to mitigate effects of stormwater runoff.
In 2001, Dare County initiated a study of stormwater issues culminating in a draft Stormwater
Management Plan, which is on file with the Dare County Planning Department. While this plan was
never officially adopted by the Board of Commissioners, the corresponding data and analysis was able
to identify certain areas exhibiting historic, existing, or potential stormwater drainage concerns. The
following areas were specifically identified:
• Mainland Dare County — intermittent ponding along primary and secondary roadways in Manns
Harbor, East Lake and Stumpy Point;
• Roanoke Island —ponding due to soil composition in and around the Raleigh Woods subdivision
outside of Manteo; failures associated with a primary drainage channel in the Mother Vineyard
neighborhood outside of Manteo; intermittent yet widespread ponding in the village of
Wanchese;
• Northern Beaches — improperly maintained and poorly drained swales in the Baum Bay Harbor
neighborhood outside of Kill Devil Hills; intermittent ponding along Colington Road in Colington;
• Hatteras Island — intermittent yet widespread ponding along primary and secondary roadways
associated with all the villages on Hatteras Island, including along Hwy. 12, Old Lighthouse Road
and Rocky Rollinson Lane in Buxton and Kohler Drive and Altoona Drive in Hatteras;
intermittent drainage failures with Peter's Ditch and Jesse's Ditch;
These and other drainage concerns are typical of stormwater management issues normally associated
with coastal and island topographical conditions.
There are no identifiable point sources of stormwater discharge within Dare County. Other sources of
point -source discharge of pollutants are monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
under the authority of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). A definitive
measure of pollutant impact, even that of non -point sources, on surrounding water bodies is difficult
to determine. Portions of Dare County's surrounding SA waters have been closed to shellfishing due to
elevated levels of pollutants, which may be indicative of the effects of stormwater runoff.
Dare County does not contain, and is not located within, an "urbanized area" as delineated by the U.S.
Census Bureau. The County also does not operate a small municipal separate storm sewer system
(MS4), or other similar utility. Therefore the County is not subject to coverage by the NPDES Phase II
Final Rule and its subsequent stormwater discharge management controls.
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Section One
..»K.
Analysis of Community Facilities
Other Facilities
Schools
The public education system in Dare County is directed by an elected seven -member Board of
Education. A superintendent in charge of the administrative duties of the school system is appointed
by the Board of Education. Curriculum development and funding for the school system is a
combination of State and local resources administered by the Dare County Board of Education.
The school system consists of ten facilities located throughout Dare County. Specifics for the schools
are detailed in Table 30.
Table 30 — Public School Enrollment (Sept 2007) (Source: Dare County Board of Education)
School
Capacity
Enrollment
First Flight Elementary
410
359
Kitty Hawk Elementary
590
473
Manteo Elementary
590
614
Nags Head Elementary
590
540
Cape Hatteras Elementary
315
246
Cape Hatteras Secondary
485
364
First Flight Middle
700
616
Manteo Middle
450
342
First Flight High
810
872
Manteo High
625
449
Alternative High
40
32
Total
5605
4907
Table 31—Ten Year Student Population Projection (year 2017) (Source: Dare County Board of
Education)
Student Population Projection
2007*
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
12017
Kindergarten -5th
2132
2153
2206
2264
2289
2326
2345
2364
2383
2404
2427
Hatteras Island
230
237
247
256
254
255
253
250
247
245
242
Northern Beaches
1324
1322
1353
1384
1406
1431
1455
1480
1505
1531
1557
R. Island / Mainland
578
594
606
624
629
640
637
634
631
628
628
6th-8th
1111
1147
1120
1102
1114
1142
1194
1212
1242
1252
1262
Hatteras Island
152
142
132
104
109
118
128
128
130
129
128
Northern Beaches
658
703
683
702
701
721
742
753
767
780
793
R. Island / Mainland
301
302
305
296
304
303
1 324
331
345
343
341
9th_12th
1552
1461
1452
1439
1423
1426
1401
1421
1430
1479
1530
Hatteras Island
212
216
198
205
190
171
163
149
151
163
172
Northern Beaches
936
860
869
839
847
866
854
883
.888
910
933
R. Island / Mainland
404
1 385
385
395
386
1 389
384
389
391
406
425
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..."I.
Section One
•• N.
Analysis of Community Facilities
K-12`
4795
4761
4778
4805
4826
4894
4940
4997
5055
5135
5219
Hatteras Island
594
595
577
565
553
544
544
527
528
537
542
Northern Beaches
2981
2885
2905
2925
2945
3018
3051
3116
3160
3221
3283
R. Island / Mainland
1283
1281
1296
1315
1319
1332
1345
1354
1367
1377
1394
• 2007 figures may vary from Table 27 enrollment, which were taken at beginning of school year and Table 28 figures which were taken in second
semester of 2007/2008 school year.
The 2003 update of the Dare County Land Use Plan identified detailed descriptions of planned public
school facility improvements to be completed by 2006. As of 2008, the following improvements have
been completed to fulfill projections of the 2001Ten-Year Schools Facilities Plan:
• First Flight High School, Kill Devil Hills —new high school constructed in 2003;
• Nags Head Elementary School, Nags Head —new elementary school campus constructed in 2004 to
include offices for the Dare County public school system;
• First Flight Middle School, Kill Devil Hills —classroom expansion constructed in 2005;
• Kitty Hawk Elementary School, Kitty hawk —bathroom renovations and structural improvements
constructed in 2006;
• Cape Hatteras Secondary School, Buxton — structural up -fitting, classroom/accessory expansion,
and renovation constructed in 2007;
• Manteo Elementary School, Manteo —classroom and office expansion constructed in 2006;
• Manteo Middle School, Manteo —new facility built in 2006 to replace previous school. Former
facility now used by the College of the Albemarle for instructional space.
• Manteo High School, Manteo— classroom expansion and renovation constructed in 2007.
A number of interim and routine maintenance items were also identified in the schools facilities plan,
with the intention of completing those items on an as needed basis. Some Dare County schools,
including First Flight Elementary and Nags Head Elementary, are equipped with natural gas service.
The prospect of extending natural gas service to additional schools has been discussed by the Board of
Education, yet no definitive decision has been made regarding this improvement. Aside from these
items, and those major improvements outlined above, no further facilities improvements are planned
Along with Dare County Public Schools, there are a number of privately -operated pre -kindergarten and
kindergarten schools. Heron Pond Montessori School is located in the Town of Kitty Hawk, and offers
instruction from kindergarten to 4th grade. Wanchese Christian Academy (WCA), affiliated with
Wanchese Assembly of God Church and the Assembly of God denomination, is the only comprehensive
private school in Dare County which offers instruction in grades kindergarten through 12.
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Section One
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Analysis of Community Facilities
Public Works (Solid Waste Removal)
Solid waste collection from both residential and commercial properties in Dare County is handled
by local governments. Dare County is contracted by both Kitty Hawk and Southern Shores for solid
waste pick-up in these two towns and is also responsible for pick up in the unincorporated areas. The
Towns of Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Manteo provide their own solid waste pick-up. Duck
contracts with a private firm for solid waste management.
Dare County owns and operates transfer stations in Buxton and Stumpy Point. The Stumpy Point
location was developed in 2007 to replace the "Manteo transfer station at Bowsertown Road, which
had neared capacity. The Bowsertown site is now being studied for adaptive reuse opportunities by
the County.
In 1994, the County entered a regional solid waste authority and all solid waste from Dare County is
transported to Bertie County, NC. This regional landfill has a contractual obligation to provide for
several more years of solid waste capacity according to the Dare County Public Works Department,
with an anticipated renewal potential for an additional 50-year period of routine solid waste. It is
anticipated that this will be adequate to address the routine solid waste needs of Dare County during
the next decade. Measures to address debris from future storm events or hurricanes may impact this
capacity.
Parks and Recreation
A full-time Dare County Parks and Recreation Department is staffed and responsible for overseeing
the recreational needs of the County residents. Some recreation facilities are joint public -private
ventures such as the youth center in Kill Devil Hills near the First Flight Schools. Other facilities
constructed by Dare County include Walker Field in Wanchese and a recreational field in Stumpy Point.
In total, the Parks and Recreation Department operates 76 facilities, including: 25 athletic fields, 6
basketball courts, 6 neighborhood centers, 4 community centers with gymnasiums, 7 picnic areas, 11
playgrounds, 4 soccer fields, 8 tennis courts, 2 volleyball courts, 2 skate parks, and a quarter -mile
leisure trail. Dare County currently owns a number of special purpose facilities that are spread
throughout the County and offer a variety of special recreational opportunities such as boat ramps,
swimming areas, and community centers.
Within Dare County, there are additional recreation amenities that are utilized by the County but
owned by others. These include facilities ranging from ball fields to leisure trails. The shared use of
school facilities also greatly increases the recreational resources available to County residents. The
Recreation Department works closely with the Board of Education in utilizing these school facilities for
after-hours use.
Programmed activities offered by the Parks and Recreation Department include adult aerobics, youth
basketball, arts and crafts, soccer, gymnastics and cultural trips. The most popular are youth
basketball, baseball/softball, and youth soccer. Softball and basketball are the most popular adult
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Section One Analysis of Community Facilities
L
activities. In 2007, there were approximately 8,000 participants in 132 County —sponsored recreation
programs.
A comprehensive parks and recreation master plan was developed by Dare County in May 2001 that
provides more detailed information on the projected recreational and cultural needs of the residents
of Dare County. Copies of this plan are available from the Dare County Parks and Recreation
Department. This plan includes information on the adequacy of the County's parks and recreation
system over the next 10-year planning period.
Public Health and Safety
Ensuring health and safety of the general public is of the utmost consideration for Dare County.
The County maintains a fully staffed Emergency Management department, which is responsible for
emergency preparedness and coordination, while also serving as a communicative liaison between
local, state, and federal emergency management agencies during a disaster event. The department
has drafted an "Emergency Operations Plan" detailing specific procedures the County will engage in to
manage the preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation of emergency events.
Law enforcement in Dare County is administered at various levels of government ranging from Federal
enforcement agencies to municipal police departments.
The National Park Service has personnel who patrol the south beaches of Dare County that are
included in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The State Highway Patrol has officers stationed in
Dare County with Countywide jurisdiction but focus mainly on unincorporated Dare County.
The Dare County Sheriffs Department has offices located on Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island and in
Colington. The Sheriff's Department is also responsible for staffing and managing the Dare County
Detention Center located on Roanoke Island. The jail has a total capacity of 122 inmates with room
for 110 male inmates and 12 female inmates. The Communications Department with E911 capability is
also under the supervision of the Sheriff.
The municipalities in Dare County operate their own police departments. These departments provide
mutual aid to other law enforcements agencies when necessary.
Fire protection is provided throughout the 860 plus square miles of Dare County within 17 individual
fire districts that support 18 fire stations. The Towns of Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills,
Nags Head, Duck and Manteo make up the six municipal fire districts.
The unincorporated fire districts of Dare County are Martin's Point, Colington, Manns Harbor, Stumpy
Point, Hatteras, Frisco, Buxton, Avon, Salvo, Rodanthe-Waves, and Roanoke Island. These departments
are funded through afire district tax that is collected by the Dare County and distributed under afire
protection contract.
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Section One Analysis of Community Facilities
Wild land fire suppression is provided in a joint effort by US Fish and Wildlife, US Park Service, and the
NC Department of Forestry, by contractual agreement, also protects lands of the US Navy and Air Force
bombing ranges.
The Dare County Fire Marshal acts as the liaison between the Dare County Board of Commissioners
and its fire districts. The Fire Marshal is also responsible for the enforcement of the NC State Fire
Code, does fire investigations, and cause and origin determinations. This office maintains a county-
wide fire data reporting system and is active in the area of fire prevention, designing programs in
education that are geared toward all of our County citizens.
In addition to fire and police protection, the County provides Emergency Medical Service to work in
tandem with those departments, and respond to emergencies in all areas of the County. The service is
housed in eight response stations, each equipped with Type III `Box" ambulances capable of
transporting two patients and EMS crew members. Dare County also operates an EMS configured
MMB BK117 helicopter, capable of transporting two patients and air crew members (MedFlight).
Ambulance transport is most often made to emergency facilities located at Outer Banks Hospital in
Nags Head or Albemarle Regional Medical Center in Kitty Hawk. When required, critical care transport
via MedFlight often transports patients to Chesapeake General Hospital in Chesapeake, Virginia, or Pitt
County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, North Carolina, depending on the needs of the patient.
Page 116

Section One
LAND SUITABILITY ANALYSIS
Land Suitability Analysis I
The CAMA guidelines require that a land suitability analysis be conducted as part of the land
use plan update to determine the areas of land in the community that are "suitable" for
development. The goal of this analysis is to provide local decision -makers with information on
the best areas for development and to assist with the development of local policies and the
design of the future use map. The end -result of this analysis is a land suitability map depicting
vacant or under-utilized land that is suitable for development. The CAMA guidelines state that
the following factors shall be considered to assess land suitability:
a. Water quality
b. Land classes 1, 2 and 3 as discussed and identified in the environmental composite
narrative and map.
c. Proximity to existing developed areas and compatibility with existing land uses.
d. Potential impact of development on areas and sites designated by local historical
commissions or the NC Department of Cultural Resources as historic, culturally
significant, or scenic.
e. Land use and development regulations, CAMA use standards, and other applicable state
regulations, and applicable federal regulations;
f. Availability of community facilities including water, sewer, stormwater, and
transportation.
In addition to the factors identified by the CAMA land use plan guidelines, another factor that
must be considered in analyzing land suitability in Dare County is the large of amount of
publicly -owned land. Over 80% of land in Dare County is held in public ownership and
unavailable for development. Most of the public lands serve as open space or recreation areas
which is a positive benefit and a contributing factor to the popularity of the Outer Banks as a
tourist destination. However, all land needs of our permanent population and our seasonal
visitors must be addressed on the remaining privately -owned land thus resulting in keen
competition for vacant property. In the case of public ownership, it is not so much an issue of
land suitability as much as it is a case of land availability. In discussing the land suitability
factors for Dare County, the Planning Board and staff identified the large amount of lands held
in public ownership as the most important factor influencing the development patterns of
unincorporated Dare County. As a result, the remaining privately -owned lands have been
deemed to be "suitable" for development.
However, for the purposes of compliance with the land use planning guidelines, additional
analysis of the remaining privately -owned lands was undertaken by Dare County officials and a
ranking system developed to reflect the importance of each factor in the suitability decision -
Page 128

MAP 15G
1
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PAGE 127
t
0 36 0 76 Miles

MAP 15F
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NORTHERN BEACHES
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bare County Transportation
Private / Other
N Municpal
NC State Road
NC Route (Primary)
N US Highway
This map is for illustrative purposes only and
cannot be used by federal, state, or local
permitting agencies in reviewing development
' proposals or performing site evaluations.
4
cz, f
n
PAGE 126

s. MAP 15E
B-2500
B-2500 B-5014
('4 r)
Dare
County
NC12, DIRE COMITY. OREGON INLET.
REPLACE BRDGE NO. 11
PAGE 125

MAP 15D
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PAGE 124

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PAGE 123

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0I
PAGE 122

r
DIVISION 1
LEGEND
RURAL PROJECTS -------------- i�
ABAN PROJECTS 0
BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECTS
Nt�r
ATLANTIC,
OCEAN

"MAP 14D
Albermarle Sound i
-mow 02 MG
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Dare Courty
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PAGE 120

This n
cannot
permit!
propos
HATTERAS ISLAND
Approximate extent of
public water supply service
Nil
i 3 6 9 12
Miles
PAGE 119

h MAP 14B
0 1 2 4 6 8MiVes
PAGE 118

MAP 14A
ROANOKE ISLAND /
NORTHERN BEACHES
-Approximate extent of county- operated
public water supply service
®Approximate extent of municipality -operated
public water supply service
N
0 1 2 4 6 g
Miles
Ce
�l
i:+ r
PAGE 117

ISection One
Land Suitability Analysis
making process. For the purposes of this analysis, a scale of low importance, medium
importance, or high importance was used to assess the attributes of the local conditions. Table
32 lists the attributes discussed during this land suitability analysis and the rating applied by
local planners. A discussion of the rating applied to each attribute follows Table 32.
Table 32 Land Suitability Attributes and Ranking
Attributes of Private Lands
Rating
Class 1 or 2 lands as identified on
environmental composite map
High importance
Class 3 lands (protected from development by
regulatory controls)
High importance
Water quality classifications
Medium importance
Proximity to existing development
Low importance
Compatibility with existing development
Low importance
Proximity to scenic , historical, or cultural sites
Medium importance
Availability of central water and/or central
wastewater
Low importance
Access to major highways
Low importance
Class 1 and Class 2 lands —Table 20 found on page 34 lists the natural features and their
associated "class" assignments. These class assignments are required to be developed by the
CAMA land use plan guidelines. Class 1 lands are those areas that have only minimal limitations
or regulations to address before development can occur. Class 2 lands are those areas which
involve an increased amount of regulatory standards that must be addressed before
development permits can be secured. A rating of "high importance" has been assigned to class
1 and class 2 lands. Although there may be some limitations associated with Class 1 and Class 2
lands, these limitations are addressed routinely through land use planning and construction
techniques to mitigate limitations.
Class 3 lands -- Table 20 also lists those natural features that have the highest level of
regulatory interaction or overlay of standards associated with development activities. The
natural features assigned the Class 3 ranking are generally protected from development
activities and include coastal and estuarine wetland AECs, public trust AECS and unvegetated
beach AECs. Due to the Class 3 ranking and the associated protection level assigned to these
natural features, a rating of "high importance" has been assigned for land suitability purposes.
Water Quality -- Map 6 on page 55 depicts the water quality classifications applied by the NC
Division of Water Quality and the "prohibited areas" for shellfish harvesting purposes
designated by the NC Shellfish Sanitation Agency. The shellfish prohibited areas are generally
Page 129

Section One
Land Suitability Analysis I
in close proximity to developed areas and the SA water classifications apply to the open waters
of the sounds. There are several regulatory programs that address the protection of water
quality, such as the State stormwater management program, CAMA's 30-buffer requirement,
and coastal wetland regulations. These regulatory programs may affect the extent or scope of
development that may occur on a property and because of this reason should be noted as
influences on a property's potential use or suitability. In analyzing the issue of water quality
relative to land suitability, the local planners noted its importance but felt that the use of CAMA
buffers and other additional State setbacks adequately addressed water quality and therefore a
rating of "medium importance" was assigned to this attribute.
Proximity to existing development -- As previously noted in the discussion of existing land use
patterns in Section 1, Dare County's existing land use patterns are an assortment of uses
resulting from our island geography and the dispersal of our village communities. The island
geography of the area and the large amount of federal lands that separate the villages result in
clusters of development where the privately -owned villages are located. Market conditions do
not reflect the proximity to existing patterns but reflect where the privately -owned lands can
be found. Because of this, proximity to existing development is not deemed to be a factor that
weighs heavily in a property's suitability and was assigned a rating of "low importance".
Compatibility with existing land uses The existing land use patterns in unincorporated Dare
County reflect the island geography, the vast amounts of public property, and the many years
of unregulated (unzoned) development that occurred in Dare County before zoning regulations
were adopted. These factors make for an eclectic mix of land uses that define the individual
villages. Over the past several years, zoning maps for each village, except for East Lake, have
been adopted by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. These maps establish guidelines for
future development and will attempt to address the compatibility of adjoining land uses.
However, in terms of affecting land suitability, the compatibility factor was rated "low
importance" by local planning officials.
Proximity to scenic, historical, or cultural areas -- Dare County is blessed with an abundance
of scenic vistas and historical resources that are located all along the Outer Banks. View
corridors, especially along the immediate shorelines, enhance a property's desirability and thus
it's suitability. Many of the historical and cultural sites are located on federal property. In
discussing this issue, it was acknowledged that the suitability of land is impacted by its
proximity to scenic, historical and cultural areas, therefore a "medium importance" rating was
assigned.
Availability of central water and central sewer— From a land suitability perspective, the
provision of infrastructure improvements for water and sewer is generally regarded as a high
suitability factor for most communities. For Dare County, these factors must be adjusted
Page130
�1

' Section One Land Suitability Analysis
accordingly since infrastructure improvements are not extended as economic development
incentives. The majority of Dare County is within the service boundary of a central water
system. The provision of central water is to ensure a safe drinking water supply and not
incentive —driven. There are no publicly -owned central wastewater systems in unincorporated
Dare County and the few privately -owned systems are designed for specific development
projects without excess capacity for off -site connections. As such, a rating of "low importance"
has been given to this category.
Proximity to major highways -- The transportation system is limited by the narrowness of the
island geography in most areas of Dare County. For new subdivisions, all new street
improvements are constructed by the developer. For these reasons, proximity to a major
'
highway is a negligible factor in a land suitability analysis of Dare County and a rating of "low
importance" granted.
'
Land Suitability Map
'
Following an analysis of the various factors that affect land suitability, a land suitability map can
be generated that depicts the areas identified by local officials as areas that are deemed
"suitable" for development. (Please note, an overall map has been produced for the entirety
of unincorporated Dare County. However, sectional maps have also been included since
unincorporated Dare County covers so much land area and is difficult to map) As discussed in
tdetermined
the preceding section of this narrative, the vast amounts of publicly -owned lands was
to the most influencing factor in the County's land suitability map. On the land
suitability map developed for unincorporated Dare County, all public lands have been placed in
'
a category of "not available for development".
For the remaining privately -owned lands, the importance ratings of Table 32 were compared
and it was determined by Dare County officials that although some attributes of land may have
a greater level of influence or importance in development decisions, all privately -owned lands
in Dare County must be considered for development since we are overwhelmed by the vast
for lands,
acreages of public ownership. In addition to the category created public two other
categories have been developed for the land suitability map to address the attributes of the
privately owned lands.
All lands that have been assigned the Class 3 designation on the environmental composite map
' have been assigned the category of "unsuitable due to regulatory protection" on the land
suitability map. The areas on the land suitability map are consistent with the boundaries of the
Class 3 features depicted on the environmental composite maps. (Maps 11A-E on pages 62 -
66)
I'
Page 131

Section One
Land Suitability Analysis
The third category illustrated on the land suitability map is the "suitable" category which has
been applied to all other privately -owned lands that are not Class 3 lands. This reflects the
strong belief of Dare County officials that all privately -owned lands that are not protected from
development by CAMA AEC designations are "suitable" for development since so much of the
land in Dare County is held in public ownership. On the environmental composite map, these
areas are identified as Class 1 and Class 2 lands. An overlay of the environmental composite
map was used by the Dare County GIS Department to assist with the creation of the land
suitability map to ensure that all area designated as "suitable" on the land suitability map are
compatible with the environmental composite map.
The land suitability map is designed to illustrate a general picture of land suitability and land
availability in unincorporated Dare County. As stated at the opening of this discussion, all
privately -owned lands are deemed to be suitable for development purposes. The land
suitability map is not intended to be used for permitting decisions or in the review of
development proposals. The land suitability map and sectional inserts can be found on
pages133-137.
REVIEW OF 2003 DARE COUNTY LAND USE PLAN
The update process of the Dare County Land Use Plan provides an opportunity to review the
2003 plan for effectiveness and to determine our success in implementing the policies and
strategies contained in the 2003 version. Appendix 4 details the 2003 policies and their
associated implementation status. Since the adoption of the 2003 Land Use Plan many of the
implementation strategies have been fully implemented. Most noteworthy is the adoption of
zoning maps for Stumpy Point, Wanchese, the Skyco community of Roanoke Island, Mashoes
and Manns Harbor. East Lake is the only remaining area of unincorporated Dare County that is
unzoned. These zoning maps reflect the 2003 policies favoring single family residential
development, low -density multifamily development and small commercial businesses.
The 2003 LUP was consulted during the review of all of the amendments to the Dare County
Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Ordinance that have occurred since the adoption of the 2003
Land Use Plan. All amendments have been found by the Planning Board and the Board of
Commissioners to be consistent with the policies of the 2003 LUP. The policies of the 2003
LUP have been effective in protection of the County's natural resources and many of the 2003
policies have been included in the 2009 due to their effectiveness and for their continued
relevance.
Page 132
1
'I

i
MAP 16A
This
only
state
revie
perfc
Suitable
- Unsuitable due to Regulatory Protection
® Unavailable / Goverment Owned
PAGE 133

MAP 16B
:I
Hatteras Island
- Suitable
Unavailable / Goverment Owned
- Unsuitable due to Regulatory Protection
Feet
0 8,000 16,000 32,000 48,000 64,000
i
1
l
• de—
1
PAGE 134

MAP 16C
TOWN
OF
NAGS HEAD
Roanoke Island
and
Bodie Island
Suitable
u Unavailable / Goverment Owned
- Unsuitable due to Regulatory Protection
Municipal
- US Department of the Interior (Nags Head Jurisdiction)
0 3,500 7,000 14,000 21,000 28,000
PAGE 135
35,000
� Feet
42,000

MAP 16D
SOUTHERN
SHORES
KITTY HAWK
0 1,500 3.000 6,000 91
- Suitable
Unavailable / Goverment Owned
- Unsuitable due to Regulatory Protection
Municipal
KILL
DEVIL
HILLS
PAGE 136

1
n
L
11

I
'J
I
1
SECTION TWO
Policies and
� Implementation Strategies
1
I

Ll
Section Two
Section Two
Introduction
The CAMA guidelines require local governments to identify policies and implementation strategies
for these policies to demonstrate the local government's position on certain issues or to demonstrate
the local government's goals and intentions. These policies are the main element of the land use plan
and provide direction for local elected officials, advisory boards, citizens, and state and federal
agencies on land use planning matters and other issues of local concern. The Land Use Plan is a
fundamental tool used by Dare County for guidance and is also used by CAMA officials in the review of
CAMA major permits and used in federal consistency reviews. These policies inform CAMA officials of
the County's intentions and positions on development issues that are involved with CAMA major
permits. A determination of inconsistency by CAMA officials can result in the denial of CAMA major
permit applications of federal reviews. These policies are also referenced by Dare County in reviewing
rezoning proposals, development and re -development applications, and when drafting new ordinances
or ordinance amendments.
It is the intent of Dare County to strive for consistency between the LUP policies and the County
ordinances, but it is recognized that sometimes conflicts with the policies cannot be avoided since
these policies are written for long-term planning purposes and updated generally on a five -year basis.
Economic conditions, political philosophies, changing technologies, and public opinion may result in an
amendment to the Zoning Ordinance or other land use ordinance that is not consistent with a land use
policy that was adopted two or three years earlier. When such inconsistencies occur, it must be
acknowledged that the land use plan is a policy document, not an enforcement ordinance. The
resolution of the inconsistency would be accomplished through an amendment to the land use plan as
may be appropriate to reflect the amended land use ordinance.
The CAMA guidelines establish six management topics to be addressed by local governments. The
policies for the 2009 Dare County Land Use Plan have been grouped according to these management
topics. Several of the policies included in the 2009 LUP include a statement that Dare County
reserves the right to examine issues on a "case -by -case" basis. This language has been included to
emphasize an issue due to the County's reservation about the "one size fits all" tendency of State and
Federal regulatory agencies. . Dare County is unique in our geographic location and the vast amounts
of land dedicated to public ownership and conservation. For this reason, Dare County often finds that
a regulatory program which may be wise or practical for other communities is contrary to the best
interest of Dare County and our citizenry.
There are many State and Federal regulatory programs for resource protection that apply in Dare
County. These regulatory programs are referenced in our policies and often Dare County relies on the
Federal or State regulatory efforts in lieu of a local regulatory program. This lack of a local regulatory
program should not be interpreted as lack of concern for our natural resources but may be due to a
Page 138

...IN.
Section Two
Introduction 1
desire to avoid duplication or the acknowledgement that adequate protection is offered by the State
and/ Federal program. For development in CAMA designated Areas of Environmental Concern, Dare
County accepts state and federal law regarding land uses in AECs as regulated at the writing of this
document (2009).
The CAMA guidelines also require the LUP to identify both positive and negative impacts of the policies
on the management topics. In order to fulfill this requirement, a statement has been included at the
end of each management topic subsection and a matrix outlining the consistency of the policies with
the management topic.
At the beginning of the LUP update process, Dare County identified a community vision statement and
a set of objectives. The community vision provides the overall statement of Dare County and our
intended direction. While this community vision is a simple statement of our goal for the future of
Dare County, it serves as the fundamental foundation of the general objectives, the policy statements
and associated implementation strategies. This core statement is reflected in the policy statements
and helps outline our direction for future planning purposes.
Community Vision
Manage the growth and development in a manner that preserves the historical, cultural, and natural
resources that make Dare County a desirable place to live, work and visit. Unincorporated Dare County
should retain the characteristics typical of the entire County before the incorporated municipalities
experienced urban- style growth. It is the goal of Dare County to shape the growth of the
unincorporated villages in such a manner that they retain their historical character.
The policy statements have been grouped according to management topic. The objectives identified
for each management topic are re -stated at the beginning of each topic section along with the CAMA
requirements for each topic. A narrative discussion is included which presents an analysis of each
pertinent issue by the Planning Board and staff and the conclusions reached by the Planning Board and
staff in the development of the policy statement. There are implementation strategies included with
some of the policies which details activities or efforts that will be considered by Dare County. In some
instances, a specific implementation strategy has not been included for each policy due to the nature
of the policy and that no action is necessary to implement the policy. Some implementation strategies
may also be appropriate for more than one policy statement. The CAMA guidelines require local
governments to prepare an action plan for the implementation strategies. As part of this action plan,
a target date for implementation has been included with the implementation strategy. For some, the
target date is noted as the entire five-year planning period to indicate on -going efforts such as the
participation in the CAMA local permit program.
Listed below is a glossary of key words that are used throughout Section 2 in the policy statements.
Page 139
iJ

I
Section Two Introduction
IThe glossary is intended to convey the specific meaning of these key words.
1. adequate: sufficient to achieve the intended purpose or prevent harm
'
2. advocate: to promote or encourage
3. allow, authorize, permit: official action to let something happen
4. consider: to analyze; to take under advisement
5. control: to regulate or direct
6. discourage: to not favor, to dissuade
'
7. encourage: to favor or foster (also see support)
8. may: provides the option, but not required; permissive
9. oppose: to not support or be against a proposed action
'
10. practicable: capable of being effected, feasible, likely to occur
11. preferred: the favored course among alternatives but does not preclude other options
12. prohibit: not allowed, to totally prevent
'
13. promote: to proactively encourage to take positive steps
14. reasonable: practical, just enough to do the job; not extreme
15. recognize: to show awareness of an issue or condition
'
16. require: to mandate something
17. shall: mandatory, not optional; a more formal term for "will'
18. should: preferred or recommended but not mandatory in all cases
'
19. significant: important; determined by quantity or relative impact
20. support: to foster; may imply financial support
1 Page 140

...IN.
Section Two
MANAGEMENT TOPIC #1— PUBLIC ACCESS
Public Access I
CAMA Goal: Maximize public access to the beaches and the public trust waters of the coastal region I
CAMA Obiective: Develop comprehensive policies that provide beach and public trust water access
opportunities for the public along the shoreline within the planning jurisdiction. Policies shall address '
access needs and opportunities, include strategies to develop public access, and identify feasible
funding options.
CAMA Policy Requirements: Shall establish local criteria for frequency and type of access facilities; '
provisions for access to disabled persons; and access criteria for areas targeted for nourishment.
Public Access Obiectives '
1. Maintain and enhance access to the beaches, sounds and other public trust areas of Dare County. ,
2. Explore options to protect working waterfront areas from redevelopment that may result in loss of
access to public trust areas and loss of access opportunities for our local fishing industry. I
Shoreline Access
,
Access (vehicular and pedestrian) to the shorelines and public trust areas of Dare County is a
fundamental element of the Outer Banks history, way of life, and our economy. Many folks visit the
'
Outer Banks to enjoy access to the miles of shorelines and beaches for recreational activities and to
observe our natural flora and fauna. Fishermen, both commercial and recreational, rely on vehicular
access to the beaches. And for year-round residents, access to the beaches and public trust areas is
'
part of our daily lives and a contributing factor for many people choosing to reside here. Parking and
restrooms facilities can be found throughout the municipal areas and on Hatteras Island for access to
the ocean and estuarine shorelines. Many of these access points have been developed with funding
'
assistance from the State of North Carolina through the shoreline access grant program. These access
points are widely used by our seasonal visitors and our year-round population. The access points also
'
provide fishing opportunities for many people who do not own boats for direct water access. As noted
in the public access discussion, many waterfront properties that provided boating access have been re-
,
developed as private communities thus eliminating a public boat/water access. ORV access to the
ocean and estuarine shorelines compensates for the lack of widespread boat ramps by providing a
means of water access for those without boats.
,
Historically, vehicular access along the beaches was often the only means of travel. The protection of
this historical aspect of Outer Banks life has been the focus of lawsuits against the National Park
'
Service to prohibit vehicular and pedestrian access to the beaches of the Cape Hatteras National
Page 141

' Section Two Public Access
ISeashore. Opponents of beach driving have sought injunctions against the NPS due to lack of an
official plan to manage access to the federal seashore. These opponents argue that vehicles on the
'
beach result in damage to plant life and wildlife. Proponents of beach driving maintain that vehicular
access can be managed without damage to plants and wildlife. In 2008, a settlement of a lawsuit filed
by the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Defenders of Wildlife resulted in a temporary
by
agreement to address vehicular and pedestrian access to the Hatteras Island beaches managed the
NPS. The Dare County Board of Commissioners was a participant in this lawsuit. The agreement
'
established terms for closure of beaches to pedestrian and vehicular access in response to bird and
turtle nesting activities. This agreement also established a deadline for adoption of permanent plan
'
by 2010. In 2007, prior to the filing of the lawsuit, the National Park Service initiated a negotiated rule
making process to address the issue of access to the federal seashore. Dare County was involved as a
stakeholder in this rule -making process. The County will continue to participate in this issue due to the
'
vital importance of vehicular and pedestrian access to our economy and quality of life.
During the public input workshops on Hatteras Island, several residents noted the need for increased
public boat ramps and boat access points on Hatteras Island. There are several access ramps for
vehicular access to the shoreline and pedestrian access to the shoreline, however there are a limited
'
number of public boat ramps on Hatteras Island.
Policy PA #1
'
Dare County supports the preservation and protection of the public's right to access and use of the
public trust areas and waters.
'
Policy PA #2
Dare County reserves the right to review, comment, advocate, or oppose any proposed Federal or
State regulations or programs that affect the public trust waters or public trust areas.
Policy PA #3
Dare County supports North Carolina's shoreline access policies and grant programs and recognizes the
importance of shoreline access to our local residents and our tourist economy. Thus, the County will
'
continue to seek opportunities to expand access, including opportunities for the disabled, and to
secure funding for beach nourishment in order to maintain wide sandy beaches.
Implementation Strategy:
'
1. Identify and pursue appropriate grant opportunities for access sites to public trust waters and
public trust areas. Any new public access sites shall address the needs of handicap persons and
address those needs to the maximum extent practicable in working with the natural conditions of
the site. ( 2010-2015)
Page 142

...M.
Section Two
Public Access I
Policy PA #4
The County recognizes the importance of four-wheel drive vehicles and pedestrian access to the
beaches of Dare County that are under the management authority of the federal government. Efforts
to completely prohibit beach driving on these federally -managed areas are opposed. National Park
Service management plans for the beaches should acknowledge the historical and established practice
of vehicular and pedestrian access to the beaches of Dare County. In addition, impacts on Dare
County's local economy are important elements that should be a factor in any decision -making process
of the National Park Service. Management plans should emphasize the need to allow these practices
to continue in an equitable manner that balances species management activities without eliminating or
severely limiting vehicular and pedestrian access to the Dare County beaches.
Implementation Strategies:
1. Continue to actively participate with the National Park Service in developing a plan for vehicular
and pedestrian access to all beaches of Dare County. (2010-2015)
2. Defend and assist with legal interventions that would allow continued access for federal beaches.
(2010-2015)
Policy PA #5
Plans for the replacement of Bonner Bridge and for the long-term protection of NC 12 on Hatteras
Island shall address the need to provide vehicular and pedestrian access for local residents and visitors
to all areas of Pea Island and Hatteras Island currently (2008) open to the public. Plans to restrict or
limit current levels of access shall be reviewed on a case by case basis with support or opposition
offered depending on the proposal and its potential negative impacts on local residents and our tourist
economy.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Continue to monitor efforts of NC Department of Transportation to permit and construct
replacement for the Bonner Bridge. ( 2010-2015)
Note: additional discussion and policies on Bonner Bridge are included in the Infrastructure Carrying Capacity topic found
later in the section.
Working Waterfronts
The loss of public access to waterways and working waterfront sites used for commercial fishing
was the focus of a State -funded group in 2007. Over the past decade, development of waterfront
properties has resulted in decreased access opportunities for the general public, residents and
fishermen. Recognizing this trend, the State study group, known as the Working Waterfront
Commission, devised a grant program and management plan to identify waterfront access sites for
protection and possible public acquisition. The Dare County Board of Commissioners and staff are
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' actively involved in this program and supportive of its goals. Grant opportunities for Dare County sites
will be pursued as necessary to avoid the additional loss of working waterfront sites or other
' waterfront properties that have traditionally been used for public access points,to our surrounding
waters.
' Policy PA#6
Dare County supports efforts by the State of North Carolina to protect working waterfronts and
harbors to ensure their continued viability as working waterfronts and access to public trust waters.
' Dare County will work with the State and private property owners to identify waterfront sites for
acquisition as part of the WAMI (Waterfront Access and Marine Industry Fund) in order to maintain
' their integral relationship with the commercial fishing industry and for recreational boating access.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Develop a comprehensive inventory of working waterfronts and other waterfront access areas in
unincorporated Dare County. (2010)
' Shoreline Management
With hundreds of miles of coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, protection and management of
the shorelines is important but is also a challenge. The public infrastructure and private property
located behind the public trust portions of the shoreline are essential components of the local
economy. Beach erosion from hurricanes, nor'easters and other weather events can be severe and
threaten or damage oceanfront properties and nearby infrastructure.
' The best method to address shoreline erosion has been the topic of public debate for many years in
Dare County and in the other coastal counties in North Carolina. Current North Carolina regulations
prohibit the construction of hardened structures along the ocean shoreline. The Coastal Resources
' Commission has acknowledged beach nourishment as the preferred method of shoreline protection.
Ll
Since the 1990's Dare County has participated in efforts by the Corps of Engineers to develop and
implement a beach nourishment plan for the northern beaches in Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head that
are threatened by erosion. The Northern Dare Beaches Storm Damage Reduction and Erosion Control
Protection Plan was completed by the Corps of Engineers in 2003. As a result of a change in federal
policy on the federal funding for the construction of new beach nourishment projects, appropriation of
this plan has not be authorized by the United States Congress. Efforts to generate local funding
mechanisms to address the lack of federal funding assistance have not been successful to date.
The Dare County Shoreline Management Commission was established in 2005 to study alternatives for
shoreline management in response to the change in federal policy for funding of the Dare Beaches
Hurricane Protection Plan. The Shoreline Management Commission is charged with the study of
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shoreline protection issues for all shorelines in Dare County, not just the ocean beaches and not just
'
the areas identified for nourishment in the Corps plan. A certain portion of the occupancy tax
collected in Dare County is specifically earmarked for use on shoreline protection measures. In 2008,
,
some of the money was used to initiate a sand fencing program along oceanfront areas. This
program has proven successful in many locations and these efforts will continue for the next two years.
lack for federal
'
Faced with the funding for new beach nourishment projects, the State of North
Carolina may be forced to re -consider its approach to shoreline protection. Although a reversal of the
prohibition on hardened structures seems unlikely, the State of North Carolina must recognize the
,
need to join efforts with local governments and private property owners to identify alternative
methods to address beach erosion. Federal appropriations for beach nourishment projects can no
longer
'
be relied upon by local governments. The challenge of shoreline protection will not disappear
therefore efforts to identify solutions need to be considered at the State level and the County level.
Policy PA V.
Beach nourishment is the preferred shoreline management alternative along the ocean beaches of
Dare County. Access points to beaches identified for nourishment activities shall be provided according
,
to federal standards (every % mile) to allow convenient access to all persons. In addition to beach
nourishment, the use of terminal groins, offshore reefs, and other similar techniques are compatible
'
with the shoreline management goals of Dare County.
Implementation Strategies:
1. Support efforts by the Shoreline Management Commission to address issues associated with
'
shoreline erosion, public access, and other related issues that involve the ocean beaches and
estuarine shorelines in Dare County. ( 2010-2015).
2. Support efforts to amend the North Carolina General Statutes to allow the use of terminal groins,
,
offshore reefs, and other similar structures. (2010-2015)
Wildlife Resources
Dare County is noted for its fisheries resources, but also has a significant base of wildlife resources.
,
On the Mainland, sportsmen enjoy a variety of species including deer, wildfowl, bear, and foxes. On
Pea Island, numerous species of wildfowl are found and the area is popular with birding enthusiasts.
,
Many of these areas are on federal preservation lands such as the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge and the
Alligator River Wildlife Refuge. Access to these federal lands has traditionally been granted by the
federal
'
government. Continued access to these areas for both pedestrians and vehicles was stressed
by the Planning Board members.
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IPolicy PA #8
Dare County supports the maintenance of wildlife preservation areas and refuges. Access by the
' public, including vehicular access to beaches, for wildlife harvesting and observation should not be
prohibited.
Implementation Strategy
1. Work with federal agencies to allow continued access to federal property in Dare County for
hunting (including hunting with dogs), fishing, and other similar activities. ( 2010-2015)
' Policy Impacts on CAMA Management Goals and Objectives
' The Dare County public access policies are consistent with the goals and objectives established by
CAMA for this management topic. All of the policies seek to expand public access to coastal waters
and other public trust areas and identify funding opportunities to enhance public access.
' The matrix on the following page demonstrates the consistency of each of the public access policies
with the management objectives identified for this topic. As noted in the matrix, all of the public
' access policies directly support the management objectives. Each policy has been reviewed with a
status ranking of beneficial, neutral, or detrimental as noted for each policy. For this management
topic, a ranking of "beneficial' has been listed for all policies due to the direct link to each of the two
' objectives.
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CONSISTENCY OF PUBLIC ACCESS POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
Policy Benchmarks— Indicate whether the policy is beneficial (B), neutral (N), or detrimental (D)
1. Maintain and enhance access to the beaches, sounds, and other public trust areas of Dare County.
MANAGEMENT TOPIC —
2. Explore options to protect working waterfront areas from redevelopment that may result in the loss of access to public trust_
PUBLICACCESS
areas and loss of access opportunities for our local fishing industry.
BENEFICIAL
NEUTRAL
DETRIMENTAL
PA #1 preservation and
#1,
protection of access to
public trust areas and
waters
PA#2 reserves right to
#1,
oppose or support any
federal or state
programs that affect
access
PA #3 recognizes
#1
importance of shoreline
access and seeks to
expand opportunities
PA #4 importance of
#1
ORV access and
opposition to prohibit
beach driving
PA#5 Bonner Bridge
#1
replacement with
access to all areas
PA #6 protection of
#1, #2
working waterfronts
PA # 7 beach
#1
nourishment support
PA # 8 Access to wildlife
#1
areas
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Section Two Land Use Compatibility
MANAGEMENT TOPIC #2 — LAND USE COMPATIBILITY
CAMA Goal: Ensure that development and use of resources or preservation of land minimizes direct
and secondary environmental impacts; avoids risks to public health, safety, and welfare and is
consistent with the capability of the land based on considerations of interactions of natural and
manmade features.
CAMA Obiective: 1) Adopt and apply local development policies that balance protection of natural
resources and fragile areas with economic development. 2) policies shall provide direction to assist
local decision making and consistency for zoning, divisions of land, and public and private projects.
Policy Requirements: 1) establish building intensity and density criteria, such as floor area ratio and
units per acre, consistent with the land suitability analysis for each land use designation on the Future
Land Use Map. 2) establish local mitigation criteria and concepts. These may include, but are not
limited to the following: cluster subdivision design, enacting local buffers, impervious surface limits,
and innovative stormwater management alternatives.
Land Use Compatibility Obiectives
1. Use existing patterns of village communities as "nodes" of activity and living space in a manner that
relates to the vast publicly owned lands and historical landmarks.
2. The preferred pattern of development is a mix of residential homes that are compatible with
existing development and addresses the need for workforce housing.
3. Use land use planning and zoning techniques to abate the tendency of rapid growth communities
to lose their "sense of place" or be homogenized by growth.
4. Direct development to reflect the historical architecture of North Carolina's coastal heritage.
5. In making and evaluating land use policy and decisions, recognize the vast amounts of publicly
owned land in Dare County and the resulting difficulties to address the varying, and sometimes
competing, needs of the permanent residents and the seasonal visitors on the remaining privately -
owned lands.
6. Commercial land use should be neighborhood or village oriented and not regional or urban.
Coastal Heritage
The preservation of Dare County's coastal heritage serves as the community vision statement
for the 2009 update. This is reflected in the objectives and policies contained in the land use
compatibility section. Although the County acknowledges that preservation of the coastal heritage
through the use of land use planning techniques such as building design standards and other zoning
regulations may be a difficult task, it is a worthy goal. Our coastal heritage is important to the
residents of Dare County and makes Dare County a top tourist destination. Maintaining our coastal
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village heritage, traditional industries, and development patterns is essential to the continued
livelihood of our residents and our continued ranking as a top tourist destination. This includes an
,emphasis on locally -owned and operated businesses versus franchises that rely on corporate building
designs to make their businesses universally recognizable. The continued successful of our locally -
owned businesses adds to our unique character and as appealing traits to many of visitors and
residents. The development patterns found in our various coastal villages do not follow traditional
patterns of land development due to the isolated nature of some of the areas and the island geography
of Dare County. However, this should not be seen as a disadvantage but as part of our heritage and
our unique nature. The incompatibility of adjoining land uses that can be found throughout
unincorporated Dare County must be viewed with some level of tolerance because of the uneven
balance of public -private ownership and the historical patterns of development that follow the
confines of the various village communities and separation of land masses by water bodies.
Policy LUC #1
Dare County recognizes the importance of our coastal village heritage and will continue to work
toward the preservation of that heritage with appropriate land use guidelines and regulations.
Policy LUC #2
Public sector and private sector development activities should recognize Dare County's coastal heritage
and incorporate traits reflective of our heritage in building design and other site features and
improvements.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Identify amendments to the Dare County Zoning Ordinance and other land use ordinances that
may be necessary to implement management objectives for residential and commercial
development. This may include the elimination of drive-thru window service for restaurants (but
not all businesses employing drive-thru window service such as banks and pharmacies) in all
commercial and S-1 zonings districts and building design standards for commercial structures.
(2011-2012)
Residential Development
The construction of detached single family residential structures as the preferred pattern of
development in Dare County dates back to the 1987 Dare County Land Use Plan. The 2009 update
continues this preference as expressed at public input workshops, in the Citizen Involvement Poll
results, and at Planning Board workshops. The 2009 update also recognizes that the need for
workforce housing and year-round housing opportunities might conflict with this objective but are
necessary to address the housing needs of Dare County. Multifamily structures may be a more cost-
effective alternative for workforce housing and the 2009 LUP acknowledges this option. Comments
from the Planning Board workshops indicate support for residential development that is consistent
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with existing neighborhoods patterns and that is reflective of the coastal heritage architecture style
prevalent along the Outer Banks. The scale and size of residential development should follow
existing neighborhood patterns. Since the 2003 update, the trend in seasonal accommodations has
been the construction of large, multi -bedroom structures.
There has been some criticism of these large structures and adjustments made to local zoning
regulations to link the numbers of bedrooms to the lot size and to address on -site parking. The
construction of these large residential structures is reflective of the seasonal market demands and the
stated land use policy of detached residential structures versus townhomes or multifamily structures.
Most of these large homes have been constructed along the oceanfront and in areas that are generally
dedicated to seasonal or second home accommodations. However, some of the large residential
homes have been constructed in more year-round residential settings and this often results in
complaints from the residents of noise, overflowing trash cans, and excessive vehicles parked in the
right-of-way. . Such compatibility issues are difficult, if not impossible to address with local zoning
regulations, since the use remains residential but the occupancy of the structure creates conflicts.
Some subdivisions have adopted covenant restrictions on seasonal rentals which seem to be successful
in curbing incompatible occupancy issues.
Since 1982, the minimum lot size standards for Dare County have remained unchanged for new
residential lots—15,000 square feet for lots served by central water and 20,000 square feet for new
lots served by private wells. During the development of the Wanchese zoning maps, the majority of
the residents expressed the sentiment that the minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet should be
applicable in all Wanchese zoning districts even if central water becomes available in the future. The
zoning regulations adopted for Wanchese reflect this sentiment. The issue of changing the
minimum lot size has not been identified as an issue of concern during the 2009 update. The scale of
development associated with the current minimum lot sizes is congruent with the objective of
residential development that is compatible with existing neighborhood patterns.
The issue of moderately -priced housing for permanent residents has received a great deal of attention
since the 2003 LUP update. In 2003, the Dare County Board of Commissioners appointed an ad hoc
committee to study housing issues and identify incentives for the private sector to encourage
development of moderately -priced housing. A set of zoning standards, entitled the Family Housing
Incentives Standards, were adopted which provide multi -family dwelling density bonuses, reduced lot
size for duplexes, and accessory unit provisions in exchange for housing that is rented or sold to certain
household incomes ranges. Since the adoption of the FHIS ordinance, one site plan for the
development of a multi -family project on Hatteras Island has been approved by Dare County. The
committee has also identified a tract of County -owned land on Bowsertown Road for construction of
workforce housing for year-round residents. The County is working with the Outer Banks Community
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Development Corporation (CDC) on this project. The CDC is a non-profit group founded in 2003 to
provide guidance to local residents in identifying housing opportunities. The County has provided
funding assistance to the CDC since its inception.
The Dare County Board of Commissioners has provided financial support to the Dare County
Educational Foundation for the construction of a housing complex for teachers to be located in Kill
Devil Hills adjacent to the First Flight Schools campus. This project is financed by the North Carolina
State Employees. Credit Union and will be built on land owned by the Dare County Board of Education.
Similar projects have been funded by the State Employee Credit Union in other areas of North Carolina
For years, the Board of Education has struggled with recruitment and retention of teachers in Dare
County due to the area's high cost of housing and living expenses. The construction of this housing
complex is designed to provide moderately priced housing for newly graduated teachers who may not
otherwise be able to live and work in Dare County.
Another factor affecting the workforce housing issue is housing for seasonal employees. In recent
years, workers from foreign countries comprise a large sector of the seasonal workforce. These
foreign visitors live in Dare County for several months on temporary work visas and provide labor in
many restaurants, grocery stores, retail establishments, and other hourly -wage businesses. The same
workforce housing that is affordable to the seasonal workers is the same housing market that is
affordable to the year-round service industry. This creates competition among the two sectors of the
workforce. The lack of affordable housing opportunities often results in many of the foreign workers
residing in one residential structure and exceeding the approved occupancy of the structure. The
housing of these workers in traditional neighborhoods also results in conflicts with the adjoining,
property owners due to varying work schedules and lack of understanding of local customs. Noise and
trash issues are the most frequent complaints. Some employers provide housing for their seasonal
workers but this is the exception not the norm.
The parking of heavy equipment and commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods is an often -
made complaint received by the Planning Department. With many service -oriented and construction
related businesses, heavy equipment and commercial vehicles are parked in neighborhoods where
current zoning regulations do not address such issues. This often results in complaints from
neighbors concerned about the inconsistency of this activity with a residential zoning designation. As
neighborhoods continue to build -out and develop over the next several years, the need to amend the
Zoning Ordinance to address the parking and location of heavy equipment and commercial vehicles
may be necessary. However, such efforts will most likely meet with resistance from the business
owners who may be impacted by such a change.
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Another issue that has increased in frequency of complaints since the 2003 LUP update is the issue of
junked and abandoned vehicles. The County Code of Ordinances includes a junked and abandoned
vehicle ordinance that is outdated and extremely cumbersome to enforce. The issue is complicated
by the lack of a storage yard available for the relocation of junked and/or abandoned vehicles once
removed from private property. In larger metropolitan areas, local governments often own and
maintain vehicle yards for the storage of junked vehicles. This is not the case in Dare County where
County owned lands are dedicated to other uses such as schools, office buildings, and infrastructure
needs. The vehicle storage yards are often the source of contaminants in stormwater which is
another concern. As Dare County continues to grow and become more developed, updating the
County's junked and/abandoned vehicle ordinance to include alternatives to the traditional removal
and mass storage may be needed.
Policy LUC #3
Residential structures shall be the preferred land use in unincorporated Dare County for both seasonal
accommodations and permanent housing. All new residential structures, whether attached or
detached, are encouraged to be on a scale that is consistent with existing neighborhood patterns of
development.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Administration of existing regulations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for minimum lot size,
dwelling density, building height and other standards for residential development. Changes in
wastewater technology, improved construction practices for "green" buildings, market conditions,
and demographic trends should be examined periodically to ensure that the standards of the Dare
County Zoning Ordinance are not obsolete and recognize newer technologies that may benefit our
existing communities. (2010-2015).
Policy LUC #4
To address the housing needs of the year-round population, multi -family dwellings and other types of
residential structures such as accessory use dwellings, are considered appropriate alternatives when
located in areas zoned for multi -family structures and constructed on lots or parcels greater than the
minimum lot size for single family lots established in the individual zoning districts of the Dare County
Zoning Ordinance. This diversification of housing opportunities is important to address the needs of
Dare County's workforce.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Administration of Family Housing Incentive Standards (section 22-58.2) of the Dare County Zoning
Ordinance to address workforce housing needs. (2010-2015)
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Commercial Development I
As noted in the previous section, residential development is the preferred pattern of '
development for unincorporated Dare County. However, some commercial development is necessary
to provide goods and services to the local residents and our seasonal visitors. One objective
established for commercial development is that such development should reflect the Outer Banks
coastal heritage. In the Planning Board discussions of this issue, various alternatives were addressed
and it was noted that this objective will be difficult to implement. Most often building design '
standards are used to establish architectural features, fagade, and paint schemes. Reaching a
consensus of appropriate building design standards is difficult and often faced with opposition from
the business community. The importance of aesthetics as a quality of life issue and our continued '
appeal to seasonal visitors was stressed by the Planning Board in writing the policies for this topic.
One objective identified for this management topic was to keep commercial development on a
,
neighborhood scale and of a scope that is not designed to attract regional markets. In 2003, the Dare
County Board of Commissioners adopted gross floor limitations for the commercial zoning districts in
'
unincorporated areas of the County. The zoning maps for Mann Harbor and Wanchese also included
gross floor area limitations. In 2007, a gross floor area limitation was also adopted by the Board of
Commissioners for the unzoned areas of Dare County. These gross floor area limitations should assist
,
with the objective of neighborhood commercial development, not commercial development for
regional markets
'
The Planning Board also noted that the 2003 policy encouraging the continued existence of locally
owned businesses should be included in the 2009 update. Many of the locally owned businesses have
'
been in operation for many years, and in some instances, before zoning regulations were adopted by
Dare County. Some of the businesses may have been rendered non -conforming with the overlay of
zoning regulations. Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance to address the non -conforming status of
'
older, existing businesses should be considered to ensure the replacement or repair of non -conforming
commercial structures in support of the policy for locally -owned businesses. The eclectic nature of
'
the businesses in unincorporated Dare County, especially along the Highway 12 corridor on Hatteras
Island, is part of the appeal of the Outer Banks. Creating a favorable environment for the business
community will assist with the continued success of the small neighborhood shops and stores in
'
existence today.
Another potential tool identified during the LUP update process to implement the County's objectives '
is amendment of the Zoning Ordinance to limit drive-thru window service at restaurants and food
service businesses. Most franchise food service businesses, especially the fast-food industry, rely on '
drive-thru window service. An amendment to eliminate this option for food service establishments
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would provide an additional layer of protection for the unincorporated areas from franchise businesses
that often employ unoriginal, generic, or replicated corporate building designs that are inconsistent
with the traditional architecture of the Outer Banks. In addition to the incompatibility of these
franchise restaurants with existing coastal village atmosphere, there are secondary impacts such as
trash, lines of waiting vehicles, and a decrease in the appeal of the neighborhood that accompany
these commercial developments.
The first section of the LUP noted that the needs of the permanent population and the seasonal
population vary in terms of what commercial services and goods are desired. Many of the commercial
businesses in Dare County are solely focused on the provision of souvenirs and tourist -related goods to
the visiting population. The proliferation of these tourist -oriented businesses was identified by a vast
majority of the respondents to the Citizen Involvement Poll as an important issue of concern. This
concern was also voiced at all of the public input workshops held at the beginning of the update
process in 2007. Other jurisdictions have adopted building design standards to address concerns
about the aesthetics of these tourist -oriented retail operations. Building design standards do not
address the profusion of such retail establishments. The legality of targeting one segment of the
retail market and how to do so was identified as an implementation strategy by the Planning Board.
Although it may prove extremely difficult to craft an ordinance aimed at tourist -related businesses,
there was a strong consensus among the Planning Board that such efforts were worthy of study and
research.
Policy LUC #5
Dare County encourages the continued existence and development of locally -owned businesses in
unincorporated Dare County.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Inventory of older existing commercial businesses and consideration of zoning amendments to
ensure their replacement or repair in the event of damage from a natural disaster. (2011)
Policy LUC#6
Commercial development should be designed to meet the needs of Dare County's unincorporated
villages and not to serve as regional commercial centers. The gross floor area limitations of the Dare
County Zoning Ordinance and other applicable land use codes shall be used as a tool to manage the
footprint of commercial structures. The goal is to manage the size of the commercial structures, which
serves as a disincentive for regional commercial centers for location in villages.
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Policy LUC #7
'
Commercial businesses, regardless of size, should individualize their sites and building designs to
reflect Dare County's coastal heritage. Adaptations of corporate or franchise designs to reflect our
'
coastal character are encouraged. This is particularly applicable to the food service industry.
Implementation Strategies:
1. Identify amendments to the Dare County Zoning Ordinance and other land use ordinances that may
'
be necessary to implement management objectives for residential and commercial development.
This may include the elimination of drive-thru window restaurant service (but not all businesses
,
employing drive-thru window service such as banks and pharmacies) in all commercial and S-1
zonings districts, building design standards for commercial structures, and amendments to Zoning
'
Ordinance and Sign Ordinance as needed for commercial businesses. (2010-2613)
2. Rely on existing dimensional standards of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for dwelling densities,
lot coverage limitations, and commercial gross floor area limitations. These standards should be
'
periodically examined relative to changes in technology for wastewater treatment, improved
construction practices, market conditions, and demographic changes. (2011)
3. Study legality of regulations designed to address the proliferation of tourist -oriented retail
'
establishments. ( 2011)
4. Work with East Lake residents to review zoning alternatives for this area. (2011)
'
Re -development
The redevelopment of under-utilized land or outdated structures will become more of an issue
'
over the next few years. As the number of vacant tracts diminishes, redevelopment options will be
considered by private owners. One factor that influences the redevelopment decision is federal flood
'
regulations. The federal flood regulations require conformance and elevation to current base flood
elevations if an older structure is remodeled to exceed 50% of its value. Because of this rule, some
owners chose to demolish older structures and simply start again. Dare County encourages
'
redevelopment activities and construction to utilize energy efficient construction methods.
Re -development activities shall be consistent with existing patterns and scale of development although
'
this may prove to be difficult in some of the older subdivisions and neighborhoods that were platted
and recorded in the 1970s before the current minimum lot sizes, current building codes, and flood
'
standards.
Policy LUC #8: '
Redevelopment of older structures shall be accomplished in a manner that is compatible with current
NC building codes and federal flood insurance regulations and conforms with Dare County zoning I
regulations. Energy efficient construction standards are encouraged.
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Implementation Strategy:
1. Consider development of incentives for "green" building techniques and energy efficient
construction standards. (2011)
Industrial Development
Dare County does not have any "smokestack" or manufacturing industries similar to those that
are found in other areas of North Carolina and the United States. Manufacturing is limited to boat
building which is a traditional industry in Dare County and is an important component of our local
economy. Other traditional industries include commercial fishing and construction and are
recognized as consistent with the coastal heritage of Dare County. The need to diversify the economy
of Dare County was noted during public input sessions and during Planning Board workshops.
Industries such as medical support services and educational and research facilities were identified as
industries that would provide diversified employment opportunities and not be detrimental to our
natural resources.
The location of industrial development should be evaluated for impacts on surrounding properties,
especially environmentally sensitive areas such as water bodies and wetlands. While it is recognized
that the traditional industry of boat building has the need for access and location adjacent to or in
close proximity of water bodies, other non-traditional or non -maritime industries should be located in
areas developed with similar facilities and accomplished in an environmentally sensitive manner.
Policy LUC #9
The siting of industrial development facilities should be evaluated relative to their impacts on
environmentally sensitive natural areas and existing patterns of development. Boat building,
commercial fishing, and construction are recognized as traditional occupations and employment
sectors in Dare County that are consistent with our coastal heritage.
Implementation Strategy:
Rely on the standards of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for the siting and development of
industrial development of both maritime -related uses and non -maritime related uses. ( 2010-2015)
Policy LUC #10
Diversification of Dare County's economy to include compatible industries such as medical support
services and educational and research facilities, are encouraged. These types of facilities provide
employment opportunities and quality of life support for our residents without detriment to our
natural resources.
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Land Use Compatibility I
The location of such facilities as the Dare County Regional Airport on Roanoke Island, the Billy
Mitchell Airstrip in Frisco, NC, and the US Navy and Air Forces bombing ranges is a significant
consideration in terms of land use compatibility due to the potential hazards of landing and departing
aircrafts. For the bombing ranges on the Mainland of Dare County, the military activities that occur
are generally protected from incompatible land uses because the bombing ranges are located on vast
expanses of federally -owned property. The Dare County Zoning Ordinance includes an overlay zone
for the lands adjacent to and surrounding the Dare County Regional Airport on Roanoke Island. This
overlay zone establishes varying height limits depending on proximately of the land to the Regional
Airport facilities. Any proposal for development is verified for compliance with the overlay zone by
consultation with the Dare County Airport Authority. The Billy Mitchell Airstrip in Frisco is located on
federal land. However, the adjoining land to the south of the Billy Mitchell Airstrip is privately -owned
and is currently used as a 9-hole golf course. Residential subdivisions are located in the surrounding
area to the south. It has been noted that additional zoning regulations to address the potential re-
development of the golf course site may be needed to ensure a safe landing approach for the small
airplanes that use the Billy Mitchell Airstrip. The Billy Mitchell Airstrip is also identified as a potential
staging area following storms and hurricanes which increases the advisability of ensuring unobstructed
airspace around the airstrip.
In 2007, the use of the Bowsertown solid waste transfer station on Roanoke Island was discontinued.
Dare County operates a transfer station on the Mainland off Highway US 264 which allowed for the
closure of the Bowsertown site. The discontinuation of the use of the Bowsertown transfer station
represents the removal of an incompatible land use from the Bowsertown neighborhood. A citizens
group in conjunction with the Roanoke Island Rotary Club has been working with Dare County to
identify potential uses for the re -development of the Bowsertown transfer site.
Policy LUC #11
Due to potential land use conflicts and hazardous conditions associated with airports and landing
strips, development of adjacent properties should be done in awareness of these potential conflicts
and conditions. Proposals to expand existing services at the Dare County Regional Airport or other
airport facilities in Dare County shall be reviewed on a case by case basis. Support or opposition may
be offered depending on the terms of the proposal, its potential impacts on the community, and its
potential economic and transportation benefits.
Implementation Strategies:
1. Enforcement of the Airport Overlay zoning regulations to address land uses, especially building
height issues, on land adjacent to and surrounding the Dare County Regional Airport on Roanoke
Island. (2010-2015)
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2. Adoption of additional airport overlay regulations, as needed, to address land uses on land
adjacent to and surrounding the Billy Mitchell Airstrip in Frisco, NC. ( 2011-2012)
Policy LUC #12
Proposals to expand the area of the existing bombing ranges on the Dare County Mainland should be
reviewed on a case -by -case basis with support or opposition offered depending on the terms of the
proposal and its potential impacts on the local community.
Land Disturbance
For years, Dare County has relied on State regulations to address mining activities in
unincorporated portions of Dare County. The State regulations apply to those mining activities that
involve more than one acre of land disturbance. There are no local regulations for mining activities
that involve less than one -acre of land disturbance except for the SED-1 areas of Buxton Woods. The
County does have dune alteration standards which were adopted in 2003 to address the alteration of
inland dunes. These regulations create standards to address the alteration of the topography of
property to avoid hazardous remnant slope conditions. These regulations were adopted in response
to sand removal activities that were occurring in the Colington Harbour Subdivision with no provisions
made to address the stabilization of the remnant slopes. There were concerns about the instability of
the slopes and the "attractive" nuisance potential to neighborhood children.
During the Planning Board discussions of land disturbance issues, the use of fill material and tree
removal activities on private property were discussed. The Citizen Involvement Poll included a
question about the regulation of land clearing and tree removal. The CIP results indicate
disagreement with the need to adopt County regulations for such activities. The Planning Board
acknowledged this resistance to County regulation of land disturbance activities but noted that a policy
should be included that encouraged best management practices and some sensitivity to impacts on
adjoining properties. Concerning the use of fill material to raise the natural ground elevation beyond
the requirements for wastewater systems, the Planning Board indicated that this issue should be
evaluated to determine if local regulations are needed. The use of fill material is currently
unregulated in unincorporated Dare County except for the Martin's Point Subdivision and in properties
that are designated VE zones on the FIRM maps.
Policy LUC #13
For those mining activities not subject to regulation by the State of North Carolina, Dare County shall
rely on the dune alteration regulations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance to ensure all dune
alteration activities are minimal and meet the sloping standards to ensure safety and erosion control.
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Implementation Strategy: 1
1. Administration of Section 22-58.1 Dune Alteration Standards of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance.
(2010-2015) '
Policy LUC#14 '
Tree clearing and land disturbing activities on small residential lots or other private property should be
done prescriptively or according to the guidelines of NC Cooperative Extension office or the UNC
Coastal Studies Institute. The use of fill material on private property, although not currently regulated '
by the Dare County Zoning Ordinance, should be accomplished in a responsible manner.
Implementation Strategies:
1. Promote best management practices by referrals to State agencies and work with Outer Banks
Homebuilders Association to promote best management practices with local general contractors.
( 2010-2015) '
2. Evaluate the need to establish regulations for the placement of fill material on private property to
address concerns about impacts on drainage patterns. ( 2012).
Archaeological/Historic Resources
There are many properties in Dare County which have been identified as important cultural, '
historical, or archaeological resources as discussed in Section 1, page 85 of this document. Many of
these structures and sites are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and under public '
ownership.
Policy LUC #15
The Dare County Board of Commissioners supports the protection of structures, lands, and artifacts
that have been identified by the NC Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and
History, as archaeologically or historically significant. On a case -by -case basis individual '
protection/management strategies should be implemented to ensure archaeological and/or historical
resources are not destroyed. '
Implementation Strategy:
1. Explore local interest in establishing a formal historic preservation program focused on the
unincorporated areas of Dare County. (2011) '
Public Acquisitions
As noted throughout Section 1, there are vast amounts of land in Dare County that are held in '
public ownership and owned by non-profit organizations. This vast public and non-profit ownership
adds to the attraction of the area for our visitors and our year-round residents. The majority of the '
publicly -owned properties is left in its natural state and provides numerous opportunities for
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recreation. However, there are drawbacks associated with the public ownership. The placement
of land in public ownership or non-profit ownership exempts the land from the collection of ad
valorem property taxes. The collection of ad valorem property taxes provides revenue for many of the
County programs and services. Although some agencies make in lieu of tax payments, the land is not
available for taxation purposes. The land is also not available for development creating competition
for the remaining privately- owned lands to serve the needs of seasonal visitors to the Outer Banks and
the permanent population. As discussed in the previous section, the needs of the seasonal visitors
and the year-round population vary in terms of types of retail stores and consumer goods and services.
Public or non-profit acquisition of lands proposed for development is often identified as a preferred
means of protection. Future proposals for large-scale acquisitions should be evaluated in terms of
public purpose benefits, impact on the removal of the property from the assessing of ad valorem taxes,
and its use potential to the private sector.'
It was also noted during the discussion of this topic, that the large of amount of publicly -owned lands
in Dare County should be considered by federal and state agencies during rule -making initiatives.
New regulatory programs or revised regulatory programs that further impact the development
potential of private lands should recognize the unevenly balanced amount of public versus private
ownership and the competition this uneven balance creates in addressing the infrastructure needs and
commercial and residential development needs of the community.
Policy LUC #16
The vast amount of Dare County land currently owned by public agencies and/or non-profit agencies
should be recognized by agencies wishing to acquire additional parcels for public and/or non-profit
ownership. Additional acquisitions should be evaluated in terms of public purpose benefits and
impacts on tax revenues for Dare County.
Maritime Forests
In 1988, the Dare County Board of Commissioners adopted special zoning standards for the
Buxton Woods maritime forest. These zoning restrictions which establish land clearing limitations,
wetland setbacks, and a 1-acre minimum lot size are designed to protect the vegetated canopy of the
maritime forest and the shallow water aquifer that lies beneath the maritime forest. The local
regulation of the Buxton Woods forest by Dare County coupled with acquisition of lands for the
development of the Buxton Woods Coastal Preserve was selected by the Coastal Resources in 1998 as
the best management alternative for the Buxton Woods maritime forest. The SED-1 zoning restrictions
and the acquisition of privately owned lands by the State of North Carolina since that time have been
successful in protecting of the natural resources of Buxton Woods and in limiting development in the
area. Some of the property owners of the area have expressed the opinion that the most sensitive
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areas of the Buxton Woods forest have already been preserved and that the SED-1 zoning regulations
should be re-evaluated to allow property owners more flexibility in the use of their land. This group
proposes reduction of the 1-acre minimum lot size standard and elimination of the wetland filling
prohibition. In 2006 when proposed amendments to revise the SED-1 standards were presented to
the Board of Commissioners, the Board expressed a reluctance to relax the standards of the SED-1
zoning district. This topic was again identified at the Buxton public input workshop held in 2007 and
on the Citizen Involvement Poll with no clear consensus established on the matter. Without some
clear consensus on the issue, it seems likely that the Board of Commissioners will continue to be
reluctant to make any substantive changes to the SED-1 zoning district.
Policy LUC #17
Dare County advocates a combination of managed development guided by the Dare County SED-1
zoning ordinance and the limited Conservation classification on the future land use map and a
continued program of acquisition of privately -owned lands by the State for the Buxton Woods Coastal
Preserve.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Administration of the SED-1 zoning ordinance. ( 2010-2015)
Commercial Forestry and Agricultural Uses
A small percentage of land in unincorporated Dare County is used for commercial forestry or
agricultural purposes in Dare County. Small individual tracts maybe harvested for timber by the
individual property owner as part of the development of the land but there are no large-scale
commercial forestry activities in Dare County.
Some properties on the Mainland of Dare County are used for crop agricultural uses. Some lands that
previously were used for agricultural or livestock purposes have been acquired by the federal
government as part of the US Alligator River Wildlife Refuge. In discussions with the Planning Board,
it was noted that the 2003 Land Use Plan policy opposing wholesale livestock operations, such as
commercial hog farms, should be repeated in the 2009 LUP update.
Policy LUC #18
For those commercial forestry activities that may occur in Dare County, such forestry activities shall be
done in accordance with the standards and recommendations of the US Forest Service. Voluntary
participation in the State of North Carolina's best management practices for forestry management is
advocated.
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Policy LUC #19
For those crop agricultural activities that may occur on the Mainland area of Dare County, Dare County
advocates voluntary participation in the State of North Carolina's best management practices for farm
management.
Policy LUC #20
Wholesale or industrial livestock operations are opposed.
Policy Impacts on CAMA Management Goals and Objectives
The Dare County land use compatibility policies are consistent with the goals and objectives
established by CAMA for this management topic. All of the policies direct development to be
accomplished in an environmentally sensitive manner and in the best interest of public health, safety
and welfare; recognize the need to balance the protection of our natural resources and the continued
livelihood of the local economy; and provide direction to the local decision makers in the review of
zoning and subdivision matters.
The matrix on the following pages demonstrates the consistency of each of the land use
compatibility policies with the management objectives identified for this topic. As noted in the matrix,
all of the land use compatibility policies are consistent with each of six objectives identified by Dare
County for this management topic. Each policy has been reviewed with a status ranking of beneficial,
neutral, or detrimental noted for each policy. Of the twenty policies written for this management
topic, all have been ranked as "beneficial" except for five of the policies. These five policies are ranked
as "neutral" to reflect an association with the topic of land use compatibility. None of the policies have
been determined to be "detrimental" to any of the objectives.
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CONSISTENCY OF LAND USE COMPATIBILITY POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
Policy Benchmarks -Indicate whether the policy is beneficial (B), neutral (N), or detrimental (D)
1. Use existing patterns of village communities as "nodes" of activity and living space in a manner that relates to the vast publicly- "
MANAGEMENT TOPIC-
owned lands and historical landmarks
LAND USE
2. The preferred pattern of development is a mix of residential homes that are compatible with existing development and
COMPATIBILITY
addresses the needs for workforce housing.
3. Use land use planning and zoning techniques to abate the tendency of rapid growth communities to lose their"sense of place"
or be homogenized by growth.
4. Direct development to reflect historical architecture of North Carolina's coastal heritage.
5. In making and evaluating land use policy and decisions, recognize the vast amounts of publicly -owned landsin Dare County
and the resulting difficulties to address the varying, and sometimes competing, needs of the permanent residents and the
seasonal visitors on the remaining privately -owned lands.
6. - Commercial land use should be neighborhood or village- oriented and not regional or urban.
BENEFICIAL
NEUTRAL
DETRIMENTAL
LUC#1
#1, #3, #4
importance/preservation
of coastal village heritage
LUC#2 Development
#1, #4, #5
should reflect coastal
heritage in design and
site features
LUC#3 Preferred
#2
residential development
LUC#4 alternative
#2
opportunities for
workforce housing needs
LUC#5 encourages
#6
locally -owned business
LUC #6 commercial
#6
development should be
village -oriented, not
regional
LUC#7 Commercial
#3, #4, #6
development should
reflect coastal heritage,
not franchise designs
LUC #8 redevelopment
X
should be consistent with
applicable codes
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M ! = = = M = i = = M M = = M M

M M M M r M M i M M M ! M M M M M M M
CONSISTENCY OF LAND USE COMPATIBILITY POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
LUC #9 Industrial
#4
development should be
sensitive to environment;
commercial fishing, boat
building recognized as
consistent with coastal
heritage.
LUC #10 Diversification of
#5
local economy such as
medical services, and
educational -research
facilities
LUC #11 potential
#5
conflicts with airports on
surrounding areas.
LUC #12 expansion of
#5
bombing range
LUC #13 administration
X
of dune alteration
standards
LUC #14 tree clearing and
X
land disturbance done in
responsible manner
LUC #15 protection of
#1
historical and significant
lands, structures, and
artifacts
LUC #16 evaluation of
#5
additional land by public
agencies
LUC #17 administration
#1, #2
of SED-1 zoning
LUC #18 commercial
X
forestry to be consistent
with BMPs
LUC #19 BM Ps for
X
agricultural uses
LUC #2) Opposes
#2
wholesale livestock
operations
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MANAGEMENT TOPIC #3 -- INFRASTRUCTURE CARRYING CAPACITY
CAMA Goal: Ensure that public infrastructure systems are appropriately sized, located and
managed so the quality and productivity of the AECs and other fragile areas are protected or
restored.
CAMA Obiective: Establish level of service policies and criteria for infrastructure consistent
with Part (c) (3) (D) (projections of future land needs) of this rule.
Policy Requirements: 1) identify/establish service area boundaries for existing and future
infrastructure. 2) correlate future land use map categories with existing and planned
infrastructure such as wastewater, water infrastructure, and transportation.
Infrastructure Carrying Capacity Obiectives
1. Balance the infrastructure needs of the permanent population with the demands of the
seasonal population.
2. Lobby state and federal agencies to provide necessary and adequate transportation
improvements and permits for Dare County and northeastern North Carolina.
3. Develop a strategy for an alternative means of transportation for pedestrians and bicycles
that connects the various population nodes.
Wastewater
Throughout unincorporated Dare County, on -site individual wastewater systems are the
primary method of wastewater treatment. Some residential and commercial developments
on Roanoke Island have connected to the Town of Manteo's central wastewater system. A
handful of residential subdivisions and housing developments are served by privately -owned
central wastewater treatment plants. These include the Baycliff Subdivision in Colington, NC
and the soundside portions of the Kinnakeet Shores Subdivision in Avon, NC.
The suitability of soils for use with individual wastewater systems determines the scope of
development that can be located on a property. Traditionally, septic tank/drainfield systems
have been the predominant type of individual wastewater systems used for residential
structures and smaller commercial buildings. Over the past several years, engineered
wastewater systems, such as "peat" systems and small individual treatment plants have
become popular alternatives to septic tank systems. Most of these engineered systems
require review and approval by the local environmental health department and the State
environmental health department. These engineered systems require less spatial area on a
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property thus freeing up space previously dedicated for reserved drainfield areas which can be
used for other improvements.
Previous Dare County land use policies have expressed reservations about the use of off -site
central wastewater treatment plants except where required by ordinance or where the use of a
central system would mitigate existing water quality and public health concerns. This
reluctance was based on the belief that use of off -site wastewater treatment increases pressure
for more intense development with greater dwelling densities and decreased minimum lot
sizes. There also was concern about the maintenance and failure of wastewater treatment
plants, especially privately -owned and operated plants. In discussing the 2009 LUP update, the
Planning Board acknowledged the increased use of engineered wastewater systems and the
increased awareness that traditional septic tank systems may be a contributing factor to
declining water quality, especially in areas served by older and possibly malfunctioning septic
systems. The County felt it was important to reflect this changing attitude about off -site
wastewater treatment in this update.
The possibility of a County -owned and operated central wastewater collection and treatment
systems was also discussed. The construction of any central wastewater collection and
treatment system is dependent on a suitable means of discharge of effluent. For many years,
the practice was to discharge to a point source water body. The approval of new point -source
discharge permits by the State of North Carolina is no longer encouraged and land application
of effluent discharge is the preferred method. However, suitable and available sites for land
application methods of effluent discharge are limited and would be extremely expensive. The
cost factors and lack of suitable tracts to accommodate discharge from a central collection and
treatment system would be challenging issues to overcome. It seems unlikely that centralized
wastewater on a County -wide scale could be achieved in light of the environmental and cost
constraints that would need to be addressed.
In 2008, Dare County began construction of a central wastewater system for the village of
Stumpy Point This plant will serve the village and allow for the replacement of malfunctioning
and outdated septic systems that have been identified as contributing to water quality
deterioration of Stumpy Point Bay. The composition of soils in the area preclude the use of
traditional septic systems on most property. Most of the non -compliant or malfunctioning
septic systems in Stumpy Point were installed before the development of standards or
government permitting procedures.
Another issue that was discussed by the Planning Board was the use of wastewater treatment
systems that utilize surface drip irrigations systems for the dispersal of wastewater effluent.
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These systems are authorized by the NC Division of Water Quality instead of the NC Division of
Environmental Health since the system components are not located below the soil, or
subsurface. One development project has been submitted for review by Dare County that
proposes the use of a drip irrigation system and the Planning Board has indicated some
concerns about the maintenance of the systems and concerns about the location of the
systems in VE flood zones. Maintenance of these systems is important to ensure they function
properly and as permitted by the State. Usually the oversight of maintenance is left to the
responsibility of a homeowners association or a group of individual property owners. Reliance
on management by a homeowners association where most owners are non-residents is
uncertain. The Dare County Zoning Ordinance establishes the authority for Dare County to
require bonds or other legal agreements to ensure the continuous function of central sewage
systems. The establishment of escrow accounts with oversight by Dare County is one avenue
that has been identified to address concerns about maintenance of drip irrigation wastewater
systems. Supervision of maintenance activities by companies that are regulated by the NC
Utilities Commission was recognized by the Planning Board as a better alternative than
management by homeowners associations. All structural components of drip irrigation
systems including the dispersal fields shall not be located in VE flood zones and when located in
AE zones should be elevated to the applicable base flood.
Policy ICC #1
The current minimum lot size standards, as established in the Dare County Zoning Ordinance
for the zoned portions of unincorporated Dare County and the Subdivision Ordinance for the
unzoned areas of unincorporated Dare County, shall not be reduced regardless of the
availability of central wastewater treatment or the availability of a combination of central
wastewater treatment and a central water supply.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Application of minimum lot size standards of Dare County Zoning Ordinance and the Dare
County Subdivision Ordinance for the development of new subdivisions in unincorporated
Dare County. (2010-2015)
Policy ICC #2
Maintenance of privately -owned package treatment plants should be supervised by the NC
Utilities Commission or other public agencies.
Policy ICC #3
Centralized wastewater treatment and collection systems, for both on -site and off -site service,
are considered appropriate methods for wastewater treatment in addition to the use of
individualized on -site wastewater systems and traditional septic tank/drainfield systems.
Although there are no publicly -owned central wastewater treatment systems in unincorporated
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Date County except for the Stumpy Point system, such systems may be beneficial alternatives in
terms of water quality protection.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Require the establishment of escrow accounts for maintenance and repairs for any new
privately -owned centralized wastewater facilities approved for development in unincorporated
Dare County. (2010-2015)
Policy /CC #4
Wastewater treatment facilities subject to review and authorization by the NC Division of
Water Quality that employ drip irrigation of treated effluent or other non-traditional systems
should not be considered for location in Dare County and particularly should not be located in
areas subject to storm surge inundation or located in designated flood hazard VE zones as
depicted on FIRM (flood insurance rate map) maps.
Implementation Strategies:
1. Consider standards to address the use of drip irrigation wastewater facilities, especially
in VE flood zones. ( 2011)
2. Require the establishment of escrow accounts for maintenance and repairs for any new
privately -owned centralized wastewater facilities approved for development in
unincorporated Dare County. (2010-2015)
Water
Most areas of unincorporated Dare County are served by a central water supply. The
Mainland villages of East Lake, Mashoes and Manns Harbor use private wells for potable water.
A central water system for Stumpy Point was constructed in 2002. On Roanoke Island, some
areas are connected to the Dare County central water system, however most residents and
businesses rely on private wells for drinking water. All of the municipal areas are connected to
a central water system supplied by water from the Dare County regional water service.
Throughout the history of Dare County, the provision of central water and construction of
water infrastructure has been completed under the auspices of providing a clean, safe drinking
water supply for the residents and visitors of Dare County. The expansion of waterline
improvements to encourage economic development has never been the goal of Dare County
as is the case in other North Carolina communities. In areas not currently served by a central
water supply, expansions for private sector development have been approved on a case by case
basis with the expenses of infrastructure construction paid by the developer.
In 2007, the Dare County investigated the feasibility of expansion of central water to all areas of
Roanoke Island. The Roanoke Island Fire Department had expressed concerns about the lack
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of a central system and the ability to adequately fight fires on Roanoke Island. Several public
'
meetings on the topic were conducted by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. Many
residents were opposed to the expansion of a central water supply with mandatory hook-up
'
and payment of an impact fee for connection to the system. Others expressed the concern
that the availability of central water would lead to increased dwelling density and greater
development levels. In 2009, the Board hired an engineering firm to begin work on the
'
expansion of central water to all parts of Roanoke Island. It is hoped that the infrastructure
will be installed and completed in 2012.
Policy /CC #5
'
Public services shall be provided to meet the needs of our permanent and seasonal population
for
and provide a residual capacity unanticipated contingencies.
Implementation Strategy:
'
1. Copies of proposed site plans and subdivisions shall be sent to appropriate Dare County
agencies and State agencies for review and comment. (2010-2015)
Transportation
Transportation improvements are of great concern to the residents of Dare County. The
'
linear geography of Dare County limits the transportation alternatives available to residents
and visitors. The huge influx of seasonal visitors places great demands on existing
'
infrastructure improvements. This concern was voiced numerous times at the public input
workshops held in the autumn of 2007 and on the Citizen Involvement Poll.
'
The most pressing transportation issue for Dare County is the replacement of the Bonner Bridge
over Oregon Inlet. Bonner Bridge is the sole access for Hatteras Island from the northern
'
beaches. Ferry service from Ocracoke and Hyde County provides access from the south but this
is not a practical transportation route for travel to the northern beaches and other areas to the
'
north and west of Dare County. The Bonner Bridge is critical for the daily transportation needs
for 2.5
of the residents of Hatteras Island and Dare County and provides access the million
visitors to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Summertime traffic counts for Bonner Bridge
'
can exceed 10,000 vehicles per day. Its role in the evacuation of Hatteras Island and Ocracoke
Island prior to hurricanes is essential. For sixteen years, the replacement of Bonner Bridge has
'
been studied. The discussion of the replacement bridge has focused on a 17-mile long
location. The long bridge
alternative or a shorter 2.5 mile alternative adjacent to the current
alternative would place the southern -most landing closer to the village of Rodanthe and
'
preclude access to many areas of the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge including the beaches along
this stretch of NC 12. The cost of construction of this bridge is in excess of $1 billion dollars.
'
The short bridge alternative is favored by the Dare County Board of Commissioners and after
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years of lobbying of State and federal officials, the NC Department of Transportation has
selected the short bridge alternative. The short bridge is estimated to cost $600 million
dollars, which is more economically feasible for the State versus the cost of the long bridge
alternative favored by environmental groups and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The current
Bonner Bridge was constructed in 1963. Based on NCDOT examinations of the bridge, the
bridge is rated a 2 on a scale of 100 with 100 being an excellent condition. It is hoped that
construction of the short bridge will commence in 2010 although environmental studies have
resulted in additional delays. Bonner Bridge is an indispensable transportation improvement
for Dare County hence the replacement of this bridge will remain a priority for the Dare County
Board of Commissioners until construction commences.
Associated with the replacement of the Bonner Bridge is the protection of NC 12 on Hatteras
Island. Sections of NC12 are routinely inundated by storm tide from ocean overwash and/or
soundside flooding. During these events, NC 12 is impassable and closed to traffic or traffic is
restricted to four-wheel drive vehicles due to sand and water on the roadway. The long-term
protection and maintenance of NC 12 is essential for Hatteras Island. Emphasis for the need
for continual maintenance and long-term solutions for NC 12 was noted during the update
process and is reflected in the LUP policies.
The replacement of the Alligator River Bridge and the upgrading to four traffic lanes of Highway
64 through Tyrrell County and East Lake on Dare County's Mainland are other transportation
infrastructure improvements that will affect Dare County. These improvements have been
included in the NC Department of Transportation Improvement Plan for construction in the
next ten-year NCDOT planning period.
Other transportation issues addressed during the update process include the maintenance and
development of private streets and the construction of bikeways and walkways. For many
years, subdivisions in unincorporated Dare County were constructed with private roads.
Maintenance of private roads are the responsibility of the property owners abutting the road
and usually accomplished through the collection of homeowners association dues which are
used to pay for routine maintenance and resurfacing of the improvements. However, in some
instances homeowners associations were not established and maintenance dues not collected.
Maintenance of many private roads has not occurred and many roads are in severe disrepair
almost to the point of being impassable. Property owners along these private roads cannot
afford the cost of repairs or have chosen to not make improvements in a belief that doing so
will discourage development of vacant properties that lie adjacent to the private road. Dare
County does not have legislative authority to utilize public funds for the repair of private roads
or a mechanism for mandating that abutting properties owners make necessary repairs. In an
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effort to mitigate future problems with private roads, the Dare County Subdivision Ordinance
in
was amended in 2008 to establish provisions for the construction of private roads newly
platted subdivisions under certain conditions. For smaller divisions that feature less than 6
'
lots, a private road with reduced right-of-way width and pavement width can be recorded.
All other subdivisions must construct roads dedicated for public use and built to include a 45'
wide right-of-way with 20 feet of paved improvements. The goal of Dare County is that all new
'
roads may eventually be placed on the State's secondary road maintenance program. The
likelihood of such an occurrence increases if new roads are dedicated as public roads and built
'
to State specifications to allow acceptance into the State's maintenance system once the
minimum threshold of residences along the roadway is met. However, the standards for the
smaller divisions were included to address the division of property for transfer to family
'
members or heirs.
'
Over the past several years a series of bikeways and walkways have been constructed in many
portions of Dare County. In some instances, these walkways connect across municipal
'
boundaries. These improvements provide a safe alternative means of access for residents and
visitors. Their popularity among residents and visitors is evident in the high usage of these
improvements on a daily basis. Area students use the accessways to travel to school and many
'
people use the improvements for exercise and recreation purposes. The Outer Banks Scenic
Byways Committee is working to provide bikepaths along NC 12 on Hatteras Island. The group
'
has identified locations of the improvements in each of the seven villages on Hatteras Island.
Opportunities for grant funding are being sought. Such improvements would provide a much
safer environment for bicyclists and pedestrians on Hatteras Island where currently only the
'
narrow unimproved shoulder of NC 12 is available.
Policy ICC #6
'
The Bonner Bridge and NC 12 on Hatteras Island are vital to Dare County. The replacement of
Bonner Bridge in its current location is the preferred alternative of the Dare County Board of
' Commissioners. Other alternatives that feature the elimination of public access to areas north
of Rodanthe or re-routing of vehicular traffic to the federally owned lands of the Pea Island
Wildlife Refuge are not reasonable alternatives due to cost factors and the decreased access to
' wildlife areas, ocean beaches, estuarine shorelines and other habitat areas.
Implementation Strategy:
' 1. Continue to lobby State and Federal agencies for replacement of Bonner Bridge and the
long-term protection of NC 12. ( 2010-2015)
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Policy ICC #7
Dare County encourages intergovernmental cooperation with the municipalities and its
surrounding counties to study the transportation needs of Dare County and our region.
Policy ICC #8
Dare County supports the development and construction of sidewalks, bike paths, greenways,
and other walking/jogging trails to provide a safe setting for these types of outdoor recreation
and as alternative transportation routes.
Policy ICC #9
Dare County encourages the recordation of roads and streets as "publicly -dedicated"
improvements. Dare County shall not be responsible for maintaining or repairing privately
owned streets. The proposed layout of new subdivision streets shall be coordinated with the
existing road system of the surrounding area and where possible, existing principal streets shall
be extended.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Administer Street standards of Subdivision Ordinance for new subdivisions approved in
unincorporated Dare County. ( 2010-2015)
Solid Waste
For the past several years, Dare County has participated in a solid waste authority with
other area governments. It is anticipated that this arrangement will continue as long as it is
economically feasible for Dare County to do so. Dare County continues to operate a voluntary
residential recycling program with recycling stations located throughout the County. In 2007,
the North Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation to require food. service operations to
recycle all glass and aluminum used in their facilities. Dare County purchased a glass crushing
equipment to assist the local restaurants with this recycling mandate.
Another issue identified by the Planning Board was the need for expanded programs of
hazardous waste collections by Dare County. Currently, the County conducts two large item
pick-ups in the spring and fall of each year. However, paint, used motor oil, and other
hazardous materials are not accepted during these pick-ups.
Policy ICC #10
Dare County will continue to participate in a regional solid waste authority. Other alternatives
that are identified as more practicable or economical may be considered on a case -by -case
basis. Expanded programs for household hazardous materials disposal and recycling are
encouraged.
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Implementation Strategy:
1. Consider expansion of residential recycling and commercial recycling programs to facilitate
greater volumes of recycling materials. (2012-2013)
Energy Facilities
Over the past decade, the topic of offshore drilling for natural gas and oil exploration
has been raised several times. Several different proposals have been made by corporations
however, a federal moratorium precludes drilling off the North Carolina coast and other coastal
states. Public sentiment has always been strongly opposed to the prospect of drilling off the
coast of North Carolina and the location of related facilities within the jurisdiction of Dare
County. The 1994 LUP and the 2003 LUP both reflected this strong public opposition. Recent
(2008) increases in the price of crude oil has resulted in fuel prices exceeding $4.00 a gallon
with all indications that such increases will continue. In light of the high fuel costs, the support
for alternative energy sources has grown with many people voicing support for wind and solar
generated improvements. There has also been discussion at the federal level of the need to re-
consider the federal moratorium on off -shore drilling. As the global demand for petro-
chemical products continues to grow, support for a reversal in the federal offshore drilling
policy may occur at all levels of government with strong public support due to changing
national economic conditions.
At the April 2008 Planning Board policy development workshop, all the members noted the
prospect of a revised federal policy on off -shore fuel exploration and that the 2009 LUP update
should address this potential. For the 2009 update, three policies have been included under
the "Energy Facilities" heading — the first policy to address the issue of petro-chemical energy
facilities in the jurisdictional waters and lands of Dare County, a second policy to address
energy facilities at the national level, and a third policy that addresses alternative energy
sources. The 2003 policy opposing the location of petro-chemical facilities in or near the
jurisdictional lands and waters has been included in the 2009 update to address the local aspect
of the topic of energy facilities. Federal jurisdiction begins 3-miles off the coast of Dare
County and North Carolina. The first energy facilities policy is designed to address the location
of on -shore petro-chemical facilities associated with off -shore exploration in local waters and
lands under the jurisdiction of Dare County.
The second policy has been added to supplement the 2003 policy and addresses the potential
for a change in the national energy policy in terms of off -shore exploration on the Outer
Continental Shelf in the Atlantic Ocean. The federal moratorium on off -shore fossil fuel
exploration was discontinued in March 2010. In light of this action, this second policy will
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Section Two Infrastructure Carrying Capacity
demonstrate the County's position if future exploration proposals are considered by the federal
government. This policy should not be interpreted de-emphasize the County's opposition to
off -shore exploration but recognizes the discontinuation of the federal moratorium that was in
place for many years and the need for a national approach that is equitable and addresses
environmental concerns.
The third policy (ICC #13) acknowledges support for alternative energy sources. Previously,
support for alternative energy sources was included as part of the 2003 energy facilities policy.
Strong support for such facilities was evident in the CIP responses and stated at all of the public
input workshops held in 2007. A separate policy is included in the 2009 update to reflect the
strong level of public support for a transition from reliance on fossil fuels in favor of alternative
sources.
Policy ICC #11
Dare County is opposed to the development of any petro-chemical energy facility or related
improvements within its jurisdictional lands and/or waters. This includes all structures,
operations, and activities associated with petro-chemical energy facility development such as
but not limited to on -shore support bases for offshore exploration activities, staging areas,
transmission and/or production pipelines, pipeline storage yards, and other similar structural
activities and improvements related to petro-chemical energy facility development,
exploration, or production.
Policy ICC #12
Dare County supports efforts by the federal government to identify methods to decrease the
United States' continued reliance on fossil fuels supplied by foreign sources. A revised
national energy policy that fosters alternatives to fossil fuels is strongly encouraged. Proposals
for offshore exploration for fossil fuels will be opposed unless it is determined that such
proposals are part of a national energy policy implemented equitably throughout the United
States and it has been determined that all environmental concerns have been addressed to the
satisfaction of all local, state, and federal agencies.
Policy ICC #13
Dare County supports research and development of alternative energy sources, such as wind
powered structures and mechanisms.
Implementation Strategy
1. Amend Dare County Zoning Ordinance or other land use codes as may be necessary in
response to alternative energy sources. ( 2010-2015)
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Policy Impacts on LAMA Management Goals and Objectives
The Dare County infrastructure carrying capacity policies are consistent with the goals and
objectives established by CAMA for this management topic. All of the policies address existing
and future infrastructure needs and establish criteria for their location and use, particularly
relative AECs and other environmental sensitive areas.
The following matrix demonstrates the consistency of each of the infrastructure carrying
capacity policies with the management objectives identified for this topic. As noted in the
policy analysis matrix„ all of the infrastructure carrying capacity policies are consistent with the
five objectives associated with management topic. Each policy has been reviewed with a
status ranking of beneficial, neutral or detrimental noted for each policy. Six of the policies
have been ranked as "beneficial' due to their direct support of at least one of the management
objectives. Seven of the policies are ranked as "neutral' which indicates that although the
policy did not relate directly to the issue of infrastructure carrying capacity, the policies are
suitable for inclusion under this management topic. None of the policies have been deemed
"detrimental" to the objectives.
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CONSISTENCY OF INFRASTRUCTURE CARRYING CAPACITY POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
Policy Benchmarks— Indicate whether the policy is beneficial (B), neutral (N), or detrimental (D)
1. Balance the infrastructure needs of the permanent population with the demands of the seasonal population.
2. Lobby state and federal agencies to provide the necessary and adequate transportation improvements and permits
MANAGEMENT TOPIC—
for Dare County and northeastern North Carolina.
INFRASTRUCTURE CARRYING
3. Develop a strategy for an alternative means of transportation that connects the various population nodes for
CAPACITY
pedestrian and bicycles.
BENEFICIAL
NEUTRAL
DETRIMENTAL
ICC#1 Minimum lot size
X
ICC#2 Maintenance of private
X
wastewater treatment plants
ICC#3 on —site and off -site
X
wastewater treatment and
centralized systems
ICC#4 drip -irrigation wastewater
X
treatment facilities
ICC#5 provision of public services
#1
ICC #6 replacement of Bonner
#1, #2
Bridge
ICC#7 regional transportation
#1, #2,
needs
ICC #8 development of sidewalks
#1, #3
and bike paths
ICC #9 new subdivision streets
#1
ICC #10 regional solid waste
#1
participation
ICC #11 opposition to petro-
X
chemical In jurisdictional lands or
waters
ICC #12 national energy policy
X
ICC #13 alternative energy sources
X
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Section Two Natural Hazard Areas
MANAGEMENT TOPIC # 4 — NATURAL HAZARD AREAS
CAMA Goal: Conserve and maintain barrier dunes, beaches, floodplains and other coastal features for
their natural storm protection functions and their natural resources giving recognition to public health,
safety, and welfare issues.
CAMA Obiective: Develop policies that minimize threats to life, property, and natural resources
resulting from development located in or adjacent to hazard areas, such as those subject to erosion,
high winds, storm surge, flooding or sea level rise.
Policy Requirements: 1) Develop location, density, and intensity criteria for new, existing development
and redevelopment including public facilities and infrastructure so that they can better avoid or
withstand natural hazards. 2) Correlate existing and planned development with existing and planned
evacuation infrastructure.
Natural Hazard Areas Obiectives
1. Direct and design development to fit the natural conditions and landscape rather than modify the
natural conditions and landscape to accommodate development.
2. Mitigate the impacts of development in natural hazard areas by participation in the federal flood
insurance program and administration of the NC Division of Coastal Management local permit
program for development in CAMA identified Areas of Environment Concerns (AECs).
Ocean Shoreline
The immediate oceanfront area on any barrier island requires special management guidelines
to address issues associated with shoreline migration, flood hazards, protection of natural resources
and access to public trust areas. Management alternatives include setback standards to address
erosion, elevations of structures to allow for ocean overwash; and regulations to protect the dune
systems and public trust areas along the shorelines.
Dare County participates in the state's coastal management programs established by the NC Coastal
Management Act. The CAMA regulations establish specific types of ocean hazard areas of
environmental concern that were discussed in Section 1 of this document.
There are four components of this AEC: the ocean erodible AEC, the high hazard flood AEC, the inlet
hazard AEC, and the unvegetated beach AEC:
1. The ocean erodible AEC is applicable to oceanfront lands that are subject to long-term erosion
and significant shoreline change. The seaward boundary of the ocean erosion AEC is the mean
low water line and the landward boundary is measured from the first line of stable natural
vegetation plus an erosion rate based on an annual rate of the particular section of shoreline.
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This width of the AEC varies depending on the oceanfront location and must be established by
CAMA personnel on a site -by -site basis.
2. The high hazard flood AEC involves lands subject to flooding, high waves, and heavy water
currents during a major storm. These areas are also known as the "V" flood zones on the
federal flood insurance rate maps prepared by the Federal Insurance Administration. These
"V" zones can be located on both ocean shoreline and estuarine shorelines. The flood hazard
AEC often overlaps areas designated as ocean erodible and inlet hazard AECs.
3. The inlet hazard AEC applies to lands next to ocean inlets due to their vulnerability to erosion
and flooding. Each inlet found along the North Carolina coast is analyzed by the Division of
Coastal Management and a map prepared based on their analysis of the inlet migration, inlet
features both natural and manmade, and previous inlet locations. For each inlet, the inlet
hazard AEC is estimated to be large enough to cover those lands where the particular inlet can
be expected to migrate. Inlet hazard AECs range in width from 250 feet for inlets that are
stable and to about 4,000 feet for those inlets that are more dynamic. There are no inlet
hazard AECs in Dare County. The lands on either side of Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Island are
federal property and therefore not designated as an AEC.
4. The unvegetated beach area AECs are beach areas within the ocean hazard area where no
stable natural vegetation is present and may be designated as an unvegetated beach area on
either a permanent or a temporary basis. An area appropriate for permanent designation as
an unvegetated beach area is a dynamic area that is subject to rapid unpredictable land
changes due to wind or wave action. A temporary unvegetated beach status maybe applied to
areas that are suddenly unvegetated as a result of hurricanes or other major storm events. An
area of Hatteras village was designated as an unvegetated beach AEC following Hurricane Isabel
in 2003 until the natural vegetation was re-established along the oceanfront. This AEC was
discontinued once the natural vegetation was re-established.
Development within these ocean hazard areas should be constructed according to any applicable local,
state or federal regulation to minimize the hazards to structures located within these designated AECs.
Dare County assists with the administration of the CAMA program in the provision of a local permit
officer and associated administrative support. The local permit officer reviews and permits minor
CAMA permits, general permits, and exemption letters for unincorporated Dare County. Dare County
is reimbursed by the State for this work.
Local zoning regulations vary from village to village with most oceanfront areas designated for
residential development. Market forces have determined the highest and best use for oceanfront
property to be residential development which is consistent with objectives and policies of the 2009
Land Use Plan. The Dare County Zoning Ordinance establishes minimum lot sizes, lot coverage
limitations, building heights and other dimensional standards for oceanfront property.
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Policy NH #1
'
Oceanfront shoreline development should continue to be managed to protect and preserve the natural
and recreational resources along the oceanfront. The appropriate tools for this are the existing CAMA
permit program and the Areas of Environmental Concerns (AECs) designated under the CAMA
'
program. Dare County reserves the right to review, comment, advocate, or oppose any proposed
regulations or programs that may affect the regulation of ocean hazards areas of environmental
'
concern.
Implementation Strategies:
'
1. Rely on existing CAMA AEC regulations to address development activities along the ocean beaches,
estuarine shoreline, and other public trust areas in unincorporated Dare County. Dare County will
continue to participate in the CAMA permitting process with the provision of a local permit officer
'
for unincorporated Dare County. ( 2010-2015)
2. Rely on existing regulations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for development activities along
'
the ocean front. ( 2010-2015)
Estuarine Systems
'
Estuarine waters can be defined as semi -enclosed coastal water bodies having free connection
to the open sea and within which seawater is measurably diluted with fresh water drained from the
'
adjacent land. In Dare County, estuarine. waters include the Albemarle Sound, Croatan Sound,
Currituck Sound, Pamlico Sound, and the Roanoke Sound. The estuarine shorelines are those non -
ocean shorelines that run along the estuary area. Although the shorelines are comprised of dry land,
the shorelines are managed as components of the overall estuarine system because of their integral
functions. In North Carolina, the State has established a 75-foot wide area of environmental concern
'
in recognition of the importance of protecting the estuarine systems. The estuarine AEC extends 75
feet landward from the normal mean high water or normal water level. Development in this 75-foot
AEC must comply with applicable CAMA regulations for the protection of water quality and other
'
fragile resources, such as fisheries and wetlands that are found within the estuarine system. The Dare
County local permit officer assists with the administration and permitting of development activities
'
within the estuarine AEC.
Internal to the 75-foot AEC is the overlay of a 30-foot wide buffer activity established by the CAMA
'
regulations. Only water -dependant uses, as defined in the CAMA standards, can be located within the
30-foot buffer area. Fences, landscaping, and open decking can be located in the buffer area also.
'
The continued use of estuarine bulkheads to address shoreline erosion was discussed by the Planning
'
Board during the update process. This issue was also examined on the Citizen Involvement Poll with
the support for bulkhead use indicated by the respondents. The Planning Board stressed the
importance of the use of estuarine bulkheads and voiced opposition to efforts at the State -level to
'
prohibit or discontinue their use. The Coastal Resources Commission, at the time of writing of the
I
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Section Two Natural Hazard Areas '
2009 update, was considering rule changes to prohibit estuarine bulkheads in favor of other shoreline
erosion abatement measures such as rip rap, offshore breakwaters, and additional shoreline setbacks. '
There are numerous natural and manmade islands located in the estuarine waters that surround Dare
'
County. These islands are only accessible by boat and traditionally have been used for private fish
camps and other recreational activities. Over the years, some of these islands have been zoned in
conjunction with zoning maps established for Wanchese and other village maps. The applicable
'
zoning designations reflect the traditional uses of these islands for single family development and
passive recreational uses.
'
In addition to the CAMA regulations, local zoning regulations address development activities along the
estuarine shoreline. The Zoning Ordinance establishes dimensional standards for building height, lot
'
coverage, and dwelling densities.
'
Policy NH #2
Estuarine shoreline development should continue to be managed to protect and preserve the natural
resources of the estuarine waters and the estuarine shoreline. The appropriate tools for this are the
'
existing CAMA permit program and the Areas of Environmental Concerns (AECs) designated under the
CAMA program. Dare County reserves the right to review, comment, advocate or oppose any
'
proposed regulations or programs that may affect the regulation of estuarine waters and/or the
estuarine shoreline.
Implementation Strategies:
'
1. Rely on existing CAMA AEC regulations to address development activities along the ocean beaches,
estuarine shoreline, and other public trust areas in unincorporated Dare County. Dare County will
continue to participate in the CAMA permitting process with the provision of a local permit officer
'
for unincorporated Dare County. (2010-2015)
2. Rely on the regulations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for development activities along
'
estuarine shoreline areas. (2010-2015)
Policy NH #3 '
Dare County supports the installation and maintenance of estuarine bulkheads. Offshore
breakwaters, slopes, rip -rap, and voluntary setbacks are appropriate alternatives for property owners ,
for addressing estuarine shoreline management in lieu of estuarine bulkheads where these other
techniques may be equally effective in abating a shoreline erosion problem.
Implementation Strategy: '
1. Oppose efforts to eliminate the use of estuarine bulkheads or other efforts designed to prioritize
or amend the current State regulations on their installation and maintenance. ( 2010-2015)
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' Section Two Natural Hazard Areas
Policy NH #4
Development of estuarine system islands that are only accessible by boat shall be carefully managed.
Low intensity uses such as open space, recreation, and detached single family residential development
1 shall be the preferred uses of these islands.
Flood Hazards
The topographic conditions of Dare County and lack of natural ground elevation to preclude
flooding from adjacent water bodies is a factor in land development. To the east, our barrier islands
are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and subject to ocean overwash from storm tides, hurricanes and
other weather events. To the west, the area is surrounded by numerous sounds and tributaries which
also result in flooding during storms and severe weather conditions. The Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) produces flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps or FIRMs) depicting the
various flood zones that apply in Dare County. The FIRMS establish flood zones for all properties and
construction in the flood zones are impacted by the flood designation. Some areas of unincorporated
Dare County are located in X zones which do not require any special construction techniques or
elevation to address flood hazard concerns. Properties designated with an AE classification require
elevation of any structure to the minimum base flood. VE zones, or areas predicted to experience
flooding as well as wave action, establish higher minimum base flood elevations than the AE zones and
construction must adhere to limitations on ground floor enclosures and engineered foundation
techniques. VE zones are generally found along the oceanfront and estuarine shorelines.
In addition to flood hazard areas, storm surge associated with hurricanes and tropical storms is an
issue in Dare County. Storm surge is the increased water levels from hurricanes and tropical storms
that results in flooding along the shorelines. The exact area impacted by storm surge depends on each
particular storm and its intensity, its forward speed, and the angle of approach to the Dare County
shoreline. FEMA produces storm surge models based on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane ranking chart
(category 1-5). Slower moving storms will impact less area than faster -moving storms. The storm
surge areas for Dare County are depicted on the FIRM maps used for base flood elevation and
floodplain management. The storm surge areas depicted on the FIRM maps are for the highest storm
intensity and speed. Under this scenario, most areas of Dare County would be included in the storm
surge areas. Map 14 in the Map Appendix illustrates these storm surge areas.
Policy NH #5
Dare County supports, as minimum standards, the administration and enforcement of all applicable
floodplain management regulations and the National Flood Insurance Program. Dare County reserves
the right to review, comment, advocate, or oppose any proposed regulations or programs that may
affect the National Flood insurance Program or other flood hazard legislation.
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Section Two Natural Hazard Areas I
Implementation Strategy:
1. Administration of Dare County Flood Ordinance and continued participation in Community Rating
System to result in the reduction of flood insurance rates for property owners in unincorporated
Dare County. (2010-2015) 1
Policy NH #6
Dare County shall use construction standards, such as the elevation of buildings and the wind zone ,
requirements for mobile homes and zoning regulations, such as the setbacks from water bodies and
erosion -prone areas to mitigate the effects of high winds, storm surge, flooding, wave action, and
erosion. '
Storm Hazard Mitigation '
Storm hazard mitigation involves activities, policies, and practices that help reduce the
likelihood and extent of property damage, both public and private, in the event a hurricane makes '
landfall in Dare County. The key mitigation technique utilized for new construction is the
enforcement of the base flood elevation standards designed to allow rising floodwaters and storm
surge to flow freely under elevated structures. Wind load restrictions in the North Carolina State
building code also apply in Dare County and are enforced by the Dare County Building Inspectors.
Storm surge maps are included on pages 59-60 in Section 1. These maps illustrate those portions of '
Dare County that are subject to storm surge inundation during a hurricane. As evident on the maps,
the majority of Dare County lacks natural ground elevation to preclude some degree of flooding in a
hurricane. Areas with higher elevations may offer protection from flooding but may be more '
vulnerable to wind damage during the more intense storms.
'
A key part of storm hazard mitigation involves pre -storm activities that are set forth in the Dare County
Emergency Operation Plan. The Emergency Operation Plan establishes a Control Group comprised of a
member of the Dare County Board of Commissioners, the mayors of each town, the Dare County
'
Sheriff, and the Superintendent of the National Park Service. This group is responsible for making all
decisions associated with evacuation of the Outer Banks prior to a storm or hurricane, initiating re-
entry procedures following evacuations, and for handling post -storm recovery actions. The Control
Group is assisted by a Support Group which has representatives from all County departments, local
utility agencies, and other essential service agencies. The Support Group assists with the
'
implementation of Control Group decisions and provides feedback to the Control Group on the status
of highway conditions, utility outages, and other issues that may arise during emergency situations.
'
The Emergency Operation Plan prepared by the Dare County Emergency Management Department
addresses the protocol and decision making process for hurricane and other emergency situations.
The Control Group and Support Group meet in the offices at the Dare County Detention Center on
'
Roanoke Island.
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Following a hurricane or other natural disaster, storm damage assessment is the responsibility of the
'
Dare County Appraisal Department. The Planning Department is often involved in damage assessment
by assisting with electrical service disconnections for structures that have been damaged and
'
identification of other structural damage that may render a structure uninhabitable.
Recovery efforts are designed to prioritize reconstruction and repair of essential infrastructure and
'
support facilities, repair and reconstruction of storm damaged homes and businesses of permanent
residents, and repair and reconstruction of second homes and rentals. Depending on the extent of
F�
storm damage, reconstruction activities may occur in one geographic location while normal
construction activities remain uninterrupted in other areas that did not experience any damage. This
was the case in 2003 following Hurricane Isabel where Hatteras Island, especially Hatteras village,
suffered extensive damage and the other areas of unincorporated Dare County had minor damage.
The focus in Hatteras was on recovery and reconstruction whereas on the north beaches, there was
little disruption in construction activities of new homes and businesses.
All reconstruction must conform to applicable building codes and other State and federal regulatory
programs. Efforts to reduce repetitive flood losses or to correct non -conforming structures should
be implemented when feasible and practicable.
One issue that occurs after hurricanes and episodes of ocean overwash is the removal or relocation of
sand on private property. Sand deposited on private property, driveways, and streets must be
removed to accommodate vehicular access. There are no CAMA regulations to address these sand
relocation activities. In past instances, individuals have attempted to remove overwash sand by truck
and deposit the sand off -site on other properties sometimes miles away from the overwash site.
These instances have resulted in involvement of CAMA officials. The accepted practice is to relocate
the sand without removal off -site and this practice will most likely continue unless specific situations
demand a more regulated approach by officials.
Policy NH#7
Dare County is committed to maintaining a full-time emergency management department and
emergency operation center and places a high priority on storm preparedness and response. The Dare
County Board of Commissioners shall be ultimately responsible for supervising the implementation of
various policies and procedures regarding reconstruction and recovery after a natural disaster.
Policy NH#8
Recovery priority shall be directed to restoring or repairing infrastructure improvements such as
transportation routes, utilities, and medical and emergency management facilities. Once the
infrastructure has been restored, recovery priorities shall then be directed at essential commercial and
primary residential structures.
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Policy NH #9
In the event of extensive storm damage to publicly -owned utilities or other improvements requiring
replacement or reconstruction, alternative locations that will mitigate the potential for similar
repetitive losses will be examined and implemented whenever feasible and practicable.
Policy NH#10
In the event of a damaging hurricane, storm, or other disastrous event, the Dare County Board of
Commissioners may establish a priority ranking system or other administrative measures for the
issuance of building permits and/or review of development proposals. Such measures may be
established to provide for the orderly processing of permits for reconstruction activities and other
construction activities not associated with storm damage recovery with an emphasis on reconstruction
activities.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Work with Dare County Emergency Management personnel on storm hazard mitigation and
reconstruction issues as needed. (2010-2015)
Policy NH#11
The relocation or removal of sand that may be deposited on private property during storm events and
ocean overwash episodes is necessary to accommodate storm damage recovery efforts. It is
recognized that there is no current local, state or federal regulation to address this issue and this
removal/relocation issue will most likely continue to be addressed on a case by case or an as -needed
basis.
Implementation Strategy:
1. As may be needed following flooding or overwash events in which the issue of sand relocation may
be pertinent.
Climate Conditions
There has been a great deal of media attention devoted to the issues of global climate change, sea
level rise, and global warming. Some in the scientific community are skeptical of the impacts of global
climate changes while others advocate a national or state-wide response. Due to the lack of
consensus on the issue, the Planning Board felt it was best to include a policy that recognized the
continued debate and reserve judgment on any initiatives that may be the result of this continued
debate.
Policy NH#12
Dare County believes the issues of global warming, sea level rise and climate change are issues of
international and national debate. Federal and/or State initiatives that may be forthcoming to address
these issues will be reviewed as proposed with support or opposition offered depending on the
impacts for Dare County.
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Policy Impacts on CAMA Management Goals and Objectives
The Dare County natural hazards policies are consistent with the goals and objectives established by
CAMA for this management topic. All of the policies acknowledge the natural hazards of the area and
identify appropriate measures that can be used to mitigate risks to life, property and infrastructure.
The matrix on the following page demonstrates the consistency of each of the natural hazard areas
policies with the management objectives identified for this topic. As noted on the following page, all
of the natural hazards policies are consistent with the two objectives identified for this management
topic. Each policy has been reviewed with a status ranking of beneficial, neutral or detrimental noted
for each policy. There are a total of twelve policies under this management topic and seven have been
ranked as "beneficial" due to their direct support of at least one of the objectives. The remaining five
policies are ranked as "neutral" to indicate an indirect relationship suitable for inclusion under this
management topic. None of the policies have been deemed "detrimental" to the objectives.
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CONSISTENCY OF NATURAL HAZARD AREAS POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
Policy Benchmarks — Indicate whether the policy is beneficial (B), neutral (N), or detrimental (D)
1. Direct and design development to fit the natural conditions and landscape rather than modify the natural conditions and
MANAGEMENT TOPIC—
landscape to accommodate development..
NATURAL HAZARDS
2. Mitigate the impacts of development in natural hazard areas by participation in the federal flood insurance program and
administration of the NC Division of Coastal Management local permit program for development in CAMA identified Areas of
Environmental Concerns (AECs).
BENEFICIAL
NEUTRAL
DETRIMENTAL
NH#1 oceanfront
#1
development
NH#2 estuarine
#1
shoreline development
NH#3 support for
#1
bulkheads and other
shoreline erosion
methods
NH#4 development of
#1
estuarine islands
NH#5 Federal flood
#1
insurance program
NH#6 construction
#1, #2
techniques to address
flood and erosion
NH#7 full-time local
X
emergency management
office
NH#8 recovery priority
X
of infrastructure
NH #9 mitigation of
#2
repetitive losses
NH#10 priority ranking
X
for permits following a
storm
NH #11 relocation of
X
sand following a storm
event
NH #12 sea level rise
X
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Section Two
MANAGEMENT TOPIC #5 —WATER QUALITY
Water Quality
CAMA Goal: Maintain, protect, and where possible, enhance water quality in all coastal wetlands,
rivers, streams, and estuaries.
CAMA Obiective: Adopt policies for coastal waters within the planning jurisdiction to help ensure that
water quality is maintained if not impaired and improved, if impaired.
Policy Requirement: 1) Devise policies that help prevent or control nonpoint source discharges
(sewage and storm water) such as, but not limited to the following: impervious surface limits,
vegetated riparian buffers, natural areas, natural area buffers, and wetland protection.
2) Establish policies and land use categories aimed at protecting open shellfishing waters and restoring
closed or conditionally closed shellfishing waters.
Water Quality Obiectives
1. Direct and design development to ensure sustainability of our important natural resources,
especially ocean and estuarine water quality. Water quality is vital to the viability of our
commercial fisheries, tourism, and recreational fishing and boating.
2. Support the preservation and protection of water quality of the County's surface water bodies,
including the continuation of local monitoring programs and local initiatives to address stormwater
runoff.
Water Quality
Dare County is surrounded by water and the preservation and protection of water quality is a
fundamental concern of our local economy and quality of life. Surface water quality is important to
fisheries resources, boating, and numerous other water sports for which our area is famous. There
are many factors that impact water quality such as stormwater runoff, wetland protection,
development activities, and natural resource management.
Activities occurring on the immediate shoreline, both ocean and estuarine, impact the area's water
quality. Activities occurring inland of Dare County also impact the area's water quality and for years
Dare County has advocated a regional approach to ensure the continued health of Dare County's water
resources. Basin -wide plans for all of the river basins in North Carolina have been prepared.
Although these plans are not regulatory, they do provide a good summary of the each basin and
particular issues affecting that basin. The majority of Dare County is located in the Pasquotank River
basin and specific information from this report is discussed in Section 1 of this update. A small
portion of Dare County is included in the Tar -Pamlico River basin as noted in Section 1.
Setbacks and restricted buffers apply to oceanfront and soundfront properties. Development activities
are restricted in these buffer areas to protect the near shore nursery areas and wetlands areas that are
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Water Quality I
important components of the ecosystem. The Planning Board discussed the importance of water
quality and its role in the local economy for both permanent residents and seasonal visitors. One
item that was noted as a contributing factor to declining water quality was point -source discharges of
stormwater and wastewater. There are numerous point -source discharge wastewater treatment
facilities in inland communities that discharge to water bodies that flow to our estuaries and bays.
The Planning Board stressed that water quality regulatory programs should address water quality
issues in all regions of the State and not just focus on coastal areas.
A water quality monitoring program was established in Dare County several years ago which was
eventually taken over by the State. Results from the State's testing are conveyed to the Dare County
Health Department and appropriate actions taken to close or restrict swimming or other recreational
water uses at sites that exceed the State minimum bacteriological standards for safe bodily contact.
These closures are usually of a temporary nature and occur following a heavy rain event. The use of
pesticides and fertilizers adjacent to canals and waterways and their effects on water quality was
identified during the Planning Board discussion also. Runoff from fertilized lawns was noted as a
concern and how this issue was addressed by water quality monitoring.
Protection of groundwater supplies is also a high priority. One regulatory tool used by the State of
North Carolina for the protection of groundwater resources is the designation of public water supply
watersheds and wellfields as Areas of Environmental Concern. In unincorporated Dare County, the
Buxton wellfield that supplies water to the four southern villages of Hatteras Island has been
designated a public water supply wellfield AEC. The other public water supply AECs in Dare County
are located within the municipal boundaries of Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills.
Policy WQ #1
Dare County recognizes the importance of water quality in inland regions which influences and
impacts the water quality of the coastal region. This is particularly true where inland communities use
point -source discharge of treated wastewater to surface waters that drain into the coastal waters.
Policy WQ #2
Development projects shall be designed and constructed to minimize detrimental impacts on surface
water quality, groundwater quality, and air quality. Structures should be designed to fit the natural
topographic conditions and vegetation versus modifications to natural conditions to accommodate
structures.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Enforcement of dune alteration standard of Section 22-58.1 of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance(
2010-2015)
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Policy WQ #3
Protection of groundwater resources and public water supply resources is essential for a safe drinking
water supply. Protection measures, such as the designation of wellfield areas as CAMA Areas of
Environmental Concern are appropriate when nominated by the applicable local government.
Development in existing public water supply AECs shall be in accordance with CAMA regulations and
any local zoning regulations that may apply, such as increased minimum lot size standards and limited
vegetation removal regulations of the Buxton Woods SED-1 zoning regulations. These zoning
regulations are designed to reduce the threat of potential negative impacts and pollutants from
affecting the surficial aquifer underneath the Buxton Woods maritime forest.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Implementation and enforcement of CAMA use standards for Buxton Woods wellfield AEC and
Buxton SED-1 zoning regulations. ( 2010-2015)
Stormwater
Stormwater runoff has been identified as an influencing factor in water quality. Currently, Dare
County relies on State stormwater rules for projects that involve more than one acre of land
disturbance. New subdivisions that involve less than one acre of land disturbance are subject to
standards set forth in the Subdivision Ordinance which are similar to the current low density
regulations used by the State of North Carolina. Also, Dare County participates in the enforcement of
the 30-foot CAMA buffer which has been established to protect estuarine shorelines and decrease
runoff from development activities occurring adjacent to the estuarine shoreline.
In late 2007, the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission initiated efforts to revise the
stormwater management rules that apply in the 20-coastal county area of North Carolina. The
proposed revisions represented substantial changes to the stormwater management rules and were
met with opposition during the public hearing process. The proposed EMC rules expanded the
estuarine shoreline buffer to 50 feet, decreased the amount of impervious coverage area for low
density projects, and excluded wetlands from the property calculations for impervious surface
limitations. The EMC adopted the revised rules in March 2008 and were to become effective in
August 2008. However the NC General Assembly, based on input from local governments in the
coastal region and other agencies, repealed the EMC-adopted stormwater regulations and replaced
the regulations with a set of standards that were not as stringent as the EMC rules. Many local
governments in the coastal region argued that the EMC rules were too strenuous and would negatively
impact economic development. The Dare County Board of Commissioners opposed the EMC-adopted
stormwater rules and was more receptive to the General Assembly's version that was adopted and
became effective in October 2008. It was the Board's position that Dare County is unique with the
narrowness of our islands, our sandy soils, and the large amount of federal owned lands that are
already protected from development and that the one -size fits all approach may not be practical for
our situation. Dare County has considered adoption of a local ordinance but has deferred action on a
local stormwater management ordinance until an appropriate amount of time has passed to allow for
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Water Quality I
an evaluation of the impacts of the October 2008 stormwater regulations on development in Dare
County.
Dare County maintains a full-time mosquito control department that works to address mosquito
control issues. Pon ding of stormwater and standing rainwater creates ideal conditions for the
breeding of mosquitoes. The Mosquito Control section of the Dare Count Public Works Department
works hard to educate people on the hazards of standing water and mosquito breeding.
Policy WQ#4
Efforts to preserve, protect and improve water quality should be managed at the local level. Local
level management allows for a regulatory approach designed to specifically address unique local needs
and conditions. Existing State stormwater rules should serve as the basis for local programs with
adjustments made to address local needs, conditions, and community support.
Policy WQ#5
Efforts to manage stormwater runoff should be based on local conditions and natural features.
Properties immediately adjacent to SA classified waters should be developed consistent with the
dimensional standards and lot coverage limitations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance. Vegetative
buffers and other low —impact development methods identified by the UNC Coastal Studies Institute
are appropriate tools to address stormwater runoff adjacent to SA waters.
Implementation Strategies:
1. Present amendments to the Zoning Ordinance and the Subdivision Ordinance on LID
stormwater techniques to the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners for consideration. (2012)
2. Conduct an up-to-date stormwater management study of unincorporated Dare County to
identify problem drainage areas. (2013)
Policy WQ#6
Dare County recognizes the public health issues associated with mosquitoes and standing areas of
water and the public safety issue for motorists presented by stormwater ponding on roadways.
Implementation Strategy.
1. Continue full-time staff of mosquito control program ( 2010-2015)
Wetlands
Wetlands can be found throughout Dare County and are subject to regulation by the State of North
Carolina and the US Army Corps of Engineers depending on the type and location of wetlands.
Coastal wetlands are defined as any salt marsh or other marsh subject to regular or occasional flooding
by tides, including wind tides, whether or not the tide waters reach the marshland areas through
natural or artificial sources, providing this does not include hurricanes or other storm tides. In Dare
County, coastal wetlands can be found along the estuarine shoreline usually with the coastal wetlands
between usable dry land on one side and navigable waters on the other side. These environmentally
sensitive areas play a significant role in the habitat of juvenile fisheries and filtering of pollutants from
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stormwater runoff of the adjacent lands. The protection of coastal wetlands is delegated to the
Division of Coastal Management. The State has adopted stringent rules to protect coastal wetlands
from degradation and/or loss. Locally, Dare County relies on the State's wetlands programs to address
' development impacts on coastal wetlands.
In addition to coastal wetlands, there are freshwater marshes or freshwater wetlands that are subject
'
to the regulatory jurisdiction of the Corps of Engineers under the Federal Clean Water Act, Section 404.
These freshwater wetlands and marshes are often referred to as 404 wetlands in reference to the
'
federal legislation. Generally, a freshwater wetland can be described as hydric soils, areas that sustain
plant life that depends on periodic flooding, or are areas that are frequented by migratory birds.
However this federal definition is subject to interpretation depending on federal policy guidelines.
'
One of the Corps' programs to manage freshwater wetlands is the nationwide permit program that
authorizes the filling or altering of small areas or "pockets" of freshwater wetlands and marshes. The
'
nationwide permit program is an integral part of development activities in Dare County where many
properties contain small pockets of 404 wetlands areas that may be altered under the terms of the
nationwide program. Dare County does not have any regulations for freshwater wetlands except for
'
the SED-1 zoned areas in Buxton Woods and relies on the nationwide permit program to address the
protection and management of freshwater marshes and wetlands. The SED-1 zoning regulations
'
prohibit the filling or altering of any wetland areas regardless of Corps authorization under the
nationwide permit program. During the update process, the Planning Board endorsed the continued
support of the nationwide permit program as currently administered by the Corps of Engineers.
Another aspect of wetlands management discussed by the Planning Board was wetland loss mitigation.
'
Mitigation involves the creation of new wetland areas or the dedication of existing wetland areas, to
compensate for the loss of wetlands as a result of development activities. In simple terms, mitigation
represents a trade-off of wetlands in one area in exchange for alteration or loss of wetlands in another.
Mitigation activities can occur in conjunction with public purpose projects undertaken by a public
agency or with a private sector development project. In discussing mitigation, the Board members
'
acknowledged that mitigation is often necessary for the construction of bridges and roads but may be
less acceptable to accommodate private sector development. The 2003 policy stated that wetland
mitigation should be addressed on a case -by case basis and that mitigation activities should occur in
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Dare County. The Planning Board endorsed this general language but noted a change on the location
of mitigation activities. The 2003 policy language was identified as a potential problem for NC
'
Department of Transportation projects, especially bridge projects, and more flexible language was
used in the 2009 policy.
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The policy on estuarine bulkheads has been included under this management topic as well as the
previous management topic of natural hazard areas. Due to the importance of the issue and the firm
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support for the continued use of estuarine bulkheads, the Planning Board felt it was important to
include the issue under both of the management topics.
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Policy WQ#7
Dare County advocates the use of existing ( 2009) state and federal regulatory programs for protecting
and preserving coastal wetland areas of environmental concern. Dare County reserves the right to
review, comment, advocate, or oppose any proposed regulations or programs that may affect the
regulation of coastal wetland areas of environmental concern.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Continued support of local permit officer for CAMA for implementation and enforcement of CAMA
use standards for coastal wetlands. ( 2010-2015)
Policy WQ#8
Dare County supports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers nationwide permit program as administered in
2009. This support is based on the current scope of permitting limits of the nationwide program and
not any changes that may result in a different policy. Dare County reserves the right to review,
comment, advocate, or oppose any proposed regulations or programs that may affect the Army Corps
of Engineers nationwide permit program.
Policy WQ#9
The use of wetland mitigation to compensate for the loss of wetlands is a suitable alternative for
projects identified as "public purpose projects" or projects undertaken by Dare County. The use of
wetland mitigation for private development projects may be deemed suitable if such projects are
consistent with other policies of the Dare County Land Use Plan and recognized as serving a public
need by the Dare County Board of Commissioners.
Policy WQ#10
Dare County supports the installation and maintenance of estuarine bulkheads. Offshore
breakwaters, slopes, rip -rap, and voluntary setbacks are appropriate alternatives for property owners
for addressing estuarine shoreline management in lieu of estuarine bulkheads where these other
techniques may be equally effective in abating a shoreline erosion problem.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Oppose efforts to eliminate the use of estuarine bulkheads or other efforts designed to prioritize
or amend the current State regulations on their installation and maintenance. ( 2010-2015)
Fisheries Resources
Protection of fisheries resources is a significant water quality issue. Good, clean water is essential
for the continued production of the fisheries resources, for both commercial and recreational
fishermen. Commercial fishing is a traditional industry of Dare County and represents a long-standing
employment sector of our coastal heritage. Commercial landings in Dare County exceed the landings
for any other county in North Carolina. Recreational fishing represents a key sector of the tourist
economy with many visitors coming to the area to fish from the area's oceanfront piers, ocean
beaches, or charter one of the local sport -fishing boats for off -shore trips.
Permanent residents also I
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Water Quality
' enjoy recreational fishing and many have been drawn to the area because of the outstanding
opportunities offered by the local resources.
'
Protection of the unique ecosystems needed by the fisheries resources is a high priority for Dare
County. The designation of primary nursery areas (PNAs) by the NC Division of Marine Fisheries is one
tool used to ensure the continued productivity of the local fisheries.
Other management programs that have been established by the federal and state government to
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protect certain fish species are often viewed as too restrictive by fisherman, especially those programs
that establish quotas for commercial fishermen. The catch quotas frequently remain in place once a
designated species has been restored to acceptable levels without any acknowledgement by the
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regulatory agencies of the restored status of the species with increased catch quotas in response to the
increased fish numbers. As is the case with other issues, such as the off -road vehicle issue, national
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environmental groups influence the federal and state agencies that regulate fisheries in North Carolina
resulting in the enactment of restrictions without adequate input at the local level or consideration of
local economic impacts on commercial fishermen. In response to these concerns, the Dare County
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Board of Commissioners has established a local advisory group in an effort to increase the amount of
awareness of local fishermen's concerns by those state and federal agencies charged with fisheries
'
oversight responsibilities.
The importance of access for commercial fishermen and recreational fishermen was stressed by the
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Planning Board during their workshops and by respondents to the Citizen Involvement Poll and public
input participants. This concern is reflected in Water Quality Policy #14
Policy WQ#11:
Dare County recognizes the importance of our surrounding waters that serve as habitats for the area's
abundant fisheries resources. The continued productivity of Dare County's fisheries shall be fostered
through restoration and protection of the unique ecosystems upon which they depend. Dare County
supports measures to protect and preserve designated primary nursery areas by the Division of Marine
'
Fisheries. New regulatory initiatives that may limit access to fisheries should be subject to extensive
public hearings in Dare County.
'
Policy WQ#12
Management and regulation of fisheries resources by State and Federal agencies should balance the
'
needs of both commercial and recreational fisherman. Regulatory programs designed to restore
depleted or threatened species should be reviewed on a periodic basis and adjustments made to allow
increased access or catch quotas where landing records indicate successful restoration of the species.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Continued support of the Dare County Commission of Working Watermen (2010-2015)
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Section Two Water Quality
Policy WQ#13
Local efforts to develop aquaculture as a source of fisheries production are supported provided the
proposed fishery or fish species does not negatively impact fisheries. Dare County supports efforts
by the State of North Carolina to promote locally harvested seafood.
Policy WQ#14
Dare County recognizes the traditional practices of commercial fishing in Dare County and supports
the use of traditional shellfish and fish harvesting methods including trawling and beach haul netting.
Vehicular access to Dare County beaches by commercial fishermen is essential to their continued
livelihood.
Implementation Strategy:
1. As may be needed in response to National Park Service efforts on beach driving. ( 2010-2015)
Marinas and Floating Structures
Another appropriate issue for discussion under the water quality management topic is marinas and
floating structures. As noted in the fisheries resources discussion, commercial and recreational fishing
are vital to the local economy. The importance of boat -building in the local economy and its role in
the heritage of Dare County has been documented. Boating access and boat dockage were discussed
during the review of water quality issues. With so much of our geographic region covered by water,
there is a high demand for boat access and boat dockage. Water quality regulations must be balanced
with the high demand for boating access to the surrounding water bodies. Many visitors travel to
Dare County to access our local waters for fishing, watersports, or simply to enjoy being out on the
water. Commercial fishermen and charter boat captains need access to the water and docks to
practice their trade. In discussing marina development, the Planning Board referenced the extensive
review process for any new marina proposal. It was the consensus of the Planning Board that all
appropriate water quality issues would be addressed during the exhaustive CAMA major permit review
process by the 21-agencies involved in this process. The CAMA regulations define a marina as any
public or private dock or wet storage facility that accommodates more than 10 boat slips.
Locally, the Dare County Zoning Ordinance includes certain districts in which marinas are designated as
appropriate uses. The Dare County Zoning Ordinance defines a marina as a business having frontage
on navigable waters which provides mooring slips and docking facilities. There is no threshold of slips
included in the Dare County definition. The need to balance water quality issues with the high demand
for access was emphasized by Planning Board members and the resultant policies written to reflect this
position. The location of dry stack storage facilities is regulated by the Dare County Zoning Ordinance
with height limitations of such facilities set forth in the Zoning Ordinance.
All previous versions of the land use plan have included a policy opposed to the mooring or use of
floating homes and structures within the jurisdictional waters of unincorporated Dare County. The
CAMA regulations state that it is the policy of the State of North Carolina that floating structures shall
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not be allowed within the public trust waters of the coastal area except in permitted marinas. A
floating structure is defined in the CAMA rules as any structure, not a boat, supported by a means of
flotation, designed to be used without a permanent foundation, which is used or intended for human
habitation or commerce and establishes standards for when a boat is rendered to function as a floating
structure. The Planning Board indicated support of the 2003 policy opposing floating homes and
structures as defined in the CAMA regulations. In discussing this policy during the 2009 update, it
was noted that CAMA regulations permit floating homes and/or structures in approved marinas. The
Planning Board indicated that regulations to prohibit the location of floating homes/structures in any
jurisdictional water of Dare County should be considered.
Policy WQ#15
Marinas, developed according to applicable State and federal guidelines are identified as appropriate
uses in Dare County due to the large amount of water resources within our jurisdiction. Facilities built
for dry -stack storage of boats should be consistent with height limits and gross floor area limitations of
applicable Dare County zoning codes.
Implementation Strategy.
1. Encourage marina operators to participate in the voluntary Clean Marina certification program
administered by the State of North Carolina Division of Coastal Management
Policy WQ#16
Dare County is strongly opposed to the mooring of floating homes and other floating structures
designed for habitation anywhere in Dare County and its surrounding waters. This policy shall not be
interpreted to preclude the permitting of floating accessory structures for recreational water use
associated with kiteboarding or other water use activities.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Consideration of regulations to prohibit floating homes and structures in unincorporated Dare
County. (2011)
Policy Impacts on CAMA Management Goals and Objectives
The Dare County water quality policies are consistent with the goals and objectives established by
CAMA for this management topic. All of the policies support protection of water quality, coastal
wetlands, and fisheries resources.
A matrix is included on the following page which demonstrates the consistency of the water quality
policies with the two management objectives identified for this topic. Each policy has been reviewed
with a status ranking of beneficial, neutral or detrimental noted for each policy. Eleven of the sixteen
water quality policies have been ranked as "beneficial' due to their direct support of at least one of the
management objectives. Five of the policies are ranked as "neutral' to indicate an association to the
issue of water quality and have been deemed "appropriate" for inclusion under this management
topic. None of the policies are "detrimental" to the objectives.
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CONSISTENCY OF WATER QUALITY POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
Policy Benchmarks — Indicate whether the policy is beneficial (B), neutral (N), or detrimental (D)
1. Direct and design development to ensure sustainability of our important natural resources, especially ocean and estuarine
MANAGEMENT TOPIC—
water quality. Water quality is vital to the viability of our commercial fisheries, tourism, and recreational fishing and boating.
WATER QUALITY
2. Support the preservation and protection of water quality of the County's surface water bodies, including the continuation of
local monitoring programs and local initiatives to address stormwater runoff.
BENEFICIAL
NEUTRAL
DETRIMENTAL
WQ#1 effects water
#1, #2
quality of inland regions
WQ#2 development
#1, #2
designed for minimal
impacts on water quality
WQ#3 protection of
#1, #2
groundwater resources
WQ#4 local
#1, #2
management of
stormwater
WQ#5 stormwater
#1, #2
regulations based on
local conditions and
reflect local zoning
standards
WQ#6 public health
X
issue of standing water
and mosquitoes
WQ#7 protection of
#1
coastal wetlands
WQ#8 Corps nationwide
#1
permit program
WQ #9 wetland
#1
mitigation
WQ#10 bulkheads and
X
other erosion control
methods
Q#11protection of
#1,#2
osystems for
Fco
mmercial fisheries
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CONSISTENCY OF WATER QUALITY POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
Policy Benchmarks — Indicate whether the policy is beneficial (B), neutral (N), or detrimental (D)
1. Direct and design development to ensure sustainability of our important natural resources, especially ocean and estuarine
water quality. Water quality is vital to the viability of our commercial fisheries, tourism, and recreational fishing and boating.
MANAGEMENT TOPIC-
2. Support the preservation and protection of water quality of the County's surface water bodies, including the continuation of
WATER QUALITY
local monitoring programs and local initiatives to address stormwater runoff.
BENEFICIAL
NEUTRAL
DETRIMENTAL
WQ#12 regulation of
x
commercial fisheries by
state and federal
agencies
WQ#13 aquaculture
x
WQ#14 commercial
x
fishing and vehicular
access
WQ#15 marina
#1, #2
development
WQ#16 floating homes
#1,
and structures
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Section Two Local Areas of Concern
MANAGEMENT TOPIC #6 LOCAL AREAS OF CONCERN
CAMA Goal: Integrate local concerns with the overall goals of CAMA in the context of land use
planning.
CAMA Obiective: Identify and address local concerns and issues, such as cultural and historic areas,
scenic areas, economic development, downtown revitalization or general health and human services
needs.
Policy Requirements: Evaluate local concerns and issues for the development of goals, policies, and
implementation strategies. These may include timelines and identification of funding policies.
Local Areas of Concern Obiectives
1. Protect and promote the unique nature of Dare County relative to the other coastal counties of
North Carolina and how our distinctive characteristics should be recognized and fostered in the
development of regulations that affect Dare County.
2. Participate in state and federal regulatory programs and initiatives to ensure that policies and goals
of Dare County are appropriately addressed.
3. Advocate the capability of Dare County to effectively manage our natural resources and direct our
economic development at the local government level.
ORV Access
Access (vehicular and pedestrian) to the shorelines and public trust areas of Dare County is a
fundamental element of the Outer Banks history, way of life and our economy. Many folks visit the
Outer Banks to enjoy access to the miles of shorelines and beaches for recreational activities and to
observe our natural flora and fauna. Fishermen, both commercial and recreational, rely on vehicular
access to the beaches for fishing purposes. For the County's year-round residents, access to the
beaches and public trust areas is part of our daily lives and a contributing factor for many people
choosing to reside here. Parking and restrooms facilities can be found throughout the municipal
areas and on Hatteras Island for access to the ocean and estuarine shorelines. Many of these access
points have been developed with funding assistance from the State of North Carolina through the
shoreline access grant program. These access points are widely used by our seasonal visitors and our
year-round population. The access points also provide fishing opportunities for many people who do
not own boats for direct water access. As noted in the public access discussion, many waterfront
properties that provided boating access have been re -developed as private communities thus
eliminating a public boat/water access. ORV access to the ocean and estuarine shorelines
compensates for the lack of widespread boat ramps by providing a means of water access for those
without boats.
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Historically, vehicular access along the beaches was often the only means of travel. Vehicular access
has been the focus of lawsuits against the National Park Service by environmental interest groups
seeking to prohibit vehicular access to the beaches of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Opponents of beach driving have sought injunctions against the National Park Service due to lack of an
official plan to manage access to the federal seashore. These opponents argue that vehicles and
pedestrians on the beach result in damage to plant life and wildlife. Proponents of beach driving
maintain that all methods of access can be managed without damage to plants and wildlife. In 2008,
a settlement of a lawsuit filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Defenders of Wildlife
resulted in a temporary agreement to address ORV and pedestrian access to the Hatteras Island
beaches managed by the NPS. The Dare County Board of Commissioners was a legal participant
against this lawsuit. The agreement established terms for closure of beaches to pedestrian and
vehicular access in response to bird and turtle nesting activities. This agreement also established a
deadline for adoption of permanent NPS plan by 2010. In 2007, prior to the filing of the lawsuit, the
National Park Service initiated a negotiated rule making process to address the issue of access to the
federal seashore. Dare County was involved as a stakeholder in this rule -making process. The County
will continue to participate in this issue due to the vital importance of vehicular access to our economy
and quality of life.
Policy LAC #1
The County recognizes the importance of four-wheel drive vehicles and pedestrian access to the beaches of
Hatteras Island that are under the management authority of the federal government. Efforts to completely
prohibit beach driving on these federally -managed areas are opposed. National Park Service management
plans for the beaches should acknowledge the historical and established practice of vehicular and
pedestrian access to the beaches of Dare County. In addition, impacts on Dare County's local economy
are important elements that should be a factor in any decision -making process of the National Park
Service. Management plans should emphasize the need to allow these practices to continue in an
equitable manner that balances species management activities without eliminating or severely limiting
vehicular and pedestrian access to the Dare County beaches.
Federal/State Support
Throughout the history of Dare County, the County's relationship with federal and state agencies
has ranged from confrontational to cooperative depending on the issue at hand. This is especially
true of the federal agencies that have a large presence in Dare County because of federal wildlife
refuges and national parks. The goals of these agencies frequently conflict with the goals of the
citizens and visitors of Dare County. It is often felt that not enough input is sought by federal and
state agencies before they adopt regulations or restrictions that impact Dare County and that not
enough emphasis is placed on the local impacts of such regulations or restrictions.
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Policy LAC #2
' Additional Federal or State regulatory programs or expansion of existing programs will be reviewed on
a case by case basis. Dare County reserves the right to support, oppose, review, or comment on
' additional regulations that may impact Dare County and its economy. Local public hearings by federal
or state agencies should be extensively advertised and conducted in Dare County before any new
regulations are adopted or existing programs are expanded.
Policy LAC#3
The large percentage of publicly -owned lands in Dare County should be recognized by federal and
' state agencies when drafting new regulations that will apply to Dare County. This disproportionate
ratio of public/private lands and the resultant competition for land resources by the private sector to
' address the needs of our permanent population and our seasonal population creates unique
challenges for Dare County.
' Policy LAC#4
Dare County encourages federal and state regulatory agencies to consider fast -tracking of public -
purposes projects. Where State grant funds have been secured, consideration of an assumed or
' accelerated permit process is advocated.
Implementation Strategy:
' 1. Request North Carolina General Assembly to authorize and establish an expedited permit process
for projects funded by State grants. (2012)
Policy LAC #5
Dare County encourages federal and state regulatory agencies to consider impacts from activities
occurring on their lands on the surrounding privately -owned land and communities. Although Dare
' County acknowledges that federal and state properties are exempt from local zoning and other land
use ordinances, federal and state agencies should coordinate their efforts with local officials whenever
practicable.
Tourism
Tourism is the number one industry in Dare County. Many of the local jobs are service -related jobs
' focused on the provision of goods and services for the tourists and visitors of the Outer Banks. The
tourism industry generates significant amounts of revenue for the County, its municipalities, and the
State of North Carolina. The abundant natural resources of our area serve as a drawing card for
' thousands of visitors each year and the importance of protecting these natural resources has been
discussed throughout the land use plan. Tourism is generally viewed as a "clean" industry versus other
' more traditional industries such as manufacturing.
Although tourism is essential to the economy of Dare County, the seasonal population surges
' associated with the tourist economy create quality of life issues for the year-round residents. The
influx of seasonal visitors challenges the County's transportation infrastructure and frustrates the local
residents as they go about their daily lives. There is a sentiment among the permanent population
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Local Areas of Concern
that tourist -generated revenues, such as occupancy taxes and prepared food taxes, should be
expended to address both the needs of the seasonal population and the permanent population.
However, the spending of these tourist generated taxes is mandated for visitor needs and
infrastructure improvements.
Policy LAC#6
Dare County supports the concept of combining natural resources and tourism to promote the area's
ecological values, known as "eco-tourism".
Policy LAC #7
The quality of life of Dare County residents should be carefully balanced with the tourist -based
economy of the Outer Banks. Maintaining a good quality of life for our permanent population and
ensuring a safe and enjoyable vacation experience should be a goal of all local, state, and federal
agencies responsible for the promotion of tourism in Dare County and North Carolina.
Policy LAC#8
Dare County recognizes the importance of tourism to our local economy and supports efforts to
maintain our status as a desirable place to live, visit, and vacation. Tourist generated revenues should
be used to offset the infrastructure needs of our seasonal population and our year-round population.
Public Participation
The Dare County Board of Commissioners places a high priority on public participation and public
involvement in land use planning issues. The North Carolina General Statutes mandate public hearings
before any decision on land use ordinance implementations and amendments. The Dare County Board
of Commissioners chose to supplement the public hearing process with other activities to increase
awareness of land use issues and other government actions.
One of the first activities of the land use plan update was the adoption of a public participation plan.
One element of this plan is the maintenance of a public outreach contact list. This list is comprised of
representatives from other local governments in Dare County, local civic and community groups, and
other interested individuals who wish to be notified of land use plan update meetings. This group is
contacted by email of upcoming land use plan meetings.
For the past several years, the monthly meetings of the Board of Commissioners have been televised
and re -played on the local government channel. Public comment periods are also scheduled at all
Commission meetings.
The Planning Board Clerk maintains a mailing list of groups and individuals for receipt of the monthly
Planning Board agenda. The Planning Board agenda is also advertised in a local newspaper, posted on
the Dare County website and sent to a media contact list developed by the Dare County Public
Relations office.
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Section Two Local Areas of Concern
Policy LAC #9
'
Dare County supports the active involvement of all interested persons in its land use planning and
policy development activities.
'
Channel Maintenance -Oregon Inlet
Throughout Dare County, there are many channels, canals, and waterways that are essential to
'
the safe movement of commercial and recreational boats. Oregon Inlet is one of the most important
waterways and maintenance of this navigational channel is a high priority for the Dare County Board of
'
Commissioners. Both recreational and commercial fishermen use this channel on a daily basis as
access to the off -shore waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The inlet area surrounding Oregon Inlet is one of
the most dynamic inlets in the United States. Efforts to maintain a safe passageway through Oregon
'
Inlet have been on -going for decades. Permits to construct jetties to stabilize the inlet have been
denied by the federal government and dredging is currently the only method used to keep the inlet
'
navigable. However, federal appropriations for dredging of Oregon Inlet are not automatic and Dare
funding for dredging Oregon
County must remain diligent in our efforts to ensure the continued of
Inlet.
' Maintenance of other waterways in Dare County is also subject to federal appropriations and must
compete with many other projects in the federal budget. Dare County maintains a full-time staff for
' the Oregon Inlet and Waterways Commission to advise the Board of Commissioners on issues
concerning Oregon Inlet and other waterway management matters.
Policy LAC#10
Dare County advocates the dredging and other associated maintenance activities of all existing
'
navigable channels, canals, boat basins, marinas and waterways. Such activities are of vital importance
to our local residents, fisherman, and tourist economy.
Implementation Strategy:
'
1. Continue working with the Army Corps of Engineers, State and Federal agencies to secure
permit authorization for work as needed. ( 2010-2015)
Policy LAC #11
Dare County recognizes the importance of Oregon Inlet and its continued need for stabilization,
'
protection and navigable maintenance.
Implementation Strategy:
'
1. Lobby the US Congress for a dedicated funding source for the maintenance dredging for
Oregon Inlet. ( 2010-2015)
n
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Section Two
Buxton Coast Guard Base
Local Areas of Concern
In 2004, the US Coast Guard elected to close its Buxton base in response to maintenance
concerns associated with the upkeep of the base facilities. The Buxton base is located along the
Atlantic Ocean and a series of oceanfront groins in front of the base mitigate the effects of shoreline
erosion in this area. Financial concerns and the difficulties in securing State permits to maintain the
groins led to the Coast Guard decision to close the Buxton base and relocate their operations to the
Oregon Inlet station. The facilities at the base include water and wastewater treatment plants,
recreational facilities, office buildings and a separate adjoining parcel with base housing. For the past
two years, Dare County has sought to secure ownership of the Coast Guard facilities. Negotiations
with federal officials have been on -going and ownership of the base facilities excluding the housing
parcel seems probable. The facilities represent an opportunity for use as County recreational facilities,
staging area of equipment and supplies for emergency management purposes, and the potential for a
beach access site.
The housing facilities are owned by a separate federal agency, the United States Properties Agency.
The agency is prohibited be federal law to authorize the transfer of the housing facility and requires
such facilities to be purchased by Dare County at fair market value or auctioned to the private sector.
The housing units are connected to the wastewater treatment facility on the adjoining base property
and relocation to a different site is not feasible because of high land costs and the difficulty of
providing an alternative source of wastewater. Dare County is working to identify a remedy to
this transferability conflict that enables Dare County to acquire the housing facility without
expenditure of funds.
Policy LAC #12
Dare County will pursue opportunities to acquire and utilize the facilities of the former Buxton Coast
Guard base and the housing complex.
Implementation Strategy:
1. Continue to work to acquire selected facilities at the Buxton Coast Guard base. ( 2010)
Insurance
The rising cost of property insurance was mentioned numerous times during the public input phase
of the land use plan update. Homeowners' and commercial insurance costs have increased
dramatically within the last three years as a result of losses suffered by the insurance industry from
Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Although this hurricane did not impact Dare County, insurance companies
have raised insurance rates in the coastal regions. Some insurance companies have chosen to suspend
the sale of homeowners' policies in the coastal area. Many property owners are insured through the
North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association, also known as the BEACH Plan, which is an
association of all property and casualty insurance companies that do business in North Carolina. The
BEACH plan provides insurance in 18 coastal counties for windstorm and hail insurance only. The
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Local Areas of Concern
BEACH plan is not an agency of the State of North Carolina but is subject to review by the North
Carolina Commissioner of Insurance.
' Policy LAC #13
The Dare County Board of Commissioners will lobby the NC Commissioner of Insurance to ensure that
insurance rates in the coastal region remain equitable compared to insurance rates in other regions of
' the State.
' Policy Impacts on CAMA Management Goals and Objectives
' The Dare County local areas of concern policies are consistent with the goals and objectives
established by CAMA for this management topic. All of the policies address issues that although not
land use related are important to the residents and visitors of Dare County.
' A matrix has been included demonstrating the consistency of each of the local areas of concern
policies with the objectives identified for this topic. Each policy has been reviewed with a status
' ranking of beneficial, neutral, or detrimental noted for each policy. Eleven of the policies directly
support one of the objectives. Two policies are ranked as "neutral" and have been deemed as
appropriate for inclusion under this management topic. None of the policies have been deemed
' "detrimental" to the objectives.
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CONSISTENCY OF LOCAL AREAS OF CONCERN POLICIES WITH OBJECTIVES
Policy Benchmarks — Indicate whether the policy is beneficial (B), neutral (N), or detrimental (D)
1. Protect and promote the unique nature of Dare County relative to the other coastal counties of North Carolina and how our
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— LOCAL
distinctive characteristics should be recognized and fostered in the development of regulations that affect Dare County.
AREAS OF CONCERN
2. Participate in state and federal regulatory programs and initiatives to ensure the policies and goals of Dare County are
appropriately addressed.
3. Advocate the capability of Dare County to effectively manage our natural resources and direct our economic development at
the local government level.
BENEFICIAL
NEUTRAL
DETRIMENTAL
LAC#1 importance of ORV access
#2
to beaches
LAC#2 expansion of federal/state
#1, #2, #3
programs
LAC#3 impacts public lands on
#2
Dare County
LAC#4 fast -tracking of public
X
purpose projects through federal
and state review
LAC #5 federal -state consideration
of surrounding communities
LAC#6 support for eco-tourism
#1
LAC#7 quality of life issues for
X
permanent population
LAC#8 importance of tourism to
#1
area
LAC#9 public participation in land
#2
use planning
LAC #10 support for dredging and
#2
channel maintenance
LAC#11 maintenance of Oregon
#2
Inlet
LAc#12 acquisition of Buxton
#2
Coast Guard base
LAC #13 insurance rates in Dare
#2
County
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Section Two
Future Land Use Maps
Future Land Use Maps
The CAMA land use plan guidelines require the development of a "future land use map". In
previous versions of the Dare County land use plan, this map was known as the land classification map.
The assignment of land classifications to the various areas of unincorporated Dare County illustrates
anticipated growth patterns, conservation areas, and infrastructure service districts. Due to the size
of Dare County and the difficulty to map all of unincorporated Dare County on one map, individual
future land use maps have been created for the various geographic regions of unincorporated Dare
County.
Narrative descriptions of the future land use designations and each area to which the future land use
category has been applied are included in this section. Both the maps and the narrative text should be
consulted in the determination of future land use designations. The narratives describe the land
uses deemed to be consistent within a specific classification, the level of infrastructure that can be
expected in the category, and the overall density and development intensity that is compatible with
the land classification. Dwelling densities and compatible land uses are discussed in each narrative
description in general terms. The Dare County Zoning Ordinance is the document that establishes
specific regulations for properties and should be consulted for site specific land uses and dimensional
standards.
The future land use maps and associated land classifications are tools designed to support the policies
and implementation strategies of the 2009 Land Use Plan update. The maps and narrative
descriptions are not regulatory and cannot be used in a regulatory fashion. The maps are a general
guide and are not as detailed as a zoning map, which is regulatory. The future land use maps and land
classification system is designed to provide guidance to the Dare County Planning Board and Board of
Commissioners in the review of new subdivisions, amendments to the zoning ordinance and other land
use ordinances, and to provide guidance to property owners and citizens on the desired land use
patterns and infrastructure systems of unincorporated Dare County.
The future land use maps are also referenced by CAMA officials during the review of CAMA major
permits. The narrative descriptions and the map are designed to be used in conjunction with policy
statements in the management topics to ensure a balanced review of CAMA major permit applications.
Throughout the narrative descriptions of each future use classification are discussions on the
availability of infrastructure improvements, the type of improvements typically found in each future
use category, and any future or planned infrastructure improvements. During the review of CAMA
permits, CAMA officials should consult the policy statements that may be applicable to the provision of
infrastructure improvements in making determinations of consistency and/or inconsistency within a
specific classification. Due to the scale of the maps, it is sometimes difficult to make site specific
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Future Land Use Maps I
boundary interpretations and consultation with the local Planning officials is encouraged for map '
determinations of a particular future land use map classification.
The CAMA guidelines grant flexibility to local governments in the selection of future land use
categories. The future land use designations used in this update are similar to the land classifications
used by Dare County in previous land use plan updates. Some changes in the titles and designations '
have been made for compliance with the CAMA guidelines. The future land use categories reflect
current conditions and are as follows municipal, transition corridor, community, community village, '
community residential, rural, conservation, and limited conservation. Copies of the future land use
maps for Dare County are found in the at the end of this section.
Municipal '
The purpose of this classification is to illustrate the boundaries of the existing towns and ,
cities. For Dare County, this classification has been applied to the incorporated areas of Manteo, Nags
Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Southern Shores, and Duck. The land use plans prepared by these '
municipalities contain more specific information on land classification and future use patterns in their
respective jurisdictions. Municipal areas are depicted as the color gray 0
Transition Corridor
The purpose of the transition corridor category is to provide for more intensive development '
on lands that are suitable and will be provided with the necessary infrastructure and services to
support urban -style development. Connection to a central water system can be expected for this
classification. Service by a central wastewater system may be used on land included in the '
classification but is not necessary. The connection to a central wastewater system will not result in
reduced minimum lot sizes under Dare County standards. This area is depicted as yellow on I
the future land use map.
Roanoke Island -- One area on Roanoke Island between the southern boundary of the Town of '
Manteo and Pirates Cove has been assigned the transition corridor classification. This area remains
in the regulatory jurisdiction of Dare County but land uses in this area are often connected to the Town '
of Manteo's central wastewater treatment plant and water system. The Dare County Justice Center,
Administration Building, and the Dare County Center are located within this land class. The
availability of central wastewater and existing patterns of development will continue to influence land '
use in this area hence the designation as transition corridor. The area is zoned 1-1, industrial or C-3
commercial. Both districts permit land uses that are consistent with urban -style development.
Structures in commercial or industrial zoned areas are subject to a gross floor limitation of 20,000 '
square feet as established in the Dare County Zoning Ordinance. Residential development, including
multifamily development at a dwelling density of 8 units per acre, is consistent. Multifamily I
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Future Land Use Maps
development is required by the Dare County Zoning Ordinance to have a centralized or community
wastewater system. The minimum lot size for new subdivisions is 15,000 square feet for property
served by central water. Some of the development that is connected to the Town of Manteo
wastewater treatment can be expected to be annexed by the Town of Manteo in the future. As part
of the agreement to provide wastewater treatment services, land uses must be developed to be
compliant with the Town of Manteo's land use ordinances. This requirement is in recognition of the
potential for future annexation by the Town. Dare County is currently in the planning and design
stage of a central water system for Roanoke Island. Once complete (anticipated completion is 2012)
all of Roanoke Island will be served by a central water supply.
Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo —An area along NC 12 in these three villages has been designated as
Transition Corridor. This classification is in recognition of the S-1 zoning that applies throughout the
area and all areas except for those established platted subdivisions have been designated as Transition
Corridor on the future land use map. The S-1 zoning district permits all uses. Central water from the
Dare County water system is available. Wastewater is provided by individual on -site septic systems.
Multi -family dwelling density limitations for the S-1 areas are a range of 3-5 units per acre depending
on the soil composition of individual sites. The higher the percentage of wetlands soils on a tract, then
the lower the dwelling density for multifamily structures. The minimum lot size for new lots is 15,000
square feet if connected to central water. Development along the NC 12 corridor is mainly
commercial with an emphasis on tourist -related goods and services. Several properties in the area
have been developed with a mixture of multi -family structures and business uses. Commercial
structures are limited to a maximum gross floor area of 20,000 square feet. It is anticipated that this
corridor will continue to be developed commercially even if use specific zoning maps are adopted
within the next five-year planning period Redevelopment of existing older structures along the
corridor can be expected to take advantage of the highway frontage of NC 12 and the broad nature of
the S-1 zoning district.
KDH Outside/Colington — A transition corridor designation has been applied to those portions of
Colington Road that are zoned with commercial designations on the zoning map for the Colington/KDH
Outside area: VC-2, C-3, and CS. These zoning classifications and associated range of permitted and
conditional uses are consistent with the transition corridor designation. Businesses located along
Colington Road are designed to serve the needs of the KDH outside/Colington communities.
Commercial structures are limited to a gross floor area limitation of 20,000 square feet. Residential
uses may be permitted in some of these areas however most property has been developed in a
commercial fashion. Multifamily development is consistent only in areas zoned C-3 at a dwelling
density of 8 units per acre. Redevelopment of other areas along Colington Road can be expected over
the next 5-year planning period. The minimum lot size for new lots is 15,000 square feet if connected
to central water. Central water from the Dare County water system is available in this area.
Wastewater is addressed through the use of on -site wastewater systems.
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Avon Portions
1
— of the NC 12 corridor that are zoned commercially on the Dare County Zoning map for
Avon have been designated as a transition corridor in recognition of its zoning class. (C-2, C-3 or VC)
Many of the properties are already developed as a commercial use. Many of the commercial land
'
uses are dedicated to the delivery of tourist -related goods and services. Commercial structures are
limited to a gross floor area of 20,000 square feet. Some single family residential uses are mixed into
'
the commercial development. Multifamily structures are compatible in this area at a dwelling density
of 6 units per acre as established by the zoning regulations. The minimum lot size for new lots is
15,000 square feet if connected to central water. Central water is available from the Dare County
'
water system and the majority of the businesses utilize on -site individualized system for wastewater
treatment. The exception is the commercial areas of the Kinnakeet Shores Shopping Center which is
'
connected to the central wastewater treatment plant that serves the Kinnakeet Shores Soundside
Subdivision. This privately -owned package treatment plant is designed to serve the commercial areas
of Kinnakeet Shores and the residential portions of Kinnakeet Shores Soundside Subdivision. Future
'
development and re -development activities along this transition corridor are expected to follow
established patterns of tourist -related goods and services.
'
Buxton — All areas i r
a n Buxton along NC 12, Old Lighthouse Road and the Buxton Back Road that have a
commercial or industrial zoning designation on the Buxton zoning map have been assigned the
'
Transition Corridor designation.. The Cape Hatteras High School is located along the NC 12 corridor.
The Dare County Fessenden Center is also located in Buxton and serves as an important recreation and
community -gathering facility. Commercial structures are limited to a gross floor area limitation of
'
20,000 square feet. Multi -family structures at a density limitation of 6 units per acre are consistent
with this future land use map designation. Central water is available in this transition area from the
'
Dare County central water system. The minimum lot size for new lots is 15,000 square feet if
connected to central water. Wastewater is typically addressed through the use of individual on -site
systems although there is an existing central wastewater system in place at the former Coast Guard
'
base that served the base facilities. Future development activities along this corridor are expected to
focus on providing services for the residents of Hatteras Island and the visitors to the area.
'
Frisco —Along the NC12 frontage, a transition corridor designation has been mapped for Frisco village.
This classification is in recognition of the S-1 zoning that applies to all of Frisco except for the Buxton
'
Woods area. The S-1 district permits all uses. Existing development in the transition corridor area is a
mixture of residential and commercial land uses often located adjacent to each other with an emphasis
on service -oriented uses such as real estate offices, automobile repair, and outdoor storage. Central
'
water from the Dare County water system is available. Wastewater is provided by individual on -site
septic systems. There is no central wastewater facility in Frisco. Multi -family dwelling density
'
limitations for the S-1 areas are a range of 3-5 units per acre depending on the soil composition of
individual sites. The higher the percentage of wetlands soils on a tract, then the lower the dwelling
density for multifamily structures. The minimum lot size is 15,000 square feet for property served by a
'
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'
feet.
central water supply. Commercial structures are limited to a gross floor area of 20,000 square
It is anticipated that this transition corridor will continue to be developed with a mixture of businesses
'
and residential uses. Future development can be expected to follow the established patterns taking
advantage of the S-1 zoning with the construction or location of a use that may not be possible in other
'
more restrictive commercial areas found in Avon, Buxton or Hatteras.
Hatteras -- The NC 12 frontage in Hatteras village has been designated with a transition corridor
'
classification along the those portions of NC 12 zoned C-2H on the Hatteras zoning map. Commercial
uses are small-scale developments serving the year-round population with some commercial
development aimed at the seasonal visitors, especially near the NC Department of Transportation ferry
'
facilities at the terminus of the village. The minimum lot size for newly platted lots is 15,000 square
feet for property served by central water. Hatteras village is served by central water from Dare
County. The only on -site central wastewater facility serves an existing multifamily project which was
'
required by the zoning classification of the site. Continued development and re -development
activities in this transition corridor are expected to follow the established patterns. There are a couple
'
of large undeveloped tracts on the oceanfront that previously featured multifamily structures. These
structures were destroyed in 2003 during Hurricane Isabel. Re -development of these tracts consistent
with the current zoning classification and future land use map designation is expected to occur in the
'
next five years. Multifamily structures at a dwelling density of 4 units per acre as permitted are
consistent with the Hatteras village transition corridor.
Manns Harbor —An area along Highway 64-264 has been designated Transition Corridor on the future
land use map for Manns Harbor. This area is consistent with the area zoned MH-B on the Manns .
'
Harbor zoning map and all permitted uses in the MH-B district can be expected in this transition
corridor area. The zoning districts established for Manns.Harbor limit commercial uses to a maximum
gross floor area of 20,000 square feet. Central water is currently not available in this area and on -site
septic systems are used for wastewater treatment. Multifamily uses at a range of 3-6 units per acre
depending on the soil composition are permitted in the MH-B zoning district and consistent in this
'
future land use designation. The minimum lot size for newly platted lots served by private wells is
20,000 square feet.
Community
The purpose of the Community class is to provide for clusters of mixed land uses at low
'
densities to help meet the housing, shopping, employment, and other needs of the less -densely
populated areas of unincorporated Dare County. Central water is consistent with the Community
'
classification to ensure a safe and viable drinking water supply although some of the villages assigned
this classification are not located within the service boundary of a central water system. Minimum lot
sizes are set at 20,000 square feet for new lots served by private wells and 15,000 square feet for areas
'
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Section Two Future Land Use Maps
served by a central water system. A central water supply may be provided in these areas as noted in
each area discussion. Central wastewater treatment facilities are not available except as noted in the
individual village discussions and then only to serve specific areas where soil conditions preclude the
use of on -site septic systems. The areas designated as Community are colored purple on the
future land use map. Individual village discussions areas follows:
East Lake — East Lake is largely rural in nature with a handful of commercial uses located along the US
64 highway frontage. Although the area is unzoned, a gross floor area of 20,000 square feet was
established for East Lake in 2006. It is anticipated that a zoning map for East Lake will be adopted
during the next 5-year planning period. Soil conditions are severely limiting in the East Lake
community thus impacting the scope of future development activities. On -site septic tank/drainfield
systems are used for wastewater treatment and private wells are used for potable water. Central
water is not available in East Lake. Minimum lot sizes are set at 20,000 square feet for new lots served
by private wells which equates to a dwelling density of 2 units per acre. The planned four -lane
expansion of US 64 through the village is anticipated to result in some increased development activity
however the poor soil conditions and lack of central water and wastewater facilities will serve as
limiting factors.
Stumpy Point - Since the 2003 LUP update, a zoning map for Stumpy Point has been adopted by the
Dare County Board of Commissioners. Residential development is limited to single family structures
and mobile homes. Commercial uses are designed to serve neighborhood needs. Central water is
available in Stumpy Point. Wastewater has historically been managed by on -site septic tank drainfield
systems however a central wastewater collection and treatment facility is scheduled for completion in
2010 to mitigate existing public health concerns that exist in Stumpy Point due to the use of
malfunctioning or outdated septic systems. The minimum lot size for newly platted lots is 15,000
square feet for lots served by central water/central wastewater. This equates to a density of less than
3 units per acre. Future development in the Stumpy Point area is anticipated to be limited by its
remoteness from the more populated communities of Dare County. Residential homes with very
limited commercial development is expected over the next planning period.
Community Village
This is a sub -classification of the Community classification that was developed during the 2003
land use plan update process. The purpose of this sub -class is to identify areas with a mixture of low -
density residential dwellings, various commercial services and small retail businesses in a village
environment. Water -related land uses and facilities such as boat building, fishing, fish processing and
crabbing are characteristic of this sub -class. This sub -class seeks to preserve the unique mix of land
uses that distinguish a non -urbanized coastal village and to prevent the introduction of urban
influences or development that changes or overwhelms the existing patterns of land use by disrupting
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Section Two Future Land Use Maps
the "village" environment. Land disturbing activities that alter or remove vast amounts of vegetation,
alter natural drainage patterns, or which divert storm water into surface waters are considered
incompatible with this sub -classification. Central water is appropriate as a means of insuring a water
supply that is not vulnerable to fluctuations in the shallow water table and the introduction of
pollution from on -site septic systems. Wastewater services are discussed in each individual
community area for this classification. It is depicted as orange on the future land use map.
Wanchese —All of the Wanchese tax district is classified as Community Village. Central wastewater
treatment plants are not compatible with this sub -class except if located within the Wanchese Seafood
Industrial Park for the facilities and operations internal to the Seafood Industrial Park. Since the 2003
update, a use -specific zoning map has been adopted for the Wanchese tax district. The Wanchese
zoning map establishes zoning regulations for residential uses, not to include multifamily structures, at
a minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet regardless of the source of potable water. This minimum lot
size equates to a 2 unit per acre dwelling density. Dare County is currently in the planning and design
stage of a central water system for Roanoke Island. Once complete (anticipated completion is 2012)
all of Roanoke Island will be served by a central water supply. The commercial zoning districts for
Wanchese include gross floor area limitations of 10,000 square feet as detailed in the individual zoning
districts. Future development can be anticipated to continue to serve the needs of the residents and
businesses of Wanchese.
Historical note -- Previous land use plan updates have addressed the land classification of the site of
the Globe Fish Company docks in Wanchese and assigned the land class of "transition" to this site.
This site is a natural deep water port and has been in use for shipping and harbor activities for
hundreds of years. Commercial shipping activities at this site pre -date all regulatory activities and/or
land -use planning documents in Dare County. This site continues to hold potential for commercial
shipping, aquaculture, aquaculture related research facilities and loading and docking use. Given the
historical nature of this site, the Transition classification is the appropriate land classification for the
site despite the presence of indicators that might otherwise lead to the placement of the site in a more
restrictive land classification. This area is not depicted on the future land use map for Wanchese due
to the small scale of the map however this narrative shall serve as the definitive classification of the
site.
Hatteras — the Community Village sub -class applies to those areas of Hatteras village located outside
the transition corridor boundaries and zoned NH, RS-1, and R2-AH on the Hatteras village zoning map.
Residential uses, include single family homes, mobile homes, and handful of commercial uses,
including campgrounds, can be found in these areas. Evidence of the commercial fishing industry can
be found throughout the Community Village areas of Hatteras. Central water is available from the
Dare County central water system. Minimum lot sizes are 20,000 square feet if served by private
wells and 15,000 square feet for lots served by central water for a range of 2-2.8 units per acre
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depending on the connection to central water. Central wastewater is consistent with the Community
Village sub -class if mandated by the zoning regulations that apply in Hatteras village. Future
development patterns can be expected to follow the existing land use patterns with only minor
development in the established residential areas. Development of campground areas and larger
vacant tracts may occur in a pattern consistent with the Community Village category and the R2-AH
zoning classification.
KDH Outside/Colington Several areas of Colington are designated as Commercial Village to reflect the
commercial fishing history of the area. These areas are generally zoned as R-26 on the Colington
zoning map. The existing uses are predominantly single family residences and mobile homes, many of
which are located in mobile home parks. Central water is available from Dare County and wastewater
is addressed through the use of individual on -site septic systems. Minimum lot sizes are 20,000
square feet if served by private wells and 15,000 square feet for lots served by central water for a
range of 2-2.8 units per acre depending on the connection to central water. Multifamily structures are
not compatible with the Community Village designation in Colington as supported by the associated
zoning districts that apply in this area. Re -development of some of the mobile home parks may occur
within the next five or ten years however such re -development will most likely be of a residential
nature unless a change in the current zoning is secured by the property owners
Avon — The area of Avon known as old Kinnakeet village has been designated Community Village on the
future use map for Avon. This reflects its rich history as a fishing village and the Community Village
designation is consistent with the existing land use patterns found in this area of Avon. Most of the
existing structures are single family homes, mobile homes, several churches and fish houses around
the harbor area. There are a handful of small commercial uses and a campground which are consistent
with the Community Village designation. Central water is available from Dare County and wastewater
is addressed through the use of individual on -site septic systems. Minimum lot sizes are 20,000
square feet if served by private wells and 15,000 square feet for lots served by central water for a
range of 2-2.8 units per acre depending on the connection to central water. Multifamily structures are
not permitted by the zoning district that applies to this area of Avon. The future development of the
area will continue to be residential development with limited commercial.development designed to
serve the community or associated with the fishing industry.
Manns Harbor/Mashoes The majority of Manns Harbor/Mashoes area has been classified as
Community Village to reflect the existing land use patterns and compatibility with the zoning
classification that applies to the area , MH-A. Most of the existing development consists of residential
homes including mobile homes, several churches, boat building operations, a nursery/landscaping
business, and a State ferry landing maintenance facility. Central water is currently not available in this
area of Mainland Dare County and potable water is provided by the use of individual private wells.
Wastewater is managed through the use of individual septic tank/drainfield systems. Multifamily
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'
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structures are not consistent in areas designated Community Village in Manns Harbor/Mashoes. The
minimum lot size for new lots is 20,000 square feet for lots served by on -site private wells and septic
'
systems. This equals a dwelling density of 2 units per acre. The existing pattern of mixed business uses
and residential structures is expected to continue in Manns Harbor/Mashoes over the next several
'
years.
Community Residential
'
This is a sub -class of the Community classification. The Community Residential classification is
used to identify areas predominantly developed with low density residential dwellings. Other land
'
uses may include small businesses, governmental services, educational services, and passive
recreational activities associated with natural, cultural, and historic resources and facilities. Central
water is appropriate in this sub -class as a means of ensuring a water supply to land uses identified as
consistent with the zoning regulations. Central wastewater is currently not available in this district or
currently identified as necessary to support the land uses identified for this land classification. This
classification seeks to preserve the existing low density development and to prevent the introduction
of land uses that are incompatible with the residential setting such as sand mining and other land
disturbing activities that alter or destroy natural vegetation, topography, or drainage patterns. Land
disturbing activities that alter or destroy existing natural vegetation, drainage, topography, and sand
hills are not considered compatible and are discouraged. Prescriptive vegetation removal and best
management practices of the NC Forest Service are encouraged. These areas are depicted as pink
on the future land use map.
'
Additionally, there are many areas that have been designated Community Residential that are
platted subdivisions that feature established patterns of residential development that can be expected
to continue. Development in these established, stable areas will occur on the remaining vacant platted
'
lots consistent with the applicable residential zoning classification and any protective covenants
enforced by private property owners and homeowners associations. The development will continue
to be single family homes although it is recognized that some of the residential structures will be used
as vacation rentals.
' Roanoke Island —The Community Residential sub -class applies to the area of Roanoke Island generally
known as the north end or the unincorporated portions of Roanoke Island north of the Town of
' Manteo boundary and the area south of the US 64-Highway 345 intersection kwon as Skyco. A
majority of the area is comprised of existing platted subdivisions that can be described as "stable"
neighborhoods. Residential structures, including multifamily structures are permitted according to
' the zoning map established for this area, in the range of 4-8 units per acre. The multifamily dwelling
density limits are set by the applicable zoning classification. Pockets of commercially -zoned areas are
' located on the north end with permitted uses dedicated to neighborhood retail and service -oriented
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Section Two Future Land Use Maps
uses except for the industrially -zoned area near the Dare County Detention Center. The Skyco area
also features some commercial uses along Highway 345. A large tract of land has been purchased by
the State of North Carolina in the Skyco area that will be developed as the University of North Carolina
Coastal Studies Institute. The development of this campus is expected to occur within the next five
years. Gross floor area limitations may apply according to the applicable zoning district. Most of the
area relies on private wells for drinking water and on -site septic systems for wastewater. The
minimum lot sizes range from 15,000 square feet for property served by a central water supply and
20,000 square feet for property using private wells for drinking water. Dare County is currently in the
planning and design stage of a central water system for Roanoke Island. Once complete (anticipated
completion Is 2012) all of Roanoke Island will be served by a central water supply.
Martins Point —the Martins Point Subdivision is classified as Community Residential. Martin's Point is
a stable neighborhood of mostly year-round residents. Permitted uses are limited by the MP-1
zoning district that was created for the residential portions of the Martin's Point Subdivision and
include single family homes with customary accessory uses. No commercial uses are permitted in the
MP-1 district. The minimum lot size is 15,000 square feet for lots connected to central water and
20,000 square feet for lots utilizing private wells for potable water. The density range is 2-2.8 units per
acre depending on the type of water service. Central water is available in Martin's Point. Septic
tank/drainfield systems are used for wastewater treatment.
KDH Outside/Colington — Several areas of KDH Outside/Colington have been designated as Community
Residential with many of these areas featuring well established neighborhoods. Residential
development is mostly year-round single family homes with some mobile homes and a small area of
multifamily structures. The area is served by the Dare County central water system and is primarily
dependent on septic tank systems for wastewater except for the Baycliff Subdivision which is
connected to a small privately -owned package treatment plant and the Colington Pointe development
which is served by a centralized wastewater system. The minimum lot size for new lots is 15,000
square feet with connection to a central water supply (approximately 2.8 units per acre).
Avon — An area in Avon has been classified as Community Residential due to its primarily residential
nature and the residential zoning classifications applied to these areas. In the platted subdivisions,
residential growth will continue on the vacant lots. Central water is available in all areas of Avon and
all areas except for the Kinnakeet Shores Soundside Subdivision rely on individual on -site wastewater
treatment systems, generally septic tanks. A privately -owned and operated package treatment
plant serves the soundside portions of the Kinnakeet Shores Subdivision. Multi -family development in
the R-2 zoned areas is consistent with the Community Residential category at dwelling densities of 6
units per acre as established by the Zoning Ordinance.
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' Buxton — A large area of Buxton has been classified as Community Residential. The Community
Residential designation has been applied to those lands zoned R-1, R-2A, and R-3 on the Buxton zoning
' map. The Community Residential areas of Buxton are a mixture of single family homes and mobile
homes Central water is available from Dare County and wastewater is addressed through the use of
' on -site individual septic systems. Development in these areas will follow the established mixed
patterns of single family homes and mobile homes. Minimum lot size is 15,000 square feet for newly
divided lots that are served by central water. For those areas designated Community Residential and
' zoned R-3 on the Dare County Zoning map, multifamily structures are permitted at a dwelling density
of 6 units per acre.
' Frisco -- Some areas located in Frisco village have been designated Community Residential. Existing
development in Frisco is influenced by the presence of the Buxton Woods maritime forest and its
' buffer area and the S-1 zoning district which permits all uses. The Community Residential designation
has been applied to several existing platted subdivisions where private subdivision covenants restrict
development to single family homes. Central water is available in Frisco from the Dare County water
' system. Minimum lot sizes are 20,000 square feet if served by private wells and 15,000 square feet
for lots served by central water for a range of 2-2.8 units per acre depending on the connection to
' central water. Central wastewater is not available in Frisco and development relies on on -site
individual wastewater systems for sewage treatment.
' Hatteras —Those areas that are zoned R-2H in Hatteras village have been designated as Community
Residential. This designation has been applied to reflect the existence of multifamily developments in
the village and is consistent with the R-2H zoning which permits multifamily structures at a dwelling
' density of four units per acre.
Rural
The Rural classification is to identify those areas that may be used for agriculture, forestry,
' mineral extraction, or other land uses that because of their potential impacts on surrounding land uses
should be located in a remote setting. Individual private wells and on -site wastewater systems are
used in this classification. Central water and centralized wastewater treatment are currently not
' provided in this classification. Newly platted lots are based on a minimum square footage of 20,000
square feet or two units per acre. A central water supply to ensure a safe drinking water source would
' be appropriate. This classification is depicted on the future land use map as blue hashed areas.
For unincorporated Dare County, the rural classification has been applied to several tracts of land on
' the Mainland due to their remote location from surrounding neighborhoods or the existing land use.
The Dare County landfill located on Highway 264 is included in the Rural classification.
I
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Section Two
Conservation
Future Land Use Maps I
The purpose of this classification is to provide for the effective long-term management and
protection of significant, limited, or irreplaceable areas. Management of the areas is needed due to
the natural, recreational, scenic, or natural productive values of such lands. Development is not
encouraged on privately -owned Conservation -classified lands. When authorized, development should
be limited to residential development and traditional accessory uses permitted in the CAMA AECs such
as but not limited to piers, docks, and crab -shedders. Development by federal agencies is exempt from
local zoning regulation. However, Dare County encourages federal agencies to consider impacts on
adjoining lands and Dare County's communities. Urban -style services are considered incompatible
with the Conservation land class. Land disturbing activities should not occur unless in conjunction with
an authorized development. Permitted density for residential development range from 2 to 2.8 units
per acre depending on the availability of central water. Authorized development should include
provisions and conditions that minimize impacts to any natural, cultural, historic, and scenic values of
the areas authorized for development. Conservation areas are depicted in the color green.
This classification applies to all CAMA AECs and all federal lands except for the bombing ranges on the
Mainland and some state-owned lands in Frisco and Buxton. The bombing range area is denoted on
the future land use map as "other federal lands" and activities in this area are regulated and managed
by the U.S. Department of Defense. This designation was done at the request of the Department of
Defense in the 2003 update and has been included again in this latest update. The State-owned
property in Buxton and Frisco that comprises the Buxton Woods Coastal Preserve has also been
designated with the Conservation class.
Limited Conservation
This is a sub -class of the Conservation classification. The purpose of this sub -class is to provide
for the management and long-term viability of essentially undeveloped land that is compatible with a
limited range of uses according to specific guidelines. Land placed in this sub -class includes maritime
forests. Limited Conservation appears on the future land use map as color _brown .
Buxton/Frisco All privately -owned lands in the villages of Frisco and Buxton that are zoned SED-1 or
privately -owned lands located in the SED-1 buffer area are classified as Limited Conservation. The
SED-1 zoning districts are depicted on the Buxton and Frisco zoning maps. The SED-1 buffer area is
described in the Dare County Zoning Ordinance. Development in Limited Conservation areas shall be
consistent with the SED-1 zoning regulations for those areas zoned SED-1. For the SED-1 buffer,
development activities shall be consistent with the standards of the SED-1 buffer and other applicable
zoning regulations. The minimum lot size for SED-1 zoned property is 40,000 square feet, one unit per
acre. Land clearing is restricted in the SED-1 zoned areas and the SED-1 buffer area. The minimum
lot size in the SED-1 buffer areas is 15,000 square feet if connected to a central water supply and
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Section Two Future Land Use Maps
20,000 square feet if utilizing private wells. Central water is available in the Buxton and Frisco areas
from the Dare County water system. Wastewater services are generally provided by on -site individual
wastewater systems.
Mainland — One area on the Mainland has been designated as Limited Conservation. The area is
currently undeveloped and consists mainly of marshland area.
Future Land Use Needs
Tables 33-37 on the following pages are acreage totals from the future land use maps and
comparisons to the projected land use needs calculated in Section 1. The CAMA guidelines require
such estimates to demonstrate consistency with the future land use projections. Table 25 in Section 1
projects a total of 11,935 acres of land will be developed in the year 2030. In analyzing the acreage
totals for each FLUM category, some assumptions have been made regarding the rate and patterns of
future development in unincorporated Dare County as follows:
• Based on the current economic situation in Dare County and elsewhere, development is
not expected to occur at the robust rate experienced from 2000-2006. Development activities, as
evidenced by building permit activity, have decreased substantially since 2006.
The County does not anticipate a full build -out within the planning period. It should be
empathized that these projections are designed to provide a general picture of where development
can occur and is expected to occur during the next planning period and do not represent any stated
preference or non -preference of Dare County.
As noted in Section 1 in Table 25, 68% of the existing development is residential, 12% is
commercial land uses and 20% is institutional uses. Much of the institutional development that
occurred in the last decade involved the construction of schools in unincorporated Dare County and
the construction of County facilities on Roanoke Island and Hatteras Island. These facilities are
designed to serve the needs of the educational system and the governmental needs for the next
decade and beyond. The rate of institutional development is not expected to occur at the pace
previously cited in Section 1. It is anticipated that the majority of future development will continue
to be residential with some commercial development. Commercial development in the
municipalities will continue to supplement the retail and service needs of the unincorporated areas.
Table 36 includes projections for development in each FLU category. It is anticipated that
there will little or no development in the Conservation land use class. In the Rural class, development
activities are anticipated to be minimal over the next planning period. Although some development
activities are compatible in these areas as detailed in the narrative sections for Conservation on page
217, most of the lands designated as Conservation are federally -owned lands of the Department of
Interior or if privately -owned are limited by federal and state development regulations for wetlands.
Based on these factors, no developed acreage amounts are included in Table 36 for the Conservation
Page 218

Section Two Future Land Use Maps
class. For the Rural class, only a 2% increase in the total amount of land development rate is included
in Table 36.
The areas designated as Limited Conservation may experience some development, especially in
the Buxton Woods area, but such development will be residential as established by the SED-1 zoning
that applies to the majority of Buxton Woods. An estimated development rate of 10% is anticipated
for the Limited Conservation areas.
The Other Federal Lands future land use designation has been included at the request of the
Department of Defense for the military bombing ranges on the Mainland of Dare County. No acreage
for this classification has been indicated in Table 36 since it does not represent opportunities for
private sector development purposes
The majority of commercial development is expected to take place in those areas designated as
Transition Corridor on the FLUM. Based on historical patterns of development, commercial land uses
represent a smaller percentage of development than residential or institutional development. A total
development percentage of 75% is estimated in Table 35 for the Transition Corridor class. Residential
and institutional uses may occur in the Transition Corridor area as consistent with the Dare County
zoning regulations.
For the Community future land use designation, a development rate of 20% has been used.
Some development, mostly residential, may occur in the Community classed areas on the Mainland but
it is not anticipated to occur at the higher rates that have been used for the other areas of Dare
County. Poor soil conditions, low elevations, and the rural nature of the areas designated Community
are the reasons for the lower rate.
For the Community Village and the Community Residential classifications, a 45% estimated and
70% development rate has been applied in Table 35 Based on existing developed land use percentages
These two classifications account for the majority of unincorporated Dare County and will most likely
areas to experience significant development over the next planning period. The majority of the
development will be residential in nature although commercial and institutional uses may also occur as
permitted by the Dare County zoning regulations.
As previously stated, the estimated development rates used in Table 36 are simply estimates
prepared by Dare County and development activities may occur at rates that are greater or less than
the rates provided in Table 36. These percentage rates should not be used for permit decisions by
property owners, federal or state permitting agencies or other parties.
Page 219
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Section Two
Table 33 Acreage Calculations for the FLUM Classifications
Future Land Use Maps
T Corr
Comm
C Vlge
C Rsd.
Cons
L
Cons.
O Fed
Rural
TOTAL
Colington
125
0
516
943
416
0
0
0
2000
Martins
Point
0
0
0
294
0
0
0
0
294
Rodanthe
233
0
0
206
3
0
0
0
442
0
0
119
50
0
0
0
395
329
0
0
137
105
0
0
0
571
108
0
328
736
141
0
0
0
1313
444
0
0
494
3714
391
0
0
5044
i226
581
0
0
226
1703
445
0
0
2955
215
0
509
114
51
0
0
0
890
111
0
2657
3530
5055
0
0
0
11353
177
2940
3106
0
132030
3920
1 44515
1104
1 187792
TOTAL
2551
2940
7116
1 6799
1 143268
4756
44515
1104
213049
Table 34 FLUM Category Acreages/ Percentages
FLUM
Acres
% of Total
Transition Corridor
2551
1.2 %
Community
2940
1.4%
Community Village
7116
3.3%
Community Residential
6799
3.2%
Conservation
143268
67.3%
FLUM
Acres
% of Total
Limited Conservation
4756
2.2%
Rural
1104
0.5%
Other Federal
44515
20.9%
TOTAL
213049
100.0%
Table 35 — FLUM Designations Compared to Existing Use Classifications
FLUM Designation
Existing Use
Classification
Acres in Use
Percentage
Total Acres
Transition Corridor
Undeveloped
927
36%
927
Residential
874
Non-residential
750
64%
1624
2551
100%
2551
Page 220

Section Two Future Land Use Maps I
FLUM Designation
Existing Use
Classification
Acres in Use
Percentage
Total Acres
Community
Undeveloped
2410
82%
2410
Residential
470
Non-residential
60
18%
530
2940
100%
2940
Community Village
Undeveloped
4632
65%
4632
Residential
2148
Non-residential
336
35%
2484
7116
100%
7116
Community Resd.
Undeveloped
2456
36%
2456
Residential
3515
Non-residential
828
64%
4343
6799
100%
6799
Rural
Undeveloped
375
34%
375
Residential
11
Non-residential
718
66%
729
1104
100%
1104
Limited Conservation
Undeveloped
4368
92%
4368
Residential
329
Non-residential
59
8%
388
4756
100%
4756
Conservation
Public
143268
143268
Other Federal
44515
44515
213049
213049
i ne existing use categories in Table 35 are defined as residential —single-family homes, duplexes, multifamily,
mobile homes and mobile home parks; non-residential — commercial, industrial, institutional uses including
improved federal, state, and local properties; undeveloped --all vacant, privately -owned land; and public -- all
undeveloped federal, state or county property.
Table 36 Comparison of FLUM and Projected land Needs
Column A
Column B
Column C
Column D
Column E
Column F
FLUM
TOTAL in
Total in
Residential
Non-
Undeveloped
TOTAL
Development
Development
residential
2010
2030
Transition
1624 acres
1913 acres
1030 acres
883 acres
638 acres
2551 acres
Corridor
(64%)
(75%)
2551 Acres
Community
530 acres
588 acres
521 acres
67 acres
2352 acres
2940 acres
2940 acres
(18%)
(20%)
Community
2484 acres
3202 acres
2769 acres
433 acres
3914 acres
7116 acres
Village
(35%)
(45%)
7116 Acres
Community
4343 acres
4759 acres
3852 acres
907 acres
2040 acres
6799 acres
Residential
(64%)
(70%)
6799 acres
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H
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Section Two Future Land Use Maps
Column A
Column B
Column C
Column D
Column E
Column F
FLUM
TOTAL in
Total in
Residential
Non-
Undeveloped
TOTAL
Development
Development
residential
2010
2030
Rural
729 acres
750 acres
32 acres
718 acres
354 acres
1104 acres
1104 Acres
(66%)
(68%)
Limited
388 acres
476 acres
413 acres
63 acres
4280 acres
4756 acres
Conservation
(8%)
(10%)
4756 acres
Conservation
0
0
0
0
0
143268 acres
(3)
143268 acres
Other Federal
0
0
0
0
0
44515 acres
44515 acres (3)
213049acres
10098
11688
8617
3071
13578
213049
Projected
11935
8116
3819
acres in
development .
from Table 25
Notes for Table 36
1. Column A is from Table 35 acres dedicated to residential and non-residential development
2. The estimated acres in Column C and Column D are based on the ratio of development established in Table 35. For
example, in the Transition Corridor residential land use of represents 54% of the 1624 acres in development in 2010.
This percentage was applied to the estimated year 2030 of development of 1913 acres for a total of 1030 acres.
3. No development anticipated for these two classifications
4. Total taken from Table 25, Section 1 Projected Acres in Development in 2030
5. In Table 35 are defined as residential — single-family homes, duplexes, multifamily, mobile homes and mobile home
parks; non-residential -- commercial, industrial, institutional uses including improved federal, state, and local
properties; undeveloped --all vacant, privately -owned land; and public -- all undeveloped federal, state or county
property.
As evidenced by the totals in Table 36, the amount of land estimated for development is 11688 acres
which is less than the projected total from table 25 of 11935 acres.
Table 37 was produced at the request of the CAMA officials. Its purpose is to estimate the potential
water users in unincorporated Dare County in the year 2030. This information is not intended to be
.used for permitting decisions by the local officials or by state or federal agencies. It is also not
intended to conflict with any water usage information that may be produced by the Dare County
Water Department. The information included in the table is to illustrate projected utility users based
on the future land use estimates provided in this document as requested by the Division of Coastal
Management. These future land use predictions are not intended to be used for infrastructure
planning or capital improvements planning by Dare County but represent general estimations to
demonstrate the ability to support the County's future land use needs.
Page 222

Section Two Future Land Use Maps I
Table 37 — Estimated Utility Demand 2030
Column A
Column B
Column C
Column D
Column E
Column F
Estimated
Estimated
Average
Total
Total
Projected
Acreage in
Development
Dwelling
Projected
Projected
Water
Development
Unit per
Residential
Non-
Demand
2030 (1)
Acre
Users
residential
MGD (2)
(B x C)
Users
(B xD)
FLUM Designations
Transition Corridor
1913 acres
Transition Corridor
1030 acres
2.5 units
2575
0.515
(residential)
Transition Corridor
883 acres
2.5 units
2207
1.103
(non-residential)
Community
588 acres
Community
521 acres
2.0 units
1176
0.235
(residential)
Community
67 acres
2.0 units
134
0.067
(non-residential)
Community Village
3202 acres
Community Village
2769 acres
2.0 units
5538
1.107
(residential)
Community Village
433 acres
2.0 units
866
0.433
(non-residential)
Community Residential
4759 acres
Community Residential
3852 acres
2.0 units
7704
1.541
(residential)
Community Residential
907 acres
2.0 units
1814
0.907
(non-residential)
Rural (4)
750 acres
750 acres
2.0 units
n/a
n/a
n/a
Lmtd Conservation (6)
476 acres
Lmtd Conservation
413 acres
1.0 unit
413
0.082
(residential
Lmtd Conservation
63 acres
1.0 unit
63
0.031
(non-residential)
TOTALS
11688
11688
17406
5084
6.021
NOTES for Table 37
7
L
1- Developed acreage amounts taken from Table 36, Column B '
2 — Based upon an average consumption of 200 gpd for residential users and 500 gpd for non-residential users.
3 — Non-residential includes commercial, industrial and institutional users
4 —All land classified as Rural is located outside of the service district of a central water supply. '
5 —The only County operated wastewater treatment plant Is located in Stumpy Point, a 50,000 gpd facility.
Page 223 1

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Section Two Future Land Use Maps
Analysis of Policies and Future Land Use Map
The CAMA guidelines require that local governments analyze their policies and the future land
use maps for consistency with land use ordinances and local zoning districts. Matrix 7 includes those
policies that have been determined by the Planning staff to have a direct relationship to the zoning and
subdivision ordinances. A ranking of general consistency, conditional consistency, or inconsistency, or
not applicable has been used. Those policies that do not have a direct relationship to the zoning or
subdivision ordinance have been listed as not applicable.
The density and intensity of each future land use category used on the future land use maps
must also be analyzed. Matrix 8 illustrates the density and intensity standards of each future land use
map category. Six items are listed for each category: infrastructure/services which details the
availability of central water and wastewater services; the minimum lot size for each category; the
dwelling density per acre for those categories in which multifamily structures are consistent with the
future land use category; and multifamily structures are permitted by the applicable zoning district;
commercial floor area limitation for each land use category; a range of building heights permitted in
the category; and a range of maximum lot coverage for each category. The information included in
this matrix is for illustrative purposes and has no bearing on permit decisions for CAMA permits or
federal consistency determinations. This information is not intended to serve as statements of
support (or non-support) for development proposals but merely to reflect the information as currently
contained in the Dare County Zoning Ordinance. This information is not intended for the purposes of
"consistency determinations" in the consideration of zoning ordinance amendments, subdivision
ordinance amendments, or other land use decisions that may be considered by the Dare County Board
of Commissioners subsequent to the adoption of the 2009 Land Use Plan.
The CAMA guidelines also require local governments to perform an analysis of the relationship
of the policies and future land use map designations to zoning regulations and subdivision regulations.
Some of the policies in the 2009 update do not relate to the regulations of the zoning and/or
subdivision ordinances. This is especially true of the policies included in the local areas of concern
management topic while other management topics have a direct relationship to the zoning and
subdivision ordinances. Matrix 9 has been provided to illustrate the consistency of the future land use
map categories with the existing zoning regulations in each community of unincorporated Dare
County. A status ranking of general consistency, conditional consistency, inconsistency, and not
applicable has been indicated beside each zoning district title. These rankings indicate the status level
of the zoning district relative to the future land use map category. A majority of the rankings indicate
general consistency between the future land use map designation and the individual zoning districts
for each village. There are three instances where a ranking of conditional consistency has been
indicated. The villages of Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo are zoned S-1, which permits all uses. A future
land use designation of community residential has been applied to those existing platted residential
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Section Two Future Land Use Maps
subdivisions. The ranking of conditional consistency has been assigned to reflect the broad scope of
uses permitted by the S-1 zoning classification although the existing land use patterns in the
community residential areas is predominantly single family homes in platted subdivisions that are also
subject to subdivision restrictive covenants for residential use. In Frisco village, the S-1 zoning applies
to all areas except for the Buxton Woods maritime forest which is zoned SED-1. A ranking of
conditional consistency has been applied to the areas zoned S-1 but designated community residential
on the future land use map to reflect the expansive nature of the S-1 zoning relative to the areas
designated community residential due to the established land use patterns of single family homes in
platted subdivisions which are further restricted by private subdivision covenants. The conditional
consistency has also been applied to the areas of Frisco subject to the SED-1 buffer. Although these
areas are zoned S-1, they are subject to the land clearing restrictions and dwelling density limitations
that do not apply district -wide to the other S-1 zoned areas. The conditional consistency rank is used
to indicate the presence of the SED-1 buffer restrictions and the limited conservation future land use
designation which apply although the area maybe zoned S-1, which permits all uses.
Comparison of Environmental Composite Map, Land Suitability Map and the Future
Land Use Maps
In comparing the Environmental Composite Map with the Land Suitability Map there are no material
differences in between these two maps. All areas depicted as Class 3 on the Environmental Composite
Map have been depicted as Unsuitable Due to Regulatory Protection on the Land Suitability Map.
These areas are generally coastal and/or estuarine wetland areas that are under the regulatory
jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers and/or the Division of Coastal Management. Development
proposals in these wetland areas are subject to review by these federal and state agencies according to
strict guidelines, if development is allowed to occur at all. Site specific mapping of wetland areas is
performed by field personnel on a site -by -site basis at the time a site is under consideration for permits
by these agencies.
On the Future Land Use Maps, some wetland areas that would ordinarily be protected from
development or classified as "conservation" are shown as Community, Community Residential,
Community Village, or Transition Corridor for ease of interpretations of the Future Land Use Map since
wetland areas must be mapped by field personnel on a site specific basis. The wetland areas and their
development potential are typically limited by federal and state regulations regardless of the Future
Land Use Map designation assigned by Dare County. In some instances, tracts of land may contain
both wetland areas and suitable land for development and can be developed in a manner that protects
the wetland areas. The future land use map designations are applied to recognize such situations and
that fact that wetlands must be mapped on a case -by -case site specific basis. The review process for
site plans and subdivision plans by Dare County will be used to ensure that all federal and state
Page 225

Section Two
Future Land Use Maps
agencies have been involved to the extent necessary based on individual site characteristics and
natural resources impacts.
In addition, the definition of a "wetland" has been known to change based on policy directives at the
federal level and administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This makes the mapping of broad
areas of wetlands almost impossible, prompting the apparent conflict between the maps that is
resolved by site specific evaluations at the time land is proposed for development.
Page 226

MAP 17A
Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo
Conservation
Community Residential}i
Transitional Corridor
RODANTHE'
I T�
I
WAVES
SALVO
ACRES Rodanthe Waves Salvo Total k,
Transitional Corridor 232.62 225.54 329.44 787.6
Community Residential 205.94 118.65 137.11 461.7 —
Conservation 25 49.5 104.63 104.63
0 1,250 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 -
Feet
PAGE 227

MAP 17B
Avon
Community Residential (736.18 Acres)
Transition Corridor (108.28 Acres)
Community Village (328.32 Acres)
Conservation(140.58 Acres)
0 5001000 2.000 3,000 4.000 5.000
Feet
PAGE 228

MAP 17C
i
Feet I
0 1.000 2.000 4.000 6.000 8.000
Buxton
= Limited Conservation (390.78Acres)
F-ITransition Corridor (443.89 Acres)
Conservation (3714.42 Acres)
Community Residential (494.76 Acres)

Frisco
Transition Corridor (580.76 Acres)
Community Residential (226.38 Acres)
Limited Conservation (444.96 Acres)
Conservation (1702.67Acres)
r
0 1.000 2.000 4,000 6,000 8.000
Feet
MAP 17D
r
r \ r7 2 ,;
\ -MTT7
PAGE 230
Iaus
0 1.000 2.000 4,000 6,000 8.000
Feet
MAP 17D
r
r \ r7 2 ,;
\ -MTT7
PAGE 230
Iaus

1
r -W.

MAP 17G
PAGE 233

Roanoke Island
J
Town of
Manteo
i
t Wanchese
A
Community Village (2,657 Acres)
Community Residential (3,530 Acres)
Transition Corridor (111 Acres)
Conservation (5,055 Acres)
© US Department of the Interior (Nags Head Jurisdiction)
l
Municipal
r�7/jj Town of Nags Head ETJ
Feet
0 3.000 6.000 12,000 18.000 24.000 30,000
r
PAGE 234
W
MAP 17H

u_0"
MASHOES
ALLIGATOR RIVER
NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE
MANNS
HARBOR
EAST LAKE
ALLIGATOR RIVER
NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE
_ Community (2,940Acres)
® Community Village (3.105) Acres
® Rural (1,104Acres)
Dare County
O Transition Corridor (177Acres)
Mainland
- Limited Conservation (3.920 Acres)
Conservation (132.030Acres)
Other Federally Owned Properties (44.515Acres)
1.180,000
Feet
0 5,00010,000 20,000 30,000
40,000 50,000
I,
Area Enlarged
STUMPY
POINT
0

Section Two
Matrix 7
RELATIONSHIP OF POLICIES TO ZONING REGULATIONS
Status: general consistency, conditional consistency, inconsistency, and not related
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— PUBLICACCESS POLICIES
STATUS
COMMENTS
PA #1 preservation and protection of access to public trust areas and waters
Not related
PA#2 reserves right to oppose or support any federal or state programs that affect
access
Not related
PA #3 recognizes importance of shoreline access and seeks to expand opportunities
Not related
PA #4 importance of ORV access and opposition to prohibit beach driving
Not related
PA#5 Bonner Bridge replacement with access to all areas
Not related
PA #6 protect of working waterfronts
Not related
PA # 7 beach nourishment support
Not related
PA # 8 Access to wildlife areas
Not related
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— LAND USE COMPATIBILITY
STATUS
COMMENTS
LUC#1 importance/preservation of coastal village heritage
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC#2 Development should reflect coastal heritage in design and site features
General Consistency
Possible ordinance amendments
included as implementation strategy
LUC#3 Preferred residential development
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC#4 alternative opportunities to address workforce housing needs
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC#5 encourages locally -owned business
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC #6 commercial development should be village -oriented, not regional
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC#7 Commercial development should reflect coastal heritage, not franchise
designs
General Consistency
Possible ordinance amendments
included as implementation strategy
LUC #8 redevelopment should be consistent with applicable codes
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC #9 Industrial development should be sensitive to environment; commercial
fishing, boat building recognized as consistent with coastal heritage.
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC #10 Diversification of local economy such as medical services, and educational-
research facilities
Not related
LUC #11 potential conflicts with airports on surrounding areas.
General Consistency
Possible ordinance amendments
included as implementation strategy
LUC #12 expansion of bombing range
Not related
LUC #13 administration of dune alteration standards
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC #14 tree clearing and land disturbance done in responsible manner
General Consistency
Possible ordinance amendments
included as implementation strategy
LUC #15 protection of historical and significant lands, structures, and artifacts
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC #16 evaluation of additional land by public agencies
Not related
Page 236

Section Two
Matrix 7
RELATIONSHIP OF POLICIES TO ZONING/SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
Status: general consistency, conditional consistency, inconsistency, and not related
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— LAND USE COMPATIBILITY
STATUS
COMMENTS
LUC #17 administration of SED-1 zoning
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LUC #18 commercial forestry to be consistent with BMPs
Not related
LUC #19 BMPs for agricultural uses
Not related
LUC #20 Opposes wholesale livestock operations
Not related
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— INFRASTRUCTURE CARRYING CAPACITY
STATUS
COMMENTS
ICC#1 Minimum lot size not reduced due to use of central wastewater treatment
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
ICC#2 Maintenance of private wastewater treatment plants
Not related
ICC#3 on —site wastewater treatment and off -site centralized treatment
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
ICC#4 drip -irrigation wastewater treatment facilities
Conditional
Consistency
Possible ordinance amendments
included as implementation strategy
ICC#5 provision of public services
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
ICC #6 replacement of Bonner Bridge
Not related
ICC#7 regional transportation needs
Not related
ICC #8 development of sidewalks, and bike paths
Not related
ICC #9 new subdivision streets
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
ICC #10 regional solid waste participation
Not related
ICC #11 opposition to petro-chemical. In jurisdictional lands or waters
Not related
ICC #12 national energy policy
Not related
ICC #13 alternative energy sources
Conditional
Consistency
Possible ordinance amendments
Included as implementation strategy
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— NATRURAL HAZARDS
STATUS
COMMENTS
NH#1 oceanfront development
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
NH#2 estuarine shoreline development
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
NH#3 support for bulkheads and other shoreline erosion methods
Not related
NH#4 development of estuarine island
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
NH#5 Federal flood insurance program
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
NH#6 construction techniques to address flood and erosion
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
NH#7 full-time local emergency management office
Not related
NH#8 recovery priority of infrastructure
Not related
NH #9 mitigation of repetitive losses
Not related
NH#10 priority ranking for permits following a storm
Not related
NH #11 relocation of sand following a storm event
Not related
NH #12 sea level rise
Not related
Page 237

Section Two
Matrix 7
RELATIONSHIP OF POLICIES TOZONING/SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS
Status: general consistency, conditional consistency, inconsistency, and not related
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— WATER QUALITY
STATUS
COMMENTS
WQ#1 effects water quality of inland regions
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
WQ#2 development designed for minimal impacts on water quality
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
WQ#3 protection of groundwater resources
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
WQ#4 local management of stormwater
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
WQ#5 stormwater regulations based on local conditions and reflect local zoning
standards
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
WQ#6 public health issue of standing water and mosquitoes
Not related
WQ#7 protection of coastal wetlands
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
WQ#8 Corps nationwide permit program
Not related
WQ#9wetland mitigation
Not related
WQ#10 bulkheads and other erosion control methods
Not related
WQ #11 protection of ecosystems for commercial fisheries
Not related
WQ #12 regulation of commercial fisheries by state and federal agencies
Not related
WQ#13 aquaculture
Not related
WQ#14 commercial fishing and vehicular access
Not related
WQ#15 marina development
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
WQ#16 floating homes and structures
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
MANAGEMENT TOPIC— LOCAL AREAS OF CONCERN
STATUS
COMMENTS
LAC#limportance of ORV access to beaches
Not related
LAC#2 expansion of federal/state programs
Not related
LAC#3 impacts of vast amounts of public lands on Dare County
Not related
LAC#4 fast -tracking of public purpose projects through federal and state review
Not related
LAC#5 federal/state consideration of adjacent land uses
Not related
LAC#6 support for eco-tourism
Not related
LAC#7 quality of life issues for permanent population
Not related
LAC#8 importance of tourism to area
Not related
LAC#9 public participation in land use planning
General Consistency
Supported by current standards
LAC #10 support for dredging and channel maintenance
Not related
LAC#11maintenance of Oregon Inlet
Not related
LAC#12 acquisition of Buxton Coast Guard base
Not related
LAC #13 insurance rates in Dare County
Not related
Page 238

Section Two
Matrix 8
FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY/DENSITY
LAND USE MAP
INFRASTRUCTURE/SERVICES
MINIMUM LOT SIZE
MULTIFAMILY DENSITY
COMM. FLOOR
AREA LIMIT
TRANSITION
Central Water service is available
20,000 sq ft for private wells
C2-H four units per acre for Hatteras
20,000 square feet
CORRIDOR
Central Wastewater is available from Town of Manteo
15,000 sq Ft for central water
village
On -site central wastewater for specific development
15,000 sq ft for central water
R-3 zoning of 6 units south of
sites may be required by Zoning Ordinance for
and central wastewater
Oregon Inlet and 8 units north of
multifamily
Oregon Inlet (C-3 and 1-1)
On -site individual wastewater systems
R-2 zoning of 4 units per acre
S-1 zoning of 3-5 units per acre
MHB zoning of 3-5 units per acre
SNC zoning of 6 units per acre
COMMUNITY
Central water is available
20,000 sq ft for private wells
East Lake is unzoned
20,000 square feet
Central wastewater is available in Stumpy Point
15,000 sq Ft for central water
Multifamily structures not permitted
for commercial uses
On -site individual wastewater systems
15,000 sq ft for central water
In Stumpy Point zoning
and central wastewater
COMMUNITY
Central Water service is available
20,000 sq ft for private wells
R-3 zoning of 6 units south of
20,000 square feet
RESIDENTIAL
On -site central wastewater for specific development
15,000 sq Ft for central water
Oregon Inlet and 8 units north of
for commercial uses
sites may be required by Zoning Ordinance for
15,000 sq ft for central water
Oregon Inlet (C-3 and 1-1)
multifamily
and central wastewater
R-2 zoning of 4 units per acre
On -site individual wastewater systems
S-1 zoning of 3-5 units per acre
MHB zoning of 3-5 units per acre
SNC zoning of 6 units per acre
COMMUNITY
Central Water service is available
20,000 sq ft for private wells
Multifamily structures not permitted
20,000 square feet
VILLAGE
Central Wastewater is available In Wanchese Industrial
15,000 sq Ft for central water
in Community Village areas
10,000 square feet
Park
20,000 sq ft for central water
for Wanchese zoning
On -site central wastewater for specific development
and central wastewater In
districts
sites may be required by Zoning Ordinance for
Wanchese
multifamily
15,000 sq ft for central water
On -site individual wastewater systems
and central wastewater
CONSERVATION
Central Water service is available
20,000 sq ft for private wells
Multifamily structures not permitted
Not applicable
On -site individual wastewater systems
15,000 sq Ft for central water
in Conservation areas
15,000 sq ft for central water
and central wastewater
Page 239

Section Two Matrix 8
FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY/DENSITY
LAND USE MAP
INFRASTRUCTURE/SERVICES
MINIMUM LOT SIZE
MULTIFAMILY
COMM. FLOOR
DENSITY
AREA LIMIT
LIMITED
Central Water service is available
40,000 square feet in SED-1
SED-1 buffer zone 3
20,000 square feet for
CONSERVATION
On -site central wastewater for specific development sites may be
20,000 sq ft for private wells
units per acre
commercial uses
required by Zoning Ordinance for multifamily
15,000 sq Ft for central water
On -site individual wastewater systems
15,000 sq ft for central water
and central wastewater
RURAL
Central Water service is available
20,000 sq ft for private wells
East Lake is unzoned
20,000 square feet for
On -site individual wastewater systems
15,000 sq Ft for central water
commercial uses
Page 240

Section Two
Matrix 8
FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT INTENSITY/DENSITY
LAND USE MAP
BUILDING HEIGHTS
LOT COVERAGE
TRANSITION
52' for Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, and S-1 zoned areas of Frisco and ocean overlay areas of Hatteras
30% to 50% for residential uses in Avon, Buxton,
CORRIDOR
village
Frisco, Hatteras. Colington, Manteo Outside tax
35' to 52' for Avon, Buxton village
district
45' for Hatteras
60% for commercial and industrial uses
35' for Colington and Manteo Outside tax district
35' to 52' for Manns Harbor MH-B district
COMMUNITY
45 ' for East Lake (unzoned)
COMMUNITY
52' for Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo and S-1 zoned areas of Frisco
30% to 50% for residential uses in Avon, Buxton,
RESIDENTIAL
35' to 52' for Avon, Buxton village
Frisco, Colington, Manteo Outside tax district
45' for Hatteras village
60% for commercial uses
35' for Colington and Martin's Point, Manteo outside tax district
30% for Martin's Point
COMMUNITY
35' to 52' for Avon village
30% to 50% for residential uses in Avon, Buxton,
VILLAGE
45' for Hatteras village
Frisco, Hatteras, Colington, Wanchese districts
35' for Colington
60% for commercial uses
40' for Wanchese districts
35' to 52' for Manns Harbor district
CONSERVATION
35' - 52'depending on applicable zoning
30% for residential uses
LIMITED
35' SED-1 zoned areas of Buxton and Frisco
30% for residential uses
CONSERVATION
35' for NH zoned areas
RURAL
35' for NH zoned areas
30% for residential uses
Page 241
M

Section Two Matrix 9
FUTURE LAND USE MAP CATEGORY CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
Transition
Community
Community
Community
Conservation
Limited
Rural
Corridor
Residential
Village
Conservation
Martins
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Point
MP-1
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
Colington
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
RS-1
General
General
Consistency
Consistency
R-1
General
Consistency
R-1A
General
Consistency
R-2
General
Consistency
R-2g
General
Consistency
R-3
General
Consistency
R-4
General
Consistency
NH
General
Consistency
VC-2
General
Consistency
CS
General
Consistency
C-3
F
General
Consistency
Page 242

Section Two
Matrix 9
FUTURE
LAND USE
MAP CATEGORY CONSISTENCY
ANALYSIS
Transition
Community
Community
Community
Conservation
Limited
Rural
Corridor
Residential
Village
Conservation
RWS
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
S-1
General
Conditional
Consistency
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
Avon
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
R-1
General
Consistency
R-2A
General
Consistency
VC
General
Consistency
C-2
General
Consistency
C-3
General
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
BUXTON
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
R-1
General
Consistency
R-2A
Conditional
General
Consistency
Consistency
SED-1
General
Consistency
Page 243

Section Two
Matrix 9
FUTURE LAND USE
MAP CATEGORY CONSISTENCY
ANALYSIS
Transition
Community
Community
Community
Conservation
Limited
Rural
Corridor
Residential
Village
Conservation
BUXTON
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
C-2
General
Consistency
C-3
General
Consistency
1-1
General
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
FRISCO
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
S-1
General
Conditional
Consistency
Consistency
S-1 Buffer
Conditional
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
HAWERAS
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
RS-1
General
Consistency
NH
General
Consistency
R-2H
Conditional
General
Consistency
Consistency
R2-AH ,
Conditional
General
General
Consistency
Consistency
Consistency
Page 244

Section Two
Matrix 9
FUTURE
LAND USE
MAP CATEGORY
CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
Transition
Community
Community
Community
Conservation
Limited
Rural
Corridor
Residential
Village
Conservation
HATTERAS
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
C-21-1
General
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
Manteo Outside
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
NH
General
Consistency
CPR
General
Consistency
R-1
General
Consistency
R-2
General
Consistency
R-3
General
Consistency
RS-8
General
Consistency
C-3
General
Conditional
Consistency
Consistency
I-1
General
Conditional
Consistency
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
Page 245

r M r
Section Two
Matrix 9
FUTURE
LAND USE
MAP CATEGORY CONSISTENCY ANALYSIS
Transition
Community
Community
Community
Conservation
Limited
Rural
Corridor
Residential
Village
Conservation
Skyco
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
SNC
General
Consistency
Wanchese
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
VR
General
Consistency
WR-1
General
Consistency
BT
General
Consistency
RB
General
Consistency
NC
General
Consistency
HML
General
Consistency
WVC
General
Consistency
MC-1
General
Consistency
MC-2
General
Consistency
H345
General
Consistency
WISP
General
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
Page 246

Section Two
Matrix 9
FUTURE
LAND USE
MAP CATEGORY
CONSISTENCY
ANALYSIS
Transition
Community
Community
Community
Conservation
Limited
Rural
Corridor
Residential
Village
Conservation
East Lake
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Unzoned
General
General
Consistency
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
Manns
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Harbor/Mashoes
MH-A
General
Consistency
MH-B
General
Consistency
NH
General
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECS
General
Consistency
Stumpy Point
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
Status
SP-2
General
Consistency
SP-C
General
Consistency
Public
General
Consistency
AECs
General
Consistency
Page 247
M M M M= M = = = = = r= M M= = r

I
� SECTION THREE
1
� Tools for
� Managing Development
1
n
n
H

'
Section Three Tools for Managing Development
'
SECTION THREE -- TOOLS FOR MANAGING DEVELOPMENT
Role of Land Use Plan in Decision Making
'
The Land Use Plan is a policy document that is used by the Dare County Board of
7
I
Commissioners, Planning Board, and Planning Department to guide growth and development in
the unincorporated areas of Dare County. The policy statements, implementation strategies,
and future land use maps are consulted by the Boards and staff during the review of new
development projects, rezoning requests, and other land use issues. Although the land use
plan and the future land use map are not regulatory documents, the documents are important
tools for Dare County. Efforts are made to maintain consistency between the policies and maps
of the land use plan and development proposals and zoning decisions. As of January 2006,
North Carolina statutes require that all local planning boards and board of commissioners issue
a finding of consistency (or inconsistency) on any proposed zoning map or text amendment
regarding the consistency of the proposal with the land use plan or other comprehensive plan.
Zoning map or text amendments can be adopted by local official even if a finding of
inconsistency is determined. However, the finding must identify steps that may be taken to
address any inconsistency with the land use plan or comprehensive plan. Such steps may
include an amendment to the local land use plan or its maps. Land use plans can be amended
if the local conditions merit an amendment before the next update cycle of the entire
document. The CAMA guidelines provide an amendment process for which policies or the
future land use maps can be amended if the local government determines that such an
amendment is necessary. Only the portions proposed for amendment are submitted for
certification by the Coastal Resources Commission in the amendment process. A public
hearing on any proposed LUP amendment must be held by Dare County before the amendment
can be submitted to the Coastal Resources Commission for certification.
For the citizens of Dare County, the land use plan and its maps provide information on certain
issues affecting land development in Dare County and other community issues. Demographic
information, infrastructure service areas, and other information on state and federal regulatory
programs that impact Dare County are also available for consultation by the general public.
The Land Use Plan is used by the staff of the Division of Coastal Management in the review of
CAMA major permit applications for development activities in CAMA Areas of Environmental
Concerns (AECs) and for federal consistency reviews. Every CAMA major permit application is
reviewed for consistency with the policies and maps of the local land use plan. A consistency
determination must be rendered by the CAMA staff before a CAMA major permit can be issued.
If activities proposed in a CAMA major permit application are found to be inconsistent with
local land use plan policies or the future land use map, then the CAMA major permit may not
Page 248

Section Three Tools for Managing Development
be issued.
The Dare County Land Use Plan applies to the unincorporated portions of Dare County
(Hatteras Island, the Mainland, Colington, Martin's Point, and the areas of Roanoke Island
outside the boundaries of the Town of Manteo). The six municipalities in Dare County (Duck,
Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, and Manteo) have all chosen to prepare
and adopt their own land use plans for their respective jurisdictions. These municipal plans
should be consulted for policies and future land use maps specific to these six towns.
Existing Development Management Program
There are numerous federal, state and local programs and ordinances that are involved
in the development process as detailed in the following sections.
Federal
1. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE)—The Corps of Engineers has regulatory responsibility
for wetlands, including Section 404 or freshwater wetlands, and dredging activities.
Permits for wetland alteration and filling activities must be secured from the Corps of
Engineers. A field office is maintained in Washington, NC for the permitting of
nationwide permits and other wetland -related activities. The Wilmington district
office assists with waterway dredging projects in Dare County.
2. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) —This federal agency is responsible
for the enforcement of floodplain management regulations. Dare County delegates the
enforcement of these federal rules to a Floodplain Administrator who works as part of
the Planning Department. The Floodplain Administrator enforces the Dare County
Flood Hazard Ordinance and ensures that all new construction in unincorporated Dare
County complies with flood elevations and other flood -related construction standards.
FEMA also sponsors a Community Rating System that involves a series of incentives for
local governments to promote proper construction techniques and public education of
floodplain regulations for discounts on flood insurance rates. Dare County participates
in the Community Rating System.
3. Department of Interior — The National Park Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service
both own large amounts of land in Dare County. Their management plans and policies
greatly affect the activities of the citizens and visitors of Dare County. The National
Park Service is responsible for management of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and
Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island. This includes enforcing access restrictions on these
federal lands, oversight of federal campgrounds, and visitor information services at
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these sites. The US Fish and Wildlife manages activities in the Pea Island Wildlife
Refuge on Hatteras Island and the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge on the Mainland.
Their duties include maintenance of access facilities for visitors and citizens of Dare
'
County and property management of the wildlife refuges for the animal and bird species
that inhabit the refuges such as the red wolves. Both of the agencies are also involved
'
in the review of transportation and infrastructure projects that are proposed within
their jurisdictions. Examples are the proposed replacement of the Bonner Bridge and
the Alligator River Bridge.
State
1.
Division of Coastal Management — This State agency is responsible for the
'
administration and enforcement of the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) which
applies to the twenty -county coastal region of North Carolina. All proposed
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development in designated CAMA Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs) must be
reviewed and approved under these standards. The Coastal Resources Commission is
an appointed commission which oversees variances and appeals of the CAMA rules,
certifies local land use plans, and revises existing CAMA regulations and/or adopts new
coastal regulations. Dare County assists with the administration of CAMA regulations
'
through the designation of a Planning staff member as a local permit officer for the
review of minor CAMA permits. Major CAMA permits are administered from the
Elizabeth City, NC regional office.
'
2.
Division of Water. Quality -- The Division of Water Quality is the State agency which is
'
charged with the protection and management of surface water quality and groundwater
quality. Part of these duties include the issuance of stormwater management permits in
the coastal area, review of wastewater point source discharges, and water quality
'
monitoring programs. The field office for Dare County is located in Washington NC.
This office is responsible for the review and approval of stormwater management
permits for development activities in Dare County. Another function of the Division of
tWater
Quality is the review and approval of wastewater systems such as spray irrigation
systems or drip irrigation systems.
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3.
Division of Land Resources —This State agency oversees mining activities and is
responsible for the issuance of sedimentation and erosion control permits. The field
'
office for Dare County is located in Washington, NC.
4.
Department of Transportation — Development projects that intersect or connect to
existing State maintained roads must secure NCDOT permits before construction
activities commence. NCDOT also prepares and annually updates the Transportation
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Section Three Tools for Managing Development
Improvement Plan (TIP) which outlines proposed transportation improvements in the
state.
5. Department of Insurance —This department has supervision and regulatory authority
over the State building and fire codes that apply in Dare County and are enforced by the
County building inspectors and Fire Marshal.
6. Dept of Cultural Resources —This State agency is responsible for the identification and
protection of historical and archaeologically significant lands and structures.
7. Division of Environmental Health —On-site wastewater treatment systems that involve
more than 3,000 gallons per day of effluent are subject to review and approval by this
State agency. Smaller systems are approved locally by the Dare County Environmental
Health Department.
loco)
1. The Dare County Planning Department is responsible for the enforcement and
administration of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance, Dare County Mobile Home Park
Ordinance, Dare County Travel Trailer Park Ordinance, and the Dare County Subdivision
Ordinance. The Planning Department also serves as the staff for the Dare County
Planning Board and the Dare County Zoning Board of Adjustment.
2. Dare County Building Inspections and Fire Marshal —The building inspectors and Fire
Marshal serve under the departmental structure of the Planning Department and are
responsible for the enforcement of the NC State building and fire codes.
3. Dare County Health Department —This department is responsible for the review and
approval of on -site wastewater systems that involve less than 3,000 gallons per day of
effluent. Other duties include inspection of restaurants, daycare centers and public
swimming pools.
4. Dare County Water Department —The Dare County Water Department reviews and
approves plans for new developments and subdivisions that will be served by the
central water system operated by Dare County.
5. Dare County Public Works Department —The Dare County Public Works Department is
consulted for comments on the provision of solid waste services and container locations
in new subdivisions and new commercial buildings.
6. Dare County Capital Improvements Plan —A five-year Capital Improvement Plan is
adopted by the Dare County Board of Commissioners and updated on an annual basis in
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conjunction with the operating budget process. The CIP outlines capital needs and
details the estimated costs, description, and anticipated funding sources for capital
projects. A capital asset is defined as an asset with a value of $50000 or more and a
useful life of five years or more. A Capital Improvements Committee composed of
County staff members and members of the Board of Commissioners prepares the CIP for
adoption by the entire Board of Commissioners. Items included in the plan are
submitted by the various County departments and agencies based on the infrastructure
needs and departmental needs. A copy of the current CIP is available on the Dare
County website at www.darenc.com.
Action Plan for 2009 Update
The CAMA regulations require the inclusion of an "action plan" or schedule for the
implementation strategies that have been identified in Section Two of the LUP update. The
implementation strategies are arranged by management topic and the associated policy or
policies. A projected implementation date for consideration or action by Dare County is
included with the implementation strategy. Some of the implementation strategies represent
on -going activities undertaken by Dare County and have been so noted. Some of the
implementation strategies indentify new regulations that should be considered or amendments
to existing ordinances that should be considered.
Public involvement is an important component in the development of the LUP update and
during the implementation phase as well. Efforts to ensure continued public input will be
undertaken by Dare County as follows:
1. Notification of proposed ordinance adoption or ordinance amendment as required by
North Carolina General Statutes. This involves advertised of the ordinance or
amendment in a local newspaper of general circulation and often notification of
adjoining property owners depending on the type and scope of proposed regulations.
In some instances, more prominent newspaper advertisements may be used to
supplement the traditional legal advertisement in the interest of increased public
awareness.
2. Posting of proposed implementation actions on Dare County website: www.darenc.com
3. Electronic notification to local media list. This list is developed by the Dare County
Public Relations Department and updated as needed.
4. Coordination of other County departments as needed.
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Section Three
Action Plan for 2009 Update
Action Plan for 2009
Implementation Strategies for Public Access Management Topic
Associated Polity
Target Date for
Implementation
Identify and pursue appropriate grant opportunities for access sites to public
Public Access Policy #3
2010-2015 when
trust waters and public trust areas. Any new public access sites shall address
appropriate grant
the needs of handicap persons and address those needs to the maximum
opportunities occur
extent practicable in working with the natural conditions of the site.
Continue to actively participate in the negotiated rule making process with the
Public Access Policy #4
2010 -2015 or until
National Park Service in developing a plan for vehicular and pedestrian access
process is complete
to all beaches of Dare County.
Defend and assist with legal interventions that would allow continued off -road
Public Access Policy #4
2010-2015 as needed
vehicle access for federal beaches.
Continue to monitor efforts of NC Department of Transportation to permit and
Public Access Policy #5
2010-2015
construct replacement for the Bonner Bridge.
Develop a comprehensive inventory of working waterfront and other
Public Access Policy #6
2010
waterfront access areas in unincorporated Dare County.
Support efforts by the Shoreline Management Commission to address issues
Public Access Policy #7
2010-2015 on -going
associated with shoreline erosion, public access, and other related issues that
involve the ocean beaches and estuarine shorelines in Dare County.
Work with federal agencies to ensure continued access to federal property in
Public Access Policy #8
2010-2015 on -going
Dare County for hunting, fishing, and other similar activities.
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Section Three
Action Plan for 2009
Implementation Strategies for land Use Compatibility
Associated Policy
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Identify amendments to the Dare County Zoning Ordinance and other land use
LUC #2
2010-2015 as needed
ordinances that may be necessary to implement management objectives for
residential and commercial development. This may include the elimination of
drive-thru window restaurant service in all commercial and S-1 zonings
districts and building design standards for commercial structures.
Administration of existing regulations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for
LUC #3
2010-2015 on -going
minimum lot size, dwelling density, building height and other standards for
residential development.
Administration of Family Housing Incentive Standards (section 22-58.2) of the
LUC #4
2010-2015 as needed
Dare County Zoning Ordinance to address workforce housing needs.
Inventory of older existing commercial businesses and consideration of zoning,
LUC #5
2010
amendment to ensure their replacement or repair in the event of damage
from a natural disaster.
Identify amendments to the Dare County Zoning Ordinance and other land use
LUC #5
2010 -2015 as needed
ordinances that may be necessary to implement management objectives for
LUC #6
residential and commercial development. This may include the elimination of
LUC #7
drive-thru window restaurant service in all commercial and S-1 zonings
districts and building design standards for commercial structures.
Rely on existing dimensional standards of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance
LUC #5
2010-2015 on -going
for dwelling densities, lot coverage limitations, and commercial gross floor
LUC #6
area limitations.
LUC #7
Study legality of regulations designed to address the proliferation of tourist-
LUC #5, LUC #6
2011
oriented retail establishments.
LUC #7
Work with East Lake residents to review zoning alternatives for this area.
LUC #5, LUC #6, LUC #7
2011
Consider development of incentives for "green" building techniques and
LUC #8
2011
energy efficient construction standards.
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Section Three
Action Plan for 2009
Implementation Strategies for Land Use Compatibility
Associated Policy
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Rely on the standards of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for the siting and
LUC #9
2010-2015 on -going
development of industrial development of both maritime -related uses and
non -maritime related uses.
Enforcement of the Airport Overlay zoning regulations to address land uses,
LUC #11
2010-2015 on -going
especially building height issues, on land adjacent to and surrounding the Dare
County Regional Airport on Roanoke Island.
Adoption of additional airport overlay regulations, as needed, to address land
LUC #11
2011-2012
uses on land adjacent to and surrounding the Billy Mitchell Airstrip in Frisco,
NC.
Administration of Section 22-58.1 Dune Alteration Standards of the Dare
LUC #13
2010-2015 on -going
County Zoning Ordinance.
Promote best management practices by referrals to State agencies and work
LUC #14
2010-2015
with Outer Banks Homebuilders Association to promote best management
practices with local general contractors.
Evaluate the need to establish regulations for the placement of fill material on-
LUC #14
2012
private property.
Explore local interest in establishing a formal historic preservation program
LUC #15
2012
focused on the unincorporated areas of Dare County.
Administration of the SED-1 zoning ordinance.
LUC #17
2010-2015 on -going
Implementation Strategies for Infrastructure Carrying Capacity
Associated Policy
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Application of minimum lot size standards of Dare County Zoning Ordinance
ICC #1
2010-2015 on -going
and the Dare County Subdivision Ordinance for the development of new
subdivisions in unincorporated Dare County.
Require the establishment of escrow accounts for maintenance and repairs for
[CC #3, ICC#4
2010-2015 on —going
any new privately -owned centralized wastewater facilities approved for
development in unincorporated Dare County.
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Section Three Action Plan for 2009
Implementation Strategies for Infrastructure Carrying Capacity
Associated Policy
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Consider standards to address the use of drip irrigation wastewater facilities,
ICC #4
2011
especially in VE flood zones.
Copies of proposed site plans and subdivisions shall be sent to appropriate
ICC #5
2010-2015 on -going
Dare County agencies and State agencies for review and comment.
Continue to lobby State and Federal agencies for replacement of Bonner
ICC #6
2010-2015 on —going
Bridge and the long-term protection of NC 12.
Administer Street standards of Subdivision Ordinance for new subdivisions
ICC # 9
2010-2015 on -going
approved in unincorporated Dare County.
Consider expansion of residential recycling and commercial recycling programs
ICC #10
2012-2013
to facilitate greater volumes of recycling materials.
Amend Dare County Zoning Ordinance or other land use codes as may be
ICC # 13
2010-2015 as needed
necessary in response to alternative energy sources.
Implementation Strategies for Natural Hazards
Associated Polity
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Rely on existing CAMA AEC regulations to address development activities
NH #1
2010-2015 on -going
along the ocean beaches, estuarine shoreline, and other public trust areas in
unincorporated Dare County. Dare County will continue to participate in the
CAMA permitting process with the provision of a local permit officer for
unincorporated Dare County.
Rely on existing regulations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for
NH #1
2010-2015 on -going
development activities along the ocean front.
Rely on existing CAMA AEC regulations to address development activities
NH #2
2010-2015 on -going
along the ocean beaches, estuarine shoreline, and other public trust areas in
unincorporated Dare County. Dare County will continue to participate in the
CAMA permitting process with the provision of a local permit officer for
unincorporated Dare County.
Rely on the regulations of the Dare County Zoning Ordinance for development
NH #2
2010-2015 on -going
activities along estuarine shoreline areas.
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Section Three
Action Plan for 2009
Implementation Strategies for Natural Hazards
Associated Policy
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Oppose efforts to eliminate the use of estuarine bulkheads or other efforts
NH #3
2010-2015 as needed
designed to prioritize or amend the current State regulations on their
installation and maintenance.
Administration of Dare County Flood Ordinance and continued participation in
NH #5
2010-2015 on -going
Community Rating System to result in reduction in flood insurance rates for
property owners in unincorporated Dare County.
Work with Dare County Emergency Management personnel on storm hazard
NH #7, NH #8, NH #9,
2010-2015 on -going
mitigation and reconstruction issues as needed.
NH #10
As may be needed following flooding or overwash events in which the issue of
NH #11
2010-2015 as needed
sand relocation may be pertinent.
Implementation Strategies for Water Quality
Associated Policy
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Enforcement of dune alteration standards of Section 22-58.1 of the Dare
WQ #1
2010-2015 on -going
County Zoning Ordinance
Implementation and enforcement of CAMA use standards for Buxton Woods
WQ #2
2010-2015 on -going
wellfield AEC and Buxton SED-1 zoning regulations.
Continue full-time staff of mosquito control program
WQ#6
2010-2015 on -going
Continued support of local permit officer for CAMA for implementation and
WQ #7
2010-2015 on -going
enforcement of CAMA use standards for coastal wetlands.
Oppose efforts eliminate the use of estuarine bulkheads or other efforts
WQ#10
2010-2015 as needed
designed to prioritize or amend the current State regulations on their
installation and maintenance.
Continued support of the Dare County Commission of Working Watermen
WQ #12
2010-2015on-going
As may be needed in response to National Park Service efforts on beach
WQ #14
2010-2015 as needed
driving.
Encourage marina operators to participate in the voluntary Clean Marina
WQ#15
2010-2015 on -going
certification program administered by the State of North Carolina Division of
Coastal Management
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Section Three
Action Plan for 2009
Implementation Strategies for Water Quality
Associated Policy
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Consideration of regulations to prohibit floating homes and structures in
WQ #17
2011
unincorporated Dare County.
Implementation Strategies for Local Areas of Concern
Associated Polity
Target Date for
Management Topic
Implementation
Request North Carolina General Assembly to authorize and establish an
LAC #4
2012
expedited permit process for projects funded by State grants.
Continue working with the Army Corps of Engineers, State and Federal
LAC #9
2010-2015 as needed
agencies to secure permit authorization for (dredging) work as needed.
Lobby the US Congress for a dedicated funding source for the maintenance
LAC #10
2010-2015 on -going
dredging or Oregon Inlet.
Continue to work with our congressional delegation to acquire certain facilities
LAC #11
2010-2015 as needed
the Buxton Coast Guard base.
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