CAMA Land Use Plan-1976

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COASTAL AREA. MANAGEMENT ACT
LAND USE PLAN
DCM COPY DCM COPY
lease do not remove!!!!!
Division of Coastal Management
PENDER COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
PROPERTY OF
DIVISION OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE

(See last page for Certification)

Submitted to
North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission
May 21, 1976
The preparation of this report was financially assisted by grants from the
State of North Carolina, the National Oceanic and Atmgspheric Administration,
and the Coastal Plains Regional Commission.

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NOTICE TO USERS
All major policy related maps and documents are either included within
the text or attached to the back of the plan. However, due to the expense
and technical limitations required for reprinting some illustrations may
be omitted. Complete copies are available for inspection at the N. C.
Coastal Resources Commission offices in Raleigh or at the local government
offices.
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• TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page Number
List of Tables
iv
i -
INTRODUCTION
Purpose of a Land Use Plan in North Carolina
1-2
! Coastal Area Management
Method of Preparing the Plan
1-5
CURRENT CONDITIONS
SECTION I
Population and Economy
Population
I-1
Housing
I-1
Education
I-2
Employment
I-2
County Government Finance
I-4
Agriculture
I-6
Manufacturing
I-7
Outmigration
I-7
Economic Activities Having an Impact
I-8
.on Resources
Existing Land Use
Agriculture
I-10
Forestry
I-12
Recreation
I-13
Urban
I-16
Industry
I-18
Transportation
I-19
Utilities
I-20
. Current Plans, Policies and Regulations
Concerning Land Use in Pender County
i

Plans
I-22
Existing Local Regulations Affecting Land
I-28
Use in Pender County
Constraints
Physical
I-31
Fragile
I-40
i
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Resource Potential
I-53
Community Service Facilities
I-57
ISSUES, OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS SECTION
II
Major Issues and General Alternatives :
East-West Population Characteristics
II-1
Provisions of Service Facilities
II-3
Employment Opportunities
II-5
Drainage.
II-13.
Priorities for Public Services
II-16
Projected Population Growth
II-19
Adopted Objectives and Standards
II-24
AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN SECTION
III
Introduction
The Estuarine System
III-2
The Beach Foredune System
III-4
Outer Banks -Hazard Areas
III-5
Historic and Natural Resource Areas
III-7
FUTURE LAND USE SECTION
IV
The Demand for Land
Factors Influencing Growth
IV-1
Population Distribution
IV-3
Land Classification System
IV-3
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} Residential Land
IV-7
Commercial and Institutional Land
N-10
Industrial'Land
N-10
Recreational Land
N-12
Outside Pressure for Change
N-14
PLAN ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION SECTION
V
Plan Adoption
V-T --
Plan Implementation
V-4
Enactment of Ordinances
V.-4
Coordination of Permit -Letting Authorities
V-5
Related Planning Activities
V-6
Periodic Review and Revision of the Plan
V-7
REFERENCES CITED SECTION
VI
APPENDIX
Public Participation
A

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LIST OF TABLES
Table
Page Number
1-1
Pender County Average Annual. Work Force Estimates
1962' 1972
I-3
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Pender County Average Annual Labor Force Estimates
1970, 1973
I-5
1-3
Pender County Game Species
I-15
1-4
Mean Annual Rate;of Change (feet per year), 1938-1972
I-52
1-5
Areas With Possible Natural Resource Potential
I-54
1-6
Pender County Schools, 1974/1975
I-60
1-7
Pender County Volunteer Fire Departments, 1973
I-64
1-8
Pender County Fire Departments, Type and Condition
of Equipment
I-65
2-1
Population Projections
LI-21
4-1
Population Increase Distribution to Land Classes by
Place -- 1985-8
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INTRODUCTION
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• PURPOSE OF A LAND USE PLAN IN NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL AREA MANAGEMENT
The North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act of 1974 /Chapter
1284 1973 Session Laws (G. S. 113A/ (CAMA) established "....a cooperative
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program of coastal area management between local and State.governments"
whereby "Local government shall have the initiative for planning."
Enactment of CAMA was based upon findings by the General Assembly
that
"Among North Carolina's most valuable resources are its
coastal lands and waters."
"the estuaries are among the most biologically productive
regions of this State and of the nation"
an immediate and pressing need exists to establish a
comprehensive plan for the protection, preservation,
orderly development, and management of the coastal
area of North Carolina."
The CAMA established the.following goals for the coastal area
management system:
"(1) To provide a management system capable of preserving and
managing the natural ecological conditions of the
mestuarine system, the barrier dune system, and the
beaches, so as to safeguard and perpetuate their natural
productivity and their biological, economic and esthetic
values;
"(2) To insure that the development or preservation of the
land and water resources of the coastal area proceeds
in a manner consistent with the capability of the land
and water for development, use, or preservation based
on ecological considerations;
"(3) To insure the orderly and balanced use and preservation
of our coastal resources on behalf of the people of
North Carolina and the nation;
is
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"(4) To establish policies, guidelines and standards for:
(i) Protection, preservation, and conservation of
natural resources including but not limited to
water use, scenic vistas, and fish and wildlife;
and management of transitional or intensely
developed areas and areas especially suited to
intensive use or development, as well as areas
of significant natural value;
(ii) The economic development of the coastal area,
including but not limited to construction,
location and design of industries, port facili-
ties, commercial establishments and other
developments;
.(iii) Recreation and tourist facilities and parklands;
(iv) Transportation and circulation patterns,for the
coastal area including major thoroughfares,
transportation routes, navigation channels and
harbors, and other public utilities and.facili-
ties;
(v) Preservation and enhancement of the historic,
cultural, and scientific aspects of the coastal
area;
(vi) Protection of present common law and statutory
public rights in the lands and waters of the
coastal area."
The planning processes established by the CAMA include:
(a) State guidelines setting the objectives, policies and standards to be
followed in public and private use of land and water within the coastal
area; and (b) a land use plan for each county within the coastal area.
Following the procedures contained in the CAMA, the Board of
County. Commissioners of Pender County declared the intent of the County to
prepare a land use plan in accordance with State Guidelines for Local
Planning in the Coastal Area under the Coastal Area Management Act of 1974
(Guidelines) adopted by the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission
on January 27, 1975, as subsequently amended.
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The Guidelines mandate that each land use plan contain:
1) A statement of Local Land Use Objectives, Policies and
Standards;
2) A Summary of Data Collection and Analysis;
3) An Existing Land Use Map;
4) A Land Classification Map;
5) Written text describing and indicating appropriate
development for Interim Areas of Environmental Concern.
A land use plan is one of many elements that constitute a
comprehensive plan for Pender County. The land use. plan expresses the
way the democratically elected representatives of the people. think the
finite land area should be allocated.to best meet the hopes and aspirations
of the people who live and pay taxes in a specific jurisdiction. A land
use plan can only be thorough when health care, education, transportation,
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economic development, leisure time, and other components of a comprehensive
plan are tested against the people's goals and objectives so they can be
integrated into the land use element.
Pender County's land use plan relies upon those data most readily
.available and focuses upon the major emphases of the CAMA; development
within the capability of the natural resources. Other topics, such as
water and sewer, roads and streets, and employment are consistent with
issues raised by, the public, but are peripheral to establishing a basis for
decision -making with respect to land.
It is Pender County's intention to utilize the plan as a keystone
for all future county activity. The land use plan is a major step in
comprehensive planning for Pender County. Matters such as dommunity develop-
ment projects, land use controls and service facility plans can be based
1-3

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and maintenance of natural and historic resources are preliminarily
identified for later study and decision -making as elements of the
County's comprehensive planning process.
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METHOD OF PREPARING THE PLAN
The Pender County land use plan was developed as an iterative
process among elected and appointed public officials,. the public, and
professional resource specialists.
The iterative process: 1) Sampled public recognition of prob-
lems and opportunities in general terms; 2) defined the known physical,
social, -and institutional setting 3) invited the public to participate
in matching problem solutions with the setting by defining objectives
and.standards for the County; 4) .projected factors consistent with the
selected County goals and the physical restraints; 5) allocated land.
according to the projected magnitude of demand and the physical charac-
teristics -of -the County; and 6) used -the inventory data developed in
step 2 to delineate areas recommended as areas of environmental concern
with a'list of.suggested uses.
Coastal Resources Commission Guidelines emphasize the value of
mapping three sets of data existing land use, land classified according
to projected use in 1985, and areas the county considers to be its areas
of environmental concern. Existing land use and areas of environmental
concern in Pender County were mapped at a scale of 1 inch = 2,000 ft; Land
Classification was mapped at l inch = 2 miles. The basic map medium
was aerial photograph mosaics prepared by the U. S. Agricultural Stabiliza-
tion.and Conservation Service.
The air -photograph maps are easily reproducible and will
serve as a useful public information tool. Additionally, the reproducible
mosaics are available for use as base maps to support other planning
activities and for implementation of the plan.
1-5
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Data describing current conditions in the County were assembled.
from numerous federal, state and local government sources, as listed in
References Cited (p.-VI-1). Where more current or detailed information
than was available in publications was needed, personal communication
with representatives of the publishing agencies were used to.complete the
data collection and analysis. Existing land use was determined by air
photo interpretation based on familiarity with the area and by visual
inspection of structures, vegetation and water. Valuable assistance was
given by zepresentatives of the Agricultural Extension Se vice,.the U. S.
Soil Conservation.Service, and the North Carolina Forest Service in the
determination of both map delineations and current trends. This method
of defining existing conditions permitted rapid identification of hazardous,
fragile, and unique areas which, in turn constitute a major.portion of the
areas that should be of environmental concern.
Details of Pender, County's public participation program are
contained in Appendix A.
The CAMA sponsored land use planning in the County was closely
coordinated with comparable activities conducted by the Atkinson, Burgaw,
Surf City and Topsail Beach Planning Boards. Each of these municipalities
has developed a separate land use plan to guide development within its
political jurisdiction. The municipal plans were formulated.in much the
same manner as the County plan, following the Coastal Resources Commission
Guidelines. No major conflicts between the County and municipal plans
have surfaced. If in the future, conflicts should arise, provisions of the
County plan shall govern, except in cases where a municipal plan imposes
greater restrictions upon land use or greater demands for new development.
1-6

The two beach municipalities encompass all of the developed.
beach area land and each has formulated its own land use plan. Details
of physical, economic and social conditions along the beaches are
covered in each the Topsail.Beach and Surf City plans and are not .
i repeated here. The Pender County plan, instead, deals more extensively
with land use conditions and issues of more county -wide significance and
application.
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POPULATION AND ECONOMY
Population
The population of Pender County was reported to be 18,149
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in the 1970 U. S. Census of Population; the 1960 population was reported
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as 18,508, a decrease of 2 percent from 1960 to 1970 (U. S. Department
of Commerce 1973).
The U. S. Department of Commerce classifies populations as
rural or urban. Areas defined as being within a zone of commercial in-
fluence and having populations of 2,500 or.more are classed as urban; all.
other areas are classed as rural. In 1970 only Burgaw had a population
of over 1,000 persons: 1,744 or 9.5 percent of the county total. The
population distribution is classified as 100 percent rural farm and
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rural non -farm. There has been since 1960,a decrease of 53.5 percent
in rural farm and an increase of 21.5 percent in rural non -farm residents.
The resident population distribution is heavily influenced by
open water and wetland. The areas of greatest population concentration are
along US 117 in the center of the county and between US 17 and the Atlantic
Ocean.
Housing
is `.
According to the 1970 -U.. S...Cp-nsus data, 2,104 (33 percent) of the
6,626 year-round housing units in Pender County lacked some or all
plumbing facilities; of the 5,237 units occupied at that time, 800 (15
percent) were classified as being overcrowded. The median value of owner
occupied housing units was $6,700,and 38.3 percent of all housing was
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classified as structurally deficient. The 1970 situation represents an
improvement from 1960 when 37.9 percent of all dwellings lacked
plumbing facilities, 21.9 percent were overcrowded, and 43 percent of all
housing was classified structurally deficient (U. S. Department of Commerce
1973).
Education
In 1970 the average educational attainment'of Pender County
residents 27 years old or older was 9.3.y.ears for males And;10.2
years for females (fender County Agricultural Extension Service 1973).
During the 1960's,public school expenditures almost doubled; they now
exceed the whole of general government. Public schools are operated by
the county and include five kindergartens, seven elementary, four junior
and.two high schools.
Emplo cent
The 1970 Census shows.a per capita income of $1,713 and a
median family income of $5,390; 28.8 percent of the county's families were
below the then defined poverty level of $3,000.
The Bureau of Employment Security Research of the North
Carolina Employment Security Commission publishes employment data by county,
area and state. Table 1-1 depicts the overall changes in employment in the
county between 1962 and 1972.
Actually, such an "average" does not validly reflect real
employment in Pender County because significant flucutations in employment
and under emplbyment. follow the seasonal patterns of agricultural activi-
ties. Under -employment is highest in January and February due to the
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Table 1-1. Pender County Average Annual Work Force Estimates
1962, 1972.a
1972
1962
Employment 4,960
total 5,100 $ total
Agricultural 2,720
55 1,610 32
Nonagricultural Wage
and Salary 1,560
.31 2,610 51
All Other Non-agricultural 680
14 880 17
Unemployment 420
360
Rate Unemployment 7.8'
6.6
_
S wTotal
Civilian Work Forceb 5,380
5,460
of Employment Security Research, Employment
a Source: North Carolina Work Force Estimates, Bureau
Security Commission of North Carolina, Raleigh, N. C.
bCivilian Work. Force is based largely on a count of jobs by place of work. Publications prior to one of
the most recently released (November, 1974) dealt with the "Work Force" concept in which employment data
are based largely on a count of jobs by place of work. Beginning with the 1974 release, "Labor Force"
estimates are being used instead; the labor force is
the sum of employed and unemployed persons by place
of residence. The labor force estimates reflect the
number of.Pender County.r,.esidents actually employed,
whether -their employment be in Pender_or neighboring
counties. .Because of the change in approach -to
employment data analysis, current employment figures
cannot readily be compared with those developed in
the 1960's.

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slow -down of agricultural activities,.and high again in June following
the end of the spring school semester. However, the above figures
indicate a continuing relative trend from agricultural to non-agricultural..
employment. Agriculture accounted for 55 percent of total employment in
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1962, but only 32.0 percent in 1972. Pender County experienced a gain
of only 230 manufacturing employees between 1962-1972, the largest
increase in employment occurring in the construction industry (Cape Fear
Council of Governments 1973).
Table 1-2, based on employment by place of residence, showsa
decrease in the unemployment rate in the county from 1970 to 1973.
More recent information has not been published, but the Employment Security
Commission preliminary studies show an average unemployment rate of 8.9
percent in 1974 and 13.8 percent as of August 1975.a
County Government Finance
Property taxes in Pender County in 1973 accounted for 80 percent
of the total County tax revenue. Because of the lack of industry and the
limited amount of commercial activity, property tax revenues are rela-
tively small. In fiscal year (FY) 1973-1974, the total assessed
valuation for all real and tangible personal property and utility valuation
was $82,067,119; the tax rate was $1.10b per $100 valuation, producing a
total property tax revenue of $902,736. For comparison, the assessed
aFloyd outland, Bureau of Employment Security Research, Employment Security
Commission, personal communication.
bIn FY 1973-1974 a rate of $.62 was levied for schools and $.48 for pur-
poses other than schools (North Carolina Department of Revenue 1974).
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Table 1-2. Pender County Average Annual Labor Force Estimates 1970, 1973.a
1970 1973
Employment 6,480 $ total 6,820 % total
Agricultural 1,140 18 1,070 16
Nonagricultural Wage
.and Salary 4,940 76 5,350 78
All Other Nonagricultural 400 6 400 6
Unemployment 420. 390
H Rate Unemployment 6.1 5.4
Total Civilian Labor Forceb 6,900 7,210
aSource: North Carolina Labor Force Estimates,.Bureau of Employment Security Research, Employment
Security Commission of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC, 1974.
bCivilian Labor Force is the sum of employed and unemployed persons by place of.residence.

valuation of nearby Brunswick County for the same year was $278,207,620,
which at a rate of $1.42 per $100 valuation produced property tax
revenue of $3,950,547. Pender.County's share of sales taxes in 1973
produced a revenue of $143,000, county shares of states taxes such as
intangibles and beverage taxes added $70,328, for a total County tax
revenue of $1,135,366 (North Carolina Department of Revenue 1974)..
The largest single county expenditure in 1973 was for schools,
amounting to $505,799 or 56 percent of the property tax revenue. Miscel-
laneous expenditures such as allocations to libraries, community
colleges, rural fire control, and farm and home agents accounted for 17
percent.of property tax revenues; welfare allocations including hospital
and aid to dependent children grants accounted for. -another 17 percent of
the total.
Agriculture
Pender,County functions as an economic entity whose primary reason
for being is the productivity, supply and distribution of goods and
services (Wiggins -Rimer and Associates 1973). The distribution of agri-
cultural enterprises is relatively well balanced. Poultry ranks first
in the county followed by tobacco, truck crops, field crops and live-
stock (fender County Agricultural Extension Service 1973). Pender County
farms lead North Carolina in the production of blueberries and commerc,
lettuce. Most of the county's marketing facilities complement its
agricultural production. Egg and blueberry marketing, meat packing and
poultry processing, together with lumber mills, are examples of.the
agricultural base of the County's economy.
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Manufacturing
In 1973 only three non farm and forest manufacturing plants
were located in the county. The North Carolina Division of Commerce
and Industry breakdown of manufacturing firms in Pender County lists a
j
commercial printing firm, a women's apparel firm, and a hosiery manu-
facturing firm employing respectively 1-4, 250-499, and 100-149 persons
each in 1973. All three of these firms are located in Burgaw.
Outmigration
The most serious economic problem in Pender County is the
continued outmigration of people who are not able to find jobs within the.
county. Outmigration, particularly of the Rural Farm sector and Blacks,
accounted for the net decrease in the county's population.between 1960
and 1970 (Cape Fear Council of Governments 1973). Sufficient new jobs
r
are not being created for new entrants into the labor force; the agri-
cultural sector is no longer able to absorb them partially because the trend
in Pender County, as elsewhere, is toward larger farm units that are highly
mechanized and capital intensive, thus less labor intensive.
The loss of young productive potential from the county results
in a relative increase in the residual population in the number of people
45 years old or older, and a proportional rise of those with lower educa-
tion and motivation. The outmigration of high school graduates represents
an export of human capital from the county; the rate of loss of young
people is increasing at the same time as the cost to educate them in-
creases. Earlier economic projections, published before the current
recession, predicted net outmigration ending in the current decade, with
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in -migration of productive workers,attracted by jobs in the county,
increasing between 1980 and 1990 (Cape Fear Council of Governments 1973).
It is still too early to assess the most recent outmigration due to
the economic situation.
The 1970 Census reports that 40..3 percent of the Pender County
work force commuted outside the county to work (Pender County Agri-
cultural Extension Service 1973).. Because of low taxes, many people find
it advantageous to live in Pender County while working elsewhere. To
a certain extent, the county serves as a bedroom community for people
working in New Hanover County., The.public:finance. implications_
of such a situation can be serious. Tax income generated by middle
income housing seldom equals the cost of education, fire and police
protection, and similar services demanded by commuting residents (Real
Estate Research Corp'. 1974). The alternatives are substandard services
or very high tax rates on real property.
Economic Activities Having Impact on Resources
The existing economic activities in inland Pender County do
not seriously affect the land and water resourcesof the county. While
many economic activities, especially agriculture and forestry, depend
upon land and water resources, there are now no major water -using
industries in the county. Growth in industry would in many areas require
supplies of water, would increase the complexity of water quality
management, would generally compete for land that is well suited for
conflicting uses. For example, land that is best suited for industrial
plant siting and residential use is in most cases the best agricultural
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land. Presently, such conflicts are limited to isolated small scale
i
incidents.
In. the immediate coastal area of the county, however, serious
problems have already been encountered as a result of the great demands
placed on the land and water resources. A tremendous growth in tourism
has occurred in the last 20 years, centering on the strip between
US 17 and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW). Increased disposable
income, mobility, leisure time, and access, in the two decades between
1950 and 1970, have resulted in an increase in outdoor recreation and
vacation second -home building in the county; an increased life -span
coupled with affluence has resulted in an increased number of persons
seeking locations for retirement housing. As a result, the market value
of waterfront acreage has increased tremendously, leading to higher and
higher housing densities. As vacation -retirement homes have increased
in number, so have commercial support facilities such as restaurants,
motels and shopping areas. Throughout the US 17 strip, single family
detached dwellings abound, each utilizing subsurface sewage disposal '
methods, and many relying on shallow wells for water supply. Deteriora-
tion of the quality of drinking water, closing of Virginia and Bekkie
Creek shellfish waters to harvesting, traffic congestion, and more
crowded living conditions have already resulted. Yet the demand for
living space, water, and services continues to rise. Presently, the
effects of intensive land use are felt primarily in the summer months
when beach area populations increase manyfold. As permanent residences
become more numerous in the beach areas, however, resultant problems will
be more likely to carry over through the winter months, only to increase
• again in summer.
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EXISTING LAND USE ,
Pender County is the seventh largest county in North Carolina
with a total of fnore than 550,000 acres of land and water, exclusive
of territorial waters of the Atlantic.a In 1967, only 100_ acres were
owned by the Federal government and 63,000 by the State; only 3,913
(0.7 percent) were urban or built-up, the rest being.in farms, forest,
wetland, or woodland (Ospina and Danielson 1973).
Agriculture
According to the North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service,
only one-fourth of the Pender.County area was in farmland in 1973; nearly
one-half of the remaining woodland acreage was agricultural Class II or
III which is suitable for crop production (Qspina and Danielson 1973).
The Extension Service breakdown of agricultural land use reports only
about 62,000 acres of Pender County actually in cropland; there being
some 66,500 acres of farmland in woodland, pasture, and other non -crop
farm uses.
From the standpoint of agriculture, Pender County can be
divided into three sections. The bulk of agricultural production takes
place throughout that section of the county west of the Northeast Cape
Fear River; farming is still practiced to a certain degree along and to
aTheoretically, Pender County's eastern boundary corresponds with the
limit of State jurisdiction three miles off -shore -- the territorial sea.
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the southeast of Hwy. 17. Between these two sections lies a vast area
of predominantly swampland, in which little or no farming is done.
Agriculture in Pender County is diversified. Corn, tobacco,
poultry, soybeans, and sweet potatoes, and swine, dairy and beef cattle.
are grown throughout the county. Other products have a more specialized
geographic distribution depending primarily on soil conditions. Peanuts
are grown in the southeastern part of the county, especially in the
Hampstead and Holly Ridge areas, with a small amount grown in Rocky
Point; blueberries are the specialty southwest of Burgaw, around Currie
and Atkinson, and in the vicinity of Maple Hill; commercial vegetable
crops (snap beans, cabbage, squash, and cucumbers) are limited primarily
a
to the St. Helena area from Burgaw south into Rocky Point and Long Creek.
In the last 15 years many changes have taken place in agri-
culture in Pender County. The number of farms and the number of acres
in farmland have decreased; the average size of a farm, however, has.
increased from 87 acres in 1959 to 115 acres in 1969 (Stone 1974). The
number of acres of farmland harvested has,.also increased. Improvements
in farm machinery, fertilizers, weed and pest control, and advances in
plant breeding have resulted in a general trend toward increased yields
and more cash from fewer acres. In 1969, 30 percent of the farmland
in the county was in the 260-499 acre per farm class, 24 percent in the
500-1000 acre per farm class; the average market value per farm
aPender County Agricultural Extension Service, Personal Communication.
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increased from $8,464 in 1964 to $12,419-in 1969-(U. S. Department of
Commerce 1972) .
Forestry
According to the U. S. Forest Service (USFS),*81 percent of'
Pender County.is in forestland, 99 percent of which is -commercial forest
land'(Cost 1973). The above figures include as forestland some -of.
that land agricultural sources classify as farmland:in�woods.
The 1973 USFS breakdown of forestland reports 450,817 acres of
commercial forestland in Pender County, less than 25 percent (127,937
acres) of which is owned by forest industries; well over.half (259,830
acres) is in private individual ownership, none is federally owned, and
only a small amount (63,018) belongs to the state of North Carolina (Cost
1973).
The term Site Class is used to describe land's inherent capa- .
city to grow crops of industrial wood; the.classes are based on
comparisons with fully stocked natural stands. The lower the class number
(from 1-5) the higher this capacity is. .In Pender County, no sites have
been accorded class-1 or 2 commercial status. The bulk of commercial
forestland (264,525 acres) is in site class 4; most (182,694 acres) of
the remainder is in site class 5. Approximate stocking of forestland is:
30 percent poor, 30 percent medium, and only 20 percent fully (Cost
1973). The trees are predominantly in the loblolly-shortleaf type, with
some longleaf -slash, and oak -gum -cypress. Both the net annual forest
growth in Pender County and the annual removals are highest in pine. Trees
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in Pender County are harvested for pulpwood, dimension stock, and
sawtimber -- the use to be made of the wood dictated primarily by the
existing market.
The SCS has made an appraisal of those soils in Pender County
that are good for "woods." This list excludes soils belonging to only
three of the 10 associations in the county: the Dorovan-Ponzer, the
Capers-Newhan, and the Lynn Haven-Leon-Kureb Associations (U. S. Soil Con-
servation Service 1973). The three associations are characterized by
swamps, marshes, and those areas adjacent to swamps and marshes that
are generally underlain by hard -pans respectively.
Recreation
There are two major areas of recreational land use in Pender
County -- the coastal lands and waters, and the inland woods, swamps
r
and streams. The activities involved in both areas are strongly
resource oriented.
Along the coast, activities are predominantly water and shore
oriented and include fishing, boating, swimming, and hunting. The Pender
County towns of Surf City and Topsail Beach are located on Topsail
Island, between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Access
to the Island is provided by two bridges, one in Pender County, the
other in Onslow County. Attractions of the towns include some ten miles
of sandy beaches with five ocean piers and miles of marsh and sandy
shoreline along the adjacent sounds. The towns have facilities for
lodging, dining and shopping, including restaurants,. motels, and rental
cottages.
C
I-13

Inland Pender County contains thousands of acres of woodland
and miles of fresh water streams. The SCS reports fair to good
populations of deer, bear, raccoon, rabbit, bobcat, turkey, quail and
dove; the fresh water streams support bream, bass, crappie, pike,
rockfish, shad and herring (U. S. Soil Conservation Service 1973). There
-are 63,000 acres of public and 85,000 acres of corporately owned land
in the county open to hunting and 25-30 privately owned hunting clubs,
many of which lease commercial forestland.a The North Carolina Wild-
life Resources Commission maintains the Holly Shelter Game Management
Area in eastern Pender County swampland. Hunting activities in this
area include planned hunts arranged several times each season, with
several days each season reserved for bow and arrow hunters. Table 1-3
lists the recreational value of various Pender County game species.
r
The Wildlife Resources Commission has also provided numerous
access areas on the Northeast Cape Fear and Black Rivers with facilities
for boating, skiing and camping.
In March 1973, the Soil Conservation Service published An
Appraisal of Potential for Outdoor Recreational Development for Pender
County. The study appraised the possibility of developing anew or im-
proving various kinds of recreation areas and activities in the county.
Those activities found to have the highest potentials were pack (canoe)
trip camping and small game hunting. Specific areas or sites for the
development of these activities, however, were not designated.
aA. H. Pridgen, SCS Conservation Technician, Personal Communication.
C.
I-14
•
3d

Table 1-3. Pender
County Game Species.a
Estimated Man Days
of Recreational Pursuit
i
Game S ecies
Provided (1972-73)
BIG GAME
Deer
.53,875
Bear
700
Turkey
32
WATERFOWL
Ducks
616
Geese
.198
OTHER GAME
Squirrel
4,636
Rabbit
5,665
936
Dove
Quail
4,437
10,175
Raccoon
1,086
Fox
Woodcock
1,217
4,372
Opossum
336
Wildcat
Clapper Rail
152
aSource: Barick
and Critcher, 1975.
Wildlife and Land Use Planning
with Particular
Reference to Coastal
Counties. North Carolina Wildlife
Resources Commission. Raleigh, N. C.
• r
I-15

"C
Urban
According to U. S. Census data, Pender County is entirely
rural farm and rural non -farm, without sufficient population density
to warrant the urban classification. For the purpose of this dis-
cussion,.however, the term "urban" will refer to the build-up of even
small concentrations of residential, commercial, and public or semi-
public buildings.
There are five incorporated Towns in Pender County. Three of
these towns, Burgaw, Atkinson, and Watha, are located in the large
farming section of the county, west of the Northeast Cape Fear River.
The County seat, Burgaw, is the largest of these towns, with about 9.5
percent of the county's population. Burgaw is located approximately in
the center of the county at the intersection of Highways US 117 and NC 53,
adjacent to the Seaboard Coastline Railroad. Burgaw functions not only
as the political and geographic center of the county, but as a com-
mercial and business center as well.
The remaining two incorporated towns, Surf City, and Topsail
Beach, are recreation -based towns located on the coast. Both have small
year-round populations and offer few commercial services in winter. In
summer, however, the towns function as the focus of beach vacations for
people from various parts of the state and country.
The centers of population in Pender County have traditionally
been found in those areas of the county most intensely farmed. The
I-16

communities of Burgaw, Atkinson, Penderlea, Watha, Currie and Long Creek,.
for instance, grew as centers of area agricultural and marketing
activities. West of the Northeast Cape Fear River former agricultural
centers remain the population centers today. Recently, however, resi-
dential development has become influenced by industrial bases, and
radiates primarily from the industrial sites of nearby New Hanover County.
This trend combines with explosive summer -vacation, second home -
retirement development in the zone between US 17 and the Atlantic Ocean.
Residential development is currently heaviest. in the Hampstead area and
is spreading out in a band between US 17 and the AIWW.
Dwelling units in Pender County -have traditionally been single
family detached homes on large lots as opposed to a present tendency
toward an increased number of smaller lots and mobile homes. There is
very little apartment or condominium dwelling in Pender County; multiple
dwellings that do exist are found mainly in the beach towns.
Commercial land use in Pender County has, like residential,
begun to take on anew form as other land uses change. Traditionally,
each town or community has had its "business district" in which most
commercial activities were centered. Additional commerce was spread
sparsely throughout the town or was located at the important crossroads
of rural areas. Most commercial development that is occurring presently
is along major highways such as US 17, US 117 and NC 53, especially
where those are running between industrial sites, larger towns, and
residential development.
I-17
.33

Industry
According to the N. C. Division of Commerce and Industry,
there were in 1973, 25 firms known to produce marketable goods in Pender
County. Most of these firms are agricultural or forestry based indus-
tries.producing goods such as furniture, plywood and lumber; animal
feeds, meats and packaged fruits. Poultry is the number one industry
in the county producing an income of over $5.5 million annually; the
largest egg marketing establishment in North Carolina is located in
Burgaw. Most (16) of the 25 manufacturing firms in the county are
located in Burgaw with the next largest concentration (5) in Rocky Point.
The N. C. Division of Commerce and Industry maintains'a list of
industrial sites in Pender County with relevant information about the
existing ownership, use, and condition of the sites. Most of these sites_
are located in or around Burgaw with additional ones found in Watha,
Penderlea and Rocky Point. But.as there is no county -wide zoning, there
are few areas restricted to or from industrial location.
There is presently no full time Industrial Developer for Pender
County; however, on October 25, 1975, in a County referendum, the.resi-
dents of Pender County voted for establishment of an Industrial Commission
to hire a full time Industrial Developer. A Local Industrial Development
Corporation in Burgaw is able to assist financially in construction of
industrial buildings, and the town of Burgaw has an Industrial Develop-
ment Team whose purpose it is to encourage the location of industry in
the area.

•.(
General Industrial Location Criteria for the Coastal Plains
of North Carolina have been developed in order to describe the kind of
sites sought by industry (Kiser 1975). These criteria include the.
following:
1. Reasonably level land capable of being graded without
undue expense.
2. Direct access to high-speed all-weather highway
facilities.
3. Reasonable access to railroad facilities.
4. Reasonable access to airport facilities for the movement
of passengers and freight.
5. Available adequate water supply, sanitary sewer systems,
storm.drainage facilities, and power supply.
Transportation
Pender County is traversed by Hwy. US 17.(north-south) in
the east, US 117 (north -south): in the center of the county and US 421
(northeast-southwest).in the west. In addition, it is crossed by NC 53
(east -west) in the center, NC 210 (east -west) in the south, and NC 50
(north -south) on the beach. According to the 1970 State Functional
Classification System, US 17 is scheduled to be upgraded and included as
a portion'of the Coastal Corridor Highway. When completed, this highway
will facilitate tourist travel along the eastern seacoast from Virginia
south through the Carolinas and Georgia. Highway acquisition is scheduled
for fiscal year 1978 and construction by 1981. The State Department of
I-19
�3

Transportation has proposed long-range extension of I-40 from I-95 near
Raleigh to Wilmington. However, there is no calendar nor any funding
approved yet for the completion of any phase of I-40 from I-95 to
Wilmington.
The Seaboard Coastline Railroad serves the county with two
separate lines. The main line runs north -south through the center of
the county connecting Rocky Point, Burgaw, Watha and Willard. The
secondary line runs north -south near the coast along US 17, through
Scott's Hill, Hampstead, Woodside and Edgecombe. Both lines provide
freight service from Wilmington to counties to the north. Airports
serving the county include the Wallace Municipal Airport on the northern
edge of Pender County, New Hanover County Airport in the south, and two
private airports.
C
Utilities
Pender County is provided with electrical power from three
sources. Carolina Power and Light Company service areas run predominantly,
in bands along major highways and railroads. These bands are found along
US 17 east to the AIWW; along US 117 and the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
through Burgaw; along NC 210 and 133 through Long Creek, Currie and
Atkinson; and in the Penderlea-Willard area. The Jones-Onslow Electric
Member Corporation service areas cover Topsail Island, extending westward
around Watts' Landing, and to scattered localities along the Onslow-Pender
County line. The remainder and largest part of the County is serviced
by the Four -County Electric Member Corporation.
I-20
C
3C

Telephone service throughout most of Pender County is pro-
vided by Southern Bell. The Southern Bell service area includes the
whole county except Topsail Island and the Willard area, both of which
are serviced by the.Carolina Telephone Company.out of Jacksonville.
There is currently so little industrial land use.,: land
subdivision or extensive change being made inland use that few land use
compatibility problems exist. As in many areas where new growth is
unplanned and unregulated, Pender County land is undergoing strip
development. New housing and commercial areas are being built along
highways, producing miles of landscape dotted with cutover vegetation,
billboards and driveways. In the beach areas, unplanned growth has
resulted in degradation of some of the very resources which make the
< land attractive. But throughout most of the county, the most serious
land .use problem is the under -utilization of land and water resources.
I-21

r
CURRENT PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
CONCERNING LAND USE IN PENDER COUNTY
Plans
Existing Community Facility Plans for Pender County Area Compiled With-
in the last 10 years.
Water Supply and Sewage Disposal
I. Inventory of Facilities - Regional and Water Supply and Waste-
water Disposal Study, Wiggins, Rimer and Associates, 1973.
Summary of Contents
A. General Background Information
1. Population, economy
2. Existing water supply facilities - public and private
3. Problems related to water supply
B. Conclusions
1. Water
a. Atkinston is in need of water for peak demands
and fire protection. The town has applied to
the appropriate State and Federal Agencies for
funds to construct a community water system.a
b.' In Penderlea a large subdivision is being developed
with a community water system. The developer wants
Penderlea to join the system, but as landowners in
Penderlea have had few problems with their water,
he has met with.little success.
2, Wastewater Disposal
a. Atkinson has applied for funds to construct a
municipal wastewater disposal system.
b. The only existing system is in Burgaw, and is
operating at only half capacity. The town is applying
for funds to construct an extension to serve the
whole city and many surrounding areas.
aAs of September 1975, Atkinson, had made no formal application for funds.
I-22

1 II. Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan - Region Oa, Henry von Oesen
and Associates, Inc., 1972.
Summary of Contents
A. Existing Conditions
1. Water supply sources
2. Future water demand for domestic and industrial purposes
3. Existing public water supply systems and wastewater
collection and treatment systems
4. List of known industrial plants discharging wastewater
into Cape Fear River Basin
B. Proposals
1. Regional Water Supply Plan - conceived design to serve
entire Region "0" and the maximum number of people within
the region to the maximum degree possible an4 considered
economically feasible.
a. Certain portions of rural populations would have
to rely on independent wells or "home" water
systems for some time to come.
b. The plan, if implemented, is capable of serving
approximately 80% of the people in Region "0" by
the year 2000.
c. Portions of population in Pender County to be
served by year 2000:
1980 - 63%
1990 - 61.9%
2000 - 63.0%
.2. Regional wastewater treatment plan
a. Plans should be located adjacent to largest streams
available to provide suitable effluent discharge
situation.
b. Assign the largest reasonable and economically
feasible area to be served by one plant.
aRegion "0" includes Brunswick, Columbus, Pender and New Hanover
. ( Counties.
I-23
35

C.%
C. Certain existing plants can be designated to
become regional plants.
d. Small remote treatment facilities will be
needed until discharge to a regional plant
is possible and feasible.
e. No provision is made for industrial wastes from
large plants normally treated in industrial waste.
treatment plants owned and operated by the in-
dustry..
III. Comprehensive Water and Sewer Program, Pender County, North Carolina,
F. T. Green and Associates, 1968.
Summary of Contents
A. Methodology of Analysis and Study
B. Background Basic Studies
1. Population and economy
2. Natural resources
3. Existing land use
C4.
Financing of water and sewer systems
5. Water supply sources
C. Plans
1. Atkinson
a. Recommend single well with not less than 100 gpm
capacity and storage tank with not less than
75,000 gallon capacity.
b. No installation of sanitary sewerage collection
and disposal system prior to late 1970's. Such
a system will probably be desirable between
1980-1990.
2. Long Creek
a. Recommend installation of pneumatic water system
utilizing artesian wells. Elevated storage is
not of immediate concern - not until there are
more than 200 customers.
b. There is little need for planning or installation
•
of a sanitary sewerage facility prior to the
late 1980's.
I-24
a 0

1
3. Surf City and Topsail Beach
a. Expand existing source of water supply and dis-
tribution system to serve new customers.
b. Both communities expect by mid-1980 to have
population meriting a system of sanitary
sewerage collection and disposal.
4. Penderlea
a. Planning for water system should begin in the
early 1970's.
b. Planning for waste disposal system should begin
in late 1970's.
5. Maple Hill and Lee Webb
The two communities could adequately be served as an
interconnected water supply and distribution system
planned now.
I-25
4

• Existing Land Use Plans for Pender County Area Compiled Within the Last
` Ten Years
I. Land Development Plan, Burgaw, North Carolina, North Carolina De-
partment of Natural and Economic Resources, Division of Community
Services, October, 1974.
Summary of Contents
A. Background
- a. Population and economy
2. Topography
3. Soils
4. Utilities
B. Existing Land Uses
C. Goals and Objectives
D.-Land.Development Plan
1. Central business district in center of town.
2. Neighborhood area bordering Atlantic Coastline Railroad.
3. Residental-Commercial areas incorporating the bulk of
the.l.and area within the town limits.
4. Residential -Agricultural area principally surrounding
the town.
5. Industrial areas at edges of town extending somewhat
outside the town limits.
6. Office and institutional areas scattered principally
within the town limits.
7. Parks and recreation areas along waterways.
E, Plan Implementation
1. Zoning - revise and expand existing ordinance to cover
corporate limits and 1-mile area surrounding.
2. Subdivision regulations - to insure proper design
standards are met and necessary improvements provided.
3. Codes related to buildings - minimum standards for con-
struction, plumbing, heating and electrical installations.
4. Annexation - when significant amounts of residental de-
velopment is proposed outside the corporate limits.
5. Housing improvement
• ( I-26

• % Existing Transportation Plans for Pender County Area Compiled within the
Last 10 Years
I. Cape Fear Region Population and Economy Inventory and Analysis -
Key Issues, Cape Fear Council of Governments, 1973.
While the above is not a formal Transportation Plan,.it does
make certain recommendations for the region that would affect
Pender County.
A. An improved overland transportation network between the Port
of Wilmington and inland industrial and market centers. Such
an improvement would lead to an expansion of activity at the
port as well as to the attractiveness of the region for more
general economic growth.
B. The location of Region "0" to the east of the mainstream of
north -south coastal movement through North Carolina has long
hindered access to the area. An improved link (a four -lane
route) between Wilmington and the Piedmont along the U. S. 421
corridor needs to be provided. Such would provide access to
I-95 and the industrial areas to the northeast.
II. Transportation Goals for Cape Fear Region, Traffic Planning Associates,
Inc., 1971.
summary of Transportation Goals and Policies
A. To provide a broad range of employment opportunities for the
Region "0".
B. Utilize selected major transportation facilities as a major
catalyst for development.
C. Provide urban public transit for all segments of the population
consistent with public support available for transit.
D. Provide a coordinated multi -modal transportation system for
the region.
(There are currently no local utilities extension or open space
and recreation policies in effect in Pender County).
0 ( 0 I-27

Existing Local Regulations Affecting Land Use in Pender County
I
I. Pender County Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance
Effective Date: January 25, 1975
Application: All unincorporated areas within the geographic
confines of Pender County and to incorporated
areas as may by resolution adopt this ordinance.
Exclusions:
1. Certain agricultural and forestry activities
2. Activities covered under Mining Act of 1971.
f .3. Those activities over which the State has
exclusive regulatory jurisdiction.
Summary of Provisions
A. A permit from the Lower Cape Fear Soil and Water Conservation District
must be obtained before the undertaking of any land disturbing activi-
ties subject to this Ordinance.
B. An erosion control plan shall be prepared for activities on tracts of
one acre or more.
C. On site inspections will be made to insure compliance.
II. Rules and Regulations Adopted by the Pender County Board of Health Relative
to Sanitation in the County
Effective Date: July 5, 1954
Application: Geographic confines of Pender County
I-28

Summary of Provisions
A. An Ordinance Relating to Proper Excreta Disposal Requirements:
1. Pender County Health Dept. approval of sewage disposal methods
for all places where people live, assemble or congregate.
2. Building inspection by authorized agent of P. C. Health Dept.
before use, sale, lease or rent of buildings.
B. Installation of Plumbing or Sewage Disposal Plant in Pender County
Requirements:
1. Permit from P. C. Health Dept. for construction or installation
of plumbing or sewage disposal facilities.
2. Septic tanks must meet stated design criteria.
3. Disposal fields must, be located at stated minimum distances away
from water supplies, streams, dwellings and property lines; must
have adequate seepage; must meet state design criteria.
4. Plumbing must be installed in accordance with N. C. State
Building Code.
5. Permit from P. C. Health Dept. for sludge removal
III. Rules and Regulations Governing the Sanitation and Operation of Trailer Camps
Effective Date: July 5, 1954
Application: Geographic confines of Pender County
Summary of Provisions
1. Location only where adequate drainage exists..
2. A minimum distance of 10' between trailers.
3. An approved sewage disposal system.
4. Solid waste disposal containers.
1*(
C I-29
4.5

W i
5. An adequate and accessible supply of safe drinking water.
6. Adequate supervision to maintain orderly and sanitary condition.
7. Receipt of Trailer Camp Permit from P. C. Health Dept. before
opening of camp to public; permit must be renewed annually.
(Local land use regulations are limited to those listed above.
There are currently no county subdivision or nusiance regulations,
floodway ordinances, historic districts, building codes, or en-
vironmental impact statement ordinances, nor is there county -wide
zoning) .

CONSTRAINTS
There are areas of Pender County in which, because of the
physical condition of the land or water, particular kinds of develop-
ment would be either especially costly or likely to cause undesirable
consequences.
The inherent soil characteristics, water table elevations,
susceptibility to flooding, and extent of key public services strongly
influence private and public costs for development and management of
Pender County. The physical restraints -- hence the unit cost of
development -- for intensive urban development are least on these areas
which now support agricultural production; the restraints and costs
increase as sites become increasingly wet or removed from public services.
CFactors that restrain intensive development may favor extensive resource
management -- forestry, wildlife, and recreation, for example.
Physical
Flooding
The U. S. Geological Survey is mapping the Flood Prone Areas
of Pender County. The purpose of these maps, as stated on each, is
to "show administrators, planners, and engineers concerned with future
land developments those areas:.that are subject to flooding.". The flood
prone areas shown on these maps have a 1 in 100 chance on the average. of
being inundated during any year. The flood areas are being delineated
without consideration of present or future flood control storage that may
reduce flood levels.
0 ` I-31
G- 7

There is no single flood elevation for Pender County. Flood
Prone Area maps have been completed for most of Pender County and show
that flood level elevations change considerably across the county. For
example, south of Rocky Point on Turkey Creek, the areas follow a 10'
contour line; along the western edge of the AIWW, 15'; immediately
west of US 17, 45-50'; and north of Penderlea 501. Along the Pender
County Outer Banks, the flood level elevation is between 10-15 feet msl.
Soils
Good soils with little or no development problems related to
them are relatively scarce in Pender County (Bellamy et al. 1974).
Nearly 40% of Pender County is wetland. In order to use
wetlands for most urban types of development, the water must be removed
I and kept off. Wetness;•or a tendency toward flooding and ponding, is,
even outside the wetland areas, the most common soil limitation in the
county. Poor drainage has precluded development of large portions of
i(
the county; it has influenced highway location and tended to isolate some
areas. Over 90 percent of the wetlands in the county are in the form
of swamps or pocosins. Pocosins created by hardpans in the soil can be
drained if the hardpan is broken; those occurring in muck soils over-
lying clay, on the other hand, are virtually unfit for any use that
requires dry ground.a So far, attempts at draining either kind of
pocosin on a large scale in Pender County have usually yielded unsatis-
factory results.
aMr. A. H. Pridgen, SCS Conservation Technician, Personal Communication.
I-32

•
C..
There are few soils in Pender County that will not provide
a good building foundation since throughout most of the county, there
is good clay subsoil with a high bearing capacity and low shrink-swell.a
The Lumbee-Johns-Kalmia Association and Bladen-Lumbee-Craven are well
suited for foundations, as is the Barclay-Pasquotank-Weeksville if the
- water is removed (U. S. Soil Conservation Service 1973). Adjacent to
rivers in the county, however, there are often deep sands that, though
too high in elevation to be in danger of frequent flooding, offer little
strength for foundations.
Most of the soils in the county have either severe or moderate
limitations for septic tanks, particularly those closely spaced. Wet-
ness is the chief cause of problems with septic tanks, causing wastewater
to saturate the soil and pond on the surface. The deep sands adjacent
to rivers, and the Newhan sands along the beaches, however, offer such
rapid drainage that too little filtration occurs, limiting the useful-
ness of septic tanks in them as a method of sewage treatment.
The principal limitation for the use of Pender County soils
for most agricultural purposes is wetness and a tendency toward flooding;
even in the best agricultural soils, artificial drainage is usually
required for maximum production. The chief limitations for agricultural
use of the deep sands along the coast and rivers are sterility and
inability to hold moisture.
aA. H. Pridgen, SCS Conservation Technician, Personal Communication.
I-33
4�!

Steep Slopes
Land in Pender County is virtually level, with few areas where
steep slopes occur. In some places along rivers, particularly the Black
River, the water has cut through consolidated materials, resulting in
steep bluffs.. South of the Black River near the Sampson and Bladen
County lines, steep slopes are predominantly in sands and sandy loam, so
erosion problems do not occur; in the areas surrounding Ward's Corner,
however, steep slopes are found in clays, and serious erosion can result
when the soils are exposed.a
The steep slopes in some parts!•of the county have _created
ravines narrow and deep enough for water to be impounded without inun-
dating vast areas of land. The only areas well suited for ponds are where
the ravines exist over 'soils tight enough to hold water.
Water Quality
The North Carolina Stream Classification System was developed
in order to protect any existing high quality waters in the state, and
to improve those waters of lesser quality, to the maximum extent
practical. Improved quality in raw water supplies can mean simplified
water treatment and reduced cost of water treatment plant operation. The,
result is more consistently -high quality water delivered to the consumer.
Following public hearings, all stream sections in the county
were classified on the basis of desired and existing uses. Below is an
explanation of the "best usage" classification system as adapted by
aA. H. Pridgen, SCS Conservation Technician, Personal Communication.
I-34
66

Fresh Waters:
Class A -I -
Suitable as source of water supply for
drinking, culinary, or food processing
purposes after treatment by approved
disinfection only, and any other usage
requiring waters of lower quality.
"Class A -II
- Suitable as a source of water supply for
drinking, culinary, or food processing
purposes after approved treatment equal
to coagulation, sedimentation,,filtration,
disinfection, etc., and any other usage
requiring waters of lower quality.
Class B
- Suitable for outdoor bathing and any
other usage requiring waters of lower
quality.
Class C
- Suitable for fishing and fish propagation,
and any other usage requiring waters of
lower quality.
Class D
- Suitable for agriculture and for industrial
cooling and process water after treatment
by the user as may be required under each
particular circumstance.
0 ( I-35

Tidal Salt Water:
Class SA - Suitable for shellfishing for market
purposes and any other usage requiring.
water of lower quality.
Class SB Suitable for bathing and any other usage
except shellfishing for market pur-
poses.
Class SC Suitable for fishing and any other usage
except bathing and shellfishing for market
purposes.
Water assigned Class "C" and Class "SC" and designated as "swamp waters"
(Swp. w.) require a minimum dissolved oxygen content of only 3.0 parts
per million.
There are no Class A -I, A-II.or B streams in Pender County,
all of its 'streams being classified "swamp waters." All except three
streams in the.county are classified C, D, or SC; Beasley's Creek,
Bishop Creek, and Old Topsail Creek are classified SA. The present use
of these three streams is forest and fishing.
Sources of Water Supply -Recharge Areas
Ground water comprises the sole source of water supply for
both public and private systems in Pender County (Wiggins -Rimer &
Associates 1973). Subsurface water of reasonable quality and quantity can
be found throughout the county, as the area is underlain by avast aquifer
< I-36

• � t
system from which potable water can be drawn at various depths. There
are four geologic strata occurring in the aquifer system underlying
the county. Most of these strata occur in a wedge-shaped form,
dipping generally 20 ft/mile (Laymon 1965). Some strata exist only
i
in limited areas, outcropping or disappearing toward the western part
of the county.
Pleistocene and recent surficial sands cover most of Pender
County and constitute the principal water source for individual wells
and rural domestic supplies in the county (Von Oesen and Associates
1972). In the surficial sands, water usually occurs under watertable
conditions_ within 15 ft of the land surface though in the beach areas,
this water may be partly confined by clay in the lower part of'the
E aquifer (Laymon 1965). The productivity of this aquifer is limited
primarily only by its thickness; it is recharged directly by rainfall,
and is easily subject to contamination. The surficial sands are the
only potable water supply between the Cape Fear and Black Rivers, where
the underlying strata contain brackish water (Wiggins -Rimer & Associates
1973).
The Yorktown clays, shell beds and marls occur on a limited
basis east of the Northeast Cape Fear River. This formation is absent
in the central and western parts of the county and, unlike the other
strata in this area, does not thicken toward the coast (LeGrand 1960).
The Yorktown is rarely used as a source of water supply.
I-37
63

• The Castle Hayne limestone underlies the surficial sands in
the northeast and southeast sections of the county, outcrops in the
central portion of the county, and forms just a thin layer between
the surficial and Cretaceous sands in the south. The Castle Hayne
is absent from the western part of the county. The formation varies in
thickness locally..but, in general, thickens progressively toward the
coast. In Rocky Point, it ranges between 10 and 40 ft thick; in Maple
Hill, 40-100'; and in Topsail Beach, is about 70' thick (LeGrand 1960).
The Castle Hayne is not extensively used for water supply in
the county, but is potentially valuable as a large, long term supply,
especially in the east. In the beach areas the formation begins at 35'
below msl and its waters occur under artesian conditions; its recharge
area would, therefore, be expected to be located elsewhere, and not be
vulnerable to contamination from the immediate area (Wiggins -Rimer and
Associates 1973). In most places where it occurs to the west of the
beaches, however, it begins less than 25' under highly permeable sur-
ficial sands. Under these conditions, a high recharge rate could be
expected (Wiggins -Rimer and Associates 1973).
The quality and quantity of water from the Castle Hayne aquifer
vary in different locations. It ranges from hard to very hard with a pH
of 7-8; in the Surf City, Holly Ridge area, it is low in chlorides and
high in iron locally; and at Holly Ridge, indications are that a specific
capacity of 50-70 gpm/ft of drawdown can be obtained (Laymon.1965). Most
C I-38
6,q

attempts to obtain good water from the Castle Hayne in the immediate.
beach areas have proved unsuccessful thus far.
The Peedee Cretaceous sands, limestones and marine clays
occur throughout Pender County. For the most part, west of the North-
east Cape Fear River, the Peedee immediately underlies the surficial
sands. Toward the east it occurs beneath, and is in hydraulic connec-
tion with, the Castle Hayne. In both cases, the Peedee is recharged
directly by rainfall; in the beach areas, however, the formation occurs
deep and its water is under artesian conditions. Recharge to the Pee-
dee, therefore, probably does not take place in the immediate beach
areas.
The Peedee furnishes water to many wells drilled westof the
Northeast Cape Fear;_. wells in it vary from 50-200 ft deep and yield up
to 300 gpm (Wiggins -Rimer &.Associates,1973). In the eastern part of
the county it is rarely used for water supply, as it can be high in
chlorides and too deep to be used economically.
Subsurface water quality and yields for specific locations in
Pender County can be determined only on an individual case basis with a
test well. Often, water obtained from shallow aquifers will contain
excessive amounts of iron. In some locations, local people have become
accustomed to iron or hydrogen sulfide concentrations that others would
find objectionable. The quality -that can be expected can sometimes be
estimated from the condition of wells nearby.
I-39

In general, satisfactory water.can be obtained from some
depth most anywhere in Pender County; and with the numerous existing
watertable wells, most of the surficial sands throughout Pender County
function, to a certain degree, as recharge areas.
Fragile .
Wildlife. Habitats
Less than 1 percent of the land and water area of Pender
County is developed for urban purposes and only 11 percent is in .
cropland or pastureland (Ospina and Danielson 1973). The bulk of the
undeveloped land in the county is forest or wetland that is being
managed and utilized to varying degrees. Along the rivers and in most
swamplands of the county a combination of wetness and dense vegetative
cover has discouraged intense utilization or occupancy of the land; a
scarcity of road networks through many of these areas continues to
discourage human encroachment.
A variety of wildlife species inhabits most of the undeveloped
land in Pender County, with population ratings varying with the quality
of habitat offered in different locations. The Soil Conservation
Service (1973) reports that deer, quail, raccoon, anadromous fish and
warm water fish have good population ratings; all of the above have good.
existing habitat, as do bear. According to the SCS, there exists a
potential for developing good habitat for cottontail rabbit, mourning
doves, duck and turkey. According to the Wildlife Resources Commission
I-4 0
5-6

.
(Barick and Critcher 1975), a moderate deer herd occurs throughout the
county with a high population on the Holly Shelter Game Land and on the
adjacent hunting club lands; a moderate and stable bear population is
present primarily east of the Northeast Cape Fear River; and a small
population of wild turkeys exists along the river and in a few other
locations. According to the Wildlife Resources Commission, all small
game species occur, with foxes and wildcat common, and squirrel, quail,
woodcock, snipe, raccoon, and opossum abundant; the primary waterfowl
species is the wood duck, with other species such as mallard occurring
in limited numbers.
Bluegill and redbreast make up about.48% of the fish catch in
the county, with white perch, catfish, and other panfish making..up an
additional 35% (Barick and Critcher 1975).
M
Of the species listed by the NCDNER in 1973 as endangered, the
American alligator and red -cockaded woodpecker do occur in Pender County and
it .is probable that -the loggerhead turtle and. Atlantic sturgeon occur in
-the county .'(Barick.and Critcher 1975).
In addition to that land naturally suited for the regeneration
of game, several public and private game management areas and wildlife
preserves exist. In the Angola Bay State Game Refuge and the Holly
Shelter State Game Management Area, wildlife and game are managed and
protected for maximum productivity and proper stocking. On the Black
River, near the Bladen County line, 12,000 acres of privately owned pre-
dominantly riverfront property have been used over the years to raise
I-41

0 ( ` various wildlife species including quail and turkey.a
Natural and Scenic Areas
All three rivers of Pender County are listed on the North
Carolina "Inventory of Natural, Scenic and Historic Areas." The Cape
Fear and Northeast Cape Fear are both wide, deep and slow moving rivers
with hardwoods the dominant trees; both rivers are presently used for
swimming, boating and fishing, commerce and industry, and limited
camping; both are easily accessible at numerous points.
The Black River forms part of the western boundary of Pender
County and flows through Grady and Canetuck Townships. It is a narrow,
winding river with wooded shores and very black water. The Black River
has been recommended for designation in a state-wide Natural and Scenic
f
Rivers Program. The purpose for such designation is the "preservation
(` of esthetic and recreational qualities for the public," and avoidance
of "uncontrolled development and private use" (Natural, Scenic and
Recreational Rivers Committee 1971). According to the report of the
Rivers Committee, because of difficult logging conditions, the bottomland
hardwoods on the immediate floodplain of the Black River have not been
disturbed by logging operations; the soils along the stream are sandy
loam causing little siltation to occur even during heavy runoff. The
Black River can provide a beautiful and scenic route for the small boat
enthusiast.
aA. H. Pridgen, SCS Conservation Technician, Personal Communication.
I-42

Archeologic and Historic Areas
There are three sites in Pender County listed on the National
Park Service's!National Register of Historic Places; one of the three,
Moore's Creek National Military Park, is federally owned. The Moore's
Creek park•is located one mile west of Currie at the junction of SR 1100
and NC 210. On the National Register but in private ownership are the
Bannerman House and Sloop Point Plantation. The Bannerman House, located
in the Players vicinity, .25 miles NE of the junction of S. R. 1522.and
S. R. 1520, is presently used as a private residence.. Sloop Point
Plantation is located in Topsail Township, 7 miles NE.of Hampstead, the
junction of S. R. 1561 and U., S. 17. Sloop Point Plantation is pre-
sently a private residence. There are other sites throughout Pender
County with potential recreational value, including old churches, houses
and towns with architectural, political, religious or military signi-
ficance.
0
Wetlands
Almost 40% of the land area of Pender County is made up of
wetlands, in which the land is covered by either standing or very slowly
moving water virtually year-round. In some locations, the county's wet-
lands have been drained, filled, or otherwise altered in order to
facilitate their utilization. In most cases, the draining of inland
wetlands has proven extremely costly, and many such attempts have been
unsuccessful. In the coastal wetlands, however, higher market land values
have often warranted the high cost of removing the water and maintaining
I-43
Sll

dry ground; in these areas, wetland alteration has recently fallen under
strict control of the State and Federal government, and is becoming
Tess prevalent.
The chief value of the wetlands in Pender County is derived
from their function as wildlife and fish habitat and reproductive areas.
Alteration of these areas can severely affect the quantity and quality
of many fish and wildlife species valuable to the economy of the area.
Damage to wetlands occurs in various ways; for example: a) in the dredg-
ing of channels through coastal wetlands, the changes made in the nature
of the channel bottom can result in long and short term changes in the
number and kinds of benthic (bottom dwelling) species; and increased
siltation often results from these dredging operations, affecting areas
r
beyond the immediately altered site. The once common practice of dredging
a channel through marshland and depositing the spoil on adjacent land
for fill causes compaction of the marsh soil. Such compaction creates a
situation similar to a hardpan, hindering the movement of water (in-
cluding waste water from septic tanks) downward through the soil;
b) channelizing, snagging, and straightening hardwood stream channels may
significantly alter water temperatures thus affecting the makeup of life
both in the water and on the adjacent lands; c) lowering water tables.in
swamps and marshes by only a small amount in a given site will often
effect changes in water level in adjacent areas.
Within Pender County, there are three main types of wetland,
each with a characteristic soil and vegetation type. The hardwood swamps
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ip

of the county are found principally on the bottom floodplains and low
lying stream terraces along the major rivers and creeks. Such swamps,
occurring in long narrow bands, occupy only about 6% of the county land
area (U. S. Soil Conservation.Service 1972); however, they extend along
miles of waterways, including the Cape Fear, Black, and Northeast Cape.
Fear Rivers and Moores and Long Creeks. This type of wetland is
characteristically wooded with deciduous species, but much of the timber
has been removed from these .areas in logging operations over the years.
The swamps occur.principally on soils of the Johnston-Lumbee association,
which are subject to flooding and ponding.
A second kind of wetland in Pender County is the pocosin that has
organic soils of the Dorovan-Ponzer association. Such wetlands are found
occurring in a wide belt of land stretching between US Hwy. 17 and the
CNortheast Cape Fear River. These pocosins are characteristically upland
bogs subject to ponding and flooding over long periods of time; organic
surfaces more than 60 inches thick can be found overlying either sandy
or loamy subsoils. The dominant vegetation is wetland shrubs, with sparse
stands of merchantable tree types. These pocosins are well suited to
wetland wildlife management, and poorly suited to commercial forestry.
Both the Angola Bay State Game Refuge and the Holly Shelter State Game
Management Area are located in this type of wetland.
The third kind of wetland in Pender County is the tidal marsh-
land located the entire length of the county's coastal sounds and creeks
and within the influence of regular lunar tides. These estuarine marshes
and tidal flats are found covering all but the high sand ridges, dunelands
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and marine forests of this area, yet cover less than 4% of total county
land area (U. S. Soil Conservation Service 1972). The dominant soil
found in these areas is the very poorly drained Capers soil, subject to
daily and frequent tidal flooding; the dominant vegetation is salt marsh
grass.
For the purpose of better defining their significance, tidal
marshes can be divided into two categories: low tidal and high tidal
marshes. Low tidal marshland is defined as that consisting primarily of
Spartina alterniflora and usually.subject to inundation by the normal rise
and fall of lunar tides.(Coastal Resources Commission 1975). The par-
ticular significance of the low marsh is based on its high yield to the
estuarine waters of organic detritus, which serves as a primary food
f source for various species of finfish and shellfish, such as menhaden,
shrimp, flounder, oysters, and crabs. The roots and rhizomes of the
S2artina alterniflora serve as waterfowl food, and the stems as wildlife
nesting material. Low tidal marshes also help to retard shoreline
erosion.
High tidal marshland is subject to occasional flooding by tides,
including wind tides, and is characterized by a variety of marsh
grasses, including Juncus roemerianus and various species of Spartina.
The high marshes also contribute to the detritus supply of the estuarine
system and support a diversity of wildlife types; they function as
effective sediment traps and as a further deterrent to -shoreline erosion.
I-46
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0
Much private development has already occurred along the tidal
marshes of Pender County, particularly in places adjacent to the higher
land of Topsail Island and along the Intracoastal Waterway. The
Intracoastal Waterway is used extensively for water transportation,
i
fishing, and related water sports; the.adjacent-marshland has been used
i
as sites for homes, piers and business enterprises supporting the Water-
way activities.. With bridge and highway connection to the mainland, and
commercial boating facilities available, much of the marshland adjacent
to; Topsail Island. is readily" accessible to the public.
Estuarine Waters
The estuarine waters that surround the coastal wetlands in
Pender County are probably the most productive natural environment in the
k county, supporting many fish and shellfish species for part of all of
their life cycles. According to the statuatory definition /G. S. 113-
229(n)(2)/ estuarine waters in North Carolina include all of the waters
of the Atlantic Ocean within its boundaries, and all the waters of
the bays, sounds, rivers and tributaries thereto seaward of the dividing
line between Commercial Fishing Waters and Inland Fishing Waters; the
dividing line.between these waters has been established for each body
of water by agreement between the N. C. Department of Conservation and
Development (now DNER) and the N. C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The
following waters in Pender County are classified Commercial Fishing Waters
and, as such, are designated estuarine waters of North Carolina:
I-47
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1) The Cape Fear River below Kings Bluff Locks Thoroughfare;
the Black River below the point where the Thoroughfare
joins the Black River;
2) The Northeast Cape Fear River below the Lanes Ferry
Bridge;
3) Batts, Old Topsail, Mullet Run, Polly Branch, Virginia
(South Prong), and Bishops Creeks;
4) Beasleys Creek below the Narrows.
Public Trust Areas
The State of North Carolina supports the traditional public
rights of access to and use of lands and waters designated Public Trust
Areas for purposes including navigation, fishing and recreation. Public
Trust Areas include..estuarine waters, navigable water bodies to their
ordinary high water marks, and all lands beneath these waters. The
State allows appropriate private development within Public Trust Areas,
provided that the development not be detrimental to public trust rights.
Ocean Beaches and Sand Dunes
Pender County has 15 miles of barrier island ocean shoreline,
10.8 miles of which are extensively developed and within municipal juris-
dictions. The Pender County barrier islands begin at Rich Inlet (the
New Hanover County line) and extend past Old and New Topsail Inlets to
the Onslow County line. The ocean beaches of the islands are charac-
teristically wide and sandy with moderately high foredunes occurring
I-48
•

all along the shoreline; oak -cedar maritime forests occur in most areas
of higher elevation behind and in the protection of the foredune.
There are approximately 4.2 miles of barrier island southwest
of New Topsail Inlet that are divided into two sections by Old Topsail
Inlet. Both sections are privately owned, undeveloped, and were cited
in the 1955 National Park Service "Seashore Recreation Area Survey."
The northernmost section, Hutaff's Beach, is similar in character to
the beach.north of Surf City, with fair vegetation, moderate dunes, and
a wide beach. South of Hutaff's Beach is Foy's Beach with more extensive
maritime forest, sizeable dunes and a wide beach. Both of these islands
are adjacent to the AIWW but are inaccessible by road.
The ocean beaches consist of unconsolidated soil material
1+
without vegetative covering; they are characteristically of a larger soil
Cparticle size and lower slope than the adjacent sand dunes into which
they grade. The character of the sand deposits on ocean beaches is
dynamic in nature, responding to fluctuations in the forces which cause
their deposition and erosion. Tidal action, 'littoral currents, and storms
cause a continual movement of sand both along the beach and between the
dunes and deeper ocean waters. The resultant changes in beach morphology
cause the shoreline, theoretically demarking the confluence of land and
water, to shift to the point of being virtually undefineable.
The ocean beaches are one of the most valuable natural recrea-
tional resources in Pender County, and are extensively utilized as such.
Their dynamic nature, however, precludes safe and cost effective
I-49
•

structural development on them without the use of sound engineering
practices established for coastal hazard areas.
The foredunes along most of Topsail Island have been described
as relatively large, 12-20' in height, with no rear dune and very little
movement of the sands inland (Boyce 1953).. Where undisturbed by
development. activities, most Toredunes in the Pender County portion of
the island are relatively well stabilized by vegetation, with herbaceous
and shrub zones on the lee side beginning just over the crest of the
dune. Foredunes occur all along the coast of Topsail Island to within
about one half mile of New Topsail Inlet. Near the inlet, foredunes are
low or undeveloped especially where recent sand acretion has occurred.
Sand dunes are valuable both for their aesthetic appeal and
for the protection they afford the land behind them. Where stabilized
by vegetation, a foredune can act as a temporary buffer to the erosive
effects of -storm wave action. For the most part, however, dunes are
relatively unstable land features over time and,as such, are hazardous
areas for the location of permanent structures.
Excessive Erosion Areas
"Storm erosion of beaches and dunes of the North Carolina coast
has always occurred, but it has not been a serious economic problem until
recently when increased development of beach front property has. taken
place" (Knowles, et al. 1973). Knowledge of the patterns of coastal
erosion is essential to the safe and productive development of a coastal
region.
I-50
•

The continual erosion and accretion occurring along a beach
result in a gradual change in the location of both the high water and
dune lines over time; excessive erosion and accretion as accompany
large storms, can affect a change in the location of these lines very
rapidly. In the course of a large -storm, great quantities of beach
and dune sand can be eroded from a site and replaced'by subsequent
acretion, with no net erosion resulting. Structures situated on these
sands, however, once removed, are seldom replaced intact. Planning
for safe development of beach front property must take into account
both long term erosion trends, established from historical records,
and the probability of extensive shorter term erosion losses predictable
by scientific study.
A comparison'of mean annual erosion and accretion rates
occurring along Pender County beaches between 1938 and 1972 reports only
minor changes taking place annually in the dune and high water lines of
Surf City and Topsail Beach, accretion of the duneline between Old and
New Topsail inlets, and erosion of both dune and high water lines between
Rich and old Topsail inlets. Table 1-4 shows these rates of change in
four sections of Pender County Beach.
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(o 7

t Table 1-4. Mean Annual Rates of Change (feet per year), 1938-1972.a
New Topsail
Old
to
Topsail.
Surf
Topsail
Old Topsail.,
to
City
Beach
Inlet
='Rich Inlet
High water line 0.1
0.1
9.6
5.0
erosion
accretion
accretion
erosion
Dune line 0.5
1.2
2.1
5.7
accretion erosioA
erosion
erosion
aSource: Wahls, H. E.
1972. A survey
of North Carolina beach erosion
by air photo methods.
Raleigh, N. C.
The amount of dune erosion that will take place during a storm
of a given frequency depends on several factors, primarily the storm
f surge level, the height and massiveness of the dune, and the distance of
the dune from the mean water line (Knowles, et al. 1973). Along Pender
County beaches, the calculated recession from the toe of the dune during
a storm with an expected frequency of.once in twenty-five years is
approximately 112 feet (Knowles et al. 1973).
Erosion and accretion occur normally along the watercourses of
estuarine marshland in Pender County, but generally to a much lesser
degree than along its beaches. Erosion in the sound and along the intra-
coastal waterway is often accelerated by the wake of motor boats;
accretion in these waters is accelerated when sands and silts, carried
I-52
C

•c�
by streams from the mainland, settle out in the calmer waters of the
sounds. Costly bulkheading of sound front property and maintenance of
navigation channels is often required for developments in these areas.
Resource Potential
Natural Scenic and Recreational
Pender County has a variety of areas with natural, scenic or.
recreation resource potential located throughout its territorial
boundaries. In some of these areas, the resource potential is not fully
realized partially because it is not fully understood;.iiicomplete and
sometimes contradictory reports of the native biota, geology, condition,
and ownership of specific sites yield insufficient informatioki on which
to base realistic assessments of an area.
Table 1-5.1ists those areas which have been suggested as having
resource potential as natural areas.a
There are two areas of Pender County with'natural and scenic
recreation value which are owned and managed by the State of North
Carolina. The,22,000 acre Angola Bay State Game Refuge, located in the
north of Holly Township bordering Duplin County, is a Carolina Bay, low,
wet and heavily wooded. The dominant tree species in this wetland area
are oak, gum and pond pine; bear and deer are present and protected
throughout the refuge. Due to a lack of roads, Angola Bay is presently
aSource: .File material supplied by Robert Tuelings, DNER Division of
State Parks.
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•
Table 1-5. Areas With Possible Natural Resource Potential.a
Site
Location
Description
Clear Pond
Rocky Point Township,
Deep clearwater pond (in
southeast of Rocky
an area characterized by
Point: Lat. 34023';
dark water ) located on
long. 77051'
top of a hill or bluff;
origin undecided, possible
limestone sinkhole; pre-
sence of rare flora
probable.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
McRae Farm
Near Rocky Point at
Presence of nutmeg.'
Marl Outcrops
junction of US 117
hickory and other rare
at NC.210.
plants.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Camp Kirkwood
One mile off US 117
Bluff area where galax
(church camp)
near Watha.
grows.
aFurther evaluation of the above or other areas could result in the
designation of some areas as Complex Natural Areas, Areas That Sustain
Remnant Species or Areas Containing Unique Geologic Formations. There
no Registered Natural Landmarks in Pender County.
I-54
7d

' almost inaccessible to the general public. The 60,000 acre Holly
Shelter State Game Management Area is located in Holly and Topsail
Townships, east of the Northeast Cape Fear River. Some 6,000 acres of
this area constitute the Holly Shelter Creek Area, a scenic Forest
Creek used for camping, fishing and woodland. Slow, narrow, shallow
and winding, the creek is mostly swamp, with deciduous trees dominant.
The remainder of the game management area is used as a State Game
Refuge, with deer hunting allowed on a limited and restricted basis;
it contains several natural lakes, each accessible at several points.
Though all of Pender County is below 100 ft msl, there are
some scenic high points in the western part of the county. The highest
elevation in the county occurs 1 1/2 tiles N of Atkinson on SR 1201,
a
where an ocean shoreline terrace has been dissected by streams.To
�. the south of Atkinson, deep valleys with sheer bluffs have been formed
by the Black River's cutting through well bedded sand and clay layers;
a scenic drive can be found along parts of NC 53 south of Atkinson.
A recreation -historical -nature trail has been proposed for
development along the 27 mile abandoned right-of-way from Richards in
Pender County to Kerr in Sampson County. The trail, if developed, would
provide for hiking across the southwest corner of Pender County, through
Currie and Atkinson, on into Sampson County. Public hearings on the
proposal are being held in the affected areas and a petition campaign in
aA. H. Pridgen, SCS Conservation Technician, Personal Communication.
I-55
•
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support of the trail has been launched by members of the Pender County
Bicentennial Association.
commercial
Pender County's prime agricultural lands are of resource value
not only to the county but to the state as well. According to A. H.
Pridgen, SCS Conservation Technician, the areas of the county best suited
to farming are those on soils of the Lumbee-Johns-Kalmia Association, and
the Barclay-Pasquotank-Weeksville Association, most of which are located
between US 117 and US 421. The chief limitation of the soils in both of
these Associations is a tendency toward wetness and flooding; proper
drainage is required for maximum agricultural production. The predominant
land use in areas with soils in these Associations is woodland and farm-
land; however, most of the urban development located west of the Northeast
Cape Fear River, including the communities of Rocky Point, Long Creek,
Atkinson, Burgaw, Watha, and Willard, is also situated on these soils.
Marl is Pender County's only mineral resource with an
existing or foreseeable future market value. There are extensive areas in
the central and northeastern parts of the county where good quality marl
can be found at or near the ground surface. According to Mr. Pridgen, the
center of the best marl deposits is in the northeast corner of the county,
southwest of Maple Hill, just SE of Hwy. 53. At this time, however, the
low potential value of the marl does not seem to warrant extensive efforts
to protect it.

• ( Community Service Facilities
` Some community facilities in,Pender County are operated. on a
county -wide basis and some by individual communities and municipalities.
Many of the facilities and services that are offered on a county -wide basis
are headquartered in the town of Burgaw, located centrally in Pender County.
Road networks west of the Northeast Cape Fear River are integrated and dis-
tributed in such a manner as to make the delivery of services from Burgaw
efficient for that area; a "rule -of -thumb" is that all of this part of
Pender County is within a 30-minute drive from Burgaw. The beach towns of
Surf City and Topsail Beach, located on the east coast of Pender County$
are well beyond a 30-minute drive from Burgaw; they are isolated from the
bulk of the county by the Holly Shelter swamplands and its complete lack
of throughroads. As a result, some county -wide services, including the
i rescue squad and solid waste collection, do not serve the beach areas.. Other
county services, such as the health clinics, hospital, and library, though
available to beach town residents, are little used by them. By virtue of
U. S. 17's N-S orientation, many services can be obtained more readily by
beach area residents in Wilmington or Jacksonville.
Health Services
Health services in Pender County are maintained primarily by the
Pender County Health Department, with headquarters in Burgaw, under the
supervision of the Pender County Board of Health. Pender Memorial Hospital,
completed in 1951 and located in Burgaw, has an existing capacity of 47
beds and 12 basinettes in the nursery. There are four physicians and three
dentists who operate privately in Pender County and constitute the hospital:
I- 57
?_3

• staff; one of these physicians is employed by the hospital to perform
surgery for the whole county. The hospital maintains a '!courtesy staff"
of 30 consulting doctors, mainly from New Hanover County, in order to
ensure that specialized treatment is available when necessary.
Services offered at Pender Memorial include x-ray, laboratory,
dietary, surgical and delivery room; approximately 500 patients per month
use the emergency room for treatment of injuries, routine sickness, and
serious illnesses. The hospital is operating now at about 90 percent
capacity, and expansion of a wing to increase the capacity to 125 beds is
being planned.
The Pender County Health Center, completed in 1954, adjoins the
hospital in Burgaw and houses both the Health Department Administration and
the Health Clinics. There are presently in operation family planning,
f pediatrics, and immunization clinics, with a satellite clinic recently',
opened in Atkinson.
Under the direction of-a.non-profit organization, the Penslow
Foundation, a new health center complex is being planned for the coastal
area of the county. Plans call for construction of a building in Holly
Ridge housing three doctors' offices, one dentist office, a pharmacy,
waiting room, six treatment rooms, an x-ray room, and a laboratory. The
clinic would be operated on a 24-hour basis to serve residents of the area
from the ocean west to Maple Hill and from Hampstead north to Verona in
Onslow County.
At present, there is a severe shortage of General Practicioners
in Pender County, with only four to serve 18,000 people. As a result, many
Pender County residents must go to doctors in Wilmington, and some clinics
( in the Pender County Memorial Hospital are held by New Hanover County doctors.
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oCt
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Schools
Public education in Pender County is operated.by the County, with
12 schools distributed throughout the jurisdiction. There are seven ele-
mentary schools, one located in each.of the following areas: Hampstead,
Rocky Point, Long Creek, on N. C. 53 between Atkinson and Rhyne Crossroads,
Burgaw, Willard, and Maple Hill. There are four Junior High Schools dis-
tributed geographically, located in the West (Atkinson), East (Hampstead),
Central (Burgaw), and Northwest (Penderlea). The two high schools are
located each in the center of the two areas of highest population concen-
tration: Topsail High School is located in Annandale and serves the beach areas
and the U. S. 17 corridor, Pender High School is located at Rhyne Crossroads,
virtually equidistance from Penderlea, Willard, Burgaw, Long Creek, Rocky
Point, and Atkinson.
In recent years the -high school curriculum has been accelerated
with many educational courses added including commerce, vocational agri-
culture, home economics, trades,'industries, and driver education.
Beginning in the fall of 1975, occupational education will be available
to all students in grades 7, 8, and 9 as well. A new comprehensive reading
program for all students in grades 1-8 will be offered in the fall of 1975,
with more individual instruction. A coordinated health service for all
pupils is maintained jointly by the Pender County Board of Education and
the Pender County Board of Health. Grades 1-12 are instructed in health
and physical education.
I-59
.75.

1 Table 1-6. Pender County Schools, 1974/1975.a
Schools
Grades
Enrollment 1974/1975
Topsail High
K-3 and 8-12
477
Topsail Middle
4-7
270
Rocky Point Elementary.
K-6
203
Long Creek Elementary
K-6
247
Atkinson Junior
6-9
242
West Pender Elementary
K-5
239
Pender High
10-12
775
Burgaw Elementary
K-6
586
Burgaw Junior
7-9
658
/ Penderlea Junior
4-9
426
Willard Elementary
K-3
149
Maple Hill Elementary
K-6
136
Total enrollment
4,409
aPender County Board of Education.
%b

6C1.1 Libraries
The Pender County Library, begun in 1937, is located in Burgaw.
In 1972 the library held 8,152 adult nonfiction titles, a large collection
of unrecorded paperbacks, and .a special collection of North Carolina publi-
cations and documents (Cape Fear Council of Governments 1972). The library
on occasion borrows books from New Hanover County, and from the N. C. State
Library; the library subscribes to 54 periodicals, has audio-visual aids,
and special children's film programs, reading programs, and a bookmobile
holding 1,600 volumes. Library personnel include a full-time librarian and
three part-time assistants.
North Carolina Library.Standards call for approximately one-half
sq ft per person for the population served by the library system, with the
smallest branch containing a minimum of 1,500 sq ft; the Pender County
t C Library contains 4,560 sq ft, with the Standards indicating a need for
9,024 sq ft for the existing population (Cape Fear Council of Governments
1972). The library staff states a need for more science books and for a new
children's room; additional space for a museum and a reference center are
0
also desired.
Rescue Squads
A volunteer organization, the Pender County Rescue Squad, Inc.,
was formed in 1961. The rescue -squad serves the whole of Pender County ex-
cept Surf City and Topsail Beach, each of which has its own squad; the com-
munity of Sloop Point is presently organizing a rescue squad as well.
Emergency calls from around the county come to the County Squad central
dispatcher in Burgaw who sends out trucks as needed. The rescue squad
offers free courses and instructions in rescue work, and furnishes trans-
I-61
?7

pootation in an emergency; its members are pledged to duty at a moment's
notice. The squad operates according to a duty roster published each
month, with men and equipment on call 24 hours a day. The squad is main-
tained financially by annual appropriations from the town of Burgaw and
Pender County, and by public donations and an annual fund raising project.
Fire Protection
Fire protection in Pender County is provided by municipal and com-
munity volunteer fire departments located in Atkinson, Burgaw, Hampstead,
Long Creek, Maple Hill, Penderlea, Shiloh, Surf City, and Topsail Beach.
The activities of the separate volunteer departments are coordinated by a
emergency dispatch office in Burgaw; calls from throughout the county go
into a central number in Burgaw where the alarm button is pushed to alert that
fire department in the county closest to the area in danger. Each department
f' has a limited service area, but there are mutual aid agreements between most
of them calling for assistance when needed.
The most serious problem in the county's fire protection service
is the need for adequate financing (Hardman and Mack 1973). Most of the
departments receive revenue from special Fire District tax levies; however,
most of the budget is raised by the firemen through time-consuming special
fund raising activities which detract from the amount of time that could be
spent in training to improve fire fighting abilities and in teaching fire
prevention techniques. Lack of funding also increases the amount of
response time for fire alarms because most volunteer units cannot afford
to keep a man at the fire house full-time.
volunteer fire department equipment is designed to fight structural
fires only, and not brush or forest fires. Pender County is within the
t( Whiteville State Forest District which maintains four fire -towers in Pender
I-62

County (near Edgecombe, Rocky
Point, Ward's
Corner, and Players); three
additional towers are located
immediately
outside the county in Brunswick,
40 C
Sampson, and Onslow Counties.
The N. C. Forest Service has designated three classifications of
forest land in the county according to its fire condition and needs. High
Risk areas are characterized by large fuel accumulation, wetness and/or a
lack of roads; they tend to burn readily, or are virtually inaccessible to
fire -fighting equipment. High Value areas are those that are growing the
best marketable crops of trees or contain sites of other than forest value
such as Moore's Creek Park; these are areas whose financial loss to fire
would be greatest. The third category of forestland is High Risk and High
Value with a combination of the above conditions. The Forest Service Main-
tains in Pender County two crawler tractors in good condition and three pumps
and tanks mounted on 'pickups.
Fire fighting services provided by the volunteer departments and
the N. C. Forest Service function independently of each other, yet
cooperatively when both structures and forest are endangered. In addition,
most forest industries maintain fire fighting equipment and personnel and
can readily be called upon to assist where needed elsewhere in the county.
The present status of fire protection in the county is summarized
in Tables 1.5 and 1.6.
Solid Waste Disposal
There are at present three solid waste collection -and disposal
systems in operation in Pender County. The Topsail Township Landfill opened
on July 7, 1975 to provide a waste disposal site for the beach areas of the
county. Garbage collection in Surf City and Topsail Beach is operated by
I-63

Table 1-7. Pender County Volunteer Fire Departments, 1973.a
Department
Area Served Number
of members
Source of Funds
Atkinson
3 mile run
31
Town of Atkinson Budget
Donations from County
($1,800 per year), Contri-
butions, Fund Raising
Campaigns, Fire Tax District.
Burgaw
4 mile fire district
42
Public Funds, Donations,
from town of Burgaw
Contributions, County $2,500.
Hampstead
no answer
21
In process of becoming Tax
District, Fund Raising
Projects.
Long Creek
3 miles of all weather
21
Local Fire Tax of 10�/$100,
roads from station
County Donations, Contri-
butions, Fund Raising,
County $1,800.
Maple Hill
approximately 4
31
Public County Funds, Donations,
miles
Contributions and Fund Raising,.
County $1,800.
Penderlea
3 miles
27
Local Fire Tax of 10G/$1001
Donations, Fund Raising,
County $1,800.
Shiloh
newly organized newly
Newly organized.
organized
Surf City
town limits
25
County $1,800, Fund Raising
Projects
Topsail Beach
town limits
24
Appropriated Public Funds,
County $1,800.
aSource: Hardman
and Mack, 1973. Region
"0" Fire Protection
Inventory,
Cape Fear Council
of Governments, Wilmington,
N. C.
W
I-64
.6

•
Table 1-8.
Pender County Fire Departments, Type and Condition of
Equipment.a
Department
Condition
Type
Atkinson
1970 Ford Howe Triple Combination
No answer
750 G.P.M. Pumper; 1958 Chevrolet
Tanker 1,000 gal., 350 G.P.M. Pump;
1946 Ford Sonford Triple Combination
500 G.P.M. Pumper; 1973 Van for
carrying breathing apparatus and other,
small equipment.
Burgaw
1968 Ford 750 gallon Pumper; 1959 Ford
No answer
American LaFrance 750 gallon Pumper;
1968 Chevrolet 1,250 gallons water
carrier; 1966 Chevrolet Equip. Truck;
all equipment radio equipped.
Hampstead
One Pump Truck 1,000 gallon capacity '
No answer
One Pump Truck 450 gallon capacity
ordered new uniforms, have recently
purchased panel truck for carrying
equipment,. 2 Scott air packs (for
entering smoke filled rooms).
Long Creek
1937 Mack Jr., 750 G.P.M. Pump;
Good
1946 Ford 300 G.P.M. Pumper;
Fair
1954 International Tanker, 1,000 gal.
Fair
tank
Maple Hill
1967 Chevrolet 6 cylinder-mid-shipmount
Excellent
pump, 500 G.P.M., 936 gallon water
supply.
1954 International 6 cylinder front
Fair
mounted pump 750 G.P.M., 1,200 gallon
water supply
Penderlea
One Pumper -tanker combination, 1,700
No answer
gallons; One 1,500 gallon tanker, and
one 500 gallon pumper.
Shiloh Newly organized.
Surf City One pumper truck, 500 G.P.M.; One pump No answer
truck, 750 G.P.M.
Topsail Beach Howe 750 G.P.M. Pumper, 1972. No answer
asource: Region "0" Fire Protection Inventory, June 1973.
I-65
SS(

• r
each of the two municipalities, but the landfill is operated by.the county. —
Garbage is collected three times each week in the beach towns. In the
winter months, when the population is low, few trips to the site west of
the Surf City Bridge on N. C. 50 are needed each collection day. In summer,
however, with the greatly increased tourist population, facilities and man-
power are required to work long hours in order to keep up with the increased ,
loads.
The Town of Burgaw operates a solid waste collection system. Com-
pactor trucks collect waste materials and transport them to the county
operated land -fill.
The whole unincorporated area of Pender County is,provided with
garbage pickup and disposal by a county system begun in February 1973.a .There
is one landfill for the area, located on S. R. 1640 four miles west of Burgaw.
F
Residents of the county bring garbage to established collection boxes
located in all communities and at several major crossroads; the collection
truck makes as many rounds to each box as necessary two days a week,
followed by deliveries to the landfill. The heavily populated Hampstead
area, however, usually requires a third collection day each week on Saturday.
The existing solid waste collection and disposal system provides
adequate service for existing needs in Pender County; where containers are
overloaded, new ones are added. Presently, efforts are being made to obtain
an additional collection truck. In the future, additional landfills located
in various parts of the county could reduce the distance travelled between
collection containers and the landfill, thereby reducing operating costs.
aThe Town of Atkinson provides regular house -to -house waste collection.
Municipal crews deposit the material in county recepticals located on the
outskirts of the town.
•
I-66
RM

Water and Sewer
As of June 1974 there were a total of nine public water systems in
operation in Pender County; three of these systems were municipally owned,
the remaining six served mobile home parks (Wiggins-Rimer.and Assoc. 1973).
Of the three municipal systems, only two, in Burgaw and Surf City, actually
have wells; the third, Topsail Beach, buys its water from Surf City, but
operates its own distribution system.
The Surf City Water System was established in May 1968 with the
financial assistance of the Federal Housing Administration. The well system
is located just west of the AIWW on N. C. 50, with an existing capacity of
516,000 gallons per day and a design capacity of 2.5 million gallons per day
(mgd). There are approximately 500 connections to the system in each of the
two towns, with a combined average summer water use of about 375,000 gallons
+ per day. Water consumption in the towns varies with the seasonal changes
in population, being lowest in off-season winter months.
The Town of Surf City is experiencing some problems.with sedimen-
tation and scaling in its distribution system due to the hardness of the
ground water used for water supply..
The Town of Burgaw operates three wells, each 350 ft deep, with
a combined maximum capacity of 1 mgd; the peak load sustained through
January 31, 1975 was 0.35 mgd, leaving 0.65 mgd available over peak load
(Burgaw Community Audit 1975). The town has an overhead storage of 175
,thousand -gallons -of water. The Burgaw water system presently serves the
whole town, but plans for extending the system to serve the area within a
one -mile radius of the town are being considered.
I-67
P3

The only public wastewater disposal facility in Pender County is
located in the Town of Burgaw where wastewater is given secondary treatment
before discharge into Osgood Branch. The plant has a capacity of 0.3 mgd
and presently serves approximately 1,750 people; the peak flow sustained as
of Jaunary 1975 was.0.28 mgd leaving a surplus capacity above peak of 0.02
mgd (Burgaw Community Audit 1975). There are presently areas in and around
the Burgaw town limits which are not connected to the municipal system; be
cause of the high water table and poor soil conditions, these areas are prone
to flood the surface with sewage, causing nuisance conditions. The town is
applying for funds to extend the sewerage system to serve all of the town
and many of the surrounding areas that are experiencing problems.
In 1973 approximately 93 percent of the population of Pender County
was served by private wastewater disposal systems, most of which serve in-
dividual single-family residences and rely on subsurface disposal methods
(Wiggins -Rimer and Assoc. 1973). The problems with wastewater disposal is
the county are widespread, and relate to the following three characteristics
of the county: a high water table, poor soil conditions in some areas, and
a population density which cannot support public wastewater collection and
disposal systems.
In the Topsail Beach -Surf City area, the development of small lots
has created overcrowded conditions for the septic tanks in use. The two
towns are presently studying the feasibility of a regional wastewater dis-
posal facility to cover the whole of Topsail Island.
I-68

SECTION II
r ISSUES, OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS
• C

MAJOR ISSUES AND GENERAL ALTERNATIVES
't
East West Population Characteristics
In 1876 the North Carolina General Assembly established Pender County
as a political jurisdiction separate from New Hanover County. At this time
the Cape Fear and Black Rivers, and the lower part of the Northeast Cape Fear
River functioned as natural barriers to overland transportation in the area
and were adopted as the principal political boundaries between Pender and
adjacent New Hanover, Brunswick, Bladen, and Columbus Counties. Governmental
functions could efficiently be extended in the counties as far as the land
surface permitted the construction of roads and communication networks to
link outlying areas with the county seat. The rivers served as transportation
and communication corridors between the separate jurisdictions. The Northeast
Cape Fear River still functions as a barrier to east -west transportation in
most of Pender County; but is no longer used for commercial navigation. The
river, together with the Holly Shelter wetlands, effectively divides the
county into eastern and western sections linked only by N.C. 210 in the
south and N. C. 53 in the north.
For as long as agriculture was the principal economic activitiy in
the county, the east and west sections developed in much the same fashion
and were characterized by a rural -farm atmosphere, single family, detached
dwellings on large lots, and higher densities and commercial activities
centered in towns and major crossroads. The increase in outdoor recreational
activity on the coast and industrial activity in New Hanover County combined
with the overall decrease in agricultural activity in Pender County have
resulted in a divergence of development patterns in the two sections in
the last 10 to 20 years. In both sections, current development is heaviest
II-1
'5 b

along transportation corridors= But the western -section -of the county maintains
much of its rural -farm atmosphere even with a shift to non -farm employment);
the population of existing communities has not increased significantly, there
is little influx of new (non-Pender County) population, and there are few new
communities or neighborhoods being developed. The eastern section, particu-
larly between U.S. 17 and the AIWW, is experiencing an increase of new planned
subdivisions accommodating new populations of both permanent and seasonal
residents. New development in this section is generally recreation rather
than farm oriented and is accompanied by an increase in tourist shopping
facilities along U. S. 17.
The isolation of the eastern part of the county from the west, and.
from Burgaw makes the delivery of county services to the east inefficient.
The eastern section has already begun planning for a medical facility to
serve its residents, 'a separate landfill for the area has been established,
and the two Topsail Island municipalities operate their own rescue squads.
The eastern section property owners pay the same tax rate as the rest of
the county, on property having a generally higher market value per acre than
in the west; they contribute substantially to the County General Fund,a but
feel they do not receive a proportional amount of county service. The
differences in lifestyle of the two sections of the county create differences
in the kinds of services desired as well as ability to pay for those
services.
aIn FY 1973-1974 property owners in Topsail Beach and Surf City together
paid $125,156 to the County General Fund; comparable figures for the
unincorporated parts of the eastern section are not available.
e7

Provision of Service Facilities
According to the U. S. Census of Population, in 1970 approximately
40 percent of the Pender County labor force commuted to work outside the
county. More recent Census employment figures are not available, but the
increase in homebuilding along U. S. 17, without a significant increase in
job opportunities in the county, would indicate a strong likelihood that
presently at least 40 percent of the laborrforce commutes. The employment.in
the county only. 60'percent-.of the labor force implies on_the:one:hand that
a significant number of people find residence in the county attractive
enough to outweigh the disadvantages of the required long drives to work.
The rural atmosphere, uncrowded living conditions, and friendliness of the
people are reasons often given for choosing to live in Pender County. But
there are several disadvantages to both the public and private sector in
having the county serve as a bedroom community- not the least of which is
Pender's lack of a substantial tax base from which to draw revenue required
for the operation of modern service facilities. Industrial land use produces
a substantially higher property tax base than residential, agricultural, or
forest land use. Most of the revenue required for the operation of community
service facilities including schools, solid waste disposal, libraries, and
hospitals is drawn from property taxes. To a certain extent, a population
can choose to do without services, to accept the lack of services as an
acceptable price to pay for a rural lifestyle; but when public health is
involved, and health risks have to be borne by transient or outside popu-
lations as well as residents, the right to choose becomes more limited.
II-3
rri
S-�-

The soils throughout Pender County have moderate to sever limi-
tations for proper septic tank operation; the surficial sands that cover
the area recharge water table aquifers and some underlying deeper aquifers
as well. Except in those soils that are perennially wet, properly con-
structed septic tanks with sufficiently large filter fields can operate
efficiently in most any soil in the county. Where water table wells are
located sufficiently far from septic tank filter fields and other sources of
contamination, drinking water of acceptable quality may be obtained near the
surface. But the determination of "sufficiency" in size of filter fields
and location of wells is at best difficult to make and may change overtime
as the ground becomes more saturated with wastes. The use of deeper aqui-
fers for water supply can reduce the lot size required for septic tanks,
and well fields can be protected from contamination by being isolated from
i sources of contaminants. But even where the risk of contamination of water
supplies is reduced, contamination of surface waters may occur.
Throughout Pender County, the limiting factor for the use of septic
tanks is population density; it must be sufficiently low. Throughout the
county as elsewhere, the limiting factor for the cost-effective installation
and operation of a public sewage treatment facility is the revenue base;
it must be sufficiently high. The population of many areas of the county,
particularly the established communities,:,s approaching the point where density
is too high for continued use of septic tanks, but the revenue base remains
too low to support.public sewerage facilities.
Heretofore, sewage disposal and water supply in Pender County has
been largely the responsibility of private property owners. Existing regu-
II-4

lations governing the installation of privies and septic tanks make it the
property owner's responsibility to demonstrate that his facilities will not
endanger his own health, the health of his neighbors, or the productivity
of the surrounding environment. Developers selling residential lots are
under no obligation to make lot sizes sufficiently large to accommodate
private sewage disposal or water supply facilities, or to warn buyers of
the difficulties that could be encountered in trying to accommodate those
facilities on his lot. Longtime residents of Pender County are generally .
aware of the limitations imposed by existing soil conditions and water
tables; people new to the area, especially those accustomed to publicly
supplied facilities, need in some way to be warned of the pending problem.
The public sector in the county, either on a county or municipal.
level, is responsible for the general health and well being of its citizens
F and the tourist populations it invites to enjoy its recreation resources.
The responsibility it must assume is if not the financial one of creating
public facilities, -then at least'the legal one of assuring that new
development in.the area will not be detrimental to the well being of its
residents or its natural resources.
Employment opportunities
Pender County's function as a bedroom community creates additional
problems for the private sector, particularly as the price of gasoline con-
tinues to rise. The financial burden of commuting may soon force even
long-time residents of the county to leave the area and locate closer to
their place of employment. Commuting populations often do their shopping
near their place of employment, particularly if larger choices and lower
II-5
el 0

prices are available there; thus, money earned in neighboring counties is
often spent in neighboring counties, . depriving local businessmen of
revenue badly needed for the expansion of local commercial facilities.
Since its initial settlement, Pender County's economy has been
based on its natural resources, particularly its agricultural and forest
resources. Changes in agricultural activities have reduced the manpower re-
quired for existing farming operations; past lumbering practices have reduced
the quality of current forest production. There are virtually no valuable
mineral resources in the county. Increased leisure time and access have
raised the value of Pender's coastal recreational resources and the ability
of tourist related -activities to function as a source of employment for
county residents. While forming barriers to highly developed transportation
networks and urban land use, Pender County's wetlands have yet undeveloped
�. outdoor recreation potential for hunting, fishing, sightseeing, and boating.
• C
The county's natural resources, including its human resources,
remain its most valuable commodities; the future prosperity of the county
will depend on the care and imagination exercised in promoting the continued
expanded use of its resources as the base of its economy.
Industry
On October 25, 1975, the residents of Pender County voted to
authorize the County Commissioners to establish an Industrial Commission
which will employ a professional Industrial .Developer to attract industry
to the county. Economic realities necessitate an expansion of industry
within the political jurisdiction. A professional industrial developer
working with local officials and businessmen can provide the county with
II-6

• an opportunity to assess its potential for industrial location, establish
criteria for the kind of industry that would best fit the stated desires
of the people, and then conduct a full-time search for the desired firms.
Pender County's potential for attracting new industry is limited
initially by the factors that limit industrial location in the region as
a whole. The Lower Cape Fear area is characterized by a shortage of
craftsmen and professional personnel, inadequate community leadership, de-
ficient transportation facilities, limited services such as water and sewer,
and inadequate cultural amenities. More importantly, the region retains an
image of being slow, unproductive and not really interested in economic pro-
gress. An industry seeking a new location must first be induced to locate
in the southern Coastal Plain of North Carolina, then in Pender County in
particular.
CProximity to markets, available labor supply, and appeal of climate
are factors involved in an industry's choice of a region; the individual
county industrial developer can have little effect on regional level decisions
(Kiser 1975). Within the region, however, Pender County can attempt to com-
pete with neighboring counties by providing necessary service facilities to
industrial sites and by improving its primary and secondary roads, health
care facilities, the skills of its labor supply and the overall liveability
of its communities.
An alternative to locating new industry in the county is the ex-
pansion of existing industries and markets. Improvement in facilities
servicing existing businesses, advanced training in skills presently being
utilized, and improvements in transportation networks between raw materials,
manufacturing sites, and markets can encourage the expansion of businesses
II-7
!.2

�. owned and operated by residents of the county. Investment capital generated
in the county can be retained and used to finance further expansion.
County government's promotion of its native businesses can provide evi-
dence to outside investors of a healthy attitude toward economic growth.
Any promotion of industrial growth in the county must be viewed
as a means to an end, not as an end in itself. A labor intensive industry
hiring local labor at acceptable wages can help raise the per capita income
of a large segment of the population. A capital intensive industry, utilizing
local physical resources only, provides little or no employment base to local
residents. County services extending to industries hiring only outside
labor can result in a net loss in benefits to the county in spite of an
increased tax base. Tax abatements, low interest loans, and the insurance
of capital investments can encourage the location of capital intensive in
cdustries by making capital less costly than labor. Any inducements or
direct public investments should be directed towards attracting those firms
which will help accomplish those growth objectives established by the
people of the county.
..Agricultural Markets
Agriculture in Pender County has become increasingly mechanized
over the years, with a reduction in the total number of farms and increase
in the average farm size. Production per acre has increased, as have the
cash per acre receipts. Marketing facilities for most farm commodities
produced, however, have not responded to increased yields, and most of the
county's production continues to be sent to wholesale markets outside of
the county. Grains, such as corn and soybeans, go mainly to Norfolk,
II-8

• j Virginia, and Fayetteville; tobacco is sent to warehouses in Wallace,
Clinton, Kinston and Whiteville, and poultry,.(_broilers) are grown on contract
and sent to Rosehill or Raleigh. There are markets in the county for only
two commodities; blueberries are packaged and sold retail from Burgaw;
locally grown eggs, together with those bought wholesale from farmers
farther south, are graded and packaged in Burgaw.
Some facilities exist locally for temporary storage and loading of
grains to be shipped out of the county; the reliable outside markets assure
farmers of buyers for the grain they produce. There has been some increase
in grain storage on individual farms, but most farmers must sell their grain
wholesale at harvest time, then later in the year buy grain retail in order
to feed their livestock. The Petersburg, Virginia, market for locally grown
grapes in 1975 was inadequate to handle all of the grapes produced; a
secondary outlet in Georgia helped to move out all of the fruit harvested,
but did not help to increase the price of the product.
According to Pender County Agricultural Extension Agent, Bill
Walker, lack of volume is the main barrier to the establishment of local
markets for local produce. A sufficient amount of a given wholesale product
must be available to justify the costs of processing, packaging, and shipping
to consumers. In many areas of the country,required volume is achieved by
farmers' establishing co-ops and working together to buy and sell wholesale.
The Pender County tendency is to buy retail and sell wholesale, forsaking
the revenue that would be produced by an additional turnover of cash.
Because of the trend in agriculture towards less labor/more
capital intensive production of commodities, agriculture in the future can
II-9

be expected to offer less and less employment opportunity. The establish-
ment of processing, packaging and retail markets for farm products, on the
other hand, is a potential source of increased employment and should be
actively encouraged in the county. One commodity with local market po-.
tential is grapes; a winery in the county could offer both a reliable
i
market for the product and an employment base for non -farm labor.
While adequate volume for grain marketing is probably not avail-
able in the county, increased local storage facilities could reduce the
revenue currently lost by farmers having to sell their grain wholesale
only to buy grain later retail.
Forest Resources
The current quality of forest resources in Pender County is limited
partly by the physical condition of the land and partly by past.timbering
f and agricultural practices. Approximately 80 percent of the county is in
forest, 99 percent of which is on land with a low (Site Class 4 or 5) in-
herent capacity to grow crops of*industrial wood. The occurrence of the
water table at or near the surface limits the growth potential of many tree
species by limiting the amount of available oxygen. The high acidity of
swamp waters limits the kinds of nutrients available for some speciesloften
resulting in dwarfed and stunted trees. According to Derryl Walden, N. C.
Forest Service District Forester, improved drainage would raise much of
the county's forestland to Site Class 2 or 3. Along riverine floodplains
where native cypress and other swamp species occur, yields of high quality
lumber can usually be found; but in many cases, the steepness of adjacent
slopes, the low bearing capacity of muck soils and the density of surrounding
vegetation discourage the removal of timber from these areas.
II-10
6/6�

ec
•. i Prime agricultural soils are also prime soils for forestry.. His,
torically, these soils have been the first to be cleared of timber and put
into agricultural production. For many years, farming practices did not
include soil conservation measures, and soil nutrient depletion and
erosion often resulted. When soils were no longer able to produce suffi-
ciently high agricultural yields, they were abandoned and allowed to return
to forest. But the second and third growths of trees, on depleted soils,
are rarely of as high a quality as were initially present on the site.
Forest operations in the county have traditionally been charac-
terized by the removal of the highest quality timber with poorer quality
trees left to regenerate future growth. Successive cuttings continued
to remove those trees with potential for high quality seed production,
resulting in residual stands of timber with successively poorer growth
k
C potential. In many cases, careless timber removal practices resulted in
further degradation of a site and a higher susceptibility to fire.
Approximately 25 percent of the commercial forestland in Pender -1
County is owned by forest industries who have initiated maximum production
and sustained yield management practices. Well over half of the forest -
land is in .private individual ownership, some in large parcels, some in
small woodlotsf. but little. intensively managed. Stand efficiency on
most of these holdings could be improved by more effective replanting and
reseeding, protection from fire and disease, and more efficient utili-
zation of all forest products.
The N. C. Forest Service offers assistance to small woodlot
owners in establishing and managing good quality timber stands especially
W.
I
II-11
cl 6

on land that has previously been cut over or neglected. The N. C. Forest
Service encourages proper site preparation and stand regeneration techniques,
and timber removal practices. Some of the larger industrial wood product
companies, such as Weyerhaeuser and Federal Paperboard, unable to supply
all of their timber needs from their own forest lands, assist individual
land owners in forest management, and assure markets for trees grown.
The major markets for Pender County forest products are located
outside the County. Most sawtimber is bought by Acme Wood and Georgia-
Pacific in Columbus County, Godwin's Sons in Duplin County, and Corbett
Lumber in New Hanover County; most dimension timber is bought by Acme Woods
and Georgia-Pacific; and pulpwood is bought by Weyerhaeuser in Duplin and
Federal Paperboard in Columbus County.a There are a few sawmills in_Pender
County such as Pender Lumber and Burgaw Lumber in Burgaw, and Atlantic
!
Timber in Hampstead; but
only a
small percentage of the timber grown in
the county is processed
in the
county.
The establishment of more local markets for forest products, as for
agricultural products, could increase the revenue received by the county by
increasing retail sales and local employment opportunities. Much of the
timber harvested in the county is sold as pulpwood for paper production,
and pulp and paper mills require both large capital investments and large
volume. Sawmills and veneer mills,on the other hand, producing more
specialized wood products, can vary more in size of both capital investment
and volume of production and can more easily be established as new industries.
aDerryl Walden, Whiteville District Forester, N. C. Forest Service,
Personal Communication.
1*\ II-12
nj 7

0() Drainage
The primary limitations on land utilization for any purpose in
Pender County are imposed by the drainage system. Approximately 40 percent
of the county is classified Wetland, and extensive additional areas are
susceptible to flooding and ponding during periods of heavy rain. Wetness
has influenced the location of highways and urban development, and places
serious constraints on the logical pattern of urban expansion. It is the
degree of wetness of most soils rather than.their fertility that determines
their value for agricultural and forestry purposes; costs of production are
seriously influenced by the cost involved in maintaining a low water table.
Most industrial forest lands must be drained at least tempora4ily to ensure
that seeds and seedlings survive the first few years after planting. Wetness
causes difficulty in fire fighting and the removal of timber from some forest
Clands because of the tendency of heavy equipment to sink in the soggy soils.
The outdoor recreation value of many undeveloped parts of the county is \
restricted because of the high costs involved in access road construction.
In urban areas of the county, drainage ditch systems have been
designed to.reduce ponding by facilitating runoff. Ditches from urban areas,
farmland, and road easements empty into nearby creeks and rivers causing
large flows to occur quickly after the beginning of storms. Because the
immediate flood plains of most major watercourses in the county are vir-.
tually undeveloped, flooding causes little direct damage.
Many smaller watercourses, however, naturally winding with slow.
moving water have become clogged with silt and debris and choked with over-
hanging brush. Until paving became common, tremendous amounts of silt
• _ C II-13
Ct

were eroded from roadways, carried by ditches, and deposited in nearby
streambeds. Logging activities for many years left tree tops' and branches
discarded on stream banks; high waters washed the debris into the streams,
where it collected in narrow channels creating virtual dams. It is becoming
a common agricultural practice in the county to plant without cultivation .
in order to reduce the loss of topsoil and its deposition downstream; but .
topsoil deposited years ago continues to clog waterways, and with debris
dams, causes increased flooding. The recreation value of many streams has
been reduced as waterways, once navigable, have become impassible.
Conscientious efforts are being made throughout the county to reduce
siltation and debris collection in streams. But the flooding problems that
already exist cannot be relieved unless the existing snags are cleaned out.
According to SCS Conservation Technician, A. H. Pridgen, Long Creek, which
f drains large amounts of farmland, is the most severely clogged stream in
the county, causing floodwaters to back up in local drainage ditches.
Shelter Creek drains the Maple Hill area to the Northeast Cape Fear River.
Flooding problems in the area have forced some farmers to give up acreage
that had long been in production.
According to Pridgen, any efforts to clear out streams•must be
done with public funds on a watershed basis, beginning at the outlet and
proceeding upstream. The scale of such undertakings is beyond the financial
resources of riparian landowners, and the benefits derived from such proj-
ects would affect other property owners as well.
There are legitimate fears in many areas about potential adverse
environmental effects resulting from stream clearing, snagging, and,
99

especially, straightening projects. Silt and debris cleaned from a stream
bed must be deposited nearby, and even when seeded to prevent re-entry into
the stream, spoil piles are usually unsightly. Temporary alteration of
fish and some wildlife habitat is unavoidable, and the required road access
through the project area alters adjacent vegetation patterns. In order to
reduce the cost of cleaning miles of winding streambeds, straight channels
can be cut across a floodplain and stream flow diverted to the new channel..
Benefits gained by the channelizing approach, however, have not yet been
adequately demonstrated to outweigh the damage done to the stream system.
The benefits of any extensive draining operations in the county
must be weighed against the adverse impacts that can be expected to result.
The value of flood prevention must be weighed against the value of fish
and wildlife in an area, and the land use to be protected weighed against
f alternative land uses.
II-15
lad

• , priorities for Public Service
The provision of public services in Pender County is now and
i
will continue to be limited by three major factors. In terms of
c
acreage, the county is extremely large, in terms of population it is
extremely small, and in terms of tax revenues it is poor. Its pro-
perty tax revenues in FY 1973-1974 amounted to less than one -quarter
the revenues of Brunswick County.(chosen for comparison because of
Its similar size, physical characteristics and location). Pender's
per capita income is so low that increased taxes to pay for in-
creased services would probably impose more of a burden than the
new services would relieve.
There is a strong feeling of self-reliance in the county -- a
feeling of "if you want it done; do it yourself." Many services now
in operation were initiated, established and are operated primarily .
by voluntary manpower and private contributions. State and Federal
grant monies are sometimes solicited, but heavy reliance on outside
financing is generally opposed.
Desires for economic growth in Pender County are generally only
desires for economic survival. Parents want to see their children
able to remain in the county after high school graduation; young
people want to be able to work in the same county in which they live.
Most county residents are fully aware of the health and safety pro-
blems associated with inadequate private sewage disposal and water
supply facilities. They.realize the necessity of maintaining Stan-
dards of health care and education comparable to standards set state-
wide. Most residents, though many reluctantly, see an expansion of
II-16
lot

industry as the key to producing sufficient economic progress to allow
them to hold their ground against the rising costs of essential ser-
vices.
But as economic progress will probably be slow in coming, desires
for improved services must be tempered by financial feasibility. The
primary public service needs and levels of responsibility are summarized
as follows:
Roads
There are two principal problems with the internal road system
of the county: 1) The isolation of the eastern section from the west
is augmented by the limited road network connecting the two sections.
Between Hampstead and Burgaw, the two most densely populated communities,
NC 210 winds for miles adjacent to the Northeast Cape Fear River before
its junction with NC 117. 2) Many roads in the western section of the
county, connecting forestry and agricultural resources with markets,
have weight restrictions that severely limit the loads that can be trans-
ported. County residents can be subjected to heavy fines for over use
of the only roads available for transportation of their agricultural
and forest products.
sewer'and Water
The establishment of a county -wide sewer and water system in
Pender County is not only far beyond the financial capability of the
county, but also exceeds its needs. Population densities requiring
sewer systems and public water supplies are generally limited to the
more populated communities. The responsibility for sewer and water
facility establishment where needed is generally considered a

C
i�
municipal function. The county's role in providing for such facili-
ties can best be carried out by encouraging new development to occur
either within the reach of municipal facilities or in areas where no
public facilities will be required.
Schools,'Health Care, Solid Waste Collection, and
Employment Opportunities
Health care, education, and solid waste collection are
county -wide needs and accepted county responsibilities. Such ser-
vices can best be rendered by distributing facilities as evenly as
possible to existing communities throughout the county. -Economic
development is likewise desired throughout the county and its distri-
bution, while ultimately dictated by the needs of industry, can be
encouraged to occur adjacent to population centers.
Housing and Drainage
Adequate housing and drainage programs designed to upgrade
blighted urban areas and prevent unnecessary flood damage are cur-
rently being undertaken by a community development committee. Federal
grant monies for such projects are available on a limited basis. Their
appropriation is based on the needs of the county, as evaluated. by
professionals and county officials, synthesized in specially scheduled
public hearings. Specific projects to be undertaken each year are to
be.determined by careful study of those areas of the county in greatest
need of renewal.
Fire Protection and Rescue Service
Fire protection and rescue services in Pender County are
currently and will continue to be operated by chartered volunteer
organizations receiving annual appropriations from the county. The
II-18
102

• ( volunteer groups from each community are encouraged to form mutual
aid packs, increase training of personnel, teach the public fire
prevention and safety practices, and make careful inspection of new,
and old buildings in order to reduce the incidence of fire damage.
Where existing water supplies are inadequate for fire protection,
municipal governments are encouraged to cooperate with fire depart-
ments in determining the most adequate means of obtaining sufficient
quantities of water.
.Recreation, Historic and Natural Resources
Pender County residents are proud of their heritage and in
terested in seeing their historic resources protected, and as much as
possible, restored. Private citizens are encouraged to inventory
historic buildings and areas and to recommend to the county appropriate
r
ways of affording these resources protection.
Areas with natural resource potential are being inventoried
by the N. C. State Parks Office. The value of these areas must be
assessed in order for their management to be accomplished. County re-
sidents have listed the abundance of outdoor recreation activities as
one of the primary attractions of the county. A County Parks depart-
ment, established to study the historic and natural resources, could
help to set priorities for recreational development of these areas
as parklands for both county residents and the increasing number of
tourists now visiting the area. Where lack of public access to such
areas is deemed the limiting factor to their utilization, the N. C.
Department of Transportation can be petitioned to include the upgrading
/ of access roads in future highway allocations.
1.
II-19
j0�

` Projected Population Growth
In order to plan effectively for community service facilities,
the number of persons expected to be residents of the county and the
number of those expected to need different kinds of services in the
future must be estimated. Population projections for Pender County
have been developed by various State and Federal agencies charged
with forecasting population and economic trends. Numerous sophisticated
mathematical models have been developed for making such forecasts. But
the final analysis, including the choice of which forecasting method
to employ, depends largely on whether or not historic trends are ex-
pected to continue.
Between 1930 and 1960, Pender County's population increased. But
those increases occurred at successively decreasing rates and in 1970
r
` the county's population showed its first actual decline.:. Historically,
therefore, the trend is decline and projections for the future based on
the 1960-1970 rate of decline show a population in the year 2000 as low
as 16,500. Other projections made for the county are based on a change
in trend. In particular, the outmigration which caused the 1960-1970
decline is predicted to end, replaced by eventual inmigration due to
suburban -spillover from increased industrialization in neighboring
counties. The "change in trend" projections predict populations as
high as 20,600 in 2000. Table 2-1 lists four kinds of projections
and the populations associated with them.
None of the four projection methods listed above takes into
account the people of Pender County and the role they can play in de-
termining their own future. In order to assess what kind of growth
II-20
)O5

Table 2-1. Population
Projections.
Source
Method
1980
1985
1990
2000
U. S. Department
Ober "E"
.18,700
19,300
19,900
20,300
of Commerce, Bureau
of Economic Analysis
i
N. C. Department of
Cohort
19,000
19,550
20,100
20,600
Administration,
Survival
Office of State
Planning
N. C. Department
1973 Ad-
17,900
17,650
17,400
16,500
of Natural and
justed
Economic Resources,
Trend
Division of
Community Assis-
Arith-
tance
metic
18,012
17,944
17,875
17,738
t
•

and level of population the people of the county prefer, three alter-
native growth concepts were developed. The details of the concepts,
population levels and descriptive land use sketch maps are shown as
parts of Exhibit A-1 in Appendix A. Briefly, concept "A" assumes.
active discouragement of industrial growth, with the county continuing
to function as a bedroom community; this concept also assumes virtual
preservation of undeveloped agricultural, forest and barrier island
lands. The population projected to accompany such a "no growth" policy
in 1975 (derived principally from an average of the Ober "E" and cohort
survival projection methods) is 21,065. Concept "B" assumes manage-
ment of major natural resources areas, and moderate growth of resource
based industry, producing an in -county employment base for county re-
sidents. The population projected to accompany alternative-"B" coin-
�. cides with that population projected by the Cape Fear Council of
Governments.(1973) of about 24,310 people in 1995. Concept "C"
assumes major industrial development, significant population increases
in the beach area, and protection of only tidal marshes and estuarine
waters. The -population projected for alternative "C" was taken from
the Coastal Plains Regional Commission's "Deepwater Terminal Study"
(Nathan Associates and Coastal Zone Resources Corporation 1975) in
which, as a result of large scale industrialization, a population of
38,085 was predicted to occur in 1995.
In public meetings (see Appendix A) the people of the county voted
to work towards growth concept "B". The realization of such a choice
will require active involement of Pender County residents, as the
25,000 population exceeds projections based on either historic trends
•
II-22
J67

0(),
•C
or growth merely from suburban spillover. The first step toward the
realization of that goal -- a self-sufficient, stable economy with
productive management of natural and recreational resources -- has
been taken; the residents of the county voted for establishment of
an Industrial Commission. The next step involves the establishment
of policies, of specific objectives and standards, to guide future
development in the county toward the achievement of its goals.
II-23
%vim

• ) OBJECTIVES'AND STANDARDS FOR PENDER COUNTY
ADOPTED MARCH 10, 1976
The land use policy goal of Pender County government will be
to encourage employment and other conditions to achieve and support a
population of 25,000 by 1995.
Objective: Pender County government will encourage new popula-
tion growth in areas within or immediately adjacent
to existing communities in order to facilitate
improvement of services provided to County
residents at lowest unit cost.
Standards: 1. The provision and maintenance of necessary public
water supplies, sewage disposal facilities and
paved streets will be the responsibility of
municipalities. Allocations to municipalities
for other services will be in the form of
revenue sharing based on population needs.
2. Plans for the future distribution of county -wide
service facilities for education, health care,
and police protection will be based primarily on
the needs of existing centers of population.
Objective: Pender County government will encourage preservation
of prime agricultural land for agricultural pro-
duction, at the discretion of the owner.
Standards: 1. That land presently (in 1975) in agricultural
crop production will be considered the county's
prime agricultural land.
0
II-24

2. Policies will be established for county property
valuation assessment to alleviate tax pressure
to change the use made of agricultural land.
3. County tax policy, to the degree authorized by
statute, will be designed to penalize the use
of agricultural land as a tax shelter by
speculators.
Objective: Pender County government willjencourage.--the expansion
of the county employment and property tax bases by
seeking those industries that will maximize employ-.
ment of county residents and increase per capita
income without causing excessive public services
costs or degradation of the natural environment.
Standards: 1. Principal emphasis will be placed on locating
or expanding industries that will utilize Pender
County natural and human resources.
2. The County may encourage the location of industry .
by offering financial assistance for the develop-
ment of industrial sites.
3. Potential industrial or commercial installations
of 60,000 square feet or larger will require an
environmental impact assessment at the same
level of detail specified for major state actions
by the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act.
116)

objective: Pender County government will encourage the protection
of riverine swamp forests and attendant rivers,
creeks, and streams.
Standards: 1. Drainage programs in swamp forests will be permitted
only to the-minimum.degree necessary to maintain
sufficient drainage to alleviate flood damage.
2. The county soil erosion control ordinance will be
strictly enforced to prevent further blocking of
drainage from accelerated siltation.
3. Adherence to high standards for channel improve-
ment and timber harvesting practices will be
encouraged to prevent damage to indigenous fish
and wildlife species.
�. 4. Recreational use of the rivers, creeks, and
streams will be encouraged through county invest-
ment in access facilities.
objective: Pender County government will minimize public cost
of extension of municipal services and harm to the
environment by requiring developers to provide initial
road and necessary water and sewer services to major
subdivisions.
Standards: 1. A major subdivision is one whose ultimate devel-
opment will be ten acres or larger and involve
40 or more dwelling units, whichever is smaller.
•II-26
�l�

2. The necessity for public water supplies and sewage
disposal facilities will be determined by site
evaluation based on relevant North Carolina
Division of Environmental Management and Health
Services regulations and guidelines:
3. Construction will be governed by enforcement of
at least the minimum standards of the North
Carolina Building, Electrical, and Plumbing Codes.
4. Major subdivisions will be developed only after
submission and approval of plans for the subdivision.
Objective:
Pender County government will petition the North
Carolina Department of Transportation to upgrade the
internal road system of the county to facilitate access
from one part of the county to another and to provide
M
heavy duty road links for farm, forestry, and
industrial product movement.
Standard:
Pender County government will make an assessment of
its internal transportation needs and recommend specific
projects necessary to meet the above objective.
Objective:
Pender County government will encourage utilization of
estuaries and tidal marshes which will not alter the
natural function of such resources. Such utilization
Will include but not be limited to the maintenance of
channels.
l��

Standards:
1. Programs will be undertaken to maximize the circula-
tion of tidal waters in the channels of the
estuaries and within the marshes where such
circulation will result in increased contribution
of detritus.
2. Provision will be made to encourage the creation
of public access points and the maintenance of
navigable channels to these access points for the
use of the boating public.
Objective:
In areas designated Areas of Environmental Concern
or otherwise deemed hazardous or fragile, Pender
County government will permit only those kinds of
development appropriate for each area.
F
Standards:
1. Those kinds of development appropriate for Areas
of Environmental Concern are specified in
Section III of the Pender County Land Use Plan.
2. Development in USGS designated Flood Prone Areas
will follow the Federal Insurance Administration
Criteria for Land Management and Use.
Objective:
Pender County government will encourage the develop-
ment of the undeveloped barrier islands for the
purpose of public recreation only.
Standards:
1. The use of public funds for creating access to
or promoting development of the undeveloped
barrier islands for private purposes will be
discouraged.
•�
IT=28
-i1.:3

2. Future development of any of the county's barriet
'
to the for
islands will adhere standards
development described in Section.III of the
Pender County Land Use Plan.
Objective:
Pender County.government will encourage the develop-
ment of its historic resources as historic recreation
areas for public use and enjoyment.
Objective:
In order to promote more productive land use.in the
County and to maintain high yields of forest products
in the future, Pender County government will encourage
reforestation of land after timber harvesting when
that land has not been cleared for other purposes.
Standard:
Land owners are encouraged to use the services
available in the County from the N. C. Forest Service
t
and private contractors.
0 C II-29
1((�f

f C
0 Q
SECTION III
AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
w,

' INTRODUCTION
Section I of the Land Use Plan describes areas of Pender County in
which, because of the physical condition of the land or water, parti-
cular kinds of development would be either especially costly or likely
to cause undesirable consequences. Some of these areas, such as
pocosins, steep slopes,'or'excessively drained sterile sands, constrain
development primarily because of the high costs involved in adapting
the land for use. In most such areas, intensive development, as for
urban, transportation or industrial use, would not necessarily endanger
the inherent value of the resource, but would require excessive public
or private expenditures for construction, maintaining access, de
livening services, disposing of waste products, or assuring adequate
drainage_
l
In other areas, however, the undesirable consequences that could
result from uncontrolled or inappropriate development are not limited
to monetary costs. In particularly valuable or fragile areas, mis-
use of the land or water can cause degradation of a site's biological,
visual, economic, or historic resource value. In particularly hazardous
areas, poorly located, designed, or constructed development can in
crease the risk of property loss or endanger the health and safety of
people using it.
The Pender County Objectives and Standards cite the land use poli-
cies which will be used to guide tlhe location and quality of development
in the future in order to protect and manage the county's resources and
reduce service costs to county and municipal governments. Private
citizens are encouraged to solicit the professional advice offered by
III-1
116

county, state, and federal land management agencies on methods of re-
ducing private costs of land use and achieving maximum long-term pro-
ductivity. But for the particularly fragile and hazardous areas of the
county, stricter control of land use activities is necessary in order to
assure that development proceeds in a manner consistent with the capa-
bility of the land and water -to sustain it. In these areas, designated
Areas of Environmental Concern, the county is establishing specific
standards for use and development of each area category.
Ultimately, as required by the 1974 N. C. Coastal Area Management
Act, the N. C. Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) will designate Areas
of Environmental Concern throughout the coastal counties and will de-.
signate a permit letting authority to regulate land use within these
areas. The following categories and standards are to serve both as
guidelines for county policy implementation and as recommendations to
the CRC for consideration as State Areas of Environmental Concern.
The Estuarine System
The estuarine waters; marshes and mudflats, as defined by G. S.
113-229 and G. S. 113-230, extending the entire length of the county`s
coast, are of primary importance to the county and the North Carolina
coastal area because of their economic, scenic and recreational resource
value. The tidal marshes cover less than 4 percent of the total county
land area; but with the surrounding estuarine waters, they constitute
the most biologically productive area of the county, serving as the
primary food source for numerous fish and shellfish species. As a
III-2
117

ri scenic resource, the county's marshes are unsurpassed, supporting a
diversity of waterfowl and subtle vegetation patterns, characteristic
of the coastal area. The waterways function as transportation corridors
for commercial and sport boating activities and provide for hunting and
fishing of a variety of wildlife.
0 \
The authority for regulating the use and modification of the
estuarine resources has, for a number of years, rested with state and
federal permit letting agencies. But until recently, the degree of
regulation exercised was slight and the criteria for permit letting did
not include consideration of the ecological -balance of the estuarine
system. Approvals for marshland dredging and filling were often as not
a mere formality and sometimes granted after the fact. The increasing
awareness of the damage caused by these activities, however, has resulted
in much stricter review now of permit applications.
The people of Pender County recognize.the importance of the estu-
arine system and accept the regulation of its use and development as
a necessity. Many in the immediate coastal area, however, are now
being denied permits to maintain existing access channels. Siltation
in both natural and artificial channels has severely limited access
from the mainland out into the AIWW, and as a result, limits the use
of the recreational resources most people moved to the area to enjoy.
For this reason, the county will work with state and federal authorities
in managing and, where necessary, preserving the natural state of the
estuarine system, but will seek to have established and maintained
sufficient navigational channels to allow reasonable use and enjoy-
ment of its water resources,,.with a minimum of damage to the estuarine
system.
III-3
1I?"

The only kinds of new development that can be justified in the
estuary are those that require water access and cannot function any
where else. Piers, docks and.marinas, for instance, connecting water -
oriented with upland activities, may be considered appropriate if their
need in the area can be demonstrated and -their specific location and
design can be shown to be the most suitable alternative. The county
recognizes, however, that while a pier or dock itself does not
necessarily cause degradation of the productivity of the estuary, the
activities involved in.constructing it may. For that reason, the
highest reasonable standards of construction-will:be required for any
construction in the area.
Within the estuarine area in the county are islands of various sizes
and origins which, though not marshland or estuarine waters in the strict
sense, are a valuable part of .the estuarine system. The islands contri-
bute particularly to the scenic value of the estuary by adding topographic
relief and plant diversity which provide habitat for a variety of wild-
life species. Some of them are sufficiently large and stable to accommodate
some degree of development without endangering the surrounding estuarine
resources. But the islands are properly a part of the estuarine system,
included within the.areas mapped as coastal wetlands; they are, therefore,
designated as Areas of Environmental Concern, and.the development of any
of them will be reviewed on a case -by -case basis.
The Beach-Foredune System
The Atlantic shoreline of the Pender County outer banks is charac-
terized by wide and sandy beaches, backed by a moderately high foredune.
The beaches are the primary attraction of the outer banks for the
III-4
r �

•
* C
residents and thousands of vacationers who visit in the summer. The
foredunes are a valuable scenic attraction and a buffer to the erosive
effects of storm induced wind and waves. The dynamic nature of the
beach-foredune complex, however, precludes safe -structural Zevelopment
on it since that development, and the construction activities in-
volved, endanger both the scenic and protective value of the resource
and the roads and buildings situated inland.
Because, however, of the recreational use of the beaches and
the necessity for adequate access to them, allowances will be made
for the provision of structural accessways.across the dune provided
that upmost care is exercised in their location and construction so
as to prevent damage to the dune and the vegetation growing on it.
Allowances will also be made for the erection of safety facilities,.
such as lifeguard chairs, and for necessarily water -oriented re-
creational structures such as fishing piers.
Outer Banks -Hazard Areas
The estuarine system, ocean beaches and sand dunes, though in-
separable from the rest of the outer banks, have been addressed
separately because of their particularly fragile nature and high re-
source value. But the outer banks as a whole is an area of environ-
mental concern because of the importance of protecting the health,
safety and rights of the people who live, visit and own property there.
The North Carolina outer banks, as a marketable piece of real
estate, is the most valuable area of the coast, sought-after for second
homes, residences and vacation sites and for business enterprises to
support these uses. But the outer banks as a geologic feature is
a dynamic, perhaps transient, land form. The same forces of wind,
III-5
(.10

water and time -which caused the creation of the banks' various features
constantly modify -these features both in.location and extent. Problems
are encountered when the man-made structures developed to accommodate
their use and enjoyment are built to be static and permanent despite
their location in an ever changing environment.
Inlet Lands and Excessive Erosion Areas
The only realistic compromise betweenexpensive, fruitless combat
with the forces of nature and complete surrender to their supremacy is
development of only the more stable parts of -the whole in a manner
which those parts can -accommodate. For that reason, any new development
in the particularly hazardous areas.of the outer banks will be strongly
discouraged and, unless demonstrated to be directly in the public
interest, will not be supported by public funds. In particular, coastal
inlet lands and oceanfront property with a high probability of incurring
excessive erosion are unsuitable locations for the placement of
structures used for housing, institutional purposes, transportation or
commerce, and are considered of too high a risk to warrant public invest-
ments into roads, sewer and water lines and other such facilities..
It will be a municipal responsibility to make adequate provision to
warn.prospective buyers of property in hazard areas located within
municipal jurisdictions of the risks involved and of the municipal policy
of service provision: In unincorporated parts of the County, the
County will exercise its responsibility by requiring written acknowledgment
from developers before the approval of subdivisions,and from individuals'
before registering deeds, of the location of property within a hazard

area and of the County policy of public expenditures in such areas. All
construction in these hazard areas will be required to meet at least the
minimum standards of the North Carolina Building Code and.conform to the
standards of the Federal Insurance.Administration for coastal high
hazard areas.
Coastal Flood Plains
Virtually all of the county's outer banks and some of the adjacent
mainland are within a U.S.G.S. designated Flood Prone Area, susceptible
to inundation during severe storms. In order to reduce both flood
.damage and the cost of flood insurance, all construction in coastal
flood prone areas must be required to meet the Federal Insurance
Administration standards for --coastal high hazard areas.
Historic and Natural Resource Areas
'Those places in Pender County of a historic nature that have been/may
i
-be inventoriedby the County are/will.be areas of environmental concern be-
cause their value to the county and state is non-renewable and damage to
them could be irreversible. Swamp forests in the County are included as
Areas of Environmental Concern because their scenic and natural resource
value renders them high quality hardwood timberland and a potential major
recreation resource. The county encourages protection and management of
these resources and.will seek -in the future to incorporate some swamp
forest and historic areas into a county park and recreation program.
Public Trust Areas
Pender County supports the traditional public rightsof access to
and use of lands and waters designated Public Trust Areas for purposes
including navigation, fishing and recreation. The county both

supports and encourages the development of commmercial recreation
i. facilities in the county, especially those that promote the use and
enjoyment of the waterways. But to the degree authorized by statute,
the county will prohibit any development which unduly• restricts public
access to or use of Public Trust Areas.
It is obvious from the outset that protection of specific Areas
of Environmental Concern in the county cannot be accomplished without
some consideration of land uses in areas immediately adjacent. An
historic building itself, for instance, can be restored and protected;,
but if an industrial complex is situated immediately around it with
no effective buffer, the esthetic value of the building can suffer. A
swamp forest stream can be cleaned and managed as a recreational water-
way; but if land use activities upstream -result in accelerated erosion,
siltation in boating channels can hinder their recreational use. The
estuarine system along the Pender County coast is only part of the
system extending northward into Onslow County and southward into New
Hanover County. Pender County's regulatory authority to prevent
pollution and siltation can be extended only throughout its political
jurisdiction. Circulation patterns in the water that transports silt
and pollution, however, function without regard to political boundaries.
In order to facilitate better protection and management of Areas
of Environmental Concern and other county resources, land use regu-
lations and policies established in the future will take into account
the impact of land use on adjacent valuable or fragile areas. Further-
more, to whatever extent possible, the county will require compliance
with county policies not only from all private individuals, but also
from state and federal agencies involved in land modification acti-
vities in the county.
III-8

• Plate 2 delineates the approximate location of various categories
of county designated Areas of Environmental Concern.a It must be
emphasized, however, that these delineations are not sufficient for
most regulatory purposes because of the necessarily small map scale
and because, in most cases; on -site evaluation will be necessary in
order to determine the precise boundary of a particular category of land
or water. But the County encourages anyone involved in or contemplating
a change in land use in the county to use this map as a guideline for
interpreting the possible effect of county and state policy on particular
..parcels of land.
a Several other categories have been proposed for consideration by the CRC
but because of insufficient data have not been discussed at this time.
•
III-9

• C
SECTION IV.
FUTURE LAND USE
• 1,

THE DEMAND FOR LAND
The 1975 Pender County population is estimated to be 18,200. The
growth goal for the future calls.for a population of 25,000 by 1995, an in
crease of 6,800 people or 37 percent. If the population were to increase
at constant rate over the 20-year period, it could be expected to reach
21,600 in 1985. Since, however, the increase depends heavily on social and
economic programs only recently -initiated, a higher rate of growth is ex-
pected between 1985 and 1995 than between 1975 and 1985. The population
projected for 1985 is 20,800.
Historically in Pender County, the population has been widely
distributed, with less than 15 percent of County residents living in
incorporated towns, the remainder in unincorporated communities or in
entirely rural areas.. More recent development has resulted in some new.
k areas of population concentration, particularly along U. S. 117 near Rocky
Point and east of U. S. 17 near Hampstead. Development in both of these
locations is far removed from Pender County municipalities, radiating rather
from built-up areas in New Hanover County.
Factors Influencing Growth
If current patterns were taken to be the only indicators of the
future, almost all new development would be expected to occur in the southern
and eastern parts of the county. But residential development often radiates.
from employment bases, and Pender County is now working to increase in -county
employment. The amount of residential growth and commercial support facili-
ties that will occur in other parts of the county will depend to a great
extent on the amount of industry and other sources of employment that will
be located there.
IV-1
'�'6

There are two areas of the county that would seem at this point
best suited to larger scale industry. A complete evaluation of the areas
has not.yet been made either from an economic or environmental standpoint.
But because of their proximity .to highway networks, railroads, population
centers, and possible barge facilities on the Northeast Cape Fear River,
and their location on.soils generally suited to industrial needs, the
following two areas are currently considered primary target areas for invest-
ment into industrial location: 1) the belt along U. S. 421 in the vicinity
of Richards, and 2) the area immediately northeast of the junction of U. S.
117 and the Northeast Cape Fear River.
The area currently most suitable for the location of commerce and
smaller scale industry is in and around Burgaw;. highways, the railroad,
municipal services, and institutional facilities that can serve commercial
needs are already established and ample residential land is available in
Burgaw to accommodate future growth.
The outdoor recreational amenities along the coast and the .
availability of residential lots in subdivisions will continue to attract
new population to the outer banks and the area between U. S. 17 and the
AIWW. On the developed outer banks, municipal services, such as sewer and
water and paved streets, are being planned to accommodate the higher popula-
tion density now located there and expected to occur in the future. The
lack of a municipality to provide public services between U. S. 17 and the
AIWW will restrict population density there to that which can be safely
accommodated with on -site water supplies and private sewage disposal systems.
Residents of the area may in the future need to incorporate in order to
allow for higher population densities and provide for increased municipal
service needs.
• ` IV-2
12-7

Population Distribution
Approximately 66 percent of the projected increase in population
by 1985 can be expected to locate in three of the county's townships--
Burgaw, Topsail and Rocky -Point. Burgaw Township in 1970 housed 24 percent
of the county's population (Cape Fear Council of Governments 1973) and is
expected to receive about 22 percent of the increase in the next decade.
Topsail Township accounted for only 16 percent of county residents in 1970;
but because of the growth in the area between 1970 and 1975, and stated.
desires for continued moderate growth, the Township is expected to receive
32 percent of .the predicted increase. Rocky Point Township, with no
municipalities or associated services; accounted for only 9 percent of the
county's 1970 population. But.because of more recent growth trends and the
possibility of industrial location in its vicinity, the Township is ex-
pected to receive 12 percent of the population increase.
The remaining 33 percent of the projected population increase is
expected to be distributed rather evenly in the county with highest
concentrations in Union, Long Creek and Grady Townships.
In order to facilitate improvement of services provided to county
residents at lowest unit cost, Pender County service provision, property
tax and land use policies will be designed to encourage new population growth
in areas within or immediately adjacent to existing communities. In order to
promote protection and management of the county's economic, natural, scenic
and historic resources, development in valuable resource areas will be
carefully reviewed before receiving county approval or support.
Land Classification System
The North Carolina Land Policy Council has established a land
classification system for localities to use to identify the most appropriate
IV-3

general uses of. various kinds of
land. The Land
Classification Map
(LCM)
produced from the classification
system allows a
local government to
make
a statement to -state and federal authorities, as well as local residents,
on where and to what density growth is desired. The county LCM will serve
as a tool for informing the public of basic county policies and of areas
for which further land use regulations will soon be established.
The land classification system was established for state-wide
use and, as such, its categories are perhaps more applicable to places more
urbanized than Pender County.. The population density needed to warrant
the "Developed". or "Transitional" categories, for instance, exceeds the
highest densities found in Pender County. Strict application of the
defined criteria for each category, therefore, is impossible; but the
system, when adapted to Pender's needs, can be used for its intended
r purpose.
The land classification system includes the following five
categories of land:
1. Developed -- Lands where existing population density is
moderate to -high and where there is a variety of land uses
which have the necessary public services.
The Town of Burgaw is :the only Developed place in the County. The
Town has municipal water and sewer systems which are being upgraded and ex-
panded to serve the whole jurisdiction.a The Town has established a policy
of promoting moderate growth within the jurisdiction; municipal service
extension outside the Town limits is not anticipated in the near future.
aThe water system is currently operating at only 46 percent of its capacity;
the sewer system, however,,is at 100 percent capacity.
iv-4
I xS

2. Transitional -- Lands where local government plans :to
accommodate moderate to high density development during
the following ten-year period and where necessary public
services will be provided to accommodate that growth.
There are two places in Pender County in the Transitional Class --
the Towns of Topsail Beach and Surf City. Each of these towns`is experi-
encing moderate to high growth of year-round population, as well as rapid
t
growth of seasonal (summer vacation) population. The two municipalities
currently have publicwater systems; the adequacy of the public water supply
for projected future needs is currently being studied with the intention of
upgrading the systems if necessary. The Towns together with Onslow County
are attempting to establish an -island -wide sewer system.
•
3. Community -- Lands where low density development is grouped in
existing settlements or will occur in such settlements during
the following ten-year period and which will not require
extensive public services now or in the future.
There are 9 places in Pender County designated Community -- Rocky
Point, Watha, Willard, Penderlea, Long Creek, Currie, Atkinson, Maple Hill,
IV-5
(3 6

and Hampstead. Atkinson and Watha are incorporated towns.but do not plan
to establish municipal water or sewer facilities in the future'. Develop -
meet in any of these communities should remain at low enough densities that
no additional municipal services will be needed.
4. Rural -- Lands whose highest use is for agriculture, forestry,
_ mining, water supply, etc.,.based on their natural resource
potential. Also, lands for future needs not currently recog-
nized.
The bulk of Pender County is in agricultural or forest production
and is classified Rural. Land currently (1975). in agricultural crop production
(as delineated on the"Existing Land Use Map) is designated the County's prime
agricultural land for tax evaluation purposes. Land development or modifica-
tion in any rural areas should be aimed at the better management and
production of natural resources. The subdivision of rural land into non -
resource oriented uses will be generally discouraged and subject to subdivision
regulations in the future.
5. Conservation -- Fragile, hazardous, and other lands necessary
to maintain a healthy natural environment and necessary to
provide for the public health, safety, and welfare.
The -Conservation Class includes among others those areas the County
has designated Areas of Environmental Concern. The Conservation land should
• IV-6
131

be maintained essentially in its natural state.
Growth Distribution to Land Classes
Approximately 13 percent of the projected population increase is
allocated to Developed land, in short, to the Town of Burgaw. Twenty
percent of the increase is allocated to the Transitional Class, 51 percent
to Community, and 16 percent to Rural. Table 4-1 gives. a further breakdown
of expected population distribution in 1985.a The figures in Table 4-1 were
derived by 1).comparing current population.distributions with factors likely
to influence future growth, 2) assuming that county land use and economic
policies will be effective in promoting growth goals, and 3) evaluating,.
where available, the growth goals of individual localities.b Allocating
certain portions of the population increase to specific areas does not imply
j a policy determination that a specific amount of growth should take place
in each location. Rather, the estimations of population growth in specific
areas serve as a tool for predicting future housing, transportation, educa-
tional, health service needs and the like, and the demand for commercial
facilities to support land use in each location.
Residential Land
Bach of the Developed and Transitional areas contains enough sub-
divisions only partially filled up, small by-passed tracts of land and single
apopulation figures here for Surf City and Topsail Beach as.for the rest
of the county reflect the growth of year-round population only. Seasonal
population growth in the beach areas and the accommodation of that growth
are addressed in each municipal plan.
bLocal population projections for Atkinson and Burgaw were based on historic
trends and are somewhat lower than these projections based on growth goals.
• IV-7
l3 1-

.
Table 4-1.
Population
Increase
Distribution to Land Classes
by Place -- 1985.
Total
Number
Class
Persons
Location
Number Persons
Developed
335
(13%)
Town of Burgaw,
335
Transitional
525
(20%)
1. surf City
296
t2.
Topsail Beach
229
Community
1334
(51%)
1. Atkinson
85
2. Currie
164
3. Hampstead
266
4. Long Creek
164
5. Maple Hill
47
6. Penderlea
109
7. Rocky Point
281
�;.
8. Watha
109
9. Willard
109
Rural
406
(16%)
Townships
1. Burgaw
226
2. Caswell
35
3. Grady
18
4. Holly
5
5. Long Creek
18
6. Rocky Point
31
7. Topsail
36
8. Union
37
• C IV-8

• vacant lots to accommodate expected population increases within existing
jurisdictions. Residential land needs in each of the municipalities are
described as follows:a
Burgaw
i
335 people @3.1 persons per unit = 108 new units
108 units @3.6 units per acre 30 acres. There are 845
undeveloped acres in the town.
Surf City
�296 people @3.7 persons per unit = 80 units
80 units @5.7 units per acre = 14 acres. There are 125
undeveloped residential acres in the town.
Topsail Beach
229 people @3.1 persons per unit = 74 units
74 units @5 units per acre = 15 acres. There are 171
undeveloped residential acres in the Town.
t
Each municipality has stated a desire to accommodate population increases
within jurisdictional boundaries and in each municipal plan the ability to
accommodate future populations has been demonstrated. In most cases,
annexation of additional land or extension of services beyond municipal
boundaries would burden existing service facilities. The Town of Surf City,
however, is considering the feasibility of annexing additional land for
commercial purposes.
The criteria for the community class call for a gross population
density of l person per acre. Hence, about,1330 acres of -land would be
needed to accommodate the projected increase of 1334 persons. But the
unincorporated communities in the county have neither defined boundaries
nor population estimates. For that reason it is impossible to determine
. aOccupancy rates (persons per unit) and dwelling unit density (units per
acre) are derived from the Land Use Plan of each jurisdiction.
IV-9
i .

•
current occupancy rates or an average dwelling unit density from which to
'
derive residential land needs. It can be assumed, however, that in the
communities, as in the municipalities, there is a sufficient amount of land
available within existing built-up areas -to -accommodate future populations
without extensive'.land subdivision or encroachment on valuable resource
areas. It must be recognized; however, that many of the communities'in
inland Pender County are located on what has been defined as the county's
prime agricultural land. The county will encourage careful consideration
of the productive potential of land even in areas designated for resi-
dential,commercial and institutional purposes.
Commercial and Institutional Land
The Land Classification system refers specifically tb :the location
and density of future population.. It follows, however, that commercial
facilities such as shopping, entertainment and professional services and
public institutions, such as schools, town halls, health clinics and fire
stations, be centered in close proximity to the populations that they serve,
and that their distribution be proportional to the populations in various
parts of the county. For that reason, County regulations governing land
subdivision and development will,be designed to promote appropriate location
and construction of commercial and public facilities as well.as residential
land use. In particular, land use regulations will encourage the revitiliza-
tion of business districts in larger communities and concentrated rather than
strip development throughout the county.
Industrial Land
According to the Cape Fear Council of Governments (1973) Pender
County will need approximately 125 acres of industrial land in 1985.a -
aIndustrial land needs were estimated to be 35 acres for the period 1970-1980
and 125 acres for 1980-1990.
IV-10
l3-r

`
Industrial land needs were based on projected increases in manufacturing
employment, the average number of manufacturing employees per gross acre,.
and current industrial land utilization in the region. But 125 acres is
an estimate of only the amount of land needed for purposes directly related
to industrial production; the amount of land different industries would
require for water supply, investment or other purposes varies.
The Pender County Board of Commissioners recently appointed an
Economic Development Commission to promote economic development, including
industrial location, in the county. Furthermore, in February 1975, the
N. C. DNER designated Pender a Selected Target Area of Economic Opportunity. .
This designation is part of a statewide economic development planning process
to coordinate state and local efforts in promoting industrial location.The
goals of this coordinated planning process include demonstrating that local .
interests, when armed with sufficient data and information regarding their
economic, social, environmental and political constraints and potentials,
can set realistic objectives for attracting industrial prospects into their
area.
As previously noted, two areas of the county are considered at
this time primary target areas for investment into industrial location. But
because the economic development planning process has just been initiated,
neither the size.of these two sites nor the amount of public funds desired
by the people to be invested into these or other sites has.been determined.
r
For this reason, no industrial sites have been delineated on the LCM at this
time. The Economic Development Commission's designating industrial sites in
the Rural land class (which by definition includes lands for future needs
not currently recognized) in the future should not be considered a violation
IV-11
t3G

PJ
C
of county policy, nor should the omission of these sites on the LCM now
be construed as a policy determination that there be no industrial land
use in the county.
Recreational Land
The N. C. State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Program (SCORP)
was developed as a management tool to aid local governments in assessing
recreational land needs for the purpose of determining public investment
alternatives. SCORP recommends considering 10 acres of publicly owned
recreational land per 1000 people as a standard for determining needs. Out-
door recreation in Pender County is strongly resource oriented. The extensive
forestlands and miles of beaches and waterways provide ample acreage for
recreational activity in the county, in particular for hunting'and fishing.
But the large publicly owned outdoor recreation areas such as Angola Bay
and Holly Shelter are located only in inland areas of the county, and serve
primarily only hunting and fishing enthusiasts at this time. The principal
recreation needs in inland Pender County are for better access, facilities
and supervision in existing public or private land used for recreation,
rather than for additional recreational land.
Along the county's coast, however, there are no publicly owned
or operated recreational lands. And, because of the increased intensity
of private residential land use in this part of the county, public use of
the coastal land and water is becoming more restricted. For instance, the
only place on the mainland adjacent to the AIWW still available to the
public for boat launching is at Watts Landing. What is more, despite the
almost universal appeal of beaches, there are no publicly owned beach areas
in the county, either in incorporated or unincorporated areas.
IV-12

The county has initiated planning for a county recreation program;
a Recreation Committee has been appointed to inventory specific areas of the
county with the highest potential for more intensive recreational development.
in particular, the county isinvestigating at this time the feasibility of
promoting the use of its waterways, both inland and estuarine, by increasing
the number of boat launching ramps and improving navigability of channels.
The feasibility of public recreational development of a now undeveloped
barrier island in the county is also being assessed.
IV-13
13y,

OUTSIDE PRESSURE FOR CHANGE
The kind of economic development sought in Pender County will not
only result in an increase in population, but should also support that popula-
tion in terms of employment and public service provision. The kinds of
industry sought will not merely increase the county's property tax base or
its prestige in the eyes of neighboring counties, but will, more importantly,
increase the income of Pender County residents.' It is neither economic
progress for the sake 'of growth nor growth for the sake of progress that is
encouraged. On the contrary, the county is promoting gradual economic ex-
pansion so as to accommodate resultant growth within the existing socidl and
institutional framework.
But sometimes the forces which.initiate change within a county are
applied from the outside. The alignment of. major transportation corridors,
r for instance, can have a tremendous impact on land use patterns in an area
and influence the location of commercial, industrial and residential growth.
But decisions on the location or relocation of a major highway are usually
made by state or federal governments. Likewise, .the location of major
industry in an area is a decision traditionally made by the private
Investment sector working with the state. The people most strongly im-
pacted by such decisions -- local officials, property owners, businessmen
and taxpayers -- have often been the last to know what has been decided
on their behalf.
An important part of this land use planning process is the
opportunity given county residents to become involved and make their
opinions known to County officials. An equally important part of the
process is the opportunity the County must take in making its policies
IV-14
(I 1

and goals known to and actively taken into consideration by state and
federal agencies involved in land use activities in Pender County.
The County has initiated coordination of its land use planning
activities with representatives of state agencies, in particular the
Departments of Transportation and Natural and Economic Resources, by request-
ing careful consideration of its land use plan and policies in decisions that
will impact the people and resources of Pender County. .Granted,the County
Plan and its policies must be compatible with regional and statewide plans.
If specific provisions should be found to be in conflict with regional or
statewide interests,, some compromises may be required. But the intention of
the 1974 Coastal Area Management Act was to allow local governments to plan
their own futures. In order for the planning -process to.achieve its legis-
lative goals, it must be utilized both within and outside the planning
f
Jurisdiction.
4D C
IV-15
1 4d

iI

• PLAN ADOPTION
As authorized by the Board of County Commissioners, the Pender County
Land Use Plan was prepared by the County Planning Board with technical
assistance provided by Coastal Zone Resources Corporation and the Cape
Fear Council of Governments. Current economic, social and environmental
conditions in'the County were assessed; the major land use issues were
addressed; and alternative policy measures which could be used to deter
potential problems while achieving goals were studied.
Throughout the CAMA planning process, public opinion.was solicited,
obtained and evaluated and used as a primary determinant of future objectives,
standards and policies. In addition, representatives of major land manage-
ment agencies in the County, such as the N. C. Forest Service, the
Agricultural Extension. Service and the Soil Conservation Service, gave
valuable assistance in evaluating current land management problems and
offering alternative policy measures for the future. The Rural Development
Panel, representing various professions and locations of the county, served
as advisors to the Planning Board, allowing for coordination of the county`s
CAMA and Community Development "Block Grant" planning activities.
Concurrently with the County planning program, four municipalities in
the County -- Atkinson, Burgaw, Topsail Beach, and Surf City --,each
prepared a Land Use Plan for its jurisdiction. The preparation of individual
municipal plans allowed for an in=depth study of conditions and problems
specific to each jurisdiction to complement the more general application of
the County Plan to conditions and problems of a county -wide nature. Since
the five jurisdictions represent five virtually separate political authorities,
the objectives, standards and policies of each were established within the
proper statuatory bounds of the respective authorities.
V-1

In order to ensure mutual compatibility among the municipal and
county plans, activities of the respective planning groups were closely
coordinated. A regular part of the agenda for planning meetings included
reports of planning progress in other jurisdictions. On May 20, 1975,
a meeting of elected officials and Planning Board members from each plan-
ning jurisdiction was held in Burgaw to discuss mutual problems encountered.
On October 30, 1975, a joint county -municipal Planning Board meeting was
held in Burgaw in order for each jurisdiction to present to the others
planning progress to date. In addition, regular meetings of the planners
involved with each plan and representatives of the Cape Fear Council of
Governments were held.
On February 1, 1976, the Planning Board 'submitted its proposed
Objectives and Standards to .the Board of County Commissioners for review.
In this and subsequent meetings (March 1.and March 10, 1976), the Planning
c.
Board and elected officials discussed at length the issues involved and
their implications for the future'of the County. From these review sessions
and resultant further studies of alternatives, the proposed Plan and
policies for future economic and land development in the County were developed.
In order that the essential elements of the Plan, including its land
use policies, objectives and standards, be readily available to all in-
terested persons, a Synopsis of the Plan is being prepared. The Synopsis
will include the Land Classification Map and examples of the Existing Land
Use and Areas of Environmental Concern delineations, with an explanation.of
how additional information can be obtained upon request.
The sequence of events yet to come, before final adoption and implementa-
tion of the plan, includes:
v-2

• / 1. Joint City/County Public Hearing -- On May 10, 1976, a public
l hearing, in which the Pender County and all municipal plans will
be presented and comments on them received, will be held in
Burgaw.a Comments and suggestions made in the public hearing
will be carefully reviewed; necessary changes in the Plans and
Synopses will be made before their final adoption.
2. Transmission to the Coastal Resources Commission -- By May 21,
1976, a certified copy of the adopted Plan will be sent to the
Coastal Resources Commission for its review and approval.
At least 30 days before the joint public hearing, a copy of the com-
pleted Plan will be placed in the County Courthouse for public review and
inspection. Notice of the public hearing and of the availability of the
Plan for review will be made in newspapers distributed locally.
Following adoption of the Plan and its approval by the Coastal Resources
Commission, copies of the full Plan will be available for study in the.
County Courthouse and in Town Halls. Copies of the Plan will be sent to the
major land management agencies in -the County and can be obtained by civic
groups and other interested parties, at cost, upon written request. The
Synopsis will be mailed to all postal boxholders in the county; copies of
the Synopsis will be made available to non-resident property owners free of
charge upon written request.
`. aBefore the joint hearing, individual hearings will have been held on each
the Burgaw, Topsail Beach and Surf City Plans.
V-3

• C
PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
The second phase of the CAMA planning process involves implementation
of the Land Use Plan. The County's adoption of its Plan constitutes a
formal declaration of land use policies; but many of the standards proposed
for meeting objectives require the enactment of new ordinances in order
to become effective. Related planning activities, as for a parks and
recreation program or housing rehabilitation, are also involved in plan
implementation.
The.major elements of the implementation phase of the Land Use Planning.
process in Pender County are summarized as follows:
Enactment .of Ordinances
In order to carry out the County's policy objectives, subdivision regu-
-lations will soon be enacted. In particular, provisions will be made in
the subdivision regulations for a) protection of Areas of Environmental
Concern and management of natural resources, b) adherence to development goals
as described in the Land Classification system, c) requiring proper considera-
tion of the carrying capacity of land and water resources as relate to
sewage disposal and ground water supplies and d) advising property owners
of County policy on service provision in hazard areas.
In order to ensure reasonable standards of construction, the County
will adopt building electrical and plumbing codes. These codes will be
designed, as well, to meet Federal Insurance Administration standards for
hazard areas in order to reduce flood and storm damage and the cost of
floor insurance premiums.
In order to secure reasonable evaluation of the potential impacts of
large commercial or industrial activity, the County will establish necessary
V-4

• (*
requirements for Environmental.Impact Statements.
Coordination'of Permit -Letting Authorities
The 1974 Coastal Area Management Act provides for local permit
letting agencies to be established for minor development permits required
in Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC's). In'order to qualify for AEC
permit -letting authority; a local jurisdiction must first declare its
intent; then prepare.a Local Management Plan acceptable to the Coastal
Resources Commission (CRC). The CRC is currently establishing criteria
for local implementation and enforcement programs including elements that
will be required for approval of a Local Management'Plan.
- The CRC emphasizes the value of coordinating the activities of various
local regulatory authorities, such as building and septic tank inspections,
subdivision plat approvals, and sedimentation and erosion control program
f
approvals, with the AEC minor development permit -letting authority. Co-
ordination of as many of these activities as possible will be essential for
implementation. -of the Land Use Plan,:as the salary and operating costs for
separate permit -letting authorities in the county would put an excessive
burden on county financial resources. Such coordination could also simplify
the permit -letting process for both the County and the applicant involved..
The CRC criteria being developed will also allow for City -County coordinated
permit -letting authorities.
aThe term "Minor Development" means any development other than a major
development. The statutory definition of Major Development is "any develop-'
ment which requires permission, licensing, approval,.certification or
authorization in any form from the Environmental Management Commission; the
Health Services Commission, the State Departments of Natural and Economic
Resources or Conservation and Development, the State Department of Administra-
tion, the North Carolina Mining Commission, the North Carolina Pesticides
Board, or the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission; or which
C
occupies a land or water area in excess of 20 acres; or which contemplates
for natural resources on land or under water; or
drilling or excavating
.
which occupies.on a single parcel a structure or structures in excess of a
ground area of 60,000 square feet."-
r��

•
Therefore,. part of the implementation phase of planning in Pender
County will involve development of the aforementioned Local Management
Plan.
-Related Planning Activities
Future CAMA planning will involve coordination with related activi-
ties of the Community -Development Committee and the Economic Development
Commission (EDC).
The Community Development Committee directs itself to assessing
the need for upgrading blighted areas of the county under the U. S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development
Block Grant'Program. This program can provide funds for housing
rehabilitation, flood prevention, recreation and the like. The county's
-FX 1976-1977 pre -application to HUD requests funds for various projects.
including storm drainage and street paving and widening in the Burgaw
and Maple Hill areas, and boat launching facilities near Hampstead.
Planning Board related activities will include further assessing parks
and recreation needs, establishing a process for inventorying historic
sites, and evaluating internal transportation needs to recommend to the
N. C. Department of Transportation for action.
The EDC directs itself toward promoting economic development in the
county, including locating the kinds of industries that would be of
value to the County. The EDC has begun studying the policies established
in the Land Use Plan, particularly those that relate to the selection
and location of industry and -the control of resultant residential and
commercial growth. As authorized by the.Board of County Commissioners,
the EDC will be asked to submit to the Planning Board recommended suitable
v-6
l� 7

locations in the county for designation as industrial areas; upon such
selection, efforts will be made through zoning or other means to have
these areas reserved for industrial location.
Section 208 of the•Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments
of 1972 (PL 92-500), as well as other sections of this law, is
designed to achieve water quality which "provides for the protection and
propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation
in and on the water" by July 1, 1983. Section 208, more specifically, is
designed to plan ways to reduce all types of pollution in specially
designated areas to.the 1983 level and to set up a management agency to
guarantee achievement and maintenance of the 1983-,water quality level.
Areas in North .Carolina having complex water quality control problems
have been designated by the Governor as priority 208. Planning Areas.
M. Several parts of Pender County, including the coast where some
serious.water quality problems have been encountered, were included in
the Governor's designations. Inclusion in the 208 Planning program
.could allow the county -- in particular the beach municipalities -- a
means for studying the coastal water quality situation should construction
of the Topsail Island sewer system (201 Plan) not be feasible.
Periodic Review and Revision of the Plan
In order -to make land use planning in Pender County an on -going,
effective.process,.the County has hired a Planning Director to work with
the Planning Board.The Board will continue to meet monthly and will, on
a quarterly basis, consider any upgrading or revision of the Plan deemed
necessary. Annually, the Planning Director will make a report of Planning
Board recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners.
V-7
( q�?'

•
i

• REFERENCES CITED
Barick, Frank B., and T. Stuart Critcher. 1975. Wildlife and land use
planning with particular reference to coastal counties. N. C.
Wildlife Resources Commission. Raleigh, N..C. 167 pp.
Bellamy, James D., Sidney Lanier and Clyde Elliott. 1974. Resource
conservation and development project. Cape Fear Region. 24 pp.
Boyce, Stephen`G. 1953. The salt spray community. (Unpublished Ph.D.
Thesis). N.-C. State University. Raleigh, N. C.
Burgaw (Town -of) Community Audit. 1975. (N. C. DNER, Division of
Commerce and Industry file material prepared by Town of Burgaw,
N. C.) NCDNER Southeastern Field Office. Wilmington, N. C.
Cape Fear Council of Governments.:- 1972. Regional library system feasi-
bility study. Cape Fear Council of Governments. Wilmington, N. C
75 pp.
Cape Fear Council of Governments. 1973. Cape Fear region. population and
economy. inventory and analysis -key issues. Cape Fear Council of
Governments. Wilmington, N. C. 69 pp.
Coastal Resources.Commission. 1975. State.guidelines for local planning
in the coastal area under the coastal area management act of 1974.
! N. C. Coastal Resources Commission. Raleigh, N. C. 72 pp.
Cost, Noel D. 1973. Forest statistics for the southern coastal plain
of North Carolina. U. S. D. A. Forest Service Resource Bulletin
SE-26. Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. Asheville, N. C.
34 pp.
Hardman, Clair J., and Rose Ann Mack. 1973. Region "O" fire protection
inventory. Cape Fear Council of Governments. Wilmington, N. C. 55 pp.
Kiser, Jeffrey S. 1975. A systematic approach toindustrial development
-- case study: N. C. coastal plains (Unpublished MLA Thesis). N. C.
State University. Raleigh, N. C. 72 pp.
Knowles, C. E., Jay Langfelder and Richard McDonald. 1973. A.preliminary
study of storm -induced beach erosion for North Carolina. Center for
Marine and Coastal Studies report no. 73-5. North Carolina State
University. Raleigh, N. C. 14 pp.
Laymon, Leland L. 1965. Ground water exploration at Surf City, North
Carolina. North Carolina Department of Water Resources Ground -Water
Circular No. 7. Raleigh, N. C. 14 pp.
LeGrand, Harry E. 1960. Geology and ground -water resources of Wilmington -
New Bern area. N. C. Dept. Water Resources Division of Ground -water
Bulletin No. 1. Raleigh, N. C. 80 pp.
VI-1
16-V

Nathan, Robert R. Associates and Coastal Zone Resources Corporation. 1975.
. The coastal plains deepwater terminal study. Coastal Plains Regional
Commission. Washington, D. C. 325 pp.
Natural, Scenic and Recreational Rivers Committee. 1971. Report and
recommendations of the natural, scenic and recreational rivers
committee. N. C. Dept. of Administration. Raleigh, N. C.
North Carolina Department of Revenue. 1974. Statistics of taxation.
Biennial Report of Tax Research Division of N. C. Dept. of Revenue.
Raleigh, N. C. 313 pp.
Ospina, Enrique and' Leon Danielson. 1973. North Carolina land use data.
N. C. Agricultural Extension Service Miscellaneous Extension
Publication No. 102. Raleigh, N. C. 35 pp.
Pender County Agricultural Extension Service. 1973. Overview Pender.
County. Burgaw, N. C. 10 pp.
Real Estate Research Corporation. 1974. The costs of sprawl. U. S.
Government Printing Office..Washington,.D. C. 15 pp.
Stone, Paul S. 1974. The North Carolina economy -- changes•in agriculture
and nonfarm sectors, 1958 to 1970. North Carolina Agricultural
Extension Service Circular.578. Raleigh, N. C. 83 pp.
U. S. Department of Commerce. 1972. Census of agriculture 1969 - North
Carolina. •U. S. Government Printing Office. Washington, D. C.
U.: S. Department of Commerce. 1973. U. S. census of population 1970 --
characteristics of the population --'North Carolina. U. S. Govern-
ment Printing Office. Washington, D. C.
U. S. Soil Conservation Service. 1972. General soil map and interpreta-
tions -for Pender County, North Carolina. Lower Cape Fear Soil and
Water Conservation District. Burgaw, N. C.
U. S. Soil Conservation Service. 1973. An appraisal of potentials for
outdoor recreational development-Pender County, North Carolina.
Lower Cape Fear Soil and Water Conservation District. Burgaw, N. C.
29 pp.
Von Oesen and Associates. 1972. Comprehensive water and sewer plan.
Cape Fear Council of Governments. Wilmington, N. C.
Wiggins -Rimer and Associates. 1973. Inventory of facilities -- regional
water supply and wastewater disposal study. Cape Fear Council of
Governments. Wilmington, N. C.
• VI-2
/s l

1
APPENDIX
0

7X4
APPENDIX A. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROGRAM
The Pender County Planning Board, with the concurrence and
support of the Board of County Commissioners, actively sought and
utilized public views in preparing the land use plan. The planning
process was open to all persons with an interest in Pender County;
the Public Participation Program consisted of the following acti-
vities:
1) Appointing a Planning Board representing various interests
and areas of the county. The Planning Board members are:
DeLeon Fennell, Chairman Rocky Point Farmer
Sidney Williams, Vice -Chairman Surf City Realtor,
Harold Aitken, Secretary Atkinson Retired
Leslie Batson', Hampstead Auctioneer
Clive Dosher Burgaw Businessman
Bennie Herring Burgaw Farmer
Maxie Lanier Burgaw Forester
Joe McGlohon Willard Postman
Arthur Wooten Maple Hill Farmer -Developer
2) Conducting public information meetings
In an effort to obtain the widest possible input from all
Pender County residents, the Planning Board arranged township public
information meetings beginning April 10, 1975 in Penderlea for Union
and Columbus Townships. The purpose of the meetings was twofold -
to explain the CAMA and planning process to county residents and to
assess local views on the major land use issues and alternative means
A-1
15-_�

!C'
of solving problems, The meetings were held.at night in order to
V
be convenient; notices of the meetings were published in the news-
papers, posted in local stores and businesses, and distributed by
the Planning Board members responsible for each meeting. Despite
conscientious efforts by the Planning Board, attendance at the
meetings was very low and the.Township meeting approach was abandoned.
The Planning Board continued to hold its regularly scheduled
monthly meetings open to the public. The Board continually addressed
the major issues confronting the county and studied alternative means
of obtaining public input. It was.realized early that much of the
lack of response to calls for widespread input was due to a lack of
understanding of the planning process and its effect on all county re-
sidents. In order to solve this problem, a 5-part packet (shown as
Exhibit A-1) was developed and mailed to all Pender County postal box -
holders. The packet included: •1) a letter to county residents from
Gordon Jones, Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and DeLeon
Fennell, Chairman of the Planning Board, explaining the importance of
land uses•planning and the role -of county residents in formulating the
.plan; 2) an explanation of the CAMA and the role of the Planning
Board, and a review of the work accomplished to date and needed to be
done in the future; 3) alternative county sketch maps, with accom-
panying explanations, designed to help county residents visualize the
consequences of some of the choices to be made — particularly choices
of population growth; 4) a questionnaire to gain opinions about the
future of the county; and 5) an invitation to public meetings to
eat supper and discuss the Pender County plan.
A-2

Four meetings were held to serve the four major sections
of the county. At each meeting a Planning Board member was in charge,
•
and representatives of the County Board of Commissioners/..the Cape
Fear Council of Governments, and Coastal Zone Resources Corporation
were in attendance, available to answer questions and explain the
planning process. The three alternative sketch maps were on display
and the principle assumptions on which each was based were explained.
At the end of each meeting, a vote was taken to determine a condensus
of.which general level of growth was desired. The votes were as
follows:
No. Co. Residents Alternative Number
Place Date in Attendence Concept of Votes
Long Creek Oct. 18 28 A 2
B 14
C 2
Penderlea Nov. 1 50 A 5.
B 31
C 4
Atkinson Nov. 8 35 A_, 0
16
B
C 1
Hampstead Nov. 15 153 A 12
B 77
C 7
In addition to their distribution to all county postal box -
holders and their display at the.four meetings, the alternative sketch
maps were displayed at the Pender County Fair held from September 22
to September 27. A special information booth was constructed for ex-
planation of the planning process and was manned by members of the
Pender County Rescue Squad to answer questions.
•C
A-3
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3) Formulation and distribution of questionnaires and tabulation
of responses.
Early in the planning process, the Planning Board formulated
questionnaires designed to determine the nature of the major land use
issues in the county. The Citizens Questionnaire (See Exhibit A-2)
asked for an assessment of the major problems and advantages of the county,
general growth goals for the future, and desired means of accomplishing
chosen,.goals.. The questionnaire was distributed at the Township meetings.
The volume of response to this questionnaire was poor, but the. candid
answers of those responding were enlightening. (Tabulations of the
Citizens Questionnaire are shown as Exhibit A-3). While the number of
responses was too small to be construed as a concensus of county opinion,
the information gained from them allowed the Planning Board to.direct .'
1
itself to more specific issues in its next attempt.
In September 1975, the Planning Board formulated a new ques-
tionnaire asking opinions on those issues which had surfaced as the
major issues confronting the county. (The second questionnaire is shown
as part of Exhibit A-1). In order to assure its wide distribution, the
new questionnaire was included in the information packet mailed to all
postal boxholders. A total of 225 questionnaires were returned. The
responses were tabulated by Ms Pat Jasper of the Burgaw Civil Defense
Office; the tabulations are shown as Exhibit A-4.
4) Utilization of local news media
The recognition of the importance of widespread awareness of
planning activities prompted the Planning'Board to utilize extensively
the local news media. Throughout the planning process, the two county
A-4
C5 6

newspapers, the Pender Post and the Pender Chronicle were given news
releases concerning the Board's activities. With the beginning of
• the second phase of public participation - the formulation of the alter-
native sketch maps and series of four public meetings - the involve-
. I ..
went of news media increased. Coverage by the Pender Post and Pender
Chronicle was excellent and included detailed front page announcements
of each forthcoming meeting, followed by a summary of.events, with
pictures, after each meeting was held. Radio stations in Burgaw (WVBS)
and Wallace (WLSE) carried public service announcements of each meeting,
as did two Wilmington stations, WWIL.and WMFD. Wilmington television
station WECT carried the public service announcements and televised an
interview of DeLeon Fennell of the Planning Board and Mimi Cunningham
of the Cape Fear Council of Governments.
9(
A-5

k

•
GORDON JONES. CHAIRMAN
CECIL EAKINS. VICE CHAIRMAN
SIDNEY A. LANIER
JOHN W. JAMES. JR.
D B SHACKELFORD
Fenber CxiuntV
OFFICE. OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
BOX 4
T$urgaiv, Part4 (garulinn 28425
September 16, 1975
A Letter to Pender County Residents:
HOWARD HOLLY
COUNTY FINANCE
OFFICER AND CLERK
TO 60APD OF
COMMISSIONERS
PHONE [phone]
We all regularly see news reports of severe problems, such as congestion and
pollution, in other parts of the country brought on by alleged failure of local gov-
ernments to think ahead. It has been popular to think North Carolinians have breath-
ing time to prepare to meet their needs while avoiding mistakes made elsewhere; "We
can wait for tomorrow" has been the prevailing attitude.
But forces beyond the county's and the state's control are causing noticeable
changes now and the potential exists for even more rapid change in our lives. The
energy crisis has made a deep water port -oil refinery complex a possibility here;
the people in the Piedmont urban complex look to our beaches for recreation oppor-
tunities; the Wilmington urban area is rapidly spreading into Pender.County.along
U.S. 17 and U.S. 117.
Planning is something all of us do. The N. C. General Assembly has pro-
vided money to plan for the future of Pender County. The Board of County Com-
missioners created a Planning Board to direct the work and appropriated county
funds to support the board's activity. A land use plan will be completed by the
Planning Board in January; the County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on
the recommended plan before acting upon it. •_
If your Commissioners and Planning Board are to act in a way that reflects
your desires, it is very important that you fully and candidly tell us what you want.
The brochures enclosed describe what all North Carolinians are trying to
accomplish in the coastal area of our state and the work the Planning Board is
doing right here. We strongly urge you to think seriously about the questions
asked, complete the questionnaire, and mail it to us. Please give us the benefit
of your thoughts and experience.
A series of public meetings for voting age residents will be held in October
and November (see enclosed invitation). The three alternative land use plans, dev-
eloped by the Planning Board (enclosed), will be explained and you will be asked to
give an opinion as to which one you prefer.
Thank you very much.
De Leon Fennell, Chairman
Pender County Planning Board
Enclosures
Gordon Jones, Chairman
Board of County Commissioners

•
0
INVITATION
TO PUBLIC MEETINGS
TO
EAT SUPPER AND DISCUSS PLANS
FOR
THE FUTURE OF PENDER COUNTY
The Pender County Planning Board has scheduled four public meetings so you can have
your questions answered and express your opinions on the future of Pender County. You
are invited to attend the meetings for your township.
Free bar-b-que chicken dinners will be served to those voting age Pender County
residents who attend.
After the meal, a program will be presented describing the three alternative land
use plans developed by the Planning Board. Your comments and opinions will be needed to
assist the Planning Board in its selection of a plan for Pender's future.
Board Members
Meeting Date Place Townships In Charge
October 18 Long Creek Long Creek DeLeon Fennell
Long Creek -Grady School Burgaw Rt. 1, Box 386
5:00 p.m. dinner Rocky Point Rocky Point, N. C.
6:00 p.m. meeting 259-4393
November 1
Penderlea
Columbia
Joe McGlohon
Penderlea School Cafeteria
Union
Rt. 2, Box 453
5:00 p.m. dinner
Willard, N. C.
6:00 p.m. meeting
285-3547
November 8
Atkinson
Caswell
Harold Aitken
Atkinson School
Canetuck
Atkinson, N. C.
5:00 p.m. meeting
Grady
283-7162
6:00 p.m. dinner
November 15
Hampstead
Topsail
Leslie Batson
Topsail Middle School (old
school) Holly
Rt. 1, Box 1R
6:00 p.m. dinner
Hampstead, N. C.
7:00 p.m. meeting
686-0293
Please
call upon Board Members for further information. The
other members of the
Board are:
Maxie J. Lanier, Rt. 2, Box 444, Burgaw, N. C. 259-4867
Bennie Herring, Rt. 2, Box 315, Burgaw, N. C. 283-7178
Arthur Wooton, P. 0. Box 89, Maple Hill, N. C. 259-4765
Sidney Williams, P. O. Box 566, Surf City, N. C. 328-2511
Clive Dosher, P. O. Box 741, Burgaw, N. C. 259-2954
Note: Food will be served during the first hour only. But please come early as the
program will start promptly at the end of the first hour. Display maps will
also be on hand for your examination during the first two hours.
/6C

0
0
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
OF
PENDER COUNTY; NORTH CAROLINA
The North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act
Enactment of the Coastal Area Management Act of 1974 /Chapter 1284,
1973 Session (G. S. Chapter 113A)/ (CAMA) by the General Assembly capped
a period of intense activity in North Carolina and in the Nation.
In Mayf 1968, the Estuarine Study Committee, appointed by the N. C.
Interagency Council on Natural Resources, recommended that North Carolina
initiate a comprehensive estuarine management program. The 1969 General Assembly,
acting upon this recommendation, enacted Chapter 1101 of the Session Laws of
1969, directing the Commissioner of the Division of Commercial and Sports
Fisheries to make a comprehensive study of the coastal zone of North Carolina;
and G. S. 113-229 requiring a permit from the Department of Conservation and
Development before any excavation or filling project may be conducted in estu-
arine waters, tidelands, marshlands, and State-owned lakes.
The 1969 General Assembly also enacted legislation prohibiting littering
of navigable waters or erection of signs or other structures in such waters with-
out a permit. In addition, it appropriated $500,000 for estuarine land acquisition,
$80,000 for additional staffing, and almost $100,000 for long-range studies and
planning.
At the National level the Marine Resources and Engineering Development
Act of 1966 authorized two concurrent studies of the Nation's posture with
respect to the sea; one of the provisions of the Clean Water Restoration Act of
1966 directed the Secretary of the Interior to study the extent of water pollu-
tion on the Nation's estuaries; and the Estuary Protection Act of 1968 directed
the Secretary of the Interior to study estuary conditions and recommend ways to
afford protection to particularly significant areas.
After six years of study and discussion, the Congress, enacted the
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (PL 92-583).
The Act authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to make up to four "...
annual grants to any coastal state for the purpose of assisting in the develop-
ment of a management program for ... its coastal zone." The State coastal zone
programs must be reviewed by involved Federal agencies and approved by the
Secretary of Commerce. Once approved, annual grants to pay 2/3 of the costs of
administering the program may be made.
The North Carolina CAMA is designed to produce a management program
that complies with the Federal requirements. North Carolina has received.. two
.grants to support program development in the coastal area.
1
16%

0 Specifically, the CAMA:
0
Defines "coastal area" as "...the counties that are adjacent to,
adjoining, intersected by or bounded by the Atlantic Ocean or any
coastal sound. The Governor is granted final and conclusive
authority to designate those counties that constitute the coastal
area.
. Charges the Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) with responsibility
for establishing guidelines for plan preparation.
Provides that "...each county within the coastal area shall submit
to the (Coastal Resources) Commission a written statement of its
intent to develop a land use plan..." and directs.the CRC to pre-
pare and adopt a land use plan for any county that fails to do so.
Authorizes annual grants to local governmental units to assist
them in preparing local plans and management programs.
Pender County Commissioners Take Opportunity to Plan
Local governments across the country are being challenged to become
more efficient. The challenges are directly attributable to drastic changes in
the way we live. Pender County is no exception!
For example, sub -divisions spring up and the new residents demand
services; the county's major source of employment is New Hanover County so new
commuting patterns impose new loads upon the road network; population densities
are raising questions about water, sewer, and solid waste services; and coastal
and river flood plains are being used indiscriminantly. In each of these
examples, there are opportunities for the county to grow and prosper, but there
are costs attached to them as well.
Individuals and successful corporations know they must choose among
alternatives: for example, purchase a vehicle this year or defer a year; build
a new factory or expand the old facility. The decisions are based upon facts
that are gathered about existing conditions (cash flow, price, cost of money)
and some speculation about the future (higher or lower prices and costs). When
individuals and corporations make these choices they are looking to the future:
they are planning.
The request by CRC for a letter of intent to have a locally directed
land use plan prepared came at a fortunate time.
The Pender County Commissioners recognized that a very large number of
land use problems had been coming to them for resolution and that the number and
complexity of the problems will increase in the future. They also knew that
other organizations such as the Cape Fear Conservation District did land use
planning but the work should be coordinated and related to the County government.
2

The County Commissioners responded emphatically that Pender County
would prepare its own plan for the future.
Planning Board Appointed
The County Commissioners took steps to create a planning function.
The first step was selecting a County Planning Board.
Planning boards are recognized in law as a body that studies problems
and holds public meetings.to ascertain facts and makes recommendations to the
County Commissioners. The Commissioners, of course, as the executive/legislative
branch of county government, will act independently to accept or reject Planning
Board recommendations. Occasionally, the County Commissioners may sit in a
quasi-judicial capacity and rule upon differences.between the Planning Board
and other citizens.
It was very important that a superior group of interested citizens be
selected as the first Planning Board in Pender County history. Members were
appointed, met, elected officers, and adopted by-laws. The Board Members were
appointed under a staggered, over -lapping term arrangement designed to, achieve
continuity in spite of political change. The Board is composed of:
Name Residence Terms (yrs)
Samuel Cox, Chairman Burgaw
DeLeon Fennel, Vice Chairmanb Rocky Mount 2
Harold Aitken, Secretary Atkinson 1
Bennie Herring Burgaw 3
Sidney Williams Surf City 3
Clive Dosher Burgaw 2
Arthur Wooten Maple Hill 2
Maxie J. Lanier Burgaw 1
Joe McGlohon Penderlea 1
Leslie Batson Hampstead 3
The Board has met at least monthly since it was organized. Meetings are open to
the public.
aResigned due to transfer, February, 1975.
bSucceeded to Chairman, March, 1975
• °Appointed to fill vacancy, June, 1975.
3

• The County Commissioners received a grant of $20,000 from the State
to aid in preparing a land use plan as defined by CAMA and the Guidelines
adopted by CRC on January 27, 1975. The Cape Fear Council of Governments
contracted with the County to provide the technical services necessary for
completion of the land use plan.
Incorporated Towns Plan for Themselves
The CAMA was written to encourage full participation by all municipali-
ties in the coastal area. Letters of intent to plan were submitted by the Towns
of Atkinson, Burgaw, Surf City, and Topsail Beach. The letters of intent were
accepted by CRC and grants made to aid in paying for the work.
Each of these jurisdictions must perform exactly the same work as is
done for the entire county. Thus, RESIDENTS OF THE TOWNS WILL RECEIVE TWO
QUESTIONNAIRES AND BE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE IN TWO SETS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND
HEARINGS. One seeks to involve them as citizens of the town; the other seeks to
involve them as residents of the county since town residents are at the same
time residents of Pender County.
The towns will also adopt and send certified copies of their plans to
CRC. The only difference is the County must take account of the goals and plans
of the towns in formulating an over-all plan for the county.
Work Accomplished
An aerial photograph base map of the County at a scale of 1"=2000' has
been prepared. The photographs were interpreted and built-up, agricultural,
forest and wetland areas and open water were marked. The lines were inspected
by Planning Board members, corrected on the basis of their knowledge of, their
townships, and drawn for reproduction. The result is a large scale map of
existing land use in the county.
Population (drawn from U. S. Census, school enrollment, motor vehicle
registrations, and other sources), county economy, and natural resource infor-
mation has been collected. Much has been drawn from the work of other planning
groups such as the Resource Conservation and Development District Committee.
This information, together with the existing land use maps, have
enabled the Planning Board to record the location of important soil associations,
swamps, marshes, aquifers, and other resources.
Locating these resources leads to a key part of the land use plan
anticipated by CRC: Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC).
The CAMA vests in CRC the sole responsibility for officially designating
those key resource areas judged to be important to all residents of the State.
• Major developments (larger than 20 acres in size, drilling for or excavating
natural resources, or structures larger than 60,000 square feet) proposed within
4

• the Areas of Environmental Concern must have a permit from CRC. No State per-
mits not now required by law will affect the large majority of the land
designated as AECs.
The Planning Board, at the request of the CRC, is delineating what
they consider to be the extent of the areas of environmental concern in Pender
County and will recommend to CRC those areas and the uses that may be permitted.
Public Participation
One of the unique features of the CAMA, totally within the traditions'
of North Carolina, is insistence that the public - YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBOR -
set the goals and objectives for the management of the land in your county.
In short, the public must take some choices about their desires and aspirations
for the county and make them known to the Planning Board and County Commissioners.
The Planning Board organized and conducted four public information
meetings in April and May. The CAMA,was described, a slide program introduced
the planning process, and very general questions were asked about county problems
and solutions. The returned questionnaires were tabulated.
News items have been written and printed in the county newspapers.
Public response has enabled your Planning Board to be more precise in
defining the questions only you can answer. They appear on the questionnaire
enclosed in this packet. Please take the time to carefully answer the questions
and return the questionnaires. The Planning Board will publish the results.
The Planning Board is planning four more public meetings in the county.
The dates, times, and places are listed in the materials sent to you. If you have
questions (including the meaning of the questionnaire), opinions, and/or sugges-
tions, come to the meeting nearest to you.
The Alternate County Sketch Maps
Question #6 is special. It asks you to record which of the three land
use schemes - A, B, or C'- most nearly represents what you would like in Pender
County in 1995.
These maps are not finished plans. They are sketches prepared to help
you visualize the consequences of some of the choices you make - particularly
population growth. Selection of one sketch by a majority of residents does not
'in any way imply that the changes will occur in exactly the places shown. And
only some consequences are shown: highways, water, and sewer. Other conse-
quences will include school sites, public parks, waste disposal sites, water
treatment plants, secondary roads and collector streets, and drainage.
5
j&0,

• Map A illustrates the likely use of Pender County land in 1995 if:
Prime agricultural land is protected from development
. Industry is actively discouraged
Widely spaced housing for primarily out -of -county commuters con-
tinues to spread along the major highways
. Recreation housing expands along the US 17-Waterway corridor
There is little increase in permanent population on Topsail Island
Water and sewer facilities are available only in the incorporated
towns
. Major forest land owners do not change their management
. Swamps, stream channels, marshes, and the low barrier islands between
Topsail Inlet and Rich's Inlet are kept free of development
Map B illustrates the likely use of Pender County land in 1995 if:
. Development of prime agricultural land is discouraged
. Swamps, stream channels, marshes, and the low barrier islands between
TopsailInletand Rich's Inlet are kept free of development
. Moderate, local industry, in large part based upon crop and wood
processing, is located in the County
. New employment will generate new resident housing demand along the
US 17-Waterway corridor and on Topsail Island and require central
water and sewer services
. New population is not confined to the existing incorporated towns
and only limited central water and sewer facilities are built.
/The distribution of land uses and the resulting permanent population portrayed
agrees generally with the land use plan and the population and economic
projections published by the Cape Fear Council of Governments./
Map C illustrates the likely use of Pender County land in 1995 if:
. Major industrial development occurs. (The location of the industry
and the number of construction and operating phase employees are
taken from the study published by the Coastal Plains Regional
Commission of an oil refinery complex.)
R
0

• Prime agricultural land will not enjoy more than moderate protection
Only tidal marsh and estuarine water will be protected
. New employment, which will spill over into Onslow County, will
generate housing demand in the US 17-Waterway corridor that, when
coupled with seasonal demand (from two to three times resident popu-
lation) will result in a continuous urban belt. Recreation pressure
on the beaches will be enormous.
Any one of the schemes is possible depending upon the interplay of
what you want and the forces of the market place.
All of the assumptions and the implications of the new highway network
will be discussed at the public meetings.
PLAN NOW TO ATTEND.
7
16�

A QUESTIONNAIRE TO GAIN OPINIONS FROM
PENDER COUNTY CITIZENS ABOUT
THE FUTURE OF PENDER COUNTY
Please complete this questionnaire to assist the Pender County Planning Board
develop a plan for Pender's future.
1. What are the four most important reasons you are a resident of Pender
County? (Indicate importance by numbering 1, 2, 3, and 4).
Uncrowded living conditions Ability to get a job in the
Reasonable quality housing at county
modest cost Good public schools
A community where quality is Low cost of living
maintained by deed covenants Easy access to high quality
Low taxes hunting and fishing
Rural setting with few en- Other (list in a word or two)
vironmental problems
Access to ocean beaches and
boating water
2. What do you think are the four major problems in Pender County today?
Lack of adequate housing Reliance on septic tanks
Lack of employment Quantity and quality of
opportunities drinking water
Poor roads or transporta- Solid waste pickup and disposal
tion services (bus, Loss of agricultural land
airports)
Lack of markets for Pender
Lack of good shopping areas County products
Inadequate educational Flooding and/or drainage
opportunities
Dominance of big landowners
Lack of recreation
facilities and programs High taxes
Other (list in a word or two)
3. What is the one most important specific corrective action that should be taken
by County Government?
4. What would you like Pender County to be ten or more years from now?
The same as it is now (little or no change in number and location
of population)
Moderate increase in population
Generally in the places now populated
Evenlv distributed in the County
Large increase in population
Generally limited to the places now populated
Evenly distributed in the County
In new communities
5. Should Pender County
Encourage any industry we can get
Encourage only small, clean industry
Only encourage industry related to our agricultural and tourism base
Discourage new industry
6. Which of the enclosed land use sketches best illustrates your desires for
Pender County? A, B, C.
1

7. Mark the statement in each set with which you most agree.
a. The production of food and fiber should be encouraged by
keeping our prime agricultural land in agriculture.
Prime agricultural land should be treated the same as any
other land.
Conversion of agricultural land to other uses, such as
housing and industry, should be encouraged.
b. When population density in a local area becomes sufficiently high
to warrant public services, such as water supply, sewer, garbage
collection, street lights, and similar services, should the
facilities and service(s) be built and operated by
Pender County
Present or future incorporated towns
Special purpose districts
c. Constructing water supply, waste treatment, streets, and other
community facilities serving large (10 or more dwelling units)
subdivisions should be the responsibility of the
Developer
Government (including special purpose districts)
Lot owners
Other
d. Much of Pender County is characterized by swamps associated with
rivers, creeks, and streams. Should these swamps
Be modified by snagging or minor channeling only to the
extent necessary to maintain "normal" water levels.
Be absolutely preserved as they are for fish and wildlife
habitat.
Be subject to extensive channeling and draining because
they cause flooding.
e. There are three major barrier islands protecting the Pender County
coastline. One is developed (Topsail Island). The County should
Acquire some beach land to assure county residents will be
able to get to the ocean
Participate financially with the two towns (Surf City and
Topsail Beach) in assuring public access to the beach.
Set standards for beach access that must be met by the towns.
Let the towns do whatever they want to do.
Two are developed between New Topsail and Rich Inlets.
The County should
Buy the islands and deed them to the State for maintenance
Keep the islands undeveloped by building code enforcement
and tax policy.
Tightly control the amount and type of development.
Encourage the immediate development of the islands.
f. Location of industry within the County should be
Determined entirely by the industry.
Limited to specific parts of the County.
Permitted anywhere in the County as long as agricultural land,
swamps, and similar areas are not used.
Prohibited.
g. If the County adopts a policy of encouraging industry, should the
County
Use revenue bonds to finance land acquisition and plant
construction.
Offer tax abatements as inducements.
Use both investment and tax relief.
Use neither.
2

h. Highly developed recreation facilities such as lighted play fields,
tennis and basketball courts, and the like are in short supply in
• the County. Should the County
Establish a park and recreation program to build and
operate such facilities.
Adopt a policy that makes it the responsibility of the
school board.
Leave things as they are.
8. Population increases will probably mean increases in housing development,
shopping centers, manufacturing plants, and other facilities. Do you
think the County should control this growth? YES NO.
If yes, how?
County -wide zoning?
Regulating subdivisions?
Restricting industries, shopping centers, and large-scale
housing developments to specific locations?
Providing general guidance for growth?
Other?
9. How would you characterize yourself?
a. Head of Household; Member of family but not head of
household; Single
b. Income level: _0 - $3000; _$3000 - $5000; _$5000 - $7000;
_$7000 - $10,000; _$10,000-$15,000; �$15,000-$25,000;
more than $25,000.
c. Occupation: Farmer; Business man; Professional;
Skilled labor; Unskilled labor; Retired;
Unemployed.
d. Place of residence in Pender County (nearest town or community):
10. Please make any additional comments or suggestions which would help us to
plan for the future of Pender County.
When you have completed the questionnaire, fold it so the mailing address on
the reverse side is visible; secure the open side with a staple or tape;
affix postage; and deposit it in the U. S. Mail.
Thank you.
DeLeon Fennell, Chairman
Pender County Planning Board
0

k c
EXHIBIT A-2
CITIZENS•QUESTIONNAIRE

PENDER COUNTY CITIZENS QUESTIONNAIRE
• Exhibit A-2.
The Pender County Planning Board and the County Commissioners are pre-
paring the Coastal Area Management Plan for Pender County. Your Planning
Board and Commissioners are vitally interested in the comments and suggestions
you and other citizens have and are inviting you to become involved in pre
. paring the plan. Your help will aid in making a plan for Pender County's
future which is based on your own goals and interests.
This questionnaire is the first step in the continuing process of getting
the citizens involved. You will be kept informed of the progress we are
making and will be invited to other meetings as they are scheduled.
Please take the time to fill out this brief questionnaire and hand it in
at the end of the Township Meeting or mail it to:
Mr. Deleon Pennell, Chairman
Pender County Planning Board
Route 1, Box 386
Rocky Point, N. C. 28457
1. What do you think are the four•major problems in Pender County today?
(Indicate priority by numbering 1, 2, 3, and 4.)
lack of adequate housing problems with septic tanks
lack of employment opportunities poor quality'of drinking water
poor roads or transportation problems with solid waste (dumps)
services (bus, airports)
decline in population
lack of good shopping areas
increase in population
inadequate educational opportunities
problems with flooding.or
lack of recreational or open space drainage
areas
other (explain)
l vd'

2. What do you think are the. four major advantages of living in Pender County
today? (Indicate priority by numbering 1, 2, 3, and 4.)
good supply of quality housing
low taxes
few environmental problems
good employment opportunities
lack of crowded living conditions
other (explain)
closeness to beaches
attractiveness of hunting and
fishing areas
good schools
low cost of living
rural nature of county
3. In the next-5 to 10 years, would you prefer to see the population of the
County? (mark' one)
increase rapidly slightly decline
k increase slowly decline significantly
remain the same
4. In the population of the County does increase, -would you prefer the
increase to be? (mark one)
inside existing towns (incorporated)
around existing communities (unincorporated)
around new communities or subdivisions outside existing towns and
communities
S. If the population of the County does increase, there will be an increase
in houses, manufacturing plants, shopping areas, and industries. Do you
think the County should control this growh by? (mark one)
County -wide zoning
regulations for subdivisions
restrict where manufacturing, industrial, and shopping areas should
be located
• \ provide general guidance for growth
1 6 `1

0 `^
provide no control or guidance at all
other (explain)
6. What would you -like Pender County to be like next year, 5 years from.now,
or 10 years from now?
7. Please indicate your place of residence in Pender County.
(town or community)
S. Please make any additional comments or suggestions which would help us
to plan for the future of Pender County.
Thank you,
Chairman
Pender County Planning Board
176

EXHIBIV A-3
TABULATION-CITIZENS.QUESTIONNAIRE

Exhibit A-3. Tabulation-Pender County
Citizens
Questionnaire.
Question 1. Four Major Problems
Choices Fairst
Second.
Third
Fourth
Total
Four
b
No. Wt.
No.
Wt.
No. Wt.
No.
Wt.
Wt.
Problems
Lack of housing
2
6
1 2
1
1
9
Lack of employment 10 40
1
3
2 4
1
1
48
1
Poor roads 2 8
2
6
14
Lack of shopping
6
18
3 6
2
2
26
2
Inadequate education 2 8
1
3
1 2
2
2
15
4
Lack of recreation
1
3
3 6
5
5
14
.1
Septic tanks •l 4
2 4
1
1
9
Quality drinking
water
1 2
1
1
3
Solid waste
1 2
3
3
5
Population decline
0
Population increase
0
Flooding or drainage __l 4
3
9
2 4
17
3
Other: Law enforce-
ment 1 4
4
allo. indicates number of times listed,
bWt. indicates weight, i. e., number of times
listed multiplied by
4 for
first,
3 for
second, 2 for
third,
or 1 for fourth choices.

Exhibit A-3. (Continued)
Question 2. Four Major Advantages
Choices First
No.a Wt.b
Second
No. Wt.
Third
No. Wt.
Fourth
No. Wt.
Total
Wt.
Four
Problems
Supply of housing
0
Low taxes
1 4
1
3
1 2
3
3
12
Few environmental
2 8
1
3
2 4
15
4
Good employment
0
,w Lack of crowded
v conditions
5 20
4
12
1 2
34
2
Closeness to beaches
4 8
2
2
10
Hunting & fishing
5
15
3 6
3
3
24 ..
3
Good schools
2
6
1
1
7
Low cost of living
3 6
3
3
9
Rural nature
7 28
2
6
1 2
2
2
38
1
Other: Friendliness
1
1
1
allo. indicates number
of times listed.
bWt. indicates weight,
i.e., number of
times
listed
multiplied
by 4 for
first,
3 for second,
2 for third,
or 1 for fourth choices.

•C
0 C
Exhibit A-3. (Continued)
Question 3. County Population
Increase rapidly
1.
Increase slowly
13
Remain the same
4
slightly decline
0
Decline significantly
0
Question 4. Increase Location
Inside existing towns
2
Around existing communities
10
Around new communities or subdivisions
5
Question 5. Growth Control
County -wide zoning
3
Subdivision regulations
2
Location restriction
7
General guidance
4
No control or guidance
0
Question 6 Pender County in future
-(sample of responses)
2
As it is now
Clean industrial growth for employment
8
More shopping, recreation, employment
4
Lower taxes & cost of living
2
Progressive controlled growth
1
3
Improved education
Improved environmental controls
3
Balanced industry, education & recreation
1
1
Money remain in County
j7�

• ( Exhibit A-3. (Continued)
Question 7. Place of Residence
Burgaw Penderlea (2)
Willard Piney Road
Columbia Township (2) Rook's Corner
Hampstead (2) Ward's Corner (2)
Topsail Township Ivanhoe
St. Helena Watha
Question 8. Comments and Suggestions
(sample of responses)
We do not want industry or anything that would mar the County's•beauty.
A self-supporting progressive but controlled growth program.
Solicitation of clean industry is needed.
Improve law enforcement.
Keep hospital and medical facilities at a level of cost citizens can afford.
Involve young people in the planning process.
Any changes should be gradual.
We have more than enough government controls as it is.
i C

EXHIBIT A-4
TABULATION
PENDER COUNTY (2nd) QUESTIONNAIRE

Exhibit A-4. Tabulation - Pender County (2nd) Questionnaire
Question 1. Reason for Residency
Choices First
Second
Third
Fourth
Total
Four
No.a Wt.b
No.
Wt.
No.
Wt.
No.
Wt.
Wt.
Reasons
Uncrowded living 63 252
65
195
24
48
6
6
501
1
Reasonable housing 7 28
17
51
15
30
6
6
115
Quality controls 5 20
12
36
11
22
3
3
81
Low taxes 7 28
24
72
27
54
17..
17
45
Rural setting 21". 84
57
171
46
92
19
19
366
2
Access beaches 16 64
36
108
39
78
12
12.
262
3
and water
Job opportunities 9 36
6
18
4
8
4
4
66
n Good schools 5 20
12
36
21
42
7
7
105
v
V Low-cost living 2 8
7
21
12
•24
17
17
70
Access hunting and 5 20
9
27
25
50
25
25
122
4
fishing
allo. indicates number of times listed
bWt. indicates weight, i.e., number of
times
listed multiplied by 4
for.f irst,
3
for second,
2 for third,
or I for fourth choice.

Exhibit A-4 (Continued)
Question 2. Four Major
Problems
Choices
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Total
Four
No.
Wt.
No.
Wt.
No.
Wt.
No.
Wt.
Wt.
Problems
Lack of housing
5
20
22
66
5
10
7
7
103
4
Lack of employment
44
176
34
102
12
24
9
9
311
1
Poor roads
11
44
11
33
11
22
9
9
97
Lack shopping
3
12
36
108
30
60
4
4
184
2
Inadequate education
6
24
13
39
11
22
3
3
88
Lack recreation
2
8
18
54
25
50
5
5
117
3
Reliance on septic
5
20
4
12
8
16
3
3
51
tanks
U Quality drinking
1
4
3
9
9
18
2
2
33
water
Solid waste
1
4
4
12
3
6
1
1
23
Loss agricultural
2
8
6
18
7
14
1
1
41
land
Lack of markets
0
0
11
33
14
28
11
11
72
Flooding and/or
7
24
13
39
13
26
3
3
92
drainage
Dominance landowners
2
8
4
12
16
32
10
10
62
High taxes
1
4
4
12
2
8
4
4
28

• 4. ' Exhibit A-4 (Continued)
Question 4. County in Future
Same
29
Moderate Increase
79
In populated areas
31
Evenly distributed
37
Large Increase
37
In populated areas
6.
Evenly distributed
18
In new communities
10
question 5. Industry
Encourage any
46
Small, clean only
69'
Agricultural and tourist based
21
Discourage any
8
Question 6. Sketch Maps
A.
36
B.
46
C.
51
Question 7.
A. Agricultural Land
protected
74
treated same as others
16
encourage conversion to other uses
23
B. Service Provision
Pender County
35
.,Towns
53
Special purpose districts
24
C

C Exhibit A-4 (Continued)
Question 7. (Continued)
C.
Subdivision Services
Developers
81
Government
20
Lot owners
8
D.
Swamps
Modified where necessary
44
Preserved
.42-
Channelized and drained
26
E.
Topsail Island
Acquired land
23
Require access
47
Standards for access
30
Town responsibility
14
Undeveloped Islands
Buy and deed to State
11
Keep undeveloped
21
Control development
53
Encourage development
16
F.
Location of Industry
Leave up to industry
16
Located specifically
58
Located selectively
34
Prohibited
9
G.
Industrial Development
Revenue bonds -land acquisition and construction
20
Tax abatements
18
Investment and tax relief
18
Neither
56
H.
Recreational Facilities
Park and recreation program
94
Make responsibility of School Board
25
24
Leave as is
1 �,O

I*(., Exhibit A-4 (Continued)
Question 8. Growth Control
Yes
85
No
27
County -wide zoning
48
Subdivision regulations
6
Locational restrictions
24.
General guidance
36
Question 9. Respondants
Head of household
125
Family member
12
Single
10
Income
0-3000
17
7000-10,000
20.
I C 3000-5000
7
10,000-15,000
42
5000-7000
9
15,000-25,000
24
more than 25,000
15
Farmer
13
Skilled labor
28
Businessman
23
Unskilled labor
3
Profession
39
Retired
30
Unemployed
9
t�l

�1_
1, Howard Holly, do hereby certify that this is a
true and complete copy of the Pender County Land Use Plan
prepared pursuant to the North Carolina Coastal Area Manage-
ment Act (G. S. 113-A-100-123) adopted by resolution by the
Fender County Board of Commissioners May 17, 1976. Proceedings
of said adoption are recorded in minute book number of
the Minutes of said Board, beginning at page _ a and ending
at page �.
Witness my hand and the Seal of Fender County this the
17th day of May, 1976.
SIGNED: CA� E±f!Z - -
Fender County Finar#e Officer
lS

! N A L
Index to Table of Contents (based on Standard
Format)
Pender County Land Use Plan
Subject
Section
Pages
Introduction
1
1-6
II. Description of Present Conditions
I
1-68
A. Population and Economy
I
1-9
B. Existing Land Use
I
10-21
1. Map
attached
2: Analysis
I
16, 17, 21
C.. Current Plans, Policies and
Regulations
I
22-30
1. Plans and Policies
I
22-27
2. Local Regulations
I
28-30
3. Federal and State Regulations
N/A
III. Public Participation Activities
Appendix
A
A. Identification and Analysis of
major land use issues
II
1-23
1. The impact of population
and economic trends
II
1-12
2. The provision of adequate
housing and other services
II
3, 16-19
3. The conservation of productive
natural resources
II
4-6
4. The protection of important
Natural environments
II
14, 15
5. The protection of cultural and
historic resources
II
19
B. Alternatives considered in the develop-
ment of the objectives, policies and
Appendix
A
standards
Exhibit A-1
C. Land use objectives, policies and
standards for dealing with each
identified major issue
II
24-19

Subject
Section
Pages
D.
A brief description of the process
used to determine objectives,
policies and standards, empha-
sizing public participation
II
22
E.
.A detailed.statement outlining the
methods employed in securing public
participation, and the degree of.
participation achieved and the
results obtained.
Appendix A
IV. Constraints
I
31-68
A:
Land Potential
I
31-56
1. Physical Limitations
I
31-39
2. Fragile Areas
I
40-52
3. Areas with Resource Potential
I
53-56
B.-
Capacity of Community Facilities
I
57-68
1. Identification of existing
water and sewer service areas
I
67-68
2. Design capacity of existing
water treatment plant, sewerage
treatment plant, schools, and
primary roads
I
57-68
3. The percent utilization of water
and sewer plants, schools and
primary roads
II
57-68
V. Estimated Demand
A.
Population and Economy
1. Population-
II
20-23
2. Economy
IV
1, 2, 14, 15
B.
Future Land Needs
IV
1-15
C.
Community Facilities Demand
II
16-19
1. Ten-year population projection
used to determine facilities demand
II
21,.22
0

Subiect Section
2. Consideration of the type
and cost of services needed
to accommodate projected
populations
II
3. Consideration of the ability of
the local economy to finance
service expansion
II
VI.- Plan Description
A. Description of the Land Classification
System
IV
B. Projected population growth allocated
to Land classes based on local
objectives
IV
C. Gross population densities used to
allocate Transition and Community
Classifications
IV
D.- Land Classification Map
VII. Summary
A. Discussion of the manner of data
assembly, analysis, and a statement
of major conclusions
B. Discussion of the application of
the data to the plan's formulation
V
VIII. City -County Plan Relationship Defined
V
Pages
16-19
3-5
3-6
F
7-10
attached
Introduction;
following each
subsection.
1-2
2