Land Use Plan Update-1988

v DCM COPY
Please do not remove.
Division of Coastal Management Copy
vreparea Tor:
The Town of
ATLANTIC BEACH,
NORTH CAROLINA
By:
SATUA PLARRMB
PLANNERS ED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
RO. BOX 1110 • ST. MARYS, GEORGIA 31555 .
Adopted: January 21, 1988
p>, Certified by the Coastal Resources Commission:
February 5, 1988

e
LAND USE PLAN UPDATE
Prepared for
THE TOWN OF ATLANTIC BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA
By:
5),&MU, PLAMHEI c
PLANNERS `; LANDSCAPE ARCHITECIS
P.O. 13OX 1110 . St MARYS. GEORGIA 31558
Adopted by the Town of Atlantic Beach: January 21, 1988
Certified by the Coastal Resources Commission:
February 5,1989
• The preparation of this report was financed in part through a
grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management
Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by
the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, N.O.A.A.

e
I
JOYCE VINSON
MAYOR PRO-TEM
ALAN SHELOR
JOE TARASCIO
VICE-CHAIRMAN
JAMES GOOCH
PAUL WARREN
JOHN DOWLING
ATLANTIC BEACH
TOWN BOARD
MAX D. GRAFF
MAYOR
PLANNING BOARD
ROBERT PROCTER
CHAIRMAN
CURTIS PEARSON
LLOYD WOOD
DIRECTOR OF INSPECTIONS
H. RAY BARTS
LLEWELLYN RAMSEY
JULIE HOSLEY
BOBBIE GORDON
JERRY FRIVANCE
BILL HARPER

l
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Local Government Uses
Local Land Development Uses
Regional Uses
State and Federal Uses
Major Conclusions
EXISTING CONDITIONS
Data Collection and Analysis
Existing Land Use
Roadways and Transportation
Parking Conditions
Community Facilities
Current Land Use Plans, Policies and Regulations
GROWTH TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS
CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT
Land Suitability
Fragile Areas
Community Facilities Capacity
POLICY STATEMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Assessment of 1981 Policies
Background and Policy Outline
Resource Protection
Physical Constraints to Development
Resource Production and Management
Economic and Community Development
Storm Hazard Mitigation, Post Disaster Planning and
Hurricane Evacuation Planning
Continuing Citizen Participation
LAND CLASSIFICATION
Background and Purpose
Relationship of the Land Classification Map
to Policy Statements
Land Classes and The Land Classification Map
APPENDIX
Citizen Survey Summary
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LIST OF MAPS
Map No.
Title
Page
One
Existing Land Use
5
Two
Community Facilities
11
Three
Land Suitability
24
Four
Fragile Areas
26
Five
Flood Hazard Areas
27
Six
Land Classification
63
LIST OF TABLES
Table No. Title Page
One Existing Land Use (1985) 6
Two Existing Land Use (1981) 7
Three Residential Dwelling Units 20
Four Population Estimates 21

INTRODUCTION
The Coastal Area Management Act of 1974 establishes a
cooperative program of land planning and management
between local governments and the State. Land use planning
is intended to be the focus of local government's
involvement; it gives local leaders an opportunity to
establish and implement policies to guide the development of
their community.
The Atlantic Beach Land Use Plan is an expression of
both short and long range planning goals in which the local
government has set forth its major policies concerning how
and where future development should occur over the next
ten years.
The Land Use Plan is an important policy document at
local, regional, state and federal levels. The users,
in addition to the Town of Atlantic Beach, are regional
councils of government, state and federal permitting
agencies, and public or private funding and development
groups.
Local Government Uses
The Plan provides policy guidance for decisions related
' to overall community development, while serving as the basis
for land development regulations and capital facilities
programming. Planning for the provision and extension of
capital intensive services, such as central sewer and water,
is aided by the land use plan's identification of likely
growth trends and by plan policies which will direct growth.
Local Land Development Uses
Developers and investors (including prospective
residents) can use the land use plan as a primary source of
information about the community. The plan provides data and
analysis on present development patterns, capacity of
community facilities, growth patterns, and physical
limitations to development. The plan also provides
developers with information about the community's preferences
for development types, densities and locations.
Regional Uses
The Atlantic Beach Land Use Plan will be used by the
Neuse River Council of Governments for regional planning
purposes and in their function as Regional Clearinghouse (A-
95) for State and Federal funding programs. Carteret County
will use this and other municipal plans when revisions are
made to the County -wide land use plan. The local plan

indicates to these agencies what types of development the
community feels are both appropriate and likely while stating
where such development should take place.
State and Federal Us
Coastal government's land use plans are used in
evaluating development proposals requiring approval by
various State and Federal agencies. These agencies must
ensure that permitting decisions consider and are consistent
with the policies and land classification system established
by the Land Use Plan. This requirement for consistency is
established by the North Carolina Coastal Area Management
Act. Similarly, the use of State and Federal funds, either as
grants or as direct agency expenditures, must be consistent
with the local plan.
Major Conclusions
The Town of Atlantic Beach has experienced dramatic
growth over the past ten to fifteen years. Permanent
population has more than tripled while the Town's average
seasonal population has more than quadrupled since 1970.
More recently, the Town has experienced significant
commercial growth - part of a trend to provide more shopping
opportunities on the Island vs. traditional commercial
facilities on the mainland. This significant growth has
strained public facilities: most noticeably roads and water
supply. This growth has also dramatized the need for a
public sewer system.
The Town has made progress in addressing these growth
pains. For example, the Atlantic Beach/Morehead City.four (4)
lane/high rise causeway was recently completed. However,
much work still remains including the construction of a public
wastewater collection and treatment system.
The policies adopted as part of this Plan update address
these public facility problems as well as natural resource
conservation issues.
2

EXISTING CONDITIONS
Data Collection and Analysis
The data presented by this plan was derived from a
variety of sources. These sources are cited in the course of
the text and include:
o Town of Atlantic Beach personnel;
o Field inventories by Satilla Planning, Inc.;
o County tax records including tax maps;
o The 1981 Land Use Plan for Atlantic Beach;
o FEMA flood insurance maps and reports;
o Town engineering and staff reports;
o Existing Town ordinances and policies;
o N.C. Department of Transportation;
o N.C. Department of Natural Resources and
Community Development;
o Soil surveys from the U.S. Soil Conservation
Service;
o N.C. Department of Administration; and
o Satilla Planning, Inc. inventories and analysis.
The following presents existing conditions in the
Atlantic Beach planning area and is organized into
sections covering:
o Existing Land Use
o Roadways and Transportation
o Parking Conditions
o Community Facilities
o Current Land Use Plans, Policies and Regulations
Existing Land Use
Existing land use in Atlantic Beach and its planning area is displayed
by Map One. It shows how land in the Town and its planning area is
currently used based on field inventories conducted during November, 1985
and aerial photography flown in September, 1984. A more detailed, large
scale map displaying existing land use parcel by parcel was also prepared
and is on file at Town Hall. Existing land use was compiled by way of
eight categories:
o Single Family Residential
o Duplex
o Mobile Home
o Multi -Family
o Commercial
o Public/Institutional
o Transportation and Utilities
o Vacant

Single Family Residential includes all detached Single Family
Homes on individual lots.
Duplexes are structures with two attached units.
Multi -Family residential structures are those with three or more
dwelling units, including apartments, townhouses, and condominiums.
The Mobile Home category includes both single mobile homes on
individual lots and mobile homes in parks. Recreational vehicle/travel
trailer parks are also included here.
The Commercial use category consists of retail sales and service
establishments including tourist oriented, recreational businesses.
Motels are also included as commercial uses.
Public/Institutional uses include government offices with related
areas, and churches.
Transportation and Utilities includes road rights -of -way, electric,
telephone, and gas facilities.
Vacant land areas are those which currently are not in use but which
are generally developable under current local, state and federal
regulations.
Table One provides a breakdown of land uses as follows: (1) areas
within the Town; (2) the ETJ; and (3) the area that lies between the
ETJ and Pine Knoll Shores to the West.
The Existing Land Use Table includes both developed and vacant land.
` According to the 1981 Land Use Plan update, there were 521 acres of vacant,
developable land. That is, vacant land areas that are generally available
for development under current local, state and federal regulations.
According to the October, 1985 field survey, 191 of these acres were
converted to developed land uses during the past four years. There are
additional vacant-undevelopable areas which are not suitable for
development due to natural constraints such as the high water table.
The 1981 Plan (Table Two) did not calculate land use by specific
land use types (e.g. multi -family is combined with motel, mobile homes with
single family homes, etc.; additionally, the areas surveyed by the 198: and
1985 surveys differ). Therefore, direct comparisons between 1981 and 1985
land use tabulations are not meaningful.
In addition to landuse acreage tabulations, Table One presents the
percentage each specific land use category comprises of the total. Average
residential densities in dwelling units per acre are also presented by Table
One.
• The 330 acres of vacant, developable land constitute the largest single
category - about 27% of all areas surveyed. Single family residential
• comprises 18% of the land - 222 acres. Multi -family development occupies
4

TABLE ONE
Existing Land Use--1985 (1)
Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
ACRES/PERCENTAGES
OF TOTAL
Avg. Density
Within Town
Extraterritorial
Area Between ETJ
Land Use Category
Units/Acre
Limits
Jurisdiction (ETJ1
and Pine Knoll Shores
Total
Single Family
2.6
177.1/248
37.4/98
7.7/98
222.2/18%
Mobile Home
7.1
86.6/128
29.9/78
27.5/348
144/12%
Duplex
8.9
17.7/28
2.8/18
0.4/1%
20.9/28
Multi -Family
9.2
121.5/17%
86.9/218
--
208.4/176
Motel
15.2
22.5/38
8.9/28
0.6/18
32/38
Commercial
82.1/118
9.6/28
5.1/68
96.8/8%
Transportation/
Utilities
123.6/17%
37.9/98
17.2/218
178.7/158
Public/
Institutional
1.9/"18
--
--
1.9/"18
Vacant/Developable
99.9/148
206.7/58
23.6/298
330.2/278
Total:
6.7 (avg.)
732.9/100%
420.1/1008
82.1/1008
1,235.1/1008
Source: Satilla Planning, Inc. from November 1985 field survey and
September, 1984 aerial photography.

TABLE TWO
Existing Land Use - 1981 (1)
Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
Land Use Category 1981 Acreage
Sin le Family Residential 411
9
Including Mobile Homes
Multi -Family Residential
Including Motel
Commercial
Transportation, Communication
and Utilities
Government and Institutional
Vacant, Developable
140
8
521
1,243
% of Total
33%
7%
68
100.0%
(1) Note:
Includes areas within Town and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction as each
existing in 1981.
Source: Town of Atlantic Beach Land Development Plan, 1981.
7

slightly less, 208 acres of 17% of the total. Transportation/Utilities
account for almost 179 acres - 15% of the total. Rights -of -way (state and
local) comprise virtually all of this category. Mobile homes account for
almost 12% of Atlantic Beach's land occupying 144 acres. Altogether,
residential uses comprise 48% of the Town's land area, 596 acres.
Discounting vacant acres and road rights -of -way, residential uses occupy 82%
of Atlantic Beach's land area. Commercial is the only remaining use
• constituting a significant percentage of the Town, about 129 acres including
motels or about 10.5%.
Average residential densities vary from single family - 2.6 units per
acre to motels at 15.9 units per acre. The Town's 11119 multi -family units
occupy 208 acres - a density of 9.2 units per acre. Mobile homes and
duplexes average 7.1 and 8.9 units per acre respectively. Considering that
Atlantic Beach does not have central sewage collection and treatment
facilities, these densities are high. However, most of the multi -family
units are served by private sewage treatment plants.
An examination of the Existing Land Use Map shows that certain key
features of Atlantic Beach stand out as follows:
Residential Land Use. Three types of residential development are dominant:
(1) condominiums, townhouses and other multi -family uses; (2) mobile homes
both on individual lots and in parks; and (3) single family homes. Most
recent multi -family development has consisted of condominiums west and east
of the Town limits as existed five years ago. All land east of the old Town
limits up to Ft. Macon State Park has now been annexed - this is the area of
the most intense multi -family development with more units planned. Two large
condominium projects are located to the west of Town. One oceanfront project
is complete, another with both ocean and soundfront units is more than 50%
• complete. At the east end, 798 condominium units are found in five projects.
While most of these projects are "built out", more than 200 additional units
are possible. Multi -family units are by far the most dominant housing type
comprising 45% of the Town's stock.
Mobile Homes make up about one-fourth of the Town's housing units
(1,027). Mobile homes are found throughout Atlantic Beach, but are
concentrated: 1) at the west end north of Salter Path Road (just east of
Pine Knoll Shores); 2) west of the Causeway and north of Ft. Macon Boulevard
West; 3) south of Fort Macon Boulevard East - between the old Town limits
(just to the east of Wilson Avenue) and the Oceanana Motel; and 4) a
concentration of mobile homes and travel trailers is found north and south
of Ft. Macon Boulevard East at the Triple S pier and marina.
Single family homes on individual lots account for 14% of the Town's
dwelling units - 584. Many of these units are in neighborhoods which also
house mobile homes and multi -family buildings. There are, however, five
specific areas in Atlantic Beach which are predominantly single family: 1)
at the west end along Lee Court and Heather Street; 2) either side of Ocean
Ridge Drive; 3) north of West Davis Boulevard; and west of Kinston Avenue
and Morehead Boulevard; 4) north of Ft. Macon Boulevard east along Bay View
Boulevard; and, 5) along Ocean Avenue between New Bern Street and
Second Street.
E

Commercial Land Use. Most of the Town's retail and service establish-
ments are located along the Atlantic Beach Causeway and along Ft.
Macon Boulevard near its intersection with the causeway. Most of the
Town's motel rooms are also located along these roads. A "strip" shopping
center has been completed north of NC Highway #58, about three fourths of
a mile west of the causeway. A large grocery store and drug chain recently
opened just across the street from the proposed shopping center. This is
the first commercial development of any kind to occur along this section
of Ft. Macon Road and may indicate a trend. The "Triad" at the ocean foot
of the causeway consists primarily of amusement arcades and nightclubs.
Public/Institutional uses consist primarily of Town buildings and
facilities and churches. Town Hall, the Fire and Police Department and
related functions to the south comprise the largest use in this category.
Transportation and Utilities. Road rights -of -way, both Town and State,
make up virtually all of this category. Private sewage treatment systems
for condominium projects are also utility land uses.
Additional Significant Land Uses. Fort Macon State Park lies immediately
east of Atlantic Beach on N.C. 58 - Fort Macon Road. While not within the
Town limit or E.T.J., Fort Macon is significant as all visitors must pass
through Atlantic Beach. Additionally, many park visitors utilize the
commercial facilities in Atlantic Beach.
Summary. Atlantic Beach is a major tourist destination center. It has a
mix of housing types ranging from large modern oceanfront condominum
complexes with a full range of recreational facilities to rundown areas
mixed with dilapidated cottages and mobile homes. The Town also has
significant commercial facilities and services oriented toward the tourist
trade. Recent commercial development indicates a trend for more consumer
shopping (supermarkets, drug stores) facilities in addition to the
traditional tourist commercial facilities.
The future availability of sewer will have a profound effect on
Atlantic Beach and how it develops. The potential for redevelopment of
the Town's older rundown areas will certainly be enhanced once public
sewer is a reality.
Roadways and Transportation
Street networks in and around a community are important aspects of
future development. Road access can be a key determinant of the
attractiveness of land for various types of land development. There are
also critical reciprocal relationships between roads and land use. On one
hand, the availability of good road capacity and traffic volume makes the
adjoining land attractive for commercial uses that depend on high
visibility and accessibility for economic success. On the other hand, the
overloading of these roads with ill -designed land uses, such as strip
commercial development with no control of curb cuts, can lead to problems
of traffic safety, road capacity, and poor visual appearance that can
ultimately detract from the viability of the land uses and the road
itself.
9

Atlantic Beach's transportation system developed much like that of
any other narrow island; S.R. 1182 links the Town with the mainland via a
bridge over Bogue Sound and the Intracoastal waterway. S.R. 1182 in
turn intersects with N.C. 58 (Ft. Macon Boulevard). N.C. 58 serves the
entire island running from Ft. Macon State Park at the east end to the
high rise bridge at Emerald Isle.
The Atlantic Beach/Morehead City bridge has long been a source of
major traffic delays during summer months. A new 4-lane highrise bridge is
under construction and will alleviate most of these problems.
Additionally, the State Department of Transportation has initiated
improvements to Ft.Macon Boulevard at the causeway intersection and for
about 2000 feet in each direction. Improvements will consist of additional
traffic lanes and signalization at the intersection.
A customary land use plan would identify the community's road system
in components such as Principal Arterials, Minor Arterials, Major
Collectors, etc. With basically one access point by way of a bridge
over the Intracoastal Waterway, SR 1182 (while the N.C. 58 bridge at
Emerald Isle does provide a second access point to Bogue Banks it has
little impact on Atlantic Beach's traffic patterns) and one major east -
west road serving the island (N.C. 58)1 this type of classification and
analysis is unnecessary. It should be sufficient to say that Ft. Macon
Boulevard West (N.C. 58) serves as a major Collector street feeding into
Morehead Avenue (SR 1182) which serves as a Minor Arterial in turn
connecting with U.S. Route 70 - a Principal Arterial. The State
Department of Transportation prepared a Thoroughfare Plan for Carteret
County including Atlantic Beach in 1971. Although dated, this Plan
provides further information on the Atlantic Beach road system.
Parking Conditions.
Parking issues in most beach communities inevitably relate to beach
access. Most residential and commercial areas have adequate parking to
serve their direct uses or customers. However, the demand and capacity of
the Town's beaches make the provision of adequate parking a difficult
task. Parking for beach access is addressed by the 1981 Commercial and
Waterfront Area Redevelopment Study. The Town is pursuing recommendations
of this study relative to a regional beach access area to be constructed,
with parking, in the downtown circle area.
Community Facilities.
Community facilities are an important land use planning factor not
only because they can constitute significant land use in themselves, but
also because the type, relation and capacity of these facilities bear an
important reciprocal relationship to the area they serve and therefore to
most other land use categories.
The location of Atlantic Beach's existing Community Facilities are
identified by Map Two. These are:
10

ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES
Map 2
1-WELL SITE #1 & WATER STORAGE
2-WELL SITE #2
3-WELL SITE #3
4- WELL SITE #4
5-PROPOSED SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
6-PRIVATE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
7-TOWN HALL & POLICE DEPARTMENT
6-FIRE-DEPARTMENT
9-MARINA
10-PRIVATE FISHING PIER
t CHURCH
PUBLIC BEACH ACCESS
InwM W. SATLU N AMpNO
at Merye, OoorSM
xoxrx
7_� • r r us
The F" m,loo of a. m " Snenwd in P,t d wo o V m
prwlded by the Nonb CuoUm Coa" Menymrmt prop,,, d m A
fuodr Provided by the CoMW Zone hlamm l Ad of 19M, m
,mmded, whkh is odml,lo,ed br the Offke of Ooem „d Comal
K, Menyemmt.N.O.A.A.

o The water distribution system
- water tanks
- wells #1, #21 #3, and #4
o Proposed sewage treatment plant site
o The Town Hall, Police and Fire Departments
o Public Works Department
o Fishing Piers
o Churches
o Public beach access points
Water Distribution System. The Town's water system is supplied by three
deep wells. The well's design and actual capacity in gallons per minute
(GPM) are:
Design
Actual
Well #1
400 gpm
500 gpm
Well #2
300 gpm
250 gpm
Well #3
400 gpm
400 gpm
Total:
1,100 gpm
11150 gpm
Based on State standards, the system's maximum capacity should be
computed by not more than 12 hours pumping time. Therefore, the three
wells have a theoretical design capacity of:
1100 gpm X 60/Min/hr X 12 hrs. = 792,000 gpd
Further, State requirements are that the system be designed to
provide 400 gpd per residential dwelling units or:
792,000 = 1,980 dwelling units
400
Therefore, according to State standards, the Atlantic Beach water
system is designed for a maximum of 11980 dwelling units. According to a
1984 study of the Town's water system, there were approximately 2,300
residential water customers. Well #4 was recently completed and tied into
the Town's water system. Therefore, Atlantic Beach's water system meets
stated standards for capacity.
The water system's storage consists of a 500,000 gallon ground level
tank and a 500,000 gallon elevated tank. Water treatment consists of
aeration, chlorination and softening. According to Town staff, the water
softening equipment must be bypassed during summer months to meet demand.
12

Additionally, wells are typically run from 17 to 18 hours per day during
the summer season to meet average daily demand. During July, 1985, the
Town pumped an average of 825,000 gallons per day with a daily peak of
1,120,000 gallons on July 5.
Sewage Treatment. Sewage disposal is now handled through individual
ground infiltration systems (septic tanks),and private package treatment
plants. Plans for public sewer in Atlantic Beach were originally part of
the Carteret County 201 Facilities Plan. Completed in 1979, this plan
proposed the construction of a treatment facility to serve Atlantic Beach
and Pine Knoll Shores. Pine Knoll Shores has since abandoned any plans for
public sewer.
Atlantic Beach now plans to construct its own wastewater treatment
facility. According to a November, 1984 Engineering report by MCDavid
Associates, Inc. the proposed facility consists of:
I
19 miles of collection sewers
400 manholes
27 pumping stations,
1 million gallon/day
and
treatment facility
The 1 million gallon per day treatment capacity is designed to meet
the Town's needs through the year 2,000 (at a design capacity of 250 gpd
unit, the system will handle 4,000 units). The cost estimate to build
this system according to the report is $9,056,000. Some problems with the
proposed sewage treatment system have been identified by the numerous
regulatory agencies that must sign off on permits for construction.
Therefore, modifications may be necssary to gain approval.
Shoreline Access. The Community Facilities Map identifies 50 public
access points. These public access points are located primarily at the end
of Town rights -of -way. The Town is currently preparing a Shoreline access
Plan. The purpose of this Plan is to inventory existing access areas; map
proposed future facilities; and prepare a plan of action including
identification of priority implementation elements including development
site plans.
Solid Waste. Solid waste is collected by a private firm under contract
with the Town (as of 7/l/87). The Town continues to operate one flatbed
truck for trash pick-up. Solid waste is disposed of in the landfill
operated by Carteret County. The Town considers existing levels of solid
waste disposal services to be adequate.
Fire Protection. The Town's fire station is indicated as facility number
8 on the Community Facilities Map. The Atlantic Beach Fire Department
provides the Town of Atlantic Beach as well as the outlying county
district with fire protection and basic emergency medical services.
The Fire Department responds to an average of 175 calls per year,
ranging from structure, vehicle and rubbish fires, auto accidents and many
calls of a public service or investigative nature (vicinity alarms, smoke
detectors and smoke odors). The department maintains two (2) Class A FD
pumpers with a full complement of fire fighting and special equipment. A
reserve pumper and a tanker are also utilized.
13

The Fire Department ambulances answer approximately 500 calls per
year. Medical emergencies, physical trauma, auto accidents and transport
calls constitute typical responses. The ambulances also respond to fire
scenes to stand by as needed.
There are six (6) fire equipment operators/EMT's/EMTI's, one paid
Fire Inspector and one paid Fire Chief. There are 20 volunteers providing
manpower needed for calls. Total Fire Department membership is currently
twenty-eight (28).
The Fire Department currently operates and maintains the following
equipment:
1983 Ford FMC Omega Pumper
1977 Ford FMC Pumper
1968 IHC Pumper
1987 Seagraves Ladder Truck
1984 Ford Van - EMS - 3
1986 Ford Station Wagon - Fire Chief's Car
1987 Ford Van - EMS 4
Police Protection. The police department is currently housed in the Town
Hall Building, number 7 on the Community Facilities Map. The Police
Department currently employs twenty-five (25) full time personnel and
seven (7) active (16 hours per month) Reserve officers. The Deparment is
organized as follows:
o Administrative and Records
o Patrol
o Investigations
o Communications
The Administrative and Records Division operates with and is
supervised by the Chief of Police. This Division handles or serves all
walk-in traffic and complaints utilizing a front desk officer. All
records, including Administrative and Criminal, daily activity, equipment
maintenance and status, uniform crime, and training are maintained by this
Division. An IBM PC XT computer is located and operated within the
Administrative and Records Division. In addition, this Division reviews,
corrects, types and forwards all officer field reports to Raleigh.
The Patrol Division is responsible for the daily patrol of the Town
and all general functions of law enforcement on a twenty-four (24) hour a
day basis. This includes walking patrol, sedan patrol, four wheel drive
beach patrol, and waterway boat patrol to include rescue operations.
The Investigative Division is responsible for the follow up of all
criminal investigations. The Communication Division is staffed with five
(5) communicators who operate a Motorola CimConII console which handles
four(4) frequencies (two police, one fire, and one local government
channel). This Division also operates a terminal Police Information
Network/Division of Criminal Information, NC-SBI. Additionally,
communication operators are responsible for the communications of the NC
Marine Fisheries.
14

nt Land Use Plans. Policies and Regulations
The purpose of this section is to summarize existing plans and
policies which have significant land use implications. A brief description
of how existing land use regulations are enforced is also provided.
Existing plans and policies applicable to Atlantic Beach include:
o The 1981 C.A.M.A. Land Use Plan which provides basic
information on: existing conditions (land use,
community facilities; etc.; Constraints to Development;
Town's policies for development and protection of
Resources; and establishes a Land Classification
System in accordance with C.A.M.A. guidelines.
o 1971 Thoroughfare Plan for Carteret County including
Atlantic Beach. This plan was never adopted by the
Town and is now 15 years old. Several recommendations
of the plan have been implemented including: improve-
ments to the causeway and bridge to Morehead City;
widening improvements to Ft. Macon Boulevard; and
intersection improvements at Ft. Macon Boulevard and
the Atlantic Beach causeway.
o 1981 Redevelopment Study for the commercial and water-
front area. Prepared as a "Beach Access Element" with
C.A.M.A. funding assistance, this study's purpose was
to determine whether redevelopment is feasible, to
define appropriate governmental roles in redevelopment
and to identify actions needed to implement study
recommendations.
o Utility Extension Policies. The Town adopted its water
policy in 1986. Section 23 of the water policy governs
extensions to the Town's system:
- application in writing with plans prepared by a
registered engineer that meet Town specifications
including line size;
- cost estimates to be prepared by the Town;
- the Town assesses each property owner a pro rata
share of cost for extensions to existing developments;
- in the case of proposed development, the developer
pays the Town 100% of the project cost;
- upon project completion, the improvements are owned
by the Town of Atlantic Beach.
The following summarizes the Town's existing land use
regulations:
15

Zoning (adopted 12/7/78). The Atlantic Beach Zoning Ordinance
regulates the use of land within the Town's corporate limits and
within its Extraterritorial Jurisdiction. The land use districts
provided for in the ordinance are as follows:
- RA-1, Residential District - single family homes on 6,000
square foot minimum lots.
- RA-1.5, Residential District - single family and duplexes
with 6,000 s.f. minimum lot for each.
- RA-2, Residential District - single family (51000 s.f.
minimum), duplex (6,000 s.f. minimum), triplex (81000
s.f. minimum); and 4-family dwellings (10,000 s.f.
minimum).
- RA-3, Residential District - single family, duplex,
triplex, 4-family, hotel, motel, condominiums; mobile
homes on individual lots; special permit uses - mobile
home parks, PUD's and some commercial uses (51000 s.f.
minimum lot size).
- RR, Resort Residential District - single family,
duplex, triplex, 4-family, townhouses, apartments,
condominiums, hotel, motel; special permit uses -
PUD's (minimum lot size based on sewer and water
availability; see Zoning Ordinance for specific
requirements).
- Resort Commercial - tourist related businesses and
shops; special permit uses include PUD's.
- General Business - all resort commercial uses plus
more intensive commercial uses such as auto/boat
sales, auto repair, offices; etc.; special permit
uses include PUD's.
The Atlantic Beach zoning ordinance does not provide distinct
zoning districts which group similar land use (with the exception of the
RA-1, Residential District). For example, PUD's are allowed as a special
permit use in Residential and Commercial Districts. Motels are allowed in
Residential districts and Residential uses are allowed in Commercial
Districts.
o Group Housing Ordinance (adopted 12/7/78). Establishes site planning
and design requirements for condominium, townhouse and apartment projects.
Additionally, densities are established which conflict with some zoning
districts. This conflict is being addressed by the Town's Building
Department by way of recommended revisions to the ordinance.
o Marina Ordinance (adopted 12/7/78). Defines marinas as establishments
with storage for more than six boats (wet or dry). Site development
plan meeting the ordinance's area requirements for minimum lot size,
width, depth, sideyard, rear yard, and coverage must be approved by the
Town Board. The Ordinance also sets standards for parking and storage
16

areas, driveways, signs, lighting, pollution control, and dock
construction. All site plans must be prepared by a registered engineer or
architect and must be submitted to the N.C. Environmental Management
Division and the Town Planning Board prior to final submission to the Town
Board.
o Subdivision Regulations (adopted 12/7/78). The Town's subdivision
regulations establish design standards that apply when land is subdivided
or resubdivided for immediate or future sale. Specific objectives are
areas regulated include:
- No Town services provided until final plat is approved.
- No dedication of streets or other improvements accepted
until final plat is approved. Also, Carteret County
Register of Deeds not to accept plats for recording
unless approved under the terms of the subdivision
regulations.
- No construction permits issued until final plat is
approved.
- New street alignments must comply with any adopted
thoroughfare plan.
- Subdivisions must comply with any officially adopted
plan, and the reservation of land for recreation,
schools, and other public purposes is recommended.
- Subdivision platting requirements established including
design standards for lots, streets, etc.
- Construction standards for street grading and paving,
drainage, water and sewer required but specifications
not set by ordinance.
o Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (adopted 12/7/78). Adopted to comply
with the National Flood Insurance Program, this ordinance requires the
following:
- All new residential construction or improvements greater
than 50% of structure's market value must be elevated to
or above 100-year base flood elevations.
- Commercial buildings must be elevated above base flood
elevations or flood proofed.
- Anchorings and pilings designs must be certified by a
registered engineer or architect, or must be in full
compliance with the N.C. State Building Code.
- No alterations of frontal dunes or fill for structural
support is allowed in "V" or velocity zones except as
may specifically be allowed under C.A.M.A. regulations.
17

o Mobile Homes and Mobile Home Park. (adopted 7/31/86). This ordinance
regulates overall mobile home park development, mobile homes within parks
and mobile homes placed on residential lots not within parks. Design
standards for new parks establish minimum park area; minimum mobile home
setbacks from roads, adjacent lots, etc. Land coverage in a park by
paving, mobile homes and accessory buildings cannot exceed 40% of total
park area. Plans for mobile home parks must include:
- Site Plan for layout of all features
- Stormwater drainage plan
- Designation of recreation areas
- Identification of water supply source
- Identification of sewage disposal method
- Typical lot diagrams showing parking, setbacks,
electrical service, water supply and sewage
disposal, outdoor lighting
- Specific site development standards.
o Recreational Vehicle Parks. (adopted 3/16/87). This ordinance
regulates developments designed to provide temporary dwelling spaces for
travel trailers, motor homes, tent campers, truck mounted campers, and the
like. Standards are established for minimum park area, minimum area for
each lot, minimum lot width, minimum spacing between campers (vehicles),
driveway/parking area standards, and stormwater drainage. Requirements for
water supply, sewage disposal and solid waste are also specified by the
ordinance.
o Land Protection Ordinance (adopted 5/15/80). The purpose of this
Ordinance is to protect the Town's fragile environmental areas by
regulating the removal of natural vegetation and alterations to
natural topography. Specifically, it makes the removal of sand or
vegetation from any sand dune unlawful unless alteration is authorized by
way of a permit. Permits are issued if:
- the proposed action will not weaken the dune or
reduce the dunes effectiveness in protecting
land and property from wind and water
- at least 35% of the site's "buildable area" remains
undisturbed and in its natural state
- no construction is to take place within 100 feet
of the natural vegetation nearest the ocean or
75 feet of mean high water
Additionally, applications for sites greater than one acre are
subject to a 10-day public notice period before a permit may be issued. If
a violation occurs, one remedy is restoration of the dune(s) to the
original state.
Eu-

The Town's Development Code, consisting of the above referenced
ordinances plus the N.C. State Building Code, is enforced by a fulltime,
certified Building Inspector. This individual also provides staff
assistance to the Planning Board. The issuance of building permits
provides the primary means of ensuring compliance with the Town's land use
regulations.
19

GROWTH TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS
This section forecasts permanent and peak seasonal population over the
ten year planning period.
Population
The 1980 census found that Atlantic Beach had a permanent population
of 941 persons. This represented an increase of 241 percent over the 1970
population of 300. The 1981 Land Use Plan estimated that the average
seasonal population of Atlantic Beach's planning jurisdiction (Town limits
plus 1 mile extraterritorial jurisdiction) in 1980 was 17,538. However,
the 1984 Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan and the Environmental Impact
Statement prepared in connection with the proposed Third Bridge across
Bogue Sound, discovered that this estimate counted housing units in the
ETJ twice.
Therefore comparisons with the 1981 Plan are not meaningful. The
following tables present dwelling unit counts and population estimates
from the Storm Hazard Plan and the Third Bridge EIS supplemented with
field inventory is conducted as part of this plan update.
TABLE THREE
Residential Dwelling Units (1)
1985 8 of Total
Single Family 584 14%
Duplex 186 4%
Multi -Family 1,919 45%
Mobile Home/Travel Trailer 1,027 24%
Motel 508 12%
Total: 41224 100%
(1) Included areas within Town limits, Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
(ETJ), and land betwen ETJ and Pine Knoll Shores.
Source: Satilla Planning, Inc. from November, 1985 field survey and
September, 1984 aerial photography.
9E

TABLE FOUR
Population Estimates
1970-1995
Year Seasonal Average Population
1970
4,131
1980
12,300
1985
18,500
1990
21,500
1995 25,000
Source: Town of Atlantic Beach; 1987.
For the purposes of this study seasonal average population is the
average number of overnight visitors in Atlantic Beach during the Memorial
Day - Labor Day "season". Population on weekends is generally higher;
during midweek population is generally lower.
It is important to consider that it is difficult to project future
population in a meaningful way for a resort community the size of Atlantic
Beach. Factors directly affecting future growth in Atlantic Beach that
cannot be accurately determined include:
o Specific impact of the planned central sewage tratment
system including potential density increases; pressure
for redevelopment of existing medium density neighbor-
hoods into higher density developments.
o The seasonal nature of the economy.
o Atlantic Beach's location in a growing resort/
retirement area.
o The availability of land suitable for development
of resort/retirement homes in Atlantic Beach.
o Recent changes to the federal tax code which may
negatively affect real estate development, or other
market factors which may accomplish the same end.
21

CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT
Land Suitabil
on:
The 1981 Land Use Plan presented a Land Suitability Analysis based
o Soil Suitability Analysis
o Hazards to Water Supply Sources
o Fragile Area Identification
This section will serve to update the 1981 plan. Information
provided by Part II, pages 28-47 of the 1981 plan remains valid.
Readers requiring further detail, including maps, are referred to the
previous plan. An overview of the 1981 plan's findings is presented
below.
Soil Suitability Analysis. All of the Town's soils were
classified as having some degree of physical limitations for
development. The analysis indicated the various soils found in the Town
and indicates the degree of suitability for various purposes. The
results of the analysis are beneficial for planning purposes; however,
on -site inspections are necessary to determine specific soil properties
for development. Although soils may be rated as having various degrees
of limitations, engineering practices and construction techniques can
alter the degree to which a particular limitation affects a development
use.
Each rating for soil types as determined by the U.S. Soil
Conservation Service is indicated below.
Map 3 Category
Suitable o Slight: Soil properties are generally favorable for the
stated use, or limitations are minor and can be easily
overcome.
Moderately o Moderate: Some soil properties are unfavorable but limi-
Suitable tations resulting from the properties can be overcome or
modified by special planning, good design, and careful
management.
Marginally o Severe: Soil properties are unfavorable and resulting
Suitable limitations are too difficult to correct or overcome.
Soil will require major soil reclamation or special
design for stated uses. This rating does not imply
that the soil cannot be used.
Highly o Very Severe: This rating is a subdivision of the
Unsuitable severe rating and has one or more features so
unfavorable for the stated use that the limitation
is very difficult and expensive to overcome. Re-
clamation would be very difficult, requiring the
soil material to be removed, replaced, or completely
modified. This rating is confined to soils that require
22

I
extreme modification and alteration, and are generally
not used for dwelling septic tank filter fields.
The U.S. Soil Conservation Service's Soil Survey of the Outer
Banks, North Carolina, June, 1977, identifies the following ten soil
mapping units within the Atlantic Beach Planning area:
o Beach-Foredune Association
o Carteret Soils, Low
o Corolla Fine Sand
o Dredge Spoil
o Duckston Fine Sand
o Madeland
o Carteret Soils, High
o Newhan-Corolla Complex
o Duneland Newham Complex
o Newhan-Urban Land Complex
Analysis of the soil maps and existing land use shows that most
development has taken place on the Newhan-Urban Land complex soils and
Madeland.
Newhan soils occupy more than half of the mapping unit of Newhan-
Urban Land. Their soil properties are well drained to excessively
drained sandy soils. The percolation of water is very rapid in the
Newhan soils. Since the soils perc rapidly septic tank effluent moves
through them quickly. The problem of concern is that fecal coliform
may not stay in the soils long enough, and contamination of water
supplies and adjacent water bodies is possible.
The Urban Land portion of this mapping unit includes the areas
covered with buildings, driveways, streets, and parking lots. In these
areas, the soil is covered with impervious material. Many areas have
had little disturbance, while others have been cut, filled or both. The
Urban Land portion of this unit ranges from 10 to 20 percent of the
land area.
The Madeland unit is adjacent to the water on the sound side of
the Island. The soil material has been pumped or dredged during the
construction of canals and has been deposited between the canals to be
used as building sites. Essentially, all of the material has been
deposited over marsh. The average thickness of the soil material ranges
from 3 to 6 feet. The water table fluctuates with changes in tide
level; however, most areas have a water table 2 to 4 feet below the
surface during high tide. The material is mainly sandy, but some areas
contain up to 10 percent shells.
Water moves through the material readily and most areas are
droughty. They generally have poor filtering capacity for septic tank
effluent, and the potential hazard of groundwter and adjacent surface
water pollution is high. These areas are commonly used for homesites
because of the access to water.
Hazard Areas. The hazards constituting constraints to development
are identified and discussed in the following section - Fragile Areas.
23

ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C.
LAND SUITABILITY FOR URBAN
LAND USE
Map 3
SUITABLE
MODERATELY SUITABLE, SOME
DRAINAGE REQUIRED
0 MAROMIALLY SUITABLE, IF DRAINED
O HIGHLY UNSUITABLE,
FLOODING COMMON
"TLU Pumoto
SL mnl owro.
u�p�Mr J/� tPN

Water Supply Sources. In the Atlantic Beach area three aquifers
are utilized for water supply: the shallow water table, the Yorktown
aquifer and the Castle Hayne aquifer.
The water table is within 5 feet of the surface. The waters from
this zone are corrosive and usually have objectionable odor, color, and
iron content. Saltwater intrusion into the water table in areas
adjacent to water bodies is an ever present possiblity.
The Yorktown and Castle Hayne aquifers are considered together in
the description due to the practice of constructing wells which
penetrate both aquifers. The Yorktown aquifer is contained within the
sands, shell hashes, and limestones of the Miocene sediments, while the
Castle Hayne aquifer is located in the limrstones of the Oligocene and
Eocene ages. The three wells drilled for the Atlantic Beach municipal
water system are at depths of 200 to 250 feet. The quality of water is
noted for its harshness; reported as calcium carbonate, it ranges from
200 to 350 parts per million. Although chloride levels are acceptable,
care must be taken to insure that heavy drawdowns will not allow
saltwater intrusion. Additionally,the shallowness of these water
supplies indicates that care must be taken to insure protection from
wastewater contamination.
Fragile Areas
These areas in Atlantic Beach correspond to the specific resources
systems identified by the C.A.M.A. as Areas of Environmental Concern
(AEC's). The 1981 Land Use Plan Update identified AEC's within
Atlantic Beach. The Town's Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan dated June,
1984, identifies AEC's relative to Hazard Area Management. AEC's
applicable to the Atlantic Beach Land Use Plan are:
The Estuarine System
o Coastal Wetlands
o Estuarine Waters
o Public Trust Areas
o Estuarine Shorelines
Ocean Hazard Areas
o Ocean Erodible Area
o High Hazard Flood Area
The appropriate location of these AEC's are identified by Maps
Four and Five. Map Four delineates Coastal Wetlands, Ocean Erodible
Areas and the Estuarine Shoreline (estuarine waters are not mapped).
Map Five depicts the High Hazard Flood Area AEC (Federal flood
insurance "V" zones) as well as the balance of the 100-year flood plain
(not an AEC, but identified by the Federal Flood Insurance Program as
'A' zones).
Descriptions of the AEC's and management policies are provided in
the following chapter. Additionally, maritime forest areas have been
25

ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C.
FRAGILE AREAS
Map 4
OCEAN ERODIBLE AREAS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
® ESTUARINE SHORELINE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
COASTAL WETLANDS OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
SATRAA PLANNING
SL Morya, Gaorp4
nonrn
TOwtYm I wY V ��
WpsOxs AM.fam �=
I
7M pq..d m of"map p Gnaatd is port thrmo a tpaat pro
*W by We NoM Camtloa Coand Mmaa®m[ hm m. thvogit
funds povkkd M the Copal 7naa Maey®mt Act of 1972. m
amenM, Oid N admWmwW by the Oflln of Gam and Copal
Rm Maeyanmt.N.O.A.A.

SOUND
m
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C.
FLOOD HAZARD AREAS
Map 5
MAJOR FLOOD HAZARD, 100 YEAR
FLOOD PLAN ("A" ZONES)
® FLOOD HAZARD AREAS ('V' ZONES)
ems..«..: sAnu►uNW+o
$L wry., Otwry�.
Mp11M
r u.r
The repanstion sided by Nmhf NC.".~ Cwltmwzd. W throWh, V" pw
funds Fo%ided by the f o...t 2on.M"nnent PtnV.tn, dw vh
tun.nd[d, rhkh k .dtninkt MNVrma.t Of t9y3, .t
yt.+o.rr.M aed 6y tM ORxe O/ fkam uM Counl .n,-! N.O. A.A.

identified by the Town as an important natural resource; policies for
maritime forest areas are provided on page 38 .
Community Facilities Capacity
Specific community facilities within Atlantic Beach are identified
and their capacities discussed in the Existing Conditions Section of
this Land Use Plan Update (page 10).
NE

POLICY STATEMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
Assessment of 1981 Plan Policies and Implementation Pro4ress
The 1981 presented policies under the headings of:
Resource Protection, Physical Constraints to Development,
Resource Production and Management, and Economic and
Community Development. The purpose of this section is to
assess the progress made toward implementation of these
policies over the past five years. This assessment, then,
provides a background analysis on which to base the new and
revised policies of this plan update. For organizational
and comparative purposes, the 1981 plan policies have to be
reorganized according to the policy outline of this plan.
1981 Policy Assessment
Resource Protection
o Estuarine System. Plan Policies identified the
components of Coastal Wetlands and Estuarine
Shoreline. policies adopted included implementation
strategies to: 1) designate wetlands as a fragile zone
or district in the zoning ordinance; 2) require the
bulkheading of soundside lots by 1985; and 3)
construct a central sewage system. Implementation
progress: 1) amendments under study; 2) bulkhead
ordinance implementing policy adopted; 3) sewage
treatment plant in design and permitting stages.
o Ocean Hazard Areas. Category consists of Ocean
Erodible Areas, and High Hazard Flood Areas. Policy in
Ocean Erodible areas: to protect dunes and vegetation,
promote planned unit development zoning as development
method and require large lot sizes. Primary
implementation achieved through adoption of Land
Protection Ordinance (see discussion page 35). High
Hazard Flood Areas policy continues to be implemented
through enforcement of CAMA Permits requirements and
participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.
o Historic, Cultural and Archaelo4ical Resources.
Policy adopted was to notify the Department of
Archives and History prior to the Town undertaking
development which may affect such resources.
Implemented through Town administrative policy.
o Vegetation/Maritime Forest. Adopted policy was to
amend development code to recognize Maritime Forest as
a fragile resource. The zoning ordinance was amended
by adding Article VIII, "Development Constraints in
Maritime Forest Areas." This article requires
undisturbed buffers around developments in such areas
and also that at least 35% of all maritime forest
cover remain undisturbed.
29

Physical Constraints to Development
o Septic Tank Suitability. Recognizing the limitations
of the Town's soils to properly assimilate wastewater
through only septic systems, the Town's policy was to
construct a central sewage system. The system has
been approved by referendum and is currenty being
designed.
o Flood Hazard Areas. Basic policy was to continue
flood plan management by participating in the
National Flood Insurance Program which the
Town continues to do.
Resoure Production and Management
o Fisheries and Off -Road Vehicles. These policy areas
are directly related in Atlantic Beach. The Town's
fisheries policy was not to enforce any policies
affecting fisheries other than to encourage continued
enforcement of the County's Off -Road Vehicle
ordinance.
Economic and Community Development
o Industrial Development. Not considered an
appropriate land use within Atlantic Beach and
therefore, heavy industrial uses are not permitted by
the Town's zoning ordinance.
o Residential Development. The primary focus of this
policy area was the management of mobile homes in-
cluding the possible elimination of those that are
non -conforming. A Mobile Home Task Force was
organized during 1985 and presented its findings and
recommendations to the Town Board during 1986. These
recommendations are currently being considered by the
Planning Board and Town Board for implementation.
o Local Commitment to Providing Services to
Primary focus here was construction of a central
sewage system and holding the required bond
referendum for funding. The referendum was held and
passed in March, 1985. The system is now being
designed.
o Commitment to State and
Nourishment. Specific federal grant-in-aid programs
supoorted by Town; continued dredging to Morehead
Port with spoil disposal utilized as beach
nourishment supported. Town cooperated with Corps on
recent beach nourishment project. Town continues to
30

support and request Corps
channels providing water
proper (e.g. sound side).
of Engineers maintenance of
access to Atlantic Beach
o Energy Facility Siting and Development. Town does not consider
on shore facilities for such development an
appropriate use in Atlantic Beach in as much as there
was been no offshore energy development there has
been no onshore development of facilities in the
region.
o Beach Access. Policy was
redevelopment plan as it
also proving to develop
A Beach Access Plan was
Program during 1986.
to rely on the Town's
addressed beach access while
an overall Beach Access Plan.
funded through the CAMA
31

Background and Policy Outline
The Atlantic Beach Board of Commissioners has adopted the
following policies for dealing with land use planning issues which will
affect the community during the next ten years. These policies
establish a systematic basis by which proposed developments will be
judged. If a proposed project or development would violate the intent
of these policies, action to prevent its construction will be taken by
local, state and federal government agencies.
These policies will be used by local officials in their decision
making process to increase the consistency and quality of their
decisions.
Outline
1. RESOURCES PROTECTION
A. Estuarine System
B. Ocean Hazard Areas
C. Historic, Cultural and Archaelogical Resources
D. Vegetation/Maritime Forest
E. Storm Water Runoff
F. Marina Development
G. Floating Home Development
H. Development of Sound & Estuarine Islands
I. Water Supply Protection
2. PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT
A. Septic Tank Suitability/Soils
B. Flood Hazard Areas
C. Package Sewage Treatment Plants
RESOURCE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
A. Agricultural Lands
B. Forest Lands
C. Mineral Production Areas
D. Fisheries
E. Off -Road Vehicles
4. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
A. Industrial Development
B. Residential Development, Redevelopment and Mobile Homes
C. Urban Growth Patterns Desired
D. Local Commitment to Providing Services to Development
E. Commitment to State and Federal Programs
F. Assistance to Channel Maintenance and Beach Nourishment
G. Energy Facility Siting and Development
H. Tourism
I. Beach Access
J. Intergovernmental Coordination
STORM HAZARD MITIGATION AND POST DISASTER PLANNING
A. Storm Hazard Mitigation
B. Post Disaster Reconstruction
6. CONTINUING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROGRAM
32

1. Resource Protection
Areas of Environmental Concern
A. Estuarine System
1. Coastal Wetlands. Defined as any salt marsh or other marsh
subject to regular or occasional flooding by tides. Coastal
wetlands are so heavily regulated by the State that development
of these areas for residential purposes is not possible under
existing law. These wetlands are especially important to the
food chain.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Support AEC regulations in wetlands;
(2) Not support the same; (3) adopt local regulations more
stringent than AEC standards.
Policy Selected: The Town realizes the importance of coastal
wetlands to the life cycle of plants and animals, including
sport and commercial fisheries. The Town supports State
policies for the wetlands as stated in Federal and State
legislation and as embodied in the regulations for coastal
wetland Areas of Environmental Concern. The Town will enact
local measures designed to complement State's actions while
preserving these areas from future development which may
irreparably damage this resource.
Implementation: The Town will classify coastal wetlands areas
as conservation areas and will revise the zoning ordinance to
include these areas as a conservation zone. Permitted uses will
include water related uses such as docks, piers, etc. This
zone will be restricted in terms of permitted uses.
2. Estuarine Waters. Activities in estuarine waters are
regulated by the State and Federal governments. Regulation by
the Town would consist primarily of activities extending from
upland uses such as marinas, boat docks, piers, mooring
pilings, etc. The construction of central sewage treatment
facilities is an example of an upland activity that would
greatly enhance the quality of estuarine waters.
Policy Alternatives: 1) Support AEC regulations and limit uses
in estuarine waters to those that are water dependent; 2)
Support the construction of central sewage treatment
facilities; 3) not support AEC regulations; 4) not construct
public sewage treatment facilities; adopt local regulations
more stringent than AEC standards.
Policies Selected: In recognition of the importance of
estuarine waters for fisheries and related industries as well
as aesthetics, recreation, and education, Atlantic Beach shall
promote the conservation and quality of this resource in
33

accordance with State AEC regulations.
Appropriate uses may include simple access channels, structures
which prevent erosion, navigation channels, boat docks, piers,
and mooring pilings.
Atlantic Beach supports and is actively pursuing the
construction of a wastewater collection and treatment system in
accordance with the bond referendum passed in March, 1985.
Implementation: The Town will manage land use development in
and adjacent to estuarine waters through its zoning ordinance
and through implementation of the bond referendum to construct
a sewage system.
3. Public Trust Areas. These constitute certain land and
water areas in which the public has certain established rights;
these areas support valuable commercial and sport fisheries,
have aesthetic value and constitute resources for economic
development.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Support AEC regulations for public
trust areas; (2) not support same; (3) adopt local regulations
more stringent than AEC standards.
Policies Selected: Support State AEC regulations for public
trust areas. Atlantic Beach shall protect those established
rights of the public in these areas by promoting their
conservation and management.
In the absence of overriding public benefit, any land use which
significantly interferes with the public right of navigation or
other public trust rights which apply in the area shall not be
allowed. Projects which would directly or indirectly block or
impair existing navigation channels, increase shoreline
erosion, deposit spoils below mean high tide, cause adverse
water circulation patterns, violate water quality standards, or
cause degredation of shellfish waters shall, in general, not be
allowed.
Uses that may be allowed in public trust areas shall not be
detrimental to the public trust rights and the biological and
physical functions of the estuary. Examples of such uses
include the development of navigational channels or drainage
ditches, the use of bulkheads to prevent erosion, and the
building of piers or docks.
4. Estuarine Shoreline. The estuarine shoreline AEC is
intended to protect estuarine resources from pollution.
Pollution from the estuarine shoreline area comes from
development uses and is related to effluent movement from
septic systems, runoff of metals from auto use over impervious
surfaces, and sedimentation and siltation from erosion of non -
vegetated areas. The State has indicated an intent to restrict
the use of septic systems in this area, demanding 30-inch
34

vertical separation between nitrification lines and the water
table unless the system is located over 100 feet from mean high
water, and requiring that 30% of the lot be retained in natural
cover.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Support AEC regulations in the
estuarine shorelines area; (2) Recommend abandonment of
vertical separation and setback standard above that required
under Health Services regulations, i.e. 50 feet from canals and
A -II water and 100 feet from SA waters; (3) Request State take
action to implement public sewer system for Atlantic Beach; (4)
Require bulkheading of all lots; (5) Require mandatory cover
features and restrict types of impervious surfaces in zoning
ordinance.
Policy Selected: See policy 2.A, Septic Tank Suitability/Soils
(page39 ). In addition, the Town has adopted an ordinance
governing bulkheading along the estuarine shoreline and the
zoning ordinance limits lot coverage to 40%, thus 60% of
residential lots remain open.
Implementation: The Town will continue plans to build a sewer
system. The Town urges the State and Federal government to
support such systems in coastal areas that are already
developed as tourist centers. The Town contends that this
moderate growth policy (and not a policy of no -growth for the
barrier islands) is consistent with State policy to promote
tourism. Once constructed, the Town will require the tie-in of
all existing septic systems having access to the system.
B. Ocean Hazard Areas
1. Ocean Erodible Areas. The topography of Atlantic Beach is
typical of the barrier islands. The main physical features are
sand dunes and low lying forests. Sand dunes are steep slopes
which are fairly unsuitable for development. The sand is highly
susceptible to wind erosion and aerial photos demonstrate that
the dunes are in fact migrating several feet each year. Roads
built in dune areas will often crumble when their foundation is
undermined or are buried by shifting sand. Some residential
units have experienced the same fate. Because the dunes are an
attractive scenic feature and a unique geological phenomena
their leveling in the face of development often meets
resistance by the public. The dune system serves an important
protective barrier in breaking up wave action during major
storms, and thus reducing storm damage. The primary and frontal
dune systems are included in Areas of Environmental Concern
designated by the State.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Protect and preserve the dunes from
development and/or from being leveled or removed; (2) Protect
and preserve only the frontal dunes or only the secondary dune
system; (3) Support State or local regulations of the primary
or frontal dunes requiring development to be located outside
the dune area; (4) Do not preserve but rather encourage only a
35

low density development in the secondary dune system by use of
large lot sizes, PUD site development, and policies of the Town
concerning street standards and paving; (5) Apply the policies
above not only to the present dune areas but also to areas
where they are likely to migrate within a certain period of
time; (6) Require that the dunes be vegetated and stabliized as
part of any development plan; (7) Do not protect or preserve
the secondary dune system; (8) Recommend that the State
increase and enlarge or decrease and return to local control
its management of the frontal dune; (9) Recommend that the
State consider nominating soundside and secondary dunes as
AEC's.
Policies Selected: The Town finds that the frontal and
secondary dunes are important to the Town; they protect
development from storm damage and wind erosion; they are
aesthetically pleasing; and are attractive to future
development. It is Town policy to protect the secondary dunes
and other components of the dune system while allowing
development of these areas. The Town will encourage future
developers to use planned unit development in these areas. This
type development should be designed to shift the heaviest
portion of development to areas that are less fragile or
sensitive, hence, conserving those areas that are more fragile.
At the same time, site development can ultimately contain the
same or sometimes more units than are allowed under
conventional districts of the zoning ordinance. It is Town
policy to require large lot sizes in these areas and to limit
the amount of cut and fill and the clearing of the vegetation.
Policy Implementation: The Town intends to implement this
policy through recent revisions to its zoning ordinance and
subdivision regulations. The zoning ordinance will allow
planned unit development as a special use in appropriate
zoning districts; will provide for large lot sizes; and will
place restrictions on the amount of vegetation and cover that
can be cleared. The subdivision regulations require the
submittal of data and information relevant to slope and
vegetation; and to designate standards to accomplish this
policy. The Town will also consider the adoption of a
sedimentation control ordinance (either in addition to the
above or as an alternative means of addressing this policy).
2) High Hazard Flood Areas. The ocean hazard flood area
coincides with V zones on the Town's Flood Insurance Rate Map
(also delineated by Map 5, Page 27). Within the first 60 feet
of the seawall, development is prohibited. It is also prohited
in the frontal and primary dune and in the Ocean Erodible Area
where no seawall exists. Outside these specific areas and in
the Ocean Hazard AEC, development is permitted but controlled.
Atlantic Beach is unique in that a large portion of its shore
is bulkheaded. In other areas, the bulkheading of the
oceanfront has resulted in a loss of the Town's beach, together
with a loss of the public's rights to use the beach.
Elm

Policy Alternatives: (1) Support AEC regulations in Ocean
Hazard AEC; (2) Recommend Atlantic Beach be exempted from ocean
hazard regulations since the Town is bulkheaded; (3) Adopt a
policy calling for the abandonment or demolition of the
bulkhead to prevent the public from losing the right to the use
of the beach; (4) Recommend additional regulations to protect
dunes landward of the frontal dunes.
Policy Selected: The Town supports the regulation by the
Coastal Resources Commission of development in the Ocean Hazard
Area of Environmental Concern. On the other hand, the Town
supports and encourages the maintenance of the bulkhead which
already exists and was constructed to protect development from
storm damage and erosion. The Town is aware that construction
of the bulkhead would require a Coastal Area Management Act
(CAMA) permit for development in an AEC. The Town points out
that Atlantic Beach is one of the few bulkheaded beaches in
North Carolina, that it has received in the past and is
expected to continue to receive in the future substantial
deposits of dredge material from U.S. Army Corps operations to
maintain the channel for navigation to Morehead City. The Town
believes that projects to deposit spoil on the beaches are
beneficial to all persons involved, insuring the Town a beach
and a stabilized shoreline, and with that, the public's right
to use the beach. The Town does not intend to budget or spend
public tax monies to maintain or extend the bulkhead as the
expense is great and the benefits to the entire Town very
limited. The Town will support AEC regulations from the AEC.
Implementation: This policy is self-executing. In the event
that the Coastal Resources Commission determines that this
policy contradicts policies it has established for beach access
or erosion, or in the event that the Commission denies a permit
for activity contemplated above, the Town would if requested by
an affected landowner, intercede on his behalf.
C. Historic, Cultural and Archaeological Resources
Just east of Atlantic Beach is Fort Macon State Park, a
historic site which draws a considerable number of visitors to
the Town. Within the Town and especially along the western
oceanfront are numerous old beachhouses which may possess some
historical significance. Shipwrecks may exist off the
shoreline. No specific archeological sites are known. The Town
has not conducted a study of its historic structures. The
determination that housing is of historic value can be of
significant value to individual landowners and the Town since
it allows tax incentives for restoration and maintenance.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Require the Town and major developers
notify the State if items of potential archaelogical
significance are encountered in construction; (2) Require a
site inspection by a qualified archeologist prior to
development; (3) Conduct a survey of historic structures with
the intent of boundary delineation for a historic district
37

zone; (4) Take no action.
Policy Selected. The Town will require that the Department of
Archives and History be notified prior to the Town undertaking
any development which might affect items of archaeological
significance.
Implementation: The Town Council will issue a directive to
various administrative departments comprising the Town
government.
D. Vegetation/Maritime Forest
Vegetation in Atlantic Beach is typical of many of the
barrier islands in the State. Development has greatly decreased
the overall amount of vegetation. In the frontal dunes American
beachgrass and seaoates are found; landward is the maritime
forest with live oak, and other trees and shrubs which have
adapted to live in a salt air environment (the maritime forest
took nature hundreds of years to create). Along the soundside
are the wetlands with juncus marsh. Atlantic Beach recognizes
that vegetation serves the important function of preventing the
land from blowing and washing away. Additionally, when natural
vegetative cover is left undisturbed as buffers, water quality
is improved through the filter in stormwater runoff.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Preserve the maritime forest by
requesting that it be nominated as an AEC (2) Protect as much
of the maritime forest as is practical by restricting the
density of development in this area and by preparing standards
dealing with the amount of natural cover to remain after
development; (3) Prohibit the introduction of non-native plant
species to the island; (4) Encourage the planting of any and
all kinds of vegetation; (5) Adopt a mandatory vegetation
requirement, especially for erosion prone areas; (6) Leave
attitudes towards vegetation and protection to the individual
lot owner.
Policy Selected: The maritime forest is an important natural
resource to the Town. The maritime forest and shrub thicket
maintain the stability of the land in the face of wind and
water erosion. The forest and shrub thicket are important to
the attractiveness of the Town and the island. It is Town
policy to protect as much of this resource as possible while
allowing for a moderate amount of development which would not
be destructive to the uniqueness of this resource. The Town
will encourage future developers to use planned unit
development in and around these Maritime Forest areas. It is
the goal of this policy to shift development from wooded areas
to the periphery or cleared areas without interfering with
developers' expectations concerning the number of dwelling
units or commercial structure or the amount of commercial
building space they will realize from a tract or parcel. It is
Town policy to require large lot sizes in these areas and to
limit the amount of clearing of vegetation to only so much as
m

is necessary to site a home and provide access. Further, it is
the Town's policy that the overall benefits resulting from
public improvement projects of town -wide significance may
outweigh the desire to preserve as much maritime forest as
possible. For example, the clearing of maritime forest to
construct a wastewater treatment plant designed to serve the
entire town would be justified because of the overriding
benefits that would accrue to the public at large.
Implementation: The Town will implement this policy
primarily through its zoning and subdivision regulations. The
zoning ordinance recognizes this area as a distinct
resource. The Zoning Ordinance allows planned unit develop-
ment as a special use in its districts; it makes provisions
for large lot sizes and the retention of a significicant
amount of vegetation. The subdivision regulations require
vegetation be addressed by setting standards for development
which affects maritime vegetation. These ordinances also re-
quire site plans to demonstrate how the regulations are to
be met; all trees of 3" diameter or greater must generally
remain in place; provisions for performance bonds to guarantee
activities in accordance with the regulations and finally,
stop orders are issued for developments in violation of the
regulation..
E. Storm Water Runoff
Uncontrolled development adjacent to coastal waters can
pose a serious threat to the estuarine system through the rapid
discharge of pollutants washed off of.impervious surfaces'
via storm water. Impervious surfaces include streets, parking
lots, and rooftops.
The Town will encourage the use of "best management
practices" to minimize the rapid release of pollutants to
coastal waters through storm water runoff. Examples of these
practices include using pervious or semi -pervious materials,
such as turf stone or gravel for driveways and walks; re-
taining natural vegetation along marsh and waterfront areas
to retain its natural filtering properties; and allowing storm
water to percolate into the ground, rather than discharging
it directly to coastal waters. The Town will be consistent
with state regulations in exercising its local permitting
authority.
F. Marina Development
.The Town of Atlantic Beach supports the development of
additional commercial marinas within its jurisdiction in ac-
cordance with the conditions and restrictions of local ordin-
ances including the construction of marina facilities designed
and operated for the residents of a private residential
development.
G. Floating Home Development
The Town of Atlantic Beach does not support floating home
39

2.
development of any type. This policy will be implemented
through revisions to the zoning ordinance.
H. Development of Sound and Estuarine Islands
The Town's policy is that sound and estuarine islands
should not be developed and therefore are classified as
Conservation by the Land Classification Map except Money
Island, which is zoned RA-1.
I. Water Supply Protection
The Town's water supply is derived from three wells which
draw from a deep aquifer. The aquifer is recharged on
the mainland. Therefore, little or no danger of pollution of
the water supply from island (Bogue Banks) development exists.
The Town supports state and federal groundwater research,
monitoring and management programs.
PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT
A. Septic Tank Suitability/Soils.
The soils in Atlantic Beach are limited for the use of on -
lot sewage disposal systems (septic systems). Although an
individual analysis of each building site is necessary to
determine the soils suitability on that site, the Soil
Conservation Service has prepared a reasonably accurate
analysis of soil capabilities for this use in the Town. The
reasons for the unsuitability may result from the effluent
(wastes) reaching the water table too quickly without proper
filtering or from its not reaching it quickly enough (i.e.
ponding and lateral movement). The first condition can result
in contamination of surficial aquifers; it may make wells
unsuitable for use. The second condition can contaminate the
canals and the sound and make them unsuitable for fishing and
recreational use.
Policy Alternatives: The following policies were considered by
the Town: (1) Remove from development use all soils classified
by the Soil Conservation Service as very severe; (2) Remove
also those soils classified as severe; (3) Limit development by
lot size and use to reach a goal of light development at a low
density on either or both of these soil units; (4) Limit
development only on new development and for redevelopments,
exempting existing uses; (5) Limit development as to density
and use but only on prospective new development or
redevelopment and only within a set distance of the canals or
sound; (6) rely on the construction of a public sewage
treatment system and the enforcement of existing County Health
laws to take care of the problem.
Policy Selected: It is Town policy that soils are a
limitation to development under the following situations: (1)
if the lot to be developed is within 150 feet of estuarine
40

waters; (2) if the soils on the lot as mapped by the Soil
Conservation Service, are rated as severe or very severe for
septic systems use; or (3) if the waste treatment system to be
used in connection with the development is to be a septic
system or ground disposal system.
The Town supports a public sewer system for the entire
Town; however, until such a system is constructed, the Town
intends to limit development and protect the estuarine
resources of the Town through limitations on development in the
estuarine shoreline area. It is Town policy to require large
lot sizes for future development, to require maximum practical
distance between septic systems and estuarine waters and to
limit the clearing of vegetation. The Town supports the
current policies of the Coastal Resources Commission as regards
development in this Area of Environmental Concern (AEC). The
Town supports the enforcement of County Health regulations.
Implementation: The Town will revise its zoning ordinance and
subdivision regulations to implement this policy while
designing and constructing a town -wide sewage collection and
treatment system as soon as may be practical.
B. Flood Hazard Areas.
Flood Hazard areas are identified and rated in terms of
the probable degree of inundation during the 100-year storm.
The Federal government provides insurance to landowners in
communities which participate in the Federal Flood Insurance
Program. Atlantic Beach participates in the program by
enforcing a flood hazard ordinance which requires houses to be
elevated above the 100-year flood elevation. State regulations
require compliance with standards for storm resistant
structures for houses built in the Ocean Hazard AEC, and the
Town's flood ordinance requires piling and other structural
construction methods in flood "V" or high velocity zones.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Recommend that the present State and
Federal Insurance system be discontinued, allowing everyone to
assume the hazard of building in flood areas; (2) Eliminate
mobile homes from the flood area; (3) Eliminate the use of
septic systems in the flood area; (4) Retain present
regulations and system; (5) Require stronger flood protective
features, such as deeper piling requirements.
Policy Selected: The Town supports programs designed to
foster development and building practices that will minimize
flood damage from storms and erosion. The Town supports the
Federal Flood Insurance Program.
Implementation: This policy will be implemented through the
Town's continued participation in the Federal Flood Insurance
Program.
41

C. Package Sewage. Treatment Plants
It is the policy of Atlantic Beach that package treatment
plants not be utilized for wastewater treatment within its
jurisdiction and that existing plants meet requirements of the
Town's Public Works manual. Additionally, it is the Town's
policy that existing package treatment plants continue to
operate but must be tied into the municipal sewage treatment
system upon its completion.
3. RESOURCE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT
This section addresses those resources of the Town that when
properly managed, are productive and useful. These resources
include: agricultural lands, forest lands, mineral lands, fisheries
and the beaches.
A. Agricultural Lands
Agricultural uses are not now, nor are they anticipated to
be in the future, an important use within the Town. No prime
agricultural lands are known to exist within the Town's current
limits or its planning jurisdiction. Therefore, a policy
statement is not necessary.
B. Forest Lands
Commercial forestry is not currently a signficant use
within the Town. A modest amount of land in and near the Town
is wooded, most of this in maritime forest or shrub thicket.
The commercial harvesting of these areas is unrealistic. The
Town views its forested areas as a resource that needs
protection and not a resource that should be subject to
harvest.
Policy: The commercial harvesting of the maritime forest,
shrub thicket, or any other wooded area in the Town's planning
juisdiction is an inappropriate use.
Implementation: With the exception of consistency review by
the State or Federal government for projects requiring permits
or review, the Town is unaware of any action it could take
to implement this policy other than implementation of its
Maritime Vegetation/Forest policies (page 38).
C. Mineral Production Areas
Mining is not currently, nor is it expected to be in
the future, an important or significant use within the Town's
planning jurisdiction. The Town obviously has a significant
amount of land in dunes. The dunes could be viewed as a
potential source of various grades of sand with perhaps some
mining potential or use as fill. As with the maritime forest,
the secondary dune system is considered a valuable resource
that needs protection.
42

Policy: The mining of the secondary dunes system, or any other
dunes or land within the Town's planning jurisdiction is
considered an inappropriate use.
Implementation: Mining is not a permitted or special use under
the zoning ordinance. Where activities might not come within
the scope and jurisdiction of this ordinance, the Town relies
on the State Mining Act and the consistency review to implement
this policy.
D. Fisheries
Commercial fisheries do not exist within the Town per se;
however, they are an important use in nearby Beaufort. Some
commercial net fishing is carried on along the ocean.
Recreational fishing is a significant activity in Atlantic
Beach. Fishing uses have the potential for conflict with other
beach uses such as sunbathing, walking and swimming. Fishing
uses have traditionally been heaviest in the fall months when
the potential for conflict is lowest.
Commercial fishing is not subject to local regulations;
the industry is regulated by the Marine Fisheries Commission.
The limitation of sport fishing use can be effectively
accomplished through policies governing the use of off -road
vehicles. Therefore, it is the Town's policy to support
recreational fishing by allowing the use of vehicles on the
beach for fishing purposes from Labor Day to May 31st of each
year. (See following ORV policy).
Policy Alternatives: (1) Limit commercial fishing and/or
recreational fishing in terms of area (strands of the beach),
access, and time; (2) Do not limit or restrict. Implementation
alternatives include making requests of the Marine Fisheries
Commission to enact regulations and could include provisions
mandating notice of nets or limitations on the fishing season
in Atlantic Beach. (The Town may desire to enact notice
features without approaching the Commission.) Additional
provisions could be added to the off -road vehicle (ORV)
ordinance.
Policy Selected: The Town will not place additional
limitations or restrictions upon commercial or recreational
fishing beyond that which is currently in effect. County
enforcement of the ORV ordinance is deemed sufficient to handle
problems of conflicts in use.
Implementation: None required.
E. Off -Road Vehicles
Off -road vehicles consist of four wheel drive vehicles.
They include jeeps, jeepsters, and dune buggies. These vehicles
must be licensed to operate on the beach. Commercial and sport
43

fishermen often consider the use of these vehicles essential to
their activities. Since these are favored uses at the State
and local levels, the restrictions on access are justified only
where they cause considerable harm to the environment or where
they conflict with other uses. The driving of off -road vehicles
for sport and not in connection with fishing is not desirable.
The damages from off -road vehicles in Atlantic Beach are
related to the terrain in which they are used. Where such
vehicles are driven in the dunes and along the beach, they can
be expected to increase erosion, damage the protective features
of the dune system, and conflict with other beach uses
(sunbathing, swimming, walking). The Town has exercised its
authority over access control and the season and nature of use
through the support of the County ORV ordinance.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Limit the use by restricting the
number and location of access points, the season and area
permitted for the use; (2) Do not limit the use.
See also Fisheries Policies 3.D.
Policy Selected: The beach is closed to vehicular traffic from
May 31 to Labor Day each year. From Labor Day to May 31 the
beach is open only to vehicles used for fishing purposes.
The Town supports County enforcement of the ORV ordinance and
favors additional access and ORV ramps. It has no intention of
enacting additional regulations.
Implementation: Enforcement of existing ordinances identified
above.
4. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The following section presents policies addressing various
aspects of growth. These included the nature of the growth
desired, its location, its timing and the timing and delivery of
services necessary to encourage, sustain or discourage that growth.
A. Industrial Development
The Town of Atlantic Beach has not experienced a
significant amount of industrial development, unless
shipbuilding, maintenance, storage and repairs undertaken by
marinas are considered industrial uses.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Encourage the location of industrial
uses in the Town; (2) do not allow these uses.
Policy Selected: The Town does not consider industrial
development to be an appropriate use within the Town.
Implementation: The Town's zoning ordinance does not provide
for such development.
44

B. Residential Development, Redevelopment and Mobile Homes
The housing needs for persons living and vacationing in
Atlantic Beach has been met principally through traditional
family structures, mobile homes, and motel units. Atlantic
Beach has also experienced significant condominium development
which now accounts for about 40% of the Town's dwelling units.
The Town has a considerable number of mobile homes, about 25%
of its dwelling units.
Atlantic Beach is one of the older beach communities in
the State. A large section of the housing is in poor
condition. This observation makes redevelopment an especially
relevant policy topic.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Designate areas for redevelopment and
encourage redevelopment through "upzoning" (changing districts
in zoning ordinance to permit a higher market use, as from
residential to commercial); (2) Encourage multi -family
development using PUDs in blighted areas; (3) Organize
neighborhood committees to create atmosphere for housing
improvements; (4) Budget monies for planning for redevelopment;
create overseeing committee to find developers; (5) Redevelop
the commercial area with a different theme and layout; (6)
Redesign streets and roads as the opportunity affords,
including provisions for additional public beach access; (7)
not encourage redevelopment.
Policies Selected: it is Town policy to promote, foster and
encourage the redevelopment of old, poorly designed and
underutilized areas. Redevelopment is preferred and deemed
more important than development of currently undeveloped areas.
The Town specifically desires redevelopment of the following
areas: (1) the mobile home park at the west end of Old
Causeway Road, currently known as Pelican Park; (2) the mobile
home development, consisting of several blocks, between Fort
Macon Road and W. Davis Street; (3) the mobile home park
adjacent to the Oceana Motel; (4) residential areas bordering
on subdivisions which do not compliment each other, i.e. street
systems which do not adequately connect; (5) residential and
commercial area on the circle; (6) commercial and residential
area on Henderson Blvd.
It is Town policy to carefully regulate the use of mobile
homes within the Town, especially in the flood hazard zones.
However, it is also Town policy to recognize an area or number
of areas where mobile home use would be appropriate, subject to
restrictions which would insure some quality and safety of
development.
Preferred redevelopment uses include townhouses,
apartment buildings and commercial housing (motels); with
appropriate beach access as part of redevelopment plans.
Planned unit development is the preferred method of
redevelopment.
45

It is Town policy to take an active supervisory role in
all future redevelopment projects. All projects are required
to consider the Town's environmental policies and to address
the Town's other public needs, especially its needs for a sound
street system and for public access to the beaches.
In addressing future rezoning applications for commercial
housing, townhouse or multi -family housing, the Town will
consider, among other factors, the following: (1) a preference
to have commercial and other intense land use that generate a
substantial amount of traffic and other off -site impacts
develop as self contained areas having minimal ingress and
egress to main traffic routes; (2) a preference to have the
uses described above locate with entrances and exits along
streets and roads that are perpendicular to the nearest main
traffic route; (3) a preference to redevelop areas in poor
condition.
Many areas not identified above for redevelopment are in
poor condition with poor road design, lack of vegetation,
dilapidated housing, mixed uses, etc. The Town will begin a
program of strict enforcement of the minimum code as a means to
improve the quality of existing development.
Implementation: In order to implement the above policies,
various local and state actions may be necessary. The Town
will consider requesting that the State foster legislation to
specifically allow contract zoning. The Town will revise its
zoning ordinance to allow higher market uses in the areas
specifically designated in this policy section. The Town will
compensate for these additions by limiting some of the areas
already designated for future commercial uses (or high density
residential uses). The Town will request that the County
relinquish its planning control over the areas outside town
limits and ETJ to the west. The Town will then exercise its
ETJ planning authority in this area.
The Town will continue to amortize the use of mobile homes
in most districts. A mobile home zone authorizing mobile homes
and mobile home parks as a special use with special standards
providing for adequate lot sizes, sewage disposal standards,
elevation of structures, and tie -downs has been created through
the zoning ordinance to recognize an existing quality mobile
homes use area.
The Town will revise zoning and subdivision regulations to
encourage planned unit development in redevelopment as well as
sensitive natural feature areas. Incentives, such as bonus
units, have been provided for in the ordinance, where the
development provides for public needs, such as redesign of the
road system and public access to the beach or sound. Further,
various bonuses will be offered in exchange for agreements to
landscape and beautify construction sites, especially with
indigenous plant materials.
46

C
D.
E.
Future redistricting and rezoning will consider policies
to address the location of commercial and other intense types
of development.
The Town's Planning Board will implement and coordinate
redevelopment activities. These activities will include
supervising redevelopment of the circle and other designated
redevelopment areas. The Planning Board shall be charged with
receiving technical reports and recommending a course of action
concerning redevelopment of the circle, including recommending
polices, searching for grants, identifying future develpment
alternatives and interested future developers. The Town will
budget monies necessary to implement this program.
The Town has retained the services of a qualified full
time building inspector to enforce the minimum housing code.
The inspector will identify target areas for focusing action
during the next five years. The Town will adopt a policy of
not alleviating individual landowners of the hardships
conditioned by strict enforcement of this ordinance.
Urban Growth Patterns Desired
Atlantic Beach's jurisdiction is limited by the Atlantic
Ocean to the south, Fort Macon State Park to the east, Bogue
Sound to the north and Pine Knoll shores to the west.
Therefore, there are natural geographic limits on where growth
and development can occur. The Town's policy is to direct
growth and development to those areas which have or can readily
be provided with the public services and infrastructure
necessary to support such development.
Local Commitment to Providing Services to Development
The Town currently provides the following services:
o Fire Protection
o Police Protection
o Water
o Garbage Pick Up
o Public Works Maintenance of Streets and other
public areas and facilities
The Town is in the process of constructing a sewage
treatment system.
It is the Town's policy and commitment that these services
will be provided to existing and future development. Annexation
will be contingent upon the availability and capacity of the
above services and facilities. (See also page 10 for discussion
about these services and current capacities.)
Commitment to State and Federal Programs
47

F.
G.
The Town supports increased or continued federal and state
governmental funding for the following programs: water and
sewer planning and construction, tourism, flood insurance,
economic redevelopment, channel maintenance, navigation, beach
nourishment, environmental protection, land use planning and
community facilities such as roads, bridges and recreation.
The Town desires spending in other programs be reduced to
attain a balanced budget.
Implementation: The Town intends that this policy be self
executing through agency review in the approval of the plan
itself. The Town will take such appropriate measures as it
deems necessary to implement any of these commitments, such
as designating spoil sites.
Assistance to Channel Maintenance and Beach Nourishment
The Town benefits from the maintenance of the navigational
channels in the Sound. Spoil disposal sites are difficult to
find. Most of the oceanfront property is bulkheaded; some lots
without bulkheads are experiencing significant erosion. Beach
nourishment has resulted from actions of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers Project which deposited approximately 3.6 million
cubic yards of spoil from Brandt Island. The work began in
February and was completed in early May, 1986.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Budget monies for vegetation of
recent beach nourishment and/or sand fences; (2) Let nature
take its course; (3) Favor the replenishment of the beach with
total or substantial State and Federal assistance; (4) Plan on
the return of the Corp of Engineers within the next ten years
for another beach nourishment; and (5) Encourage private
participation and/or committee groups to vegetate recent beach
nourishment at property owner's expense.
Policy Selected: This policy is for application in consistency
review and for consideration by other agencies in setting plans
and policies. The Town encourages private participation in the
vegetation of the recent beach nourishment. The Town favors
the return of the Corp of Engineers within the next ten (10)
years for another beach nourishment project. The Town further
states its desire that the Corps of Engineers maintain all
navigation channels coming into Atlantic Beach proper.
Implementation: The Town will actively pursue adopted policies
by organizing private landowners and making fence and
vegetation available for purchase with technical assistance for
installation.
Energy Facility Siting and Development
In the event of offshore discovery and extraction of
petroleum and gas resources, the petroleum industry will need
accessways for pipelines so that raw materials can be shipped
BE

to inland areas for refining. The need for energy is in the
balance against the likely or possible damages from the
location of pipelines in the Town. Leakage and offshore
accidents may pose negative side -effects for the Town which
depends on the attractiveness of the beach for tourism.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Support use of off shore waters
for energy development, (exploration of oil and natural gas);
(2) Accommodate the placement of pipelines through the Town;
(3) Not support the above.
Policy Selected: The Town considers this use inappropriate in
light of the nature of the community. However, it might be
receptive to allowing the use under certain conditions where it
was an integral part of an approved redevelopment plan.
Implementation: Self-executing.
H. Tourism
The Town's development priorities and goals of
environmental and resource protection clearly state its strong
desire to encourage and promote tourism. This policy is
implemented through the network of other policies and
implementation techniques.
I. Beach Access
The Town has numerous beach access points, although none
are improved, and only a few are designated and marked for
public use. The need for public access to the ocean beaches
its apparent and is likely to increase as future development
continues to locate without oceanfront access. Recent
townhouse, multi -family and condominium developments have
provided significant public access rights to a large percentage
of the Town's population. The Town has recently inventoried
potential public beach accessways within its jurisdiction and
has requested assistance from the State to improve the
locations where it has clear title. Additionally, the Town was
awarded a $4,500 grant in the Spring of 1986 to study potential
beach access points and determine appropriate improvements.
Policy Alternatives: (1) Develop a beach access plan:
determine which access points to improve and schedule
improvements; (2) Take incremental action; (3) Not take any
action.
Policy Selected: The Town will rely on its redevelopment plan
to provide significant beach access in several areas of the
Town. The Town has also developed a beach access plan with the
assistance of the State and will implement this plan.
Implementation: The Town has received funding from the State
to implement its beach access plan; specifically, $80,000 has
49

been received to construct access facilities at New Bern Way.
J. Intergovernmental Coordination
The Town has sought to achieve intergovernmental
coordination through the exchange of information and various
draft components developed during the preparation of this Plan.
Copies of the draft of the land use plan were reviewed by
the Planning Board, Building Inspector, and Town Administrator
for consistency with other plans. A draft of the land use plan
was also circulated for State and Federal review by the State
Department of Natural Resources and Community Development.
50

5. STORM HAZARD MITIGATION AND POST DISASTER PLANNING
A. Storm Hazard Mitigation
The Town's Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan is dated June, 1984.
It contains the following policies:
The entire Town of Atlantic Beach is susceptible to
significant storm damage from a hurricane or a storm of similar
magnitude. About half of the development in the Town is located
in AEC's or in areas susceptible to flooding associated with the
100-year storms. Virtually all vacant land that is generally
available for development is also within the 100-year floodplain.
The entire Town is susceptible to wind damage. In general, the
Town's existing mitigation policies meet the requirements for
hazard mitigation planning outlined in Before the Storm.
Specifically:
1. The Town's policies support and are consistent with State
policies and regulations for development in Areas of Environmental
Concern.
2. All new development must conform with the provisions of the
N.C. Building Code.
3. The Town's floodplain development policies conform with or
exceed all Federal and State requirements.
4. The Town does an adequate job of controlling mobile home
developments in order to minimize hazard damages. Mobile homes are
restricted to a specific district and must conform with elevation
and other requirements.
Maps Four and Five on pages 26 and 27 present Fragile Areas
and Flood Hazard Areas.
B. Post Disaster Reconstruction
The Town's Post Disaster Reconstruction Plan is dated June,
1984. It is organized in the following sections:
o Introduction
o Organization of Local Damage Assessment Team
o Damage Assessment Procedures and Requirements
o Organization of Recovery Operations
o Recommended Reconstruction Policies
The following provides a summary of the Plan's most important
provisions and policies from each of these five sections:
(1) Introduction. Defines plan purpose and use; identifies three
distinct reconstruction periods: Emergency, Restoration, and
Replacement/Reconstruction. Outlines sequence of procedures to
be followed to meet State and Federal Disaster Relief
regulations: 1) Assess storm damage and report to County; 2)
County compiles and summarizes individual community reports;
3) State complies County data and makes recommendation to
the Governor; 4) Governor requests Presidential declaration;
5) federal relief programs available.
51

(2) Organization of Local Damage Assessment Team.
Outlines personnel available; establishes team
members; designates building inspector as team
chief.
(3) Damage Assessment Procedures and Requirements.
The purpose of this phase is to rapidly determine
immediately following a storm disaster: 1) number
of structures damaged; 2) magnitude of damage by
structure type; 3) estimated total dollar loss;
and 4) estimated total dollar loss covered by
insurance. To accomplish this, the Plan estab-
lishes four categories of damage: 1) destroyed -
(repairs over 80% of value); 2) major (repairs over 30%
of value); 3) minor (repairs under 30% of value); and
4) habitable (repairs under 15% of value). A color
coding system in conjunction with County tax maps is
recommended for this phase of damage assessment.
Total damage in dollars is estimated by taking the
County tax valuations times a factor to make
prices current and then factoring these figures
according to the above damage classifications. Es-
timated insurance coverage is made by utilizing
information as to average coverage obtained from
insurance agencies on an annual basis.
(4) Organization of Recovery Operations. The Mayor and
Board of Commissioners assume the duties of a Recovery
Task Force. The Task Force must accomplish the
following:
o Establish reentry procedures
o Establish overall restoration schedule
o Set restoration priorities
o Determine requirements for outside assistance
and request such assistance when beyond
local capabilities
o Keep appropriate County and State officials
informed using Situation and Damage Reports
o Keep the public informed
o Assemble and maintain records of actions
taken and expenditures and obligations incurred
o Proclaim a local "state of emergency" if
warranted
o Commence cleanup, debris removal and utility
restoration activities undertaken by private
utility companies
52

o Undertake repair and restoration of essential
public facilities and services in accordance
with priorities developed through situation
evaluations
o Assist individual property owners in obtaining
information on the various types of assistance
that might be available from federal and
state agencies
A schedule outlining tasks and general time frames
is provided in the plan.
(5) Recommended Reconstruction Policies. The policies
outlined are for the Mayor and Commissioners to con-
sider after a storm occurs. It is not practical to
determine at this time what specific responses are
appropriate. The following policy areas are
discussed:
o Reentry. Not allowed until the Mayor determines
it safe and initial damage assessment is completed.
A list of property owners will be maintained and
kept at both Bridges to Bogue Banks.
o Permitting. Permits to restore previously con-
forming structures outside AEC's issued auto-
matically. Structures suffering major damage
allowed to rebuild to original state but must
be in compliance with N.C. Building Code, Zoning
and Flood Hazard Regulations. Structures with
minor damage allowed to rebuild to original state
before the storm. Structures in AEC's allowed to
rebuild only after determination has been made as
to adequacy of existing development regulations
in these special hazard areas.
o Utility and Facility Reconstruction. Water
system components repaired or replaced must be
flood -proofed or elevated above 100-year flood
levels. If powerlines along Salter Path
Road/Ft. Macon Blvd. are damaged,
replacement underground or away from the
Salter Path Road/Ft. Macon Blvd. to be
evaluated.
o Temporary Development Moratorium.
ered after major storm damage for
regulations appear inadequate to
from storm damage.
To be consid-
AEC's if existing
protect structures
53

C. Hurricane Evacuation
Atlantic Beach has adopted a Hurricane Emergency Plan
in conjunction with Carteret County, the three other Bogue Banks
municipalities, Beaufort and Morehead City.
The Town evaluated the adequacy of this Plan and its pro-
cedures subsequent to Hurricane Charley (8/17/86). The revised
Hurricane Evacuation Plan is presented below.
Actions to be taken prior to Rrergency Phase Acitivities
ACTION PERSONS RESPONSIBLE
1. Prepare and adopt local hurricane Chief of Police ,
evacuation plan. Town Administrator
2. Publish and disseminate a one page
version of the local evacuation plan
Qiich; describes the town's alert
system; identifies actions visitors
and residents should take to secure
dellings; and identifies evacuation
routes and shelters. Chief of Police
3.
Designate an anargency Operations
Center and Local Diergency Operations
Chief of Police
Coordinator.
Town Administrator
4.
Designate an elected town official to
mayor
represent the town or the County Hurricane
Chief of Police
Control Croup.
Fire Chief
S.
Assign responsibilities as outlined in the
Mayor
Plan to various personnel and departments.
Town Administrator
6.
Familiarize and train town employees with
steps necessary to carry out town shutdown
and evacuation operations as outlined in
Chief of Police
the Plan.
Fire Chief
7.
Divide the cannunity into sectors for
notification upon issuance of evacuation
Chief of Police
orders.
Fire Chief
8.
Identify property owners and issue re-entry
passes.
Town Administrator
9.
Maintain emergency generator and other
emergency equipment in good operating
order.
Fire Department
10.
Develop and maintain list of persons (e.g.
invalids) requiring evacuation assistance
Police/Fire-Rescue
'4
Y

Hurricane II iergency Actions and Responsibilities
Condition 3 - HURRICANE WATCH (48 hours before expected landfall)
Action Persons Responsible
1. Meeting of Town Hoard and Key Town
employees to review emergency plans
2. Town personnel placed on standby alert
3. Town personnel ccnplete all personal
arrangements.
4. Activate Emergency Operations Center
at Town Hall.
5. Establish camunications with Carteret
County Rnergency Management Co-ordinator
6. Staff public information center at Town
Hall
7. Assemble all town records needed at
re-entry check points and for damage
assessment operations.
8
9
10
11
Check emergency generator, camiunications
equipment and supplies
Gas all town vehicles, including spare
tanks when available
Advise active construction projects
to secure all materials
Begin filling water tanks
55
Mayor/Town Aclninistrator
Mayor/Town Administrator
Each Department Head
Mayor/Town Administrator
Chief of Police/Fire Chief
Mayor/Town Administrator
Town Administrator
Fire Department
Each Department Head
Building Inspector
Water Department

Hurricane Emergency Actions and Responsibilities
Condition 2 - HURRICANE WATCH (24 hours before expected landfall)
Action
Persons responsible
1. Town representative to County Control
Group departs for County Emergency
Cperations Center after being informed by
County EMC that Hurricane warning will soon
need to be issued. Mayor/Town Administrator
2. Camunications established with County
Control Group. Chief of Police
3. Assemble all town personnel for final
preparations and briefing. Mayor/Town Administrator
4. Assemble, refuel and load all vehicles,
including fire trucks, rescue squads
ambulances, public works vehicles (to be
used for road clearance operations), police
vehicles, and other town vehicles. Remove
unnecessary water lines. Each Department Head
5. insure water tanks are full. Cut off all
unnecessary water lines.
6. Place emergency power generator at
emergency operations center.
7. Evacuate all invalids and persons
unable to evacuate themselves.
8. confirm information on shelters from
County Emergency Management Co-ordinator
9. Establish traffic control operation at
key intersections
10. secure town buildings other than
E]wzgency operations Center.
Water Department
Police/Fire
Fire and Rescue
Mayor/)w
Chief of Police
Chief of Police
11. Designated town representatives departs
for designated shelter(s) to establish
alternative town emergency operations center. Mayor/Town Administrator
56

Hurricane Fhiergency Actions and Procedures
Condition 1 - EVACUATION (as ordered by County Control Group)
Action Persons Responsible
1. Proclaim state of emergency and issue
local evacuation order. Mayor/Town Administrator
2. Inform residents directly by sector
in accordance with preestablished
plan. Hand out maps to evacuation shelters. Police/Fire
3. Establish State Highway 58 as a one-way
route in accordance with County Hurricane
Evacuation Plan. Police
4. Carry our local traffic control
responsibilities. Police
5. Cut off all remaining water lines. Water Department
6. Cut off valves to water tanks. Water Department
7. Cut off power to all town actors and
pis. Water Department
8. Cut off gas valves. Fire Department
9. Establish town operations center
at one of designated shelters. Mayor/Taws Administrator
10. Move town records to alternative town
emergency operations center. Town Clerk
11. Town trucks to be stationed along
evacuation routes to assist in
clearance operations Public Works Department
12. Assist in evacuation All Departments
13. Make final check to insure evacuation
is ccaQlete Police Department/Town Admin.
57

Hurricane anergency Actions and Responsibilities
Condition 0 - LANDFALL n44n=
Action
1. Remove all emergency vehicles and
emergency personnel to town emergency
operations center established at one of
designated shelters.
2. Tom personnel standby at operations
center at shelter.
3. Maintain contact with County Control
Group.
Persons Responsible
Each Department
Each Department
Mayor/2txm Administrator

Hurricane Emergency Actions and Responsibilities
REENTRY
Action
1. Allow only elected officials, Police
Officials and Damage Assessment Team
reentry to inspect and evaluate damage.
2. Conduct damage assessment activities
3. Establish pass system for residents and
property owners reentry.
4. Coordinate assistance necessary to
restore municipal services.
5. Request poker be re-established.
Persons Responsible
Mayor, Town Admire., and Police
Mayor, Hoard and Assessment Team
Town Adninistrator/Police
Mayor/Town Administrator
Mayor/Town Administrator
6. Restore power to pumps and motors.
Check for visual breaks in water lines.
Restore water service one section at a
time and make necessary repairs to insure
the complete system will not be contaminated. Water Department
7. Emergency operations center re-established
at Town Hall.
8. Permit reentry of residents and property
owners by Pass when authorized by Control
Group.
9. Patrol streets to prevent looting.
10. Rescind evacuation order and remove
check points when safe.
11. Cmrpile information provided by damage
assessment team.
12. Transport invalids back to residence
after checking for habitability.
59
Mayor/Town Administrator
Police Department
Police Department
Mayor/Town Admin./Police Chief
Town Administrator
Fire and Rescue

6. CONTINUING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROGRAM
Atlantic Beach actively encouraged citizen participation in the
preparation of the 1986 Land Use Plan Update. Planning Board meetings
on the subject of the Land Use Plan were announced to the public
through press releases to local media and through the posting of
notices at Town Hall. Public meetings were held over the course of the
planning process, by the Planning Board on the following dates:
September 3, 1985
October 1, 1985
November 19, 1985
December 17, 1985
January 28, 1986
March 20, 1986
April 24, 1986
June 9, 1986
August 21, 1986
April 29, 1987
May 5, 1987
August 4, 1987
August 24, 1987
September 1, 1987
October 6, 1987
November 10, 1987
A citizen's survey was developed and mailed to Atlantic Beach
property owners and residents in February, 1986. More than 155 or 31%
of the surveys were returned. Survey results are presented under
separate cover by the report: "1986 Land Use Plan Update Citizen
Survey Results." The appendix summarizes results of this survey.
The results of the survey were analyzed prior to the finalization
of this plan's policies. The survey results provided insight in to
community values and were used to guide policy development
and refinement.
In keeping with the Town's actions in the development of the 1986
plan update, the following public participation policies will continue
to be implemented:
All land use plans and updates will be prepared with public
participation. Citizen participation in the land use planning process
will be accomplished by using the following plan.
I. Citizen Education
A. Newspaper; news releases
B. Working papers, draft plans
C. Public meetings
D. Surveys; mailed and returned via postal service
E. Review and comments; public review meetings
II. Citizen Support -Ongoing
A. Ongoing use of I & II above
B. Formal public hearings

LAND CLASSIFICATION
Background and Purpose
The North Carolina Coastal Azea Management Act Guidelines
require that each city, town and county located in the twenty
county coastal area develop aland classification map classifying
all of the land within its jurisdiction into one of five classes
and their subclasses.
A land classification system for Atlantic Beach has been
developed as a means of assisting in the implementation of the
goals, objectives, and policies of this Plan. By delineating
land classes on a map, the Town and its citizens can specify
those areas where certain policies (local, state and federal)
will apply. Although specific areas are outlined on the Land
Classification Map, it is merely a tool to help implement policies
and not a strict regulatory mechanism. The designation of land
classes therefore allows the Town to illustrate its policies as to
where and to what density growth is desired, and where natural
and cultural resources will be preserved.
Relationship of the Land Classification Map to Policy Statements
The land classification map is a graphic representation of
the policy statements formulated and adopted through the citizen
participation and plan development process. The classification
of land reflects existing development patterns as well as the
desired pattern of development as specified in the policy state-
ments. Additionally, development in AEC's must conform to all
applicable C.A.M.A. requirements.
The Transition classification reflects the policy of the Town
to accommodate development in those areas with existing or planned
urban facilities within the next ten years, and those areas that
are consistent with the Atlantic Beach Zoning Ordinance.
The Conservation classification reflects the policy of the
Town to protect and provide effective long term management for
significant, limited or irreplacable lands. Within the Conservation
classification the areas of environmental concern. For a listing
of the Areas of Environmental Concern applicable to Atlantic Beach,
see the Fragile Areas section of this Plan (page 25). Areas of
environmental concern are necessarily protected in accordance with
the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act (C.A.M.A.) of 1974;
Atlantic Beach supports all C.A.M.A. regulations.
nd Classes and The Land Classificatio
The Land Classes applicable to Atlantic Beach are Transition
and Conservation. The inclusion of a land areainto one of these classi-
fication categories does not dictate the type of land use that
will be allowed in a particular location. The classifications
61

are defined below. Map Six delineates the Land Classification
System adopted by Atlantic Beach.
1. Transition
Those areas intended to provide for varying future levels
of urban development within the next ten years on lands considered
suitable for such use. These areas will be scheduled for
provision of public water, sewer, recreation, police and fire.
Since the Town intends that the entire area be served by public
sewer and other services within the next ten years, technically
all land except that classified as conservation is transition.
The transition classification may apply to both lands currently
having urban services and other lands necessary to accommodate
urban population and economic growth during the ten year planning
period. In Atlantic Beach the transition land classification
applies to:
o Existing areas served by public services which are
generally free of severe physical limitations for
urban development; this includes certain areas where
redevelopment is a stated town objective and policy, and,
o Areas proposed for public water, sewer, streets, police,
fire and other municipal services during the next ten
years which are also generally free of severe physical
limitations for urban development.
2. Conservation
Those areas deserving of long-term management because of
natural, cultural, recreational, productive or scenic values.
These areas include wetlands and water bodies within the Town.
These areas are inappropriate for future commercial and resi-
dential development. Technically, the ocean hazard AEC would
also qualify to be included in this area, however, since most
of the lots extending beyond the area are totally restricted as
to development, and since much of this area is already developed,
these areas were assigned to the transition classification.
Money Island can be developed under the Town's RA-1 Single Family
Residences Zoning District; Planned Unit Development shall not
be allowed for Money Island.
62

i
1
t
ATLANTIC BEACH,-N.C.
LAND CLASSIFICATION
Map 6
TRA TRANSITION
CON CONSERVATION
SATL1A PLANNING
st..orlro. Georg"
Map Date: APRIL 30, 1987

ti
ti
I
ATLANTIC BEACH
Citizen Survey
CATEGORY: Permanent Resident
TOTAL RESPONSESt 27
A. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS
3. Which of the following best describes your relationship to the Tow?
a. Active Voter 22 81%
b. Ineligible to vote in Tow elections 2 %
c. Eligible to vote, but not active in Town elections. _3 11%
TOTAL 27 100%
4. Which of the following best describes your principal relationship to the Tow:
a. Developer, or builder
1
%
b. Commercial business owner
10
26%
c. Town resident
21
547
d. Sports fisherman or boater
0
-
a. Beach user
3
8%
f. .Retiree
3
-
g. Housewife
0
2%
h. Other
1
100%
TOTAL
39
5. In which general area of the Town of Atlantic Beach are you especially '
interested?
a. Beach
10
18%
b. Sound
14
25%
c. Maritime forest
8
14%
d. Commercial business district
11
20%
e: Residential area
12
21%
f . Other
1
2%
TOTAL
56
100%
B. ACCESS TO OCEAN BEACH AND BOGUE SOUND
6. Are you in favor of the Town making public
beach and
sound accesses available?
a. Yes
22
85%
b. No
4
15%
TOTAL
26
100%

t
Page 2
7. Are you in favor of providing public beach and sound accesses: Do you
think the Town should finance these?
a. Yes 16 67%
b. No 8 34%
TOTAL 24 100%
S. If you are not in favor of the Town providing public beach and sound
accesses, please state you reason.
9. The State of North Carolina has some monies available in the form of
grant money, and can be applied for. Do you think the.Town should
match 'these funds to provide beach accesses?
a. Yes 19 76%
b. No 6 24%
TOTAL 25 100%
C. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
10. Are you satisfied with the present zoning in the Town of Atlantic Beach,
which allows nine (9)-two (2) bedroom units per acre? Do you feel this
density limit should be.....?
a. Increased 2 9%
b. Stay the same 11 50%
•c. Decreased 9 41x
TOTAL 22 100%
11. Bow do you feel about the amount of land zoned for allowing mobile homes?
a. Too little 2 7%
b. Adequate 16 59%
c. Too much 9 33x
TOTAL 27 100%
D. PUBLIC SERVICES
12. Are you currently satisfied with the level of and delivery of services
offered by the Town of Atlantic Beach? Do you desire other services?
a. Yes 22 81%
b. No 5 19%
TOTAL 27 100%

I
ATLANTIC BEACH
Citizen Survey
CATEGORY: Non -Resident Property Owner
TOTAL RESPONSESt 80
A. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS
3. .Which of the following beat describes your relationship to the Town?
a. Active Voter 2 12
b. Ineligible to vote in Town elections 70_ 882
c. iligible to vote, but not active in Town elections.._ 10%
TOTAL �_ 1002
4. Which of the following best describes your principal relationship to the Town:
a. 'Developer, or builder
2
27
b. Commercial business owner
5
47
c. Town resident
_j_
6%'
d. Sports fisherman or boater
2_
21%
e. Beach user
43
35%
f. .Retiree
11
9%
S. .Housewife
3
2%
b. Other
24
2%
TOTAL
121
100%
5.. In which general area of the Town of Atlantic Beach are you especially
Interested?
a. Beach
50
38%
b. Sound
30
23%
c. Maritime forest
4
3% .
d. Commercial business district
8
6%
e: Residential area
37
28%
f. Other
3 (fishing)2%
TOTAL
132
10O%
B. ACCESS TO OCEAN BEACH AND BOGUE SOUND
6. Are you in favor of the Town. making
public beach and
sound accesses available?
A. Yes
58
74Z
b. No
20
26%
TOTAL
78
100%

4
7. Are you in favor of providing public beach and sound accesses: Do you
think the Town should finance these?
a. Yes 48 61%
b. No 31 39%
TOTAL 79 100%
S. If you are not in favor of the Town providing public beach and sound '
accesses. please state you reason.
9. The State of North Carolina has some monies available in the form of
grant money, and can be applied for. Do you
think the Town should
match 'these funds to provide beach accesses?
a. Yea
51
70%
b. No
22
30%
TOTAL
73
100%
C. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
10. Are you satisfied with the present zoning in
the Town
of Atlantic Beach,
phich allows nine (9)-tvo (2) bedroom units per acre?
Do you feel
this
density limit should be.....?
a. Increased
6
72
b. Stay the same
35
42Z
•C. Decreased
42
512
TOTAL
83
100%
11. Haw do you feel about the amount of land zoned for allowing mobile homes?
a. Too little 12 17%
b. Adequate 29 42%
c. Too much 40 58%
TOTAL 69' 100%
D. PUBLIC SERVICES
12.Are you currently satisfied with the level of and delivery of services
offered by the Town of Atlantic Beach? Do you desire other services?
a. Yes
5W_ 79X
b. No 1_ 21%
TOTAL 80 100%

k
q
ATLANTIC BEACH
Citizen Survey
CATEGORY: Regular Seasonal Vistor
TOTAL RESPONSESt 27
A. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS
$. Which of the following beat describes your relationship to the Town?
a. Active Voter 0 0%
b. Ineligible to vote.In Town elections 18 72%
c. Rligible to vote, but not active in Town elections. 7 28%
TOTAL 25 100%
4. Which of the following best describes your principal relationship to.the Town:
a. •Developer, or builder
1
1%
b. Commercial business owner
1
2%
c. Town resident
1
2%
A. Sports fisherman or boater
10
24%
a. Beach user
15
36%
.f. .Retiree
7
17%
g. 'Housewife
1
2%
h. Other
6
15%
SOS,
42
100%
5. '.In which general area of the Tow of Atlantic Beach are you especially '
Interested?
a. Beach
16
34%
b. Sound
9
19%
c. Maritime forest
4
•9%
d. Commercial business district
2
4%
e. Residential area'
11
23%
f. Other
5
11%
TOTAL
47
100%
B. ACCESS TO OCEAN BEACH AND BOGUE SOUND
6. Are you in favor of the Tow•making
public beach and
sound accesses
available?.
a. Yes
21
81X
b. No
5
19%
TOTAL
26
100%

ti
4.
t
7. Are you in favor of providing public beach and sound accesses: Do you
think the Town should finance these?
a. Yes 18 69%
b. No 8 31%
TOTAL 26 100%
S. If you are not in favor of the Town providing public beach and sound '
accesses. please state you reason.
9. The State of North Carolina has some monies available in the form of
grant money, and can be applied for. .Do you think the Tow should
match these funds to provide beach accesses?
a. Tea 19 73%
b. No 7 27%
TOTAL 26 100%
C. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
10. Are you satisfied with the present zoning in the Tow of Atlantic Beach,
phich allows nine (9)-two (2) bedroom units per acre? Do you feel this
density limit should be.....?
a. Increased 3 12%
b. Stay the same 11 44%
c. Decreased 11 44%
TOTAL 25 100%
21. How do you feel about the amount of land zoned for allowing mobile homes?
a. Too little 4' 19%
b. Adequate' 12' 46Z
c. Too much 10 38%
.TOTAL 26 100%
D. PUBLIC SERVICES
12. Are you currently satisfied with the level of and delivery of services
offered by the Town of Atlantic Beach? Do you 'desire other services?
a. Yes 17 65%
b. No 9 35%
TOTAL 26 100%

CATEGORY: "Other"
TOTAL RESPONSE$s 19
A. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS
B.
ATLANTIC BEACH
Citizen Survey
3. .Which of the following best describes your relationship to the Tow?
a. Active Voter
b. Ineligible to vote in Tow elections 15 94%
c. gligible to vote. but not active in Town elections. 1 6%
TOTAL 16 100%
4. Which of the following beat describes your principal relationship to the Tow:
a. 'Developer. or builder
b. Commercial business owner
c. Town resident
d. Sports fisherman or boater
s. Beach user
f. .Retiree
S. Housewife
h. Other
0
-
4
17%•
2
7%
4
17%
5
21%
4
17%
0
-
5
21%
TOTAL 24 100%
S. -In which general area of the Town of Atlantic Beach are you especially
Interested?
a.
Beach
6
22%
b.
Sound
6
22%
c.
Maritime forest
1
4%'.
d.
Commercial business district
6
22%
e:
Residential area
7
26%
f.
Other
1
4%
TOTAL 27
100%
ACCESS
TO OCEAN BEACH AND BOGUE SOUND
6. Are
you in favor of the Tow•making
public beach and sound accesses
available?
a.
Yes
15
79%
b.
No
4
21%
TOTAL 19
100%

Page 2
7. Are you in favor of providing public beach and sound accesses: Do you
think the Town should finance these?
a. Yes 2 100%
b. No ---
TOTAL 2 100%
S. If you are not in favor of the Town providing public beach and sound
accesses, please state you reason.
9. The State of North Carolina has some monies available in the form of
grant money, and can be applied for. Do you think the Town should
match these funds to provide beach accesses?
a. Yes 2 100%
b. No --
TOTAL 2 100%
C. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
10. Are you satisfied with the present zoning in the Town of Atlantic Beach.
Aich allows nine (9)-two (2) bedroom units per acre? Do you feel this
density limit should be.....?
a. Increased 1 50%
b. Stay the same 1 50%
c. Decreased
TOTAL 2 100%
21. Sow do you feel about the amount of land zoned for allowing mobile homes?
a. Too little
b. Adequate �100%
c. Too much
TOTAL 1' 100%
D. PUBLIC SERVICES
t
12. Are you currently satisfied with the level of and delivery of services
offered by the Town of Atlantic Beach? Do you desire other services?
+ a. Yes 1 100%
b. No
TOTAL 1 100%

L
6
0
ATLANTIC BEACH
Citizen Survey
CATEGORY: nrrnc{nnnl goAcnnnlyici1•nr
TOTAL RESPONSES': 2
A. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS
.3. Which of the following best describes your relationship to the Town?
a. 'Active voter
b. Ineligible to vote in Town elections 1 50%
C. Sligible to vote, but not active in Town elections. 1 50%
TOTAL 2 100%
4. Which of the following best describes your principal relationship to the Town:
s. ' peveloper, or builder
b. Commercial business owner
.c. Town resident
,d. $ports fisherman or boater
'i. Beach user
.f. .Retiree
s. Rousewifa
. .Other
TOTAL 2 100%
S. '.In which seneral area of the Town of Atlantic Beach are you especially
Interested?
a. Beach
.b. Sound
c. Maritime forest
d. Commercial business district
s. Residential area
f. Other
1 50k
1 502
1 100%
TOTAL 1 100%
B. ACCESS TO OCEAN BEACH AND BOGUE SOUND
6. Are you in favor of the Town,making public beach and sound accesses available?
a. Yes 2 lnnz
b. No
TOTAL 2 100%

1
.t
r
c
7. Are you in favor of providing public beach and sound accesses: Do you
think the Town should finance these?
a. Yes 12- 75%
b. No 4 25%
TOTAL 16_ 100%
S. If you are not in favor of the Town providing public beach and sound '
accesses. please state you reason.
9. The State of North Carolina has some monies available in the form of
grant money. and can be applied for. .Do you think the Town should
match 'these funds to provide beach accesses?
a. Yes 14 82%
b. No 3 18%
TOTAL 17 100%
C. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
10. Are you satisfied with the present zoning in the Town of Atlantic Beach*
which allows nine (9)-tvo (2) bedroom units per acre? Do you feel this
density limit should be.....?
a. Increased 1 8%
b. Stay the same �9 56%
•c. Decreased 6 38i
TOTAL 16 100%
21. Now do you feel about the amount of land zoned for allowing mobile hoses?
a. Too little
b. Adequate 56%
c. Too much _y_ 332
TOTAL 18 '100%
D. PDBLIC SERVICES
12. Are you currently satisfied with the level of and delivery of services
offered by the Town of Atlantic Beach? Do you 'desire other services?
a. Yes 16 94%
b. No 1 6%
TOTAL 17 100%