Land Use Plan-1983

- LAND USE PLAN
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Division of Coastal Managem,-nt
kitty Ham
KITTY
NORTH
HAWK,
CAROLINA
N ..

LAND USE PLAN
TOWN OF KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA
1983
The preparation of this report was financed in part
through a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal
Management Program through funds provided by the Coastal
Zone Management Act of 1972 as amended which is admin-
istered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource
Management of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.

TOWN COUNCIL
Carlton P. Smith, Mayor
Harvey K. Hess, Jr.
Paul Pruitt, Jr.
Samuel 0. Smith
Joseph J. Stokes
PLANNING BOARD
Elizabeth A. Smith, Chair
Ida Mae Abel
George Hoffman
Carol Lyons
Dr. Roger Sears, D.D.S.
LAND USE PLANNING COMMITTEE
Irene Parker, Chair
Harriet C. Lewis, Secretary
Donald H. Godwin
Robin L. Briggs
Bernice Mulford
A. F. Watts
ADVISERS
Col. Robert Byrne, U.S.A. (Ret.)
Sam B. Lyons
TOWN CLERK
Mary Quidley
TOWN ATTORNEY
John G. Gaw
PLANNING CONSULTANTS
Coastal Resources Collaborative, Ltd., Chapel Hill, N.C.
David J. Brower
William D. McElyea
Lee Mullis
Phillip Culpepper
ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I.
Introduction
1
II.
History of Kitty Hawk
3
III.
Community Conditions and Development Policies
8
A. Population . . .
9
Be Economy . . . . . . . ...
. . .
. . . . . . . .
11
C. Use of the Land . . 0
13
D. Natural Environment
20
i. Soils
. . . . . . .
20
ii. Areas of environmental concern
. . . . . . .
24
iii. Sensitive natural and cultural
areas
. . . . . . . .
31
iv. Litter, noise and insect control
33
E. Community Facilities and Services
35
i. Water supply . . . . . . . 9
35
ii. Wastewater treatment . . . .
. . . . . .
36
iii. Roads .
38
iv. Recreation and beach access
41
V. Disaster evacuation . . .
44
vie Police and fire protection
46
vii. Trash collection . . . . .
48
viii. Schools and libraries . . o
50
ix. Health care . . . . . . .
51
F. Public Participation . . . . . . . .
. . .
. . . . .
52
IV.
Plans and Policies
53
A. Land Classification System
54
Be Future Land Use . . . . . . .
57
C. Land Use Plan, Goals, and Policies
60
iii

LIST OF MAPS
Following Page
1. Existing Land Use . . . . 14
2. Land Ownership Patterns 14
3. Soils . . 0 21
4. Areas of Environmental Concern 24
5. Water Supply.. 35
6. Road Systems 38
7. Recreation and Beach Access 41
8. Land Classification 54
9. Future Land Use 57
10. Plan for Kitty Hawk 58
iv

INTRODUCTION
A land use plan is a vision of how future development should take place
within a community. Based on an analysis of existing conditions in the com-
munity, it defines a set of policies governing the type, location, timing, and
quality of future development. A land use plan provides rhyme and reason 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 Kitty Hawk. The people of Kitty Hawk recognize that growth will continue
in the community. It is a very desirable place to live and to visit; more
people will undoubtedly come here. At the same time, Kitty Hawk's residents
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. Kitty Hawk wants to avoid the problems that beset other
small oceanfront communities, which become overwhelmed by growth, start plan-
ning too late, and end up drastically changed -- both physically and in
spirit.
The Kitty Hawk Land Use Plan begins with a brief history of the com-
munity. It then analyzes existing conditions in Kitty Hawk -- its population,
its economy, its land use patterns, its natural resources, and its community
services. This analysis includes declarations of policy regarding these dif-
ferent 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 desired the pattern
for future land use. The land classification system is refined by a map of
1

future land use and a Plan for Kitty Hawk which have been adopted to specify
the location,type, and density of residential, commercial, industrial, and
open space uses of the land and the location of desired capital improvements.
This Plan has been developed by the Planning Board, the Land Use Planning
Committee, and the Town Council. Through continuing discussions in the com-
munity and through two surveys of the attitudes of Kitty Hawk residents
regarding development, the Town has identified its most important needs and
developed a plan to meet these needs. This document is an important first
step for the young Town of Kitty Hawk; it puts the Town squarely on the road
to controlling its own future.
2

HISTORY OF KITTY HAWK
3

HISTORY OF KITTY HAWK
In the early 1500s, the Italian explorer, Giovanni da Verrazano, was the
first European to leave a written account of his expeditions and observations
along the coast of what is now the southeastern United States. Sixty years
later, Sir Walter Raleigh sent two ships as England's first, and unsuccessful,
attempt to colonize the New World.
They found an entrance through the Banks above Cape Hatteras,
probably at the present-day Jeanguite Creek north of Kitty Hawk, and
"cast anker about three harquebushot within the havens thither" and
went ashore on the south side of the inlet "to take possession of
the same in the right of the Queenes most excellent Majestie." They
found friendly Indians, an "increditble aboundance" of fish, fruit,
birds, deer and other edible game, and "the highest, and reddest
Cedars of the world." (David Stick. 1958. The Outer Banks of
North Carolina. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press)
Despite the mysterious fate of the "Lost Colony," later English efforts
were successful, and by the late 1700s, the pattern of European settlement of
the Outer Banks was fairly well established. The people lived off the bounty
of the land, the ocean, and the bays. People raised garden crops and live-
stock. They harvested fish, oysters, clams, crabs, and other fruits of the
sea. They timbered stands of forest to build their houses and boats. Other
occasional activities supported people too -- from piloting outside boats
through the inlets and sounds to scavenging the remains of frequent ship-
wrecks.
Lively arguments can still be heard concerning the origin of Kitty Hawk's
name. It most likely comes from an Indian place name, as the area appears as
"Chickehawk" or "Chickahawk" on maps of the early 1700s. However, by the late
1700s, residents were spelling the name much as it is today, with old deeds
referring to the settlement as "Kittyhuk," "Kittyhark," "Kittyhawk," and
"Kitty Hawk."
Well into the twentieth century, the Outer Bankers followed traditional
pursuits reflecting high degrees of both self-sufficiency and dependence on
4

the ocean, sounds, and marshes. They were commercial fishermen, sailors,
salvagers, boat builders, lumbermen, pilots, Coast Guardsmen, shore whalers,
and porpoise seiners.
One of the seven original U.S. Coast Guard Lifesaving stations on the
Outer Banks was constructed on Kitty Hawk beach in 1874. The community's
first post office opened in 1878.
The community was not prosperous, but it existed comfortably.as long as
the land and waters continued to supply fish, shellfish, and game and as long
as outside work could be found as a pilot, Coast Guardsman, fisherman, or boat
builder. Kitty Hawk remained to itself and sustained itself.
In 1900, two young visitors from Ohio, Orville and Wilbur Wright, came to
Kitty Hawk. It was a place where they could begin a series of experiments
that would change the world -- a place clear of trees and low hills and having
steady, moderate winds.
The Wrights pitched camp and began their experiments on Kill Devil Hill,
the high ridge just south of Kitty Hawk village. From the beginning, they
were profoundly impressed with the austere living conditions of the "friendly
and neighborly" people who greeted them. In letters to his father and sister
back in Dayton, Ohio, Wilbur Wright reported "little wealth and no luxurious
living. . . . Their yearly income is small. I suppose few of them see two
hundred dollars a year . . . (yet) there is rarely any real suffering among
them. . . . This is a great country for fishing and hunting. The fish are
so thick you see dozens of them whenever you look down into the water. The
woods are filled with wild game. . . ."
In three years of intense experimentation, the Wrights endured extremes
of wind, weather, sand, insects, wrecked theories, and mechanical failures.
Then, on the afternoon of December 17, 1903, Orville Wright hurried across
5

the dunes to the Kitty Hawk Weather Station and sent a terse telegram to his
father:
SUCCESS FOUR FLIGHTS THURSDAY MORNING ALL AGAINST TWENTY-ONE MILE
WIND STARTED FROM LEVEL WITH ENGINE POWER ALONE AVERAGE SPEED .
THROUGH AIR THIRTY-ONE MILES LONGEST 57 SECONDS INFORM PRESS HOME
CHRISTMAS
Around the same time, the unique Outer Banks economy began to die on the
vine. Waterfowl and boat -grade timber were becoming scarce. Eelgrass beds
were destroyed by a blight. Fisheries began to decline. Steam freighters no
longer plied the sounds. Shipwrecks became a rarity. Kitty Hawk remained
isolated.from the mainland in a world that was relying more and more on the
automobile to move goods and people from one place to another.
In the 1920s, a growing band of citizens shared a vision of opening the
Dare Beaches with bridges and roads connected to the mainland. Their efforts
led to the construction of a bridge from Nags Head to Roanoke Island in 1928
and, in 1930, the construction of the Wright Brothers Memorial Bridge from
Kitty Hawk to Point Harbor. An 18-mile sand and asphalt highway linked Kitty
Hawk, Nags Head, and the two bridges.
While the Great Depression stalled the impact of these public works, it
also marked the transition of the Outer Banks economy from one based on com-
mercial fishing and maritime traffic to one based on tourism and second -home
development. After World War Two, the nation began an era of unprecedented
prosperity, and a boom in tourism and development began on the Dare Beaches.
This boom intensified in the 1960s and 1970s and continues today.
The Town of Kitty Hawk incorporated on April 13, 1981. Up until 1920,
the village of Kitty Hawk was under the jurisdiction of Currituck County,
though it was directly connected to Dare County, which was established in
1870. In 1920, the General Assembly made Kitty Hawk and the neighborhing com-
munity of Duck part of Dare County. Despite recurrent talk of incorporation,
6

a petition for incorporation was not circulated until the winter of 1980-1981.
The petition, signed by a solid majority of Kitty Hawk's residents, was then
presented to and approved by the General Assembly. Incorporation gave Kitty
Hawk the ability to preserve its historical identity and chart its own course
for the future.
FA

COMMUNITY CONDITIONS AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES
0

POPULATION
Long-range population projections are vital to those concerned with plan-
ning for the future of any area. They help the community identify future
public facility needs, allocate lands for various uses to meet future needs
for housing and commercial development, and estimate future revenues and
expenditures. Several characteristics of the Town of Kitty Hawk, however,
make such projections highly questionable using standard projection tech-
niques. Among these are the Town's small year-round population, the fact
that it wasn't incorporated until 1981 and was not counted separately in past
censuses, its large number of retired residents, and its large number of
second homes (which their owners may someday occupy year-round). Given these
characteristics, Kitty Hawk's desirability as an address, and the quantity and
quality of under -developed land, it is reasonable to assume that the Town's
growth rate will be at least that of Dare County as a whole, which shares most
of these characteristics itself.
The best estimates of Kitty Hawk's future year-round population are based
on projections made by the State's Office of Management and Budget for Dare
County until the year 2000. Over the next twenty years, it is expected that
Kitty Hawk will grow at the same rate as the County as a whole. When the rate
projected for Dare County is applied to the current year-round population of
Kitty Hawk (as determined by a census conducted by the Town in 1981), the
following figures result:
9

Year
Dare Countyl
Kitty Hawk
1980
13,3762
1981
7043
1985
19,468
931
1990
26,045
1,246
1995
38,332
1,834
2000
51,378
2,458
POLICY:
The Town should use every means at its disposal to trace and project
population growth, including a biennial census patterned after the
successful 1981 effort.
1N.C. Office of State Budget and Management
21980 U.S. Census
31981 Town of Kitty Hawk Census
10

ECONOMY
Kitty Hawk's economy is based in retail services which cater to the com-
munity's year-round residents and sizeable summertime tourist population. As
with all of the communities on the Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk's economy bustles
from May to September and continues at a slower, more relaxed pace in the off-
season. This annual cycle is part of the Town's character and appeal. While
much more retail activity occurs during the summer months, a certain number of
stores and professional offices operate year-round to meet the needs of Kitty
Hawk's residents, which include a large number of retired persons.
Many of the Town's residents commute to jobs in nearby communities such
as Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo, and Wanchese; some people who live in
these communities work in Kitty Hawk.
Kitty Hawk has no heavy industry or manufacturing plants. However, the
building construction industry plays an important role in the Town's economy.
It builds homes for tourists and year-round residents. It builds stores,
offices, and roads. It provides jobs for Kitty Hawk's residents. Like the
retail and professional trades, the construction industry depends in large
part on Kitty Hawk's and Dare County's appeal as a place to visit and as a
place to live.
Kitty Hawk has no commercial agriculture or forestry operations, nor does
it have large-scale fisheries. However, several people in Kitty Hawk Village
have small-scale, independent commercial fishing and crabbing operations. As
Kitty Hawk's residents have done for generations, these people harvest fish,
shellfish, and crabs when the season is right; they keep some for themselves,
and they sell the rest. These operations and their small scale are part of
Kitty Hawk Village's traditional economy and way of life. They are worth
preserving and enhancing.
11

POLICIES:
The Town will maintain and promote its appeal as a place to visit and as
a place to live by preserving its character as a low -density beach com-
munity, by preserving its natural beauty, and by planning for public
beach access through the land use plan, zoning and subdivision regula-
tions, and other development policies.
The Town will encourage the continuation of independent fishing and
crabbing operations as a part of Kitty Hawk's traditional economy.
12

USE OF THE LAND
The pattern of development in Kitty Hawk is a unique mixture of resort
beach and traditional Outer Banks village. Kitty Hawk Beach and Kitty Hawk
Village are two distinctly identifiable parts of the Town. The Village has
existed for generations; it is the center of Kitty Hawk's traditional, self-
sustaining lifestyle. The Beach is newer -- most of it built in the past 20
years -- and represents the newer, resort -oriented aspect of the community.
While this could imply a confused personality for the community, the
opposite is true. Both Village and Beach are characterized by medium -density,
single-family residential development served by small businesses. Both share
a feeling that development remains on a human scale and in harmony with
nature. It is a pattern and character of development that the Town's people
are quite comfortable with and want to retain.
As in most communities, detached, single-family homes constitute the
greatest share of development in Kitty Hawk. Residential development lies
mainly along the oceanfront east of U.S. 158 Bypass and in the older village.
Densities in Kitty Hawk Beach are somewhat higher than in Kitty Hawk Village,
a result of the area's attractiveness for tourist and retirement homes. Most
of the beach area's homes are only occupied seasonally. Kitty Hawk Village is
an easily -defined cluster of homes and other buildings that lies away from the
ocean along Kitty Hawk Road and side roads leading south toward Kitty Hawk
Bay. Most of the Village's homes are occupied year-round. Newer subdivisions
along Currituck Sound and in Kitty Hawk Woods are beginning to be built up,
but for now contain only a few scattered homes.
Commercial uses'are interspersed throughout the residential areas, with
the majority of businesses concentrating along U.S. 158 Business and U.S. 158
Bypass. The rest are scattered throughout Kitty Hawk Village. The businesses
13

are primarily small, independent operations -- some new and some old -- that
serve the needs of year-round residents and summertime visitors. There are
only two sites in the community that could be considered "industrial" in
nature -- the VEPCO station between the Beachandthe Village and the Outer
Banks Construction Company's operation along Kitty Hawk Road (see Existing
Land Use Map).
In a similar manner, institutional uses are scattered throughout the com-
munity. These include churches, the post office, the Town hall, and the fire
station.
Most of the land in Kitty Hawk remains undeveloped (see Ownership Pat-
terns Map). Kitty Hawk Woods, a vast maritime forest, occupies the center of
the Town. Grassy marshes and forested swamps occupy the southwestern corner
of the Town. There are also significant undeveloped stretches of back dunes
west of U.S. 158 Bypass. These undisturbed natural areas are a key ingredient
in Kitty Hawk's character. In addition to supporting a variety of wildlife,
waterfowl, and fisheries, they hold a great deal of aesthetic value that makes
Kitty Hawk a special place to live.
The character of the Town of Kitty Hawk is that of a low -density resi-
dential community with commercial establishments serving the its residents and
seasonal visitors. The community has no commercial agricultural or forestry
areas, no known expoitable minerals (except sand), and no commercial fish-
eries. The community's residents actively pursue a variety of recreational
opportunities reflecting their individual preferences: swimming, bicycling,
surfing, running, and golf.
Throughout the process of developing the land use plan, and in their
responses to the Land Use Planning Committee's questionnaires, the Town's
residents expressed a commitment to preserve the low -density character of the
14

community with limited provisions for multifamily and additional commercial
development. In Kitty Hawk, "low" density ranges from less than two units per
acre to no more than six units per acre.
Despite the general unanimity in how the residents feel their community
should develop, issues have arisen in the following areas: zoning, multi-
family dwellings, commercial zones, residential/commercial buffers, hotels and
motels, and building heights.
Zoning
Shortly after its incorporation in 1981, the Town of Kitty Hawk adopted
(with minor changes) the already -existing Dare County Zoning Ordinance as its
own ordinance. This action was mainly one of expediency; state law gives a
new community 60 days to adopt a new zoning ordinance, adopt the one under
which it had been operating, or be without a zoning ordinance. Recognizing
that a new zoning ordinance could not be developed and approved within 60
days, and that operating without a zoning ordinance was unacceptable, the Town
adopted a modified version of the Dare County ordinance.
Since "spillover" development from neighboring communities can strongly
influence the character of Kitty Hawk, the Town needs to secure some control
over development along its boundaries. The Town's eastern boundary (the
Atlantic Ocean) and western boundary (Currituck Sound and Kitty Hawk Bay) have
been designated as areas of environmental concern under North Carolina's
Coastal Area Management Act and are subject to the regulations applicable to
those areas. The Town's northern boundary (with Southern Shores) and southern
boundary (with Kill Devil Hills) abut lands that are zoned by the adjacent
towns, which provides a level of certainty about the type of development which
will occur there. The Town of Kitty Hawk must be constantly aware of changes
15

in these policies and must adopt and enforce policies of its own to protect
and shape the community's character.
Multifamily Dwellings
Kitty Hawk's low -density residential character has been and is a major
factor in attracting additional residential and commercial property owners.
In light of the need to maintain low densities, the zoning ordinance's current
provisions for multifamily development in the RS-6 (medium density) and RS-10
(high density) districts are unacceptable. Lower densities and clustered
development in these areas would be a more acceptable way to satisfy the need
for year-round residences and multifamily structures while still retaining the
community's low -density residential character.
Commercial Zones
While the Town desires limited commercial development to satisfy the
needs of its residents and visitors, the community opposes an increase in the
size of the existing commercial areas.
The zoning ordinance currently provides for commercial development along
scattered portions of U.S. 158 Business (the Beach Road) and U.S. 158 Bypass.
Existing commercial development is heaviest along the central and southern
portions of the Beach Road and the Bypass, near the boundary with Kill Devil
Hills; smaller commercial areas exist in the northern half of the community.
Some of these commercial districts are already developed as residential; some
parts of them remain vacant and available to commercial establishments.
The zoning ordinance currently permits high -density residential develop -
meat (up to 10 units per acre) in the C-2 and C-3 commercial districts. It is
16

not the Town's desire to have these areas develop into high -density residen-
tial uses, -which would disrupt the community's character and use up available
land that is best -suited and allocated to necessary commercial uses.
Strip commercial development along the Beach Road and the Bypass will
interfere with the highways' capacities; this makes traffic safety a high
priority in dealing with commercial development in Kitty Hawk. Some problems
are already resulting from commercial strip development along the southern
portion of the Bypass. The northern portion of the Bypass has a strong poten-
tial for strip development and could easily become a traffic hazard and
bottleneck, especially during the peak tourist season and in times of disaster
evacuation.
Protection against highway safety hazards presently exist in the zoning
ordinance. Section 6.08 -- Access to U.S. Highway 158 -- is intended to keep
driveways and intersections along the two roads to a minimum and to keep
development from interfering with their safe function.
Hotels and Motels
Hotels and motels provide a livelihood for many Kitty Hawk residents.
The current zoning ordinance permits hotels and motels in the C-2 and C-3 com-
mercial districts. Thirteen areas of the community are zoned C-2 or C-3. The
Town's residents feel that these areas are adequate to meet the community's
needs for hotels, motels, and other commercial uses.
Buffer Strips
The Town's current zoning ordinance provides that, where a commercial
district adjoins a residential district, no commercial or accessory building
may be located within 50 feet of the property line. The zoning ordinance's
dimensional requirements include a buffer strip between adjacent commercial
17

and residential uses; the required height and width of.the strip and the
materials used in constructing it vary according to the commercial use. The
buffer strip screens the sights and sounds from adjoining properties.
Building Heights
The Town's residents are opposed to high-rise structures. Kitty Hawk's
height requirements currently limit buildings in all zoning districts to 27
feet to the top plate, with a maximum overall height of 35 feet. Recent con-
struction, taking advantage of the full 27 feet, has been consistent with the
scale of existing structures in the community.
Aesthetics
Kitty Hawk's special atmosphere comes from its combination of natural
beauty and small-scale development. Maintaining this atmosphere requires not
only protecting the Town's natural resources but also keeping buildings,
signs, utility lines, and other structures as unobtrusive as possible in size,
in design, and in the use of materials. Designing buildings and signs at a
scale that overwhelms surrounding structures and natural features (dunes,
trees, etc.) works against the goal of maintaining Kitty Hawk's low -density,
small-scale character. Designing buildings and signs at an appropriate scale,
and with appropriate materials, will do much more to enhance this character
and to accentuate Kitty Hawk's natural beauty.
18

POLICIES:
Kitty Hawk is primarily a low -density, residential community and,
therefore, does not wish to promote agriculture, forestry, mining,
industry, or energy facilities.
The Town will work with Dare County, Kill Devil Hills, and Southern
Shores to ensure that zoning and.development adjoining its boundaries are
compatible with adjacent land uses existing and planned in Kitty Hawk.
The Town should maintain a mix of low -density and medium -density
residential uses, limiting multifamily dwellings to not more than four
units per acre.
The Town will review the existing RS-6 and RS-10 zones and revise the
zoning ordinance to reflect the low -density character of the community.
The Town's commercial districts, as currently constituted, are adequate
to meet the community's needs.
The Town will thoroughly review areas which constitute high safety
hazards along U.S. 158 Bypass and U.S. 158 Business before more
development is allowed to occur there.
The Town will review the existing commercial zones and revise the zoning
designation if they are developed as residential.
The Town will change residential development in commercial districts to a
conditional use which will follow the ordinance relating to the type of
residential development or will amend the zoning ordinance to prevent
residential development in existing commercial districts unless they are
rezoned to residential.
Owners of residential property are entitled to buffers from the sights
and sounds of commercial facilities; the Town will give highest
consideration to such buffers to protect the community's residential
character.
The Town does not desire high-rise structures and will not encourage
high-rise development.
The Town's current height standards comply with the comnmunity's desires
and are consistent with the current scale of development and with the
capacity and capability of the fire department.
Utility, telephone, cable television, and other transmission lines should
be placed underground whenever and wherever feasible to do so.
The Town's zoning ordinance, subdivision ordinance, and other development
policies should address aesthetic concerns and should promote development
that is at a scale and uses materials appropriate to its physical
surroundings.
19

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Soils
Soils are a basic natural resource whose properties greatly influence how
people use the land. Soil analyses can indicate hazardous areas which devel-
opment should avoid or modify. Certain soil types indicate periodic storm
flooding in low-lying soundside locations. Other soil types are associated
with a high seasonal water table which can make an area unsuitable or uncom-
fortable for year-round habitation. The load -bearing capacity of different
soils is also important in Kitty Hawk because of the number of structures that
are built on pilings to withstand wind and flooding damages; the depth to
which these pilings are driven must be determined through a knowledge of sub-
soil properties to ensure the strength of the building.
Probably all of the soils in Kitty Hawk could be modified to accommodate
any selected use, but environmental, monetary, and social costs would be
excessive. The costs of improperly planned soil modifications is borne not
only by the developer, but also by the public since misuse of the land can
lead to severe environmental problems for the community. Therefore, it is
desirable to recognize the limitations of certain soils and to evaluate their
potential or suitability for septic tanks, landfills, waste disposal, urban
development, industrial development, recreation, roads, and the like.
The following table, derived from the U.S. Soil.Conservation Service's
Soil Survey of the Outer Banks, shows the different types of soil in Kitty
Hawk, their depth to the water table, and the severity of their limitations
for bearing development.
20

Soil Unit
Depth to Limitations
Water Table Rating
Beach-Foredune Association
0-3.0'
Severe
Corolla fine sand
1.5-3.0'
Severe
Corolla fine sand, forested
1.5-3.0'
Severe
Corolla-Duckston complex
1.0-3.0'
Severe
Duckston fine sand, forested
1.0-3.0'
Severe
Fripp fine sand
6.0'
Severe
Madeland
3.0'
Severe
Currituck soils
0-3.0'
Severe
Conaby soils
0-1.0'
Severe
Duneland
6.0'
Severe
Newhan fine sand
6.0'
Slight
Newhan-Corolla complex
7.0'
Slight
Duneland-Newhan complex
6.0'
Slight
Newhan-Urban
6.0
Slight
Soil limitation ratings refer to the soil's capacity to support dwel-
lings, streets, and septic tank fields. The attached soils map shows the
extent of those soils which have limitations for development. A rating of
"slight" means that the soil's chemical and physical properties are generally
favorable for these uses or that any limitations are minor and easy to over-
come. A rating of "severe" means that the soil's properties are generally
unfavorable and that these limitations are difficult to correct or overcome.
A rating of "severe" does not preclude possible development; however, any
unfavorable conditions must be overcome by appropriate land development
techniques. In all cases, "slight" and "severe," on -site investigations of
the soil are necessary for the proper design and placement of buildings,
foundations, roads, utility lines, and septic systems.
21

In rating a soil for any limitations for dwellings, emphasis falls on its
load -bearing capacity (for holding the foundation), slope, susceptibility to
flooding, depth to seasonal high water table, and other hydrologic conditions.
In rating a soil for limitations for roads, emphasis falls on its suscept-
ibility to flooding, depth to seasonal high water table, texture, drainage,
and ease of hauling and loading. In rating a soil for any limitations for
septic tank filter fields, emphasis falls on its permeability, susceptibility
to flooding, depth to water table, and slope.
The on -site disposal of septic tank effluent is a common soils problem in
Kitty Hawk. Using existing septic tank technology, many wet and/or imper-
meable soils in the area are severely limited in their ability to accommodate
effluent in a safe and sanitary manner. In some dry soils, such as dune sand,
the soil is too permeable to accommodate effluent, leading to the pollution of
ground waters and adjacent estuarine waters. Even using existing technology,
it is difficult and/or expensive to overcome these limitations in a way that
is not damaging to the environment. When local officials know these problems
exist, they can deal with them by adopting appropriate requirements for devel-
opment, such as minimum lot sizes or centralized sewage treatment and disposal
systems. Then, proper technical adjustments and innovations can often make
development environmentally acceptable.
The Dare County Health Department, by implementing the State's standards
for septic systems, maintains requirements for the location and design of
septic systems. These requirements take into account the limitations of
different soil types within Dare County as well as the system's design.
22

POLICIES:
Due to the size of the lots of residential development, the design of
subdivisions (which has left the more unfavorable soils as open space and
the favorable soils for on —site sewage disposal), the Town of Kitty Hawk
will be able to accommodate future growth on septic systems. It is not
anticipated that a public sewer system will be necessary.
23

Areas of Environmental Concern
Under the Coastal Area Management Act, North Carolina's Coastal Resources
Commission (CRC) has designated a number of areas of environmental concern
(AECs) in order to protect the state's valuable natural resource. The Town of
Kitty Hawk contains six types of AEC in two categories:
Estuarine System AECs
1. Estuarine Waters
2. Coastal Wetlands
3. Public Trust Areas
- 4. Estuarine Shorelines
Ocean Hazard AECs
5. Ocean Erodible Areas
6. High Hazard Flood Areas
These AECs are roughly indicated on the AEC Map; their exact location an
extent are determined by on -site inspections.
Estuarine System AECs:
The lands and waters that comprise the estuarine system hold enormous
economic, biological, social, and aesthetic values for the Town of Kitty Hawk
and the State of North Carolina as a whole. These lands and waters are inter-
dependent and must be managed as a unit. Any alteration, however slight, in
one component of the estuarine system may result in unforeseen consequences
to seemingly unrelated areas of the system. In order to protect the estuarine
system, the CRC has designated individual components of it as AECs and adopted
guidelines for their use. These components are the estuarine waters, coastal
wetlands, public trust areas, and estuarine shorelines. Each of these is
either directly within the estuary itself or significantly affects the
estuary. All of these are found within Kitty Hawk.
The estuarine waters AEC includes all waters of the State's bays,
sounds, and streams seaward of the dividing line between coastal fishing
waters and inland fishing waters (as set forth by a joint agreement between
24

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the Wildlife Resources Commission and the Marine Fisheries Commission). In
the.Town of Kitty Hawk, the estuarine waters AEC includes Currituck Sound,
Kitty Hawk Bay, and the streams draining into them (see map).
The coastal wetlands AEC includes any salt marsh or other marsh subject
to regular or occasional flooding by tides (whether or not the tidal waters
reach the wetlands through natural or artificial watercourses). Coastal wet-
lands are important because they yield high levels of organic detritus and
nutrients which serve as a primary food source for various species of fish,
shellfish, and waterfowl. Their dense vegetation and root networks also help
retard shoreline erosion and trap sediments before they reach the estuarine
waters. There are no coastal wetlands along Kitty Hawk's ocean shoreline;
however, extensive wetlands line Currituck Sound and Kitty Hawk Bay (see
map).
The public trust AEC includes (1) all waters of the Atlantic Ocean and
the lands thereunder from the mean high water mark to the seaward limit of
state jurisdiction, (2) all other bodies of water subject to lunar tides (and
the lands thereunder) below the mean high water level, (3) all waters in
artifically created bodies of water containing 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 rights of navigation,
and (4) all waters in artifically created bodies of water in which the public
has acquired rights by prescription, custom, usage, dedication, or any other
means. In the Town of Kitty Hawk, the public trust AEC covers the waters and
submerged lands of the Atlantic Ocean, Currituck Sound, and Kitty Hawk Bay.
It also covers the many navigable natural and man-made channels that open into
Currituck Sound and Kitty Hawk Bay (see map).
25

The estuarine shoreline AEC covers non -ocean shorelines, which are
-typically subject to erosion, flooding, and other adverse effects of wind and
water. Though the estuarine shorelines are typically dry land, they are
intimately connected to the estuary; development along the shoreline can have
a strong effect on the quality of estuarine waters, coastal wetlands, and
their ability to sustain their economic, biological, social, and aesthetic
values. As defined by the CRC, the estuarine shoreline AEC extends from the
mean high water level (or normal water level) along the estuarine waters AEC
to a line 75 feet landward. In the Town of Kitty Hawk, the estuarine shore-
line AEC encompasses the entire shoreline along Currituck Sound and Kitty Hawk
Bay (see map).
Ocean Hazard AECs:
The Atlantic shoreline is especially vulnerable to erosion and other
adverse effects of wind and water. Ocean hazard AECs include beaches, frontal
dunes, inlet lands, and other areas in which geologic, vegetative, and soil
conditions indicate a substantial possibility of excessive erosion or flood-
ing. Uncontrolled or incompatible development within these areas can present
an unreasonable danger to life and property. In the Town of Kitty Hawk, there
are two types of ocean hazard AECs: ocean erodible areas and high hazard
flood areas.
The ocean erodible AEC includes that area in which there exists a sub-
stantial possiblity of significant erosion and shoreline fluctuation. The
seaward boundary of -this area is the mean low water line. The landward bound-
ary of this area is determined as a combination of:
1. a distance landward from the first line of stable natural vegetation
to the recession line established by multiplying the long-term annual
erosion rate, as most recently determined by the CRC, by 30. Where
26

there has been no long-term erosion or the rate is less than two feet
per year, this line is 60 feet landward from the first line of stable
natural vegetation; plus
2. the distance landward from the above recession line to a second
recession line that would be generated by a storm having a one
percent chance of being equalled or exceeded in any given year.
In the Town of Kitty Hawk, the ocean erodible AEC covers the entire Atlantic
shoreline; it consists of three separate segments with different rates of
erosion and different "setbacks" established by the CRC (see map) from the
first line of stable natural vegetation.
The high hazard flood AEC is the oceanfront area subject to flooding and
high velocity waters (including wave wash) in a storm having a one -percent
chance of being equalled or exceeded in any given year, and indicated as Zones
V1-V30 (known as "V zones") on the flood insurance rate maps established by
the Federal Insurance Administration. Since Dare County enrolled in the
Regular Phase of the National Flood Insurance Program prior to 1981, flood
insurance rate maps were prepared for the Kitty Hawk area before the Town
incorporated (see map).
Current Policies Regarding AECs:
The Coastal_Area:Management Act includes.guidelines covering uses of and
development in areas of environmental concern, with separate guidelines for
the different categories of AEC designated by,the Coastal Resources Commis-
sion. These guidelines are as follows:
In estuarine waters AECs, the highest priority of use is the conservation
of estuarine waters. Secondary priority rests with those types of development
that require access to the water and cannot function elsewhere; such develop-
ment includes navigation channels, simple access channels, erosion control
structures, boat docks, marinas, piers, wharves, and mooring pilings.
27

Similarly, in coastal wetland AECs, the use with the highest priority is
the conservation of the wetland, with secondary priority going to water -
dependent activities. Uses which are unacceptable in coastal wetland AECs
include, but are not limited to, restaurants, homes, hotels and motels,
trailer parks, parking lots, private roads and highways, and manufacturing
plants. Acceptable uses include utility easements, fishing piers, docks, and
agricultural uses as permitted under. North Carolina's Dredge and Fill Act and
other applicable laws.
In public trust AECs, no use is allowed which significantly interferes
with the public's right of navigation or other public rights which exist
there. Uses that may be acceptable within public trust AECs, provided that
they will not be detrimental to public trust rights and the biological and
physical functions of the estuary or ocean, include the development of navi-
gational channels and drainage ditches, the use of bulkheads to control ero-
sion, and the construction of piers, wharves, and marinas. Uses that are not
acceptable in public trust AECs are those which would directly or indirectly
impair or block existing navigation channels, increase shoreline erosion,
deposit spoils below mean high tide, create adverse water circulation pat-
terns, violate water quality standards, or degrade shellfish waters and beds.
In estuarine shoreline AECs, no uses are absolutely prohibited. However,
any development that occurs within the estuarine shoreline AEC is to be
compatible with both the dynamic nature of estuarine shorelines and the
economic, biological, and social values of the estuarine system.
In ocean erodible AECs and high hazard flood AECs, the CRC's guidelines
carry out their mission of protecting the line of oceanfront sand dunes by
enforcing the oceanfront setback lines, keeping structures behind the crests
of frontal and primary dunes, and prohibiting the relocation or removal of
PV

these dunes and their vegetation. The guidelines for these areas include
standards for construction to be designed and located to minimize damage due
to fluctuations in ground elevation and wave action in a storm that has a one -
percent probability of being equalled or exceeded in any given year.
Kitty Hawk's Role in Protecting AECs:
The Coastal Resource Commission's policies regarding activities in AECs
are currently implemented for minor projects by the local CAMA permit officer
and for major projects by the State's Office of Coastal Management and the
Coastal Resources Commission.
29

POLICIES•
The Town of Kitty hawk recognizes that the identification and protection
of AECs is one of the central concerns of the Coastal Management Program
for North Carolina. Governmental intervention in land development is
necessary to assure the proper functioning of the physical and biological
systems.
The Town of Kitty Hawk will cooperate fully with the appropriate State
and Federal agencies on conserving, managing, and protecting all the
estuarine waters and their vital components.
The Town of Kitty Hawk recognizes the importance of coastal wetlands as a
breeding area for fish, shrimp, and certain animals, birds, and plants.
No specific development activity is currently permitted within this AEC.
The Town will work with the appropriate State and Federal agencies in
protecting the integrity of all public trust waters within the Town of
Kitty Hawk.
The Town will work closely with the County Health Department and with the
State Office of Coastal Management in managing estuarine shorelines.
Within ocean erodible areas, the Town will maintain the line'of ocean-
front sand dunes by protecting the vegetation which stabilizes the dune
system and by eliminating further development in these areas.
The Town encourages the construction and installation of wooden walkways
and steps to the beach, elevated observation platforms, and sand fences
in areas where erosion has occurred. The Town will prohibit private
bulkheads, jetties, groins, and similar structures along the oceanfront
except where structures are in imminent danger from the Atlantic Ocean.
Implementation of this policy is through the CAMA permit -letting process,
and enforcement of the beach driving and dune driving ordinances. The
Town favors the use of groins, bulkheads, jetties, and other similar
structures to protect State roads, municipal streets, and public utility
systems. The Town opposes spending municipal funds to construct such
structures to protect private property.
The Town will enforce the standards prescribed by the National Flood
Insurance Program for development in high hazard flood areas.
30

Sensitive Natural and Cultural Areas
In addition to the areas of environmental concern designated under the
Coastal Area Management Act, Kitty hawk's residents are concerned about the.
destruction of other natural and cultural resources, including the community's
forests, habitats for plants and wildlife, and historical sites. Kitty Hawk
contains a variety of sensitive and complex natural areas that support many
species of plants and animals. Ospreys have been known to nest in old resid-
ual trees along the Currituck Sound. Bald eagles and brown pelicans have been
known to migrate through the area. The community's dense stands of forest and
wetlands play a key role in supporting this interesting spectrum of animal and
plant life.
A number of historical sites hold special meaning for Kitty Hawk's resi-
dents, such as Kitty Hawk Village, the Life Saving Station (which is on the
study list for the National Register of Historic Places), the old Primitive
Baptist Church, old cemeteries, and the Wright Brothers marker on Moore's
Shore Road.
Protection of these natural and historic areas is essential to maintain-
ing Kitty Hawk's special village atmosphere. People who grow up in Kitty Hawk
stay here becasue they like the atmosphere; people move here for similar
reasons.
31

POLICIES:
The Town of Kitty Hawk will identify the variety of natural and manmade
resources within the Town and work to preserve them; encourage retention
of forest growth and natural plant communities; maintain a suitable
habitat for animals and birds indigenous to the area; and disturb the
natural terrain as little as possible.
Until the Town can develop other appropriate ordinances and means of
enforcement, the Town and the Planning Board will encourage citizens to
protect such resources on a voluntary basis.
Although there are several cemeteries, these appear to be at or near
capacity. The Town should explore the possibility of expanding one or
more of these or creating a new cemetery to accommodate future needs.
32

Litter, Noise, and Insect Control
Litter and Dumping:
A few springs ago, a wry but perceptive resident wrote a letter to the
editor of a local newspaper. He said, in essence: "Now that the resort season
is starting, we can go back to blaming roadside litter on the tourists."
The tourists do contribute their share, but the basic fault lies in our-
selves and not in our visitors. The indiscriminate dumping of trash and gar-
bage along such scenic routes as Kitty Hawk Woods and Moore's Shore Road has
reached shocking and hazardous proportions.
Noise:
Kitty Hawk is primarily a residential area for both year-round citizens
and seasonal visitors. With few exceptions, the sources of unseemly noises
and related abuses are readily identifiable. Several respondents to the
Town's recent survey requested the adoption and enforcement of a realistic
noise control ordinance; the Town has recently adopted a noise ordinance.
Insects:
Among Kitty Hawk's lesser blessings is an environment conducive to
massive insect infestation, particularly by mogquitoes. Given free rein,
this infestation is a nuisance to both residents as well as many businesses
and services that are the community's underlying economic base.
33

POLICIES:
The Town will vigorously enforce its anti -dumping and anti -littering
ordinance with cooperation from citizen volunteers.
The Town Council should recruit a volunteer Litter Control Officer to
enlist other citizen volunteers to clean up Kitty Hawk's roadsides and
trash dumps, as well as to patrol the more abused sites to discourage
further dumping.
The Town Council should investigate the posbiblity of using the prison
labor force to deal with the larger unauthorized dumps.
The Town will vigorously enforce (in cooperation with the Dare County
Sheriff's Office or the Kitty Hawk Police Department), the noise abate-
ment ordinance.
The Town, with due regard for environmental considerations and in coop-
eration with County authorities, will encourage systematic spraying and
other practical insect controls.
34

COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES
Water Supply
On September 23, 1900, Wilbur Wright closed his first letter from Kitty
Hawk with this reassurance to his worried father: "I am taking every pre-
caution about my drinking water." He could have been overly cautious; then,
as now, Kitty Hawk's wells were producing potable and plentiful water (with a
few notable exceptions). From colonial times until recently, water for house-
hold use has come from individual wells. However, since the Dare County water
system was completed in 1980, most of the Town's homes and businesses have
been connected to it (see map for areas presently served).
The County system draws its water from wells on Roanoke Island near
Wanchese. The County's system is generally considered capable of serving Dare
County's needs through 1990, assuming that the rate of growth does not
increase dramatically.
POLICIES:
The Town of Kitty Hawk will vigorously pursue extending the Dare
County water system into unnerved areas where growth is anticipated.
The Town of Kitty Hawk will attempt to project the community's future
water needs in relation to its growth potential.
The Town of Kitty Hawk will encourage Dare County to modify the existing
system into "loops" which will help to maintain service in the case of
malfunctions in the system.
35

Wastewater Treatment
Nearly all of the homes and businesses in Kitty Hawk rely on septic tank
and drainfield systems to treat and dispose of wastewater. While under good
conditions, such systems are perfectly adequate, Kitty Hawk's natural envi-
ronment presents enough hazards to the proper functioning of septic systems
that their use must be carefully monitored. As noted earlier, most of the
soils in the Town of Kitty Hawk.are not well -suited for septic tanks and
drainfields. Periodic high water tables in certain areas can block the proper
percolation of wastewater throughout the soil and can lead to the contamina-
tion of estuarine waters. In addition, placing septic systems too close to
wells creates a threat to human health. The Dare County Health Department is
responsible for overseeing and permitting the use of septic systems in Kitty
Hawk; in doing so, the Health Department uses standards adopted by the State
of North Carolina's Department of Human Resources. These standards cover the
design and location of septic tanks and drainfields. The standards are cur-
rently adequate to meet Kitty Hawk's needs and concerns.
In addition to septic systems, "package" treatment plants are gaining
popularity in North Carolina's coastal communities. Such plants are usually
constructed and maintained by developers to service residential subdivisions
and condominium projects. Unless a "package" treatment plant is properly
maintained and continuously monitored, it can easily break down, inconvenience
the property owners who depend on it, and threaten public health. An improp-
erly managed plant can also become a financial liability to the Town if the
developer or homeowners abdicate responsibility for operating it. The Town of
Kitty Hawk will avoid these problems by obtaining strong assurances from
developers and homeowners' associations that "package" plants will be properly
managed and maintained.
36

POLICY:
The Town of Kitty Hawk will require developers and homeowners' associa—
tions proposing and constructing "package" wastewater treatment plants to
file with the Town a copy of the management contract between the devel—
oper and operator, the package wastewater treatment plan, the rate
structure, an engineer's statement that the rate structure's minimum
number of users will generate enough revenue to maintain and operate the
system, and a bond or other written assurance that such facilities will
be properly and continuously maintained.
37

Roads
Kitty Hawk's roads are an integral part of the community's physical
structure and an important factor in the timing and location of future growth.
Insuring that they are adequately constructed and maintained is an important
function of local government. There are several different road systems in
Kitty Hawk (see map). The major roads are part of the State highway system
and are maintained by the State. Some roads are dedicated to the public and
maintained by the Town of Kitty Hawk. Still other roads are privately owned
and privately maintained. There are also some roads whose ownership and main-
tenance responsibility remains unclear; this lack of clarity is a problem
since many of these roads have deteriorated and require repairs.
The Town of Kitty Hawk is currently under pressure to accept privately -
owned roads in subdivisions into either the Town -maintained or State -
maintained road networks. In one case, the subdivision's developer, its home-
owners' association, and the Town are discussing the improvements needed to
bring the subdivision's private roads up to the State system's standards. Any
road must meet the State's construction standards in order to be included in
the State system. Once the proper arrangements are made to improve the sub-
division's streets, the Town can then petition the N.C. Department of Trans-
portation to accept maintenance responsibility for them. In addition to
State -maintained roads, there are other roads that are dedicated to the public
and maintained by the Town. Some funds for maintaining these roads come from
the N.C. Department of Transportation through the Street Aid Allocation Pro-
gram, which provides funds to municipalities for maintaining public, non -State
roads. Under this formula entitlement program, Kitty Hawk receives funds each
year based on the number of miles of public, non -State roads in the Town
as well as other factors. The Town currently claims 2.64 miles of streets
KV

under the Street Aid Allocation Program. However, the lack of clarity regard-
ing the ownership of many other streets in the community and who is respon-
sible for maintaining them could leave the Town with a substantial financial
burden. If these streets are not claimed under the Street Aid Allocation
Program, the Town will lack adequate funds for maintaining them. At this
point, the Town is still not sure which streets have been dedicated to the
public and which must be maintained by the Town.
A different type of problem with Kitty Hawk's roads is the lack of a
uniform system for naming and numbering streets. The long-awaited Beach
Central Communications System -- enabling someone to dial 911 for assistance
in emergencies -- cannot begin effective operation until there is a uniform
street -naming and numbering system throughout its service area. As a parti-
cipant in the system, Kitty Hawk has a responsibility to foster the efficiency
and effectiveness of its operations.
There is another problem of critical importance involving the Beach Road.
Certain portions of the beach, especially in the area of the old Life Saving
Station, have been eroding at a rapid rate. If the erosion continues un-
abated, the road will be breached before long. The Town would prefer to keep
the road in its present location because it is an important link in the
thoroughfare system of Kitty Hawk Beach. However, the Town is opposed to the
use of extraordinary structural means (bulkheads and groins) to try to prevent
erosion and recognizes the limitations of beach nourishment. Recognizing that
there is a strong possibility that portions of the Beach Road may be destroyed
by erosion, and that another north -south road in Kitty Hawk Beach is necessary
in any case, it is the policy of the Town to take whatever steps are necessary
and appropriate to make Lindbergh Avenue a viable north -south thoroughfare
which could serve as a replacement for the Beach Road if necessary. In order
39

to ensure that this remains a viable option, the necessary right-of-way should
be acquired as soon as possible.
POLICIES:
The Town of Kitty Hawk should identify those public streets in the com-
munity which the local or state government is obligated to maintain.
The Town will develop a policy for bringing private streets into the
Town's maintenance system.
The Town of Kitty Hawk, in cooperation with the towns of Kill Devil
Hills, Nags Head, and Southern Shores, will work to expedite the creation
of a uniform street -naming and numbering system.
Recognizing that there is a strong possibility that portions of the Beach
Road may be destroyed by erosion, and that another north -south road in
Kitty Hawk Beach is necessary in any case, the Town will take whatever
steps are necessary and appropriate to make Lindberg Avenue a viable
north -south thoroughfare which could serve as a replacement for the
Beach Road if necessary. In order to insure that this remains a viable
option, the necessary right-of-way should be acquired as soon as
possible.
40

Recreation and Beach Access
With the Atlantic Ocean, Currituck Sound, and Kitty Hawk Bay, the Town of
Kitty Hawk is blessed with abundant opportunities for recreation. Recreation
in the community is strongly tied to the use of these bodies of water, with
the most popular recreational activities being fishing, boating, swimming,
sunbathing, and surfing. In addition, there is an 18-hole golf course within
the Town and baseball, football, and basketball facilities at Kitty Hawk
Elementary School in neighboring Southern Shores.
Surfing in Kitty Hawk has grown to become one of the most popular sea-
sonal recreational sports. The Town has enacted a surfboard leash ordinance
and, with pledges of cooperation from the surfers themselves, is committed to
enforcing it for the safety of surfers and swimmers alike.
Kitty Hawk has several State roads at either end of Currituck Sound,
Kitty Hawk Bay, and one of the soundside canals. These areas offer limited
recreation at the present time; with good planning, they could become tre-
mendous assets to the community. They could support a variety of recreational
activities: small parks, picnic facilities, boat ramps, wading and swimming
areas, and crabbing and fishing areas. In some areas, periodic dredging of
the Sound and Bay may be necessary to enable even small craft to adequately
reach them from the canals, streams, and shores of Kitty Hawk. Respondents to
the Planning Board's survey indicated rather strong support for parks and bike
paths, especially in soundside and wooded areas.
Respondents to the Planning Board's questionnaire pointed out the need
and desire for additional public beach access points and adequate parking at
them. There are 13 public beach access points along Kitty Hawk's four -mile
oceanfront (see map). Unfortunately, most have been hard to detect and offer
little or no public parking. Though all of these sites are dedicated to the
41

public, the Town does not currently maintain any of them. The Town has
erected uniform, brightly -colored signs (provided by the North Carolina Office
of Coastal Management) at each access point, but the lack of adequate parking
remains a problem.
In 1981, a parcel of oceanfront property (near the Kitty Hawk Road -Beach
Road intersection) was donated to the Town of Kitty Hawk. Unfortuantely,
parking there is severely limited and unsafe due to the flow of traffic on the
Beach Road; the property has also suffered extensive erosion, making it diffi-
cult to plan for future parking facilities. However, the gift may inspire
similar donations by people who are interested in the future well-being of the
Town, since even without parking these sites are extremely important for
public beach access. In addition, the Office of Coastal Management is devel-
oping a regional beach access site close to this area which will provide some
needed parking and restrooms.
In maintaining any recreational facilities, the Town can expect to face
problems with controlling litter, especially at those sites that are most
actively used. Littering can ruin the very qualities of beaches, parks, and
other recreational areas that,make them so enjoyable.
POLICIES:
The Town will formulate a beach access plan, with due consideration to
the future growth of its year-round and seasonal populations, and will
provide adequate beach access and other recreational facilities for its
residents and visitors.
The Town should study the need and potential for future recreational
facilities on the soundside, bike paths, and additional public beach
access points and parking areas.
The Town should create a study committee to plan for, develop, and
maintain adequate recreational facilities.
The Town will improve and maintain all public beach access areas.
42

To protect public beach access areas from erosion, the Town should keep
the areas well -vegetated, stagger sand fencing, and construct walkways
across dunes.
The Town should adopt strong ordinances to keep people from weakening the
barrier dunes.
The Town should adopt strong ordinances to control littering and dumping
at public recreation areas.
The Town should place trash receptacles at the most actively used recrea-
tion areas.
The Town should acquire additional useful beach access areas and related
parking facilities when property becomes available, giving priority to
properties that are or may become unbuildable due to natural causes.
The Town should apply for State and Federal assistance whenever it is
available for acquiring, improving, or maintaining beach access sites,
related parking areas, and other public recreation facilities and will
cooperate with the State in every way possible to make beach accessways
available and operational.
The Town will work with Kill Devil Hills, Southern Shores, Dare County,
and private organizations leading to funds for recreation facilities.
When necessary and appropriate, Currituck Sound and Kitty Hawk Bay should
be dredged in limited areas in accordance with relevant State and Federal
laws to permit access to those bodies of water from the shores, streams,
and canals of the Town of Kitty Hawk.
43

Disaster Evacuation
The January 1982 issue of Coastwatch, published by the University of
North Carolina's Sea Grant College Program, poses the following hypothetical
situation illustrating the importance of.planning for disaster evacuation
in Kitty Hawk:
It's the middle of August, the beaches are packed, and a hurricane warn—
ing is issued for the Outer Banks. Over 100,000 residents and tourists
are asked to evacuate the area, and there are only two roads leading to
the mainland. How long will it take to safely evacuate these people?
The answer -- no one really knows.
One of the two roads to the mainland is U.S. 158 -- Kitty Hawk's northern
boundary --commanding the eastern entrance to the Wright Brother's Memorial
Bridge and creating an obvious bottleneck in any effort to evacuate the Outer
Banks.
Kitty Hawk is the terminal link in an ascending chain of evacuating beach
communities; it must phase its own evacuees into a growing stream of refugees
from the south. It is recognized that the use of Kitty Hawk Woods Road (and
any future roads through the woods) for evacuation would ease pressure on
U.S. 158 in Kitty Hawk Beach, even though these would have to feed into U.S.
158 after it has turned west in order to reach the bridge. In order to
increase the Outer Banks' ability to evacuate quickly and safely, the N.C.
Department of Transportation is being urged to study the possibilities of
(1) widening U.S. 158 Bypass to four or six lanes, (2) making the Bypass and
the Beach Road one—way routes in times of emergency, (3) creating a new two—
lane road along the soundside, (4) building another bridge over Currituck
Sound, and (5) making Lindbergh Avenue a viable north —south thoroughfare.
Beyond the obvious pluses and minuses of these and related projects, it
is hard to derive meaningful estimates of how they would affect evacuation
times. Regardless, something must be done to improve the Outer Banks' ability
44

to evacuate in the advent of a major storm or other disaster. For the situa-
tion cited above, Sea Grant estimated that it would take 67 hours, given the
existing road system, to evacuate 100,000 people from Dare County's beach com-
munities. (A subsequent study by the Department of Transportation using a
different set of assumptions estimates fourteen hours for evacuation.) The
National Hurricane Center, however, only issues a hurricane warning 12 hours
before a storm is expected to strike land.
In addition to evacuation, the Town of Kitty Hawk must also plan for
adequately sheltering some of its residents, visitors, and people from other
beach communities. Kitty Hawk has traditionally played a role in providing
temporary shelter for refugees in such havens as the Kitty Hawk Elementary
School, the Fire Department, and the Methodist Church.
POLICIES:
The Town should regularly review and actively participate in updating the
Dare County Evacuation Plan.
The Town should arrange periodic briefings of the citizenry, in public
meetings with the Dare County Evacuation Plan's coordinators, regarding
evacuation procedures and the location and staffing of traffic control
points and emergency first aid stations.
The Town should urge the N.C. Department of Transportation to proceed
with plans and studies that will improve and/or increase the evaucation
capacity of existing roads and bridges.
45

Police and Fire Protection
The Town has recently.established its own police department and is in the
process of developing it into a viable law enforcement unit to provide Kitty
Hawk's citizens and visitors with adequate police services.
The Kitty Hawk Fire Department, incorporated under Chapter 55A of the
N.C. General Statutes, consists of three volunteer fire companies: Kitty
Hawk, Southern Shores, and Colington. Each company maintains one pumper and
one tanker. A brush truck and equipment van are also housed in the Kitty Hawk
Fire House and respond to alarms in all three communities. The Kitty Hawk
company is staffed by 21 volunteers; the Southern Shores and Colington com-
panies are of comparable size. Each company elects its own chief and
officers. The Department as a whole is governed by a nine -member board of
directors, with equal representation for each of the three jurisdictions. The
Department is financed by an ad valorem tax. The recent incorporation of the
towns of Kitty Hawk and Southern Shores has prompted discussions of replacing
the present Fire Department with independent municipal companies.
The establishment of the Beach Central Communications System enables a
citizen or visitor to report police, fire, and emergency medical needs to a
central dispatcher for immediate action. The system receives pro rasa finan-
cial support from the four participating jurisdictions: Dare County, Nags
Head, Kitty Hawk, and Southern Shores. It operates out of a dispatch center
in the Nags Head Municipal Building under a contract with the advice and con-
sent of its joint managers. The participating jurisdictions pledge that, with
time and its expansion into contiguous areas, the system will enjoy a strong
independent identity.
46

POLICIES:
The Town should give high priority to providing for its immediate police
protection needs.
The Town, in cooperatin with the fire department, should give high
priority to an ongoing study.of means to ensure maximum fire protection.
The Town, in cooperation with Dare County, should maintain an up-to-date
fire hydrant location map and insure that all hydrants are visible,
accessible, and in operating condition.
The Town should continue to require the installation of additional
hydrants as warranted by expansion of the county water system.
The Town should give full support to the Beach Central Communciations
System.
47

Trash Collection
As Kitty Hawk's population increases, problems with the sanitary storage,
collection, and disposal of garbage becomes more critical.
The Town currently has ordinances setting standards for solid waste con-
tainers for subdivisions, mobile home parks, trailer courts, and businesses.
Article 10-6 of the Dare County Land Use Plan sets standards for the collec-
tion and disposal of solid waste:
1. Solid waste may not be leaked or spilled along roads.
2. It may be collected only from specified geographic areas.
3. It may be burned in incinerators of a type approved by the State
Health Director.
4. It may be buried in a sanitary landfill that is properly designed,
operated, and equipped.
Dare County currently collects garbage within the Town of Kitty Hawk and
operates a sanitary landfill for the disposal of all solid waste generated
within the County, including the solid waste generated by over 1.5 million
people who visit Cape Hatteras National Seashore each year. The County
recently opened a new sanitary landfill on the mainland near East Lake.
Unfortunately, this landfill's distance from the beach communities (which have
the County's highest seasonal population) makes high transportation costs
inevitable.
The Town of Kitty Hawk could engage the services of a private collector
to haul solid waste, but there are few, if any, private collectors equipped to
handle the Town's solid waste.
The Town could set up its own sanitation department. However, the cost
would be prohibitive at this time. There is also no site in Kitty Hawk
suitable for a sanitary landfill given the community's soil conditions.
48

This leaves the Town of Kitty Hawk no viable alternative but to continue
contracting with Dare County for trash collection and disposal. But there is
no guarantee that the County will continue to accept the Town's solid waste in
the future.
POLICIES:
The Town of Kitty Hawk should continue to contract with Dare County for
solid waste collection and disposal and to tax residents to cover door-
to-door collection as long as economically possible.
The Town should develop a garbage collection and disposal ordinance
including requirements for garbage can racks.
The Town should adopt policies and ordinances regarding cleaning up
existing unauthorized dumps and the removal of derelict automobiles and
other unsanitary, dangerous, and unsightly conditions.
49

Schools and Libraries
.Kitty Hawk is served by the Dare County public school system. Students
in grades 1 through 5 attend Kitty Hawk Elementary School, located on U.S. 158
in Southern Shores. Students in grades 6 through 8 attend Manteo Middle
School (the old Manteo High School). Students in grades 9 through 12 attend
the new Manteo High School on Roanoke Island. The County's recent construc—
tion of the new high school greatly increased the system's capacity.
Kitty Hawk Elementary School is used extensively for public meetings and
a wide range of other community functions. It also serves as a refugee center
during and after violent storms and other disasters.
The Dare County Library's bookmobile visits Kitty Hawk twice a month,
stopping at the Elementary School and the Methodist Church. Full library and
research services are available at the Library in Manteo, which is also used
by local residents for community meetings and cultural events. The Library
currently has no plans to establish branches or decentralize further.
POLICIES:
The Town believes that the County's present public school system is
adequate to serve Kitty Hawk's present needs and the needs of the
immediate future.
The Town believes that decentralization of the County's library system is
not warranted at this time.
50

Health Care
Kitty Hawk is blessed with an expanding array of health services. Kitty
Hawk, Southern Shores, and Kill Devil Hills together have four physicians in
private practice, with two more operating within 20 miles of the Town. Dare
County now has at least seven practicing dentists (including one in Kitty Hawk
and one in Kill Devil Hills), one optometrist, one chiropractic clinic, and
several pharmacies. A private nursing home, Elder Lodge, has recently opened
in Nags Head.
Basic health services are available.to all residents at the Dare County
Health Department in Manteo. The Dare County Emergency Medical Center in Nags
Head is a non-profit, 24-hour, out -patient facility staffed by physicians and
other health care and administrative personnel. It has weathered a long
series of operational problems but appears to be on firmer ground with help
from Dare County. Emergency medical cases can be evacuated by ambulance or
helicopter to hospitals in Elizabeth City and Tidewater Virginia under the
supervision of the County's Director of Emergency Services.
POLICIES:
The Town of Kitty Hawk should support the ongoing county -wide effort to
provide 24-hour emergency medical services and a regional health care
facility.
The Town should encourage health care professionals to locate in the
community as its population expands.
51

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The Town of Kitty Hawk has relied heavily on public involvement in for—
mulating this Land Use Plan. The Town's Planning Board and Land Use Planning
Committee have represented various viewpoints of the people of the Town. In
addition, they have actively sought the opinions of Kitty Hawk's residents to
identify what makes the community so special to people, what the Town's
greatest needs are, how development should be managed, and what directions
future development should take. To get this direct citizen input, the Plan—
ning Board and the Land Use Planning Committee surveyed the community twice --
once by mail and once by telephone. Both surveys yielded a high rate of
response; the majority of the Town's residents voiced their views regarding
important development issues.
Kitty Hawk is small enough so that all of its residents can have a direct
and continuous voice in guiding the Town's future. The Town government will
continue to actively encourage public participation in discussions of local
planning and development management policies as well as all other local
government decisions.
POLICY:
The Town of Kitty Hawk will continue to encourage active public
involvement in the planning process and in all development management
decisions by officially notifying the public about the times and agendas
of Planning Board and Town Commission meetings and by periodically
conducting public opinion surveys.
52

PLANS AND POLICIES
53

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LAND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
A land classification system has been developed to identify the general
character of existing development and desired future development in the Town.
The system is based on existing land use patterns and the sequence of future
development in certain areas of the community where basic services will become
available to support development (roads, water, etc.).. It is also based on
the natural ability of the land to support development, recognizing that some
sections of the Town should be conserved as prime natural areas or because
they present hazards to development.
The land classification system (see map) contains five categories of
land:
1. Developed — Beach
2. Developed — Village
3. Transition — Public Utilities
4. Transition — Private Utilities
5. Conservation
"Developed" lands provide space for continued intensive development or
redevelopment. This covers lands currently developed at or approaching a
density of 500 dwellings per square mile that are serviced by public roads,
water lines, and recreational facilities as well as police and fire protec—
tion. Even though the two areas of town are not very different in density or
the mix of land uses, the division of developed lands into "Developed — Beach"
and "Developed - Village" recognizes the differences between the character of
existing development in Kitty hawk Beach and Kitty Hawk Village. Even though
the density and use standards are the same for each, any further development
in these two areas should recognize the overall character of each. Kitty Hawk
54

Beach is somewhat typical in design, land use mixtures, and density of resi-
dential beach communities in North Carolina. It is a fairly seasonal and
transient part of the community. Kitty Hawk Village is different, even though
its density is not much lower than that of the beach section; its unique
character consists of its small scale, its sense of heritage as one of the
oldest continuous settlements on the Outer Banks, its vast stands of maritime
forest, and the special quality of life it provides for its residents. The
Village has more a sense of being a year-round residential community with
resident -oriented stores and services.
"Transition" lands provide space for development over the next ten years.
These are lands that may or may not be developed now, but are suitable for
development and/or scheduled for the provision of utilities and
services that support development. The transition areas in Kitty Hawk are
divided into "Transition - Public Utilities" and "Transition - Private Util-
ities." Both categories cover land that is presently developed or expected to
develop over the next ten years. "Transition - Public Utilities" covers those
areas where a commitment has already been made for the Town and/or Dare County
to construct and maintain water lines, streets, and other physical infra-
structure necessary to support development. "Transition - Private Utilities"
covers those areas where no such commitment exists and responsibility for con-
structing roads and water lines rests with the private developer.
Lands in the "Conservation" class are those requiring effective long-term
management in order to protect significant, limited, or irreplaceable natural,
cultural, recreational, scenic, or productive values. The "Conservation"
class includes lands with major wetlands; important wildlife habitats; unde-
veloped forest lands; and undeveloped shorelands that are unique, fragile, or
hazardous for development. "Conservation" lands include those areas that are
611

particularly unsuitable for development and/or have special, irreplaceable
natural and aesthetic values. The types of development suited to "Conserva-
tion" lands are low -density residential, recreational, and open space uses.
Development within "Conservation" lands must take special precautions to over-
come any hazardous conditions and to maintain the land's intrinsic natural
qualities.
56

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FUTURE LAND USE
Based on the land classification system, the Town of Kitty Hawk has
adopted a map of future land use (see.attached) that defines the type and
densityof future development that will occur in Kitty Hawk. The different
land use categories presented in the future land use map are designed to
maintain the existing character of the Town and its natural resources while
making ample room for future growth. The map displays a vision of the pattern
development should take in the future.
The future land use map identifies eight categories of development
throughout the Town:
Residential
1. Low Density Residential (Single-family)
2. Medium Density Residential (Single-family)
3. High Density Residential (Single-family)
4. Multifamily Residential
Commercial/Industrial
5. General Commercial
6. Commercial
7. Village Commercial
8. Industrial
These different land use categories are located in accordance with existing
land use patterns, the suitability of different sections of the Town for dif-
fereat types of development, and the concerns of local residents to maintain
the existing character of Kitty Hawk, its scenic beauty, and the quality of
its natural resources.
57

Kitty Hawk Beach will remain predominantly single-family residential.
Commercial uses which meet the needs of the Town's residents and visitors will
continue to locate along U.S. 158 Bypass and the Beach Road; however, these
uses will be clustered to avoid the strip development plaguing other beach
communities. Multi -family residential development is afforded ample space;
this space has been carefully placed west of the Bypass to preserve the
character of the existing beach development and to take advantage of the more
stable land, better soils, and better vehicular access found away from the
oceanfront.
Kitty Hawk Village will also remain predominantly single-family resi-
dential. Commercial activities in the Village will cluster at the Village's
existing core; these commercial uses will be at a scale and of a type com-
patible with the Village's traditional character. Higher -density residential
uses will be clustered together to maintain a tighter sense of community in
the Village, rather than sprawl throughout the woods.
The .remainder of the community will be reserved for single-family,
low -density development. Some areas have been reserved for commercial and
industrial uses that support the local economy and_supply the needs of the
townspeople.
Included on another map are future land use and a set of proposed
improvements that will meet the Town's desires for improved recreational
facilities and utilities (see attached Plan for Kitty Hawk).
These improvements include two parks to increase the public's access to
the soundfront -- one at the foot of Wright Brothers Memorial Bridge and one
along Moore's Shore Road. A nature area in the center of Kitty Hawk Woods
would set aside an undisturbed area where the Town's residents can enjoy and
learn about the natural environment that helps make Kitty Hawk a special place
58

to live. Beach facilities near the old lifesaving station will provide the
public with better access to the ocean beach -- including parking space and
a bathhouse. Boat ramps, located at the ends of roads leading to
Currituck Sound and Kitty hawk Bay, will make it easier for the Town's
residents and visitors to reach the water and take advantage of the Town's
opportunities for fishing, swimming, and other water sports. A nature trail
through Kitty Hawk Woods and a bicycle trail looping through the woods,
village, and beach will further enhance opportunities for recreation in the
community.
Improvements and additions to the Town's road network will facilitate the
flow of traffic through the community. Additions to the public water supply
system will tie different sections of the community together into "loops"
which can ensure continued water supplies throughout the community if a major
water line should break down.
59

LAND USE PLAN, GOALS, AND POLICIES
This land use plan charts the course for future development in the Town
of Kitty Hawk. The people of Kitty Hawk recognize that growth will continue
in the community. It is a very desirable place to live and to visit; more
people will undoubtedly come here. However, this growth should occur on the
community's terms. Kitty Hawk's residents want to maintain their existing way
of life, preserve the quality of the Town's scenic beauty and natural
resources, and maintain and improve the Town's economy and services.
The Kitty Hawk Land Use Plan consists of the land classification system,
the future land use map, and the Plan for Kitty Hawk which have just been
described. These illustrate where the people of the Town want future devel-
opment to take place and the type of development they want. The Land Use Plan
also consists of the following set of goals and policies formulated in
response to current conditions in the community and its residents' attitudes
toward future development. These goals and policies cover the Town's popula-
tion and economy, use of the land, the natural environment, community facili-
ties and services, and continuous public involvement in the planning process.
When combined with the land classification system and the Plan for Kitty Hawk,
these policies provide Kitty Hawk with a comprehensive plan for managing
development in the community -- a plan that accommodates growth while main-
taining the existing way of life of the Town -- a plan that gives Kitty Hawk
the means to guide its own future.
POPULATION AND ECONOMY
GOAL:
To keep track of population trends and economic trends in Kitty
Hawk and accommodate existing and future economic activities.
M.

POLICIES:
Population
The Town should use every means at its disposal to track and pro-
ject population growth, including a biennial census patterned
after the successful 1981 effort.
Economy
The Town will maintain and promote its appeal as a place to visit
and as a place to live by preserving its character as a low -density
beach community, by preserving its natdral beauty, and by planning
for public beach access'through the land use plan, zoning and
subdivision regulations, and other development policies.
The Town will encourage
and crabbing operations
economy*
USE OF THE LAND
GOAL:
the continuation of independent fishing
as a part of Kitty Hawk's traditional
To promote future development that is located and designed in
harmony with the existing low -density, mixed -use character of Kitty
Hawk and that preserves the public health, safety, and general
welfare.
POLICIES:
Kitty Hawk is primarily a low -density, residential community and,
therefore, does not wish to promote agriculture, forestry, mining,
industry, or energy facilities.
The Town will work with Dare County, Kill Devil Hills, and Southern
Shores to ensure that zoning and development adjoining its bound-
aries are compatible with adjacent land uses existing and planned in
Kitty Hawk.
The Town should maintain a mix of low -density and medium -density
residential uses, limiting multifamily dwellings to not more than
four units per acre.
The Town will review the existing RS-6 and RS-10 zones and revise
the zoning ordinance to reflect the low -density character of the
community.
The Town's commercial districts, as currently constituted, are
adequate.to meet the community's needs.
61

The Town will thoroughly review areas which constitute high safety
hazards along U.S. 158 Bypass and U.S. 158 Business before more
development is allowed to occur there.
The Town will review the existing commercial zones and revise the
zoning designation if they are developed as residential.
The Town will change residential development in commercial dis-
tricts to a conditional use which will follow the ordinance relating
to the type of residential development or will amend the zoning
ordinance to prevent residential development in existing commercial
districts unless they are rezoned to residential.
Owners of residential property are entitled to buffers from the
sights and sounds of commercial facilities; the Town will give
highest consideration to such buffers to protect the community's
residential character.
The town does not desire high-rise structures and will not support
high-rise development.
The Town's current height standards complies with the community's
desires and are consistent with the current scale of development and
with the capacity and capability of the fire department.
Utility, telephone, cable television, and other transmission lines
should be placed underground whenever and wherever feasible to do
SO*
The Town's zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and other
development policies should address aesthetic concerns and should
promote development that is at a scale and uses materials, appro-
priate to its physical surroundings.
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
GOALS:
To protect Kitty Hawk's valuable natural resources for use and
enjoyment by residents, visitors, and future generations.
To promote the proper design of development in hazardous areas for
protecting public safety.
POLICIES:
Soils
Due to the size of the lots of residential development, the design
of subdivisions (which has left the more unfavorable soils as open
space and the favorable soils for on -site sewage disposal), the Town
of.Kitty Hawk will be able to accommodate future growth on septic
systems. It is not anticipated that a public sewer system will be
necessary.
62

Areas of Environmental Concern
The Town of Kitty Hawk recognizes that the identification and pro-
tection of AECs is one of the central concerns of the Coastal
Management Program for North Carolina. Governmental intervention in
land development is necessary to assure the proper functioning of
the physical and biological systems.
The Town of Kitty Hawk will work with the appropriate State and
Federal agencies on conserving, managing, and protecting all
estuarine waters and their vital components.
The Town of Kitty Hawk recognizes the importance of coastal wetlands
as a breeding ground for fish, shrimp, and certain animals, birds,
and plants. No specific development activity is currently permitted
within this AEC.
The Town will work with the appropriate State and Federal agencies
in protecting the integrity of all public trust waters within the
Town of Kitty Hawk.
The Town will work closely with the County Health Department and
with the State Office of Coastal Management in managing estuarine
shorelines.
Within the ocean erodible areas, the Town will maintain the line of
oceanfront sand dunes by protecting the vegetation which stabilizes
the dune system and by eliminating further development in these
areas.
The Town encourages the construction and installation of wooden
walkways and steps to the beach, elevated observation platforms, and
sand fences in areas where erosion has occurred. The Town will
prohibit private bulkheads, jetties, groins, and similar structures
along the oceanfront except where structures are in imminent danger
from the Atlantic Ocean. Implementation of this policy is through
the CAMA permit -letting process, and enforcement of the beach driv-
ing and dune driving ordinances. The Town favors the use of groins,
bulkheads, jetties, and other similar structures to protect State
roads, municipal streets, and public utility systems. The Town
opposes spending municipal funds to construct such structures to
protect private property.
The Town will enforce the standards prescribed by the National Flood
Insurance Program for development in high hazard flood areas.
Sensitive Natural and Cultural Aareas
The Town of Kitty Hawk will identify the variety of natural and
manmade resources within the Town and work to preserve them;
encourage retention of forest growth and natural plant communities;
maintain a suitable habitat for animals and birds indigenous to the
area; and disturb the natural terrain as little as possible.
63

Until the Town can develop other appropriate ordinances and means
of enforcement, the Town and the Planning Board will encourage
citizens to protect such resources on a voluntary basis.
Although there are several cemeteries, these appear to be at or near
capacity. The Town should explore the possibility of expanding one
or more of these or creating a new cemetery to accommodate future
needs.
Litter, Noise, and Insect Control
The Town will vigorously enforce its anti -dumping and anti -littering
ordinance with cooperation from citizen volunteers.
The Town Council should recruit a volunteer Litter Control Officer
to enlist other citizen volunteers to clean up Kitty Hawk's road-
sides and trash dumps, as well as to patrol the more abused sites
to discourage further dumping.
The Town Council should investigate the possibility of using the
prison labor force to deal with the larger unauthorized dumps.
The Town will vigorously enforce (in cooperation with the Dare
County Sheriff's Office or the Kitty Hawk Police Departmment), the
noise abatement ordinance.
The Town, with due regard for environmental considerations and in
cooperation with County authorities, will encourage systematic
spraying and other practical insect controls.
COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES
GOAL:
To provide the residents of Kitty Hawk with efficient services
adequate to meet their needs for recreation, safe roads, safe water
supplies, education, health, and safety.
POLICIES:
Water Suvol
The Town of Kitty Hawk will vigorously pursue extending the Dare
County water system into unserved areas where growth is anticipated.
The Town of Kitty Hawk will attempt to project the community's
future water needs in relation to its growth potential.
The Town of Kitty Hawk will encourage Dare County to modify the
existing system into "loops" which will help to maintain service in
the case of malfunctions in the system.
64

Wastewater Treatment
The Town of Kitty Hawk will require developers and homeowners'
associations proposing and constructing "package" wastewater treat-
ment plants to file with the Town a copy of the management contract
between the developer and operator, the package wastewater treatment
plan, the rate structure, an engineer's statement that the rate
structure's minimum number of users will generate enough revenue to
maintain and operate the system, and a bond or other written assur-
ance that such facilities will be properly and continuously
maintained.
Roads
The Town of Kitty Hawk should identify those public streets in the
community which the local or state government is obligated to
maintain.
The Town will develop a policy for bringing private streets into the
Town maintenance system.
The Town of Kitty Hawk, in cooperation with the towns of Kill Devil
Hills, Nags Head, and Southern Shores, will work to expedite the
creation of a uniform street -naming and numbering system.
Recognizing that there is a strong possibility that portions of the
Beach Road may be destroyed by erosion, and that another north -south
road in Kitty Hawk Beach is necessary in any case, the Town will
take whatever steps are necessary and appropriate to make Lindberg
Avenue a viable north -south thoroughfare which could serve as a
replacement for the Beach Road if necessary. In order to insure
that this remains a viable option, the necessary right-of-way should
be acquired as soon as possible.
Recreation and Beach Access
The Town will formulate a beach access plan, with due consideration
to the future growth of its year-round and seasonal populations, and
will provide adequate beach access and other recreational facil-
ities for its residents and visitors.
The Town should study the need and potential for future recreational
facilities on the soundside, bike paths, and additional public beach
access points and parking areas. .
The Town should create a study committee to plan for, develop, and
maintain adequate recreational facilities.
The Town will improve and maintain all public beach access areas.
To protect public beach access areas from erosion, the Town should
keep the areas well -vegetated, stagger sand fencing, and construct
walkways across dunes.
65

The Town should adopt strong ordinances to keep people from weaken-
ing the barrier dunes.
The Town should adopt strong ordinances to control littering and
dumping at public recreation areas.
The Town should place trash receptacles at the most actively used
recreation areas.
The Town should acquire additional useful beach access areas and
related parking facilities when property becomes available, giving
priority to properties which are or may become unbuildable due to
natural forces.
The Town should apply for State and Federalassistancewhenever it
is available for acquiring, improving, or maintaining beach access
sites, related parking areas, and other public recreation facilities
and will cooperate with the State in every way possible to make
beach accessways available and operational.
The Town will work with Kill Devil Hills, Southern Shores, Dare
County, and private organizations leading to funds for recreation
facilities.
When necessary and appropriate, Currituck Sound and Kitty Hawk Bay
should be dredged in limited areas in accordance with relevant State
and Federal laws to permit access to those bodies of water from the
shores, streams, and canals of the Town of Kitty Hawk.
Disaster Evacuation
The Town should regularly review and actively participate in up-
dating the Dare County Evacuation Plan.
The Town should arrange periodic briefings of the citizenry, in
public meetings with the Dare County Evacuation Plan's coordinators,
regarding evacuation procedures and the location and staffing of
traffic control points and emergency first aid stations.
The Town should urge the N.C. Department of Transportation to pro-
ceed with plans and studies that will improve and/or increase the
evacuation capacity of existing roads and bridges.
Police and Fire Protection
The Town should give high priority to providing for immediate police
protection needs.
The Town, in cooperation with the fire department, should give high
priority to an ongoing study of means to ensure maximum fire
protection.
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The Town, in cooperation with Dare County, should maintain an up-
to-date fire hydrant location map and ensure that all hydrants are
visible, accessible, and in operating condition.
The Town should continue to require the installation of additional
hydrants as warranted by expansion of the county water system.
The Town should give full support to the Beach Central Communi-
cations System.
Trash Collection
The Town of Kitty Hawk should continue to contract with Dare County
for solid waste collection and disposal and to tax residents to
cover door-to-door collection as long as economically possible.
The Town should develop a garbage collection and disposal ordinance
including requirements for garbage can racks.
The Town should adopt policies and ordinances regarding cleaning up
existing unauthorized dumps and the removal of derelict automobiles
and other unsanitary, dangerous, and unsightly conditions.
Schools and Libraries
The Town believes that the County's present public school system is
adequate to serve Kitty Hawk's present needs and the needs of the
immediate future.
The Town believes that decentralization of the County's library
system is not warranted at this time.
Health Care
The Town of Kitty Hawk should support the ongoing county -wide effort
to provide 24-hour emergency medical services and a regional health
care facility.
The Town should encourage health care professionals to locate in the
community as its population expands.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
GOAL:
To ensure a strong public voice in the government of the Town of
Kitty Hawk.
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POLICY:
The Town of Kitty hawk will continue to encourage active public
involvement in the planning process and in all development manage—
ment decisions by officially notifying the public about the times
and agendas of Planning Board and Town Commission meetings and by
periodically conducting public opinion surveys.
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