Coastal Area Management Act Land Use Plan Update 1986-1987

n HENRY VON OESEN AND ASSOCIATES
CONSULTING ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS

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EMERALD ISLE
COASTAL AREA MANAGEMENT ACT
rLAND USE PLAN UPDATE
JUNE, 1986
rREVISED NOVEMBER, 1986
ADOPTED BY TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE: DECEMBER 15, 1986
CERTIFIED BY CRC: JANUARY 23, 1987
rPrepared For
The Town of Emerald Isle, North Carolina
Prepared With The Assistance Of
HENRY VON OESEN AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
Consulting Engineers & Planners
611 Princess Street -- P. 0. Drawer 2087,
Wilmington, North Carolina 28402
[phone]
The preparation of this report was financed in part through
a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management
Program, through funds provided the Coastal Zone Management
Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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Table of Contents
SECTION 1: EXISTING CONDITIONS .......................1-1
1.1 Physical Setting ...........
1.2 Brief History of Emerald Isle ........ .... .....1-1
1.3 Population ............ ....... ............ ..... 1-2
1.3.1 Historic and Current Population ........ 1-2
Table 1.3.1 Permanent Population
Table 1.3.2 Results of Special Census
of April 1985
Table 1.3.3 NCDOT Traffic Counts, NC
58 -At Cameron Langeston
Bridge
1.4 Economy.......................................1-3
Table 1.4.1 Visitor Statistics
Holiday Travel Park
1.5 Housing ..........................
1.6 Existing Land Use.............................1-5
1.6.1 Historical Background..................1-5
1.6.2 Existing Land Use Mapping by
Land Use Category ......................1-6
Map 1.6.1A: Existing Land Use Map
Map 1.6.1B,: Existing Land Use Map
Table 1.6.2.1: Existing Land Use Mapping/
Units/Definitions/Acreage
SECTION 2: CURRENT PLANS, POLICIES, AND REGULATION .... 2-1
2.1 Current Plans/Policies ........................2-1
2.1.1 Transportation .........................2-1
2.1.2 Community Facilities Plan..............2-1
2.1.3. Utilities Extension Policies ........... 2-2
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Table of Contents, Continued
2.1.4 Recreation and Open Space Policies ..... 2-2
2.1.5 Prior Land Use Plans and Policies ...... 2-2
2.1.6 Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan/Post
Disaster Reconstruction Plan/
Destructive Weather Plan...............2-5
2.2 Current Land Use Regulations ..................2-8
2.2.1 Zoning Ordinance .......................2-8
Map 2.2.1 Existing Zoning Map
2.2.2 Subdivision Regulation (Ordinance) ..... 2-12
2.2.3 Floodplain Management Regulations ...... 2-13
2.2.4 Building Codes/Inspection..............2-14
2.2.5 Nuisance Regulation ....................2-15
2.2.6 Dunes and Vegetation Protection
Ordinance..............................2-15
2.2.7 Sedimentation and Erosion Control ...... 2-15
2.2.8 Environmental Impact Ordinance ... ......2-15
2.2.9 Mobile Home Regulations................2-16
2.2.10 Other Local Regulations ....... .... .... 2-16
2.2.11 Solid Waste Program.... o .... o ........ o2-16
2.2.12 Federal and State'Regulations..... ....2-16
Table 2.2.12.1 Federal and State
Licenses and Permits
SECTION 3: LAND SUITABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT
CONSTRAINTS. ... oo.o. ........ ....3-1
3.1 Physical Limitations for Development.........3-1
3.1.1 Hazard Areas (Man-Made/Nature)........ 3-1
Table 3.1.1: Aircraft Use Rates
Bogue Field

Table of Contents, Continued
Map 3.1.1: AICUZ Plan for Bogue
Field
3.1.1.1 Man -Made Hazard Areas...............3-1
3.1.1.2 Natural Hazard Areas................3-3
3.1.2 Soil Limitations ................. ..... 3-4
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Table 3.1.2: Combined Accident
Potential and Noise
Impact Zones for Bogue
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Field
Map 3.1.2: Natural Hazard Areas of
Emerald Isle
Map 3.1.2.1: Soils Map
Table 3.1.2.1: Estimated Soils Properties
Significant to Engineering
Map 3.1.2.2: Septic Tank Limitations
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3.1.3 Water Supply ..........................3-5
3.1.4 Wastewater Disposal...................3-6
Table 3.1.4.1 Cost Data, Central
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Sewer System for
Emerald Isle
3.1.5 Slopes................................3-14
3.2 Fragile Areas (Areas of Environmental
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Concern......................................3-14
3.2.1 High Hazard Flood Area - Area of
Environmental Concern.................3-15
Table 3.2.1 Areas of Environmental
Concern
' 3.2.2 Inlet Hazard Area - Area of
Environmental Concern.................3-15
' 3.2.3 Coastal Wetlands - Area of
Environmental Concern.................3-16
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Table of Contents, Continued
3.2.4 Ocean Erodible Areas -• Area of
Environmental Concern ......... .........
3-18
3.2.5 Estuarine Waters - Area of
Environmental Concern.................3-19
3.2.6 Estuarine Shoreline - Area of.
Environmental Concern.................3-20
3.2.7 Public Trust Waters - Area of
Environmental Concern.................3-22
3.2.8 Other AEC's ...........................3-23
3.2.9 Complex or Fragile Natural Areas ...... 3-23
3.2.10 Scenic Vistas ................... ..... 3-24
3.2.11 Archaeological and Historic-�ites....3-24
Map 3.2.11.1 Site of Graveyards
3.3 Areas With Resource Potential.................3-25
3.4 Design Capacity and Level of Utilization of
Existing Community Facilities and Analysis of
Capacity to Supply Existing and Future
Demands ......................................
3.4.1 Water Supply System ........... .......... 3-25
Map 3.4.1 Water Supply System Map
Table 3.4.1 Water Use Data
3.4.2 Wastewater Treatment and Disposal ...... 3-26
3.4.3 Educational Facilities and Services .... 3-27
3.4.4 Streets and Roads......................3-27
3.4.5 Police and Fire Protection.............3-28
SECTION 4: ESTIMATED FUTURE DEMAND....................4-1
4.1 Population Projections ........................4-1
Table 4.1.1: Estimated Future
Permanent Population
Table 4.1.2: Estimated Future Peak
Seasonal Population

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Table of Contents, Continued
Table 4.1.3: Peak Day Visitor
Projections
4.2 Foreseeable Economic and Social Changes ....... 4-2
4.3 Local Objectives Concerning Growth and
Development...................................4-3
4.4 Future Land Needs ............... ...e.......... 4-4
4.4.1: Industrial Space Requirements ......... 4-4
Table 4.4.1: Future Acreage Needs
4.4.2 Commercial Space Requirements .......... 4-5
4.4.3 Residential Space Requirements ......... 4-5
4.5 Future Facilities Demand......................4-5
SECTION 5: LOCAL POLICY ON LAND USE ISSUES ............ 5-1
5.1: Resource Protection ..........................5-1
5.1.1 Constraints to Development ............ 5-1
5.1.2 Specific Local Resource Development
Issues Relative to AEC's............. 5-1
5.1.3 Other Fragile Land Areas (Maritime
Forest)...............................5-6
Map 5.1.3.1 Maritime Forest
Overlay District
5.1.4 Hurricane and Flood Evacuation
Plans.................................5-7
5.1.5 Protection of Potable Water Supply .... 5-7
5.1.6 Stormwater Runoff/Drainage ............ 5-8
Figure 5.1.6.1 Schematic of Regulations
for Coastal Stormwater
to Protect Class SA
Waters
5.1.7 Marinas...............................5-10

Table of Contents, Continued
5.2 Resource Production and Management ............ 5-12
5.2.1 General................................5-12
5.2.2 Commercial, Sports and Recreational
Fisheries Including Nursery Areas ...... 5-13
5.2.3 Off -Road Vehicles ......................5-14
5.2.4 Sound and Estuarine Islands ............ 5-15
5.3 Economic and Community Development ............ 5-15
5.3.1 Local Commitment to Provide Municipal
Services to Development................5-15
5.3.2 Urban Growth Patterns/Types Desired .... 5-16
5.3.3 Redevelopment of Developed Areas ....... 5-17
5.3.4 Commitment to State and Federal
Programs .............. .................5-18
5.3.5 Assistance to Channel Maintenance and
Beach Renourishment Projects ........... 5-18
5.3.6 Tourist Access to Beach and Sound ...... 5-18
Map 5.3.6.1 Location of Site for
Proposed Public Boat Ramp
5.3.7 Future Land Use Classification
System.................................5-20
.Map 5.3.7.1 Future Land Classification
Map
SECTION 6: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ........................6-1
.6.1 Description of Methods Used for Public -
Education on Public Issues.....................6-1
6.2 Results of Citizen Survey Questionnaire and
Summary of Public Desires Regarding the Land
Use Plan.......................................6-1
Figure 6.2.1 Sample Copy of Citizen Survey
Questionnaire

Table
of Contents, -Continued
Figure 6.2.1 Newspaper Article Regarding
Results of Citizen Survey
6.3
Summary of Public Meetings .....................6-2
Figure 6.3.1 Newspaper Article Regarding
Public Meeting June 23, 1986
SECTION
7: PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .........................7-1
7.1
Implementation of Policies Developed In The
Plan ...........
7.2
Summary of Policies and Implementation
Schedules......................................7-1
APPENDICIES
APPENDIX A:
EXISTING LAND USE MAPPING UNITS AND DEFINITIONS
FOR EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
APPENDIX B:
LETTER FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SECTION
CARTERET COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, RE:
PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING SEPTIC TANKS AT
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
APPENDIX C:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMERALD ISLE WOODS
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
APPENDIX D:
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC MEETING HELD AT
EMERALD ISLE, NC ON MARCH 5, 1986
APPENDIX E:
STORM HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN AND POST DISASTER
-RECONSTRUCTION PLAN (DUNE, 1984)
APPENDIX F:
EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
APPENDIX G:
ADOPTED REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT COASTAL STORMWATER
CONTROLS
APPENDIX H:
MARINA REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY NCDEM
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 1986 update of the Emerald Isle Land Use Plan indicates
that the peak seasonal population• of Emerald Isle will rise to
18,028 persons by the year 1995. Peak seasonal day visitors are
projected to number 18,109 by 1995. Thus, on a peak season day
in 1995 there will be a projected total of 36,137 persons at
Emerald Isle. Included within this projection is a permanent
population that is expected to range between 2,042 to 5,435
persons. The population will create a demand for approximately
226 acres of additional residential land and about 64 acres of
additional commercial property to accommodate planned growth and
development to the year 1995. The Town has sufficient vacant
land zoned residential and commercial to accommodate this
anticipated demand. However, this demand will require the
expansion of the existing water system and the provision of a
central sewer system to accommodate the projected growth without
harming the natural environment, creating public health problems
or endangering the water quality of Bogue Sound.
The following land use issues will affect the community during
the planning period. To address these issues the Town has
adopted appropriate policies which are noted under each issue:
1 • Issue: A central sewer system will ultimately be needed to
accommodate future growth and development at Emerald Isle.
• Policy: The Town will work with Carteret County in the
development of a county sewer system with the inclusion of
Emerald Isle as a primary approach.
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• Issue: ' Stormwater runoff from existing and future
development must be controlled in order to protect- the
water quality of Sogue Sound and the integrity of
shellfishing waters.
• Policy: The Town is preparing a Master Drainage Plan which
will address this issue and how best to deal with the
problem in harmony with newly promulgated State
regulations.
• Issue: Adequate public parking facilitie's are needed for
day visitors.
• Policy: The Town has adopted a policy of providing
adequate public parking facilities within commercial areas
wherever possible so as to mitigate potential conflicts
with permanent residents and to protect the integrity of
residential areas. However the Town will initiate a stydy
of alternative approaches to this matter including the
placement of parking facilities in all zoning
classifications if considered appropriate and all
requirements can be met.
• Issue: Additional points of public access to Bogue Sound
are needed.
• Policy: The Town is committed to providing adequate access
to both the ocean and the sound.. As a result, the Town
will continue to work with local citizens, developers and
several State agencies in developing additional appropriate
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access points to both* the ocean and the sound with an
emphasis on sound access.
Issue: The maritime forest resource in Emerald Isle is
rapidly. disappearing as a result of development. The.
largest remaining contiguous stand occurs in Blocks 43 to
47.
Policy: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
continue to protect and preserve the maritime forest
resource, but at the same time to allow for prudent,
environmentally sensitive development therein. Existing
new zoning -and subdivision regulations allow for cluster
development and maximization of greenspace while providing
the opportunity for development. The Town will place
greater emphasis on the use of these provisions with
respect to plans for development within the maritime forest
area. Also, the Town will continue to study methods of
additional protection as may be deemed appropriate.
• Issue: Military air operations at Bogue Field located
north of Emerald Isle cause a hazard to development within
a certain area of the Town due to the potential for plane
crashes and noise.
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e Policy: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
recognize the Bogue Field Air Installation Compatible Use
Zone (AICUZ) Plan developed by the US Marine Corps and to
advise future developers of the potential hazards.
Requests for rezoning to higher densities than allowed by
existing zoning classifications within the AICUZ zone will
receive special scrutiny so as to protect the public
welfare.
• Issue: The water supply system serving Emerald Isle will
need to be expanded to accommodate future growth and
development.
• Policv: It is the
policy
of the
Town of
Emerald
Isle to
work cooperatively
with the
private
water
service
utility
serving the Town, the Bogue Banks Water and Sewer
Corporation (BBWSC) , so as to insure an adequate future
supply of water. The Town will assist the BBWSC to obtain
well sites and sites for future water storage facilities.
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PREFACE
The coastal area of North Carolina provides a tremendous
natural resource to the citizens of North Carolina and to
visitors from other states. The area provides both recreational
benefits and food production from the coastol waters. In some
areas adjacent to our coastal waters, there is a danger that
pollution from the overdevelopment may significantly damage the
food production capacity of nearby waters. This potential
problem was one of the major reasons that the Coastal Area
Management Act (CAMA) was ratified by the North Carolina General
Assembly in 1974. The purpose of the Coastal Area Management Act
"to
is insure the orderly balance of use and preservation of our
resources on behalf of the people of North Carolina and the
Nation." The Coastal Resources Commission was created to insure
that the purpose of the new state law is followed.
Land use plans have been developed by 56 municipal governments
and 20 county governments within the twenty coastal counties
under the purview of CAMA. These plans are the administrative
tools for carrying out the provisions of the law. A land use
plan is a vision of how future development should take place
within a community, it defines a set of policies governing the
type, location, timing, quantity and quality of future
development. A land use plan provides a blueprint for future
growth so growth will occur on the community's own terms rather
' than in a haphazard fashion.

This land use plan charts the course for future development in
the Town of Emerald
Isle. The people
of Emerald
Isle
recognize
that growth will
continue in the
community.
It
is a very
desirable place to live and to visit, and more people will
undoubtedly come here. At the same time, the residents of
Emerald Isle want to maintain their existing way of life,
preserve the Town's scenic beauty and the quality of its natural
resources,,and maintain and improve the Town's economy and
services. Emerald Isle wants to avoid the problems that beset
other small oceanfront communities, which become overwhelmed by
growth, start planning to late, and end up drastically changed -
both physically and in spirit.
The Emerald Isle Land Use Plan begins with a brief history of
the community. It then analyzes existing conditions in Emerald
Isle - its population, its economy, its land use patterns, its
natural resources, and its community services. This analysis
includes statements of policy regarding these different aspects
of development in the community. To summarize development
conditions and policies, the plan contains a land classification
system that describes the general character of existing land use
and the desired consummate pattern for future land use. The land
classification system is enhanced by a map of future land use and
a plan for Emerald Isle which have been adopted to specify the
location, type and density of residential, commercial,
conservation and open space uses of the land and the location of
desired capital improvements.
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This plan has been developed as -a result of a joint effort by
the Planning Board, the Town Board of Commissioners, the planning
consultants (Henry von Oesen and Associates, Inc.), local
citizens and the NC Division of Coastal Management. Through
continuing discussions in the community and through a formal
survey of the attitudes of Emerald Isle residents regarding
development, the Town has identified its most important needs and
developed a plan to meet those needs. This document is an
important tool for guiding the future growth of the Town of
Emerald Isle as it puts the Town squarely on the road to
controlling its own destiny.
This report represents a current update of the Emerald Isle
Land Use Plan which was first formulated in May 1976, amended in
February 1977, and updated last in August 1981. The emphasis of
this particular update will be on land use issues related to
water quality and other natural resources, beach access, citizen
participation and hurricane mitigation and reconstruction. In an
effort not to "re -invent the wheel," the text of this update
relies heavily on the previous planning documents with updated
information inserted as needed or entirely new information
integrated herein as required. The preparation of this plan has
been coordinated with the Carteret County Land Use Plan which was
completed in 1985.
It is appropriate at this point in the preface to the 1986
Land Use Plan to pause and reflect on the effectiveness of the
policies and goals developed in the previous 1981 Plan update.
The goals and policies developed therein are summarized below
along with a brief narrative summary which describes actions
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taken by the Town of Emerald Isle over the past 5 years to
address each policy and goal individually or, alternately,. what
actions, if any, yet need to be taken to address the policy or
goal:
A. Resource Protection:
• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town of
Emerald Isle not to allow the development of Areas of
Environmental Concern in a manner which is inconsistent
with the -Coastal Area Management Act.
• Results: The Town of Emerald Isle has worked
cooperatively with the NC Division of Coastal Management
to develop ordinances and procedures which are
consistent with this policy (see Section 2).
• Policy Statement: It is the Town's policy to continue
to work toward the development of a sewage collection
and treatment facility in order to protect Bogue Sound
and to accommodate future development which will occur.
• Results: The Town of Emerald Isle participated in the
development of the federally sponsored Swansboro Area
201 Facility Plan which addressed the development of a
municipal sewer system for the west end of Bogue Banks.
Also, in 1982/83 the Town authorized and jointly funded
a study of the relationship of wastewater disposal
practices to development density. As a direct result of
that study the Town lowered the allowable density from
10 units/acre to 8 units/acre (see Section 3.1.4).
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• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town of
Emerald Isle to maintain a portion of the existing
maritime forest, dunes and open space within each
development.
• Results: The Town of Emerald Isle has developed and
implemented a Dunes and Vegetation Protection Ordinance
which governs the portion of a lot or parcel which can
be cleared of vegetation (see Section 2.2.6). Further,
a planned unit development ordinance has been adopted to
allow for clustering of homes and maximization of open
space within the development.
• Policy
Statement: It is
the
policy of
the Town of
Emerald
Isle to implement
and
make use of
a hurricane
and flood evacuation plan should a storm threaten the
community.
• Results: The Town of Emerald Isle has developed the .
following plans:
(1) Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan
(2) Post Disaster Reconstruction Plan
(3) Destructive Weather Plan (see Section 2.1.6)
• Policy Statement•: *It is the policy of the Town that,
should an archaeological site be discovered within the
Town, notification of such will be given to the State
Historic Preservation Officer so that a detailed survey
may be made.
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B.
• Results: To date no significant sites of archaeological
value have been discovered at Emerald Isle, nevertheless
this policy remains in effect.
Resource Production and Management:
• Policy Statement: It is the Town' s policy to continue
to encourage the use of its recreational resources, its
beaches and beautiful sound, by both day visitors and
Town residents, permanent and seasonal. Because tourism
is so important to the local economy, the alternative of
discouraging uses of this recreational resource is
considered inappropriate.
• Results: In May, 1983 the Town of Emerald Isle amended
its subdivision ordinance to require the dedication of
beach and sound accessways as a condition of all new
subdivision approvals (see Section 2.2.2). Also, the
Town has worked closely with the NC Division of Coastal
Management to establish public beach and soundfront
accessways. However, in this update of the Land Use
Plan, this issue receives added focus and attention
relative to the need to provide public parking
facilities.
• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town to
encourage commercial, sports and recreational fishing in
adjacent waters, but at the same time to discourage
commercial seafood processing industries from locating
within Town limits as this industry is inconsistent with
the recreational economy.
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• Results: The Town
has gone on record as supporting
State policies and
regulations which are designed to
protect water quality
and fisheries resources.
Additional addressments relative to the protection of
shellfishing waters and water quality from stormwater
runoff are given in
this report.
• Policy Statement:
It is the policy of the Town to
discourage the use
of off -road vehicles on its dune
system and to limit
the use of off -road vehicles on the
beach strand to set periods.
• Results: The Town has passed an ordinance which
prohibits off -road vehicles on its dune system and
prohibits the use of such vehicles on the beach strand
from Memorial Day and on all weekends in the month of
May through Labor Day. The ordinance is strictly
enforced by the Police Department.
C. Economic and Development Policies
• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town of
Emerald Isle to discourage industrial development
(including petroleum energy facilities) due to the
potential for conflicts with the resort nature of the
.. -area.
• Results: The Town's zoning ordinance does not have a
category of use which will permit industrial
development.
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• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town to
provide certain municipal services to future
development. The Town also supports services to future
development by public utilities (water, electricity,
etc.).
• Results: The Tbwn provides street lighting, police
protection and refuse collection to all developed areas
within the Town. Future service policies being
entertained relate to the development of a central sewer
system and the funding by developers of general
infrastructure improvements (drainage, etc.).
• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town of
Emerald Isle to encourage the placement of high
intensity development in the general vicinity of the
Cameron,Langestone Bridge in order to prevent strip
development and to protect the integrity of residential
areas.
• Results: This policy has guided the Town Planning Board
and Board of Commissioners relative to rezoning of lands
for recreational and commercial developments over the
past few years. Further addressment of this issue is
given in this update.
• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town to
become more involved in State and Federal grant and/or
loan programs.
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• Results: The Town has applied for and received State
grant funds to defray in part the preparation of this
plan update. Also, the Town recently applied for and
receive a State grant from DCM to assist in the
preparation of a Drainage Master Plan. The Town also
received beach access grant funds from DCM for two
parking areas.
• Policy Statement: It is the policy of the Town to
support channel maintenance and beach renourishment
projects instituted by the US Army Corps of Engineers.
• Results: The Town has supported local efforts to
encourage the US Army Corps of Engineers to maintain the
Bogue Inlet channel and whenever possible to place
dredge spoils onto the west end of the beach to curtail
the effects of erosion.
• Policy Statement: It is the' policy of the Town of
Emerald Isle to promote and encourage open public debate
and discussion relative to land use issues and policies.
• Results: Continuing public participation has been
fostered throughout the planning process including
public meetings, the distribution of a citizen survey
questionnaire, etc. (see Section 6).

TOWN OFFICIALS
Lenora Heverly, Mayor
Commissioners
Walter Gaskins (Mayor Pro-Tem)
Ben Byland
A. B. Crew
Peter Leo
Beaulah Pase
G. Wade Horne, Town Administrator
Richard Stanley, Town Attorney
Jackie Paylor, Town Clerk
Emerald Isle Planning Board
Jim Davis, Chairman
Wilbur "Bill" Slye, Vice Chairman
Patey Bowles
Clyde Cheek
Jo Rondone
Doris Thompson
Theron Jones
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SECTION 1: EXISTING CONDITIONS
1.1
Physical Settinq
The Town of Emerald Isle is located on the western third of
Bogue Banks, North Carolina, and has a land area of approximately
3.,337 acres including both developable and undevelopable
(conservation) areas. As one of the most attractive barrier
island the North Carolina the Town
communities on coast, much of
is wooded with remnants of maritime forest and has dunes 20 to 35
feet high along the oceanfront. The interior land elevation
ranges between 15 and 25 feet above sea level. Bogue Sound, on
the north side of the Town is quite shallow. Islands and
wetlands enhance the scenic value of the soundfront area. The
Town, now with about fifty one percent of the total land (or 59.1
percent of the developable land) developed, is eleven miles long
with a width of 4,000 feet on the western end and 800 feet on the
eastern end. Some of the remaining large undeveloped parcels
located at the western extremity of the Town are in 1,100-foot
wide lots and extend from the ocean to the sound.
1.2 Brief History of Emerald Isle
Prior to the incorporation of the Town in 1957, there was
little pressure for development of the land area which is now the
iTown.
Back at the time of the founding of the nation, the early
colonists used the area only to fish and hunt. By the turn of
the century several seasonal fish camps were established in the
area for the sole purpose of harvesting finfish, especially
mullet, during the annual fall migrations. The first area United
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States Life -Saving Station was opened at Bogue Inlet on February
5, 1905. The station, taken over by the US Coast Guard in 1914,
appears to have been the first permanent habitable structure
built in what is now the town limits of Emerald Isle.
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By the 1950's the proposed Town site was located at the end of
a dead-end paved road 12 miles west of Atlantic Beach. The
Atlantic Beach -Morehead City Bridge was the only connection with
the mainland. Because of the poor access, there were few
permanent inhabitants of the proposed town. In fact, the US
Bureau of Census listed the population at only 14 permanent
residents in 1960.
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In May 1962, ferry service was established to the western end
of the island. On May 5, 1971, the Cameron Langstone Bridge was
opened. The ferry service and subsequent bridge placed
tremendous to develop
pressure Emerald Isle as a family -oriented
vacation/second home community with a high seasonal day visitor
quotient.
1.3 Population
1.3.1 Historic and Current Population
Historic
and current permanent population data for Emerald
Isle, White Oak Township and Carteret County is shown in Table
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1.3.1. Between 1970 and 1980 the US Census showed and crease 'n
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of 609 percent. The annual growth rates between 1960 and 1970
and between 1910 and 1980 were 64.3 percent and 50.8 percent,
respectively.
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Town of Emerald Isle
White Oak Townshi 3•
Carteret County
TABLE 1.3.1
'PERMANENT POPULATION
TOWN OF EMERALD ISL 1.
1960 1970
14 122
1,785 2,496
27,438 31,603
1980
865
4,302
41,902
1985
1,51 2.
N/A
48,1624•
Notes:
1. Official census populations unless otherwise noted.
2. Based on results of special census conducted in April 1985
(see Table 1.3.2).
3. White oak Township includes the Towns of Cape Carteret
(located on the mainland) and Emerald Isle (located on Bogue
Banks), and unincorporated county mainland areas roughly
west of a north/south line coinciding with the eastern Town
limits of Emerald Isle.
4. July 1985 estimate.

The summer seasonal population is significantly higher than
the permanent population. In order to accurately estimate the
by
current summer seasonal population, a special census conducted
the Town in April 1985 involved a detailed count of occupied and
vacant housing units. The results of the special census are
summarized in Table 1.3.2. Based on an estimated summer
occupancy level of 3.5 persons/occupied unit and a total of 3,336
is
units, a current (1985) seasonal population projected at
11,676 persons (assuming 100 percent occupancy of all dwellings).
This figure will vary from month to month because of an unknown
actual vacancy rate, but it does provide a good approximation of
the seasonal population.
The summer seasonal is increased by day
population also
visitors. The day visitor quotient is most difficult to
estimate. However, traffic counts Y
provided b the North Carolina
P
Department .of Transportation provide some indication of such as
summarized in Table 1.3.3. During the peak summer season, the
Cameron Langstone Bridge handles some 28,820 vehicles per day on
the average. However trip ends can be anywhere on Bogue Banks
not only at Emerald Isle.
Future permanent and summer seasonal population projections
-are found in Section 4.1 following.
1.4 Economy
The economy of the Town of Emerald Isle is based on the summer
home (individual or multi- unit condominium type) sale and
construction industry and the tourist industry. Employment
within the Town generally falls into one of the following
1-3

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1
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1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
4.
4.
5.
6.
TABLE 1.3.2
RESULTS OF SPECIAL CENSUS OF APRIL 1985
1.
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE, NC
1.
Area
Ocean
Sound
Ocean
Sound
Ocean
Sound
Ocean
Sound
Undesignated
Undesignated
Subtotals
Coast Guard
Station
Totals
Population
66
75
138
161
194
194
230
205
207
58
1,518
Occupied Units
30
33
68
72
79
84
117
98
95
25
701
Vacant Units
343
102
354
249
315
79
277
401
291
223
2,634
2.
8------3,335 units-----
3.
11526 persons
Notes:
1./ Source: Town of Emerald Isle. Areas were selected by Town
for convenience of the survey effort progressing from east
to west.
2./ Represents personnel at US Coast Guard Station at Bogue
Inl et.
3./ 2.2 persons per occupied unit was occupancy level indicated
at time of census.

-
TABLE
1.3.3
NCDOT TRAFFIC COUNT 1.
NC
58 AT CAMERON
LANGSTONE BRIDGE
EMERALD ISLE,
NORTH CAROLINA
Average Daily
Traffic
Count
Vehicle Type
1983
19863-Z
1993
Automobiles
7,400
7,940
9,200
Axle Trucks
Campers
17,000
18,200
21,000
Dual &
Tractor Trailers &
Semi Trucks
2,500
2,680
3,100
Total All Vehicles
26,900
28,820
33,300
3./ Based on data collected by Planning and Research Section,
NCDOT in August, 1983 (latest available data).
' 2.1 Counts represent total of two-way traffic (entering and
exiting bridge).
3./ Interpolated values.
1

categories: tourism related service industries, housing
construction, land•development and sales (real estate), and local
governmental services. At present, the housing construction and
real estate
sales segments of the economy are enjoying a period
of vigorous
activity as a result of a
recent fall of interest
rates into
the single digit category
and an overall improved
national economy. An indication as to
the impact of tourism on
'
the local
economy can be found by
comparing the permanent
population with the summer seasonal population. Although exact
figures are lacking for Emerald Isle, some estimates of tourism
Lrevenues are available on a county basis. For example, the NC
Department of Travel and Tourism estimated tourism revenue in
1983 $79 However, in -county turnover
at million. when of each
tourist dollar is considered at a factor of 3.5, tourism revenue
of about $280 million is estimated by the Department. The
tourist industry in Emerald Isle was strong during 1985. An
indication of the tourist economy of the Town is the number of
visitors to the Holiday Inn Travel Park located at the junction
of the Coast Guard road and Highway #58 near the•Cameron
Langstone Bridge (see Table 1.4.1).
1.5 Housing
Because of the relative youth of the Town of Emerald Isle,
substandard housing is basically non-existent within the Town.
However, as the quality of housing increases some of the areas
within the Town which have mobile homes (manufactured homes) may
'
assume the "substandard•" label.
' 1-4
1

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1
1
1
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1
1
I
1
1
1
1
1
TABLE 1.4.1
VISITOR STATISTIC 1.
HOLIDAY TRAVEL PARK
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Month
Camper Nights No.
Visitor 2.
April 1985
1,335
4,673
May
1,953
6,836
June
3,588
12,558
July
4,403
15,411
August
3,796
13,286
September
1,188
4,158
October
796
2,786
November
108
378
December
42
147
January 1986
62
217
February
45
158
March
512
1,792
Totals
17,828
62,400
1. Source: Larry Mann, General Manager, Holiday Travi-L-Park,
Emerald Isle, NC
2. Based on 3.5 persons/camper/night.

As indicated in Table 1.3.2 above, there were as of April
1985, a total of 3,336 dwelling units within the Town. Out of
this total, 701 units (21 percent) were occupied year-round. The
year-round (permanent) occupancy rate was 2.2 persons per
occupied unit. For planning purposes, the summer occupancy rate
P P 9 P Po . P Y
1./
' is estimated at 3.5 persons/occupied unit. A breakdown of
housing types by size, etc., is beyond the scope of this study
and is not included here.
1.6 Existing Land Use
1.6.1 Historical Background
The only land uses within the Town are residential, commercial
and institutional. Prior to the Tow n's incorporation in 1957,
property owners divided the proposed town into fifty-four (54)
1,100-foot blocks, extending from the ocean to the sound. The
blocks are numbered from east to west. Development first began
on the eastern end of the Town in Block 1 due to sole access via
the Morehead City -Atlantic Beach Bridge and Salterpath Road.
Residential development then began to spread slowly westward.
Upon the installation of ferry service to the west end of
Bogue Banks in 1962 at the western central portion of the Town at
Block 38, development of the Town began at a much faster pace.
Residential development was again the primary land use type.
' Mobile homes were the most popular dwelling unit type near the
ferry access area. Soon a small commercial area sprang up to
i
1./ This figure is based on informal survey data obtained by the
consultant in connection with the planning of sewer systems
for several coastal communities.
1-5

serve the residential areas. With ferry service came easy access
to and from Onslow and Jones Counties. Subsequently, in 1971 the
Cameron Langstone Bridge replaced the ferry and development
continued to fill within the Town center from both the east and
west ends. During the early 1970's easy access was quickly
followed by residential development of Blocks 51 and 52 near
Bogue Inlet.
1.6.2 Existing Land Use Mapping By Land Use Category
The mapping of existing land uses at Emerald Isle was based on
satellite imagery as provided by the Land Resources Information
Service, North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and
Community Development, Raleigh, NC. Map 1.6.1A and 1.6.1B shows
the existing land use for Emerald Isle in terms of areas with
numerical designations. The land classifications used are based
in part on those developed in the report entitled, A Land Use and
Land Cover Classification of the North Carolina Barrier Islands:
Level III, by Simon Baker, UNC Sea Grant Publication UNC-SG-85-02
dated May 1985. However, the classification system used in this
case is actually a combination of Level II and III mapping units
as detailed in the information presented in Appendix A. Table
1.6.2.1 presents a summary of the classification units found at
Emerald Isle along with the associated acreages.
The total available land area at Emerald Isle is 31337 acres
of which approximately 1,616 acres is developed with residential
1./ Note: Classification system has applicability throughout
the coastal area of North Carolina including Emerald Isle.
Reference to other areas is for concrete examples of land
use classifications only.
1-6

343800
340000
338000
336000
334000
330800
2370000
2572000 2574000 2576000 2578000 2580000 2582000 2584000
MAP 1.6.1, PART A
EXISTING LAND USE MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE , N. C.
EMERALD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
I LAND RESOURCES
i I
INFORMATION SERVICE
919-733-2090
J
SCALE 1: 15840
1 INCH = 1320 FEET
5 15 86
EMERAL.A.LU.P1
ORIG SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON OESEN 8k ASSOCIATES
2386000
CONSULTING ENGINEERS 8 PLANNERS
2589000
2390000
2592000
2594000
W I LM I NGTON , NORTH CAROLINA
2596000
2599250
2874

350000 1 I 16 I I I I I
t6221
Q
9 76
5
o�No
348000 S
3
346000
344000
342000
340000
337000
2599250 2602000
2604000
2606000
V
,� � A N
A
MAP 1.6.1 , PART B
EXISTING LAND USE MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE , N. C.
EMERALD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
cn I LAND RESOURCES
I
INFORMATION SERVICE
919-733-2090
J I
SCALE 1= 15840
1 INCH = 1320 FEET
5 15 86
EMERAL•B.LU.P1
ORIG SCALE 1= 24000 NORTH
I
2608000
2610000
I
2612000
I
2614000
2616000
I I f
2618000 2620000 2622000 2624000 2626000 2628500
HENRY VON OESEN 8 ASSOCIATES
CONSULTING ENGINEERS 8 PLANNERS
WI LMINGTON , NORTH CAROLINA

TABLE 1.6..2.1 s
EXISTIM
LAND USE MAPPINS U.N'IT.S/DEF'INIT.IQNS/ACREAGES
'
EMERALD
I SL E i. NQ.RTE CAROL I,NA
Designationl'
Land• Upg Category- Total
Acreage
rUnit
Level. I
Level IIZ
11
Rea dant.al
11-1
Mobile Home; Park
148:.:1
1.13
S nrgl.e. Unit Housing
In G L as;s and/or Shrub
Area,
560.6
114
Single unit. Housing
In Fore-st.ed Area
707.3
115
Area. Transitional to
Residential (,s.t.re:ets
and drives. but. no
'
houses,. etc..)
167i.3
116
Single Unit, Houses
On Man -Made Land
4.8
Subtotal,
Residential
1,588.1
12
Commercial and Services
(Unclassified)
39.1
120
Multi -Unit Dwelling
(including hotels,
motels,_ apartments and
condominiums with
associated restaurants
and piers)
27.6
lzi
Fire Station and
Rescue Squad
>..5
122
Police Department
0.8
126
Marina and/or Water
Access Ramp
7.1
127
Campground
2«9
128
Church
2.6
1. See text and Appendix
A -for discussion of levels.

'
Table 1.6.2.11
Continued
Existing Land
Use Mapping
Units/Definitions/
Acreages, Emerald
Isle, NC
Page 2
Unit Designation
Land Use Category Total
Acreage
Level I
Level I I I
'
129
Coast Guard Station
3.7
Subtotal, Commercial and Services
85.3
14
Transportation, Utilities
Communications, and Information
141
Electric and Gas
Utility
1.9
'
142
Telephone Company
Field Office and
Microwave Tower
0.3
'
143
Water Supply Tower
or Sewage Treatment
Facilities
2.2
'
Subtotal, Transport., Communications
and Information
4.4
17
Other Urban or Rural
Built -Up Land
173
Intensely Used
Recreational Area
29.9
21
Cropland or Pasture
5.2
33
Grassland (Behind
Primary Dunes)
215.7
42
Maritime Forest
755.1
5
Water (Freshwater Ponds)
12.1
616•
Intradune Complex
'
Grass and/or Shrub
4.7
621
Fresh Marsh Wetland
10.1
'
622
Saltmarsh
178.4

Table 1.6.2.1, Continued
Existing Land Use Mapping Units/Definitions/
Acreages, Emerald Isle, NC
Page 3
Unit Designation
Land Use Category
Total Acreage
Level I
Level III
72
Beaches
244.5
73
Sandy Area
11.3
76
Transitional Areas
192.9
Subtotal,
Other Miscellaneous
Land Use
Categories
1,659.9
GRAND TOTAL, ALL CATEGORIES
3,337.7
1
1
1
1
1

land uses of various types including hotels, motels, apartments
'.
and condominiums (Land Use Category 120)*, about 79 acres is
developed for commercial uses of various types including
'
recreational uses (Land Use Category 173), and about 13 acres are
developed for institutional, government, utilities and other
'
miscellaneous uses. Thus, about 1,708 acres of the 3,337 total
acres of land or 51 percent is developed leaving about 1,629
acres yet undeveloped. However, of this latter total only about
'
1,184 acres are developable under current local, regional and
state regulations.
Mobile homes within the commercial areas present a land use
compatibility problem for the Town. Adjacent to the fishing
'
piers some of these housing units are crowded within a distance
'
of five feet of each other. Within most mobile home residential
areas, however, these dwelling units are adequately spaced and
'
provide suitable vacation homes for citizens of North Carolina.
A potential incompatible land use problem is the large
acreages of land zoned for multifamily/condominium use within the
'
Town. Over 1,400 acres is zoned for this purpose. With a
current density of 8 dwelling units per acre allowed in the
'
zoning ordinance, this area will accommodate 11,200 dwelling
units if fully developed. Most of this undeveloped acreage is
'
found east of Block 41. This area also contains the last
' remaining large contiguous stand of undisturbed maritime forest
on Bogue Banks.
Another problem of existing unplanned development is the size
of the existing subdivision lots. There are a large number of
1-7

lots which ar•e_- :plotted and'. recorded. gat a size of 10,000 square
feet or less. Because only a small number of these lots have
structures, septic tanks are not yet crowded, --...These. -'small lots
were recorded prior to the Town's subdivision..regulations. = .
Thei:areassof -.the-Town,which__ are-,�,likely.to .experience major
land .- use -changes , during the. next-' ten .-zyear.s are ' near _the bridge..
and, ;:f rom . the -.;bridge westward.•to . B.ogue Inlet.
_As :,di'scussed . in the development-- constraint section of 'this
report .; (see Section .3) ,: the :Town has : seven �.categor ies of ..areas ' of
environmental concern (ACE'S). These are:.. (:1) -,coastal wetlands
along -Rogue Inlet _and Sound; 7(2)t: est lat ne. waters, Bogue Inlet
and --Sound;, (3 ), ,estuarine shorelines ialong,Bogue, Inlet and.,. Sound;:
(4) public trust. areas,: Bogue' Inlet; Sound!. and -:Atlantic -Ocean;
(5)- ocean erodible -areas al.on:g. Atlantic Ocean; (6) high hazard..
flood areas along .Atlantic. Oce-an;;-and (7).: inlet hazard areas.
along :Bogue ._Inlet. These areas .will only -allow development .in
conformance with the North Carolina -:Coastal Area Management Act;-.
as amended. There are. - no other'.. categories of -areas of
environmental concern within the Town.

I
ISECTION 2: CURRENT PLANS, -POLICIES,: AND- RE)GULAtIONS*:
I
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2,.J:.-_- Current -Plans/Policies..
2.1.1 Transportations, ..
A -transportation ;plan .has lbeery prepared .for .:%Carteret ODunty,
including Emerald- -Is.1-e-,.--.,-.by--=the.•,North Carolina Departm-ent of
Transportation (NCDOT). .' The County Commissioner..6 with
the, -:plan and-; have -. not . a:ccepted. 1:t as.- a- Transportation '-Plan =for
Carteret _County.. For :thin 1-reason,,Emerald Isle -does 1-,.not ..y6t.have
an official Transportati:on.°Plan::­'
-1 :,.71
. �In 1975, the major, road-, through.. Emerald Isle, - --Emerald­',Drive,'
was An- need of maj or improvements. .-- The- NCDOT. planned' to ""(Ipqf ade.;
this road to a one hundred foot -right-;-of -way. with: a'I 24'. 'foot
roadway and 6-foot.-, paved ---shoulders.. :Several local pr-(Yperty
owners opposed these 1mp'rov.,eme.nts_--and filedsuit to stop this
project. However, the.',As6uLirwas resolved and. --Emerald,; Drive is
now .,an excellent two lane highway."k
-An issue within the.-., publicparti-cipation' plan
improvement of streets and roads within., Emerald, Isle., The'. Town
has taken necessary steps to devote more attention to its street
maintenance.
2.1.2 Community Facilities Plan
Emerald Isle, being new, has not yet prepared a community
facilities plan, per se. However, in order to improve the
necessary public
services,
the
Town has played
a major role
in
the establishment
of a Town
fire
department and
rescue squad.
A
police department has been in existence.for several years. Also,
2-1
I

the Town- has, -been- i,nv,9l*ye,d- in. preliminary planni,ng for a
municipal nzewer system (-see Section 3.10).
2. 1. -Utilities.., Extension. Policies, ..7
pecau e the; ,Town, Zoes -,not,:C-urrentl --,provide public -utilities,.,
it ­does ,jp9t..,- have, a.- utility,, extensions: pplicy; Bogup Banks Water
and Sewer, Authority -proy..ides public -;water ., supply throughout,thp.;
Town.
2.1.4 Recreation and Open Space Policies
.In.-J,974j, the Town_ began -a., public., recreation program.- Since
that,, time,, the, Town has developed several tennis courts:. and has -
installed some playground equipment. The 'Town, as yet,, has not-,
adopted a Recreation and open Space Plan. However, all group
housing., developments are required :to mle.et-specific open space, and
recreational area requirements.
2.1.5-.,Prior Land Use Plans and Policies
As a part of the Town's Planning Program in 1974, a Land,,
Development Guide was prepared. .- -The.,,gpide- was, adopted. as the
official development policy .by the Town.Board-of:Commissioners on
February-.-8, 1975.,,- The f-ollowing is the., key ,,statement of that
poliqy:-,.
High intensity dev'dlo'j5mdht­`sh6UI:d 66 -lo6ated near the bridge
(i.e.,, Cameron Langstone Bridgeli •with, -decreasing intensity --as,
the distance from the bridge increases.
Other policies stated in the 1974 Land Development Guide
incl-uded-.the;-.concept,that commercial areas, should -:,be located -near
the high density areas in shopping qe�ntler­-jponcept K-at,4e.r­-,., than in
strip- apmmex,Th
is his means p t-h&t-,,.qommerc sbouldv, be
located near the bridge, on either or both sides -of---EMer4ld-.

Drive. Strip commercial development" should be= disdduraged,­ and
existing strip commercial "areas should' 'be buffered by
institutional or multi -family dev.elopm.ent=-to- prevent ener-oachment
into, -residential 'areas: Motu s=Should be=groupe'.d irr�a few A areas
on ''the beach -rather than `scattered = along the � 'entire beach: ` For
ekdmple, "'the Islander,'• MotelL-is iif�an Tdeal: 'location - relative to_,
the bridge. other motels should be encouraged to build in •the
same general area.
In summary, the Land Develotnent Gude:`fostere"d -the -concept
that higher intensi-ty land -uses shbtild be located -near the b"ridge
for the -f ollowing reasons zF'
(1) More efficient use -of `the`Town'_s road -system.
-;" (2) Cost xeducti on 'krf Ibstallati on :of a l•uture ` sewa'ge
collection system.
(3) Reduction of high -oTuiues' of traffic throughlow ..density -
areas•.
(4) Development of stable area. '
(5) Discouragement of -strip' commercial development: _
In addition to the Land Use Guide, the Town also had -goals and
objectives concerning future development that were adopted ,as a
part of the original 1975 CAMA Land Use Plan. -These goals and
ob5ectives''included the 'following:
To continue to encourage the development of a good, clean.
.,if amily "beach:
"e To continue efforts to maintai'n high-' stari"d'et,dd`-fo"t`� both
A residential .and commercial areas.."'?
'- • To encourage -the= devel'opinent of =public: �faci1i�ti�es'rT0f.) beach
access 'areas �: `a -I _
'2 ­�3

• To insure that the; Town'_s population does not, exceed the
'
capacity of natural ; r.esources and supporting. public
facilities.
• To continue efforts to construct,,;a,:.public. sewage treatment
system- for:; the Bogue Sound area.
To improve . the,. qual i_ty Hof Town, streets.
'
• To., continue . to, follow.- the -.,Town,, Land. Development G ui de. _
..In the. -1981 update of •.Land Use. Plan,: all of the previous
,
policies were reaffirmed and -.reemphasized and the following
'
additional policy statements were ,codif;ied: �
• To discourage industrial., development_within the Town.
'
� To .,,increase. participation in :S-tate and Federal- grant,
_programs where appropriate,.,.=,
'
,• :To- support beach nourishment ,and channel maintenance
'
profacts by :the US. Army Cor.,ps of Engineers.
• ,To promote: tourism -and open, beach..,access.
'
0 To, support .a continued:, program of,,. public education on land
_use. .issues affecting, ;the Town and: to, encourage the open ;
discussion .of such issues at public meetings.
t
As a direct outgrowth of the of or,ement.ioned -pol icy of .-
encour.a,ging 4igher Aensity,.,.development ..near to the high rise
'
bridge,- the Town Board . -has implemented a. rezoning policy relative;
to -commercial. and institutional land,,uses. In the area of the
'
bridge ._(.Emerald Driv-e)„ to E. Holly :S;treet,, rezonings will -.be
directed,,
-to B-3. ;From Holly. Street <;to L;ive Oak ,,Street,, rezon ngs, .
will. =ber to. B-2. From ;Live..Oak Street to Seagull, Street-, zoning
'
changes will be to B-1. From Seagull Street to Black Skimmer
'2-4
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Road, rezoning will be to INST.`','(Seie Section 2-'.2.;.1 following for
descriptions of these zoning categories)'
2.1.6 Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan/Post Disaster Reconstruction
Plan/Destructive Wbathe­r1-'Plan';
A Storm Hazard Mitigat-ion 'Pl* a':n-',a;'n­d P'o s"t, D`X` 6?a�-'S' t e r
Reconstruction Plan was ­'pft&j)are'd_ f_,Or',*the- Town of Emeial d 191 e
June 1984 by George.-Eidhl-e'r,'.-.ik-Asr;6cia-t'es',�-and--Sa 'ti1-la Planni rig,
"and
Inca to' meet the specific- needs' of --the Town to c6nform­to``the
adopted state rules for 'storm'. liazaird planning. "(11ote: A -copy of
this plan is found in Appendix 9).-'
In the Storm Hazard- Mik:i-4&tidh` Plan it was concluded uded that the
entire Town of Emerald.:Idie As' susceptible to sign'ificant,,st6rm
damage from a hurricane or an extra-tropicail-- storm (n'6rlddsiter)
of similar magnitude. , HovieVdr, only, 6' pex-cent -of-' the' Towdl s
dwelling units are located in AEC or"in 'area's susceptible to
flooding associated with -the':100-year, storm. The' entire` Town 'is
susceptible to wind damAge''., -'In- general,the Town' s­existing
mitigation policies: meet: the re'q-uirements- for- hazard mi - t i-4a=t i on
planning embodied _in' exi'bting -State giiidel'ines.More
specifically it was noted` that
'(1) The Townl,s growth -'p6lic-y,.encourages.t'r*61,it'lVely'-'-I-*O-W'-"
I .. 1.1 1
density residential development'; 'high rise 'develoipmebtTs al-onq`�tlie
ocean -are not typi"cally found in Emerald Isle.- The Towrilib:s,a, so
down-zofied lands= that -originally allowed '.-up to 13* 5 `-dwelfkfnig
units reduce' -- the
per -acre to dwelling _Uinits -per acre". ifiziY­
ul.-Eirddte number- of units by 21200 or -about' -7,20-0 seas6nai s'tles.-

(2) The Town's policies support and are consistent with State
policies and re'g'u1ati•ons for development`" in Area's of
Environmental Concern. -
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(3) l�`iiew-developmern'must 'conform"with 'tiie -provisions'of'''
the iNC Building' Code. _
'Town 's floodpl`an' development` policies- conform-­i'th
all 'Federal and State requirements. _
(5) " The . Town' does a gaodj ob ' of controlling 'mobile home
developments in order to minimize hazard ''damages: Mobile homes'
are `restricted"to a specific distii"ct and must' conform with
elevation:and other' requirements:
'(6) The Town has made ari obvfous' effort to keep up with
building -code and land use regulation -enforcement during the
recent growth period by -hiring additional" building inspection -
personnel.:
The`' basic conclusion of the Storm' Hazard `Mitigation' Plan was-
'the
the Town of Emerald. Isle" was `doing' a good ')"ob to -mitigate'
f uture storm damages and that the Tow'n' s, policies meet =both- the
requirements and philosophical objectives contained in State
gui-delifies., .... . , _ ...
The only -recommended changes to existing policies -made in the
plan was that the Town should consider revising its zoning
ordinance -pr�ovisions'"governing non -conforming --situations- (Section
9-4033) `'to s (a) `more ` explicitly- cover replacement- or repair of
non--coriforining'- structures so that 'they' are "`required "to meet
appfi`6abfe" floodplain., 'regulations` and`- provisions-�of `'the North
Carolina State Building Code governnv- wind 'loads;' and'"(b)` 'that
upon destruction to or beyond a specific percentage of structure
2-6

I
value- (50 percent is recommende,d), all structures be -required to
meet all applicable regulations (zoning, flood, building code,
health is if
code, etc.) . The rationale that a,.building sustains
more.. than 50 percent damage -,it Is...for -all: pqict kcak, -purposes
destroyed and if the zoning ordinance terms classify ,it'-as,"non-
conforming, " it -should not .,be.. allowed., to, rebuild, to ,the. -same size
and conditions in the same location.. Addi.t,ionally',,,,..these
be. ap lied, specif ically to both. -conforming
provisions should non
uses and conforming structures.
.;-The Post-Dis.aster..Reco.nstr,,uction Plan provides.,a program to.
deal with the aftermaths of a storm in.an organized and efficient
manner. The Plan provide-s the mechanismsy ..,procedures,. .gnd
policies . that - will enable - :the..Town to learn from its .storm
experiences and to rebuild the, community, in a wise and practical
manner. The Emerald Isle Post -Disaster Reconstruction - Plan
encompasses three distinct. reconstruction periods and provides
detailed procedures for handling each phase:.,,.,.
• The emergency perAo is..the reconstruction. phase immediately.,
after a storm.,. The emphasis: is on. restoring -publi.c. _health
and safety, assessing the nature and extent of st o rm. damaqe,
and .qualifying . for and obtaining ,whatever: federal and state,
assistance might available..
_.be
I
• The restoration period -...covers the weeks and .months .foll,owing
-4 storm, disaster. The ',.emphasis during- this period is on
ring. community,' utilities, .e,sse-nttal
restoring. .,facilities,.,..
busi.nessese. etc.,r so that the community ;can -.once. ,again
.
function. in .a normal.. ma nne r. a fi
2-7

• The -replacement reconstruction period. is the period_, during.
which ,toe_ community is :rebuilt., The period could last from
months,, to,, years :depepdi,ng : on : the nature . and .extent -of the --
damages incurred.
..,The--,D�structive-,-Weather.-Plan,,,_adop_ted� in.,,September,,.1-985
outlines instructions for, -the organization 1.ancj. : operation.,. of -,the.-
Town, .dur.ing destructive w.eather, ,condit:ionsi and, defines they.
location, of and operation-, of. an. Emergency•..OPerations Centers
(EOC)._.,. Mote: .,a copy.. of this_ plan- is found in Appendix F)
2.2 -Current. Land Use Regulations.,.
2.2.1 ,,zoning Ordinance.
„The ,Tow.n adopted its first zoning -.,ordinance, during the ate
1950' s. It was based on a pyramid concept with .R72 Residential--.
Zones at the.top..of the pyramid and;mobile homes and camps at .the
bottom. of .
the ,, pyramid.-
If
a property owner :did not, want -to be
zoned with
a great deal
of
restrictions, all -he needed -to do -was
to have his property zoned mobile home. This would allow the
L
owner to use his property for residential or commercial use.
Originally, if a degree of +land use protection was desired,
restrictive covenants were used. This original zoning ordinance
is l ar,gely responsible for;. the rincompatible mixed land use which
exists at some locations within the Town today. Another problem
with the,ori:ginal ordinance is that -the minimum lot area was only
5,000 square feet. Problems, will likely arise when the requests
for septic
tank
permits are made for these
substandard
lots.
On June
14,
1975, the Town adopted a
new zoning
ordinance.
The minimum lot size with this ordinance was 8,000 square feet.
In 1977, the lot size.was increased to 12,500 square feet. In
2-8

order that the new ordi-nance -would not=liay.e' the same --problems
with septic tank -permits as the -'old, -'a coiidi-t on was placed in
-rdgulativns-''requirifig�'a `Department
the subdivision County Health
review of all new subdivisions before they were' `pisex ted�to the
Planning Board-' n, preliminary `'form: '-`- Pridr -approval -by' County
.Health Department `was - di,scon-timed becarise eFee' -County � d-i- "not
wAn't ;to grant bl'an•ket' -approval' `for =they entirer sub�di`��i~sion:'
--lot-
Approval is.' now given"bn`'a by'Jot� basis prior to the issuance
of building permits: Thiis: poli'cy�' s '-'consisten+- witli lni� St&te
regulations governing septic tank='approval: .-.A -close- coordination
'
is necessary between the County Health --Department=='abd �the'
Building Inspector' as, a r•esulel'".of -'the. promulgation of"`the' •n'ew
State regulations.
-- The! existing' zoning ordinance' 'has 'te`n (10) separate'' distrlifts
and seven M overlay districts:- -These -districts and' 'the -purpose
of each are as follows-:'
Districts Purpose
ti
"
Residential 1 (Rl) A single family residential
district allowing a single- family -`
dwelling on a lot.
- .
Residential 2. (R2) A residential district allowing a
-" `-a
.'61 le famil dwerlin two
9 y 9 or
family dwelling on a ,lot.
Residential MF (RMF) A residential district allowing a..
- single family dwelling, ' a 'two
family dwelling, or a multi -family
i
Y - dwelling on a`- lot.
- w
2-9
f

Districts
Purpose
Residential MH (RMH)
A residential district allowing a
`
single family dwelling, ` a two
family dwelling, a multi -family
'dwelling, a motel or hotel on a
MO fe.''H MH'j
A mobile home district allowing
mobile homes.
Institutional T'(I'nst.')
`` - A residential district allowing
,.''.institutional and office uses, not
including the sale of merchandise.
Business 1 (B-1)
"A!b'usiness district allowing a
`limited variety of retail trade.
Business =2 ' (B-2) ' "
~A• -business district allowing a
`moderate variety of retail trade.
Business 3 (B-3)-
= 9-business district allowing a
general and wide variety of retail • .
. -. . - ......
� - • trade:.; .. .. .
Camp, (C)'
�_A`r`ecreational district allowing
travel trailers, campers and tents.
Coastal Wetlands (CW)
-An­oif6rlay district which may
ov�erl•ay any of the zoning districts
so `established as a part of this
ordinance, requiring that
development within such districts
• be', consistent with the Coastal
Wetlands standards of the North
Carolina Coastal Area Management
Act of 1974 as amended.
Estuarine -•Waters (EW),
"An"overlay district which may
--
;overlay any of the .zoning districts
so established as a part of this
ordinance, requiring that
development within such districts ,
'
be consistent with the Estuarine
Water 'Standards of the North
=�
Carolina Coastal Area Management
'Act of 1974 as amended.

/
Districts
Pur pose
Estuarine Shoreline (ES)
An' overlay district which may
overlay any of the zoning districts
so,pstablished as a point of this
or3.i.nance, requiring that all
development within such districts
_-within 75 feet of estuarine ,waters
` be ..consistent with `the Estuarine
Shoreline standards of the N. C.
:Coastal Area Management Act_ of 1�7.4. -
as.amended.
Public Trust Area (PTA)
An `overlay district which may
overlay any of the zoning districts .t
so established as a part of this
ordinance, requiring that
_development within such ,.districts.
,
. _,be .,consistent with the Public
Trust Areas standards of the North
Carolina Coastal Area Management
Act -.;of 1974 as amended...
Ocean'Beaches (OB)
m •,
+An�.overlay district which may
overlay any of the zoning districts
..so .,established as a part of this,-,
ordinance,. requiring that
1
development within such districts
be- consistent with, the .Ocean
Beaches standards of the North
Carolina Coastal Area Management
ACt -of 1974 as amended.
Frontal Dunes (FD)
yAn..ov.erlay district which may
..overlay any of the zoning districts
so *established as a part of this
`
J ordinance, requiring that
.
development within such districts
.,be.,,consistent with; .the ,FrontAL
Dunes standards of the North `
Carolina Coastal Area Management.
:Adt of 1974 as amended.
Inlet Lands (IL)
, "An.,`overlay district which may
overlay any of the zoning districts
,.so established as a part of this
ordinance, requiring that
` development within such districts
be consistent with the Inlet Lands
standards of the North Carolina
2-11

Coastal Area Management Act of 1974
as amended.
Ocean Erodible Areas (OEA) An overlay district which may
overlay'any of theft zoning; districts.
sb') estab,14shed a-&3 a- part-. off .ti iz�
akUi.nan rety-uiribl., that
deb el ov m e-nt:,: w! UA W; sueh-) di.str i cts3
be CdKb bVb" -nVT with" thee Ocean.
ErodIbl�eAr Ws- st'aTdar&-..of- the,
North'" Cikzollh&B� OoasthIl kr�tra
NLanageff& ie Aic"tz off 19744 as- ayffended.,
Each- of the separate distr-ict`s=- are. mutd >ll e:xvl usive: T-ha
ordinance= has a' table of permitt'ed'uses- WI ch sta=tthe t3:pes' of
uses allowed' in each zone. TE& zoning" map is- shown' hereivi as Map
2.2.1.`
'
2.2.2 Si#�c7iusvn--Reulatioii<S..-(Ordria_nce
The Town- cod f�i°ed and` a'aopted? a d-Id6d- :-v i=sz do r-equ ati on Ln-
March', 1974 Arid updated' same in Al3fTl-ji 1=984. The f ive-f old:
purpose of the regulation° is as follow
(l) To provide for e`cornom cad: an-d` su-f-ffclen't stre,et•s with
adequate w dtY s and With: pfo r al'i-grim'erit acid grade;
(2) To provide' s%pace for i f.& sanitary dwelling
affld
acc6 odationi within the- corporate limits of the Town;
1.
(3); To provide for suitabi& resideritial neighborhoods with
adequate streets and utilities and appra`p iate building sites;
(4') To save unnecessary expe.fr'dit-ure of public f unds by
studying space and recommending from time to time the purchase of
such space fot public lands and b'dild ngs and by initial proper
construction of streets and utilities:
2=12
r

339000
337000
335000
533000
P1
331000
it/lYVV f�/..vvV svr vvw ��••��� �-•----
MAP 2.2.1, PART A
EXISTING ZONING MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE , N.C.
EMI RAtrD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
LAND RESOURCES
Un INFORMATION SERVICE
NC DEPT OF NR&CD
—J 919/733-2090
SCALE 1: 15840
1 INCH = 1320 FT
11 17 1962
EMERAL. SL. A. L 1
ORIG SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON .OESEN 81 ASSOCIATES
CONSULTING ENGINEERS a PLANNERS
DISTRICT
ZONING
DESIGNATION
DISTRICT
C
CAMP
R- I
RESIDENTIAL i
R-2
RESIDENTIAL 2
R-MF
RESIDENTIAL MF
R-MH
RESIDENTIAL MH
MH
MOBILE HOME
INST
INSTITUTIONAL
B-1 .
BUSINESS I
B-2
BUSINESS 2
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
B-3
BUSINESS 3
OVERLAY
OVERLAY
DISTRICT
ZON I N G
DESIGNATION
DISTRICT
ESL
ESTUARINE SHORE LINE
CW
COASTAL WETLANDS
EW
ESTUARINE WATERS
PTA
PUBLIC TRUST AREA
OB
OCEAN BEACHES
FD
FRONTAL DUNES
IHA ®
INLET HAZARD AREAS
OEA
OCEAN ERODIBLE AREAS
Go ! Y

r T 1
� 1
440000 t `
i R-2
t
EEA/PTA
OB /PTA
FD
a»000
zsoo100
11
346000
346000
u4000
9�
ESL
342000 E W
� 1
1
1
1
R—MH 1
FD
PTA
N Q
- SOv-
z
1
E � G U E PT
A
V ESL
PTA R-22
ESL EW OEA/PTA
OB/PTA
FD
D
R-2.
R-2 _ R-M 1 PTA
ESL EW PTA 1 MH 1 C 1_ 1 FD
R_MF
W R-2 1 i ►;
1 B-3
1
PTA PIER
R-2
A N
0 E
N .� ` C
A � �" A
2802000 2604000 260-000 2606too
MAP 2.2.1, PART B
EXISTING ZONING MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE , N . C.
EMERALD ISLE .LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
LAND RESOURCES
INFORMATION SERVICE
Ir NC DEPT OF NR&CD
--j 919/733-2090
SCALE 1: 15840
1 INCH = 1320 FT
11 17 1982
EMERAL. SL. B. L 1 67
ORIG SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON OESEN a ASSOCIATES
2810000 2.I2000
CONSULTING ENGINEERS a PLANNERS
2e14000 2616too 2614000 2820000 2522000
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA
2624000
2626000
2626000
2874

(5) - To provide proper land records for the convenience of the
r, public and for better identification and permanent location of
�- real estate boundaries.
This regulation simply lists the standards for land
subdivision. Once the preliminary plan is approved, development
can begin. Lot sales cannot take place until the final plat plan
is recorded. The Planning Board reviews the final plat to insure
compliance with the approved pr-eiiminary plan. In April 1985' the
regulation was amended to require all new subdivisions to
dedicate -a minimum public access width of 10 feet from -each
street right-of-way to the high water mark of both the Atlantic
Ocean and Bogue Sound at both the east and west boundaries and
center in each of the Town's fifty-four (54) blocks starting at
the.. western limits of Indian Beach and proceeding in a westerly
direction to Bogueinlet. Similarly developers ;of mobile home
parks and travel trailer parks are required to dedicate one 10-
foot -wide public access way for each 350 feet of ocean- or sound
frontage with a minimum of one access way for every mobile home
park/travel trailer park with a minimum frontage of 150 feet on
each side on both the Atlantic- Ocean' and Bogue Sound.
2-.2.3 Floodplain Management -Regulations
A Floodplain' Ordinance adopted in April, 1985 is part of the
Town'.s' zoning: ordinarice (Article I). It is designed to meet
_requirements of the National Flood Insurance key provisions
including:
2-13

(1) All new residential construction, or substantial
improvements (repairs or reconstruction worth .50 percent of
market value) must be elevated to or above the base flood level
elevations.
(2) Commercial buildings -located-in-either the "V" (velocity)
or "A" (static) flood zones must be elevated to the base flood
level or floodproofed.
(3) Open space or breakaway walls must, be used below base
flood elevation in "V" zones.
.(4) The design and installation of anchorings and pilings
must be certified by a registered engineer or architect.
(5) No alteration of dunes or use of fill for structural
support shall occur in the "V" zone.
2.2.4 Building Codes/Inspection
Building permits are issued bythe_Building Inspector .for
structures which comply with provisions of the NC Building Code.
Inspections of new construction are carried out by the Town
Building Inspector and his staff.
2.2.5 Nuisance Regulation
The Town of Emerald Isle has adopted nuisance.'regulations and
codified same in Part 8 of the Town's Code of Ordinances. These
regulations cover such nuisances as disorderly conduct, animal
control, abandoned vehicles, weeds and ref use, general health.
regulations, beach and shore regulations (including surfing
restrictions), weapons and miscellaneous nuisances not included
in the above categories.
2-114
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
11 .
I
I

2.2.6 Dunes and Vegetation Protection Ordinance
The Town of Emerald Isle adopted.a Dunes and Vegetation
j
Protection Ordinance in April 1980 and amended same in October,
1984. The stated purpose of the ordinance is "to preserve and
promote the protection of the sand dunes and the vegetation
thereon" due to the fact that "flagrant destruction of existing
topography and vegetation greatly alters the maintenance and
continuity of the banks, increases -problems of erosion, and
lessens the scenic and tax value of property within the Town."
At least 45 percent of the natural vegetation must be left in
place on residential lots, 25-percent on commercial lots zoned Bl
or B2 and 15 percent on commercial lots zoned B3 under the, terms
of this ordinance. Permits are required prior to any alteration
of dunes or the removal of vegetation: -
2.2.7 Sedimentation "andy!Erosion Control
The Town of Emerald Isle does not have a sedimentation and
erosion control ordinance at the present time. New projects
involving the disturbance of over one (1) contiguous acre of land
must file a Sedimentation and Erosion Control Plan with the N. C.
Division of Land Resources (set Table 2.2.12.1).
As a step towards controlling stormwater runoff, the.town
recently contracted for the preparation of a Master Drainage
Plan. This plan will define the need for a local
sedimentation/erosion control" and stormwater runoff control
ordinance.
2.2.8 Environmental Impact Ordinance
The Town of Emerald Isle does not yet have an environmental
impact ordinance.
2-15

2.2.9 Mobile Home Regulations
Mobile homes constitute about 35 percent of the existing
housing stock ,,.---,-,an- estimated 1110.9-0.- units.,_ The Tow-n s__.z.,.on_i.n,g
ordinance-establishes,.mobile-lhome placement and designs standards;,__
flood hazard --design considerations are included,,in-,.the.floodplain"
regulations and require, elevation above the 100-year flood
elevation,,tiedowns,:.,and prohibition on mobile homes locating in.
"V" zones.
2.2.10,,Other-Local Regulations
Other .-ordinances. adopted by the Town which deal with local
development include a Sign ordinance. An ordinance regulating
massage- parlors is cur-rently under development. Emerald Isle
does snot. have_ local. historic district regulations. " The
development codes and ordinances are enforced by the Planning
Board and Town Board of Commissioners. The official enforcement
officer ,is, the Building Inspector. Any appeals of his decisions
are presented to, the Board of Adjustments. The Town depends on
the Carteret..County Health Department for enforcement of septic
tank ,regulations.
2.2.11.1i Solid.Waste Program
Solid..waste.collection and disposal is providedthrougha.
contract. with a private hauler and disposed in the county
landf iil',*
2.2.12Federal and State k64ulatfo-n's'-'­"
The,.f-o-11owing is a list of Federal and State agencies which
hay.e,.-jurisdiction,.w,ithin,.,..the coastal area including the Town of
Emerald -,Is1e:.,'-_
2-16

TABLE
2.2.12.1
FEDERAL AND STATE
LICENSES AND PERMITS
Ageney=:_ ;r, :.",- 3 �;O:'Licenses'and Formits"'
USArmy -Corps=ofEngineers=
.�• r=' =Permits requires -Under
Sections 9 and 10 of the
Rivers >and- Harbors of
1899; permits to construct
in navigable waters
(docks, piers, etc.).
- Permits required under
Section 103 of. the. `Marine
Protection, Research and
= Sanctuaries Act `of 1972.
- Permits required under
Section 404 of the Federal
Water Pollution Control '
Act of 1972; permits to
r,
undertake dredging -and/or'
filling activities
(marinas, boat slips,,' --
etc.).
Coast G uard
= - Permits for bridges, .
(Department of Transportation)
causeways, pipelines over
-
navigable waters; required
under the General Bridge
Act.of 1946 and the Rivers :
and Harbors Act of 1899.
Coast Guard
(Department of Transportation)
- Deep water port:peimits
Geological Survey°• ' '.
- Permits required for
off -shore drilling.
Bureau of Land Management
- Approval of OCS pipeline
(Department of Interior)
corridor rights -of -way.'
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- License for siting,
construction and operation
of nuclear power plants;
..required, under the. -Atomic
Energy Act of 1954 and
Title II of the., -`Energy
Reorganization Act of
1974.
2-17

Agency
Licenses and
Federal Energy Regulatory
- Permits for construction,
Commission
operation and maintenance
of interstate pipelines
facilities required under
the Natural Gas Act of
1938.
- Orders of Interconnection
of electric transmission
facilities under Section
202 (b) of the Federal
Power Act.
- Permission required for
abandonment of natural gas
pipeline and associated
facilities under Section
7C (b) of the Natural Gas
Act of 1938.
- Licenses for non-federal
hydro -electric projects
and associated
transmission lines under
Sections 4 and 15 of the
Federal Power Act.
STATE LICENSES
AND PERMITS
Agency
Licenses and Permits
Department of Natural Resources
Pa
- Permits to discharge to
9
and Community Development
surface waters or operate
Division of Environmental
wastewater treatment
Management (DEM)
plants or oil discharge
permits; NPDES Permits,
(G. S. 143-215) .
- Permits for withdrawal of
surface or ground waters
in capacity use areas
(G.S. 143-215.15).
2-18

I
1
1
I
Table 2.2.12.1, continued
Agency
Licenses and Permits
- Permits for air pollution
abatement facilities and
sources (G.S.142-215.108).
- Permits for construction
of complex sources; e.g.
parking lots,
subdivisions, stadiums,
etc. (G.S. 143-215.109).
- Permits for construction
of a well over 100,000
gallons/day. (G.S. 87-88) .
Department of Natural Resources
- Permits to dredge and/or
and Community Development
fill in estuarine waters,
Division of Coastal Management
tideland, etc. (G.S.
(DCM)
113-229).
- Permits (major CAMA
permits) to undertake
development in Areas of
Environmental Concern
(G.S. 113A-118) .
NOTE: Minor development
permits are issued by
the local government
through the office of the
Building Inspector.
Department of Natural Resources
- Permits to alter or
and Community Development
construct a dam (G.S.
Division of Land Resources (DLR)
143-215.66).
- Permits to mine (G.S. 74-
51) .
- Permits to drill an
exploratory oil or gas
well (G.S. 113-381) .
- Permits to conduct
geophysical exploration
(G.S. 113-391).
2-19

1
1
1
Table 2.2.12.1, Continued
Agency
Licenses and Permits
- Sedimentation erosion
control plans for any land
disturbing activity of
over one contiguous acre
(G.S. 113A-54) .
Department of Natural Resources
- Permits to construct an
and Community Development
oil refinery.
Secretary of NRCD
Department of Administration
- Easements to fill where
State Property Office
lands are proposed to be
raised above the normal
high water. mark of
navigable waters by
filling (G.S. 146.6(c)).
Department of Human Resources
- Approval to operate a
solid waste disposal site
or facility (G.S. 130-
166.16) .
2-20
Approval for construction
of any public water supply
facility that furnishes
water to ten or more
residences (G.S. 130-
160.1)
Approval for construction
of and operation of any
wastewater .treatment
facilities which involve
subsurface discharges of
treated effluent (G.S.
130A-11).

SECTION 3:- LAND SUITABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS
3.1 Physical Limitations for Development
Emerald Isle is located on a barrier island and therefore has
several obvious physical limitations for development, namely the
Atlantic Ocean, Bogue Inlet and Bogue Sound. Emerald Isle is
also bounded on the east by another municipality, Indian Beach.
On the mainland across Bogue Sound, the Town of Cape Carteret
occupies the soundf ront land east of Highway 58. Further east
the.US military installation, Bogue Field, occupies considerable
territory. Thus, potential for expansion of the current land
area of Emerald Isle by annexation does not appear possible given
these aforementioned physical constraints.
In addition to the obvious constraints on development, there
are specific areas within the Town which have conditions which
would make development costly or which would cause certain
undesirable consequences if developed. These other limitations
are discussed below:
3.1.1 -Hazard Areas (Man-Made/Natural)
' 3.1.1.1 Man -Made Hazard Areas
There are no man-made hazard areas within Town limits.
However, Bogue Field which is located on the mainland north of
Emeral.d Isle constitutes a man-made hazard area which has an
effect on the Town. The proximity to Bogue Field makes Emerald
Isle vulnerable to noise and the threat of crashes of military
aircraft.
3-1

To address this issue the Department of'the Navy.has developed
an Air Installation Compatibility Use Zone (AICUZ) Program. The
overall purpose of the AICUZ_.is 'to protect the mission of the air
installation and at the same time give consideration to the
welfare ='of surrounding =communities. Essentially, the AICUZ
designates geographic areas or "zones" where. certain types of
land development should be restricted.
The most recent update of the AICUZ plan for Bogue Field was
in 1981 and it is the latest available plan. The plan is based
on an annual operations level of 29,820 flight operations as the
historical baseline. The Bogue Airfield is open for flight
operations from 9 am to 4 pm Monday through Thursday, 9 am to 12
noon on Friday, and is closed on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
Typical missions include practice landings and touch and go loops
for student training and proficiency training of locally based_
air crews. Many of the missions are designed to -simulate carrier
based landings and takeoffs. The aircraft types which typically
use the -airfield and relative percentages of use are listed in
Table 3.1.1. No aircraft are permanently based at Bogue Field.
The AICUZ plan for Bogue Field is illustrated on 'Map 3.1.1.
The plan combines the elements of noise impact and accident
potential to create a graphic footprint of the overall impacts of
field operations on adjacent lands. A total of seven (7) zones
are depicted on Map 3.1.1. These zones are further defined in
Table 3.1.2. Also shown on Map 3.1.1 are the sites of aircraft
crashes to the year 1981. There are 18 crash sites shown on the
map with 15 occurring within the clear zone, one (1) in Zone I-2,
..one (1) in Zone 3 on station and one (1) at Emerald Isle proper
3-2

TABLE
AIRCRAFT USE RA ES
BOGUE FIELU'
Aircraft Type T . Percentage
77
of 0_perations2 •
A-6
13
AV-8 (Harrier)
39
C-130 (Car_go)
7
' Helicopter (Various Types).__
28
Total
100
Notes:
1• Source: US 'Navy 1981 'Air:.Installation
Compatible
Usie�'tone'
Plan (MCALF Bogue).
2• Based on 1981 data of Bogue Field usage
by various
aircraft
types. Operational levels have been
relatively
con-stant
since 1981.
1

WAS M M
� � i � �,• ' "' ti. ��r,y�;� jai. F�"�1`• (.r1 �1,,e If . i f ,. ,; ,• {t JL' ` t . ' • / l 1 l C. ti �• . � i:�
� i.t'�; �1yr { "a la,"b % t j �• > Q ,t.' �1 t ,.t?t'V d,,r •�l
Ili. G, � .!'.''7i ' \ ).•= L r' a .�!P•� ,T. ♦,��"'' �!J'�'�� �I I. rE �:-� ( / t. •f ;• / t}Xr: _ .,% (')/'
�.•�� �,'�.• I ,!r .•� (1�:.\ (Y,+.% ',^a l�_�.�.��'j. �'�1,,,,•'. f.—� ���� I. •vV 5. dJtr �''��7'�� '1.� �����•}•/cam\)1.
j; r '+i '�, ! .� :'�' ' � ' �� r � :.i t?•`'.� J :��*Lfr-.`�� 1���:/r•-. �'�'. r'V `r' t . .�. �� f`3•'��9+(S� ../ ,l � �� •f,��J��'' 7•� •`
..� a '�, '3y �qqpp 1` 4 1J \ S" / (/(/ '• 1 ~y � �' (t �)� , '7 �"" ` � r!_�
- f! t � !�' '���e►� � / �l. V 's •. L.. i` '/1 ^:'... '��'M-'•• .f,..! .fV'"'V' � ; f :�•'2 e 1., '�)' { '. '(/( ��n
���I �`\ - � .� .�.ac ��. ��1 1 C • ,! ���� �it!1 J ,,�•� .�` 3t1 }��� ,,.1) 1 •t 1
Clear zone i J �%.. i Ttl :•, r� t`„`i.� �..#,'1rd+ _�. �;�•1 )/.^,J) C> rr� '•'1 „L. -�r'�
2" .f. I+�� � .a ` ` f ,� { t � � t(rr l/rr a.•S. :I .�r' ,� jr�.•/.a•
A T :l, noise zone 3 r t "fit err f? t
= noise zone 2 t .+: (' t.f rf; ': r M. 7,
nose zone � u. ;,,y=•t d:Cr( � ! t't Sd=)+. ay� 1� �� ` y" ��1Y� ��I . >
APZ Ii3
n1 Ufa ,t n �✓ �5 1!� t K !•.�
APZ I noise zone 2
i
'APZ II noise zone 3 .� � � ;, ���,.�'s, � �� t _ . E s. • ' t ^ � t .w,,...
+)t`'�/ { 11•t APZ 11 noise zone 2 '-�r�t�,✓ + l�� '`
.f�tsV i - ( u'" .p :^. ✓� �;,~•, 4fU ie.! '/yl�} ,i�ra ae...I y�,l
+ s adis i. CR -,*#WES OF va-0cp F� Y� , !� d • } r:" �'
1401)
0 2000 4000 8000 feel ,f
+{I'��'.ot.:A•�f �� JC' t a 1-'`',f" .>r ', � � �~r 3/'%t' ! � .��Y fs ,! � tf;. '
� r.a,� !•:e .a. � `�� J7( \'•..�, � ,� 1 � �r !.��tpfYj,r+ry;. .r
i�i�fl + '��,� .,>, • Y • wde. � :'? • r,. f,� i�� �^' f h'r' rG'Rr•r,,., . �lT ` 1�: , t
FIELD u ��
i,ry t :1" r f • t �.r; iufl�i i y `�]i �Yir�y '
!' •%.Zi, r 1 f . '� ,.�i `��[ 1'Crjti �• 4 � � • * ,y. � } � .� t ���; d�, 7� �"3 - { a•. m..w
tz iit^`� f c
Sitit ! ' I.�tF* a/ #,^ D�v� �l rift '"'
w��/ lac' �'1�f L �1,4Y•�C. . �+ ` pa'�'. ilh>" ..r _ y.. :..
)� ! �r `}•� $,�s f,��` rt . j'`��IJJ�t. •„' .;`�•.'�. Saj/�M:sr.�: .+ a }y{ � s,�,�r� �1,....
� N�n1 ••Z� 1� � f •^ ,Mx r��, , sr �'I� � �.� a �r'}s .. �oy{y {i 'N r .^ •
r'.� tgS+M� '� �� � .•i A> ti 1` '�t „t n, G "; S 1f'• P �• y Fl`
jt rir .�7 '�� t, . 'F�' �i 'f• �„=%31` %s ;y'x�:t ,
MAP 3.1.1
J ' AI GUZ PLAN
IHLHENRY VON OESEN ASSOCIATES FOR
,•....,.• ts7_ a7 • .
CONSULTING ENGINEERS a PLANNERS B O G U E FIELD
'"�'•`- WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA 28402

1
1
7
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
TABLE 3.1.2
COMBINED ACCIDENT POTENTIAL
AND NOISE IMPACT ZQ�IES FOR
BOGUE FIELD=//��•/
Hazard Zone Designation
CZ
Description
Clear Zone
High Noise Impact Zone
Accident Potential Zone I
High Noise Impact Zone 3
Accident Potential Zone I
Moderate Noise Impact Zone 2
Accident Potential Zone II.
High Noise Impact Zone 3
Accident Potential Zone II
Moderate Noise Impact Zone 2
No Accident Potential
High Noise Impact Zone 3
No Accident Potential
Moderate Noise Impact Zone 2
Notes:
1-1/Source: US Navy 1981, Air Installation Compatible Use Zone
Plan (MCALF Bogue).
2./ See Map 3.1.1 for locations.of zones.

1
'
in Zone II-3. Sixteen of these crashes occurred prior to 1975.
An analysis of these accidents revealed that 25 percent of the
crashes happened on takeoff while 63 percent occurred during
landings. The remaining 12 percent occurred during general
operations.
'
With respect to the Town of Emerald Isle, four (4) of the
AICUZ zones occur within the Town. Of special concern are Zones
'
II-2 and II-3 which overlap residential. development land uses at
Emerald Isle. It is the Town's policy to inventory these areas
and to advise developers of the potential hazards (see Map
3.1.2). Requests for rezoning to higher densities than allowed
under existing classifications will be given special scrutiny.
i3.1.1.2
Natural Hazard Areas
The natural hazard areas include the flood hazard area (V-
zone), ocean erodible area on the beachfront and the inlet hazard
area at Bogue Inlet. These hazard areas are shown on the zoning
map (Map 2.2.1) .
With the exception of an 1,850-foot area adjacent to and
immediately east of the inlet hazard area at Bogue Inlet, the
ocean erodible area at Emerald Isle is 170 feet which consists of
an annual average .erosion rate of two feet and an estimated 100
year storm recession of 50. feet. , The aforementioned oceanfront
area near to Bogue Inlet has an ocean erodible area of 230 feet
consisting of an annual average erosion rate of 3 feet and an
iestimated 100 year storm recession of 50 feet.
I
3-3

1 1 \
1 1
1 1
1 R-MH 8 3 -y�-
1 C 1 1
1
1 1 1
1
1 i
B-3 ; R 2
1 R-M H
1 1 �
i B-3 1 '
' G
PTA -`
' N
'• P
L
R-MF p►
.0 N o
s�
PTA
m
PTA I
1 1
1
1 R-M H
�1 R 2
1 M 1 1
VIA
1
-3 1 A
%C\ B PTA Q G
MH
PIER MAP 3. 1 .2
AI-CUZ OVERLAY DISTRICT
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE,N.C.
1986 LAND USE PLAN . UPDATE
O 660 1320 2640
1��= 1320�
HENRY VON OESEN 13 ASSOCIATES CUN5UL1 INU tNUINttK5 tk FLANNtKS WILMING 1 UN, N. U.

3.1.2 'Soil Limitations
The general pattern of soil types at Emerald Isle are shown on
Map 3.1.2.1. Descriptions of each of the soil types in terms of
limitations for development using USDA Soil Conservation Service
(SCS) classification system are shown in Table 3.1.2.1.
Proper performance of septic tank absorption fields depends in
part on the ability of the soil to absorb the wastewater.
Failure occurs if this function is not performed. Absorption is
directly related to the hydraulic conductivity characteristics of
the soil, which are largely controlled by the pore geometry
I(texture) of the soil material.
Map 3.1.2.2
Presents a graphic representation of the overall
soil patterns
at Emerald Isle in terms of septic tank
limitations. The limitations, whether severe or very severe, are
based on Soil Conservation Service criteria. In many of the
soils that have
severe limitations for septic tank absorption
systems, certain manipulations can be made so that satisfactory
performance can
be achieved. However, suitability decisions can
only be made on
a case by case and lot by lot basis. Generally
speaking, soils
that have very severe limitations are unsuitable
'
for septic tank
systems of any nature. A central sewer system is
needed to serve
these areas.
Map 3.1.2.2 also clearly shows that large areas along the
sound side of the island have severe or very severe limitations
for septic tank use. The map also clearly shows several
pronounced linear, interdunal narrow troughs that contain either
ponded water, shallow organic soils, or poorly drained mineral
3-4
1

345000
�Lo
541000
390ow
337000
396000
339000
331000
BOGUE
SOUND
BOGUE
INLET
2571000
SE
NAB
SE
2573000
CL
2575000
API WOO SE
2577000
MAP 3.1.2.1, PART A
GENERAL SOILS MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE , N.
EMERALD ISLE LANU JSE PLAN UPDATE !986
2570000
2Ss9 Mo
CH ND
ATLANTIC OCEAN
I
M70"
LAND RESOURCES I SCALE 1: 15840
cn INFORMATION SERVICE ! 1 INCH = 1320 FT
'--� 11 17 1982
NC DEPT OF NR&CD EMERAL. SOIL. A. P 1
---I 919/733-2090 ORIG SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON OESEN 8k ASSOCIATES CONSULTING ENGINEERS 8 PLANNERS
25oom
KEY TO SOIL TYPES
LABEL
JC Tal�fx
NO.
ABBREV.
NAME
SUITAB1LITV
3
BH
BEACH-FOREbUNE ASSOC.
VERY SEVERE
18
CH
CARTERET SOILS, HIGH
VERY SEVERE
8
CL
CARTEM, SOILS, LOW
VERY SEVERE
T
CO
COROLLA FINE SAND
SEVERE
10
Cu
COROLLA URBAN LAND COMPLEX
SEVERE
12
OU
DUCKSTON FINE SAND
SEVERE
13
FR
FRi PP' FI ME, SAND
SLIGHT
22
NC
NEWHAN - COROLLA COMPLEX
SLIGHT
10
-ND
NEWHAN'-SAND DREDGED PHASE
VERY SEVERE
24
NE
NEWHAN-URBAN LAND COMPLEX
SLIGHT
i
2591000
25050" 25sts000
2U?000
NOTES
THIS MAP I$
BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THE SOIL
SURVEY 0�
THE RVIER :BANKS.
JaORTH CAROLINA.. 1977, .PRODUCED BY. THE
USDA SOIL
CONSERVATION SERVICE IN COOPERATION
WITH NORTH
CAROLINA'S
DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL,RESOURCES A110'.COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT. LABEL NUMBERS CORRESPOND TO
MAP SYMBOLS, ON
THAT -SURVEY.
WILMINGTON, N.C.
2874

350000
s4sm
34mo
1Mf000
2800000 2602000 00 2606000
MAP 3. 1 .2.1 , PART 6
GENERAL SOILS MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE N. C.-
EMERALD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
LAND RESOURCES
INFORMATION SERVICE
C NC DEPT OF N'R&CD
—J 919/733-2090
SCALE 1: 15840
1 INCH = 1320 FT
11 17 1982
EMERAL. SOIL. B. P1
OR I G SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON OESEN B ASSOCIATES
I
li
. 4
a
`3
BOGIE SOUND �c
CL
CQ
j
*.
NE
-
4
i
f
LABEL
ATLANTIC.-. OCEAN NO.
3
-KtY TO $01L TYPES
SEPTIC TANK
ABBREV. NAME SUITABILITY
SH BEACH-FOREOUN,E ASSOC. VERY SEVERE
`
fi
I8
6
7
F CH CARTEItET (LS, HIGH VEJW `SEVERE .,
CL CARTERET SOILS, LOW VERY SEVERE
CO COROLLA -FINE SAND -SEVERE
~'
10
CU COROLLA URBAN LAND COMPLEk SEVERE
12
DU DUCK'STON FINE SAND SEVERE
Is
FR FRIPP FINE SAND 311.4"T
�
22
NC NEWHAN-'COROLLA'COMIPLE'X SLI BHT
10
ND. NEWNAN SAND DREDGED, PHASE VERY ;E VERE
24
NE., NEWHAN-IMBAN LAND COMPLEX •SLIQI4Y
`L 1
w
-
-'
A
t
2612000 261woo, 2616000 261600o 2620000
+ 2622060 i 26 ON 211"m 2626000
� i
NOTE i
THIS MAP IS BASED ON INFORMATION FROM THE SML SURVEY Of
I
THE OUTER BANKS, NORTH CA.ROLINA, `19770 PROb"10 OY-:THE .
USDA SOIL CONSERVATION- SERVICE IN COOPEIlATIQN`'VI L1TH , RO RtH.
CAROLINAS DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL 09SOVROES AND,
.CIi.IA&tuNtTY
DEVELOPME Nt LABEL NUMBERS COR111,63poNiffo MAP SYMBOLS ON a
THAT SURVEY.
4 =
•
{
n
i
3.•,
CONSULTING ENGINEERS & PLANNERS
WILMINGTON, N.C.
-�
2874 :: n

ITABLE 3.1.2.1
ESTIMATED SOILS PROPERTIES S3GNIFICANT M EN33NEMUM
MAP SYMBOL,
DEPTH TO SEASONAL
LAND TYPES
H3GH WATER TABLE
FLOODIlG
PERMEABILITY -
#1 Beach, occa-
sionally flooded
1.0 to 3.0'
Frequent (monthly)
Rapid 6.3"Ar.
#2 Leon fine
0 to 3.01-
Sane surface pondinQ
Rapid, 6.3" hr.
#3 Beach-
Beach - 0 to
Frequent
Rapid 6.3" hr.
Foredune
3.0'
Association
Foredunes 6.01
Rare
#4 Bohicket
soils, law
0 to 3.01
Frequent (daily)
Slaw 0.067/hr.
t
#5 Tidal Flats
0 to 3.0'
_ Frequent (monthlv)
`
Rapid 6.3"Ar.
11
#6 CaLteret 0 to 3.0' Frequent (daily) Rapid 6.V/hr.
soils. low
#7 Corolla 1.5 to 3.01 Rare to Ccumn Very rapid
fine sand Storm Tides 20"Ar.
#8 Corolla fine Rare High Very rapid
#9 Corolla -Duck- Rare to Camnon Very rap*
r3
stone Cm4ex 1.0 to 3.0' Storm Tides' 20"%hr
#10 Dredge Spoil 3.01 Rare Storm Tides Rapid 6.3"ar.
#11 Hobonny Moderate 0.63
e..; l e. A L.— q A 1 L7............i. /......LLI..\ L_ n A" A__"' .
#12 Duckstone
fine sand 1.0 to 2.01
Rare to Canmon
Storm Tides
Very
20 "Ar
rapid
.
#13 Duckstone
fine sand,
Rare to .Cannon
Very
rapid
forested 1.0 to 2.01
Storm Tides
20"Ar.
Very rap�,q
#15 Fripp fine
sand 6.01 Rare Storm Tides Rapid 6 3"/hr

Table 3.1.2.1, Continued
Estimated Soils Properties Significant to Engineering
MAP SYMBOL, DEPTH TO SEASONAL
LAND TYPES
HIGH WATER TABLE
FLOODING
• •
PERMEABILITY
'
#16 Lew soils
0 to 2.0'
Frequent
(monthly)
Slow 0.06-2.0"Ar.
#17 Madeland
3.0'
Rare Storm Tides
Rapid 6.3"Ar.
#18 Carteret
soils, high
1.0 to 3.0'
Frequent
(monthly)
Rapid 6.3"Ar.
#19 Carteret
0 to 3.0'
Frequent
(monthly)
Rapid 6.3"/hr.
soils
#20 Currituck
0 to 3.0'
Frequent
(monthly)
Rapid 6.3"/hr.
soils
#21 Newhan fine
6.0'
None
Very rapid
sand
20"Ar.
#22 Newhan-
Corolla Complex
—
See ratings for individual
soil —
#23 Duneland-
Newhan Complex
—
See ratings for individual
soil —
#24 Newhan
Urban Land
Complex
—
See ratings for individual
soil —
#25 Wando fine
6.0'
None
Very rapid
'
sand
20"Ar.
#26 Conaby soils
0
to 1.0'
Surface ponding
Rapid 6.3"Ar.
#27 Echaw fine
2.5
to 5.0'
None
Rapid'6.3"/hr.
sand
#28 Kureb fine
6.0'
None
Rapid 6.3"/hr.
sand
#29 Currituck
0
to 2.0'
Frequent (monthly)
Rapid 6.3"/hr.
soils, high
#30 Bohicket
0
to 3.0'
Frequent (daily)
Slow 0.06"/hr.
soils, high
1

ITable 3.1.2.1, Continued
DEGREE AMID KIND OF LIMITATION FOR STATED USE
MAP SYMBOL►
SEPTIC TANK
LAND TYPES
DWELLIMS
STREETS & ROADS
FILTER FIELD
#1 Beach, occa-
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
sionally flooded
flooding
flooding
flooding
#2 Leon fine
Severe/high
Severe/high
Very severe/
sand
water table
water table
high water table
#3 Beach-
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe
Foredune
Association
flooding
flooding
flooding
#4 Bohicket
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
soils, low
flooding wet
flooding wet
flooding wet
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
#5 Tidal Flats
flooding wet/
flooding wet/
flooding/wet
#6 Carteret
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
soils, low
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
#7 Corolla
fine sand
Severe/wet
Severe/wet
Severe/wetl
#8 fine
Corolla
sand. forested
Severe/wet
Severe/wet
Severe/wetl
#9 Corolla -Duck-
stone Complex
Severe wet
Severe/wet
Severe/wet 1
'
#10 Dredge Spoil
Severe
Severe
Severel
#11 Hobonny
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
soils
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
flooding -wet
#12 Duckstone
fine sand
Severe/wet
Severe/wet
Severe-wetl
#13 Duckstone
fine sand,
forested
Severe/wet
Severe/wet
Severe/wetl
#14 Duneland
Severe/unstable
Severe/steep
Severe/unstable
due to blowing
slope, blowing
due to blowing
sand
sand
sand
#15 Fripp fine
sand
Severe floods
Moderate floods
Sliahtl

Table 3.1.2.1, Continued
Degree and Kind
of Limitation for Stated Use
MAP SYMBOL,
SEF.PIC TANK
LAND TYPES
DWELLIMS
STREETS & ROADS
FILTER FIELD
'
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
#16 Levy soils
floods/wet
floods/wet
floods wet
#17 Madeland.
Severe
Severe
Severel
#18 Carteret
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
soils, high
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
flooding wet
#19 Carteret
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
soils
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
#20 Currituck
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
soils
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
flooding/wet
#21 Newhan fine
sand
Slight
Slight
Slightl
#22 Newhan-
Corolla Complex
— See
ratings for individual soil —
'
#23 Duneland-
Newhan Complex
-- See
ratings for individual soil —
'
#24 Newhan
Urban Land
Complex
— See
ratings for individual soil —
#25 Wando fine
sand
Slight
Slight
Slightl
#26 Conaby soils
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
floods/wet
floods/wet
floods/wet
#27 Echaw fine
Moderate/wetness
Moderate/wetness
Severe/wetnessl
'
sand
blowing sand
'
#28 Kureb fine
sand
Slight
Slight
Slightl
#29 Currituck
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
'
soils, high
floods/wet
floods/wet
floods/wet
#30 Bohicket
Very severe/
Very severe/
Very severe/
soils, high
floods/wet
floods/wet
floods/wet
lThe sandy soils
are highly previous with questionable
filtering capacities.
Thus,. -contamination of groundwater
is possible.

Maw
��UE
INLET
MAP 3.1.2.2, PART A
SEPTIC TANK LIMITATIONS
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE, N.C.
EMERALD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
LAND RESOURCES
INFORMATION SERVICE
NC DEPT OF NMLCD
-J 919/733-2090
SCALE 1: 15840
1 INCH 1320 FT
11 17 1982
EMERAL. SEP. A. P2
ORIG SCALE 11 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON OESEN & ASSOCIATES
SEYERE
VERY SEVERE
FRESH WATER
ATLANTIC OCEAN
In nna 3 piing
CONSULTING ENGINEERS 8 PLANNERS
i r r
r
-
Am
..
s.
F5 h�
� �
4
`� kk
a
s�
�E.
w;
b
r+r _
d
J
No.
WILMINGTON, N.C.
2874

35mo
349m
142000
s4ow
M A P 3.1.2.2, PART B
SEPTIC TANK LIMITATIONS
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE. N.C.
EMERALD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
LAND RESOURCES
cn INFORMATION SERVICE
NC DEPT OF NRACO
—J 919/733-2090
SCALE It 15840
I INCH 1320 FT
It 17 1982
EMERAL. SEP. B. P2
ORIG SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH_
HENRY VON OESEN S ASSOCIATES
BOGUE SOUND
ATLANTIC OCEAN
mo zts0000 2612000 26140M 2t1600o 2Q1ato0 200000
SEVERE
VERY SEVERE
FRESH WATER
CONSULTING ENGINEERS 9 PLANNERS

F1
1
Soils. These areas' are not easily drained and filled, and
consequently, would require extensive modifications to be classed
as suitable for ground absorption systems.- The linearity of, or
"barrier" created by these unsatisfactory soil patterns could
represent potential pollution problems by septic tank systems in
adjacent areas classed "satisfactory" by concentrating or
trapping the effluent migration from these systems in those low
lying, unsatisfactory soil areas. A system of sewer lines to a
central system "bridging" these unsatisfactory soils areas could
adequately service all of the properties in the area regardless
of soils classification.
It should be clearly indicated that the scale of Map 3.1.2.2
precludes the display of all of the actual interdunal troughs at
Emerald Isle. The map is a useful general guide for broad
planning purposes. However, it is not suitable for detailed
planning of individual tracts of land. Suitability of a specific
site must be determined by an on
site survey
by a soils
specialist. Even areas displayed as
suitable on
this map may
contain zones which are actually unsuitable.
'
3.1.3 Water Supply
The Bogue Banks Water and Sewer
Corporation
(BBWSC) with
'
offices .adjacent to Town Hall provides
water to
the Town of
Emerald Isle, as well as, to the Town
of Indian Beach
and to the
'
unincorporated village of Salterpath.
The system is
described in
'
detail in Section 3.4.1 following.
3-5

3.1.4 Wastewater Disposal
'
At the present time, wastewater treatment and disposal for
single family homes at Emerald Isle is accommodated by means of
'
conventional septic tanks and gravity fed drain fields. Some
problems with existing septic tanks have been identified by the
Environmental Health Section of the Carteret County Health
'
Department (see letter, Appendix B). The wastewater from the
multiunit condominium developments is treated by package
,
wastewater treatment facilities and is disposed of by subsurface
drain fields by
or means of rotary distributors.
Preliminary planning for the development of a central sewer
system for Emerald Isle was conducted under the EPA Construction
Grants Program and was included in the very detailed report
entitled, "Swansboro Area 201 Facility Plan", November, 1977
(Revised). The 201 facilities planning area included the Town of
Swansboro.in eastern Onslow County and the western segment of
'
Carteret County including the communities 'of Cape Carteret,
Emerald Isle, Indian Beach and Salterpath.
'
Under the 201 Facilities Planning program, several regional
and subregional plans were formulated and evaluated. The
'
selected facility plan for the Carteret County segment of the
,
planning area called for the construction of two separate
facilities, one to serve the Town of Cape Carteret on the
'
mainland and one to serve West Bogue Banks including the
communities of Emerald Isle, Indian Beach and Salterpath.
'
However, the plan called for the continued use of individual
'
3-6

privately owned -septic tanks and small aerobic treatment systems
until such time that. a publicly owned central sewer system became
economically feasible to construct. It was recommended that the
plan be re-examined by local governmental officials and citizens
on a regular basis to determine when it would be economically
feasible to implement. The rationale of approach for this was
that when it becomes economically feasible to build wastewater
treatment facilities for West Carteret County, the local
governments
including Emerald Isle would have a mechanism in the
form of the
201 Plan to pursue the project.
The plan
as written calls for the treatment facility to be
constructed
on a 10 acre site at Emerald Isle in the vicinity of
the Cameron
Langestone Bridge. (However, the plant could be
'
constructed
in any area strategically located to the area it is
to serve).
Under the Plan, the recommended treatment facility
'
would have an
initial design capacity of 1.3 NOD and would employ
the oxidation ditch modification of the extended aeration -
activated sludge process. Treated and disinfected effluent would
be pumped to the beach margin via a force main for discharge to
' the Atlantic Ocean by an outfall and diffuser system of suitable
length. The Plan called for the accomplishment of a marine site
survey for the ocean outfall prior to final design of the
' pipeline. Sludge generated during the treatment process would be
aerobically digested and dewatered on sandbeds. Ultimate
' disposal of dried sludge would be in a sanitary landfill.
1
1
3-7

Associated with the plan for West Bogue Banks including
Emerald Isle was the construction -of an interceptor sewer system
and ancillary collector sewers to serve the individual
communities participating in the plan. These systems would be
constructed with the treatment works. Table 3.1.4.1 summarizes
the cost (in 1977 dollars) associated with the systems as they
were proposed in the 201 Plan.
The current status of the 201 Plan is that it has received
both State (NCDEM) and EPA approval. However, the availability
of federal funds for the implementation of the plan is uncertain
due to recent reductions in appropriations for the Construction
Grants Program. Therefore, in view of these recent developments,
it appears unlikely that federal monies will be available to fund
a central sewer system for Emerald Isle in the near future under
the current policies and programs of the USEPA.
Despite the unfavorable federal funding picture at this time,
the 201 Plan still provides a good basic framework for the
development of a central sewer system for Emerald Isle. Its
thorough analysis of regional system alternatives still retains
its validity. The selected site area for the treatment facility
is still appropriate as is the treatment plant process scheme
(oxidation ditch) . The proposed method of effluent disposal by
means of an ocean outfall is still technically valid. On the
other hand, other aspects such as service areas and costs need
updating to conform to existing conditions. Ultimate effluent
and waste sludge disposal methods need to be reevaluated in the
light of current budgetary constraints and new environmental
agency requirements.
3-8

TABLE 3.1.4.1
COST DATA
CENTRAL SEWER SYSTEM FOR EMERALD ISLE-'/
Item/Description Capital Cost
1. Secondary Wastewater treatment facility,
1.56 MD. with ocean outfall. $2,938,000
2. Phase I wastewater colle t'on system
for Town of Emerald Isle 2,860,953
3. Interceptor system. 2,319,972
TOTAL COST (1977 DOLLARS)3•/ $8,118,925
Notes:
1./ Based on Swansboro Area 201 Facility Plan (1977).
2.1 Based on gravity sewer system.
3. Caution should be exercised in the use of these cost
figures as they are based on 1977 dollars and a specific
system layout that is subject to change to accommodate
present conditions.

After the 201 Facility Plan was completed, development trends
at Emerald Isle altered in favor of increased multifamily unit
(condominium) projects. In response to citizen concerns, the
'
Town Board of Commissioners declared a moratorium on multiunit
projects on May 12, 1981. This moratorium was subsequently
'
lifted on September 8, 1981 following a decision to limit
multiunit density from 13.5 units per acre to 10 units per acre.
'
Subsequent to that action, several very large multiunit
'
condominium projects were permitted and constructed which
stimulated additional concerns related to wastewater disposal,
water supply, fire protection, etc. As a result, on June 8, 1982
the Town Board imposed a second 90-day moratorium on multifamily
'
housing projects in order to study and define the problems. This
second moratorium was subsequently lifted on September 8, 1982
following the action to institute further studies of the
relationship of development densities to wastewater disposal
practices.
'
The results of the additional studies were codified in the
report entitled, "Relationship of Wastewater Disposal Practices
'
on Development Density of Emerald Isle, North Carolina" prepared
by Henry von Oesen and Associates, Inc., and published in
'
1./
January, 1983. The basic findings and conclusions of the
study are outlined below:
a Pressures for the development of Emerald Isle will
continue, and possible accelerate in the future. A high
l./ This study was funded in part the NC Division of Coastal
b y
Management.
3-9

percentage of
this development in
the near
future
is
expected to
be medium to high
density
in the
form of
condominium and/or multifamily type units.
• Present wastewater (sewage) disposal practices are confined
to septic tanks (in the case of individual lot develop-
ments) and to small, individual "package" wastewater
treatment plants (for. multiunit housing projects and
campgrounds).
• A general analysis of existing soils on Emerald Isle
indicate many areas' contain soils that are adaptable to
septic tank
use; however, in
other areas soils are
not
conducive
to this practice.
Often these soils
are
interconnected by the system of dune ridges and swales that
complicate the "acceptable area" use problem. Most of
these longitudinal bands of unsuitable soils are located in
the western sector of the Town and within the large tracts
zoned for multifamily use.
• Septic tanks will probably continue to be used in some
areas for years to come. Package treatment plants
employing ground discharge of effluent will proliferate
unless a central wastewater treatment plant is constructed.
The combination of ground discharge of sewage wastes from
these two sources could indicate that some contamination of
the groundwater aquifer at Emerald Isle is already
occurring. Also, close proximity of these systems to
estuarine waters could represent a real pollution threat to
those fragile areas.
3-10

1
'
• Based on existing zoning regulations and development trends
(existing in 1982/83) a total buildout of all available
'
lots at Emerald Isle could result in a peak seasonal
population of 68,250 persons. Assuming a wastewater
loading of 70 gallons per capita per day, a peak seasonal
'
sewage flow could -amount to almost 5 MGD (4.78 MGD).
Without the benefit of a central sewer system, this flow
will represent a significant impact on the environment..
'
• A rezoning of some 1,400 acres of vacant land at Emerald
Isle zoned for multifamily use to single family or duplex
'
uses could effectively reduce the total peak seasonal
population that can be accommodated. It would also reduce
the total sewage loading to about 3 MGD (2.79 NOD) at total
buildout. However, this potential action will not
'
foreclose the ultimate need for a central sewer system. In
fact, it may accelerate such a need due to the further
proliferation of septic tanks for wastewater disposal.
• A survey of existing and proposed package wastewater
treatment facilities serving multiunit housing projects at
Emerald Isle revealed that there were (in 1982/83) six (6)
'
such facilities ranging in capacity from 26,500 GPD to
75,000 GPD. These facilities had a combined total capacity
'
of about 3001000 GPD (1982/83 data).
• Recent studies conducted by investigators from NC State
'
indicate that the
University Department of Soil Science
location of the groundwater table is the most important
'
3-11

factor affecting the movement and treatment of septic tank
effluents. Contamination of the groundwater around the
septic tank was generally confined to within 25 feet of the
systems, but more widespread movement was noted in several
continuously saturated cases. Therefore, the greater the
density of septic tanks per given area of saturated soils,
the greater the possibility of pollution of the groundwater
aquifer from multiple septic tank systems.
• Studies conducted by the NC Division of Environmental
Management revealed that coastal watersheds with estimated
densities greater than one septic tank drainfield per four
(4) acres were contaminated by bacteria and closed to
shellfishing.' Contamination of estuarine waters can be
expected when dense development using septic tanks occurs
on unsuitable soils adjacent to such waters.
• The so called "alternative" septic tank disposal systems
namely, low pressure distribution systems and mound systems
do not appear to lend themselves for general use at Emerald
Isle because of increased land (space) requirements and the
relatively small building lot sizes existing in the
community. In general, minimum lot sizes for low pressure
distribution and mound system are one acre and 0.75 acre,
respectively.
• Package wastewater treatment facilities can achieve high
levels of removal of pollutants, if they are properly
operated and maintained. However, their documented record
3-12

of performance in the past has been traditionally less than
satisfactory due to a lack of adequate operation and
'
maintenance.
• In order to prevent undue harm to the environment from
continued growth and development, the Town of Emerald Isle
will ultimately need a central sewer system.
• The provision of a central sewer system will permit
development densities greater than those permitted under
existing zoning regulations should this be desired.
However, strong zoning regulations and proper phasing of
the wastewater collection, treatment and disposal (sewer)
system should control any growth stimulating effects of the
system, while at'the same time protecting the environment
that makes Emerald Isle such a desirable place to live.
The study report recommended that the Town should begin
planning for a central sewer system including the early
acquisition of a treatment facility site so as to foreclose the
possibility that such a site would be developed for other uses.
The report also recommended that permissible development
densities be reduced to 8 units per acre to reduce the impacts of
development on the environment until such time that a central
sewer system becomes on operational reality. . Furthermore, the
study report indicated that once a central sewer system became a
reality, the Town could consider increasing .permissible densities
15 developers
upwards again (up to units per acre) provided that
would be willing to offset such localized concentrations of
development by dedication of additional greenspace.
3-13
i

In -implementing these recommendations, the Town subsequently
amended the zoning ordinance reducing the maximum• permissible
density down to 8' units per acre where, as of this writing, it
stands today.
Since the above noted study was completed, Carteret County
contracted with an engineering consulting firm to develop a
I./
feasibility study for a countywide sewer system. The Boque
Banks area including Emerald Isle was excluded from the study and
no cost for water and sewer system for this area were presented
in the report. However, this study recommends that the County
establish a "bond fund pool" from which municipalities could draw
to build water and sewer systems. The municipalities would then
pay the County back from user fees paid by users of the system.
A Countywide bond referendum for the program has been scheduled
for February 24, 1987. The town of Emerald Isle supports the
County in its efforts to establish this funding program and plans
to work with the County in developing the countywide system
including facilities for Emerald Isle should such prove feasible.
3.1.5 Slopes
Other than the sides of sand dunes, the Town of Emerald Isle
has no steep slopes to limit development.
3.2 Fragile Areas (Areas of Environmental Concern)
A key element within the Coastal Area Management Act is the
identification of fragile areas and designation of these areas as
1. McDavid Associates, Inc. June 1986. Countywide Water and
Sewer Report, Carteret County.
3-14

' Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC). Of the AEC identified in
the Coastal Resources regulations, Emerald Isle has seven. These
areas are listed in Table 3.2.1 and the locations are depicted on
the zoning map (Map 2.2.1) .
Each of the above Areas of Environmental Concern are discussed
in detail within this section. Appropriate land uses are also
listed for each. None of. the following AEC areas are located
within the Town.
Public Water Supply Categories
Fragile Coastal Natural and Cultural Resources Categories
3.2.1 High Hazard Flood Area - Area of Environmental Concern
This is the area subject to high velocity waters (including,
but not limited to, hurricane wave wash) in a storm having a one
percent change of being equaled or exceed in any given year, and
is identified as Zone V, on the flood insurance rate maps of the
Federal Insurance Administration, US Department of Housing and
Urban Development. The Town has adopted a flood ordinance
consistent with the standards of the requirements of the Federal
'
Insurance Administration. Development consistent with this flood
ordinance is consistent with the standards of this AEC (see
Section 2.2.3 for details).
3.2.2 Inlet Hazard Area - Area of Environmental Concern
The inlet hazard areas are those lands identified by the State
geologist to have a substantial possibility of excessive erosion
that are located adjacent to inlets. This area shall extend
landward from the mean low water line a distance sufficient to
encompass that area within which the inlet will, based on
istatistical analysis, migrate, and shall consider such factors as
3-15

TABLE 3.2.1
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE
AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN
LAEC
Mapping Symbol
Coastal Wetlands
CW
Estuarine Waters
EW
Estuarine Shorelines
ES
Public Trust Areas
PTA
Ocean Erodible Areas
OEA
High Hazard Flood Area
HFA
Inlet Hazard Areas
IHA
L

I
` previous inlet territory, structurally weak -areas near the inlet
(such as an unusually narrow barrier island, an unusually long
channel feeding the inlet, or an overwash area) , and external
Linfluences such as jetties and channelization. These areas are
identified as recommended inlet hazard areas in•the report to the
CRC entitled Inlet Hazard Area, by Loie J. Priddy and Rick
Carraway (September, 1978) . In all cases, this area shall be an
extension of the adjacent ocean erodible area and in no case
■ shall the width of the inlet hazard area be less than the width
of the adjacent ocean erodible area.
Bogue Inlet is one of the State's inlets which is within this
category. As indicated in the Inlet Hazard Area report, it had
migrated to the east farther than at any time in recent history
necessitating the relocation of some structures. Since that
time, however, the inlet has shifted westward and is now located
approximately 800 feet west of its location as described in the
September, 1978 report. Appropriate uses in the Bogue Inlet AEC
are open space recreation uses. The Town will continue to issue
building permits for those lots which were plotted prior passage
of the North Carolina Coastal Management Act located within the
Bogue Inlet AEC.
3.2.3 Coastal Wetlands - Area of Environmental Concern
The Town of Emerald Isle has extensive wetland areas. A large
portion of the Town's sound frontage is lined with low tidal
marshland. Because of the map scale used in this plan, the
smaller marshlands are shown and identified as conservation
areas. The dominant plant species within the area are Salt Water
3-16

Cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) , Black Needlerush (Juncus
roemerianus), Glasswort (Salicornia, spp. ), Salt Grass
(Distichlis spicata) , Sea Lavender (Limonium, spp.) , * Salt Meadow
Grass (Spartina patens), and Salt Reed Grass (Spartina
cynosuroides).
These low tidal marshlands serve as a critical component in
the coastal ecosystem. The marsh is the basis for the high net
yield system of the estuary through the production of organic
detritus (partially decomposed plant material) which is the
primary input source for the food chain of the entire estuarine
system. Estuarine dependent species of fish and shellfish, such
as menhaden, shrimp, flounder, oysters and crabs currently make
up over 90 percent of the total value of North Carolina's
commercial catch.
In addition, the roots and rhizomes of the Spartina
alterniflora serve as food for waterfowl and the stems as
wildlife nesting material. Low tidal marsh also serves as the
first line of defense in retarding shoreline erosion. The plant
stems and.leaves tend to dissipate wave action while the vast
network of roots resist soil erosion. Marshes of this type
operate additionally as traps for sediment originating from
upland runoff, thus reducing siltation of the estuarine bottoms
and are a detriment to marine organisms. These marshes should be
considered unsuitable for all development which will alter their
natural functions. Inappropriate land uses include, but -are not
limited to the following examples: restaurants and businesses;
residences, apartments, motels, hotels, and trailer.parks;
3-17

parking lots and offices; spoil and dump sites; wastewater
lagoons; public and private roads and highways; and factories.
Examples of acceptable land uses may include utility easements,
fishing piers, docks, certain agricultural uses, except when
excavation or filling affecting estuarine or navigable waters is
involved, and such uses which do not significantly alter the
natural functions of the marsh.
3.2.4 Ocean Erodible Areas - Area of Environmental Concern
Ocean erodible areas are' defined as the areas above mean high
water where excessive erosion has a high probability of
occurring. Ocean erodible areas are extremely dynamic lands
highly susceptible to becoming completely displaced by water.
The major objective is to limit unnecessary hazards to life or
property and to maintain reasonable requirements for public
expenditures to protect property or maintain safe conditions.
The southern side of Emerald Isle is lined with ocean beaches
and shorelines. This eleven mile strip is without vegetation and
consists of unconsolidated soil material that extends landward
from the mean low tide to a point where any one or combination of
the following occur: (1) vegetation, or (2) a distinct change in
predominant soil particle size, or (3) a change in slope or
elevation which alters the physiographic land form.
Sand deposits of ocean beaches and shorelines represent a
dynamic zone which does not afford long term protection for
development.- The nature of tidal action and the force of storms
is such that they cause the beach areas to constantly shift.
Littoral drift is a natural phenomenon whereby sand is removed
3-18

from beaches by wave action and littoral currents and is
deposited upon a different stretch of the beach. The action also
shifts the line of high tide and low tide. Ocean beaches and
shorelines are valuable for public and private recreation and are
located within a natural hazard area. Development within this
dynamic zone may result in loss of property and possible loss of
life.
This area must be preserved to the greatest extent feasible
with opportunity to enjoy the physical, aesthetic, cultural and
recreational qualities of the natural shorelines of the State.
Appropriate development within the area must be that which will
withstand the prevalent natural forces and not unreasonably
interfere with the rightful use and enjoyment of the beach area.
In addition to ocean beaches,
frontal dunes are
also a
part of
the Ocean Erodible Area. These
dunes serve as a
buffer
between
the sea during a storm and the development behind the dunes.
Appropriate land uses within the frontal dune system include only
those uses which will not cause damage to the frontal dune
system.
3.2.5 Estuarine Waters - Area of Environmental Concern
Bogue Sound is a part of the State's estuarine system.
Estuaries are among the most productive natural environments of
North Carolina. They not only support valuable commercial and
sports fisheries, but are also utilized for commercial
navigation, recreation, and aesthetic purposes. Species
dependent upon estuaries such as menhaden, shrimp, flounder,
oysters and crabs make up over 90 percent of the total value of
North Carolina's commercial catch. These species must spend all
3-19

or some part of their life cycle in the estuary. The high level
of commercial and sports fisheries and the aesthetic appeal of
coastal North Carolina is dependent upon the protection and
sustained quality of our estuarine areas.
Appropriate uses within the area are those which preserve the
estuarine waters so as to safeguard and perpetuate their.
biological, economic and aesthetic values. Highest priority will
be allocated to the conservation of estuarine waters. The
development of navigational channels, the use of bulkheads to
.prevent erosion, and the building of piers or wharfs where no
other feasible alternative exists are examples of uses
appropriate within estuarine waters, provided that such land uses
will not be detrimental to the biological and physical estuarine
functions and public trust rights. 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 degradation of shellfish waters are generally
considered incompatible with the management of estuarine waters.
3.2.6 Estuarine Shoreline - Area of Environmental Concern
Estuarine shorelines extend a distance of seventy-five feet
landward of the mean high tide of Bogue Sound. This area is
considered important because of its close association with the
estuarine water system and because it provides a buffer between
development and the estuarine waters. These areas are also
subject to erosion, flooding and other adverse effects of wind
and water. Appropriate developments in this area are the types
3-20

that will not weaken natural barriers to erosion'. This AEC was
not included in the 1975 Emerald Isle CAMA Land Use Plan but was
added in the 1981 update.
The Coastal Resources Commission has adopted use standards for
development along estuarine shorelines. (These standards apply
within 75 feet of the mean high water line) . They ensure that
shoreline development will not harm the natural functions of the
estuarine
system and will recognize the dynamic
and
hazardous
nature of
the shoreline itself. Any project along
the
estuarine
shoreline
that requires a CAMA permit must meet
the
following
standards
before a minor development permit
or
a major
development permit can be issued.
• Development shall not cause significant damage to estuarine
resources.
9 Development shall not interfere with existing public rights
of access to, or use of, navigable waters or public
resources.
• All development projects shall preserve and ,not weaken
natural barriers to erosion.
• No major
facility
paid
for ,in any
part by
public funds
shall be
permitted
if it
is likely to
require
extraordinary
public expenditures for maintenance and continued use,
unless the -public purpose served by the project out weighs
the required public expenditures.
• Impervious surfaces shall not exceed 30 percent of the lot
area located within the AEC, unless such a limitation will
allow no practical use to be made of the lot or the
applicant can prove the project's design can protect
3-21

natural drainage as well as the 30 percent coverage limit.
All development projects shall limit the construction of
impervious surfaces, and other areas prohibiting natural
drainage, to only the area necessary to adequately serve
the major use of the lot.
• All development projects shall meet the standards of the N.
C. Sedimentation Pollution Control Act of 1973.
• Development shall not cause major or irreversible damage to
valuable, documented historic architectural or
archaeological resources.
• The project must comply with the local land use plan.
3.2.7 Public Trust Waters - Area of Environmental Concern
Bogue Sound and the Atlantic Ocean are also public trust
waters. Included in the public trust waters definition are all
waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the lands thereunder from the
mean high water mark to the seaward limit of state jurisdiction,
all natural bodies of water subject to measurable lunar tides and
lands thereunder to the mean high water mark, all navigable
natural bodies of water and lands thereunder to the mean high
water mark or ordinary high water mark as the case may be, except
privately owned lakes to which the public has no right of access,
all waters in artifically created bodies of water in which exists
significant public fishing resources or other public resources,
which. are accessible to the public by navigation from bodies of
water in which the public has no rights of navigation, all waters
in artifically created bodies of water in which the public has
acquired rights by prescription, custom, usage, dedication or any
other means. Included in public trust waters are areas such as
3-22

waterways and lands under or flowed by tidal waters or navigable
waters, to which the State of North Carolina may be authorized to
preserve, conserve, or protect under Article XIV, Section 5, of
the North Carolina Constitution.
Appropriate uses in the public trust waters include channels,
drainage ditches, bulkheads, piers and other similar uses,
provided these uses do not damage the biological environment or
restrict public access.
3.2.8 Other AEC's
Within the Town there are not any productive and unique
agricultural lands potentially valuable mineral sites, public
owned forest and privately owned wildlife sanctuaries. Fishing
is available in Bogue Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Non -
intensive outdoor recreation lands are the public ocean beaches.
3.2.9 Complex or Fragile Natural Areas
In early 1983, the Natural Heritage. Program completed a study
of Carteret County, resulting in the identification and mapping
of significant natural areas. Many of the areas identified lie
within, or contain portions of, Areas of Environmental Concern.
Yet some stand alone as complex or fragile natural areas
deserving special attention.
The following area in Emerald Isle was considered to have a
medium level regional and statewide priority significance by the
Natural Heritage Program. The location of this site is indicated
on a map found in Appendix C and on Map 5.1.3.1 and has been
identified as the Emerald Isle Woods. The unusual significant
feature of the area is that the high relic dunes are forested
with a mature maritime forest. The large dunes form a protective
3-23

barrier which allows for the colonization of many plant species
which results in a more stabilized barrier island. Due to this
protection, the forest provides a habitat for plants and animals
that normally cannot survive in such close proximity to the
ocean. Interspersed in the swales between the relic dunes are
numerous small freshwater ponds. The total area consists of some
500 acres of which 200 acres are located north of the Coast Guard
Road and most worthy of some form of protection. -The text of .the
f ull report on the Emerald Isle Woods as prepared by the Natural
Heritage Program is found in Appendix C.
3.2.10 Scenic Vistas
On Bogue Sound east of the Emerald Isle Fishing Pier, there is
an area shown on Map 5.3.6.1 which provides a scenic vista worthy
of special attention. It is reported that on some days in late
summer and fall, southward -migrating hawks and swallows are
funneled through a small'area. On days with northerly winds, the
birds fly just over the north slope of the dune ridge along a
predictable path. This site is a small-scale example of a
nationally famous hawk -watching site in Pennsylvania called Hawk
Mountain. The waters of Bogue Sound directly off shore of this
site are favorite trout -fishing waters. Consideration is being
given by Emerald Isle towards preserving this area as a community
park (see Section 5.3.6 following).
3.2.11 Archaeological and Historic Sites
There are no known archaeological historic
sites or registered
M
sites within the Town limits of Emerald Isle. However, there are
two (2) known graveyards in Town with tombstones dating back to
1 3-24

the turn of the century. The two sites are called Salter's
Graveyard and Bell Cove Old Settlement and Graveyard which are
identified on Map 3.2.11.1.
Should a site of archaeological significance be discovered
which would warrant protection, it is the policy of the Town of
Emerald Isle to assist in affording such.
3.3 Areas With Resource Potential
The waters of Bogue Sound, Bogue Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean
which border on Emerald Isle are areas with tremendous fisheries
resource potential. That potential is currently being exploited
by recreational, sports and commercial fishermen who operate
under the purview of the NC Division of Marine Fisheries. The
preservation of this resource potential is closely tied to the
preservation of good water quality (see Section 5.1.6 for a
thorough addressment of this issue).
There are no other areas with resource potential, at Emerald
Isle.
3.4 Design Capacity and Level of Utilization of Existing
Community Facilities and Analysis of Capacity to Supply
Existing and Future Demands
3.4.1 Water Supply System
The Bogue Banks Water and Sewer Corporation (BBWSC) provides
water •to the Town of Emerald Isle. The system consists of a
distribution system with 2,838 users (meters) along with five (5)
wells, two (2) 60,000 gallon elevated tanks, and two (2) ground
storage reservoirs, one of 300,000 and one of 500,000 gallons
3-25

SITE OF
SALTER 'S
GRAVEYARD
X
Chapel ^by' -%
ROGUE SOUND
SITE OF BELL COVE OLD SETTLEMENT
AND GRAVEYARD
ATLANTIC OCEAN
ATLANTIC OCEAN
MAP 3.2.11.1
SITES OF GRAVEYARDS
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE, N.C.
1986 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE
APPROX. SCALE: I"= 1100'
HENRY 'VON OESEN a ASSOCIATES CONSULTING ENGINEERS a PLANNERS
WILMINGTON, N.C.
2874

capacity. The locations of the wells, elevated tanks and
reservoirs are shown on Map 3.4.1. The wells supply water from
the river bend formation. Water use records kept by the BBWSC
for the Emerald Isle, Indian Beach and Salterpath service area
indicate an average daily demand 642,769 gpd with the peak usage
occurring during the months of May through September. Table
3.4.1 shows the service area water demand by month for a one year
period extending from June, 1985 to May, 1986. The seasonality
of the demand is evident in the data. All indications are that
it be to
the current system is adequate and that can expanded
meet future demands in concert with the land use plan. The BBWSC
is in the process of arranging an interconnection with the water
system operated by Carolina Water Company in Pine Knoll Shores
which will help Emerald Isle and Pine Knoll Shores in the event
(e.g. large fire).
of an emergency a
There is a potential problem associated with the acquisition
of additional well sites. Due to high land values at Emerald
Isle, the BBWSC has had difficulty in purchasing well sites at
reasonable costs. To help alleviate this problem, the Town has
offered to condemn well sites and sell them back to BBWSC at
cost. Nevertheless, future well site locations need to be
identified and efforts made to acquire same for future use before
land costs become prohibitive. As of this writing, the BBWSC is
in the process of identifying two (2) new well sites.
3.4.2 Wastewater Treatment and Disposal
See Section 3.1.4 above for details.
3-26

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ALD ISLE
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0 .WATER TANK

TABLE 3`04.1
WATER USE DATAl'
EMERALD ISLE, INDIAN BEACH AND SALTERPATH
BOGUE BANKS WATER AND SEWER CORPORATION
Month (No. Day s/Month)
1985 June
(30)
'
July
(31)
August
(31)
September
(30)
October
(31)
November
(30)
December
(31)
1986 January
(31)
February
(28)
March
(31)
April
(30)
May
(31)
One (1) Year Averages
i
1
1
Monthly Water
Use (Gallons)
30,914,370
31,879,740
36,564,970
25,892,950
16,456,200
14,618,520
8,618,980
8,916,010
8,373,620
7,306,848
16,078,572
29,675.410
19,608,016
Average Daily
Usage (Gallons
lr03O,473
1,028,379
1,179,515
863,098
530,845
487,284
278,032
287,613
299,058
235,705
535,952
957,271
642,769
Source: Bogue Banks Water and Sewer Corporation.

3.4.3 "Educational.Facilities and Services
Basic public educational services are provided by the Carteret
County School System.
Emerald Isle grammar school students attend White Oak School
at Cape Carteret, which has an enrollment (1985 data) of 705
students. The school's capacity is approximately 700 students.
Emerald Isle high school age students attend West Carteret
High School in Morehead City. Current (1985 data) enrollment at
West Carteret is 1,561 students. West Carteret has a capacity of
about 1,550 students. At present, due to a leveling off of
school enrollment, the existing facilities are adequate to serve
existing needs. However, this situation may change as growth
occurs.
Educational services beyond the public school level are
provided by Carteret Technical College in Morehead City or other
institutions of higher learning outside of the County.
3.4.4 Streets and Roads
Because Emerald Isle does not have a transportation plan,
little is known concerning the existing capacity of streets and
roads in Emerald Isle. As indicated in Table 1.3.3, traffic
counts by NCDOT indicate that during the peak summer use period
NC 58 and Emerald Drive carry an average of 26,900 vehicles per
day. It is reported that during peak use periods on weekends
that traffic exiting Emerald Isle is often backed up to -east of
the Town Hall. Local officials have informed NCDOT of this
situation and of the need to study the problem so as to seek a
solution. The four laning of Emerald Drive has been suggested as
one means to alleviate congestion during peak periods. However,
1 3-27

the positive effects of this move may be offset by the
restriction imposed by the two lane Cameron Langestone Bridge and
vehicle movement through the traffic light at the NC 58 and NC 24
intersection at Cape Carteret. Thus, further study of this issue
is warranted.
3.4.5 Police and Fire Protection
The Emerald Isle Police Department is staffed with eleven
officers including a police chief. The Police Department
currently (November 1986) has use of eleven (11) vehicles.
Staffing and equipment are currently meeting existing needs. The
Police Department operates out of offices at Town Hall which are
also of adequate size.
The Emerald Isle Fire Department has one main fire station at
Town Hall and a second auxiliary station. The main station is
equipped with two (2) pumpers and one (1) ambulance. The
auxiliary station is equipped with new pumper and a mini -pumper
plus an ambulance. The Fire Department operates cooperatively
with the volunteer rescue squad which also has an additional
vehicle and a rescue boat available for use. At present this
department is adequately staffed. However, the Fire Department
has need for one additional vehicle, a ladder truck for fighting
potential fires in high rise structures now making their
appearance at Emerald Isle.
3-28

1
SECTION 4: ESTIMATED FUTURE DEMAND
4.1 Population Projections
The population at Emerald Isle can be divided into three
distinct groups, each with its own unique set of demands for
services. These are permanent residents, summer (seasonal)
residents, and day visitors. The number of permanent residents
can be determined with reasonable accuracy by using census data.
The peak seasonal (summer) residents can be determined, albeit
less accurately, by a housing unit -count similar to the one
conducted in April 1985 (see Section 1.3.1 and Table 1.3.2
above). Day visitor projections are statistically elusive. A
long term traffic survey is necessary to determine the day
visitor quotient. Thus, in the case of day visitors, only gross
estimates can be made based on very limited data.
Table 4.1.1 presents permanent population projections for
Carteret County and Emerald Isle based on data supplied by the NC
Department of Administration. A range of future permanent
populations for Emerald Isle are shown based on whether the
growth follows the cadence of County growth over the past ten
year period or whether, on the other hand, the rate of growth
follows the trend established over the past five (5) years at
Emerald Isle. Given the difficulties inherent in' making
population projections, logic dictates that the actual population
should fall somewhere between the two extremes. Thus, by the
year 1995 the permanent population at Emerald Isle should range
between 2,042 to 5,435 persons.
4-1

TABLE 4.1.1
ESTIMATED FUTURE.PERMANENP POPULATIONS
FOR CARTERET ODUNPY AND EMERALD ISLE
Percent Percent
Increase Increase
1980 1985 1990 1980-1990 1995 2000 1990-2000
Carter t
County 41,0921• 48,1621• 53,25 1. 29.6 61,128 69,005 29.6
Town of
IlIssrqlq
3• 86 1• 1,518L-J 1,779-2,664 30 4' 21042-5,435 2,305-8,205 29.6/308
Notes:
1. Based on data supplied by NC Department of Administration (see also Table 1.3.1).
Future projections for County based on continuation of trend from 1980 to 1990.
I.J Future projections for Town of Emerald isle based on range of County rate of growth
to continuationof recent Town growth rate. Realistically actual population should
fall somewhere between these two extremes.
Represents two (2) times the rate of actual growth from 1980 to 1985.

tTable 4.1.2 presents estimated peak seasonal population
projections for Carteret County and the Town of Emerald Isle
based on various data sources► as noted in the table. Peak
seasonal populations are presented for Emerald Isle based on the
continuation of the recent 5 year growth trend. Thus► by the
year 1995 the peak seasonal population of the Town will be about
18.028 persons. This figure includes both permanent and seasonal
residents but excludes those seasonal residents accommodated in
campgrounds.
As already noted day visitor projections are difficult to
make. However► using the traffic count data presented in Table
1.3.3 above► some gross projections are presented in Table 4.1.3.
The assumptions used to derive the projections are indicated in
footnotes to the table. By the year 1995r the peak seasonal
dailyvisitor population could be 18,109 persons which closely
P P P Y
' matches the estimated total peak seasonal resident population.
Thus► on a peak season day in 1995 there could be a projected
total of 36►137 persons at Emerald Isle.
4.2 Foreseeable Economic and Social Change
The economy of the Town of Emerald Isle will continue to focus
on the tourist industry. Because of the recreational resources
within the Town and the easy access from the mainland afforded by
the Cameron Langestone Bridge, the tourist industry is expected
to continue to prosper. Thus, it is projected that the character
of the local economy will remain basically the same► albeit
expanded so as to serve the increasing influx of new residents.
4-2
1

1
i
1
1
1
1
i
i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
TABLE 4.1.2
ESTIMATED
FUTURE PEAR
SEASONAL POPULATION
FOR CARTERET
COUNTY AND THE TOWN OF.
EMERALD ISLE
Area
1980
1985
UU-3-L
IU52-L 2MI-1-
Carteret
County
74►0502—/
97,5161--/
120►981
144►446 167►9ll
Town of
Emerald
Isle
8,5001—/
11,6762--/
14,852
181,028 21►204
Notes:
7. Source: Carteret County Land Use Plan, 1985.
2,1 Based on results of special census conducted in April,
1985. Peak seasonal population is based on occupancy level
of 3.5 persons/dwelling unit and a total of 3,336 dwelling
units assuming 100 percent occupancy of all dwellings.
3,./ Projections based on continuation of 5 year growth trends
from 1980 to 1985.

i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
i
1
1
1
1
1
TABLE 4.1.3
PEAK DAY VISITOR PROJECTIONS
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Year
Description 1986 1993 1995 2000
A. Number of automobiles./ 7,940 9,200 9,560 10,460
B. Number of dual axlel•/
trucks and campers
C. Total of a�1 passenger
vehicles=
D. Number of one way t5lys
to West Bogue Banks=
E. Number of vehicles
ir� Isle g at Emerald
sl=//
F. Total estimatel number of
day visitors=//.
18,200 21,000 21,800 23,800
26,140 30,200 31,360 34,260
13,070 15,100 15,680 17,130
4,313 4,983 5,174 5,653
15,096 17,441 18,109 19,786
Notes:
l./ Source: NCDOT traffic counts (see Table 1.3.3).
2. One way trips to West Bogue Banks assumed to be one half
total vehicle count.
3. Based on 33 percent of vehicles stopping at Emerald Isle.
4. Based on 3.5 persons/vehicle (see Table 1.3.4).

both permanent and seasonal, as well as the increasing- number of
day visitors.
The future of the condominium market remains somewhat
uncertain as of this writing due to pending changes in income tax
laws which will affect investment potentials in such projects.
The single family home market is enjoying a boom period due
mainly to declining interest rates. Thus, the local real estate
' and construction industry will continue to prosper as this trend
continues.
A major consideration in the economic and social growth of
' Emerald Isle will be the ultimate installation of a municipal
sewer system. Such a system will be needed in the future in
' order to protect the environment and the quality of life.
4.3 Local Objectives Concerning Growth and Development
' A key objective evident from public meetings and from the
results of the citizen survey questionnaire (see Section 6.2) is
the strong desire to maintain the character of the Town of
' Emerald Isle as a "family beach" rather than a "tourist mecca.
This desire will continue to exercise strong influence on
development patterns. However, it should be recognized that
facilities to serve the day visitor population must also be
iaccommodated within the multi -colored fabric of overall growth
and development objectives. In some cases, it will be difficult
to rationalize the respective desires of permanent residents
versus day visitors. Permanent and seasonal residents want the
1 4-3

privacy and general uncrowded aura associated with the "family
beach" atmosphere. However, day visitors need parking, food
concessions and other facilities to serve their particular needs
associated with brief visits to the beach. Such needs may
conflict with those of permanent and seasonal residents. For
example, many permanent residents do not want day visitor parking
facilities adjacent to their properties due to the potential for
noise, litter and public nuisance events such as impromptu car -
trunk beer parties. However, good planning techniques such as
careful site selection for parking facilities and the provision
of privacy fencing or vegetative buffers around such facilities
may serve to alleviate or mitigate conflicts.
4.4 Future Land Needs
The population projections developed in Section 4.1 above and
summarized in Table 4.1.2 reveal that the Town of Emerald Isle
will have a peak seasonal population of approximately 18,000
persons by the year 1995. The Town currently has enough land
zoned for residential purposes to support more than the expected
number of people, based on current health requirements regarding
space for septic tanks. (See Section 1.6.2 above). However, in
order to protect the quality of life, the public health and water
quality in Bogue Sound, consideration needs to be given to the
future development of a a municipal sewer system to support the
expected growth (see Section 4.5 below).
4.4.1 Industrial Space Requirements
The Town does have land suitable for industrial use; but
because of the current demand for recreational -residential land
4-4

'
on Bogue Banks and the fragile nature of the area, industrial
uses seem inappropriate and should not be allowed. Neither the
Land Use Plan for Emerald Isle .nor the Zoning Ordinance include
'
land designated as industrial.
4.4.2. Commercial Space Requirements
'
Although there are now 400 acres zoned for commercial use,
only 79 acres (20 percent) are yet developed. The 400 acres
zoned for commercial use is about twelve percent of the total
land area, far in excess of the two to three percent normally
considered adequate for commercial uses. Emerald Isle does not,
however, represent a standard town. As Emerald Isle is a resort
area, a higher percentage than normal for commercial areas
appears appropriate. Even though the Town currently has two
'
commercial areas, a third commercial area is developing near the
bridge. These three areas should serve the Town's commercial
needs. The ten year estimate of additional commercial acreage
needed is shown in Table 4.4.1. The needs indicated can be met
by acreage already zoned commercial but not yet developed as
such.
4.4.3 Residential Space Requirements
The Town has adequate land acreage to satisfy the space
necessary for residential development for the population
projection within this plan. The ten year estimate of additional
residential acreage is shown in Table 4.4.1.
' 4.5 Future Facilities Demand
' Necessary future community facilities are based upon the
number of people expected to be in an area during a certain
4-5

1
1
1
i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
TABLE 4.4.1
FUTURE ACREAGE NEEDSI•
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Additional Comgle;cial Additional Res d ntial
Year Acreage NeededL•/ Acreage Neede•
1990 32 113
1995 64 226
2000 96 339
Notes:
3./ Acreage needs shown represent the amount of additional land
that will be needed beyond that which is already developed
for the respective land use category indicated. Acreage
needs shown are cumulative over time. -
Need is based on one -hundredth acre per person (peak
seasonal resident).
3./ Need is based on density of 8 units/acre and peak seasonal
occupancy rate of 3.5 persons/unit.

period in time. The population projection for Emerald Isle is
shown in Table 4.1.2 above.
In view of the expected amount of growth that will occur in
Emerald Isle within the next 10 years, a municipal sewer system
will ultimately be necessary for the several reasons set forth in
detail elsewhere in this report (see Section 3.1.4 above). The
' results of the citizen survey questionnaire indicated that 70
percent of the respondents would support a bond referendum to
finance a sewer system provided that the bond referendum would
not increase property taxes .and the monthly user fee for the
system would not exceed $20 per user.
As indicated in Section 3.1.4 above, the County has initiated
planning for a countywide sewer system and a countywide bond
referendum has been scheduled. The Town of Emerald Isle supports
the efforts of the County in this regard and intends to continue
to access the need for a sewer system within the context of the
County' s efforts.
The water system serving Emerald Isle will also need to be
expanded to serve future growth and development. Based on the
population projections shown in Table 4.1.2, the peak seasonal
average water demand for Emerald Isle alone will rise to
1,802,800 gallons per day by 1995 and 2,120,400 gallons per day
' 1.
by the year 2000 /. Current storage capacity in place at
Emerald Isle is 920,000 gallons. This will need to be doubled by
the year 1995 and then increased by approximately another 300,000
Demand factor of 100 gallons/day/capita assumed.
4-6
r

gallons by the year 2000. Current well capacity is at 1,260,000
gallons (assuming a 12 hour pumping cycle) with five (5) wells on
line. Thus, two (2) more wells with a capacity of 350 gpm will
be needed by the year 1995 to be further supplemented by one more
well with a capacity of 425 gpm by the year 2000 to insure an
adequate supply of water for anticipated growth and development.
Representatives of the Bogue Banks Water and Sewer Corporation
indicate that two new well sites should be approved soon.
Planning for additional storage at Emerald Isle should begin
immediately..
In view of the seasonal day visitor projects presented in
Section 4.1 above (see Table 4.1.3), the Town of Emerald Isle
will need to give. the issues of additional estuarine access and
public parking increasing emphasis in the next 5 years. The
citizen survey questionnaire indicated that a majority of the
respondents favored and added emphasis on these issues.
4-7

' SECTION 5: LOCAL POLICY ON LAND USE ISSUESl�
5.1 Resource Protection
' 5.1.1 Constraints to Development
Within the Town of Emerald Isle, Areas of Environmental
Concern (AEC) present a major constraint to development. These
AEC's are Coastal Wetlands, Estuarine Waters, Estuarine
Shorelines, Public Trust Areas, Inlet Hazard Areas, High Hazard
Flood Areas and Ocean Erodible Areas. There are no other Areas
of Environmental concern within the Town as currently defined by
the Coastal Resources Commission.
Other constraints include those imposed by storm vulnerability
' and environmental protection regulations. Included in this
latter category are new proposed regulations relative to
stormwater runoff and drainage. The following paragraphs
elaborate on these constraints.
5.1.2 Specific Local Resource Development Issues Relative to
AEC' s
The Coastal Wetlands AEC is discussed within the Fragile Areas
section of this report (see Section 3.2). Only limited use of
' the Coastal Wetlands should occur. The Town believes appropriate
uses such as piers and boat docks are reasonable, but not
dredging for commercial marinas. Although the total acreage of
' wetlands in this area is not great when compared to the total
' 1./ Note: Important policy statements contained in this section
are highlighted by being underlined. Please refer to Section
7.2 for a recapitulation of policy statements.
5-1
11

acreage of wetlands in coastal North Carolina, the Town does
benefit from these wetlands. These areas contribute greatly as
nurseries for fish and shellfish. In addition, these areas
contribute greatly to the scenic beauty of the Town. Town
officials have zoned these areas as wetlands and will protect
these areas in the local zoning ordinance. Town officials also
believe that the State of North Carolina has a responsibility to
protect these areas.
The Estuarine Waters AEC is also discussed in detail in the
Fragile Areas section of this report (Section 3.2). These waters
are extremely important to the Town of Emerald Isle. These
waters provide recreation, commercial and sport fishing, and
scenic beauty. The Town believes that the only appropriate uses
of estuarine waters are piers, boat docks, boat housing, marinas,
sports fishing, commercial fishing, and recreation. It also
believes that Town, state and federal protection of these waters
are needed. The Town protects these waters through zoning, the
State protects the water quality and the federal government keeps
the channels worked and navigable.
The Town also has* Estuarine Shoreline AEC'S. Within this
area, water related activities such as docks, boat houses,
marinas, bathing facilities, commercial and residential
development consistent with ACE regulations are appropriate.
Public Trust Areas are those areas seaward of the high water
mark of high tide. Also included in this AEC are all navigable
natural bodies of waters including Bogue Sound, Bogue Inlet and
the Atlantic Ocean. Also, all beaches to the mean high tide are
a part of this AEC. The Town's entire local economy rests on the
5-2

protection of these areas from inappropriate development.
Reasonable land uses of these areas are identical to the
' Estuarine Waters and Estuarine Shoreline AEC's. Town, state and
federal protection is necessary for the protection of Public
Trust Areas.
' Inlet Hazard Area'is another AEC within the Town. History has
shown that Bogue Inlet has oscillated within a one mile area
between Bear Island on the west and the Town of Emerald Isle
several times in the past one hundred years. In 1975 the inlet
had migrated as far east as it had ever been during its one
' hundred year recorded history. Currently it is moving westward,
away from Emerald Isle. While danger to development within the
Town is decreasing day by day as it continues to move westward,
no one can predict the direction of future movements of the
inlet. Most of the land within the Inlet Hazard Areas of Emerald
Isle was subdivided and sold for residential lots prior to the
existence of the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act.
Therefore, current AEC regulations do not prevent these lots from
being utilized for residential structures. However, it is the
Policy of the Town to advise property owners through the Building
Inspector upon the request of a building permit of the hazards of
constructing in the Inlet Hazard Area. The Town believes that
both- the Town and state should protect this area from
inappropriate development. Both Town and state are responsible
for protecting this area. Because of subdivision and development
' for residential purposes prior to the existence of the CAMA
1 5-3
11

program, the Town believes that residential development is
permissible in this area. However, persons desiring to build
within this are must be willing to assume all risks. Should
these lots be threatened by a future inlet migration'to the east,
the Tow n's policy will be to encourage homeowners to relocate
their structures outside of the inlet hazard area at their own
expense. This policy recognizes the fact that inlet migration
cannot be effectively controlled by man and public efforts or
funds enlisted to curtain inlet migration and associated erosion
in the zone will be futile.
High Hazard Flood Areas are those areas along the ocean which
are subject to high velocity wave wash during hurricane or other
storm (nor'easter) conditions. These areas are identified as
Zone V on the flood insurance rate map provided to the Town by
the Federal Insurance Administration. The Town believes that the
uses allowed by the flood insurance program are appropriate and
protects this area through the local zoning ordinance. It is the
Town's policy to allow development within this area, consistent
with AEC regulations, Federal Insurance Regulations and the
Zoning Ordinance. An example of appropriate uses are, fishing
piers, recreation, commercial development and residential
development, pr.ovided such uses are protected from significant
damage by elevation above the one hundred year flood hazard
elevation.
Ocean Erodible Areas also exist within the Town of Emerald
Isle. This AEC includes ocean beaches *and frontal dunes. To
date, the ocean erosion within the Town has not been great enough
5-4

to effect any existing development. It is the Town's policy to
allow development of the Ocean Erodible Areas consistent with -AEC
'
regulation. The Town believes that the
appropriate uses of Ocean
Erodible Areas are recreation and fishing piers; and commercial
and residential development if properly designed to protect the
'
frontal dune. Frontal dunes extend almost the full length of
ocean front within the Town. These areas are extremely important
'
because of the protection that these dunes provide to areas
behind the dunes during hurricanes or other major storms. It is
the Town's policy to prevent any development which will damage
this important dune system. Both commercial and residential
development is allowed provided that the development will not
'
involve significant (other than minor disturbances for dune
walkovers, etc.) removal or relocation of the frontal dune sand
or vegetation thereon. Development within the frontal dune AEC
must be consistent with the AEC regulations. Both the state and
the Town share the responsibility for supervised development of
this AEC.
It is the Town's policy not to allow the development of AEC' s
in a manner which is inconsistent with the Coastal Area
' Management Act (CAMA) . While CAMA does not permit development
that is more intensive than that allowed by minimal use and
' performance standards for each AEC, it is permissible for local
governments to develop standards more restrictive than the CAMA
use and performance standards. Emerald Isle has, as yet, not
' elected to exercise this option with respect to the AEC's within
its jurisdiction. Thus, implementation of these policies is
5-5

accomplished through state and federal regulations.and the Town's
zoning and subdivision ordinances which are consistent therewith.
Where each AEC provides its own unique constraint to
development, environmental protection regulations impose
additional constraints. Regulations governing septic tank
installations preclude approval of such systems on individual
lots judged "unsuitable." Thus, in view of the fact that large
areas of Emerald Isle are unsuitable for septic tank
installations (see Map 3.1.2.2 and Section 3.1.2), full
development of the Town cannot take place without a central sewer
system. Therefore, in order to protect Bogue Sound and to
accommodate future development which will occur, it is the Town's
Policy to continue to work toward the development of a municipal
sewage collection. treatment and disposal facility.
Newly promulgated regulations governing stormwater runoff may
,preclude certain types of development within certain areas (see
Section 5.1.6 following).
5.1.3 Other Fragile Land Areas (Maritime Forest)
There is another important resource protection issue within
the Town of Emerald Isle: the maritime forest. 'Up to this
point, this desire has been implemented by the adoption of a
dunes and vegetation ordinance and a planned unit development
section of the subdivision ordinance. These ordinances require
that certain percentages of land within each development remain
in the natural state and provide for the clustering of
development. The purpose of this ordinance is to maintain a
portion of the existing maritime forest, dunes and open space
within each development.
5-6

'
However, in view of the -information presented in
Section 3.2.8
above and in Appendix C, it becomes apparent that some additional
'
level of protection of the maritime forest resource
is necessary
in order to mitigate developmental impacts on this
unique forest
type. In recognition of this situation it is the
Town's policy
'
to encourage all future developers of land within
the affected
area (Blocks 43 to 47 - see Map 5.1.3.1) to use the
planned unit
'
development approach.
5.1.4 Hurricane and Flood Evacuation Plans
The Town has a hurricane and flood evacuation plan (see
Section 2.1.6 above). Passes are issued to all persons owning
property in the Town. These
passes are placed
in the person's
'
automobile. Before a hurricane,
persons are
evacuated via the
Cameron Langestone Bridge.
To prevent looting
after the storm,
police prevent the return
of any automobile
without a pass.
Shelter is made available on
the mainland in public schools. The
plan was developed because
the bridge is the
only evacuation
' route available, no alternate routes or plans are considered.
This plan is implemented jointly by the Town police and Carteret
' County Civil Defense officials.
' 5.1.5 Protection of Potable Water Supply
The Town of Emerald Isle relies on groundwater for its potable
water supply. When groundwater resources are used extensively,
it is possible to use more water than the aquifer can replenish
through infiltration. Without sufficient recharge of the
groundwater, wells can go dry or saltwater from the ocean or
estuaries can be pulled into the aquifer. Salt -contaminated
water cannot be used for drinking, posing a serious problem.
5-7

8
R-MH
PTA
I
PTA G
N� \
� � P
P
1
R-MH
N p 1
1 1
1
1 ; R-MHO
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B-3 1 1
, 1
1 1
L / 1 4
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B-3 �
1 11 R-M H
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11 ,
B-3
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o�
MAP 5.1.3.1.
MARITIME FOREST OVERLAY DISTRICT
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE N.C.
1986 LAND USE. PLAN UPDATE
0 660 1320 2640
1.�= 1320,
HENRY VON OESEN 8 ASSOCIATES CONSULTING ENGINEERS 13 PLANNERS WI LMINGTON, N. C.

' For this reason, the NC Environmental Management Commission
has the authority to designate "capacity use areas" -- aquifers
where withdrawals must be regulated in order to prevent the
groundwater from being overused. The one such area designated to
' date encompasses la portion
pa a large po tion of eastern Carteret County east
' of the Newport River. Bogue Banks and the Town of Emerald Isle
fall within a secondary zone where the use of groundwater may
require coordination, limited regulation, or protection in order
' to insure ample future supplies. Thus, for potable water supply
protection the Town must in large measure rely on the advise and
'
regulatory authority of state agencies to insure protection. It
is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to work closely with
'
the State Regulatory Agencies to protect the integrity of the
potable water supply.
5.1.6 Stormwater Runoff Draina e
The NC Environmental Management Commission (NCEMC) adopted
regulations to control stormwater runoff on September 11, 1986.
The regulations impose certain constraints on development
'
proximate to estuarine waters classified SA (for shellfishing).
Following is a summary of the regulations. (Note: A copy of the
complete regulations are found in Appendix G).
Storm event criteria are presented for the design of
'
stormwater treatment and disposal systems to protect water
quality standards. These stormwater criteria depend on stream
classifications as follows:
(1) Class SA Waters:
(A) Stormwater must not be discharged to Class SA waters
' from precipitation events less severe than the 2-
5-8

year, 24-hour event, including a 2-year, 1-hour
intensity;•this requirement applies to discharges
directly to Class SA waters, and to discharges to
waters in close proximity to Class SA waters that
water quality standards and uses of Class SA waters
may be threatened.
(B) As an alternative, stormwater disposal for land
areas which complies with the regulations is
considered to comply with requirement (A).
(2) Other Waters: Appropriate performance criteria for the
design of stormwater controls for other waters of the
State shall be determined on a case -by -case basis by the
Commission so as to provide adequate protection of water
quality standards and classified uses in receiving
waters.
The regulations require stormwater controls to be considered
for development projects exceeding one acre in size within 575
feet of Class SA waters. This zone affects all of the soundfront
area of the Town of Emerald Isle.
Within the 575 foot zone, development must either meet certain
set backs and impervious area requirements or obtain a permit for
stormwater disposal meeting certain criteria unless it meets one
of several exemptions:
(1) The site is so situated that it can be certified by NCDEM
that the drainage does not threaten Class SA waters
regardless of the type and degree of development.
5-9

(2) The development is redevelopment at an equivalent or
lesser density following a fire, hurricane or other
' natural disaster.
(3) The project site is one acre or less and no portion falls
' within the CAMA AEC.
'
If the development does not meet one of the exceptions, the
.development must either meet certain density limits or must
'
obtain a permit for a stormwater treatment and disposal system.
The requirements vary depending on drainage characteristics.
'
(See Appendix G for details). The exemption/permit process is
'
illustrated in Figure 5.1.6.1.
The Town has responded to the new regulations by implementing
'
a project to develop a Town -wide stormwater management plan. A
local stormwater control ordinance is expected to be a product of
1
this planning study slated for completion by mid 1987.
It is the Town of Emerald Isle' s policy to support the intent
of the NCEMC 'stormwater control regulation to protect water
quality and the integrity of shellfishing waters.
5.1.7 Marinas
The NC Division of Coastal Management recently adopted new
1./
regulations governing the placement of marinas. This
regulation defines marinas as any publicly or privately owned
'
dock, basin, or wet boat storage facility constructed to
accommodate more than 10 boats and providing any of several
transient docking spaces,
customary services such as permanent or
'
dry storage, fueling facilities, haulout facilities and repair
service. Boat ramp facilities allowing access only, temporary
'
docking and none of the aforementioned services are excluded.
5-10

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
FIGURE 5.1.6.1
SCHEMATIC OF REGULATIONS FOR COASTAL
STORMWATER TO PROTECT CLASS SA WATERS l ' /
Is the site within 575 ft. -NO
of SA waters? STORMWATER CONTROLS
NOT REQUIRED
YES
Does the project nasire a CAMA
major development penult -
and is the site greater t1w one acre?
NO
Y7NOT
STORMWATER NO Does the Project require
CONTROLS a sedimentation/erosion
REQUIRED control plan?
YES
Is the effective impervious
IS the effective impervious
cover of the project greater NO NO cover of the project granw
then 20% within the AEC and DEEMED
PERMITTED tin 30% wittin 575 ft.
3Q% outside of the AEC. of SA waters.
YES IYES
Does the project have a stormwater control
system that will retain the two-year design storm?
YES NO
Dom® OBTAIN NPDES
PERMITTED DISCHARGE PERMIT
l . / Source: NCEMC.

rExisting facilities slated for expansion must also comply with
the new regulations.
The regulations govern siting of new marinas and encourage
placement in non -wetland areas, in deep waters where dredging is
not required or in upland areas and not in or adjacent to areas
documented as having natural shellfish beds. Dry storage marinas
are encouraged where feasible. The regulations define certain
design criteria to promote flushing minimization of adverse
effects on navigation and public use of waters, and provisions
for future maintenance dredging (spoil areas). A copy of the
regulations are found in Appendix H.
In addition to new rules adopted by NCDCM, the US Environ-
mental Protection agency and representatives of five southeastern
states, including North Carolina, have agreed on specific steps
to reduce marina -shellfish conflicts in coastal waters.
The new steps will allow early and more formal data gathering
on the presence of oysters and clams at sites being considered
for marinas. Decision makers should be able to uphold the EPA's
anti -degradation policy. Coastal developers will benefit from
the changes in information gathering, because they will know
ahead of time where marina -siting problems are•going to occur.
The anti -degradation policy, based on the federal Clean Water
Act, calls for keeping shellfish harvesting waters open to
harvesting. This policy arose from controversies in South
Carolina over the last three years and has now been made known
nationwide.
1. Use Standards (for marinas) 15 NCAC 7H 0.208.
' 5-11

To ensure uniformity in the policy's application, the
agreement, endorsed by officials from Alabama, Florida, Georgia
and the two Carolinas, contains the following provisions:
• Because of the difference between shellfish resources in
the various states, "no rigid criteria" is appropriate.
• The understanding is firm that water quality and existing
uses have to be maintained.
• The phrase "existing uses" means the growing of harvestable
oysters, clams and mussels - regardless of whether or not
they are actually being harvested by humans.
• The agency in each state responsible for managing shellfish
will determine the extent of the oysters, clams and mussels
in any development
,
proposed site.
• The resource agency will then make recommendations formally
and publicly to the agency responsible for maintaining
water quality and existing uses.
It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to encourage the
developers of marinas to abide by the NCDCM regulations and the
associated anti -degradation policies now in effect relative to '
marina siting and development.
5.2 Resource Production and Management
5.2.1 General
Agriculture, forestry and mining resource production and
management policies are not pertinent issues at Emerald Isle
because these activities do not occur within thew Town. Because
of the nature of the geography of the area, these activities will
not occur in the future. However, fisheries and recreational ,
resources are of particular interest to the area.
5 -12

Recreation is the reason the Town exists. Its superb ocean
beaches and beautiful sound combined with its easy access to the
mainland provide recreational benefits to both day visitors and
Town residents. It is the Town's policy to continue to encourage
use of this recreational resource. Because tourism is so
important to the local economy, the alternative of discouraging
uses of this recreational resource is considered inappropriate.
This policy has been reinforced by the. early efforts to obtain a
ferry connection to the mainland and later a bridge, local
promotions b local businessmen and a continuing effort b the
P Y 9 Y
Town to reach an equitable and reasonable solution to the issue
of public parking. The Town supports the protection of this
valuable recreational resource.
5.2.2 Commercial. Sports and Recreational Fisheries Including
Nursery Areas
Commercial, sports and recreational fishing is consistent with
the recreational resources of the Town of Emerald Isle.
' Commercial fishing in Bogue Sound is extensive. However,
commercial seafood processing tends to be inconsistent with the
recreational economy. Because of odors associated with
commercial fisheries processing operations such as fish houses,
shucking houses, etc., and the potential for conflicts,
Icommercial seafood processing operations do not fit well into the
local economy. For this reason, the Town does not encourage the
development of local seafood processing facilities. Furthermore,
Pm P g
only one small harbor exists within the Town. All available
space within this harbor is utilized for recreational boating.
r 5-13
[I

Thus, the Town supports the development of commercial fisheries
and related seafood processing facilities at other locations in
Onslow and Carteret Counties. Waters adjacent to Emerald Isle
must be protected for the benefit of both commercial and I
recreational. fishermen. Therefore, it is the policy of the town
of Emerald Isle to support the development of commercial, sports
and recreational fishing in area waters with the caveat that this
Policy excludes the development of seafood processing facilities
within Town limits.
Related to the protection of fisheries resources is the issue
of the protection of primary nursery areas. Such protection is
normally the joint purview of NCDCM and the NC Division of Marine
Fisheries bolstered by local support for such protection. Thus,
the Town of Emerald Isle supports the efforts of these state
agencies to preserve the integrity of primary nursery areas for
fisheries production.
5.2.3 Off -Road Vehicles
It is the' Town Policy of discouraging off -road vehicles from
its dune system. In fact, local ordinances have been adopted
prohibiting off -road vehicles from its dune system. (Note:.
Emergency vehicles are exempted from this regulation). Vehicles
on the beach are allowed during the winter and spring seasons but
prohibited from Memorial Day through Labor Day. This policy has
been in effect since 1977. Many alternatives were considered
before this policy was formulated. The policy is being
implemented through an ordinance and enforced by the police
department.
�
5-14

1
5.2.4 Sound and Estuarine Islands
These are numerous undeveloped low lying spoil or marsh
islands located in Bogue Sound north of Emerald Isle within the
Town's one mile extraterritorial jurisdiction (see Map 1.6.1).
It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to discourage any
and all development of these islands by private interest and to
encourage the preservation of the areas as wildlife sanctuaries
and conservation areas.
5.3 Economic and Community Development
5.3.1 Local Commitment to Provide Municipal Services to
Development
The Town of Emerald Isle is committed to providing municipal
level services to future development. With substantial vacant
land within the Town, the town supports water service to these
areas by the private water system that serves the area. The Town
currently provides street lighting, police protection and garbage
collection via a contracted private hauler. Future services will
most likely include municipal sewer service and municipal
drainage.
It is a policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to require future
developers to secure a
letter from the Bogue Banks Water and
Sewer Corporation (BBWSC)
stating water needs for
the proposed
development will be met
before the development is
approved. The
BBWSC has indicated that
it reserves the right to
refuse service
to a developer should the proposed project require
an additional
r
5-15

well, unless the developer agrees to provide the land necessary
for the well.
Once the municipal sewer and drainage systems become a
reality, the Town will need to adopt service and extension
policies with provisions for developer cost sharing and/or
installation and dedication for Town operation and maintenance.
5.3.2 Urban Growth Patterns/Types Desired
In 1974 the Town adopted its Land Development Guide. Included
in that plan was the policy statement: "High intensity
development
should be located near the bridge. As the distance
from the bridge increases, the intensity of development should
decrease." This policy above all others has been a guide for
rezoning property over the past several years and still remains
as a key to policy guiding future development of Emerald Isle.
The future desired
overall growth pattern for Emerald Isle can
be summarized as*follows:
• A complimentary mixture of single family, cluster and
multifamily (condominium type) residential development with
bulk of the higher density residential development sited
west of the Cameron Langestone Bridge approaches.
• Two (2) principal commercial areas, one along Emerald Drive
immediately east of the bridge and west of Town Hall and
one, yet to be developed, west of Emerald Drive and north
of the Coast Guard Road at the bridge.
• Recreational development and parking areas for day visitors
in appropriate areas.
5-16

• Strict enforcement of greenspace requirements and greater
emphasis on planned unit development to preserve the
aesthetic appeal of the community.
• Commitment towards improving public access to Bogue Sound.
In addition to the above development. goals, the following
�j previously -developed policies are reaffirmed:
• To continue to encourage the development of a good, clean
family beach.
• To continue efforts to maintain high standards for both
residential and commercial areas.
• To encourage the development of public facilities for beach
access areas.
• To insure'that the Town's population does not exceed the
capacity of natural resources and supporting public
facilities.
• To support the County's efforts to develop a countywide
sewer system to include Emerald Isle when such becomes
feasible.
• To improve the quality of Town streets.
5.3.3
Redevelo=nent of Developed
Areas
In
view of the relative youth
of the Town of
Emerald Isle,
there
are currently no developed
areas slated for
or in need of
redevelopment. However, as development
continues
to occur and
land values rise redevelopment of areas now occupied by mobile
homes' may give way towards more permanent structures associated
with high quality residential or commercial development.
5-17

11
5.3.4 Commitment to State and Federal Programs
Emerald Isle is interested in greater participation in federal
and state programs, including highway, recreation and beach
renourishment programs as appropriate. ,
5.3.5 Assistance to Channel Maintenance and Beach Renourishment
Proi ects
The Town is interested in beach nourishment and channel
maintenance. Past efforts of the Town have dealt with such
issues as trying to curb erosion at the point at Bogue Inlet and
encouraging the US Army Corps of Engineers to cut a new, better
defined, channel through Bogue Inlet. Efforts to curtail erosion
and support beach nourishment where such is deemed reasonable and
cost effective is continuing. It is the Town's policy to
continue to support channel maintenance and appropriate beach
nourishment by providing spoil areas or easements for dredge
pipelines, etc. An alternate policy of no action on this issue
1.
was abandoned several years ago.
5.3.6 Tourist Access to Beach and Sound
Promotion of tourism is a key factor in the Town's economy.
While many tourists are day visitors, most rent cottages, mobile
homes and camp sites. Beach access has been a continual issue
1./ Note: As alluded to in Section 5.1.2 above, beach
renourishment within the Inlet Hazard Area AEC may not be
appropriate should Bogue Inlet return to a pattern of
eastward migration. Should such occur, beach renourishment
versus a programmed retreat from the zone will have to be
evaluated for efficacy.
5-18

within the Town. Over 200 beach access sites already exist
within the Town. However, given the limited land area within the
a
town and the relatively -high cost of land, finding suitable sites
for public parking to complement beach access points has been
very difficult. The citizen survey questionnaire returns
indicate support for providing public parking. \It is the'Town's
_policy to provide public parking throughout the Town, even in
residential areas. Implementation of the policy to provide
waterfront access is by the subdivision ordinance. Every
subdivision must provide dedicated accesses at a minimum of 550
feet along the ocean or sound. This access cannot be blocked to
prevent passage.
�.
As alluded to previously in this plan update (see Section 4.3
above) , the issue of public parking must be dealt with. Thus it
is the Town's Policy to continue todevelo suitable public
parking facilities to accommodate the increasing flow of day
visitors to Emerald Isle. As indicated in Section 4.1 above,
over 18,000 day visitors can be expected by the year 1995 and
virtually all will arrive by private automobiles. A refinement
Mof the Town policy regarding parking was made as a part of this
plan update wherein it was agreed that wherever possible such
public facilities would be located within commercial zones to
avoid potential conflicts. However, the Town will continue to
consider all other areas for public access facilities when deemed
appropriate provided such .locations can meet certain site
planning requirements such as suitable vegetative buffers, etc.
Also, the Town is considering such innovative ideas as a
centrally located privately owned parking deck (multiple story
5-19

permanent structure) within a commercial zone with an associated
jitney bus transportation system routed to beach and sound access
points during the peak summer season.
The results of the citizen opinion questionnaire distributed
during the planning period pointed out the need for more access
points to Bogue Sound including a public boat ramp facility. In
response to this public input,. the Town will be considering the
f ollowing :
• Location of a municipal park and/or nature trail and/or
bike path on the sound side of the town. A site screening
process including public participation will be used to
select the site (or sites) for these facilities.
• Location of a public boat ramp with suitable parking
facilities and road access at the Cameron Langestone Bridge
1./
Causeway (see Map 5.3.6.1) . The planning and
development of this proposed facility will involve close
cooperation of several state agencies including the NC
Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Department of
Transportation, the NC Division of Coastal Management and
the NC Division of Marine Fisheries.
5.3.7 Future Land Use Classification System
A land classification system has been developed as a means of
assisting in the implementation of policies adopted as a part of
this plan. By delineating land classes on a map, the Town
1./ Several other locations for this facility were screened
during the planning process including a site near to the US
Coast Guard Station at Bogue Inlet. However, all of these
other locations had limited space for parking or were
proximate to low density residential areas which could
result in adverse impacts on existing development.
5-20

N
CAMERON LANGSTONE E
�`� ✓I' 4 S:' Y Mi
ID
iP
0060s,f
,y4 _�a5i
.fir t �y c r . f� i �ffx . ,rt �, "a' •*'"'t i „y ,�
^5
: ,.,
! ,. n .,{$ �: 3 ,�+� «�'•
s :'
�
. '� �µ f �� 95 ;k '{"ter �
• .? + ��� t a r z .,A �,y r
"� R3 ,# �.'. •rtr� j a� r Mr` � Y.
� �
,l.
TQ1l�N Q EM�RALQ� 1$L` E
x , .� fi, 0 Gy E
}.
f .
p
.
MAP 5.3.6.1
.'
LOCATION OF SITE FOR-PROPROSED
PU BL 1 C BOAT RAMP, AND '
ACCESS TO BOGUE SOUND
1986 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE
Z G
.
.
N a
" -> 0 660 1320 2640
I = 1320
P�LA
HENRY VON OESEN & ASSOCIATES CONSULTING ENGINEERS 8 PLANNERS • WI LMINGTON
N.C.
007A

government officials and local citizens can locate those areas
where certain policies (local, state and federal) are applicable.
The land classification map for Emerald Isle is shown on Map
5.3.7.1 which follows this page.
The Coastal Area Management Act requires that lands within the.
j urisdiction of a local government be classified as Developed,
Transition, Community, Rural and Conservation. Within the Town
of Emerald Isle there are only two classes of land: Conservation
and Transition. The definitions of each of these are as follows:
• Conservation: Lands which provide for effective long-term
management of significant or irreplaceable resources.
These areas may have natural, cultural, recreational,
productive*or scenic values. Required by the Coastal
Resource Commission to be included in the conservation
classification are "major wetlands; essentially undeveloped
shorelands that are unique, fragile, or hazardous for
development; necessary wildlife habitat or areas that have
a high probability for providing necessary habitat
conditions; publicly owned water supply watersheds and
aquifers; ers; and forest lands that are undeveloped and will
q pe
remain undeveloped for commercial purposes."
Within the Town of Emerald Isle major wetlands, portions of
high hazard flood areas, ocean erodible areas and the Bogue Inlet
hazard area are designated as conservation. Also, in view of the
fact that Bogue Sound is defined as Estuarine Waters AEC, a 75
foot landward area is also an AEC, Estuarine Shoreline. This
zone is also included in the Conservation Class. However
development is allowed within the areas consistent with CAMA
Guidelines/regulations.
5-21

• Transition: Lands where the local government plans to
provide for future intensive urban development within the
ensuing ten years that are most suitable and that will be
scheduled for provision of necessary public utilities and
services. The transition lands provide for additional
growth when additional lands in the developed class are not
available or when they are severely limited for
development.'
Lands to be classified transition may include: (1) lands
currently having
urban services, and (2) other lands necessary to
accommodate the urban population and economic growth anticipated
within the planning jurisdiction over the ensuing ten year
period.
Lands classified transition to help meet the demand for
development,
anticipated population, and economic growth must:
(1) be served or be readily served by public water, sewer, and
other urban services including public streets, and (2) be
generally free of severe physical limitations for urban
development. In addition, the transition class should not
include: (1) lands high for
of potential agriculture, forestry,
or mineral extraction, or land falling within extensive rural
areas being managed commercially for these uses, when other lands
are available; (2) lands where urban development might result in
major or irreversible damage to important environmental,
scientific, or scenic values; or (3) land where urban development
might result in damage to natural systems or processes of more
than local concern. Lands where development will result in undue
risk to life or property from natural hazards (including inlet
5-22

3a3000
D
311000 D
339000
337000
325000
333000
331000
35' SE1
CONSEI
LINE
2571000 2573000 257S000 2577000 2579000 2591000 2583000 2565000 2597000 2530000 2591000 2SO3000 2SO5000 2597000
MAP 5.3.7.1 , PART A
FUTURE LAND USE CLASSIFICATION MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE , N. C.
EMERALD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
LAND RESOURCES
INFORMATION SERVICE
Ir NC DEPT OF NR&CO
—J 919/733-2090
SCALE 1: 15840
1 INCH = 1320 FT
11 17 1982
EMERAL. SL. A. L i 9
ORIG SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON OESEN a ASSOCIATES
CONSULTING ENGINEERS a PLANNERS
TRANSITIONAL '
CONSERVATION
�Y
W I LMI NOTON , NORTH CAROLINA
2sao100

350000
348000
346000
344000
342000
340000
338000
N T � G
AT�"A
2600000 2502000 2604000 2606000 2608000
MAP 5.3.7.1 , PART B
FUTURE LAND USE CLASSIFICATION MAP
TOWN OF EMERALD" ISLE N. C.
EMERALD ISLE LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986
LAND RESOURCES
INFORMATION SERVICE
(� NC DEPT OF NRLCD
—� 919/733-2090
SCALE 1: 15840
1 TN!" 1320 FT
1; 17 198-1
EMERAL. SL. B. L 1 q7
ORIG SCALE 1: 24000 NORTH
HENRY VON OESEN 8i ASSOCIATES
2610000 2612000 2854000 2618000 2658000 2620000 2622000 2624000 2626000 2628000
CONSULTING ENGINEERS a PLANNERS
TRANSITIONAL
CONSERVATION
WILMINGTON , NORTH CAROLINA

hazard areas and ocean erodible areas as defined in 15 NCAC 7H)
or existing land uses shall not be classified transition.
In determining the amount of additional transition lands
necessary to meet projected urban population and economic growth,
the county or town may utilize estimates of average future urbane
population density that are based upon local land policy,
existing patterns and trends of urban development within the
if
county or town, and densities specified in local zoning, any;
an estimate of additional transition class lands should be based
upon a guideline density of 2,000 persons or 500 dwellings per
square mile.
The developed and transition classes should be the only lands
under active consideration by the county or municipality for
intensive urban . development requiring urban services. The area
within these classes is where detailed local land use and public
investment planning must occur. State and federal expenditures
on projects associated with urban development (water, sewer,
urban street systems, etc.) will be guided to these areas. Based
on utility service and current growth trends, with the exception
of the conservation areas, the entire town is classified as
transition. Appropriate uses are those uses allowed by the
Town's zoning ordinance.
Developed, community and rural classification do not apply
within Emerald Isle. Land within the developed class includes
land with full urban services such as public water sewer,
. p ► ►
recreational facilities, police and fire protection. Density of
such areas . is generally 500 or more dwelling units per square
mile.
5-23

.Community classifications are clusters of developments within
rural areas. These areas are generally small and do not require
municipal service.
Rural classifications are predominantly agricultural and
forest lands. Density is expected to remain extremely low.
5-24

SECTION 6: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
6.1 Description of Methods Used for Public Education on Public
Issues
Continuing public participation was a key element in the
development of this plan. Specific methods used to educate the
public on planning issues and to receive public input included
the wide distribution of a citizen survey questionnaire early in
the planning process along with the holding of three (3) well
advertised public meetings. Two (2) of these meetings were joint
meetings of the Town Board of Commissioners and the Planning
Also, the
Board and one (1) was with the Planning Board alone.
local press gave good -coverage of key policy issues during the
planning Process thereby educating other segments of the public
who did not attend the public meetings.
Public education on planning issues will continue by providing
several copies of this document at the Town Hall for.. public use
and continual discussions of important issues at public meetings
of the Planning Board and Town Board.
6.2 Results of Citizen Survey Questionnaire and Summary of
Public Desires Regarding the Land Use Plan
A sample copy of the Citizen Survey Questionnaire used to
solicit public comment is shown in Figure 6.2.1. The contents of
the questionnaire was developed with the assistance of Town staff
members.
6-1
I

FIGURE 6.2.1
I
1
1
11
CITIZEN SURVEY QUESTIONAIRE
1986 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
• Introductory Remarks
The Town of Emerald Isle is currently involved in a project to update its
Land Use Plan. The Land Use Plan is a guide to future development and growth at
Emerald Isle. Town officials and our planning consultant (Henry von Oesen and
Associates, Inc., Wilmington, NC) have identified several key issues on which we.
wouldlike to have your opinion(s). Your opiniions are very important to us if
the final plan is to accurately reflect the collective sense of direction that
the citizens of Emerald Isle want their community to take during the next 10
years. Also, public opinion will ultimately be linked to public policy.
Policies which will be incorporated into the Land Use Plan will affect growth
and future decisions on how your tax monies will be spent.
Therefore, we would appreciate your taking a few minutes to answer the
following questions. Thank you in advance for communicating your feelings on
these issues with us. Please return the questionaire to the Town Hall by
February 21, 1986.
Sincerely,
Wade Horne
Town Administrator

FIGURE 6.2.1, Continued
Instructions: Please circle or underline your answer to the following
questions. Flese note that some questions have special instructions.
A. INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS
1. Which of the following best describes your relationship to the Town?
a. Permanent resident c. Regular seasonal visitor
b. Non-resident real property d. Occasional seasonal visitor
owner e. Other
(Please specify
2. If you are a non-resident real property owner, do you intend to build a
house on your property or to sell your property during the next ten
years? (Please bypass this question if you are not a non-resident real
property owner).
a. Intend to build a house on my property
b. Intend to sell my property
M1 c. Do not intend to sell my property or build on it
3. Which of the following describes
your principal relationship to the
Town?
a.
Developer, builder
e.
Beach user
b.
Commercial business owner
f.
Retiree
c.
Town resident
g.
Housewife
d.
Sportsfisherman or boater
h.
Other
ease specify)
4. Which of the following best describes
your relationship to the Town?
a.
Active voter
b.
Ineligible to vote in Town elections
c.
Eligible to vote, but not active
in Town elections
5. In
which general area of Erperald
Isle are you especially interested?
(Select one)
a.
Beach
e.
Residential area
b.
Sound
f .
Other
c.
Maritime forest
ease specify)
_.
d.
Commercial business district
B. ACCESS TO ATLANTIC OCEAN AND BOGUE SOUND
6. Do you think that public access to the ocean at Emerald Isle is
!, adequate?
a. Yes
b . No
1
1

Figure 6.2.1, Continued
l
t
i
7. Do you think that public access to the sound at Emerald Isle is
adequate?
a. Yes
b. No
8. The Town of Emerald Isle currently has 75 dedicated and marked public
beach and sound accessways but no public parking facilities to accompany
them. The Town is considering requiring all future dedicated access
points to have associated public parking facilities. How do you feel
about this:
a. Strongly agree d. Disagree
b. Agree e. Strongly disagree
c. Not sure
9. The Town of Emerald Isle is considering the passage of an ordinance
which will require all developers, as a condition of development, to
dedicate land for public access to the Atlantic Ocean or Bogue Sound
according to the following suggested standards: Parking, a trash
receptacle, a freshwater shower/drinking fountain, planting strips,
changing enclosure and restroom, a raised walkway structure across the
primary dune (ocean access) or stabilized path (sound access) and
directional signs indicating public beach/sound access. How do you
react to this proposal?
a. Strongly agree d. Disagree
b. Agree e. Strongly disagree
c. Not sure
10. Should the Town of Emerald Isle invite day visitors and provide
facilities (parking/restrooms, etc.) for them?
a. Yes
b. No
Please explain your answer:
11. Would you like the Town of Emerald Isle to have an oceanfront public
Gazebo with seating and associated parking?
a. Yes*
b. No
12. Should the Town have parking meters for public parking areas?
a. Yes
b. No
K

Figure 6.2.1, Continued
C. GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
13. The Town of Emerald Isle currently has a density ceiling of 8 units/
acre. Do you feel that this limit should be ......?
a. Increased
b. Stay the same
c. Decreased
Please explain your answer:
D. ZONING
14. How do you feel about the amount of land zoned for commercial use?
a. Too little
b. Adequate
Ali c. Too much
WF 15. Do you feel that the location of commercially zoned lands is
appropriate?
a. Yes
b. No
E. PUBLIC SERVICES
16. Are you currently satisfied with the level and delivery of services
offered by the Town of Emerald Isle?
a. Yes
b. No
17. What other services, if any, would you like the Town to offer its
citizens?
18. What existing services do you feel can be improved?
19. As the Town of Emerald Isle continues to grow, a central sewer system
will more than likely be needed to prevent environmental problems.
Would you vote in favor of a bond referendum for a sewer system if you
knew that advalorem taxes would remain at the current level and the
r monthly sewer bill would be less than $20/month/household?
a. Yes
b. No

Figure 6.2.1, Continued
I
20. As an alternative to building a central sewer system, do you f eel that
the Town should use local land use regulations and service provisions to
discourage intense development?
a. Yes
b. No
21. Do you feel that the Town should direct future development to those
areas best able to support development so as to prevent the future use
of public funds to correct a problem?
a. Yes
b. No
22. The Town of Emerald Isle recently experienced drainage problems in
certain areas of Town. Drainage improvements will need to be made to
correct existing problems. What do you feel is the most equitable means
of paying for such improvements?
a. Front foot assessments of affected properties
b. Special taxes
c. Surcharge on water bills
d. Other
(Please specify)
23. Do you feel that Emerald Isle needs a municipal drainage system?
a. Yes
b. No
F. RECREATIONAL
FACILITIES
24.
From the following facilities,
please select and rank those
25.
or which youfeel-there is a
strong enou h need to justify
26.
their being provided at pu is
expense. P ease p ace the
27.
most important facility in the
space at the top to the left,
second choice below it, etc.
Leave blanks if you do not
wish the Town to provide any more facilities).
a. Marinas and boat access
b. Parking for beach access
g. Ballfields
h. Picnic facilities
c. Bathhouses
i. Jogging and walking paths
d. Playgrounds
j. Bikeways.
e. Tennis courts
k. Convention and meeting
f. Indoor ball courts
hall
G. MISCELLANEOUS
28. Should the Town of Emerald Isle regulate the placement of satellite TV
dishes?
a. Yes
b. No
4

Figure 6•.2.1,' Continued
Thank you. Please return your completed questionaire to:
G. Wade Horne
Town Administrator
Town of Emerald Isle
7500 Emerald Drive
Emerald Isle, NC 28557
5

1
Figure 6.2.1, Continued
I
1
I
10A 'THE NEWS -TIMES Morehead City -Beaufort, N. C.
Emerald Isle
Monday, March 10, 1986
Public opinion 'poll results.tabulated
By BRAD RICH Once completed, the plan is used
NewrTlmns►anwn>.r :as a guide to help town officials de-
cide what kinds of development, if
APPROXIMATELY .20 Emerald any, should go in specific areas of
Isle residents turned out Wednesday' the town. In addition, the plan in -
night for the first of at least two cludes policy statements, which Mr:
planned public meetings designed to Burnett said —would • serve as a
give citizens the • chance to voice "travel guide" to help the town "get
their opinions on the town's land -use where it wants togo" in future
plan update. years.
The meeting, which began at 7
o'clock in the town hall, Emerald LAST NIGHT, Mr. Burnett briefed
Drive, was a joint session of the town town officials and citizens on the
board of commissioners and the early and unofficial results of a pub -
planning board. Bill Burnett rep- . lic opinion survey the town is using
resented Henry von Oesen and Aso- to help formulate the new land -use
ciates, Wilmington, the engineering plan,
firm helping the town prepare the
update.
THE LAND -USE plan, required
..by the state Division of Coastal Man-
agement must be updated every
,five years. Emerald Isle has until
.August to complete the work.
The town mailed out more than 1,-
850 of the six -page questionnaires
and has recieved more than 8W, a
number so high that Mr. Burnett
said Henry von Oesen and Asso-
ciates officials were "flabber-
gasted."
THE FOLLOWING are key points
of the responses: -
O Sixty-five percent of the respon-
dents said ocean beach access in .
Emerald isle was adequate.'
O K(th-three percent said access
to Bogue Sound was adequate.
O Fifty-three percent favored re-
quiring all future accesses to have
parking spaces; 35 percent were
against such a requirement.
O Fifty-six percent favored re-
quiring future developers to ded-
fcate to the town an improved beach
access area, including parking
spaces, a trash can, a shower and
drinking foun tain and a raised walk-
way.
O Thirty nine percent favored
"Mvitmg" day visitors and provid-
ing facilities for them.
O Thirty-six percent said they fa-
vered the town having an oceanfront
publicgazebo withseatingand park-
ing.
Q - Forty-efght percent favored .
parking meters at public parking
areas
O Four percent favoredallowing
increased zoning density, 58 percent
said current densities were appro-
priate; and 37 percent favored re-
ducing allowed densities.
O Seventy-six percent said there
was enough commercially zoned
property in the town; 91 pcercent
said commercially zoned property
wasproperlylocated.
O Efgbty--six percent said they
were satisfied with town services;
additional services most often men-
tioned were sewer, drainage, mos-
quito control and parking.
O Seventy percent said they would
support a bond referendum to fi-
nance a sewer system, provided the
bond referendum would not increase
property taxes and the user fee for
the system would not exceed $20 per
month.
O Sixty-four percent said drain-
age improvements should be as-
sessed to property owners on a front
footage basis.
O Forty-seven percent said the
town needed a municipal drainage
system.
O Seventy-eight percent said the
town should regulate the placement
of television satellite dish antennas.
MR. BURNETTE said he hoped
the land -use plan update would 1
serve as a useful tool for future pol-
icy decisions in Emerald Isle.
He said he thought the plan would
ultimately result in some "very sub -
stational changes, perhaps in zoning
regulations and subdivision regula-
tions."

A total of 1840 questionnaires were mailed. All permanent
residents received- copies and a random cross section of seasonal
residents, businessmen and day visitors also received copies. A
total of 671 of the forms were returned during the planning
period. This represents an overall response rate of 36.5 percent
which is exceptionally good. for this type of survey effort. Of
the 671 total responses, 625 were received by the survey cutoff
date (35 percent return). This latter segment of responses was
used to formulate the fabric of public opinion summarized
hereinafter.
It should be noted that many of the forms were returned with
additional narrative comments on issues of special concern to
�1 citizens. These comments were also taken into consideration_ in
the .planning process where appropriate. The results of the
survey were reviewed at a joint meeting of the Emerald Isle Town
1 Board of Commissioners and the Planning Board held on March 5,
1986. The text of meeting is found in Appendix D (please see
Appendix D for details on the results of the citizen survey).
The results of the survey were also contained in a newspaper
article on the March 5 meeting which was published in the
ICarteret County News -Times (see Figure 6.2.1).
6.3 Summary of
Public Meetings
As indicated
above, a set of
three (3) public
meetings on the
land
held
the the
use plan
were over
span of
planning period.
The results of
each are summarized
below:
o Public Meeting Held in
Conjunction With a Normally
Scheduled
Planning Board Meeting On October
24, 1985. This
meeting was essentially a
kick-off meeting
on the land use
6-2

planning project.
Several
representatives
of the NC
Division of Coastal
Management
made presentations
on
the issues of environmental protection/conservation,
beach/sound access and water quality along with an overview
of the plan update process. The consultant also made a
brief presentation on the scope of the project. Several
key issues including beach access, parking facilities for
day visitors and drainage problems were discussed. Several
local citizens in attendance offered comments and
suggestions or asked questions about land use issues.
• Special Joint Meeting of the Board of Commissioners and
Planning Board Held On March 5, 1986: A complete summary
of this meeting is found in Appendix D. This meeting was
very well attended by the public.
• Special Joint Meeting of the Board of Commissioners and
Planning Board Held On June 23, 1986: The purpose of this
meeting was to summarize the results of the planning effort
to date, to review key recommendations in the plan and to
receive additional public input on the plan as formulated.
Further details on the substance of this meeting are found
in a newspaper article on the meeting published in the
Carteret County News -Times (see Figure 6.3.1). Although
this meeting was not attended by the general public it
provided an excellent forum for discussion of many of the
key policy issues developed during the planning process.
6-3

us an am M an M M M
Wednesday, Juna 2S"till : MoreMad CHy Btauforf, N. t•' THE NEWS TIMES
. Yt'i.'aL...h:-...a..t�f..»_...a-L.•.i.,....w,.•..rr+r Nwrc-••.daA11: .. if 3.i,., ..
- :. _t.r •-r 'ter::`.
�'."„'''�'• .. .. „F. .-` .- - .. i.[� :�•
;:• .•� raf;-y "�L ay'�'!•a 1 o�.,.. .,�. ♦`t•i•t,•
__ -• ':T+.•
�YK F•. „ ..
rald::Isleers'.
+Q
.i1Eme
�? I-ead :'etb_}rie5•fin� Y ,�nr�:l.and. use1
Zi
`.. _.._w�.�._.,--•--. �
'
... '; :.'1 5 �f ?± J ^..,
; :•tF+: '. �i • .. �-..i ' •1) .f'.
c l.ti - .-....._.�........_.........��. - .Y._..
k L ep By BRAD RICH , ; ? a�
.�.._.�._.__....... ..�_.....
. , THE LAND -USE plan, required by the state Division of Coastal
, �. . a.. ,
population of between 2,042 and 5,035, a peak seasonal population of
i ,� ,m •_ t ti1, NrtwY4lm�a Sfafl WrIM - ' •. �,
Management, must be updated every five years. It is used as a guide-
18,028, and a peak day visitor count of as much as 18,000 a;
to what type of development, if any, should occur in specific areas. .
• • a` +-
. ... -, :,. :.
EMERALD ISLE'S 1986land-use plan update may call form.
,
' "l Monday night's meeting was scheduled as a review session for the
.. _ ,,, • �•
"MR. BURNETTE said the projected population growth would likely, '
.'downzoning" of an area said to be in the flight path of Bogue Field .__ . _...
.. commission and the planning board, and as a public hearing. No �.
y
lead to increasing conflicts between the wants and needs of permanent
and the creation of a new zoning district to protect a large maritime
members of the public showed up, but Mr. Burnett gave town officials r"
residents and the needs of the tourists.
forest. >
a comprehensive briefing on the progress of his work.
Surveys sent out by the town, he said, revealed that the permanent
�. Those were two of the suggestions made by planning consultant Bill
Burnett during a joint meeting of town commissioners and
' r ' : - `" , r , ;'i "!• �',
ACCORDING
population very much wanted the town to retain its "family beach"
I planners
TO Mr: Burnett, Emerald Isle in April 1985 had a . ;:, ; .' .
atmosphere. However, the tourist population would have to be served "
(• Monday night in the town hall. Mr. Burnett works for Henry von Oesen
permanent population of 1,518, with a peak seasonal population of . '
by increased numbers of parking spaces, bathhouse and food
:. and Associates, a Wilmington engineering firm hired by the town to
about 12,000, not including a peak "day visitor" population of 15,000.
facilities: ,
)f assist in developing the update.
By 1995, he said; those numbers could Increase to a permanent
(See LAND -USE Pg.2A)

No"now r Sam M 4n MfffA Nr
2A THE NEWS -TIMES- Morelmd City-lleau", N. C. Wednesday, June 25, Hta..
_
;
pan,
! k 1 ': •:'_.11 =..��Y.4.
r i.
i. ':.
��A*ex' 'dry �{/'ny+�15� ter r :I!- �.11 .�J .!>•.t ll :� .f: i- •!•.'{'� �.. ir.
-. •.t
kis .i...t ,,..is...: . .•�(.�. k . .," .
`(Contlnuod from Pa. lA) t _ "`f MR. BURNETT projected that the use would increase to 1.8 million gal-
! . ,t
town begin planning to develop: a
rt. town's growing population would re=i 0 ions per day by 1995,`and 2.1 million-
icentral sewage collection and treat
!MR:, BURNETT recommended
quired 64 additional? acres of.com- t gallons!;per day by 2000: That, he
ment system. He pointed ,out that
> that the town try to develop as many
a rercial'property•by.r1995: That Is :`.'-said; 'would require.at least. two--).many,,undeveloped•.
areas' in the
-
Parking. facilities as possible,: pre- part Emerald Isle,were,
more. -,wells by n9add lion,
�4 - } ll
ferrably. in areas zoned "commer• ., ° or two by 2000: I�_moie
we exlstsInciaddltioo, heiropertysaid, the town
aoE w suitedf[or the use of septic.
vial." He added that some parking about 226 acres of additional. rest- - °. would need to double its water stor-
tanks. F A.
facilities would likely have to be
dentlal development would be gage capacity by1995. , r ,
+ ;' i•t =" ;. ,
placed in residential zones.
needed...-'.. :-!� •. Currently, Emerald Isles' water
Mr. Burnett said'populaUon in-
If that happened, he said, the needs are supplied by Bogue Banks
creases would place greater strain
parking lots should be screened and "The good'news," he said, "is that Water and Sewer Corp:, a private
on Emerald Drive (N.C. 58), the only..
buffered from nearby residences. you have plenty of land to accommo-• user -owned company:. Mr. Burnett
date that need." n • recommended that the town and the
road that traverses the town. He rec-.
ommended that the town ask' the
The town might also want to begin
exploring the idea of building larger - — - company - begin working together •
state Department of Transportation
1
parking lots and using shuttle buses THE POPULATION increase will ; now to meet those future needs. _
to. conduct. a study to determine
to get tourists to the ocean, Mr. Bur• also strain the town's services. Mr.. . s
ways to alleviate traffic
nett said... Burnett said that peak daily water HE ALSO recommended that the
expected
congestion. .:
0 'TJ
O H
rt C
H.'d
�J M
I✓
ID M
i1
w
T MOST controversial-••'t
�+M':I1-IS A valuable ecological uniti;q
•IBUT;,THE
•recommendations -..involved' Bogue'.
`; that Is rapdily disappearing,before
the blade of the bulldozer," he said
..Field, :which is located on the main- .
"find, well outside . the. town limits,
-
..You have a unique opportunity to '
and the large stand of maritime for-
preserve that and at the same time
•:est' bordering both sides of Coast.'
aU°wfor development 'h
GuardRoad.i. 1 ..,�;:,e,, r.:k a
t:.,: o•• .: r+n";1',�! ::,
Mr. Burnett said the military had',
Mr. Burnett recommended thaf.a. •
determined that most development',:
new "overlay zone".be created for .
In Block 33 of Emerald Isle, as well
the forest.'That zone,. he said, could
as portions of other blocks, were in a
allow development of 10 residential
relatively. high hazard zone for air. "
units per acre, two more than, is cur -
::plane crashes and loud noise.., , , i':
rently allowed', but would require
_._.. ...- , ...I
. that development be clustered In the
HE RECOMMENDED that any
center of a tract.
multifamily zoning In those areas be
downgraded to R-2, a residential
MR. BURNETT also recom-
zone that allows only single-family
,homes and duplexes.
!' \.'
,Cityo[ttcalspointedoutthatmuch
of Block 33, the block where the town
;'hall is located, was zoned RMH (re-
sort -motel -hotel)..`,; -.;4
!THE MORE dense the developo-
ment you have, the greater.the po-'
tential for there being a loss of life .
someday," he said: "Some of the
landowners obviously won't like
this. It's going to be a hard decision,-*
a gut decision, but It was a recom-
mendation we felt we had to make."
The maritime forest .recommen-
. dation, according to Mr. Burnett,
was needed to protect what is con-
sidered the largest continuous stand
of maritime forest remaining on
Bogue Banks.
mended that the town create a sound
-front. park, In the vicinity of 23rd
Street; and that town officials look
Into the possibility of locating a boat
ramp and access facility somewhere '
near„ the B., Cameron .Langston
bridge
" The preliminary draft of the land -
use plan should be in town commis-
sioners' hands by early next month.
Commissioners will review the docu-
ment, 'suggesting changes, aswill
the state Division of Coastal Manage
ment and other state and federal:
' agencies....='. ,::.,:.,.•'i;7
By September, according to Mr!
Burnett, the town should be in a post -
ton to call for a public hearing on thei
plan. ,o
!
1_J

SECTION 7: PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
7.1 Implementation of Policies Developed In The Plan
In the previous sections of this plan update, several key
issues and land use policies were formulated and expressed. In
this section of the plan, a description of the methods by which
the Town of Emerald Isle intends to implement the policy choices
is presented. Specific actions which will need to be taken are
described and, wherever possible, a proposed time schedule for
these necessary actions are outlined.
7.2 Summary of Policies and Implementation Schedules
• Policy Statement: It is the the Town
policy of of Emerald
Isle to plan for the development of a central sewer system
in order to protect the public health and the environment
of the Town.
• Implementation: The first step in the implementation of
this policy will be to work in conjunction with Carteret
County in the development of a countywide system of which
Emerald Isle could be a part.
• Schedule: Carteret County has scheduled a countywide bond
referendum for February 24, 1987. • Further details
concerning a schedule should follow passage of the
referendum.
7-1

• Policv: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
support the development of regulations by NCDEM to protect
water quality and the integrity of shellfishing waters from
stormwater runoff.
• Implementation: The Town must integrate the final
regulations governing stormwater runoff as adopted by the
Environmental Management Commission into its Drainage
Master Plan and proposed stormwater control ordinance now
under development.
• Schedule: Prepare a Drainage Master Plan during FY-87
(July 1986 - June 1987) and integrate a response to State
regulations regarding stormwater runoff.
• Policv: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
provide adequate public parking facilities for day visitors
within commercial zones wherever possible.
• Implementation: The Town should inventory existing public
parking facilities and, based on the day visitor
projections presented in this plan (see Table 4.1.3), begin
planning for the development of additional public parking
facilities. Selection of sites for future public parking
facilities should begin immediately. A study of visitor
distribution from parking facilities should also be
conducted. The feasibility of a central parking deck and
associated jitney bus service should be explored as one
alternative. If deemed necessary, some undeveloped tracts
7-2

of land may need to be rezoned commercial and buffer zones
established with existing residential areas to insure
adequate future facilities for day visitors. zoning
changes, if required, should be proceeded by public
hearings.
• Schedule: Commence inventory of existing parking spaces by
April 1987. Prepare a plan for future needs by December,
1987. By March, 1988 complete an analysis of site
locations for future parking facilities including an
economic feasibility analysis of a parking deck/jitney bus
Mservice. Present results of the study to the Town Board/
Planning Board and to the public by July, 1988.
• Policy: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
provide adequate public access to Bogue Sound in addition
to the Atlantic Ocean.
• Implementation: In this plan, additional access facilities
are recommended including a public boat ramp at the Cameron
Langestone Bridge Causeway. The development of these
recommended facilities will require close coordination
between the Town, its citizens and several State agencies.
• Schedule: The development of these facilities should
proceed as soon as is reasonably possible. Funds for
planning and development of such facilities are available
from the Division of Coastal Management. Initial studies
jshould
begin by July, 1987.
7-3
i

• Policy: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
preserve the integrity of the maritime forest resource on
Bogue Banks wherever possible but also to permit an
appropriate form of development therein.
• Implementation: The maritime forest area has been
identified and the Town needs to put particular emphasis on
the prudent development of this area. The zoning
regulations have been amended to permit cluster housing in
order to allow specific greenspace requirements associated
with this area. Further actions are necessary to insure
that all future development in this area is governed by
Planned Unit Development principles.
• Schedule: Implementation of this policy will follow the
formal adoption of the Land Use Plan Update. Following
formal adoption of the plan, the Town Planning Board should
meet to discuss the further complementation of this policy
(by April, 1987).
• Policy: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
cooperate with the US Marine Corps in the implementation -of
the Bogue Field Air Installation Compatible Use Zone
(AICUZ) Plan so as to mitigate land use incompatibilities.
• Implementation: As indicated in Section 3.1.1.1 above,
areas which lie in AICUZ zones II-2 and II-3 should have
densities and uses as
as compatible possible with the AICUZ
P
plan. It is the Town's plan to advise future developers of
the potential hazards associated with development of these
areas.
7-4 1

• Schedule: Implementation of this policy will also track
after the formal adoption of the Land Use Plan Update. The
Town Planning Board should meet (by April 1987) and discuss
how best to inform future developers of the hazards
associated with the AICUZ zones.
Policy: It is the policy of the Town of Emerald Isle to
work cooperatively with the Bogue Banks Water and Sewer
Corporation (BBWSC) to insure an adequate supply of water
for future growth and development.
Implementation: As indicated in Section 4.5 above, the
present water system will have to be expanded to serve
anticipated future demand. The Town needs to share its
projections of future growth and development with the BBWSC
and work cooperatively with this private utility to
identify and sequester future well sites and sites for
water storage.
• Schedule: Following the adoption of this Plan update, the
Town should meet with representatives of the BBWSC to
outline a plan and written agreement for future cooperative
actions (by April, 1987). The Town should request the
development of a 10-year plan for future water supply be
prepared by the BBWSC (by July, 1987).
7-5

t
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
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APPENDICIES
APPENDIX A:
EXISTING LAND USE MAPPING UNITS AND DEFINITIONS
FOR EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
APPENDIX B:
LETTER FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SECTION
CARTERET COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, RE:
PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING SEPTIC TANKS AT
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
APPENDIX C:
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMERALD ISLE WOODS
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
APPENDIX D:
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC MEETING HELD AT
EMERALD ISLE, NC ON MARCH 51 1986
APPENDIX E:
STORM HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN AND POST DISASTER
RECONSTRUCTION PLAN (JUNE, 1984)
APPENDIX F:
EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
APPENDIX G :
ADOPTED REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT COASTAL
STORMWATER CONTROLS
APPENDIX H:
MARINA REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY NCDCM

APPENDIX A
EXISTING LAND USE MAPPING UNITS AND DEFINITIONS
FOR EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
iSource: Land Resources Information Service, NCDNR&CD, Raleigh,
North Carolina
1
F,

Mapping Units and Definitions
1. Urban or Built-up Land
Urban or Built-up Land includes cities, towns, villages, strip develop-
ments along highways, transportation, power and communications facilities,
as well as areas occupied by shopping centers, mills,.industrial and commercial
complexes. This division and its mapping units take precedence over all others
when the criteria for more than one category are met. Seven categories of
Urban and Built-up Land mapped at Level II, and some of these are subdivided
to Level.III:
11. Residential. In many areas in North Carolina, residential land uses
range from high density urban cores with multiple unit housing to low density,
peripheral areas with single-family homes on large lots. However, there are
no large urban areas on either the peninsula or adjacent Outer Banks. The
largest town is Plymouth, in Washington County, with a population of 4,571
(1980 Census,Advance Report).
On the peninsula, small residential strip developments along main roads
are common, as are small housing developments and mobile home parks located
near vast tracts of agricultural lands.
On the Outer Banks and Roanoke Island, intensive residential develop-
ment is observed in many townships. High density Mobile Home Parks and Single -
unit Housing of varying types are typical of the Residential category break-
down to Level III (see preceding section). Six units of residential areas.
are defined for mapping on the Outer Banks at Level III:
111. Mobile Home Park
112. Single -unit Housing in Open Sand Area
113. Single -unit Housing in Grass and/or Shrub Area
114. Single -unit Housing in Forested Area
115. Area Transitional to Residential (streets and drives but no
houses, etc.)
116. Single -unit Housing on Man-made Land
12. Commercial and Services. These areas are used predominantly for the
sale of products and services and include urban business districts, shopping
centers, commercial strip developments, and all associated buildings, drive-
ways, warehouses, parking lots, landscaped areas, and waste disposal areas.
Marinas and campsites are an important part of this category. Institutional
land uses such as Hospitals, Schools, and Churches are also included as a
further refinement in category.
53

I.
On the Outer Banks, nine'units of Commercial and Services are
defined for mapping at Level III:
120. Multi -unit Dwelling (including hotels, motels, apartments,
and condominiums with associated restaurants and piers)
121. Fire Station and Rescue Squad
122. Police Department
123. Hospital, Clinic, or Medical Office
124. Emergency Shelter (established by the North Carolina Division
Of Civil Preparedness)
125. School
126. Marina.and/or Water Access Ramp
127. Campground
128. Church
13. Industrial. This includes a wide variety of industrial land uses.
Heavy industries include lumbering, concrete and septic tank manufacturing,
small chemical plants, and one fish trawler and dredge manufacturer. The lum-
ber and pulp industry employs more people than any other single industry..
Weyerhaeuser, located in Martin County just west of Plymouth (Washington
County) employs over 2,000 people, whereas no single lumbering operation with-
in the 4-county area employs more than 250 people (Directory of N. C. Manu-
facturing Firms, 1979-1980). There are several light industries that design,
manufacture, or assemble products including skids and pallets, wooden handles,
clothing, yarn, soft drinks, and seafood products.
Small industries located within more built-up areas may be difficult to
separate from Residential or Commercial and Services areas. Larger industrial
areas such as lumber and pulp mills, with stockpiles of raw materials, waste
disposal areas, and transportation facilities are more easily visible on aerial
photography.
14. Trans ortation Utilitiesi, Communications and Information. This
category occurs to some extent within all other Urban and Bui t-up Land cate-
gories, and within others as well. Unless they can be mapped separately at
whatever scale is being employed, such land uses are usually considered an
integral part of the larger category within which they are found. This cate-
gory includes electric and gas utilities, airstrips, sewage treatment facili-
ties, and others. Two fairly extensive areas of the Dare County mainland
(approximately 7 square miles) also come under this land use category; these
are the Air -Force and Navy bombinq ranges located -west -of Stumpy Point Bay.
54 j

On the Outer'Banks,,six units of Transportation, Utilities, Communi-
c
ations and Information have been mapped at Level III:
140. Weather Station (Nat. Oceanographic and Atmospheric Admin.)
141. Electric and Gas Utility
142. Telephone Company Field Office and Microwave Tower
143. Water Supply Tower or Sewage Treatment eatment Facilities
144. Airstrip or Helicopter Pad
145. Ferry Pier
15. Industrial and Commercial Complex. This land use categoryin-
cludes industria an commercialan uses tat typically occur together and
are often called "Industrial Parks." Because such functions as wholesaling,
warehousing, and even retai-ling often occur in the same buildings, or close
by, a more inclusive title for this category was adopted.
16. Mixed Urban or BUilt-UD Land. This category is used for a mixture
of Level II Ur an or ui t-up Land where individual uses cannot be separated
at mapping scale. When the intermixed land use or uses total less than one-
third of the particular area, the land use category appropriate to the dominant
use is used. This category was not used very often in mapping the Albemarle -
Pamlico peninsula, because population densities are very low. The various
types of Urban or Built-up Land can usually be separated at mapping scale of
1:24,000.
17. Other Urban or Rural Built-u L
s, anand. This category includes zoos,
parks, cemeterie�o f courses wit in an urban or rural setting, as well
as undeveloped land within an urban setting. Undeveloped land such as large
recreation areas and parking areas for beach access may be under very i.nten-
sive use. These areas may not contain structures, but terms such as 'vacant
land' suggest a refinement in categorization that is not discernible from the
aerial photography. On the mainland this category was not used very often;
the most frequent usage was for small urban or rural cemeteries and occasionally
for small water control structures e.
however, this land use category was used�morepoftentbecause offnhigheruanks,
popula-
tion densities and intensive recreational usage of large open areas. map-
ping units are utilized at Level III. These are:
171. Cemetery
172. Golf Course (including driving ranges/miniature o g lf)
173. Intensely Used Recreational Area (such as large parking lots for
beach access, tennis courts, water slides, fishing piers, or other
such facility not closely integrated into another land use category)
174. Water Control Structure
55

175. Undeveloped Land within an Urban Setting
176. National Historic Site/Monument
2. Agricultural Land
This division can be broadly defined as lands used primarily for pro-
ducing food and fiber. Agricultural
Land has increased dramatically in the
last ten years with the large scale clearing of previously wooded lands.
On high altitude photography, striking geometricformd
by cleared land bordered by intersecting drainage aand rtheireassociated
canals
roads. Medium altitude (-12,000 feet) aerial photography
tinguish
was used to dis-
between cleared agricultural land, and cleared areas where the
intended future
use was unpredictable. Areas which have been planted or
reveal evidence of recent tilling have been
categorized as Agricultural Land.
Areas that may have been cleared for intended agricultural
but
use at one time
are no longer under cultivation and are reverting to brush, are included
within Transitional Areas (76) Disrupted
or Grass and/or Shrub Wetlands (614).`
Near Lake Mattamuskeet, some wetlands are seeded and utilized
food
to produce
for wild fowl. These areas are included in the Cropland and Pasture
category (21). Four categories
of Agricultural Land are mapped at Level II:
21. Cro land and Pasture. This category includes
cultivated summer -fallow or id a croplands,land loccurred,
where croprfailurechas
croplands planted in soil -improvement legumes and
grasses, and pasturelands.
Cropland and Pastures are grouped together as one unit because a high
degree of accuracy and uniformity in their
separation is not possible from the
aerial photographs alone. On the peninsula, First rms' land use
projections for 1975-1981
Cwereytoahave
indicatethat 10,000acres been cleared
for pastureland and 80,000 to 100,000 acres cleared for cropland by
(Coastal
Zone Resources Corp. 1976). 1981
Agricultural statistics (Table 9) indicate that a total of 206,730 acres
of cropland were harvested in the 1979-80
season. This figure represents a
decline of 7,060 harvested acres from 1978-79. On
a county -by -county basis,
the harvested acreages from the 1980 season are 83,280 acres for Washington
County, 77,100
acres for Hyde County, 45,440 acres for Tyrrell County, and
900 acres for Dare County. The
i
gross tonnage of mixed fertilizer and ferti-
lizer materials shipped to the counties (Table 10) roughly parallels the distri-
bution of figures reported
for harvested acreage in each county.
22. Orchards, Groves Vi ne ards, Nurseries, and Ornamental Horticultural
Areas. Tree nurseries ti at
prove a see ings or pu p an tim er p antations
are included in this category. Nurseries and horticultural
areas are also
included; however, where such operations may be enclosed in greenhouses, or
are very small scale, they
are classified under Other Agricultural Lands (24).
Orchards, groves, and vineyards are not abundant in the
study area.
56 '
LJ

' 23. Confined'Livestock Operations. This category includes large spe-
cialized livestock production enterprises including confined beef and dairy
cattle feeding operations, large poultry farms, and swine feeding operations.
Tyson Carolina Farms owns and operates confined beef and swine feeding lots
and pasture operations in northeast Washington County and northwest Tyrrell
County. First Colony Farms has not been involved in hog raising operations
since August, 1977, and by January of 1980, had ceased to own or hold leases
on any cattle operations (R. E. Eiland, FCF, 1982 pers. comnun.). Livestock
statistics for 1979-80 (Table 11) indicated that 166,000 hogs, 10,000 chickens,
and 17,600 cattle were produced on farms on the peninsula. Washington County
accounted for 68 percent of the hogs, 100 percent of the chickens and 36 per-
cent of the cattle.
Confined Livestock Feeding Operations generally consist of one or more
long rectangular shelters, feed silos, and animal waste treatment impound-
ments that are readily identifiable on medium altitude aerial photography.
These areas are of particular interest because of the large concentration of
organic wastes associated with confined feeding operations and the potential
for these areas to become pollution point sources for nitrates and phosphates.
24. Other Agricultural Land . This category includes all agricultural
land uses that are associated with the previously mentioned major categories
(21, 22, and 23). It can include farmsteads, temporary holding areas for
livestock, corrals, and small farm ponds. Farm ponds and other small impound-
ments are simply outlined and labeled "w" (water) on both map series. For
simplicity, canals and ditches constructed to drain agricultural lands are
not included as part of the Land Use and Land Cover map series. These features
are included as part of the Drainage and Bathymetry map series.
In the study area, Other Agricultural Lands are primarily farmsteads.
Aerial photographic criteria for separation of farmsteads from nonagricultural,
rural residences include the presence of farms, heavy farm equipment, storage
sheds, silos, and other farm outbuildings. Some error is inherent as these
were not field checked.
3. Rangeland
iTraditionally, rangelands have been defined as lands where the potential
natural vegetation is predominantly grasses, grasslike plants, forbs, or shrubs.
Most rangelands in the United States occur in the Great Plains region, from
Texas north through the Dakotas. In the USGS classification system, the defini-
tion of Rangeland was extended to include certain areas -in the eastern United
States that are commonly called brushlands. Only one of the three categories
' described in this system is applicable to this atlas. The only Rangeland cate-
gory mapped occurs on the Outer Banks.
33. Grass and/or Shrub Brushland. When more than one-third of the
ground surface in a specific area is covered by herbaceous and/or shrub -brush
species, it is placed within this category. Density of vegetation as well as
the relative proportions of grasses and shrubs are extremely variable in this
unit.
»-7

On the peninsula, grass and shrub areas often occur on disturbed lands
where the water table is at or near the surface for much of the year. Accord-
ingly, these areas are classified as Grass and/or Shrub Wetlands (614) rather
than Brushlands. On the Outer Banks, grass and/or shrub areas that occur on
poorly drained soils are mapped as Intradune Complex Grass and/or Shrub Wet-
lands (616).
This mapping unit occurs behind the crests of the primary dunes, on
droughty to moderately well -drained sands. Vegetative cover is dominated by
grasses on the ocean side but grades into shrub thickets toward the sounds.
The more common species include American beachgrass (Ammophilaa brevili ulata),
little bluestem (Andro 0 on sco arius), sea oats (Uniola anicu ata),and
running beachgrass Panicum amarum In areas more protected from —salt spray,
shrubs and stunted trees such as yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), wax myrtle
(M rica cerifera), the silverling or eastern bacc aris alimifolia), and
live oa uercus vir iniana) become established. Grass an or ru Brush -
land is subdivided into the following four Level III mapping units:
1) Grass -dominated (g) - Grasses form 80 percent or more of total
vegetation.
2) Grass and Shrub Mixture.(gs) - Grasses make up 50 percent to 80
percent of the total vegetative cover; shrubs from 20 percent to
50 percent of the total vegetative cover.
3) Shrub -dominated (s) - Shrubs comprise from 50 percent to 80 per-
cent of the total vegetative cover.
4) Shrub Thicket (st) - Dense, closely packed shrubs cover more than
80 percent of these areas.
4. Forest Land
Forest Lands are stocked with trees that can be used for production of
timber or other wood products. Tree -crown areal density (crown closure per-
centage) is 10 percent or more. Such lands exert an influence on the climate/
water regime. In the study area, Forest Lands occur on either 'moderately to
well -drained mineral soils or ditched and managed shallow organic soils.
Although Forest Land generally can be identified fairly easily on high -altitude
imagery, it is sometimes difficult to delineate the boundary between Forest
Land and other categories of land use, particularly Forested Wetland. In an
area such as the Albemarle -Pamlico peninsula, closed tree canopies generally
obscure soil moisture characteristics, and other data must often be used to
separate "upland" forest or managed forest (Forest Land) from Forested Wet-
land.
During the period between 1963 and
the northeastern Coastal Plain of North
3 percent. More than half of this loss
version to agricultural land, primarily
1973,'comnercial forested lands on
Carolina had decreased by more than
of forested areas was a result of con -
in those counties south of the Albemarle
61

Sound.
marily
On the peninsula, the loss of commercial
to a single land transaction involving a
forest was attributed pri-
major wood -using company.
Table
11 gives the 1974 statistics for forested
areas by forest type and owner-
ship.
More recent statistics are not available
at time of writing (Spring
1982).
It should be noted that some commercial
forest may include areas that
are mapped as Forested Wetlands (see Table 12 "*").
On the peninsula, lands that meet the requirements for Forest Land
and also for the Urban or Built-up division have been included with the latter.
However, on the Outer Banks, an area that meets both of these land division
specifications may be given a Level III compound designation. Three types of
Forest Lands are mapped at Level II:
41. Deciduous Forest Land. This category includes all non -wetland
' forested areas having a predominance of trees that lose their leaves at the
end of the frost -free season. In the study area such trees would include
several species of oaks ( uercus) and hickories (Carya), as well as the black
cherry (Prunus serotina), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), flowering
dogwood Cornus o n a , and many others. This land cover category generally
excludes areas w ere t e tupelo gum (Nyssa aquatica), black or swamp gum
(N. sylvatica var. biflora), bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), or other decid-
uous species more c arFi racteristic of wetland areas occur. Loblolly pine (Pinus
taeda) may also occur with these deciduous species. Non -wetland Forest Lands
dominated by deciduous species are not common in the study area.
' 42. Evergreen Forest Land. This category includes all non -wetland
forested areas in which the dominant trees are those which remain green through-
out the year. In the majority of such forests in the continental United States,
coniferous (needleleaf) species, rather than broadleafed evergreen species,
are dominant. However, Evergreen Forests in the study area include peninsular
upland pine and broadleaf -evergreen dominated forest lands, managed pine plan-
tations (whether on naturally or artificially drained soils), and the maritime
forests of the Outer Banks.
Fast-growing loblolly pine is the most important native species and is
widely planted on the peninsula. In some small areas, slash pines (Pinus
elliottii), a species native to more southern parts of the Atlantic Coastal
Plain, have been planted. Understory subdominant deciduous species include
i Southern red oak (Quer�cus falcata), beech (Fagus grandifolia), tulip poplar,
flowering dogwood, and many others.
In the maritime forests of the Outer Banks and in the forests on Roanoke
Island, an evergreen oak species, the live oak, is often a dominant form. Other
important evergreen species in the maritime forests include loblolly pine,
American holly (Ilex opaca), and wild olive (Osmanthus americanus). Deciduous
species include the ironwood tree (Carpinus caroliniana) and the flowering
dogwood.
Stands dominated by a single evergreen species more characteristic of
a Swamp Forest community, such as the Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis
thyoides), are grouped with Forested Wetland (see 611, 6112). Other poorly
drained lands dominated by pines with a subcanopy of hardwoods or shrubs are
also grouped with Forested Wetland (see 611, 6113, 615).
62

43. Mixed Forest Land. This category includes all non -wetland
areas where both evergreforested
en and deciduous
pre-
trees are growing and neither
dominates. When more than one-third intermixture of either evergreen
deciduous
or
species occurs in a specific area, that land is placed in this cate-
gory. Areas of this forest category occur
primarily in the western part of
the peninsula and are not extensive. Species include lobloll
upland hardwoods,
such as the whit(! oak ( uercus alba), the Soutthernand
and hickories such as the redR1oak
mockernut: (C�aryaa to mentosa Species composition
varies widely dependino on site
conditions—.
5. Water
,
There are no categories of Water (5) labeled with numbers on any of the
map series. Larger water bodies (sounds, lakes,
'
rivers, and streams) are
labeled by name on the topographic quadrangles (base maps). Small impound-
ments ponds are labeled "w"
on the overlays if these are not present on the
ap
base maps. Canals, ditches, and channeled portions
of streams are included
on the Drainage and Bathymetry map series. This was done because the com-
plexity of the
artificial drainage systems would have obscured other land use
and cover categories if it had been included.
6. Wetland
A Wetland is defined as an area where the water table is at, near, or
above the ground surface for a significant
,
part of most years. The hydrologic
regime is such that a variety of aquatic or hydrophytic vegetation, or water -
tolerant woody vegetation, is usually
established, although Nonvegetated
Wetlands (e.g., tidal flats, etc.) represent
another variation. Wetlands
are generally associated with topographic lows or depressions and
along estuarine located
are
shorelines, margins of streams, or floodplains of rivers.
However, in the study area,
'
pocosins are very prevalent wetland ecosystems.
They are dominated by species of shrubs and characteristically contain
pine (Pinus
pond
serotina) as the only well -established tree species. Pocosins
occur on peat "domes" that have built
sequently up in blocked stream valleys and sub-
Otte 1981)have spread over adjacent interstream divides (Ingram and Otte 1982;
Recent panchromatic aerial photography,'
l areas
inventory maps (McDonald and Ash 981),
and North CarolinaCDivisiontofaForestry
Pre -Attack Maps provided the primary sources of information for distinction
Wetlands from
'
of
other vegetative cover. Detailed soil surveys provided supple-
mental information helpful in identifying and
classifying Wetland areas.
Wetlands drained for any purpose are categorized according to their
intended use. Where the future
use cannot be anticipated, these areas are
classified as Transitional Areas (76). Wetlands
managed for waterfowl food
production are included in the Cropland and Pasture (21)category. If drained
and managed
former wetland is allowed to return to its natural fication reverts to the Wetland
state, classi-
division.
64 1

1
In the USGS classification system, there are two categories of Wetland
at Level II:
61. Forested Wetland. This category is.dominated by woody vegetation
and includes a diverse number of community types. Forested wetlands are
mapped at Level III, and in two instances, at Level IV. A natural areas
inventory of Tyrrell County by McDonald and Ash (1981) provided the basis
for the classification system developed for Forested Wetland.
III: Four mapping units- of Forested Wetland are defined for use -at Level
611. Swamp Forest. These Wetlands occur on the floodplains of the
major rivers and streams, as well as on interior portions of the peninsula
where the underlying soil is transitional between that of moderately well
drained agricultural soils and very poorly drained organic soils. Many
different community types occur within the Swamp Forest mapping unit, includ-
ing gum -cypress or cypress -gum swamps, mixed hardwood bottomland swamps,
Atlantic white cedar swamps, and various community types that include loblolly
pine as a dominant species.
Cypress -gum swamps occur on nearly continuously flooded deep organic
soils. The largest expanse of such Swamp Forest occurs on the south shore of
the Albemarle Sound in Washington County. Black gum becomes more dominant on
sites with a shorter hydroperiod. Under normal conditions the water table is
at or above the soil surface from November to April.
Mixed -hardwood bottomland swamps occur along rivers or streams on land
that is usually flooded only seasonally, usually in late winter and early
spring. Red maple, hickory, water ash (Fraxinus carolineana), and a very
diverse assemblage of hardwoods are part of this type of Swamp Forest.
Stands of almost pure Atlantic white cedar will grow on deep, wet organic
soils where water, does not stand for appreciable periods of time. In the study
area, particularly in eastern Tyrrell County, hundreds of acres of such forest
have been clear cut. In one stand of cedar, just west of Frying Pan Lake,
black gum is the dominant subcanopy species (McDonald and Ash 1981). Atlantic
white cedar is thus a part of several Swamp Forest community types, and also
occurs, to a much lesser extent, in Evergreen Wetlands.
In some more interior portions of the mainland, particularly in Dare
County, the Swamp Forest also includes the "High Brush" or "High Brush Swamps"
that occur on shallow organic soils (North Carolina Forestry Service Pre -Attack
maps). These areas have a solid canopy of pine and hardwoods, including black
gum and some red maple. Gallberry (Ilex spp.), Titi or swamp cyrilla
(C. racemiflora), and fetter -bushes Lyonia spp., Leucothoe racemosa) are common
understory species. Many of these areas would be considered ins in
transition" by some workers (Richardson et al. 1981, Otte 1981�ocos
.
On the Outer Banks, some areas of Swamp Forest occur on shallow organic
soils in troughs and depressions between forested dunes or between the forested
65

dunes and back island marshes. Dominant vegetation includes bald cypress,
sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), black gum, red maple, and also way myrtle
and other small trees and shrubs.
Many mapped areas as 611 are dominated by gum or cypress and gum depend-
ing on age since last logging. However, it should be emphasized that the
Swamp Forest is a broad map unit and includes many different community types.
It was possible in many areas to differentiate between swamp forest composed
primarily of Atlantic white cedar and mixed pine -hardwood swamp forest.
However, in other areas, it was not possible to subdivide this mapping unit
using the aerial panchromatic transparencies. Only two swamp forest types
are separated at Level IV:
6112. The Atlantic White Cedar Swamp Forest -- is a Swamp Forest with
50 percent or greater dominance of Atlantic white cedar. Less dense stands
are simply mapped as Swamp Forest (611).
6113. The Pine -Hardwood Swamp Forest -- usually occurs in low-lying
interior areas on the peninsula that are slightly better drained than the
cypress -gum type of Swamp Forest. Pine -Hardwood Swamps usually occur on
very poorly drained mineral soils, mineral soils with a thin organic layer,
or shallow organics with sandy subsoils. However, from November to April,
the water table is still at, or near, the surface. Dominant species in these
Forested Wetlands are loblolly pine, which comprise the canopy, with a sub -
canopy of water -tolerant hardwoods such as black gum, sweet gum,and red
maple (McDonald and Ash 1981).
On the Outer Banks, Pine -Hardwood Swamp Forest may occur on very poorly
to poorly drained sandy soils, on flats or in depressions between forested
dunes. The water table is at or near the surface during wet seasons. Areas
adjacent to the sounds are occasionally flooded by wind tides.
614. Grass Cane and/or Shrub Wetland. These Wetlands have an extremely
high dominance (90 percent) of reedy grasses and/or low, woody brush vegeta-
tion. The more important species include the reedy grass called switch cane
(Arundinaria i antea) and shrubs such as gallberry, zenobia (Z. ulverulenta),
se
an swamp cyrl�tunted pond pines ma�imesalso
reeeatedly), orMost
have hadethe
areas have been logged, burned over (some p
natural: stands of pond pine destroyed by storm flooding. Some areas mapped as
614 were clear cut in recent years and ditched for agricultural purposes but
have since been abandoned.
At mapping scale it was not always possible to separate areas that are
dominated by reedy grasses from those dominated by shrubs. If data were
available to separate large areas of grass from shrubs, those areas are labeled
on the map overlay.
These areas are grouped with Forested Wetlands because of the usual abun-
dance of woody vegetation. Most of these areas are originally Evergreen Wetland
(615) but are placed within this mapping unit because they have been altered in
some way, disrupting several succession and ecosystems processes (hydrologic
flux). They may revert to the pocosin (Evergreen Wetland) ecosystem if no
further disruptions occur. The use of this category was necessary to indicate
extent of such areas at time of mapping. This type of disrupted wetland would
be considered a "pocosin in transition". by Richardson et al. (1981).

615. Evergreen .
.. ergreen Wetland. This wetland usually occurs on organic soil and
is characterized by a very thick to impenetrable shrub layer. Though the
community composition can vary considerably, the most important species in-
clude pond pine, swamp cyrilla, zenobia (honeycup), gallberry, loblolly bay
(Gordonia lasianthus), sweet bay (Ma nolia virginiana), red bay
(Persea
borbonia , wax myrtle, and other broadleaf evereens. Abundant
rgAtlantic
white cedar and bald cypress are not part of the natural vegetation, although
both species occur within the Evergreen Wetland. This category would include
those areas variously referred to as pocosins or shrub bogs including pond
pine woodlands, bay forests, and pond pine forests, as well as high (tall)
and low (short) pocosins. Terminology used in describing Evergreen Wetlands
is very variable,and no one system of terminology is universally accepted.
' Evergreen Wetlands 615
i(,. ) were refined to Level IV by subdividing
into four mapping units. h. C. Forestry Pre -Attack maps, a Tyrrell County
national areas inventory (McDonald and Ash 1981), and aerial photographs.
were used to select these units:
6151. The High Pocosin -- occurs on shallow organic soils, usually
18-24 inches in depth, and has a dense, rather solid canopy of pond pines
that may reach 20 to 25'feet in height, sometimes with some larger loblolly
bays and red bays. The average height of the shrub canopy is nearly 14 feet;
swamp cyrilla, zenobia, loblolly bay, and gallberry are among the more abun-
dant species (N. C. Forestry Pre -Attack maps).
6152. The Dense Low Pocosin -- usually occurs on organic soils exceed-
ing 24 inches in depth. Shrubs have a closely spaced growth habit and average
about 4 feet in height. The canopy of short (10-12 feet or less) pond pines
may be less scattered than in the Open Low Pocosin but is still open. Occa-
sional clumps of loblolly bay are present. Swamp cyrilla is the most abundant
shrub. Gallberry (ti35 percent) is usually more abundant than in the Open
Low Pocosin (N. C. Forestry Pre -Attack Maps). The Dense Low Pocosin is the
broadest mapping category in terms of variability of the thickness of the
pine canopy, but shrub growth is consistently dense.
6153. The Open, Low Pocosin -- usually occurs on organic soils exceed-
ing 24 inches in depth. The canopy of short pond pines is much more scattered
than 'in the Dense Low Pocosin. The most important shrubs are swamp cyrilla
(ti60 percent) and fetter -bushes (ti40 percent). Lesser species include gall -
berry, zenobia, leather -leaf (Cassandra calyculata), and sheep laurel (Kalmia
an ustifolia var. caroliniana)-.—P-lants are scattered and average 3 feet in
height N. C. Forestry Pre -Attack maps).
6154. The mature BayForest
-- is a rare community type in the state.
Only one example, Buck Island Bay Forest, located just west of Grapevine Bay
' on the Alligator River in Tyrrell County, has been documented in the study
area (McDonald and Ash 1981), although others may exist. This type of remote
and relatively undisturbed Evergreen Wetland may be a last holdout for black
bear in the State. This Bay Forest has a thick canopy of tall pond pines
(ti50 feet), with many large loblolly bays, some red maples and red bays.
67

i
LJ
The dense shrub layer is made up'of sweet gallberry (Ilex cariacea), male -
berry (L onia li ustrina), fetter -bush (L. lucida), and sparkleberry (Vaccinium
cor bosum); sweet gallberry and fetter -bush dominate. The soils are deep or-
ganics >5 feet). Such systems are fire controlled and for the canopy to have
reached such size, it seems likely that no fires have occurred in the area for
at least 60 years (C. B. McDonald, pers. commun.). '
This type of Evergreen Wetland would probably be called a "pond pine
forest" by some workers (Otte 1981) and might also be better referred to as
a "bay pocosin" (C. B. McDonald, 1982, pers. commun.) The tendency of workers
to use names that omit the 'Evergreen Wetland' connotation often makes data
correlations difficult.
616. Intradune Complex Grass and/or Shrub Wetland. These Wetlands
occur on the Outer Banks in usually small areas of poorly drained fine sandy
soils in level to slightly depressional flats behind or within the dune com-
plex. During wet seasons, the water table may be above the ground surface.
During dry periods, it may drop more than 2 feet beneath the surface.
If these areas are close to the ocean, they are usually vegetated by
dense stands of saltmeadow cordgrass (Spartina patens) with an occasional
wax myrtle. As the distance from ocean spray increases, less salt -tolerant
grasses and sedges occur, along with vines such as greenbrier (Smilax bona-nox)
and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and shrubs such as eastern
baccharis, wild olive, red bay, and others.
This is a very inclusive mapping unit. Although some of these areas ,
have dense stands of cordgrass and little else, they are included in this
category because separation from shrub -dominated areas at mapping scale is '
not feasible. These areas are grouped with Forested Wetlands because of the
usual abundance of woody vegetation.
62. Nonforested Wetland. These areas are dominated by herbaceous,
'
wetland vegetation hydrophytes) or are nonvegetated. Such Wetlands include,
but are not limited to, tidal and nontidal fresh, brackish, and salt marshes,
as well as nonvegetated sand and mud flats.
,
Three mapping units of Nonforested Wetlands are defined for use at
Level III:
621. Freshwater Marshes. These marshes occur around the edges of lakes,
ponds, and along some creeks and streams, upstream from the influence of .tides
and salinity. These occur on both the Outer Banks and the mainland. In these
'
marshes, the dominant emergents are usually the cattails (Typha spp.), asso-
ciated with bulrushes (Scir us spp.), arrow arum (Peltandra virginica), as well
as a reedy grass (Phra mites communis), rushes (juncus �. saw grass
(Cladium jamaicense), and giant cordgrass (Spartinaina cynosuroides).
622. Salt or Brackish Marshes. Salt or Brackish Marshes fringe large
portions of the eastern and southern shores of Dare and Hyde Counties
68 1

and are also found along portions of the sound side of the Outer Banks. Some
small areas of regularly flooded Salt Marshes are found in the. southern part of
the peninsula, along the back sine of the barrier islands in the vicinity of
ocean inlets.
Irregularly flooded Salt or Brackish Marshes are dominated by such narrow -
leaved emergents as black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus), saltmeadow cordgrass,
and salt grass (Distichlis s icata). Regularly flooded Salt Marshes are dominated
by smooth cordgrass S a te
artina rnifIora).
623. Nonvegetated Flats. These areas of sand, silt, or mud occur spo-
radically along the margins of some estuaries, lakes, and creeks. Such irregularly
flooded Nonvegetated Flats are also found behind the barrier strand on southern
Ocracoke and Bodie Islands, and to a lesser extent along the southeast margin of
the peninsula. Many are too small to be mapped at a scale of 1 inch = 2,000 feet.
7. Barren Land
Barren Land is comprised of lands with limited capacity for supporting life.
Barren Lands include beaches, dunes, and other sandy areas, as well as borrow pits,
active peat mining areas, landfills, and other lands in transition from one land
use category to another.
Sandy regions that have more than one-third of the surface area covered by
vegetation are mapped in the appropriate land cover category. Wet, nonvegetated
barren areas are mapped as Nonvegetated Flats (623).
Land may appear barren because of man's activities. When the future use
Of such a piece of land can reasonably be inferred from the available data sources,
the Barren Land category is not used. However, when future usage cannot be deter-
mined, inferential errors may be reduced by use of this category.
Four types of Barren Land are mapped at Level II. The
se are:
72. Beaches. On the mainland part of the study area, most Beaches that
' occur along the shorelines of the rivers and estuaries are too small to be mapped
at a scale of 1:24,000. However, vast expanses of Beaches occur on the ocean side
of the barrier island system.
73. Sandy Areas Other Than Beaches.
is not
utilized. However, on the Outer ere,arehabundantndunes�thattforrmy
Banks ththe most
significant part of this category. However, when dunes, sandy ridges, or flats
have more than one-third of the land area covered by trees, shrubs, or grasses,
they are mapped in the appropriate Forest Land, Rangeland, or Wetland category.
'Only largely nonvegetated sandy areas are mapped in this category.
75. Borrow Pits and Mines. Both on the mainland and on the barrier island
system there are re ative y sma 1 areas (generally less than 0.2 square kilometer)
where sand or other materials, sometimes shell, have been extracted from the
ground for roadbuilding or other purposes. Inactive and unreclaimed pits are also
included in this category. Unused flooded pits are, however, labeled "w" (water).
69

The only other lands that fall into this category are peat mining areas
on the mainland. Permits for these peat mining operations have been issued for
slightly more than 16,000 acres, but less than 400 acres have been actively
mined. These permits have been issued to First Colony Farms for 15,012 acres
near Lake Phelps in Washington, Tyrrell, and Hyde Counties (only 300 acres
have been actively mined) (R. E. Eiland, FCF, 1982, pers. commun.); to American
Peat Company for 98 acres south of Pungo Lake in Hyde County; and to Peat Fuels,
Inc. for 708 acres near the Pungo National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern
Hyde County. One additional peat mining permit is pending. Whitetail Farms
is seeking a permit to mine 7,020.8 acres in western Hyde County near the
Intracoastal Waterway. Lantern Acres, Inc. was seeking a permit to mine 650
acres in west central Tyrrell County, but this permit application has now
lapsed (Jim Smith, 1982, pers. commun.).,
76. Transitional Areas. This category is intended for use when an area
is in transition from one and use or land cover category to another. Large
areas of forest and evergreen wetlands have been -cleared for agricultural or
other purposes on the Albemarle -Pamlico peninsula. In this report, future land
use has been interpreted or predicted wherever reasonably possible, and category
76 was reserved for use only for those cleared or open lands that could not be
immediately transferred to another category. Some large areas of category 76
are surrounded by both agricultural fields and managed forestlands. Because
future use of these lands could not be adequately determined from the available
photography or other data sources, and field checking was not feasible, these
areas were placed in category 76. Small areas of this category occur far more
frequently than large areas; such small areas are often associated with urban or
other construction sites and with landfills or spoil dumps.
Sometimes a dual designation such as 76/6153 is used. This indicates that
an area of cleared land (76) is recovering pocosin characteristics but was still
in a transition phase at the time that the aerial photographs used in updating
were taken. If, on the other hand, these numbers had been reversed (6153/76),
this would indicate that an area of pocosin land (6153) was in a process of
transition (being cleared, ditched, or altered in some way) at the time the
aerial photographs were taken.
-1-1 Lqr��P;1�
70

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APPENDIX B
LETTER FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SECTION
CARTERET COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH EXISTING SEPTIC TANKS AT
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA

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APPENDIX C
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMERALD ISLE WOODS
EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
Source: Fussell, J and J. Wilson 1980. Reconnaissance Survey of
the Ecological and Geomorphic Resources of Prinicpal Natural
Areas In Carteret County, North Carolina. A Report to the North
Carolina Natural Heritage Program.

n
Emerald Isle Woods
' Name of Area: Emerald Isle, west end of Bogue Banks, N.C.
Location Description: Approximately 6 mile west of the B. Cameron
Langston Bridge on the north and south sides of "Coast Guard
' Road". The site is immediately west of the electrical sub-
station. See Map 19
Topographic Quadrangle Map Reference: Swansboro
Ownership Information: (See map 20)
Richard M. White Emerald Isle Developer
Lewis R. Holding Emerald Isle Developer
James A. Singleton Singleton Realty Emerald Isle
Report Prepared by: Jeannie Wilson and John 0. Fussell, III
Other Persons Knowledgeable about Site:
Nora Murdock, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Asheville, N.C.
Dave Rackley, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Raleigh, N.C.
Kathryn Henderson, The Nature Conservancy, Chapel Hill, NC
Current Use and Protection Status: Currently, the.forest is in an
undisturbed and relatively pristine state on the north side of
the road. The only signs of human activity here are foot paths
that meander through it, some trash and signs of raccoon hunting.
The major and most obvious threat to the area is plans for
residential development. Land is now for sale near the electric
substation and roadways have been cut through the forest to the
ocean on the south side of the road.
11
' - 150 -

a
v-,;
Pt
Ennett
(c) Fout
3 k
777 ,:;7
ight WAT 6 Spo;l Area
-4
Ush't
SM .7
6
Spoil.. Are
6
y
j
X� 14ud
c
G11"
77
Bo
'Ps
Dur'.
5 F set.
oast uu rd23
25
b
24
io
NLET 43
23
34 rf
25. rf
40 MAP 19: EMERALD ISLE WOODS
44
35 308�r alb
12 570 000 FEET SCALE 1:24000

If it becomes inevitable that development will proceed over
the entire area, plans should be made to protect as much of the
' natural features as possible. These natural features include
large 50' relict dunes, Swale ponds, large trees, and large pri-
mary and secondary dunes. Many of the swale ponds are already
being filled in on the south side of the road.
' Developers are considering leaving some of the forest on the
north side of the road as a greenway area.
Vegetation and Plant Communities: This tract of land is essentially a
transect of a barrier island. Large sand dunes (to 35' in ele-
vation) including shifting dunes and stabilized dunes are present
near the ocean. The stabilized primary dunes are dominated by
'
Sea oats (Uniola paniculata). The shifting dunes do not have any
vegetation cover. The swale between the primary and secondary'
dune contains a shrub thicket of predominantly wax myrtle (Myrica
'
cerifera), cottonbush (Baccharis halimifolia) and yaupon (Ilex
vomitoria). The vegetation cover of the secondary dune is a
shrub thicket with dwarf live oak (Quercus virginiana) and many
herbaceous species. The live oaks only reach 3' in height due
'
to high winds and salt spray pruning.
There is an abrupt transition into maritime forest behind
'
these high dunes. This maritime forest is unique because of its
undisturbed state, the unusually high dune ridges (to 50') and
high species diversity relative to its proximity to the ocean.
The dominant tree species are laurel oak, red maple, american
holly, red cedar, loblolly pine, red bay.and ironwood. Many
species of shrubs, vines and herbs are also present. Species
diversity of plants and animals is high at Emerald Isle because
of the forest size and stability.
'
Large swale ponds occur between the dune ridges. These are
freshwater ponds containing many aquatic species such as duckweed
(Spirodela and Wolffiella), frog's bit (Limnohium spongia),
'
hornwort Ceratophyllum demersum), bur -reed Sparganium americanum)
and cat -tail (Tynha latifolia The ponds serve as gathering areas
for many animal species as well.
On the north side of the island along Bogue Sound is a thin
'
margin of salt marsh, dominated by Spartina alterniflora and
Juncus roemerianus. An extensive patchy salt marsh is present
'
throughout this portion of Rogue Sound.

Tax clap Book WO-35
Logue Sound
I
I
Salt Marshes
f
�
I
I
I
(
Electric
I
Substation
Parcel
I
7 I
Parcel 5
�
I
I
I Parcel 3
88.4
I
acres 197
acres
j
I approx. 98 acres
`James A.
Singleton
Richard M:
White
Ownership '
II
Information
I$ 166,000
I Parcel 6 I
$ 174,000
IParcel 4
not
Available `
188.4 acres I
IOwnershi
I
Lewis R. Hold
ng
I
Information
, 1
I
not
not
f
I
166,000
I
I
iApprox. 104
4cres
Atlantic Ocean
MAP 20: OWNERSHIP MAP OF EMERALD ISLE NATURAL AREA
Note: Figures represent tax evaluations.

154
_
Physical Features:
'
This section of the barrier island of Bogue Banks is about
3/4 mile wide and is oriented in an east -west direction.
Consequently, southwest winds have contributed to the formation
of dunes oriented -in an east -west to southwest -northeast
'
direction. The dunes range from 10'to 50' in elevation. Between
a number of the larger dunes are swale ponds.
The island is somewhat protected from the strong north
'
winds of winter due to the presence of land north of the island.
'
In contrast, Core Banks (Cape Lookout National Seashore) has
small unstable dunes due to its north -south orientation and
exposure to both northerly and southerly winds. Protection
'
from wind is significant in the formation of large stable
dunes and a maritime forest. Therefore, only a few barrier
'
islands in North Carolina have extensive maritime forests.
'
Rare Plants and Animals:
Plants: none
'
Reptiles•
Atlantic loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta caretta
'
Endangered occasionally nests on the beach
American alligator Alligator mississippiensis
Endangered possibly occurs here (present in Roosevelt
'
Natural Area)
Birds:
'
Red -shouldered hawk Buteo lineatus
Threatened probably nests within area
'
Merlin Falco columbarius
Threatened fall transient
Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus
Endangered fall transient

- 155 -
Current use and protection status:
Currently, the forest is in an undisturbed and relatively
pristine state on the north side of the road. The only signs of
human activity here arefoot paths that meander through it, some
trash and signs of raccoon hunting. A stgel trap was seen as
well as the use of a crab pot with a caci of sardines as bait.
The crab pot had a dead opossum in it! (Human creativity never
ceases to amaze us!). Several hollow trees had been cut (Laurel
oaks) indicating that a hunted raccoon had been there. Apparently,
raccoon skins are bringing good prices, according to a Fish and
Wildlife game warden who was trying to catch a hanter-.in .ithe
Roosevelt Natural Area.
The major and most obvious threat to the area is plans for
residential development. Land is now for sale near the electric
substation and roadways have been cut through the forest to the
ocean on the south side of the road (see photo).
if it becomes inevitable that development will proceed
over the entire area, plans should be made to protect as much of
the natural features as.possible. These natural features include
large 50' relict dunes, swale ponds, large trees,and large primary
and secondary dunes: Many of the Swale ponds are already being
filled in on the south side of the road.
Developers are considering leaving some of the forest on the
north side of the road as a greenway area.

- 156 -
'
Publications and Scientific References:
Au, Shun -Fun. 1974. Vegetation and Ecological Processes on
Shackleford Banks, N.C. National Park Service Scientific
Monograph Series No. 6.
Cooper, John E., S.S. Robinson, J.E. Funderburg.(Eds). 1977.
Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals of North
Carolina. N.C. Museum of Natural History, Raleigh.
'
Fussell, John 0. III. 1974. Vascular Plants of Roosevelt Natural
State Parks
Area. Unpublished report for the Division of
& Community*
and Recreation. N.C. Dept of Natural Resources
Development.
Fussell, John 0. III. 1978. Bogue Banks Study, Bogue Banks, N.C:
Annotated lists
A Description of Vegetative Communities and
of Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Endangered and Threatened
Species. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Raleigh.
Godfrey, P.J. and M.M. Godfrey. 1976. Barrier Island Ecology
N.C.
of Cape Lookout National Seashore and Vicinityl
9.
National Park Service Scientific Monograph Series No.
Turner.7Ho
Pilkey, O.H.Jr., O.H. PilkyhandbooktoBoeBanks N.C.N.C.
an island, A
live with
Dept. of Natural Resources and Community Development, Raleigh
Pilkey, O.H. Jr., W.J. Neal and O.H. Pilkey Sr. 1978. From
Currituck to Calabash, Living with North Carolina's Barrier
Islands. N.C. Scientific and Technical Res. Center. Research
Triangle Park, -Raleigh, N.C.
Radford, A.E., H.E. Ahles and C.R. Bell. 1968. Manual of the
Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC press, Chapel Hill.
1

157 _
Evaluation of Ecological Signifi
cance: ,
Bogue Banks is one of the few barrier islands in North
'time forests. It is also one of.
Carolina with extensive marl
the more stable barrier islands in terms of shifting patterns
andvegetation, thus lending itself -to more development. Becaus
of heavy development on the'island, the forest has become a
sanctuary for animals at the west end of the island.
�.
An unusual significant feature of the area are the 50'
relict dunes which are forested with a mature maritime forest.
The large dunes form a protective barrier which allows for
the colonization of many plant species which results in a more
stablized barrier island. Due to this protection, the forest
provides a habitat for plants and animals that normally cannot
survive in such close proximity to the ocean.
Several rare and endangered animals occur in this area that
are worthy of mention. The Atlantic loggerhead turtle lays eggs
on the beaches from June through August. The brown pelican
and the peregrine falcon are transient through the area. The
red -shouldered hawk probably.nests in the area. The american
alligator may possibly occur in the area, as they have been seen
in the Roosevelt Natural Area.
A question necessary to.consider is whether this area is
unique or different from other maritime forests in the area,
such as Bear Island (Hammocks Beach State Park), Shackleford
Banks (part of Cape Lookout National Seashore) and
the Roosevelt Natural Area. The dunes are much higher at
Emerald Isle than they are in the other forests. The forest see�:s
to be more stable on Emerald Isle, meaning that it is a larger
forested area, unstable dunes are not rapidly encroaching on the
forest, and the sound is not rapidly eroding the north shoreline.
Shackleford forest is being eroded at an alarming rate on the nor``_-.
side. Also, grazing by feral animals has reduced the undergrow_ —,
to nearly nothing. The Bear Island forest is rapidly being
covered b a very large moving dune. The forest in the Roosevelt
co y Y
_
Natural Area is very similar to Emerald Isle, although the dunes
do not reach that elevation.
In our opinion, Emerald Isle is a significant area, not only
for Carteret County, but for the state of North Carolina.

159 -
Management Recommendations:
We feel that the Emerald Isle Woods and the adjacent sea
oats dunes - together comprising a complete ocean to sound
transect of approximately 500 acres - is worthy of preservation.
The total extent of maritime forest on the North Carolina coast
(and especially Bogue Banks) is rapidly decreasing due to human
and the Emerald Isle Woods is an excellent example
development .
of maritime forest. It has a very high plant and animal species
diversity and possibly the largest trees and greatest structural
diversity of any maritime forest in North Carolina. It certainly
has a great deal of esthetic appeal, especially in the areas where
relict beach ridges 40 feet and higher alternate with swale ponds.
This area also supports several species that are endangered,
threatened', or of special concern.
Any degree of human development is inconsistent with the
ecological values of the Emerald Isle Woods area. Development
would result in the canopy.being broken, and thus the forest is
no longer a forest. Wide roadways running perpendicular to the
beach would channel in salt spray and drying winds. Development
would require the fillingin of the swale-ponds and development
would involve some degree of bulldozing of the forested relict
dunes. H abitat for many species would be lost,_and this would
be especially true for the rarer species.
Of course, development pressure on this area is high,
especially on the area south of the road. However, development
pressure would be less on the approximately 200 acres that are.
of the road. This area is further from the ocean, has
north .
the highest relict ridges, has the most swale ponds, and it abuts
marshes rather than deep water. Thus development might not proceed
here for 3 or 4 years.
The preservation of the 200 acres north of the road would not
be as desirable as the preservation of the entire 500 acres, but
it would save the best -developed area of forest, a large number of
species, and the most prominent area of relict .beach ridges and
swales.
If the entire 500 acres were acquired for preservation, then
steps would have to be taken to protect the dune areas, as from

160 _
Off Road Vehicles, etc. However, forest areas would probably
little protection from human disturbance, especi
very y al;.
if residents of adjacent areas are relatively affluent or
retirees.
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Flora Species List:
Beach and Dunes
Trees
Juniperus virginiana Red Cedar
Laurel cherry
Prunus carolini�ana Live oak
Quercus virginiana Toothache, tr(":!
Xanthoxylum clava-herculis Herculi_s club)
Shrubs:
Baccharis halimifolia
Croton punctatus
Ilex voniitoria
*iyrica cerifera
Vines:
Ampelopsis arborl'auefolia
Parthenocissus q " q
Passiflora lutea
Plius radicans
I:ubus triviall.s
Smilax laurifolia
Strophostyles hclvola
Vitis rotundifolka
Groundsel true, Cottonbush
Croton
Yaupon
Wax myrtle
peppervine
Virginia creeper
I'assinn flower
Poison ivy
Dewberry
Bamboo ville
Wild bean
Muscadine grape
Herbs'.
Seabeach amaranth
Amaranthus pumilus
Sea rocket
Cakile edeiztula ,s
Chenopodium ambro.,.3 �
:texican tea
Daisy fleabane
Erigeron canadensis
Euphorbia polygonifolia
Seaside spurge
Gaillard�ia
Gaillardia pul.chella
subaxillaris
Camplhorw(� .d
Ileterotheca
1'enaywort
Hydrocotyle bonariensis
wort P�ppeY
Igor an'd
Lepidium viri.nic:um
C�1pc.w_ e
'slinpia nodiflora
Evenint; primrose
Ocnothera .liumifusa
maritima GroSSeasidee
Physalis viscosa ssp.
goldenrod
Solidago sempervirens
Cran,inoids
Little blue stem
Andropogon scoparius panic grass
Panicum spp• Saltuieadow hay
Spartina patens SL!a oats
Uniola r-aniculata
1

162
Swale Ponds
Troes :
Cornus stricta (edge) Swampdogwood
Salix caroliniann Carolina wi?lOw
Shrubs:
Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush
Vines:
Cuscuta sp.
Dudder
Rhus radicans
Poison ivy
llu rbs .
Amaranthus cannabinus
Wat^_r hemp
Ceratophyllum demersum
Decodon verticillatus
Hornwort
Water wi .low, oost,srri l�
Ga l i aim ldsp idulum
Bc.ds traw
ltydrocotyle verticillata
Pennywor. t
Limnobium spongia
Frog's bit
Ludwigia palustris
Ludwigia
Polygonum hydropipero ides
var. opelousanum
Knot wecd
Rumex vertic i.11atus
SwatTip dock
Spirodcla polyrrhiza
Spirodela, DmA,,weed
Idol f f is l la f loridana
Duckweed
Grami •Zoids :
Carcx comoba
":Eleochar.is baldwinii
Carex
Spiko rush
Sparganium amoricanum
Bur -reed
Cat -tail
Typha latifolia
Ferns:
Thel.yptcris palustris
mare-}, corn
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-163-
Maritime Forest
'I'ruos:
Acer rubrum
Carpinus car.olinianus
Carya glabra
C:ornus f lur i.da
C. sLricLa
Ilex opaca
Juniperus virginiana
Liquidambar styraciflud
Magnolia vir-inzana
Nyssa sylvatica
Osrtanthus americana
Persea borbonia
Pinus Laeda
Qtiercus laurifolia
(2. virginiana
Salix caroliniana
Sassafras albidum
stir tlbs :
Aralia spinosa
Euonyrmus americanus
11amamel is virginiana
llyh�:ricuut hypiri.coidcs
I1cx glabra
1. v0mi for in
Lyonia lucid,
myrica cerifera
Prunus caroliniana
Rhus copallina
Vaccinium arboreum
V. atrocossum
V. tenellum
Yucca gloriosa
Vines:
Red maple
Ironwood
Pignut hickory
I.,lowel-ing dogwood
Swamp dogwood
Anmeric,zn 11011Y
Iced cedar
Sweet igum
sweet bay
Black gum
Wild olive (large
Red bay
Loblolly Pine
Laurel oak
Live oak
Carolina willow
Sassafras (large
Ampelopsis arborea
Berchemia scandens
Gelsemium semper.virens
Parthenocissus quitiquefolia
Rltus radlcans
Rebus trivialis
Smilax auriculata
S. bona-nox
S. glauca
S. laurifolia
S. rotundifolia
Vitis rotundifolia
Hercules club
Strawberry hush
Wi tch hazel
St. John's %voct
Inkberry, bitter
Yaupon
Fetterbush
Wax myrtle
Carolina cherry
Winged sumac
Sparkieberry
to to" diam)
to to" diam)
;al1berry
Black llighbush blueberry
1) lueberr. y
Yucca
Peppervine
Rattan vine
Yellow Jessamine
Virginia creeper
Poison i\'y
D4wberry
Greenbr, i ar , Ca tbr. iar
Greenbriar., Gatbriar
Greenbriar, catbriar
Baniboo vine
Grectibriar, Catbriar
Muscadine grape

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Epiphytes:
Phoradendron serotinum
Tillandsia usneoides
Herbs:
Arisaema triphyllum
Aureolaria virgi_nica
Conopholis americana
Decodon vertic illatus
Gal.ivar hispi.(iull.IIII
Hydrocotyle verti.cillatus
Lemna perpusilla
Limnobium spongi.a
Mitchella repens
Monotropa uniflora
Spiranthes vernnlis
Ti.pularia discolor
Graminoids :
Carex comp: a
C. lupulina
Cyi-orus sPP
Panicum commatotus
Pan LCIIIII ';pp-
Sc i.rpus cypor inns
S. validus
Uniola laxa
Ferns:
M.is tletoe
Spanish nw:is
Jack -in -tire -pulpit
False foxglove
Squaw root
Wa for loose:. tr i. fe
lard:: t i .,w
PennywDrt
Du:-kweod
Frog's bit
Pnrtridge berry
Indian pipe
Spring ladiies tresoos
Crane fly orch-i d
Carex
C:arox
Cyperus
P.,nic grass
Pnr;i.c ;i:issos
Sci.i-pus
c irpus
( niola
Asplenium platyneuron Ebony spleenwort
Botrychium dissectum Common orapefern
Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis Royal. fern
Polypodium polypodioides Resurrection fern
Ptrridiurl aquilinum I;racken fern
Woodwardia areolat.1 Hotted Chain Caren
Salt :Marsh
Shrubs:
Baccharis halimifolia
Borrichia trutescens
Herbs:
Aster subulnUis
Lirioniuri carol inialtunl
S.�1id:lbo sempervirens
Groundsel t-rne, Cotton l)u-3ti
Sea oxeye
:Marsh as for
Sea lavend.Ir
Seaside goldcnrod
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_ 165 _
C:•amino i.ds
Ely.,ll►s vir"inicus
Firlbristylis spadicea
Juncos roonicr innus
11a11 iculn vi rs.;r.ltIlm
opir.tina alterniflor.a
t'e'lls
FauTia Species List
Amphibians:
-.Eastern
spadefoot toad
Southern
toad
,reert trout
rob
:,-Juirrcl
Eastern
treefrob
narrow-mot►thed
>out o.rn
Leopard frog
la'p t i l �s
.';*Aal,.,ric.,!n alligator
ppitig turtle
L•'astem mud turtle
*Easterli box turtle
Northern diamondback
*y.jlow-bellied turtle
''.:atlantic loggerhead t
Grt:.,'n ant.)1`
Six-liiwd racerunn.:c'
*Ground skink.
,'-S.E. Five-1.;.i1ed skink
?:astern gla:,s lizard
Ba►Idc.d water shake .
::Eastern ribbon snake
Eastern honnose snaki.
**Pine wuods :make
Nerthorn blacl< racer
' t o
Fi.mbr.i.stylis
Black need 1 c.,rush
i'an is gr. as:-
Sa Lt ❑ulr:;h :
curd bras,
Bait 11ic�:i.lolti flay
Scol;llio�u:; i.ol.br;oki. hol.brooki
liufl) terre:,tri:;
Ily1a cin��c:cl
!lyla ,;qui_rrrlla
toad Ga trophryn:� cared i,l� nsis
ram:=ina utriculuria
All i.,ntar mi si. s i 1�I;i.t nsJA
Chc lvdr�l sr r1�::►,t ina st�r�,�►I t i na
Kino ;te,-rion :,t1brubrLlRl 5ttbrtibl'Uti:
Terrapene c.arolina c:arolina
terrapi_.11Malaclenlys terrapin centrata
Chrysemv s scri_,�ta scripta
L.rtle C'.iret, cal-carett:a
(occasionally jlost:; oil the beach)
Atlol i:> carol. ivicils is
CnemidophorLP;
l.0 i o 1. op i ::1t1;1 1a tc l-;i lt:
� I'Ulilt'��'ti � ill'\P<'1't:1t11S
01:il i s.lurus -,ent ra 1 i.
N:lrr i:i Casci.lta fa:�c.i:lta
1'hairnophis 5atlr.i_rus srit Titus
Ilo tcrodcn 1_latyrh inor.
R'had i n ae"I l l av i la to
Colub; ,r constrictor
:: PnCtcrn coachwhip sllaict *Ia:,t.i: c:pl►i.sLlage thin: Ela�� ] lu1:l
��;ough preen ;na!,Ie
Greenish rat snalW
.. l'r;:bably occ u,::;
..., Possibly occurs
Ophoodrys at's t tvtlS
inter ,radc [)etwec'.'n ELapht' ob>ol� to
quadrivi ttata

_ 166 _
Reptiles
**Northern scarlc�tt snake
Cemophora c occinea copci
Souther:i c.oppe,rhead
A-kist rodon c cntortri� c:c�nt.�r'tt
Eastern cottonmouth
Aakistrodon pi.scivorou•: pisc:ivo_
Canebrake rzttlesnake
Crotal.us horridus af:ricau,iotus
Mamma Is
Opossum
Dide 1phis mar. .Such l i'c
Raccoon
Procyon lotor
*River otter
L.utra cauadetis.i-
Grav fox
cinercoargeliteus
Eastern grey squirrel
Scicirus carolineiisi4
-Cotton r,:o��.�e
Pero-mvscus gossypi.nus
*Rice rat
Orvzomys p-.-ih str, s
.-lar.sh rabbit.
Sylvi.la�;tis palnstri.s
lJhitctail :}c+:-r
Oducoi.leus v:rginianus
Probably occurs
}'ossihly ocI-urs

_ 167 _
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Birds:
�MCies
Common loon
Reel -throated loon
Horned grebe
Pied -billed grebe
Brown pelican
Gannet
'Ur.uble-crested cormora
Great blue heron
Green heron
Little blue heron
Great egret
Snowy c gre t
Louisiana heron
Black -crowned ni-lit
Yellow -crowned nlgllt
Least bittern
White ibis
Black duck
Wood duck
Buff1ehead
Surf scorer
Black scoter
Hooded merganser
Red -breasted merganser
Sharp -shinned hawk
Red -shouldered hawk
Marsh hawk
Osprey_
P(ire�,ri.ne Falcon
Merlin
American kestrel
Clapper rail
Common gallinule
American oystercatcher
S(ndpalmated plover
Piping plover
Black -bellied plover
Ruddy turnstone
American woodcock
Whimbrel
Willet
Creater yellowlegs
Red knot
Least sandpiper
Dun lin
nt
heron
heron
Primary Status
winter resident
winter resident
winter resident
winter resident
permanent resident
winter resident
winter resident
permanent resident'
summer resident -nests
permanent resident
permanent resident
permanent resident
permanent resident
permanent resident
summer resident
sununer resident -nests
permanent resident
winter resident
winter resident
winter resident
winter resident
winter resident
winter resident
winter resident
fall transient, winter
perm. res. probably n
winter resident
summer resident -may n
falltransient
fall transient
winter resident
perm. res.-nests
transient
perm. res.•
transient
transient
transient,
transient
wint. res.
Primary Habitat
ocean
ocean
ocean
marshes
ocean
ocean
ocean
marshes
Inarsh^s, ponds
marshes
marshes.
marshes
marshes
lnarshes
marshes
marshes
marshes
marshes
ponds
ou11-1
jC01,111
0CCa11
ponds, marshes
ocean
res. forest
gists forest
marshes
Est sound
flying over
flying over
dunes
marshes
ponds
marshes
marshes, buach
bench
went. res. beaches
or perm.
may nest some years
transient
perm. res.
transient
transient
transient
wint. res.
beach
rats. forest
beach
beaches
marshes
beach
beach
beach, marshes

Species
Primary Stjtus Primary Habitat
Long -billed marsh wren
fall trans.
inarshes
Mockingbird
perm. res.-nests
shri,b thicket
Grav catbird
primarily wint. res.
forest edge
Brown thrasher
primarilywint. res.
forest edge
American robin
want. visitant
forest
Hermit thrush
wint. res.
forest
Blue -gray gnatcatcher
summer ros.-prob. nestforest
Golden -crowned kiogle t
wint. vi s i tntt t
forest
Ruby -crowned kinglet
wint. res.
forest
Water pipet
winter visitant
:;ound beach
Cedar waxwing
winter res.
forest
White -eyed vireo
summer res.-nests
forest
Solitary vireo
wint. res.
forest
Iced -eyed vireo
summer res.-nests
forest
Black and white warbler
transient
Lorest
Prothonotary warbler
summer rays. -nests
forest
Orange -crowned warbler
winter res.
foresr.
Northern parula warbler
summer res.-nests
format
Yellow-rumped warbler
winter res.
Forest
Black -throated green warbler poss. sum. re3.
forest
may nest
Yellow -throated warbler
summer res-nests
forest
BlZck.poll warbler
transient
forest
Pine warbler
summer res. or perm.
forest
Prairie warbler
Palm warbler
Common yellowthroat
American redstart
Red -winged blackbird
Orchard Oriole
Boat -tailed grackle
Comi,ion grackle
Brown -headed cowbird
Sun?mer tanager
Cardinal
Indigo bunting
Paiiited bunting
Al—rican goldfinch
Rufous -sided towhee
Savannah sparrow
sharp -tailed sparrow
Seaside sparrow
Dark -eyed junco
Whitc-throated sparr
Fox sparrow
Swamp sparrow
Song sparrow
res.- may nest
summer
res.-nests
shrub thicket
trans.,
wint. res.
shrub thicket
trans.,
wint. res.
shrub thicket
fall,,transient
forest
perm.
res.-nests
shrub -thicket
summer
res.-nests
forest edge
perm.
res.
mar:;11uS
summer
res.-nests
forest
early
sum. res.
roadsides
breeds,
doesn't nest
rummer
res.-nests
forest
perm.
res.-nests
forest
summer
res.-nests
forest edge
summer
res.-nests
forest edge
wint.
res.
dunes, forest
pertu.
res . -nests
shrub thicket
wint.
res.
dtines
wint.
res.
marshes
perm.
res.
marshes
winter
visitant
forest edge-.
)w wint.
res.
[crest edge
wint.
visitant
forest edge
wint.
res.
forest edge
wint.
res.
forest caiC-1

APPENDIX D
SUMMARY OF PUBLIC MEETING HELD AT
EMERALD ISLE, NC ON MARCH 51 1986
s
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H
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: & 9OW 2 Of 6I2Z2C1LCL _glfz
7500 &zzU d .L�:fve
&zzudj _qsCe, -A'vtEiz OawCuzu 2S5511
LpfZone (919/354-3424)
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE EMERALD ISLE. TOWN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
AND
THE EMERALD ISLE PLANNING BOARD
WED.NESDAW, MARCH -5, 1986 - 7:00 P.M. - - TOWN HALL -
The meeting was Batted .to order at 7 : 00 P.M.b f on
9 y play Pete Aeeen.
The invocation wad given by Commuss.ionet A. B. Crew.
Commi .6 ionets ptd4ent were Commi6s.ionet Glatt Gadk.ins, Commit s ionea Bea Pa6e, Commiu ione
A. B. Crew, Commis6.ionet Ben Bytand and Commissioner Pete Leo. Ptanni.ng Board membet6
pte6 en t were 9u . Lenora Heverty, Jo Rondone, Jim Davis and Donis Thompson.
Mayon Atten announced .that .the pwcpose of -thins meeting -tonight i6 ,to hoed a _Public
Hearing Got .the purpose o4 .taking comment& on .the 1985 Land use Pean update 6tom the
pubtie. He a6ked Mr. Honne to explain what thi6 .us and .the purpose Got it.
Mr. Honne .totd the Commi6,6ioneu and .the pubtie ,that Mt. Bite Burnett 4tom Henry Von Oes
and A6soei.ate6 out of Wtmington, i6 with ca- tonight and -th.eia 4i,%m .ins updating out Land
Use Ptan. He stated .that Mn. Burnett wife ptobabty be able ,to an6wet a tot mote que6tio►
.than he can. He said .that CAMA %equi tea coa6tat communities .to update .their Land Use
' P.ean every Give yeau and ouna wa6 ta6-t updated in Augu6-t, 1981. Thi.6 is one o6 ,the
Pubtic Hean ing6 .that we ate nequiAed .to have in otde2 to get pubtie commen t6 as to which
d action we woutd titre to see the Town head in and .this Land use Plan is a devetopment
.toot and it keeps in out g,%owth pat-tetns .
Mayor Aeeen opened .the Atom -'dot public comments. He a6ked Mr. Buanetttt ,to 6tatt the
di,scuz,sion with his comments.
�j Mt. Burnett said that he appneei.ated .the oppouani,.ty .to be here .thin evening. He weteome
.the citizens that ate here tonight. He said that he thought that we woutd .tack a tittte
bit about .the punpos a and attue tote' o4 .the meeting and -then aj ter .that, give you some
6uet 6oi di6cu66.ion and open the 6toot up 4ot your comments on -thin matter oA the Land
Use Pean. He said ,that -thins .us a pubtie meeting on the update o6 .the Land Use Pean which
i6 being prepared under the guidetines oA the N. C. Diviz i.on og Coa6-tae Management which
U

Minutes o6 Minch 5, 1986 continued Page 2
ha6 provided 6unding Got -th.i-s patticueat ptogram. He said that we ate aZso going to
have a requ ,%ed Public Hearing a6tet .this Pean i6 comple-ted. It will be presented
Sormally .to the citizens at that time 6or adoption. He said .that .this will ptobabty
be in the gall o6 -this yeah. He stated .that .the existing Land Use Plan was 6otmulated
in 1976, amended in 1977 and -then updated in 1981, so .that it i6 now .time 4or anothet
update off• the Pean. He stated that -there are several purposes Got .this meeting and he
.us going to .tAy to MieAty de6cni6e existing conditions in the Town o6 Emerald Isle. We
are at6o going to tAy to identisy some o4 the .i6sue6 which some o4 you have already been
.i.nvotved in and that w.peg'be-.di&cu"ed-.in_-thd Land:=Use PQan. We are a.eso going ,to aeviej
,the re6uW o6 the Citizens Survey Que6tionnavice which was sent out recently. The
response on .that has been absolutely tremendous. At the end o6 this discussion, we wile
invite some input on .the -i,63ue3 a4ter we have had a chance to talk a little bit about
.them. He said that a Land Use Plan is a guide to 6u&Ae growth and development 4or
Emeraed Isle. It i6 similar to a travel guide which tells you something about where you
ate intending to go and how to get .there and what to do when you get there. We might
compare out Land Use Plan to acavel guide as it is going to guide u6 and get us to whe,
we ate headed 6or and that is into the jjuture a6 sat a6 development goes. It at6o
repre6ent6 a statement o6 policy on growth and development. He said that our vehicle
6o,% the Land Use Plan, in getting .to out destination, wile be .those thing's that we use
to en6o4ce the policies so he .i.6 going to use as out vehicee the Zoning laws and ,the
Subdivi6ion regulations. The Land Use Plan i6 a kind o6 embrya that devetopes into
things .that uetimatety become law and regulate how we do things. The Land Use Plan is
very important to us and something that we need. Another purpose o6 .the Plan, once it i,
6o4mueated, is .that it 4orms .the basis Sor other things. The Land use Plan .us oaten loot
ed at by other Agencies who might possibly want --to give you grant money 6or other purposE
Some day, in .the jutute, we might possibly have a central sewer system here on ,the Islanc
and .the Land Ube Plan wile be u6ed 4or developing that system. Thete might be other
grants such a6 Sor--neckeattonae 6acititi.e6, beach Mont and sound 4ront access or boat
ramps, etc. in which .the Land Ube Pean wooed be a u6e4ul document in 1u6ti.6ying or
opening the door to ptovi6ional grant 4und6 which eoued help the community. He said that
they hope that .the Land Use Plan,wiel be something that will be picked up and u6ed on a
daiey basis by .those who ate making deci 6ion6 . When problems anise, the Land Use PQan
will be the guide to getting reasonable solutions to problems .that always come up when
we ate dealing with development and growth which is something that we have to deal with.
We are dealing with a community that ha6 a land area o6 about 3,000 actu and the eeeva-
tion6 on the Island ate about 35 6eet in ,the high dune6 and he would say that the average
land elevation i6 15 to 25 6eet about mean sea level. We have a very eomiottable altitud,
here a6 a batnier iztand. The length o6 the community .is 11 miles and .the width is about
4000 beet at .the west and a6 you move on down to .the east it becomes about 800 beet.

Minute6 o6 Match 5, 1986 continued Page 3
1 He said that Emeratd I6te is on the west end o6 Bogue Banks, which .in hips opinion, - .is or
off( .the .moat beauti6ut o6 .the battier .ustands .in North Carolina. We ate surrounded by wat
here, on three 6.ided at teaat. you have the Ateantic Ocean, Bogue Sound and .the Intet-
eoastae Waatenwa.y and another 4eature .us Bogue Inlet which has .the tendaney to move back
and 6o,%th depending on the -tided and w.i.n4. MEz area .us vunetabte to hutr.ieane.6. The
&oun4 are very. productive, .in terms o6 P.ushery.Reaourees and shett4ish, .6o ,the watvvs
.in here have been ctass.isied SA Aor .the taking o6 she t6ish. TW .cis .the highest
eea66.i6ication .in .the State o6 North Catotina 6or those waters. The ocean .i,6 ceass.i6.ied
SB 6or awimming and other purposed. Reeentty, .there have been home izsue6 that have
ar it en .in regard to SA watery and that is how do you accommodate Mati.na6 .in s hett6iz h
waters and aedo, what do you do with 6torm water %uno66 once it ha6 cottected. The way
it i6 took.ing now, it .i6 going to be very di66ieuet to di6charge any storm water .in SA
waters and when you start Looking at Emeratd Iste, .then we have a probtem. He 6aid that
we have quite a bit test o6 what .ia eatted matUime 6orest6. This .vs a unique 6eatute
,that -i.6 gradualey diaappeat.i.ng. Back .in 1960 .there were oney 14 permanent %e6.ident6
.in Emeratd Late and .the %ea6on wa6 that ,there wa6 oney one acce6s point to Bogue Bank6
and that was .through Morehead City. In 1990, .the een6u6 6howed 122 permanent re6.ident6
and .in 1980 there were 865 permanent %e6.idents and .in Aptit, 1985, -there wa6- a apeei.ae
cemua .taken here and .they counted 1526 permanent %esident6 .in Emeraed Iste. He said
.that .in regard to housing, .there are about 3,336 ,testae units within Emeratd late and
\ 701 o6 .those unit6 were occupied at the time the cen6us wad .taken. There were 2,634 uni.
vacant dut.ing ,that 6u tvey.
He said that it might be appropriate now to de6citibe some oj the Land use pattuAs. The
1.6tand was devetoped ba6.icalty as a s.ingte 6amity beach aethough you have some area6 of
mobile home6, scattered .in through s.ingte jamZP-y te6.i.denci,es. stet of .these ate accommo-
dated by septic tanks. There .cis some commecciat development along the main road and
,then we Sind some %e6ort oriented .type mu ti.-Samity unit6 a6 we get down .in .the area
.toward .the B. Cameron Langston Ridge. Atong the beach 4ront we have some commerciae
and multi.-Jamiely condominium devetopment which are very popueat .in North Catot.ina. You
Stitt see Barge traet6 of tand which are Stitt vacant and a tot o4 there eange tracts are
shown on your Zoning Map and are zoned 6o,% mutti6amity unit6. There .us a tot o4 potenti
6or more mutti4ami-ey, condominium .type, resort .type development here a6 the zoning presen
.ey exf6t6. Our Land u6es ate ba6.icatly eonsined to re6.identiae, commerciot and .instc tuti.
at. There .i.6 some scattering o6 other zones such ad eampgroun4, etc. There is a trend
.toward mutti6amiey eondominium6 and resort hotels. He said that now he wants to tack
about .the .issues .involved .in .the Land use Ptan. We have tdenti jied some atready and thi,.
.us something where we wooed Uke to have the aZti.zens .input. The .issues a6 we see -them
now are Beach Access which .us number one and woutd be jot day v-usetors and permanent

Minutes o4 March 5, 1986 continued Page 4
res.ident6. Beach acee6s is a very .i.mpontant issue. .in .the minds oA everyone who tives
hence on visits here. A second issue .involved is that of growth and devetopment. you ar
tatk.ing about density. How many units pen ache? What .us the natuAe o4 that density?
What kind o6 devetopment do we want? Do we want to have a "Fatuity Beach" with s.ingte
Jamity dwetting6 on do we want mutti4amity deveeopment on do we want a Myrtte Beach -type
resort? This is what we are tatk.ing about when we get .into growth and development.
Another issue .that comes up is zoning and in partieutar the toeation and amount oj-
commeneiat devetopment which perhaps shoed be exptored a tittte matte. Right now, .it
i4 ba6ieaety eon6i.ned atong ,the main highway. Another area o6 .interest is that o6 pubti
services such as sewage seAvice, muni.ci.pat drainage system Jon the very cki ieat area6
which ate other .issues .that need to be exptored. Another, has to do with reeheationat
4acititie6 such a6 shoutd .the community be providing certain types o4 %echeationat
jaei.tities? Another .i,6sue is that o6 conservation areas and perhaps we shoutd be toofun
at petusetv.ing the maritime Jore64 which are a unique envuconmentat jeatute here on
Emeraed Ute and Bogue Banks.
Mt. Burnett then went over the Questionnaire which was, maieed out to permanent residents
and property owners. He stated that we maiezd out 1-, 840-o6 thue _QuestionnaiAu and
be6one tonight, we had 642 returned and tabulated. That .is a 35% response Hate and they
were very pteased because normatey we don't get a response rate above 100. We didn't sei
a stamped envelope with the Que6tionnauce so that .in .c t6et6 tetes you that there is a to.
o6 .interest by the pubt.ic here .in the community. He said that a tot o6 people wrote
comments on the back o6 the Questionnaires stating how they Seet about the Island and
there were at eea6t a eoupte o6 hundred who said that this is .the greate6t peace in the
wor.ed and some said that this is a stiee o6 heaven. This %e6tects people's appreciation
60r this community.
He said that there was an .introductory question where they asked people to .identi.4y what
theiA letationship to the Town was. They asked .i4 they were permanent %es.ident6, etc.
and they had 816 re6ponse6. About 31 % o6 those who responded were permanent %es.ident6;
Non-,%uident, neat property owners were about 49% o6 those who responded and about 10%
were regular z ea6 onat viusitor6 . About 1 % were occas.ionat s ea6 onaf v i s.i torus and there
were about 8.821 who didn't 4att .into any, one o4 those ctus.isications. The people who
are ownetus- o� retie .property were asked .i4 they were going to build on their ptopetty
or sett theiA property during the next 10 years. There_were 338 responses received and
about 40% said that they .intend to buitd a house on their property and 17% said that they
.intend to Sete their property and about 44% said that they did not .intend to sett or
build on theih property. Then we asked them to ducti.be theiA ptr i,nci.ple relationship to
property and we had 990 responses on that with about 20 being devetoper6 of buitdeA6;
2 0 were commerciat business ownetus ; 21 o were Town residents; 74% were sport 4 ,6 hetmen or

Minutes o6 March 5, 1986 continued Page 5
boaters; 28% wen.e beach uaeu; 17. 8% were %et Aeu; 2. 7% o6 .them identi jied themselves
as housewives and 10.7% identi6ied themseZve6 as "other." The next question was "Which
o4 .the 6otlowing best descni.bes your %eeation6hi in ,the Town?" There were 794 re6pon6e6
to this question with active votm comprising about 23%; those ineP,igible to vote in
Town elections constituted about 55% and 22% o4 those eUgible to vote were not active
in Town elections. The ji4th question was "what general area o6 Eme,aZd Isle are you
mast interested in?" They received 942 responses. About 37% said the beach which was
the highest level. The second one, which was 29.6% said that they weAe intehe6ted in the
residential anea6 and then the sound, the matWme 4ore6t6 and commenci.aQ business district
jot -towed on from there. Then we got into the issue o4 beach access and asked the question,
"Do you think that pubP.ic access to the ocean at Emerald Isle .us adequate?" The response
Srom 665 penson6 was 65% an6wened ye6 and 35% said no. He said that they would say that
a com4ortable ma1o& ty said that public access to the ocean was adequate. The next question
was, "Do you think that public acces6 to the sound in Emerald Isle is adequate?" The
answer there was 53% out of 693 people, said yes and 46.9% said no. That is quite a
narrow majoni.ty on that question. The next statement=6 "The Town o6 Eme raid Isle
ccwucently has 'about 75 dedicated and marked pubf-i.c beach and sound accesses, but no public
parking jaci"ea to accommodate them. The Town is considering requiring all 6utune
dedicated access points to have associated parking 6accili ties. How do you feel about
providing parking jaciUtie6 6or these accesses?" Thence weAe 710 responses as to them
agreeing, .strongly agreeing, not sure, disagreed on .strongly disagreed. Thvice were 53 %
who agreed, 35.3% di,6agreed-and 8% were not.s.u%e. The majority indicated that there shooed
be some mote parking. There wevice 724 re6pon6e6 to the statement that "The Town o6 Emen.aPd
Iste is consideting the passage o6 an Ordinance that would %equ Ae all developeu a6 a
condition o6 development, to dedicate Band . son public access to the Attantic Ocean on
Bogue Sound according to the hollowing suggested .standards which included Parking, Trash
Recepticle, A 6re6h wate,% shower, do i.nking 6ountain, planting strips, changing enclosure
and %ubtoom, a raised waekway structure across the pni.maty dune (ocean access) on
stabitized path (sound access) and d Aectional signs indicating pubUc beach/.sound access.
How do you react to this ptopo.sae? Strongly agree, agree, not sure, divsagtee, staongly
disagree." 04 the 724 responses, 56.2% o6 the people were in favor, o6 doing this, 37%
were against it and 6.8% were not sure. The next question was "Should the Town o6 Emerald
Isle invite day vus. tors and provide 4aciti,.ti u (packing/testnooms, etc.) for them?" There
were 705 res pons e6 with 3 8.7 % saying yes and 61. 3 % saying no. He said that he ha6 n' t as
yet broken this down as to permanent %uidenU against day v.c6itor.s which wooed be a ec:ttee
move informative as to whence that "no" is coming 6rom. The next question was "Woutd you
ti.ke the Town of EmeAaed We to have an oceansront pubtic Gazabo with seating and
associated parking?" There weAe 721 •respans es with 36.2% baying ye6 and 63.8% saying No.
The next question was "Should the Town have. parking meters joa pubti.e parking areas?"

Minutea o6 March 5, 1985 continued Page 6
There were 705 %e6ponses with 48.6% saying yes and 51.2% saying No. The next area on
the Questionnaire wa6 Growth and Devef-opment. The joust o6 .these questions, was "The
Town o6 Fmenatd I6Ze cmAentey has a density ceiling o6 8 uni C6/aae. Do you Beef- .that
this tZnit s houtd be I ncaea6 ed, Stay .the same on Decreased?" There were 695 %e6 pons es
with 4% atoting increases, 58.1 % stay .the same and 37. 9% saying deeneased. Next was
Zoning with .the question "How do you fleet .about .the amount o6 land zoned 6or eommerciat
uses?" There were 614 responses with 5.3% saying that it was ,too tittf-e, 76.5% said
it was adequate and 1'8. 2% said .it was -too much. The next question waa "Do you beet that
the Zoeation o6 eommenciatey zoned Lands is appropAiate?" There were 614 responses with
91.51 o6 .the peopQe saying yes and 8.5% saying No. The next section was PubUc Services
The 6uc6t question was ►'Are you =Aentty satis4ied with .the .-eveQ and deP.ivery o6
serviee6 o46ered by .the Town of Fmeraed I6Qe?" There were 682 %eaponse6 with 86.2%
saying yes and 14% saying No. The next question was "what other 6eAvices, .is, any, wouf-d
you Zike the Town to o66er its citizens?" He said .that they got aef- kinds o4-'answers
to .that question, but the ones that appeared most were 6or sewer, drainage, mosquito
contAof- and 6or parking at the Inee.t. The next question was "What existing services do
you beet can be .cmptoved?" The moat response was Pta6h coQfecti.on, garbage co.-Zectfon.
Next, "Aa the Town o6 Fmeraf-d I6Qe continues to grow, a cent► of 6eweA system- Witt move
than Ukety be needed.to prevent envi tonmentat P%bbtems. Would you' -vote .in savor o4 a bok
reserendum 6or a sewer .,system .is you knew that ad vaPorem .taxes would %emain at the currE
tevet and the monthty sewer bitt would be te66 .than $20/month/househoed?" There were
699 responses with 71 % an6weAi.ng yes and 30% answer.ing No. The next question was ►►As, an
atternative to buiMing a centnat hewer -system, do you 6eeP that the Town ahoued use foca
Land use regueations and 6erviee provisions to discourage .intense deveeopment?" There
were 682 ne6pon6ea with 87% saying yes and 13% saying No. The next question was "Do you
beet that the Town shoued d ,%ect 4utuAe de.vetopment to those areas best able to support
development 6o as to p4event the suture use o6 pubtic 6unds to correct a probQem?" There
were 676 responses with 95% saying yes and 5% saying No. Question number 22 was "The Tow
o6 Fmeratd I6te %ecent2y expeaieneed drainage probeem6 in certain area6 o6 Town. Drainag
improvements wilt need to be made to eoiAect existing ptobt ma. What do you 6eeE .is the
most equ itabQe means o6 paying 4or such improvements?" Pront foot ass msment6 of a46ectet
paopentie6, Speci.at- taxes, Surcharge on water bieP-,s or Other. 06 the responses, 65%
said 6ront Soot a66e66ment6 o4 a64eeted p►coperties -.and 9% said Spec%af- taxes, SurehaAge � of
water bit4Es was 9% and 18% other6. The next question was "Do you 6eeE that-Emenatd
I6f-e needs a muniei.paZ drainage system?" There were 699 responses with 53% an6wer.ing No
and 47 % Yes. The next section on the Questionnai to was regarding ReCIteationat Paci t-i tie6 .
He said that .in this .they U6ted %ecAeationaf- 6aci t i ties and asked that the public rank
these o6 which they 6eef2 there is a strong enough need to ju6ti6y them being provided
at pubUc expense. The 6iut ranked was parking and beach access and second was ma,%ina6

Minutes o6 March 5, 1986 continued Page 7
and Boat access. Jogging ranked thiAd, bikeways was 6ourth, picnic 6acititie6 was 6i6th
The tact question was a miseettaneous question. "Should ,the Town os Emenatd Iste %eguta.
.the ptaeement o 6 s ateltite TV dishes?" He said that 7 8 o said Yes and 2 2 % said No.
He said that att o6 tkL6 wilt appear in print in the Land use Plan and wilt give us kind
os a mandate Suture. He said that he now wants to open ,the discussion up Son .the citize
and membeu o6 both Boards as we need some input on how Emerald Iste should go in .the
6utune. What do you want your Town to be in 5 years, 10 yeau, 20 yeau in .the Suture?
What do you want it to Zook like? He said that .they would Like to hear 6nom .the pubtie
as to hors pu--thi.nk; we ought to go. The purpose o6 tkis meeting is to get citizen' 6 inpc
Mrs. Dorothy Metzten spoke stating that she ib a permanent resident o6 Emerald Isle. Sh(
said that when we had .the question %egatding 6Zooding, .the %e6ponse was that we needed
some 61-ooding plan. She said that at hen house the drainage is 6ine now. AcAoss 6nom
.them is a swamp. When 6uture building is done, witZ anyone Zook at .the potentiat probtei
where -there are tow spots so .that people don't come in and either change .the way ,the
Land drains so that it drains on another piece o6 property on 6itt it in so .that it draij
She would ti.ke to see some planning bon .the suture that address people who develop tow
spots on dangenou6 areas make provisions so that someone else doesn't pay bon .that_ on hat
damage to .their property.
M%. Burne-tt said that .the community night now is .involved in ententtaining _ ptoposals 6nom
several Engineering 6i4ms bon a Masten Dnainage Ptan which is a document that would be
used whenever a development does ,take ptace and a peat comes in 6or p►copos ed devetopment
.then it would be� eompaned to .the Ma6.ten Ptan to make sure that whatever the devetoper
does would not 1eopandi.ze other Land owners. around him. in the near 6utune this Ptan
should be avaitabte as the Town Board has already .taken action to get this underway.
Mrs. Metzter said that individuat property owneu should be eon6idered -too so that when
6itt is put on a tot you wilt know how it witt assert surrounding pupen ty.
Mn. Roger Metzler spoke stating .that we have 1526 permanent residents and you said that
1640 Questionnavices were sent out. Atso, you said that you were not. --sure how many o-s
these were permanent residents and how many were not. He asked i6 there i6 any way that
you can tett?
Mn. Burnett said that it took his 6irm the betty pant o4 two weeks to tabutate .these
Questionnaires. They took growth tabutations, but did not break it down in terms o6
permanent %ezidenU, day visitons, etc., but we intend to do this in the 6inat tabutati.on
Tonight, we 1u4t have an overact viewpoint ob what people are saying regardless ob what

Minutes os March 5, 1986 continued Page 8
thei,% origins are in terms o6 permanent resident or not. In the 6inat document they wii
bring out the status o f permanent resident on what even.
Mn. Metzten asked i6 att 1526 permanent residents get the Questionnaire?
Mn. - Horne. answered yes,- but stated that in actuality there were onty 830 sent out as tU
is one pen household bon permanent %e6ident6 and the others were picked at random.
Mn. Don McGurn, a permanent resident who Lives in Deer Hann Dunes spoke. His concern
is with the drainage and where the waxen is going to go when the Resort Hotet .is built
and other condominium pnoject6 are developed.
M. Burnett answered that because of the way the dunes run -there is a ptobtem with.
drainage in certain areas. He said that the area where M. McGurn tives has a teat
probtem because of the interdu,%at 6weZZ6 and hitZ6 and wilt ..take a unique method o4
contActf-i.ng drainage in that area.
Mn. McGurn said that when he came to Bmeratd Iste six years ago, Ronnie Watson was Mayon
and he said .that .the Town had $?, 000.00 cash and he understand6 that now the Town ,ins
putting in about $50, 000.00 a year the tast he heard. He asked why the Town has to rain
a Bond or raise taxed in order to dovsomething about drainage i6 the Town atready has
a whole tot o6 money due to the condominium devetopmenx?
Mn. Burnett said that as bar as .the amount os Junds, he is sure that Mn. Horne or the
Town Board can an6wen that better than he can. As Jan as how the drainage study can be
bunded the majority o6 65§, said that they would be -witting to pay front Sootage assess-
ment. Another thing is that they thoughtthax ,it woued be appxoptiate Jon deveeopens whey
they came in, to pay Jon drainage impnovement6. He said that by adopting certain %eguta-
tions it could be requiaed bon aet deveZopers that they address the drainage .issue to the
point where they would not ineAea6e the xan-.a 6 on adjacent properties. There are
Ordinances that can be adopted to handle that.
A citizen 6rom Deer Honn Dunes spoke ( didn't give his name) neganding the a66ec ted
properties. He asked Mn. Burnett what he means by the a6iected properties? He said that
everybody in BmeAaed I6te is a66ec ted. He said that i6 there is going to be a 6ront
600tage assessment, it shoutd be on every piece o6 property in Bmeratd Isle because even
the peopte who Lived on the high ground coutdn't get out Coast Guard Road even though
their properties were not 6tooded. The only 6a.ir way i6 you go with taxation .cis to tax
every piece o6 property. He said that secondey, he is interested in density. He said
that the average home here is built on somewhere between a quarter and a thvcd acre os
Band and he thinks that is peenty. Why shoutd we have 8 units per acre when the average

Minutes ob March 5, 1986 continued Page 9
right now is appnox imatety 4 pen acre. 16 you put .in 8 units pen acne, that is Just tes
area bon .the water to soak .into the ground. He said that he thinks we would have a very
seniows problem ib we stay with 8 units pen acne.
Mr. Burnett said .that he had several good points. He said that assessments ate not
�{ essentiaety a .tax, Just a method ob paying bon -something and .the State Statutes read
,that assessments go to -those that are shaAi.ng .the utility that goes .in bnont ob -the.in
house. in other ioonds, ,the utility has to pass .in bnont o4 -them and be avaitable to .the
bebore we can collect assessment money brom -these people.
The citizen. said that .in order to get money bnom .the %es.ident6 ob this Town .then .it shoo
be .in the borm ob a .tax not an assessment on .individuae property. He said that he is su
that the permanent %es.idents here wouldn't object to a stight raise .in taxes to make su
they don't go through the same problems ,that we did .in the ball ob last yeah.
Mr 'd h a w n no h w are nd b t o at
Burnett said that the ns en now .t,a t ow a going to bu it, but b.ws b
we have to bind out how much it is going to cost to connect the major problem and then
come up with a plan that wooed be acceptable.
Satty Vanderveld spoke stating that she is a permanent tes.ident and she .us .interested .in
how many Que6.tionnaite6 went out and how many went to permanent res.ident6.
Mr. Burnett answered that 1840 were sent out and 835 were sent to permanent residents.
He said that ale ob the homes that we have fisted as permanent aeee.ived one ob the
Que,stionnavices. He said that the tema.ini.ng 1000 were picked at random brom the tax tist,
Uu. Clare Bdwaedson, a permanent resident, stated that .ib a sewer system does come .in,
what wotiti,es hen i6 den6 ty.
Me. Burnett stated that this is probably one ob the most sensitive .issues. He said that
sewers ate a natural %e&pon6e when you have people. When you have peopQe you have pollu-
tion. When you have pottution you have to deaf with .it. He said that the question is
how do you eontnol booming growth and connect the envc✓ionmental problem without cheating
another problem by - inenea6.ing density. He said that the answer is to be sure that you
have tough eontnol on density through your zoning regulations. The way to control growth
.us through zoning. He said that development is going to happen no matter what you do and
there .us no way that we can stop growth and devetopment. He said that you can have a
sewer system and you can con Act density.
Comm.i�ss.ionea Passe asked .ib we even do get a sewer system, won't we have to pump the sewag
to the maineand?
Me. Burnett answered yes. He said that .in the wank done on the 201 Plan, they had peanne:.

Minutes o6 March 5, 1986 continued Page 10
that a .tAeatment peant would go on .the maineand .in an area neat the bridge. There- ate
several things that you can th the waste waxen a64euent aster it iz treated and one o6
the things that .they suggested was to -take it to ,the Ateantic ocean, but some people
think that is the woue .thing .in the woned. Another thing that can be done .us to put a
Pine under the waterway on .the baidge and -take it oven to the ma.ineand and dispose o6 th
a64euent on .the land. This pnotects the environment and ,the waste water is -taken away
6tom .the Island and the grounds will remain clean.
Mn. Eewood Slocum spoke to ,the $oard statino that he came to Emerald Isle srom New Jetse
and .they laced the problem and decided that .the beat way to dispose os the waste water
was by pumping the treated assluent .into .the Ocean.
Mt. Burnett stated that it is always better to think ahead and attach the problem besote
it occwus . Down the tine, .i4 we continue to grow, there will be a point where we will
need a sewer system.
Cathy Campen said that she is a permanent %esident and hen concern is that when you taek
about pumping the waste waxen to the maineand, how are .the people on the maineand going
to Seel about this?
W. Burnett said that thus is a very vati,.d point. He said that this happened .in Dane
County and one o6 the alternatives they looked at was ttanspating the assluent srom the
beach to Curnituch County and the Cuttituck County Comm uioners toed them that they did
not want their sewage. He said that this is a problem and you will have to work very
ceosety with land owners. He said that .i4 it is planned night then the people wiel accer
.it. He said that they were thinking that you could use Star Hitt Gols Course and spray
the waste water asseent on ,the Goed Course. He said that this. is being done .in South
Canoti.na. He said that waste water reuse .us a valid method is .it is done propeAty.
W. Slocum spoke again stating that these ate oney .two snee beaches .in the State os
New Jeuey. He said that on every other beach you have a tag system which is something
that he suggested on his questionnaiAe. He said that this is an unbeP-ievable source os
revenue. He said that you cooed be looking at weel over $100,000.00 a year. We could
put some ti.se guand3 on the beaches which'is important to him.
M,%. Burnett said that in New Jeuusey, people buy a tittle badge which they put on thei,%
bathing suits and you can't go on the beach without it.
Mn. Horne said that it would take the $100,000.00 that you gain to ensotce keeping those
people oss the beach.

Minutes os Match 5, 1986 continued Page 11
Mn. Burnett stated .that not everyone .cis going to agree with everything .in .the Land Use
Ptan and they don't expect that. We are producing a genetat viewpoint a6 .to what shouts,
happen.
Commiuionet Bytand asked 96. Cathy Campen .i4 she tis Sami.tian with the Carteret County
sewer system? He said .that .they are working on a sewer system Son .this end o6 the Count
At. Bunnettt stated .that he undeu-tands .that they have engaged an Bng.ineet.ing 4itm .to do
an enginevii,.ng study os .the entice County and -thei& sewer needs.
CommUss.ionen Bytand said that he has contacted some os the people .in Cape Carteret and
suggested that when we get ready to go Son a sewer system that we go together. He said
that he thinks that you are going to have to do art o4 Bogue Banks on both sides to make
this thing essective. He said that he thinks that what ,the County has .in.mind is to set
up a big Masten Ptan to .instatt a tatge ptant somewhere on the maintand to Seed this was
water into.
Macs. DoA" Thompson told Mn. Bunne-tt that hen Samity happened to be 5 os the oniginat 14
he -tacked about ea,%ti.en.
Jo Rondone said that Sum -the evidence os the growth. os Bmetatd Isce that we must examin(
.the Land use Ptan and update it. She said that she Beets .that this .us very impottant to
ups .
Crane Edwardson asked what happens next?
Mac. Burnett stated .that what .they Witt do is -take .the comments made tonight, comp.ite art
os this .insonmati.on and the %esuc-t6 o6 the Questionnaire and we wiet put it .in the Ptan
and get a consensus as to .the way .the people want it shaped and -then .they wilt s.tan-t
wn i Ling .the Land Use Ptan based on that .insonmati.on and make %ecommendati.ons to the Boara
.in -terms os what .the policies are Sor both the Town Board and Planning Board, os what .the
changes .in present tegutations might be apptopAuate. They Witt .them wrap act o6 this up
.in a pretty coven and send .it oss to .the 044ice off Coastat Management and .they are going
to review it to be sure .that what .they have come up with .i s cons"tent with the,fA d.iagtam
IS they approve .it, -then .it Witt come bacfz to .the Town and we Witt hold a Pubt.ic Hearing
and adopt it. Then it wilt become -thus document that is avail-abce 4o4 use .in ptanni.ng
and devetopment and growth. He said that they hope .that .it Witt become a usesut docu-
ment .that everybody watt pick up and use as a guide. He .told .the pubei.c that they have
had some good .input tonight and he hopes .they Witt head .the Land Use Ran when .it comes
out and Seet .that they have helped .in detetmin.ing .the growth .in .the place where they are
going to Live.
Macs. Clare Edwardson asked .is this Ptan witt be avaitabte Sot the pube.ie?

Minutes o4 Match 5, 1986 continued Page 12
Ma. BuAnett answeved yes and stated that .they would tAy .to have an Executive Summary
painted which w.itt be avaitabee .to .the genevat public, but .i6 you are going ,to develop
paopevtty here on just want .to know what your Stock on area can be Like .in 5 on 10 yeays,
-then just come .to Town Hatt and read .the Land use Pean.
Ma. Horne said ,that the tas.t time we updated the Land Use Plan we had extAa copies
painted to give ,to .the genevaE pubti.e, so he is suAe that .theae wilt be pfeenty avaitabt,
Gov .the pubtic. He stated .that we shouod have the Executive Summati.e6 avaitabte by the
end o6 June.
Ma. Buvnett said .that anothea issue .that Witt be addvessed wietl be tAa4�ic conditions
.in .the Town o6 Bmevald Iste. He said that -there has been some di�6eu6sion tatePy as .to
where the thvtd bvidge wilt be toeated on Bogue Banhs . He stated that tAad t ionatt y it
shouPd be toeated on the RooseveP.t paopevty .in Pine Knote Shoves, but .those people aAe
having "a ti.tttee heavt burn about .that." He said ,that .the Theodove RooseveZt heiAs had
de6ignated a ptaee jov that. He said that DOT is studying af-tevnati.ves and that is ano.tf
peann.ing pvoeess that is ongoing. He AuA-thea stated that we have coveved quite a Aew
.cssues tonight and he app2eci.ate6 att of .the public's comments. He said ,that he wants
aet o4 you to know .that they aae avaitabte .is you would t ike .to -talk to him pw onatt y,
just catt hiA o44.ice and he wi.et be glad to tis-ten .to any o4 youa comments and answev
any questions ,that you might have. He said that Ma. Hovne, Town Admini6.taatov, is also
avaitabte .to answea any questions .that you might have.
Motion wab made by Commi�ssionen Ga6k.in6 and seconded by Commi ss.ionea Cvew that the Pubt i.c
Heating be e?losed. A t voted .in javov.
Motion was made by Commi.6sionen Gask.ins and seconded by Commizs.ionea Cvew that .the
meeting be adjouAned. Atf voted .in javoa.
The meeting adj ouvned at 8 : 48 P.M.
JRP
CC: ()
Mayov Pete Allen
CC: (
) Commi�ss.ionea Watt Gask.ins
cc: (
) Commuss.ionea A. B. Cvew
CC: (
) Commiss.ionea Pete Leo
CC: (
) Commuss.ionea Ben Byeand
CC: (
) Commuss.ionev Bea Passe
CC: (
) Ma. G. glade Hovne, Town Admin stratov
CC: (
) Ma. Richavd L. S-tantey, Town Attovney
Respeeti.veey submitted,
Ilaekie R. Paytov, Town evk
CC: ( ) Mas. Lenova Heveaty, ChaiAman
Planning BoaAd
CC: ( Ma. John C. Anthony, Audi-tov
CC: ) Ma. BiIQ Burnett
CC: () Town Hall

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APPENDIX E
STORM HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN AND
POST DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
(JUNE, 1984)
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TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE
NORTH CAROLINA
STORM HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
8�
POST DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
JUNE9 1984

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STORM HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
AND
POST DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
Prepared for
THE TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE, NORTH CAROLINA
By:
George Eichler & Associates
and
Satilla Planning, Inc.
June 1, 1984
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 Manage—
ment Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the
Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, N.O.A.A.

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Contents
Page
I. Introduction .................................
1
II. Emerald Isle Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan....
2
A.
Existing Development .....................
2
B.
Hazard Areas in Emerald Isle .............
3
C.
Existing Development Located in Hazard
Areas ....................................
6
D.
Estimated.Severity of Possible Hazard
Area Damages., ................ o_ .......
8
E.
Anticipated Development in Hazard
Areas, .... o___ ... o .................
9
F.
Existing Emerald Isle HazardMitigation
Policies and Regulations....... ..........
9
G.
Recommended Hazard Mitigation Policies...
10
III. Emerald
Isle Post -Disaster Reconstruction Plan.
12
A.
Introduction .......... ... .............
12
B.
Organization of Local Damage Assessment
C.
Team., ............... ................
Damage Assessment Procedures and
14
Requirements ............................
15
D.
Organization of Recovery Operations......
17
E.
Recommended Reconstruction Policies......
20

LIST OF TABLES
Title P_.ge
One - Emerald Isle Populaticn Projection, ...... 2
Two - Existing Land Use Tabulations 2
Three - Estimated Dwelling Units by Type 3
Four - Definition of Hazard Areas 6
Five - Structures by Hazard Areas 8
LIST OF MAPS
Title Page
One - Storm Hazard Areas 5
Two - Flood Hazard Areas 7

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I. INTRODUCTION
The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission has
adopted rules for "Storm Hazard Planning" which require the
incorporation of such a planning program into the land use
plans that local coastal communities are required to
prepare.
The Commission's rules are designed to implement a storm
hazard planning process that is outlined in Before the Storm:
Managing Development to Reduce Hurricane Damages. That
publication was prepared for the Office of Coastal Management
of the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and
Community Development to be used as a guide for local
planning efforts.
The objective of this report is to present storm hazard
mitigation and post disaster reconstruction plans for Emerald
Isle that 1) meet specific needs of the Town; and 2) conform
with the adopted State rules for storm hazard planning.
The remainder of this report describes Emerald Islets
hazard planning program. Chapter II presents the Town's
Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan. Chapter III presents the Town
Post Disaster Reconstruction Plan.
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II. EMERALD ISLE STORM HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
A. Existing Development
Emerald Isle's developable incorporated area consists of
about 3,000 acres, one-half of which has been developed. It
is eleven miles long and.ranges from 4,000 feet in width at
the west end to about 800 feet at the east end. It has
developed as a family -oriented vacation/second home community
with seasonal populations reaching as high as 10,000 persons
during peak summer holiday periods. In contrast, the year-
round population is currently only about 1,000
persons.
Table 1 presents the permanent and average seasonal
populations for the years 1980, 1985, 1990 and 2000 based on
data from the 1981 Land Use Plan Update. The State of North
Carolina estimated that there were 1,003 permanent residents
in 1983.
TABLE 1
EMERALD ISLE POPULATION PROJECTIONS
YEAR AVERAGE SEASONAL PERMANENT
1980 8,500 865
1985 10,000 - 12,000 1,200 - 1,400
1990 12,000 - 15,000 1,500 - 1,900
2000 15,000 - 18,000 2,200 - 2,800
The 1981 Land Use Plan Update did not include existing
land use tabulations and it is beyond the scope of this
study to conduct detailed land use surveys. However, the
following generalized land use calculations were provided by
the Plan.
TABLE 2
EXISTING LAND USE TABULATIONS
LAND USE CATEGORY ACREAGE % OF TOTAL
Developed Land - Total 1,402 47%
Residential 1,240 9%
Institutional 3 1Z
Commercial 123 9%
Undeveloped Land - Total 1,598 53%
TOTAL DEVELOPED
and UNDEVELOPED: 3,000 100%

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As indicated by Table 2, more than half of the Town's
acreage was vacant and available for development in 1981 when
the Land Use Plan update was prepared. Since this time, it is
estimated that an additional 300 acres have been developed,
leaving about 1,300 acres vacant. The Town's density in
persons per acre is 5.88 in developed areas. Assuming that
future development continues at this density, an additional
766 acres will be developed by the year.2,000. Ultimate
capacity of the Town at this density is 17,625 persons during
summer peak periods. However, a relatively minor increase in
density would greatly increase this potential number. Such an
increase in density could be expected if a central sewage
system was constructed. The existing commercial development
occupies about 125 acres, but there are 400 acres zoned for
commercial use. There are basically four existing commercial
areas; one where the causeway Bridge enters the town, along
Emerald Drive and Beach Drive; one along Emerald Drive West
of its intersection with Ferry Road and at the original Ferry
Landing on Bogue Sound; one along Emerald Drive near the
western pier; and another along Emerald Drive around the
eastern pier.
In 1980, there were an estimated 2,.400 dwelling units in
Emerald Isle. The current estimate of total dwelling units
is 3,250. This represents an increase of more than 35% in
just three years. Based on 1983 dwelling units and estimated
average seasonal population, approximately 3.5 persons
occupied each dwelling unit. To reach the 1990 projected
population (top range) an additional 1,035 dwelling units
would have to be constructed; and a total of 1,893 new units
to reach the year 2000 projection of 18,000 persons. Table 3
presents a summary of estimated dwelling units by type.
TABLE 3
ESTIMATED DWELLING UNITS BY TYPE - 1983
Type of Residential Unit
Single Family, Duplex/Triplex
Multi -Family
Motel
Mobile Home
Total:
B. Hazard Areas in Emerald Isle
Estimated Total Number
1,884
139
137
1,090
3,250
Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC's) located in
Emerald Isle consist of : 1) Ocean Erodible AEC's; 2) Inlet
Hazard AEC's; 3) Estuarine Shoreline AEC's; and 4) Flood
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Hazard AEC's. While not designated by the State as an AEC,
the balance of the 100-year flood plain is also a hazard area
that should be addressed by the mitigation plan.
The first three AEC's identified above are depicted by Map
One. Map Two delineates both the Flood Hazard AEC, and the
balance of the 100-year flood plain.
Ocean Erodible AEC's
These are areas where a substantial possibility of
excessive erosion and significant shoreline fluctuations
exists. The ocean erodible AEC is based on a setback from the
first line of stable natural vegetation plus an additional
area where erosion can be expected from storm surges and
wave action.
Current State regulations establish ocean erodible AEC's
as beginning at the low water line. Setback measurements
begin at the first line of stable vegetation and continue
inland to a depth 60 times the average annual rate of
erosion. Provided there has been no long term erosion or the
rate of erosion is less than two feet per year, this distance
is set at 120 feet. In areas where the erosion rate is more
than 3.5 feet per year, the setback line is based on a
distance of 30 times the long-term annual erosion rate plus
105 feet. Erosion near Bogue Inlet has averaged 3 feet per
year and the AEC is 230 feet deep in this area. (Source:
Office of Coastal Management, "Long Term Average Annual
Erosion Rates Through 1980").
Inlet Hazard AEC's
An inlet hazard area is a natural hazard area that is
especially vulnerable to erosion, flooding and other adverse
effects of sand, wind, and water because of its proximity to
dynamic ocean inlets. The area adjacent to Bogue Inlet is
designated a hazard area. During recent years, the Inlet
area has accreted as the Inlet migrated to the west. A false
sense of security from this short term phenomenon may
encourage further development of this unstable area. The land
use subdivided and platted prior to the existence of C.A.M.A.
and therefore current regulations allow the use and
development of these lots of record.
As outlined on Map 1, the Bogue Inlet Hazard consists of
the western 1,250 feet of Bogue Banks/Emerald Isle.
Estuarine Shoreline AEC's
Estaurine shorelines are defined as non -ocean shorelines
which are especially vulnerable to erosion, flooding or other
adverse effects of wind and water and are intimately
connected to the estuary. In Emerald Isle, the estuarine
shoreline encompasses the area landward from Bogue
Sound for a distance of 75 feet from the mean high water
level along the entire northern edge of the Town.
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LEGEND
OCEAN ERODIBLE A.E.C.
ESTUARINE SHORELINE A.E.C.
INLET HAZARD AREA
ur purposes.
This map Is for planning purposes only: the A.E.C.'s are approximate and therefore should not be used for permitting pur I
6M
EMERALD ISLE, N.C.
SATILLA PLANNING INC. GEORGE FICHLFR & AMC.
St u-ry- Georgia Atlanta. Georgia
JUNE,Iga4 L8 OOMrl MOO MO"L..2 0 0.0
Storm Hazard Areas MAP
ONE

Flood Hazard AEC's
. I
The flood hazard AEC corresponds to the National Flood
Insurance Program-V-zones, which refer to flood prone areas
that are also susceptible to high velocity wave surges.
Emerald Isle was converted to the Regular Phase of the
National Flood. Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1977 with the
issuance of Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS).
Town officials recently received 1984 FIRMS which are now
under review. Because this represents the best available data
for flood hazard in Emerald Isle, this new data is provided
by Map Two.
Flood crest elevations in the "V" zones range from 11 to
16 feet AMSL. The "V" zone areas were reduced by the new
FIRM. Areas along Bogue Sound are no longer within "V"
zones. The new "V" zones basically parallel the ocean to a
depth of approximately 100' to 250' inland from mean high
water. Less than 8% of the Town's area lies within
"V" zones.
Other Flood Prone Areas
This area is simply the balance of the 100-year flood
plain - that area not within "V" zones. Again, Map Two
portrays the area subject to flooding during the 100-year
storm in accordance with the 1984 FIRM. The.FIRM
designates these areas as "A" zones. About 15 percent of the
town is within "A" zones.
C. Existing Development Located in Hazard Areas
In Before the Storm, the following system for clas-
sifying hazard areas (shown in Table 4) was presented:
TABLE 4
DEFINITION OF HAZARD AREAS
Forces Present/Expected
Hazard
Area Wave High
Category Erosion Action Flooding Winds Boundaries
1 x x
2
3
4
x
x x Ocean erodible AEC's;
inlet hazard AEC's;
estaurine shoreline
AEC's.
x x Flood insurance
V-zones
x x Flood insurance
A -zones
x Rest of community
31
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®rr�♦r®rrlr.�lr�l
I�
®®MEmm�m®m®®®m
001MM"
IIIIIIIIIB�IIIIIIIIIC
nn�
IIIIIIIII�
LEGEND
HIGH HAZARD FLOOD A.E.C. CV " ZONES)
BALANCE OF 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN ("Am ZONES)
This map Is for planning purposes only: the A.E.C.'s are approximate and therefore should not be used for permitting purposes.
7EMERALD ISLE, N.G.
SATILLA PLANNING, INC. GEORGE EICHLER 6 ASSOC.
St.Marys, Georgia Atlanta. Georgia
JUNE. 1984 800' IOOO 4000'
Flood Hazard Areas MAP
TWO

C
The number of structures within each hazard area based
on the above classifications was then determined from
aerial photographs, interviewing with town personnel, and
field checks as follows:
TABLE 5
STRUCTURES BY HAZARD AREA
(Before the Storm Method)
Hazard Area
Category Residential Units Commercial Areas
1 135 2
2 75 1
3 110 1
4 3,015 2
The above Table is not totaled because to do so would be
misleading. Some of the units included in Flood Insurance
"V" zones (Category 2) were also in Hazard Area Category 1.
Additionally, the structures in estaurine shoreline AEC's are
also in Flood Insurance "A" zones.
Emerald Isle does not have a central sewage disposal
system. Therefore, sewage is handled through individual
septic systems, some of which are in flood hazard areas.
Generally, the structures and commercial areas identified by
Table 5 are served by systems that are also in the flood
plain. The Town's water is supplied by the Bogue Banks water
authority. There are currently three wells with one planned.
There are two elevated and one ground storage tank. These
facilities are above the 100-year flood level as are the
majority of the system's distribution system.
There are no potentially hazardous material storage or
disposal sites in Emerald Isle.
D. Estimated Severity of Possible Hazard Area Damages
The current Emerald Isle Tax Valuation is $186,000,000.
This does not include tax exempt property nor does it include
appreciation of values since the assessment was completed by
County tax appraisal officials.
Structures constitute about $74,000,000 or 40% of the
total tax digest. This ratio of structure value to property
represents the high value and quantity of undeveloped land.
Additional property at risk during a major storm includes
roads, public buildings and facilities, public utilities, and
tax exempt property. Potential worst case flood damage to
privately owned structures in Emerald Isle from a 100-year
storm event is estimated to be $4.5 million. This does not
include any damage from wind which will certainly be
D
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significant.
E. Anticipated Development in Hazard Areas
About 1,600 acres of developable land remains vacant in
Emerald Isle. The vast majority of this land lies above the
100-year flood plain and significant areas are also above the
500-year event. Some development may occur in the Estuarine
Shoreline AEC but because of the narrowness of this zone, it
is expected to be relatively minor.
F. Existing Emerald Isle Hazard Mitigation Policies and
Regulations
Emerald Isle regulates development in hazard areas
primarily through its zoning ordinance, dunes and vegetation
control ordinance, and floodplain management regulations.
Development in AEC areas must conform with State
guidelines. The primary provisions of Emerald Isle zoning,
dunes and vegetation control and floodplain management
regulations related to hazard area development are summarized
below.
Emerald Isle Zoning Ordinance
1. Single family residences, duplexes and multi -family
structures are allowed in the Town's residential dis-
tricts as permitted uses regardless of whether such
districts are located in hazard areas.
2. Mobile Home parks are permitted only in MH Mobile
Homes districts and subject to special development
standards.
3. Non -conforming structures (i.e. those not meeting
setback or other similar requirements) are not speci-
fically dealt with by the Emerald Isle zoning
ordinance.
4. Non -conforming uses can generally be rebuilt unless
destroyed or damaged beyond 70% of value or if the
use is abandoned for 180 continuous days.
Dunes and Vegetation Protection Ordinance
At least 45% of the natural vegetation must be left
in place on residential lots and 15% on commercial lots
under the terms of this ordinance.
Flood Plain Management Regulations
The Floodplain ordinance is part of the Town's
zoning ordinance (Article I). It is designed to meet
requirements of the National Flood Insurance key
provisions including:
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1. All new residential construction, or
substantial improvements (repairs or recon-
struction worth 50 percent of market value)
must be elevated to or above the base flood
level elevations.
2. Commercial buildings located in either the 'Y' or
"A" zones must be elevated to the base flood level
or floodproofed.
3. Open space or breakaway walls must be used below
base flood elevation in the 'Y' zones.
4. The design and installation of anchorings and
pilings must be certified by a registered engineer
or architect.
5. No alteration of dunes or use of fill for structural
support shall occur in the "V" zone.
Mobile Home Regulations
Mobile homes constitute about thirty-five
percent of the existing housing stock - an estimated 1,090
units. The Town's zoning ordinance establishes mobile home
placement and design standards; flood hazard design
considerations are included in the floodplain regulations
and require elevation above the 100-year flood elevation,
tiedowns, and prohibition on mobile homes locating in "V"
zones.
G. Recommended Hazard Mitigation Policies
The entire Town of Emerald Isle is susceptible to
significant storm damage from a hurricane or a storm of
similar magnitude. However, only 6% of the Town's
dwelling units are located in AEC's or in areas susceptible
to flooding associated with the 100-year storm. 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 growth policy encourages relatively low density
residential development; high rise developments along the
ocean are not typically found in Emerald Isle. The Town has
also down -zoned lands that originally allowed up to 13.5
dwelling units per acre to 8 dwelling units per acre. This
may reduce the ultimate number of units by 2,200 or about
7,200 seasonal sites.
2. The Town's policies support and are consistent with State
policies and regulations for development in Areas of
Environmental. Concern.
10

3. All new development must conform with the provisions of
the N.C. Building Code.
4. The Town's floodplain development policies conform with
all Federal and State requirements.
5. The Town does a good 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.
6. The Town has made an obvious effort to keep up with
building code and land use regulation enforcement during the
recent growth period by hiring additional building
inspection personnel.
The basic conclusion is that Emerald Isle is already
doing a good job to mitigate future storm damages and that
the Town's policies meet both the requirements and
philosophical objectives contained in Before the Storm.
The only recommended changes to existing policies are:
1) That the Town consider revising its zoning ordinance
provisions governing non -conforming situations (Section
9-4033)to: a)to more explicity cover replacement or repair of
non -conforming structures so that they are required to meet
applicable floodplain regulations and provisions of the North
Carolina State Building Code governing wind loads; and b)
that upon destruction to or beyond a specific percentage of
structure value (50% is recommended) all structures be
required to meet all applicable regulations (zoning, flood,
building code, health code, etc.) The rationale is that if a
building sustains more than 50% damage it is for all
practical purposes destroyed and if the zoning ordinance
terms classify it as "non -conforming", it should not be
allowed to rebuild to the same size and conditions in the
same location. Additionally, these provisions should be
applied specifically to both non -conforming uses and
structures.
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III. EMERALD ISLE POST -DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
A. Introduction
A post -disaster plan provides a program that will permit
a local government to deal with the aftermaths of a storm in
an organized and efficient manner. The Plan provides the
mechanisms, procedures, and policies that will enable a local
community to learn from its storm experiences and to rebuild
the community in a wise and practical manner.
A post -disaster reconstruction plan encompasses three
distinct reconstruction periods:
o The emergency period is the reconstruction phase
immediately after a storm. The emphasis is on re-
storing public health and safety, assessing the
nature and extent of storm damage, and qualifying
for and obtaining whatever federal and state as-
sistance might be available.
o The restoration period covers the weeks and months
following a storm disaster. The emphasis during
this period is on restoring community facilities,
utilities, essential businesses, etc. so that
the community can once again function in a normal
manner.
o The replacement reconstruction period is the period
during which the community is rebuilt. The period
could last from months to years depending on the
nature and extent of the damages incurred.
It is important that local officials clearly understand
the joint federal -state -local procedures for providing
assistance to rebuild after a storm so that local damage
assessment and reconstruction efforts are carried out in an
efficient manner that qualifies the community for the
different types of assistance that are available. The
requirements are generally delineated in the Disaster Relief
Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-288) which authorizes a wide range of
financial and direct assistance to both local communities and
individuals. The sequence of procedures to be followed after
a major storm event is as follows:
1. Local damage assessment teams survey storm damage
within the community and report this damage to the
County Emergency Services Coordinator.
2. Damage information is compiled and summarized by the
County, and the nature and extent of damage is re-
ported to the North Carolina Division of Emergency
Management (DEM).
1 12

3. DEM compiles local data and makes recommendations
to the Governor concerning state actions.
4. The Governor may request a Presidential declaration
of "emergency" or "major disaster". A Presidential
declaration makes a variety of federal resources
available to local communities and individuals.
S. Federal Relief assistance provided to a community
after an "emergency" has been declared typically
ends one month after the initial Presidential de-
claration. Where a "major disaster" has been
declared, federal assistance for "emergency" work
typically ends six months after the declaration
and federal assistance for "permanent" work ends
after 18 months.
Federal disaster assistance programs previously provided
aid for communities to rebuild in the same way as existed
before the disaster occurred. This policy tended to foster
recurring mistakes. However, recent federal policy has
started to change the emphasis of disaster assistance
programs. Specifically,
o Executive Order 1198 (Floodplain Management) directs
all federal agencies to avoid either directly or in-
directly supporting future unwise development in
floodplains (e.g. through sewer grants in locations
that foster floodplain development).
o Section 406 of the Disaster Relief Act can require
communities, as a prerequisite for federal disaster
assistance, to take specific actions to mitigate
future flood losses.
The Town has been provided a comprehensive listing of
the Federal Disaster Assistance Programs that may be
available following a major storm. The programs identified
fall into the categories of Temporary Housing, Individual
Assistance and Assistance to Local and State Governments.
The listing is comprehensive and therefore all the programs
listed may not be applicable to Emerald Isle.
The remainder of this chapter presents recommended
recovery procedures in the general sequence of response by
the Town. While damage assessment (Sections B & Q will be
the first operations conducted by the Town after a disaster,
it should be realized that the recommended recovery
operations (Section D) will begin simultaneously. The
remainder of this chapter is, therefore, organized as
follows:
1) Procedures that Emerald Isle should follow to carry
out its damage assessment program to meet all
13

Federal and State requirements.including organization
of the damage assessment team and recommended damage
assessment procedures.
2) An overall organizational framework for restoration
operations after the emergency period.
3) Replacement/Reconstruction policies that the Town
should adopt to insure that future development that
does occur in local hazard areas is constructed in
a manner consistent with sound land use planning,
public safety considerations, and existing and evol-
ving federal and state policy.
B. Organization of Local Damage Assessment Team
A local damage assessment team should include
individuals who are qualified to give reliable estimates of
the original value of structures, an estimated value of
sustained damages and a description of the repairs (and
costs) that will be needed to rebuild each structure.
Following is a listing of Emerald Isle personnel including
volunteers available to assume these responsibilities:
Administrative Police
Town Manager 1 Police Chief
Building Inspector 10 Officers
Assistant Building Inspector 6 Dispatchers
Part-time Building Inspector 6 Reserve
Fire and Rescue
Town Officials
1 Chief
1-Mayor 20 Volunteers
S Commissioners
Street
Maintenance Supervisor
Assistant Maintenance Supervisor
The Building Inspector should head the Damage Assessment
Team. Other members of the team should consist of the
Assistant Building Inspector, the Maintenance Supervisor
and volunteers recruited from the community. Town Personnel
and volunteers must be recruited, organized and trained prior
to a storm occurrence. There should also be back-ups or
alternates to ensure the availability of adequate resources.
The suggested make-up of the Emerald Isle Damage
Assessment Team is as follows:
1
14

o Building Inspector (Team Chief)
o Assistant Building Inspector
o Local Property Appraiser (MAI or qualified broker) #
o Maintenance Supervisor
o Architect *
# Community Volunteer
The Mayor should immediately undertake a recruitment
effort to secure the necessary volunteers and to establish a
training program to familiarize the members of the damage
assessment team with required damage classification
procedures and reporting requirements. In doing so, it must
be recognized that it might be very difficult to fill certain
positions, such as the building contractor position, because
the services of individuals with such skills will likely be
in a great demand after a storm disaster.
C. Damage Assessment Procedures and Requirements
Damage assessment is defined as a rapid means of
determining a realistic estimate of the amount of damage
caused by a natural or man-made disaster. For a storm
disaster, it is expressed in terms of 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.
After a major storm event, members of the Damage
Assessment Team should report to the Emergency Operations
Center prior to deployment. There are about 3,000
dwelling units in the Town. The extent of damage will depend
on the magnitude of the storm and where landfall occurs along
the Atlantic coast. Because of the potentially large job at
hand, the limited personnel resources available to conduct
,
the assessments, and the limited time within which the
initial assessment must be made, the first phase of the
assessment should consist of only an external visual survey
of damaged structures. A more detailed second phase
assessment can be made after the initial damage reports are
filed.
The initial damage assessment should make an estimate of
the extent of damage incurred by each structure and identify
the cause (wind, flooding, wave action, combination, etc.) of
the damage to each structure.
Damaged structures should be classified in accordance
with the suggested State guidelines as follows:
o Destroyed (repairs would cost more than 80 percent
of value).
o Major (repairs would cost.more than 30 percent of
the value).
15 1

o Minor (repairs would cost less than 30 percent of
the value, but the structure is currently unin-
habitable).
o Habitable (some minor damage, with repairs less than
15 percent of the value).
It will be necessary to thoroughly document each
assessment. In many cases, mail boxes and other
information typically used to identify specific structures
will not be found. Consequently, the Damage Assessment Team
must be provided with tax maps, other maps and photographic
equipment in order to record and document its field
observations. Enough information to complete the Damage
Assessment Worksheet must be obtained on each damaged
structure.
The second phase of the Damage Assessment Operation will
be to estimate the value of the damages sustained. This
operation should be carried out in the Emergency
Operations Center under the direction and supervision of the
Town Manager. Specific administrative employees in Town Hall
should be assigned to assist in carrying out this task.
In order to estimate total damage values it will be
necessary to have the following information available for use
at the Emergency Operations Center:
o A set of property tax maps identical to those
utilized by the damage assessment field team.
o Copies of all Town property tax records. This
information should indicate the estimated value
of all commercial and residential structures
within the Town. Because time will be of the es-
sence, it is recommended that the Town immediately
commence a project listing the property values of
existing structures on the appropriate lots of the
property tax maps that will be kept at the Emergency
Operations Center. While somewhat of a tedious job,
it should be manageable if it is initiated now and
completed over a 1 to 2 month period. The infor-
mation will prove invaluable if a storm disaster
does occur. This set of tax maps should be updated
annually prior to the hurricane season.
County officials recently polled local mortgage
institutions to determine the average flood insurance policy
coverage and the estimated number of property owners in flood
hazard areas that carry the insurance. The results of this
May, 1984 survey were that 75% of the homeowners with
mortgaged property in the flood plain have 75% to 80%
coverage. Overall, it was estimated that only 10% to 15% of
all homes in the flood plain have insurance covering 75% to
16

80% of the improvements. The Town should verify these
estimates and update this information annually before the
hurricane season. This information should then be kept
available in the Emergency Operations Center for estimating
the value of sustained damages covered by hazard insurance.
In order to produce the damage value information
required, the following methodology is recommended:
1. The number of businesses and residential
structures that have been damaged within the
Town should be summarized by damage classification
category.
2. The value of each damaged structure should be
obtained from the marked set of Town tax maps and
multipled by the following percentages for approp-
riate damage classification category.
o Destroyed - 100%
o Major Damage - 50%
o Minor Damage,(uninhabitable) - 25%
o Habitable - 10%
3. The total value of damages for the Town should then
be summarized and reported, as required, to the
County Emergency Operations Center.
4. The estimated value loss covered by hazard insurance
should then be determined by: 1) estimating
full coverage for all damaged structures for
situations where the average value of such coverage
exceeds the amount of damage to the structure; and
2) multiplying the number of structures where damage
exceeds the average value of insurance coverage by
the average value of such coverage.
The Damage Assessment Plan is intended to be the
mechanism for estimating overall property damage in the event
of a civil disaster. The procedure recommended above
represents an approach.for making a relatively quick,
realistic "order of magnitude" damage estimate after a
disaster.
D. Organization of Recovery Operations
Damage assessment operations are oriented to take place
during the emergency period. After the emergency operations
to restore public health and safety and the initial damage
assessments are completed, the State guidelines suggest that
a Recovery Task Force to guide restoration and reconstruction
activities be created. In Emerald Isle, the Mayor and
Commission should assume the responsibilities of such a Task
Force with the Town Manager directing day-to-day operations
based on the policy guidance received from the Mayor and
17

Commission. The following must be accomplished:
1
1
1
1. Establishing reentry procedures.
2. Establishing an overall restoration schedule.
3.. Setting restoration priorities.
4. Determining requirements for outside assistance
and requesting such assistance when beyond local
capabilities.
5. Keeping the appropriate County and State officials
informed using Situation and Damage Reports.
6. Keeping the public informed.
7. Assembling and maintaining records of actions taken
and expenditures and obligations incurred.
8. Proclaiming a local "state of emergency" if
warranted.
9. Commencing cleanup, debris removal and utility
restoration activities undertaken by private
utility companies.
10. Undertaking repair and restoration of essential
public facilities and services in accordance with
priorities developed through the situation eval-
uations.
11. Assisting private businesses and individual property
owners in obtaining information on the various types
of assistance that might be available to them from
federal and state agencies.
In Before the Storm, a sequence and schedule for
undertaking local reconstruction and restoration activities
is presented. The schedule was deliberately left vague
because specific reconstruction needs will not be known until
after a storm hits and the magnitude of the damage can be
assessed. The following sequence of activities and schedule
is submitted as a guide which should be reconsidered by the
Mayor and Commissioners and revised as necessary after the
damage assessment activities are completed.
Activity
1. Complete Initial Damage
Assessment
2. Complete Second Phase
Damage Assessment
18
Immediately after storm
passes
Completed by second week
after the storm

Activity
3. Prepare Summary of Re-
construction Needs
4. Decision with Regard to
Imposition of Temporary
Development Moratorium
5. Set Reconstruction
Priorities and Prepare
Master Reconstruction
Schedule
Time Frame
Completed one week after
second phase damage as-
sessment is completed
One week after second phase
damage assessment is
completed
Completed one week after
summary of reconstruction
needs is completed
6. Begin Repairs to Critical As soon as possible
Utilities and Facilities after disaster
7. Permitting of Recon-
struction Activities
for all Structures Re-
ceiving Minor Damage Not
Included in Development
Moratorium Areas
8. Permitting of Recon-
struction Activities
for all Structures Re-
ceiving Major Damage Not
Included in Development
Moratorium Areas
9. Initiate Assessment of
Existing Mitigation
Policies
One week after second phase
damage assessment is com-
pleted
Two weeks after second phase
damage assessment is com-
pleted
Two weeks after second
phase damage assessment
is completed
10. Complete Re-evaluation of The length of the period
Hazard Areas and Mitigation for conducting re-evalu-
Policies in Areas Subjected ations and receiving input
to Development Moratorium from the State should not
exceed two months
11. Revise Mitigation Policies
and Development Standards
for Areas Subjected to De-
velopment Moratorium and
Lift Development Moratorium
12. Permit New Development
Two months after Temporary
Development Moratorium
is imposed. (Subject to
change based on circum-
stances encountered)
Upon suspension of any
temporary development
moratorium
19

E. Recommended Reconstruction Policies
All the following policies have been designed to be;
1) considered and adopted by the Mayor and Commissioners of
Emerald Isle prior to a storm; and 2) implemented, as approp-
riate, after a storm occurs.
Reentry
1. Reentry of Emerald Isle town residents and/or property
owners shall not be permitted until 1) the critical
damage assessment has been completed; 2) the Mayor
proclaims the Town safe to re-enter, after the County
Control Group issues an overall reentry order.
2. A list of Emerald Isle property owners and residents
shall be maintained at the bridge entrances to the Bogue
Banks. Valid identification must be shown in order to
proceed on to the Island. Passes shall be issued and
displayed at all times until the State of Emergency
is officially lifted. (This procedure will require
cooperation and reciprocal assistance from all Bogue
Banks towns and unincorporated Salter Path. The towns
of Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach should take the lead
in establishing such procedures as each has jurisdiction
at each of the two bridges.)
Permitting
1. Building permits to restore structures located outside of
designated AEC areas that were previously built in con-
formance with local codes, standards and the provisions
of the North Carolina Building Code shall be issued auto-
matically.
2. All structures suffering major damages as defined in the
Town's Damage Assessment Plan shall be repaired or re-
built to conform with the provisions of the North
Carolina Building Code, the Emerald Isle Zoning Ordin-
ance, and the Emerald Isle Floodplain Management Regu-
lations.
3. All structures suffering minor damage as defined in the
Emerald Isle Damage Assessment Plan shall be permitted
to be rebuilt to their original state before the storm
condition.
' 4. For all structures in designated AEC's and for all
mobile home locations, a determination shall be made
for each AEC as to whether the provisions of the N.C.
Building Code, the State Regulations for Areas of
20

Environmental Concern, and the Emerald Isle Flood
Plain Management Regulations appeared adequate in mini-
mizing storm damages. For areas where the construction
and use requirements appear adequate, permits shall be
issued in accordance with permitting policies 1, 2 and
3. For AEC's where the construction and use require-
ments do not appear to have been adequate in mitigating
damages, a Temporary Development Moratorium for all
structures located within that specific AEC shall be
imposed. If mobile home damage is extensive, a mora-
torium on the rebulding or replacement of mobile homes
should be imposed in order for the Town to decide whether
this should remain a permitted use.
5. Permits shall not be issued in areas subject to a Tem-
porary Development Moratorium until such a moratorium
is lifted by the Emerald Isle Town Council.
Utility and Facility Reconstruction
1. All damaged water systems components shall be repaired so
as to be elevated above the 100-year floodplain or shall
be floodproofed, with the methods employed and the con-
struction being certified by a registered professional
engineer.
2. Overhead power lines and utility poles along Salter Path
Road present the greatest obstacle to the safe evacuation
of residents in the event of a major storm disaster. Re-
locating these lines underground or moving them away from
rights -of -way would be very costly at this time. However,
if major damage occurs as a result of a storm, the cost
effectiveness would improve and public safety considera-
tions might override economic considerations. Emerald
Isle should now request the EMC initiate an assessment of
the feasibility of relocating overhead power lines under-
ground or away from evacuation routes if substantial
damage to the existing system is sustained during a
major storm.
Temporary Development Moratorium
Under certain circumstances, interim development
moratoriums can be used in order to give a local government
time to assess damages, to make sound decisions and to learn
from its storm experiences. Such a moratorium must be
temporary and it must be reasonably related to the public
health, safety and welfare.
There is no doubt that Emerald Isle will suffer heavy
and serious damages should a major storm have its landfall in
its vicinity. Consequently, the Town should be prepared to
issue Temporary Development Moratoriums as appropriate.
21

It is not possible to determine prior to a storm whether
a temporary development moratorium will be needed. Such a
measure should only be used if damage in a particular area is
very serious and if redevelopment of the area in the same
manner as previously existed would submit the residents of
the area to similar public health and safety problems. In
Emerald Isle, such a situation is most likely to occur in one
or more of the AEC's.
The Emerald Isle policy regarding the proclamation of
#. temporary development moratoriums shall be:
1. To determine for each AEC whether the provisions
of N.C. Building Code, the State Guidelines for
Areas of Environmental Concern, and the Emerald
Isle Floodplain Management Regulations appeared
' adequate in minimizing storm damages. For AEC's
where the construction and use requirements do not
appear adequate, a Temporary Development Moratorium
for all structures located within that specific
AEC shall be imposed.
2.
To assess the overall damage to mobile homes within
one week of the storm occurrence and to determine
whether a temporary moratorium on the rebuilding of
mobile homes suffering major damage should be
imposed.
3.
After imposing a Temporary Development Moratorium
for an AEC, the Town of Emerald Isle shall request
that the Coastal Resources Commission conduct a
special analysis for the Town and all other com-
munities so similar, in order to determine how
local regulations for those hazard areas, which are
based on State and or Federal guidelines or require-
ments, should be improved or modified. A response
from the State within a reasonable time period as
determined through negotiations should be requested.
4.
The Temporary Building Moratorium in all AEC's shall
be lifted after local ordinances and regulations
have been revised after receiving recommendations
from the State or at the discretion of the Mayor
and Council if a response is not made within a
reasonable period of time. In the latter case, recon-
struction shall be permitted in accordance with
'
existing regulations and requirements.
5.
If a temporary moratorium on the rebuilding of
mobile homes is imposed, the Town Council shall
within one month determine whether the Emerald
Isle Zoning Ordinance should be revised so
that mobile homes are no longer a permitted
use in any Town zoning district. If such a
'
policy decision is made, based on a review
22

of the magnitude of damages sustained, all
existing mobile homes would be treated as non-
conforming uses in accordance with the recom-
mended revision of the Emerald Isle Zoning
Ordinance (Chapter II of this report).
Wind Damage
It is assumed that many structures constructed to
conform with the provisions of the North Carolina Building
Code will not be able to withstand the accompanying winds if
a major hurricane hits the N.C. coast. It is stated in
Before the Storm that "the State Building Code, as it now
stands, falls short in adequately protecting buildings from
the damaging forces of hurricanes and other coastal storms.
The Building Code Council, in seeking to maintain uniformity
of regulation across the state, has been resistant in the
past to allowing more stringent local standards. Another
problem small coastal communities are likely to face is a
lack of fiscal and staff resources to sponsor the engineering
and architectural studies that the Building Code Council
requires to justify any local variations to the Code."
While Emerald Isle has no technical studies to indicate
that the provisions of the Code are inadequate as they effect
the Town, the Town should have some flexibility in imposing
stricter standards if it desires. This is a problem that the
Coastal Resources Commission must face if it expects local
communities to take the initiative in developing effective
storm mitigation programs. The Town policy shall be to
request the Coastal Resources Commission to carefully assess
this problem which is common to all coastal communities. '
L��
1
23 1

APPENDIX F
EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
1
1
11
11

94Z E70tM Of &2F-r4afJ_q1fz
7500
-A'vtEli C toiuzu 2S55
September 13, 1985 JPfivnz (919)3511-3424)
MEMORANDUM
FROM: Mayor
TO: All Emerald Isle Department Chiefs
SUBJECT: Emerald Isle Destructive Weather Plan
1. PURPOSE:
To outline instructions for the organization and
and operation of the Town of Emerald Isle during destructive
weather conditions.
2. ACTION:
a. This plan is effective upon receipt.
b. The establishment and operation of the Emergency
Operations
Center (EOC) will be in accordance with
the attached plan.
3. APPLICABILITY: This plan is applicable to all employees of
the Town of Emerald Isle and to volunteer workers participating
in operations.
'
4. CERTIFICATION: Reviewed and approved this date.
11
ATTACHMENTS: See next page.
Pete Allen, Mayor
Date

I
EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
Attachments
1.
Definitions
2.
Responsibilities
3.
Condition III Checklist - General (48 Hour)
4.
Condition II Checklist - General (Hurricane Warning)'(24 Hour)
S.
Condition I Checklist - General (Hurricane Evacuation)
'
6.
Condition I - Landfall Imminent
7.
Police Department Traffic Control Procedures and Assignments
'
8.
9.
Police Department Condition III Checklist
Police Department Officers Checklist
10.
Police Department Condition II Checklist
11.
Police Department Evacuation Checklist
12.
Fire &.Rescue Condition III Checklist
13.
Fire & Rescue Condition II Checklist
14.
Fire & Rescue Condition I Checklist
'
15.
Fire & Rescue Evacuation Checklist
16.
List of Available Heavy Equipment
17.
Town Clerk's Office Evacuation Checklist
18.
Tax Department Evacuation Checklist
19.
Town Administrator's Evacuation Checklist
20.
Maintenance Department Condition IV Checklist
21.
22.
Maintenance Department Condition III Checklist
Maintenance Department Condition II Checklist
23.
Maintenance Department Condition I Checklist
24.
Maintenance Department Evacuation Checklist
'
25.
Inspection Department Checklist - Conditions III, II, I
26.
Inspection Department Evacuation Checklist
1
I
L

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
DEFINITIONS
100. GENERAL
' 1. Storms are a potential and continuous threat to the Town of
Emerald Isle and communities along Bogue Banks. Adequate and
timely warnings, coupled with prompt and effective actions by
departments within the town, will minimize loss of life and
damage to property by destructive weather conditions.
101. STORM SYSTEMS
1. Major Storm Systems. Storms of this type generally affect a
wide area and have a life history of days rather than hours of
effectiveness.
a. Tropical Depression. Weather associated with a tropical
cyclonic system with wind speeds up to 33 knots.
b. Tropical Storm. Weather associated with a tropical
cyclonic system with wind speeds between 34 and 63 knots.
C. Hurricane. A tropical cyclone associated with high
winds, usually 64 knots or greater, and torrential rain.
d. Snowstorm. Based upon past local experience, various
conditions of snow accumulation, sleet, freezing rain, or a-
combination of all three conditions, can have a varied effect on
roads and bridges.
2. Local Storm Systems. Storms of this category generally
are localized and are usually short in duration.
a. Local Wind Warnings. Local wind warnings may be given
only when they are believed to be of sufficient force to warrant
special precautions.
b. Small Craft Warnings. Same as gale warnings with wind
intensities of less severity.
C. Thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are small scale storms and
are always accompanied by lightning and thunder. Often hail is
associated with thunderstorms and may inflict major damage.
' Lightning strikes are common, in addition to torrential rain and
low visibility.
d. Gale Warnings. Winds are steady and of sufficient force
to cause heavy turbulence and high seas. Erosion of beachf rout
areas is cause for major concern.
' Attachment #1

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
102. DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER CONDITIONS
1. Major Storm Conditions. Following are the storm conditions.
For specific actions refer to the plan and checklists.
a. Condition V. Normal state. Operations continue as
normal.
b. Condition IV. Destructive weather trends indicate the
possibility of winds of destructive force within 72 hours. In
snowstorm systems, a storm front has been reasonably established
and weather reports indicate threat of snow in local area.
C. Condition III. Winds of destructive force are possible
within 48 hours. For snowstorm, weather reports indicate snow
accumulation in neighboring areas. If trends continue, heavy
snow is expected in the local area within 24 hours.
d. Condition II. Winds of destructive force are
anticipated within 24 hours. Heavy snowfall has commenced and
snow is beginning to accumulate on road surfaces, creating
hazardous road conditions.
e. Condition I. Winds of destructive force are imminent or
expected within 1 hours. For snowstorms, heavy snow, sleet, or
freezing rain is accumulating in measurable quantities. Roads
and bridges are extremely dangerous, and possible accumulation of
ice on power lines and snowdrifts can be expected.
f. Condition 0. Winds of destructive force have arrived.
fl
1
1

r
' EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
RESPONSIBILITIES
200. GENERAL. Upon notification of Destructive Weather
Condition III, specific actions must be accomplished by each town
department to make a joint coordinated effort to minimize the
possible effects of destructive weather.
' 201. "MAYOR, TOWN OF EMERALD ISLE. Assumes overall responsi-
bility for the direction and operations concerning destructive
weather.
202. DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES
' 1. Departments
a. Emergency Management Coordinator and Assistant Emergency
' Management Coordinator
(1) Make provisions for the establishment of the
' Emergency Operations Center in the Police Department and Town
Hall.
(2) Advise the Mayor of changes in the destructive
weather conditions.
(3) Upon setting of Condition III, activate the
Emergency Operations Center and assume overall preparation and
operation until return.to Condition IV.
b. Police Department. Assume duties as outlined in the
department checklist as determined by each condition.
' C. Maintenance Department. Assume duties as outlined in
the department checklist for the condition at hand.
d. Fire and Rescue Department. Assume duties as outlined
in the department checklist for the condition at hand.
e. Inspection Department. Assume duties as outlined in the
' department checklist for the condition at hand.
Attachment 42
[I

r,
EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
CONDITION III CHECKLIST (HURRICAINE WATCH)
(48 Hours before expected land all
ACTION RESPONSIBILITY
1. Upon official notification of condi- Police Department
' tion III, the Communications Officer on
duty will immediately notify the Chief
of Police, Fire and Rescue Chief and
others as reflected in the Police
Department checklist.
2. The Police Chief or Fire Chief Police Chief or
will, after reporting to the Police Fire Chief
Dept, notify the Mayor and Town
Administrator.
3. The Mayor will call a meeting of Mayor
the Town Board and key town employees to
review emergency plans.
4. The Mayor will place all town Mayor
employees on standby alert.
5. The Emergency Operations Center Emergency Management
will be activated at Town Hall. Coordinators
( Fire Chief &
Police Chief
6. Establish communications -with
EOC
Carteret County Emergency Management
Coordinator.
'
7. Staff Public Information Center
Town
Administrator
at Town Hall.
'
8.
Assemble all town records needed
Town
Administrator
at reentry points and for damage
assessment teams.
9. Check emergency generator, communi -
Each
Dept.
'
cations equipment and supplies.
10. Fuel all town vehicles, including
Each
Dept.
spare tanks when available.
.11. Advise active construction projects
Inspection Dept.
P P
to secure all materials.
'
12. Request Water Dept to being filling
EOC
water tanks.
Attachment # 3

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
CONDITION III CHECKLIST (HURRICANE WATCH)
48 hours before expected landfall
ACTION RESPONSIBILITY
13. Notify campground operators EOC
of pending storm and that campers,
recreational vehicles, etc., will not
be allowed over'the bridge once 40 mph
winds are reached.

EMER D ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHT PLAN
CONDITION II CHECKLIST (HURRICANE WARNING)
'
- 24 hours before expected
landfall
ACTION
RESPONSIBILITY
1. Town representative to Carteret
Mayor/Town EOC
County Control Group departs for
County Emergency Operations Center after
'
being informed by the County EMC that a
hurricane warning has been issued.
2. Establish communications with
EOC
county control group.
'
3. Assemble all town personnel and
Mayor/Town EOC
volunteers for final preparations and
briefing.
'
4. Assemble, refuel and load all
Each Dept
vehicles.
full.
EOC
5. Verify all water tanks are
6. Evacuate all invalids and persons
Fire & Rescue
unable to evacuate themselves.
' 7. Confirm shelters are open with the EOC
County Emergency Management Coordinator.
8. Secure town buildings other than Maintenance Dept
' EOC.
9. Designated town representatives Mayor/EOC
' depart for designated shelter to estab-
lish an alternate town Emergency
Operations Center.
10. Establish traffic control opera- Police Dept
tions at key intersections.
11. Notify volunteer heavy equipment Police Dept/EOC
operators with equipment and assign
' positions.
12. Accomplish any other requirements All concerned
as deemed necessary.
Attachment #4
1

' .EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCT
IVE WEATHER PLAN
' (CONDITION I CHECKLIST ( HURRICANE EVACUATION)
(When notified by County Control Group)
ACTION RESPONSIBILITY
I. Proclaim state of emergency and Mayor
issue local evacuation order.
2. Inform residents directly by sector Captain, Police Dep
in accordance with established evacuation plan.
Hand out maps to evacuation shelter.
Method of informing residents will
be by public address systems on
' Police vehicles and fire and rescue
vehicles.
'
3. Carry out local traffic control
Captain, Police Dep
responsibilities.
4. Cut off water valves to water tanks.
EOC requests Water
Accomplish this after first notice is
Dept. to do this.
given to residents. One tank may be left
on at the discretion of the EOC.
5. Cut off power to town buildings
EOC
'
with the exception of the EOC.
6. Cut off all propane tank valves to
Dept. Chief
town buildings.
'
7. Establish town Emergency Operations
Mayor
Center at alternate location.
'
8. Move town records to alternate
Town Administrator
Emergency Operations Center.
'
9. Station town trucks -and heavy equip-
EOC/Captain, Police
ment along evacuation routes to assist
Dept/Maintenance
in clearance operations.
Dept.
10. Assist in evacuation.
All departments as
directed by the EOC
'
and Captain, Police
Dept.
11. Make f inal . check - to insure evacua-
'
tion is complete, if time avails.
'
12. Drive town vehicles off island
that are no longer needed.
Individual Depts.
Attachment #5

EMERk.-D ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHE.. `PLAN
CONDITION I (LANDFALL IMMINENT)
ACTION RESPONSIBILITY
1. Remove all emergency vehicles per
each department's checklist. All
emergency personnel will evacuate
to the alternate town Emergency
Operations Center.
2. If power has not been previously
shut off to the town, request it be
turned off at this time.
3. Town personnel stand by at the
alternate Emergency Operations Center.
4. Maintain contact with County
Control Group if possible.
EOC/Each Dept
EOC
Town Administrator
EOC
Attachment #6

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
' POLICE DEPARTMENT TRAFFIC CONTROL PROCEDURES AND
ASSIGNMENTS LIST
1. Traffic Control Points. During the evacuation phase, the
following intersections will be manned on a "need" basis to
regulate traffic flow.
a. N.C. Highway 58 (Emerald Drive) and Coast Guard Road
b. N.C. Highway 58 (Emerald Drive) and Islander Drive
C. N.C. Highway 58 (Emerald Drive) and Mangrove Drive
d. N.C. Highway 58 (Emerald Drive) and Bogue Inlet Drive
2. Evacuation Assignments. Upon receiving notification to
commence the evacuation of Emerald Isle, elements from both the
Police Department and the Fire and Rescue Department will be
used. The town will be divided into three zones as indicated
' below:
a. Zone 1: All areas west of Islander Drive which will be
' divided into two sectors.
b. Zone 2: All areas east of Islander Drive to Arthur
Drive which will be divided into four sectors.
C. Zone 3: All areas east of Arthur Drive to eastern city
limits which will be divided into four sectors.
The responsibility for delivering the evacuation notice in Zones
1 and 3 will be assigned to the Police Department. Zone 2 will
be assigned to the Fire and Rescue Department.
3. Sector Boundaries and Assignments
a. ZONE 1 _ Polite Department
(1) Sector A - One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas west of Lands End development.
(2) Sector B - One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas west of Islander Drive up to and including Lands End
development.
b. ZONE 2 _ Fire and Rescue Department
(1) Sector A -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas south of N.C. 58, east of Islander Drive to Bogue Inlet
Drive.
r Attachment # 7
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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
(2) Sector B -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas south of N.C. 58, east from Bogue inlet Drive to Arthur
Drive.
(3) Sector C -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas north of N.C. 58 east from Islander Drive area to Bogue
Inlet Drive.
(4) Sector D -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas north of N.C. 58 east from Bogue Inlet Drive up to and
including all of Archers Point.
C. ZONE 3 -- Police Department
(1) Sector A -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas east of Arthur Drive to Clark Road.
(2) Sector B -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas east of Clark Road to Connie Street.
(3) Sector C -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas east of Connie Street to 16th Street.
(4) Sector D -- One vehicle will be assigned to work
all areas east of 16th Street to the eastern city limits.
4. Mutual Aid: Personnel and time permitting, one vehicle will
be assigned to assist in the evacuation of the Salter Path and
Indian Beach areas upon their request.
5. The number of vehicles assigned to evacuate a specific zone
or sector may change depending upon the amount of time remaining
before the arrival of the storm.
6. Detailed maps depicting the evacuation zcne and sectors will
be provided to all personnel when evacuation is initiated.

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POLICE DEPARTMENT CONDITION III CHECKLIST
All personnel notified of standby status; prepare
to report for duty on short notice.
Chief of Police, Assistant Chief and Lieutenant to
meet with Town Administrator, Fire and Maintenance
Chief.
Insure window shutters are available for Police
Department.
Test start and refuel emergency generator.
Assemble sufficient number of cots and blankets
for department personnel.
Inspect all 'first aid and rescue equipment.
All walkie-talkie batteries are fully charged.
Attachment #8

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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
POLICE DEPARTMENT CONDITION III OFFICERS' CHECKLIST
Insure assigned vehicle is fueled and operationally
sound.
All vehicle equipment is in good working order.
Obtain 10 additional road flares.
Assemble the following clothing and equipment and
maintain same in vehicle:
-- 3 full uniforms, extra pair of uniform shoes, if
available, rain gear, sufficient quantities of undergarments, socks
and one set of civilian clothes such as blue jeans, pair of rubber
or leather boots, toilet articles, sleeping bag or blanket and
pillow.
Prepare residence for approaching storm.
At your discretion, prepare.family to evacuate to the
Town's alternate EOC if and when it is necessary.
0
IAttachment #9

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
POLICE DEPARTMENT CONDITION II CHECKLIST
Establish Emergency Operations Center.
Recall all Department personnel for meeting and
assignments.
Assign officers evacuation sectors.
Fuel all vehicles.
Coordinate evacuation efforts with Fire and Rescue
personnel.
Lieutenant to supervise Police Department
relocation to Alternate EOC, will head
department's advance team.
iMaintain two dispatchers on duty while evacuation
is in progress.
Window shutters installed on windows.
Animals in Town's kennel moved to safe place.
Any police property outside the building to be
secured.
Insure wrecker is at designated place.
Attachment 010

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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
POLICE DEPARTMENT EVACUATION CHECKLIST
Should the severity of the approaching hurricane necessitate the
temporary closing of the Police Department and evacuation of
emergency personnel from Emerald Isle, the following equipment,
records and office supplies will be transported to the alternate
mainland EOC by the advance team.
Emergency lanterns, stove, blankets, food, water,
cots, extra.flashlight batteries and I-beam
battery pack.
Portable radio base station, if available, and
all walkie-talkie chargers and batteries.
Bullhorns, portable air tank, generator, drop
cords, photographic equipment and film.
Weapons, ammunition, pyrotdcbnics and other
tactical equipment and additional road flares.
All arrest, victim, property, field contact card
file boxes, current year's OCA files and
supporting documents.'
Inventory cards.
Personnel files.
All necessary working forms: Arrest, IR, DAR,
accident, field contact, communications logs, etc.
(two weeks supply).
First aid equipment and supplies.
Office supplies: Writing tablets, pens, pencils,
paper clips, stapler and staples, felt tip
markers, one desk top calculator and city map.
Investigative equipment stored in Detective
vehicles.
Attachment #11

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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
FIRE AND RESCUE CHECKLIST --.CONDITION III
Notify all personnel of standby status. Be
prepared to report on short notice.
Establish liaison with Police Department.
Test start and •fuel all generators.
Ensure extra fuel is available for generators.
Test start and insure all vehicles are fueled.
Food and water available for two days. Start
arrangements.
Ensure all flashlights are charged.
Ensure all walkie-talkies are fully charged.
Ensure blankets are available•for members who may
not be able to get off the island.
Verify all equipment is secured and on vehicles.
Verify and stock ambulances for extended
operation.
Inspect all trucks and ambulances for fuel, water,
etc.
Attachment #12

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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
FIRE*AND RESCUE CHECKLIST -- CONDITION II
Recall all available personnel for department
meeting.
Secure any equipment that may be left outside.
Coordinate evacuation efforts with Emergency
Operations Center
Deliver evacuation messages to assigned sectors
using public address systems on Fire and Rescue
vehicles.
Maintain 3/4 tank of fuel in vehicles at all
times.
Rescue vehicle will -evacuate personnel requiring
assistance; i.e., invalids or persons unable to
drive.
Prepare to move equipment to Alternate EOC.
Maintain radio contact at all times.
Note 1. Rescue takes priority over any other emergency. One
rescue vehicle will remain at the main station at all times
(unless on a call). This unit will be manned by at least two
Emergency Medical Technicians.
Note 2. Fire calls will take priority over other nonemergency-
type incidents. There will be a minimum of two people on each
fire vehicle with their turn -out gear on board the vehicle.
Note 3. When reporting for duty, each person should bring enough
clothes, food and water for a minimum of three days. Any addi-
tional food, blankets, sleeping bags, etc., could well be used.
IAttachment #13

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
FIRE AND RESCUE CHECKLIST - CONDITION I
Remove all designated fire and rescue equipment to
the Alternate EOC.
Stand by at EOC.
EMTs provide help as required.
rAttachment
#14

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
FIRE & RESCUE CHECKLIST -- EQUIPMENT TO HE REMOVED FROM ISLAND
1. Rescue #1 and #2.
2. Pumpers #2 and #3.
3. Equipment van (used to 'remove extra equipment and possibly
records, etc. from Town Hall).
4. All pagers, monitors, radios and records necessary to start
operations again.
S. All turnout gear (including extra pants and boots, which will
be issued to police officers and officials on the damage
assessment teams).
6. Typewriter.
7. Any other equipment not mentioned that is vital to the
operation of the Fire and Rescue Department.
8. Rescue boat and motor.
Attachment #15

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
LISTING OF AVAILABLE HEAVY EQUIPMENT
L.B. Page Construction ---------- Dozers, Front -End Loaders and
Road Graders and Dump Trucks
Town of Emerald Isle ------------ sl Front -End Loader and Dump Truck
Bogue Banks Water Dept.---------- Front -End Loader
Glen Newsome -------------------- Front -End Loader, Dump Trucks and
IDozers, Low -Boy Trailer -and Crane
Coastal Leisure Homes ----------- Dozer, Front -End Loader and Low-
s Boy Trailer
Val's Garage Wrecker
--------------------
Rigg s Amoco
-- Wrecker
Islander Care Care Center ------- Wrecker
LISTING OF
4-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES
Pete Allen --------
Blazer
A. B. Crew --------
Bronco
Johnny Overby -----
Jeep
J. Conder--------
Jeep
Town Maintenance
-- 2 p/ups
Fire Dept. --------
Mini -pumper
Police Dept. ------
Bronco
Mrs. Butcher ------
Blazer
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Walt Gaskins ------ Blazer
Attachment #16

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE EVACUATION CHECKLIST
All items listed below are marked with a red, white and blue
Emerald Isle sticker.
Typewriter on desk.
Calculator on desk (Sanyo).
Town Clerk's files (three drawers on right side of
desk, entire contents; middle desk drawer, entire
contents).
Tape recorder,' pedal, ear plugs (in cabinet
nearest Clerk's desk).
Official Codification Book (in file room on first
shelf - green) .
All Minute Books (in file room on first shelf).
Three file cabinets marked with stickers --all
drawers.
Safe in file room marked with sticker.
Three blue Agenda Books in Clerk's Office under
blue tax books.
Large file box in file room with bank statement
and with sticker.
Two Planning Board Minute Books, black (third
shelf in file room).
Attachment #17

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
TAX DEPARTMENT EVACUATION CHECKLIST
All items listed below are marked with red, white and blue Emerald
Isle sticker.
Tax Scroll in file room on top of safe.
Ten -Year tax books in file room.
Board of Adjustment Minutes in file room.
Revenue Ledger in file room.
All sticker -marked items on Tax Collector's desk
top.
Tax Collector files, right top desk drawer, entire
drawer.
Street number map.
Parcel number scroll.
Xerox copy machine.
Attachment #18

I EMER " D ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHF PLAN
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR'S EVACUATION CHECKLIST
All items listed below are located in the Town Administrator's
office.
Contents from all desk drawers.
Contents from all file cabinet drawers.
These items are to be placed in the collapsible box behind file
cabinet for transporting.
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tAttachment #19

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ENERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT'CHECKLIST - CONDITION IV
Ensure material on hand to secure all Town
buildings
Ensure material on hand necessary to execute
evacuation and reentry.
Have fuel supplier top -off underground storage
tanks.
Attachment #20

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT CHECKLIST
-- CONDITION III
All personnel notified of standby status; prepare
to report for duty on short notice.
_ Supervisor to meet with Town Administrator, Police
and Fire Chief.
Fuel all vehicles.
All personnel secure all personal necessitites
required for duration of emergency.
Bring door and window shutters to specific
locations.
Refuel and test standby generator.
Ensure all Maintenance communications gear is
operable.
Fill all standby fuel cans and water can.
Remove all trash cans from beach.
Raise "High Water"
all signs.
Attachment #21

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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT CHECKLIST -- CONDITION II
Call department personnel for meeting and
assignment.
•Install all window and door shutters.
Load all material in vehicles required for evacua-
tion and reentry (see attached list).
Sandbag Maintenance building.
Release all animals from pens.
Maintain 3/4 tank of fuel in all vehicles at all
times.
Advise trash men to remove trucks and secure
container lids.
Secure all loose Town property.
Guy -off communications tower.
Attachment #22

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT CHECKLIST -- CONDITION I
to Alternate EOC.
Move Town records
Cut off all power, gas and water to Town
buildings.
Station Town trucks along evacuation route to
in operations.
assist clearance
Assist other departments in evacuation, if
required.
Station front-end loader and 4-wheel drive truck
on high ground near bridge for reentry.
Keep evacuation route clear of fallen trees, etc.
Final check.
Move to Alternate EOC•and prepare for reentry.
Attachment #23

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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT CHECKLIST -- EQUIPMENT REMOVAL
Stand-by fuel cans and water can
Motor oil
Chain and ropes
Shovels, picks, rakes, etc.
Barricades and signs
Timbers
Wire cable and clamps
Drop cords and spare bulbs
U-channel pry bars.
Nails
Tool box and all hand tools
Chain saw and chains
Dump truck
Front -End Loader
Pick -Up Trucks
Brush cutter and blades
Tarps
Any other equipment necessary to the operaton of
Maintenance Department.
Attachment #24

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EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
INSPECTION DEPARTMENT PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
CONDITION IV
Ensure all material is on hand to secure
department.
Ensure material on hand to execute evacuation
and reentry.
CONDITION III
All personnel notified of standby status.;
prepare to report for duty on short notice.
Supervisor to meet with Town Administrator,
Police and Fire Chiefs.
Fuel all vehicles.
All personnel secure all personal necessities
required for duration of emergency.
Advise all construction projects to secure
all materials.
CONDITION II
Call department personnel for meeting and
assignments.
Load all material in vehicles required for
evacuation and reentry.
Secure any loose items.
Assist -other departments if required.
CONDITION I
Move Town records to Alternate EOC.
Assist other departments if required.
Final check.
Move to Alternate EOC and prepare for reentry.
Attachment #25

EMERALD ISLE DESTRUCTIVE WEATHER PLAN
' INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT EVACUATION CHECKLIST
All items listed below are marked with Emerald Isle red, white and
blue stickers.
Building permits fo . g p r prior year in file cabinets.
Tax maps.
Approved plats in map cabinet.
CAMA filed in file cabinet.
Planning Board files in file cabinet.
Codification Book .
Active permit list in desk drawer.
Briefcase with supply of permits (filled from desk racks)
' Current Zoning Map on Board.
Xerox Memorywriter Typewriter.
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Attachment #26

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APPENDIX G
ADOPTED RB3ULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT
COASTAL STORMWATER CONTROLS

' ADOPTED REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT ,
COASTAL STORMWATER CONTROLS
September 11, 1986 .
----------- ------------------ ---- ------ -------- -------
15 NCAC 2B .0200 - CLASSIFICATIONS AND WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
APPLICABLE TO SURFACE WATERS OF NORTH
CAROLINA
.0217 STORMWATER CONTROL CRITERIA TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY
STANDARDS
(a) In implementing the existing water quality standards to protect
waters for their classified "best usage," it may be necessary to
require controls of stormwater and associated waste constituents to
' fully achieve the uses specified by the stream classification. The
purpose of this rule is to set appropriate performance criteria for
stormwater treatment and disposal systems which may require a permit
' according to rules 2H .0125 and for the design of stormwater controls
to protect water quality standards and "best usage."
(b) Criteria for implementing and protecting water quality standards
' and classified uses from stormwater depend on stream classification as
follows:
(1) Class SA waters:
(A) Stormwater must not be discharged to Class SA waters from
precipitation events less severe than the 2-year, 24-hour
event, including a 2-year, 1-hour intensity; this
requirement applies to discharges directly to Class SA
waters, and to discharges to waters in close proximity to
Class SA waters that water quality standards and uses of
Class SA waters may be threatened.
(B) As an alternative, disposal fo•r- land areas which complies
with rule 2H .0408 of this Subchapter is considered to
comply with requirement (A) of this subparagraph;
(2) Other waters: Appropriate performance criteria for the design
of stormwater controls for other waters of the State shall be
determined on a case -by -case basis by the Commission so as to
provide adequate protection of water quality standards and
classified uses in receiving waters.
-------------------------------------------------
15 NCAC 2B .0300 - ASSIGNMENT OF STREAM CLASSIFICATIONS
.0301 CLASSIFICATIONS: GENERAL
.(i) Unnamed Streams.
(1) Any stream which is not named in the schedule of stream
' classifications carries the same classification as that
assigned to the stream segment to which it is tributary
except:
' (A) unnamed streams specifically described in the
schedule of classifications: or
(B) unnamed freshwaters tributary to tidal saltwaters
will be classified "C";or
I (C) after [the effective date of this rule], any newly

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created areas of tidal saltwater which are connected i.
to Class SA waters by approved dredging projects
will be classified "SC" unless case -by -case
reclassification proceedings are conducted.
(2) The following river basins have different policies for
unnamed streams entering other states or for specific
areas of the basin:
[List of River basins is not changed from existing
rule.]
-------------------------------------------------------
15 NCAC 2H .0100 - WASTEWATER DISCHARGES TO SURFACE WATERS
.0125 STORMWATER TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SYSTEMS
Permits for stormwater treatment and disposal systems which
discharge to surface waters shall be issued in accordance with United
States Environmental Protection Agency regulations 40 CFR 122.21 and
122.26 which are adopted by reference as amended through August 29,
1985.
15 NCAC 2H..0400 - Coastal Waste Treatment Disposal
.0404 FACILITY LOCATION AND DESIGN
(a) No domestic sewage regardless of the treatment proposed and no
other wastes which could adversely affect the taking of shellfish for
market purposes shall be discharged into waters classified "SA", into
unnamed waters tributary to "SA" waters classified "C" or "SC"
in accordance with Rule 2H .0301(i)(1)(B) and (C), or into other
waters in such close proximity as to adversely affect such "SA"
waters. Wastes discharged into other waters tributary to waters
classified "SA" shall be treated in such manner as to assure
that no impairment of water quality in the "SA" segments shall
occur. No permits shall be issued for discharges into waters
classified "SA" unless Shellfish Sanitation, Environmental
Health Section. Department of Human Resources, provides written
concurrence that the discharge would not adversely affect
shellfish water quality or the propagation of shellfish.
.040S DISPOSAL OF STORMWiI)TER
(a) Policy. Since stormwater runoff from developed areas can
exceed water quality standards for Class SA waters and potentialy
cause waters to be closed to the taking of shellfish, this regulation
specifies requirements for controlling stormwater runoff near coastal
waters in order to implement the water quality standards and to
protect existing uses.

(b) Relation to other regulations. This regulation implements
water quality standards for Class SA waters given in Rules 2B .0212
and 2B .0217 of this Subchapter.
' (c) Definitions.
(1) Development means any land disturbing activity which adds
or changes the amount of impervious or partially
impervious cover on a land area or may otherwise decrease
the infiltration of precipitation into the soil thus
altering the hydrological characteristics of the area;
(2) Effective impervious cover means that portion of a land
area which due to modification by man allows restricted
infiltration of precipitation into the soil and is
expressed as a percentage of the total land area of the
' project site; this area is calculated by considering the
total built -upon area (including roof -tops, driveways,
roads, parking areas, patios, decks, etc.) and giving
credits for partially pervious surfaces such as gravel
drivewaysp porous pavements, or decking;
(3) Redevelopment means any rebuilding activity following
fires, hurricanes or other natural disaster or other
public restoration projects designated by the Commission.
(d) Applicability. Stormwater controls for projects which•diain
directly or indirectly into Class SA waters will be implemented as
follows: I
(1) By providing comments to the Division of Coastal Management,
the director will require all major development
activities on project sites greater than one acre which
extend into the 75 foot Estuarine Shoreline Area of
Environmental Concern (AEC) specified in 15 NCAC 7H
.0209 to either meet certain set -back and impervious
area requirements or have a stormwater treatment and
disposal system unless a certification is obtained from
the director that the site is situated such that water
1 quality standards and uses of waters for shellfishing
are not threatened regardless of the type and degree of
development;
' (2) Within 575 feet of Class SA waters, projects not addressed
in (1) above on project sites greater than one acre
which require submittal of a sedimentation and erosion
control plan to the. Division of Land Resources or
delegated authority in accordance with 15 NCAC 4B .0005
must either meet certain impervious area requirements
or have a stormwater treatment and disposal system
' unless a certification is obtained from the director
that the site is situated such that water quality
standards and uses of waters for shell -fishing are not
' threatened regardless of the type and degree of
development:
(3) NPDES permits for stormwater treatment and disposal systems
may be required on a case -by -case basis according to 2H .0125
of this Subchapter if stormwater discharges from the site are
determined to threaten'water quality standards and uses of
Class SA waters;
(4) Redevelopment of a site does not need to meet the requirements
of this Rule if:
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(A) It is a similar type of development with the same ;
number or fewer units as the previous development
and it employs stormwater controls to the maximum '
extent practicable; or
(B) It is public restoration activities approved by the
Commission;
(e) Projects utilizing density limits for stormwater
control.
(1) Development which requires a major development permit
as described in Paragraph (d) (1) of this Rule shall be
deemed permitted pursuant to G.S. 143.215.1(d) if:
(A) Effective impervious cover does not exceed 20 percent of
the project site in the AEC and 30 percent between 75
feet and 575 feet from SA waters;
(B) Built -upon area is at least 30 feet from surface waters
(ie. the mean high water line); however, boat
ramps, roads, bridges, and walkways are allowed
within 30 feet of surface waters if they meet the
requirements of (C) of this subparagraph;
(C) Boat ramps, public roads, public bridges,
and walkways:
(i) minimize impervious surfaces, divert stormwater
away from the water if possible, utilize buffer
areas and employ other best management practices
which are practicable; and
(ii) drain only the surface of the boat ramp and not
adjacent facilities to surface waters:
(2) Development which requires a sedimentation and erosion
control plan as described in Paragraph (d) (2) of this
Rule shall be deemed permitted pursuant to G.S.
143.215.1(d) if:
(A) effective impervious cover does not exceed 30
percent for the portion of the project site between 75
feet and 575 feet ; and
(B) at least 60 days prior to the beginning of
construction a description of the proposed project
is submitted to the Regional Office of the
division on a form provided by the division;
Forms shall be signed by the owner or agent certifying
that the project complies with the requirements of this
Paragraph; Construction may begin unless the division
notifies the owner that that the proposed project does
not comply with this Rule;
(3) For the purposes of this Rule, effective impervious cover
will be calculated by considering certain surfaces as
partially impervious:
(A) marl and well-pact.-.ed or heavily used gravel roads
are '90% impervious.
(B) turfstone and not heavily used gravel are 70%
impervious;
(C) elevated wooden walkways and decks are lo%
impervious;
(D) water surfaces of swimming pools, and drainfields are 0%
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(E) Asphalt, concrete, brick, wood, and other
impermeable surfaces which prevent land area from
infiltrating stormwater are 100% impervious;
The area of rotary distributors for wastewater disposal shall
not be included as part of the project site in calculations
of effective impervious cover.
(f)- Projects utilizing stormwater treatment and disposal systems.
Development described in Paragraphs (d) (1) and (2) of this Rule which
do not meet the requirements in Paragraph (e) of this Rule shall be
deemed permitted pursuant to G.S. 143.215.1(d) upon receipt of a permit
from the Coastal Resources Commission or approval from the Division of
Land Resources (or delegated authority) if the project has a
stormwater infiltration or diversion system in accordance with the
following:
(1) All stormwater runoff from areas with impervious surfaces
(excluding boat ramps) from a storm up to a 2-year, 24-hour
storm, including the 2-year, 1-hour peak intensity, shall be
infiltrated on -site, diverted to an adequate disposal site,
or treated to comply with water quality standards prior to
discharge;
(2) Infiltration systems or permeable storage lagoons for
collected stormwater shall be located at least 75 feet from
the mean high water line of Class SA waters and 50 feet from
other surface waters including coastal wetland areas as
defined in 15 NCAC 7H .0205.
(3) The bottom of infiltration systems, ponds or lagoons
designed to be dry between storm events must be at
least two feet above the seasonal high water table and
designed to have a drawdown time of 5 days or less;
site specific analyses can be used to demonstrate that
a 2 foot separation is not necessary;
(4) An operation and maintenance plan or manual shall be provided
for stormwater systems, indicating what operation and
maintenance actions are needed, what specific quantitative
criteria will be used for determining when those actions are
to be taken, and who is responsible for those actions;
(5) For stormwater infiltration or diversion systems implemented
according to Paragraph (d) (1), the major development permit
must contain the conditions recommended by the division in
accordance with this Rule; Any violation of these permit
conditions shall be considered a violation of a permit of the
commission;
(b) For development which requires a sedimentation and erosion
control plan according to Paragraph (d) (2) of this Rule, a
full description of the site, the development and the
stormwater control system must be submitted to the division
prior to or concurrently with the submittal of the
sedimentation and erosion control plan; Comments from the
division must be incorporated into the stormwater control
system; Failure to maintain these systems according to the
provisions of this Rule shall be considered a violation of
a permit of the commission;
(7) Stormwater treatment or diversion systems must be designed by
a North Carolina registered professional engineer; Upon
completion of constrLIC:tion, a certification from a

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professional engineer must be submitted to the division
certifying that the system was constructed in accordance with
the plans and specifications reviewed by the division and
that the system complies with the requirements of this Rule;
(8) Innovative measures -for controlling stormwater pollution or
methods for designing stormwater systems which are not well
established through actual experience may be individually
permitted on a demonstration basis under the fallowing
criteria:
(A) there is a reasonable expectation that the innovative
measure will be successful;
(B) demonstration projects shall be located where site
characteristics will minimize passible impacts on
shellfish waters and shall not be located where failure
of the project could directly pollute highly productive
shellfish beds;
(C) demonstration projects shall have a monitoring program
to adequately establish the effectiveness of the
innovative measure or method; and
Due to the need to assure reliable disposal of stormwater,
not more than two demonstration projects for each innovative
measure or method shall be approved until the effectiveness
of the measure or method has been demonstrated for an
appropriate time period to be specified at the time the
project is approved.
Systems which treat and discharge (as provided in G.S. 143-215.1(a)(1))
stormwater to SA waters or to other waters in close proximity to Class
SA waters must have an NPDES permit in accordance with 15 NCAC 2H
Section .0100;
.0409 TRIAL IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD FOR COASTAL STORMWATER CONTROLS
The provisions of 15 NCAC 2H .0408 shall expire December 31. 1987
or one (1) year from the effective date. which ever is later, unless
this Rule (15 NCAN 2H .0409)is specifically amended or repealed by the
commission.
stormsep.rec vol. 9

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SCHEMAT)C OF REGULATIONS FOR COASTAL
STORMWATER TO PROTECT CLASS SA WATERS
Is the site within 575 ft. -NO
of SA waters? STORMWATER CONTROLS
NOT REQUIRED
Y5S
Does the project require a CAMA
rnsjar development permit
and Is the site greater than one acre?
NO
YES STORMWATER NO Does the Proles require
CONTROLS a sedimentation/erosion
NOT REQUIRED control plan?
_ YES
Is the effective impervious
Is the effective impervious
cover of the project greater NO NO cover of the project 4eatw
then 20% within the AEC and DEEMED
PERMITTED tin 30% within 575 tL
30% outside of the AEC. of SA waters.
YES YES
Does the project have a stormwater control
System that will retain the two-year design storm?
YES NO
DEEM® OBTAIN NPDES
PERMITTED DISCHARGE PERMIT

F
APPENDIX H
MARINA REGULATIONS ADOPTED BY NCDEM
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15 NCAC 7H .0208(b)(5); has been amended as follows:
.0208 USE STANDARDS
(b)
(5) Marinas. Marinas are defined
as any publicly or
privately owned dock, basin, or wet boat storage
facility constructed to accommodate more than 10
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boats and providing any of the following services:
permanent or transient docking spaces, dry
storage, fueling facilities, haulout facilities,
and repair service. Excluded from this definition
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are boat ramp facilities allowing access only,
temporary docking and none of the preceeding
services. Expansion of existing facilities shall
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also comply with these standards for all
development other than maintenance and repair
necessary to maintain previous service levels.
(A) Marinas shall be sited in non -wetland areas
or in deep waters (areas not requiring
dredging) and shall not disturb valuable
shallow water, submerged aquatic vegetation,
and wetland habitats, except for dredging .
necessary for access to high -ground sites.
The following four alternatives for siting
marinas are listed in order of preference
for the least damaging alternative; marina
projects shall be designed to have the
highest of these four priorities that is
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deemed feasible by the permit letting
agency:
(i) an upland basin site requiring no
alteration of wetland or estuarine
habitat and providing adequate
flushing by tidal or wind generated
water circulation;
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(ii) an upland basin site requiring dredging
for access when the necessary dredging
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and operation of the marina will not
result in the significant degradation
of existing fishery, shellfish, or
wetland resources and the basin design
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shall provide adequate flushing by tidal
or wind generated water circulation;
(iii) an open water site located outside a
primary nursery area which utilizes
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piers or docks rather than channels or
canals to reach deeper water; and
(iv) an open water marina requiring
excavation of no intertidal habitat, and
no dredging greater than the depth of
the connecting channel.
(B) Marinas which require dredging shall not be
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located in primary nursery areas nor in areas
which require dredging through primary
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nursery areas for access. Maintenance
dredging in primary nursery areas for
existing marinas will be considered on a
case -by -case basis.

(C)
(D)
(E)
(F)
(G)
(H)
(I)
To minimize coverage of public waters by
docks and moored vessels, dry storage marinas
shall be used where feasible.
Marinas to be developed in waters subject to
public trust rights (other than those created
by dredging upland basins or canals) for the
purpose of providing docking for residential
developments shall be allowed no more than 27
sq. ft. of public trust waters for every one
lin. ft. of shoreline adjacent to these
public trust waters for construction of docks
and mooring facilities. The 27 sq. ft.
allocation shall not apply to fairway areas
between parallel piers or any portion of the
pier used only for access from land to the
docking spaces.
To protect water quality of shellfishing
areas marinas shall not be located within
areas documented as a natural shellfish bed
or adjacent to such areas if shellfish
harvest closure is anticipated to result from
the marina operation. A natural shellfish
bed is defined in NCAC 3C .0302 as an area of
public bottom when ten bushels or more of
shellfish per acre are found to be growing.
This rule shall not apply to waters
considered by the state to be permanently
closed to the taking of shellfish.
Marinas shall not be located without written
consent from the controlling parties in areas
of submerged lands which have been leased
from the state or deeded by the state.
Marina basins shall be designed to promote
flushing through the following design
criteria:
(i) the basin and channel depths shall
gradually increase toward open water
and shall never be deeper than the
waters to which they connect; and
(ii) when possible, an opening shall be
provided at opposite ends of the
basin to establish flow -through
circulation.
Marinas shall be designed to minimize adverse
effects on navigation and public use of
waters while allowing the applicant adequate
access to deep waters.
Marinas shall be located and constructed so
as to avoid adverse impacts on navigation
throughout all federally maintained channels
and their immediate boundaries. This
includes mooring sites (permanent or
temporary), speed or traffic reductions, or
any other device, either physical or
regulatory, that may cause a federally
maintained channel to be restricted.
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(J)
Open water marinas shall be not enclosed
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within breakwaters that preclude circulation
sufficient to maintain water quality.
(K)
Marinas which require dredging shall provide
acceptable areas to accommodate disposal
needs for future maintenance dredging. Proof
of the ability to truck the spoil material
from the marina site to an acceptable
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disposl area will be acceptable.
(L)
Marina design shall comply with all
applicable requirements for management of
stormwater runoff.
(M)
Marinas shall post a notice prohibiting the
discharge of any waste from boat toilets and
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explaining the availability of information
of local pump -out services.
(N)
Boat maintenance areas must be designed so
that all scraping, sandblasting, and painting
will be done over dry land with adequate
containment devices to prevent entry of waste
materials into adjacent waters.
(0)
All marinas shall comply with all applicable
standards for docks and piers, bulkheading,
dredging and spoil disposal.
(P)
All applications for marinas shall be
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reviewed to determine their potential impact
and compliance with applicable standards.
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Such review shall consider the cumulative
impacts of marina development.
(Q)
Replacement of existing marinas to maintain
previous service levels shall be allowed
provided that the preceeding rules are
complied with to the maximum extent possible,
with due consideration being given to
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replacement costs, service needs, etc.
History Note:
Statutory Authority G.S. 113A-107(a);
113A-107(b); 113A-113(b);
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Eff. September 9, 1977;
Amended Eff. June 1, 1986; December 1, 1985;
March 1, 1985; July 1, 1983.
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