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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAMA Land Use Plan Update 1996-97-1997., TOWN, OF MURFREESBORO CAMA LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1996-97 DCM COPY DCM COPY '!!!! lease do not remove..... Local Adoption: June 24,1997 CRC Certification: July 25, 1997 ' Coastal Management M Town of Murfreesboro Land Use Plan 1996 Update Prepared for Town Board: Jack A. Hassell Bill Theodorakis Jacob Ruffin, Jr. Bill Parker Wayne R. Brown and William W. Hill, Mayor Calvin Peck, Town Administrator Molly Eubank, Town Clerk Prepared by Planning Board: Bynum R. Brown James Eason Felton Murry Cecil M. Forehand, Jr. Joseph Dixon Clarence Wynn, Jr. Larry Carter Phil Royce With Assistance From: Mid -East Commission P.O. Box 1787 Washington, NC 27889 Jane Daughtridge, Planning Director Planner -in -Charge Rhoda Raymond, Planner/GIS Technician The preparation of this document was funded in part through a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management Program, through funds prodded by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I. INTRODUCTION A. Geographical and Historical Context Located in Hertford County, the town of Murfreesboro lies along the Meherrin River. Murfreesboro is the second largest of six municipalities in the county, exceeded in size only by the town of Ahoskie. In recent years, the town has expanded its niche as the cultural and historical center of Hertford County. Chowan College continues to play a large role in the life of the town. The Town's riverine location, along the Meherrin River was critical to its early development. Murfreesboro was settled as early as 1710, though Indian tribes, including Nottoways, Meherrins, and the Choanokes, were indigenous to the area prior to European arrival. In 1787, the town was incorporated by land donated by William Murfree, hence the name, Murfreesborough. The early town was oriented around the Meherrin river. By the mid 1800s, cotton, corn, lumber, turpentine, fish, and corn were being exported down the river. The college was founded in 1848, and along with agricultural exports contributed to the 19th century economy. Manufacturing developed in Murfreesboro around the 1950s. Lumber and wood products became the dominant industry, though textiles were important, as well. While manufacturing declined, both textiles and timber industries are still evident on the landscape today. B. Land Use Planning Land use planning in response to the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) of 1974, has a long history in Hertford County. The first county plan dated 1976. Prior to 1987, Murfreesboro was folded under the county plan. The town first embarked on CAMA land use planning in 1987, and the first update followed in 1993. This represents the third land use planning effort in the town. The original plan is utilized as a base for all updates. This is logical since some of the data incorporated into previous plans are still applicable today. Consequently, this update will, where applicable, refer to the original 1987 document and its update. New issues not existing in the past will also be addressed. H. Data Collection and Analysis A. Population Murfreesboro remains the second most populous town in Hertford County. Several isolated population trends can be identified (see figure 1). These include an increased dependence on the college, resulting in population trends largely affected by enrollment at the college. FIGURE 1 TOWN AND COLLEGE POPULATIONS Murfreesboro 1970-1990 1970 1980 1990 Town 2936 3007 2650 College 14721 1129 892 Town Population accounted for in College 50.14% 37.55%1 33.66% Population Change of Town in previous decade 2.42% -11.87% Population Change of College in previous decade -23.30% -20.99% Town Decline accounted for in College 1 66.39% Between 1970 and 1980, the town of Murfreesboro gained in population, while the college experienced a large decrease in enrollment, approximately 23%. However, from 1980 to 1990, both the town and the college experienced significant decreases in population. Over 65% of the loss in population in this decade can be attributed to declines in Chowan College enrollment. Declines in enrollment at Chowan College can be attributed to a number of other factors, including decline in college age students, increased academic standards at the college, and fewer foreign students. The decline in town population points out the important connection between the town and the college. The 1994 population estimate for the town is 2, 343, translating into a 9.2% decline in population since 1990. Only county level population estimates are calculated by the Data Center for post years post 1994. Hertford County's population is anticipated to decline slowly through the year 2020. The current decline in the town, should it continue, reflects the trend predicted at the county level. However, increased enrollment at the college could reverse population decline. The population of Murfreesboro will continue to be influenced in large part by the college. 2 The mobility of the population is diverse for a town the size of Murfreesboro. Though the mobility figures are influenced by the college, as well. Slightly over half the population of the town remained in the same house for the period from 1985 to 1990. FIGURE 2 RESIDENCE IN 1985 Where 1990 Residents lived in 1985 Abroad (1.77%) Outside of NC (19.1, Different County in NC (14.35%) Different House in Hertford Cty (11..-j,0j Same House (53.38%) The remaining population, which moved sometime between 1985 and 1990, contained only slightly larger populations moving within the state as compared to those moving between states and abroad. The Murfreesboro population is somewhat mobile compared to other Eastern NC locations where as much as 85% have remained within the county over the five year period. The other municipalities in Hertford County have less mobility; the transient nature of the student population is largely the cause of the increased mobility numbers in the town of Murfreesboro. Small, but racially diverse minority groups exist in the town. Murfreesboro's residents include White, Black, American Indian, Asian and Hispanic populations (see fig -are 3). FIGURE 3 RACE AND ETHNICITY Murfreesboro, 1990 Number Percent White 1564 59.02% Black 957 36.1% American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut 16 0.60% Asian or Pacific Islander 107 4.04% Other Race(usually Hispanic ethnicity) 6 0.23% Total Population 2650 100.00% 3 Though many of the populations are small in number, the racial diversity of the town is unusual given its size. Chowan College probably explains some of the racial diversity. Asian professors and students add an extra dimension to the town's racial makeup. Asian entrepreneurs live in the town as well, running a small Chinese restaurant. In addition, American Indian populations, specifically the Meherrin Indians, are located within Hertford County. In terms of ethnicity, there is a small Hispanic population, numbering 6 all from Mexico. The town of Murfreesboro contains all the major race and ethnic groups collected by the US Census. The age distribution of the 1990 population illustrates an elderly population that it is gaining relative to children ages 14 and younger. Population age estimates are available between censuses at the county level only. Since Murfreesboro's age composition differs significantly from county wide figures, the 1994 Hertford County figures will not have much applicability to the town. The 1990 figures indicate that the population is aging, as in most other places in the county and region. Figure 4 shows the percentages of population in various age groups for 1990. The large population in the late teens and. early twenties is explained by the college. The college students are transient in nature, and thus, are not rebuilding the population base by having children. Thus, the percentage of the population 65 and older, 17.8% outnumbers the population age 14 and younger , (14.6%). When the numbers of young people decline compared to older groups, it is an indication that future trends in population will be negative. The impact of young person population declines has already been felt in Hertford County in the form of consolidation of the schools. The population of Murfreesboro is much more diverse than its Hertford County neighbors. The mobility of the population indicates that over 1/3 of the 1990 population moved from other locations outside the county (within North Carolina, the United States, and the world). In addition, all the major racial and ethnic groups found throughout the United States are represented within the town's population makeup. A major factor in understanding all the population trends, such as mobility and racial diversity, is the presence of Chowan College. The college will continue in the future to influence the population trends of the town of Murfreesboro. B. Housina The total housing stock grew by 63 units between 1980 and 1990, but the number of vacant units also increased. Single person households increased just over 34%, while the total number of households only increased 6% (see figure 5). 4 FIGURE 5 HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS Murfreesboro 1980-1990 Chanize 1990 1980 1980-1990 Total Households 860 100.00% 811 100.00% 6.04% Single Person Households 247 28.72% 184 22.69% 34.24% Occupied Units 860 91.39% 811 93.43% 6.04% Vacant Units 81 8.61% 57 6.57% 42.11% Owner Occupied Units 584 67.91% 568 70.04% 2.82% Renter Occupied Units 276 32.09% 243 29.96% 13.58% Lack complete phunbing 241 2.79% 89 10.25% -73.03% This may be another indicator of the aging population. In addition, persons per household are decreasing, which helps explain how the population can decrease, while the number of households increases. In terms of tenure, renter occupied units increased relatively little, implying that the recession did not have as great an impact on the lives of Murfreesboro citizens as on others around the country. However, almost one third of the occupied dwelling units in the town are now rental units. The units themselves whether renter or owner occupied tend to have some commonalties. The most common size of an individual unit was three bedrooms. FIGURE 6 HOUSING SIZE Murfreesboro, 1990 1990 1990 Number Percentage No bedroom 17 1.81% 1 bedroom 72 8.37% 2 bedrooms 187 21.74% 3 bedrooms 491 57.09% 4 bedrooms 152 17.67% 5 or more bedrooms 22 2.56% Vehicles Avaflable None 130 15.12% 1 288 33.49% 2 339 39.42% 3 or more 1031 11.98% 5 Over half of the units in the town are three (3) bedroom units. Two (2) and (4) bedroom units make up the remainder of the housing stock. Most of the units tended to have one (1) to two (2) vehicles. The current housing stock appears to be aging. Over half of the housing units in the town were built between 1950 and 1969 (see figure 7), indicative of America's post war boom. FIGURE 7 HOUSING AGE Murfreesboro 1990 Year Structure Built Number Percentage 1985 to 1990 38 4.04% 1980 to 1984 63 6.70% 1970 to 1979 136 14.45% 1960 to 1969 245 26.04% 1950 to 1959 240 25.50% 1940 to 1949 119 12.65% 1939 or earlier 100 10.63% TOTAL 941 100.00% Recent housing starts have been few in number. From 1985 to 1990, thirty-eight (38) new houses were built in the town, representing less than 5% of the existing housing stock. A substantial portion of the town's houses, approximately 10% or 100 units, were built prior to 1939. Twelve (12) buildings in historic district fall into this category. Despite the fact that the housing stock is aging, overall housing conditions appear to have improved, with 73% fewer units reporting incomplete plumbing facilities since 1980. This is due to the town's commitment to provide water and sewer to every home in the town limits, made possible through CDBG housing rehabilitation grants and other sources. C. Economy The labor force of Murfreesboro decreased by 257 persons between 1980 and 1990; however, the unemployment rate improved from 6.3% to 4.0% during the same period. Recent unemployment figures are available at the county level only. Unemployment in Hertford County for 1994 was 6.4%. The largest employment sectors for citizens of Murfreesboro are Education Services, Retail Trade and Manufacturing. 0 FIGURE 8 EMPLOYMENT BY SECTOR Murfreesboro 1990 Industry Persons Percent Agriculture, forestry,and fisheries 51 5.6% Mining 0 0.0% Construction 52 5.7% Manufacturing,nondurable goods 129 14.2% Manufacturing, durable goods 62 6.8% Transportation 24 2.6% Communications and public utilities 0 0.00 Wholesale trade 17 1.9% Retail trade 138 15.2% Finance, insurance, and real estate 40 4.4% Business and repair services 101 1.1% Personal services 9 1.0% Entertainment, and recreation services 5 0.5% Health services 32 3.5% Educational services 261 28.7% Other professional and related services 61 6.7% Public administration 19 2.1% TOTAL 910 100.0% Education Services increased 3.2% over 1980, probably as a result of the change in Chowan College from two to four years of study. Even though it remains a strong employment segment, retail trade actually showed the greatest loss as a percent of employment since 1980, moving from 20.9% to 15.2% in 1990. Retail sales is anticipated to regain strength by the next land use plan update, since the closing of Lowe's should be offset by the opening of Advance Auto Parts and Food Lion. Gross retail sales for 1992 amounted to $35, 592, 000. The County figures have shown an increase from 1992 to 1995 in gross retail sales of 13.74% according to the NC Department of Revenue. Given that Murfreesboro is experiencing a similar increase in retail sales, a 1995 town estimate for retail sales amounts to $40, 482, 000. Manufacturing firms in the area generally are concerned with small contract sewing, commercial printing, and agricultural fertilizers. Many of the manufacturing firms in the area (see figure 9) have remained in the area since the 1987 Land Use Plan. 7 FIGURE 9 MANUFACTURING FIRMS Murfreesboro,1995 Firm Product Employees B & B Contract Cutters Contract Cutting 4 Howell Metal Corporation Industrial Equipment Parts 21 Murfreesboro Machine Shop Fabrication Machinery 22 Murfreesboro Manufacturing Sportswear and Piece Goods 165 Murfreesboro Veneer Furniture Grade Veneer 58 Revelle Agri Products Irrigation Systems 25 Revelle Builders Construction 25 Revelle Grain Company Feed & Seed 4 Rose Brothers Paying Asphalt 49 Ro ster Mid -Atlantic lBlend Fertilizer 6 However, downscaling of employees has occurred at these operations. The major exception is Rose Brothers Paving which continues to expand its operation. Major employers of the town, which includes some of the manufacturing firms, are shown in figure 10. FIGURE 10 MAJOR EMPLOYERS Murfreesboro 1995 Firm Business Employees Chowan College Higher Education 175 Murfreesboro Manufacturing S rtswear/Piece cods 165 Murfreesboro Veneer Furniture Grade Veneer 58 Rose Brothers Paying Asphalt 49 Food Lion Grocer 25 B rd's Grocer 25 Murfreesboro Machine Shop Fabrication 22 Town of Murfreesboro IPublic Administration 15 The largest employers in the town are a mix of manufacturing firms, administrative offices and institutions, and grocers. By far, the town's two largest employers are Murfreesboro Manufacturing, which produces textile goods and Chowan College. The college provides the largest employment opportunity for higher educated persons; many of the other employment opportunities cater to technical trades or unskilled workers. Tourism has been rapidly increasing in Murfreesboro over the years. Promoted by the Murfreesboro Chamber of Commerce and the Murfreesboro Historical Association (MHA), several special events have been cultivated to attract growing numbers of visitors. The town's historic resources have long been a draw to the area. MHA offers guided and self -guided tours through the Historic District where seven buildings are open to the public. The Town also has added special events such as the Antiques Fair in the spring and the Watermelon Festival in summer. A progressive dinner through the Historic District at Christmas, known as the Candlelight Christmas is another popular event. The tourists come from a wide variety of areas, but the largest number of out of state guests will hail from Virginia. In the 1987 plan, the number of visitors was estimated at 1500 annually. Today the estimate has grown to 32, 000 or more per year; the Watermelon Festival alone attracts 20, 000 visitors. Tourism was addressed in 1989 Downtown . Waterfront Development Plan, and the town has implemented promotional events discussed in that plan. Income was up at all levels. Per capita income jumped 59.9% from 1980 to 1990, but still lagged behind the county, region, and state. In constant dollars (i.e. adjusted for inflation), the per capita buying power increase was 5.74%. Average income reported from wages and salaries increased 66.3%, while self employed income (other than farms) declined slightly. This change may indicate that former independent business people are having to go to work for others to earn a reasonable living. Household income, though also increasing, remained considerably low. Almost 40% of Murfreesboro's population has a household income of less than $15,000 annually (see figure 11). FIGURE 11 INCOME Murfreesboro 1990 Household Income Households Percent Less than $5,000 72 8.62% $5 000 to $9 999 134 -16.05% $10 000 to $14 999 119 14.25% $15 000 to $24 999 152 18.20% $25,000 to $34,999 104 12.46% $35,000 to $49,999 118 14.13% $50,000 to $74,999 113 13.53% $75,000 to $99 999 23 2.75% $100,000 or more 01 0.00% Median Household Income 19654 There is not a large proportion of the population in any one income group. Median Household Income is slightly above the average for the county, which is reported at N $18,180. It is also interesting to note that no households report income of $100,000 annually or more. Poverty status for all persons in Murfreesboro worsened slightly, but poverty population constitutes less a percentage of the population in Murfreesboro than in Hertford County. The overall poverty level for Murfreesboro at 17.3% is also significantly lower than nearby towns, such as Ahoskie, Winton, and Elizabeth City, where poverty levels are at 28-29%. In Murfreesboro and other eastern NC towns, female headed households are among the poorest segments (see figure 12). FIGURE 12 POVERTY STATUS Murfreesboro 1990 Below Poverty Level 1989 Percent All versons 17.3 Persons 65 years and over 10.0 Female householder families 50.8 Children under 18 years 28.4 Just over half the female headed households are below the poverty level, while only 10% of the persons 65 or over live in poverty. The implication of these figures is that single mothers represent a larger portion of the poverty population than retired individuals. D. Future Implications for Population and Housing From a land use perspective, natural indications are that Murfreesboro may experience little demand for new housing starts except possibly multi -family elderly units to accommodate aging citizens who can no longer maintain independent dwellings. The aging trend will increase demand for health care and security services. Some active recruitment of in -migration from other areas could alter the natural trend. The expansion of Chowan College to a full curriculum 4 year institution has not resulted in population growth. College students now make up just under one-third of the Town's population, and the school is still one of Murfreesboro's largest land owners. Approximately 816 students are now enrolled (1995), and future estimates for the year 2000 predict increased enrollment around 950. Lack of economic opportunities in the town is the most critical issue. The population of the town is aging, since there are not viable economic livelihoods for young adults entering the labor force. Larger towns tend to attract more business and industry, and thus, more people, such that smaller towns find it difficult to break the pattern of 10 decline. Murfreesboro is presently straggling with methods for gaining population, since the last three decades have been characterized by steady and significant decline. If the town is able to provide economic opportunities to capture graduating students, the result could be a sustainable population base. M. Land Use A. Existing Conditions The Town limits encompass an area of about 1.5 square miles. Including the one mile extraterritorial jurisdiction, the Murfreesboro planning area covers about 8 square miles of Hertford County. U.S. 158/258 bisects the Town into northern and southern halves. A major north/south route in the area, NC 11 forms parts of the Town's eastern boundary. All the major highways that traverse the Town intersect in the east central section of the community. Here, US 158 and 258 divide. From this intersection, US 158 continues east to the town of Winton and US 258 continues north into Virginia. Murfreesboro has experienced slow changes in land use in recent years. The area experiencing the most profound change in the last ten years has been the western reaches of US 158/258, where strip commercial development has occurred. Residential development has been slow; however, new homes have been spatially concentrated in the southern and western quadrants of the planning jurisdiction. The town is currently undertaking an annexation study to examine the potential for incorporating some of those areas into the city limits. In recent years, two annexations have occurred, one in 1986 and another in 1991. In 1986, the Town boundaries were extended into the extraterritorial jurisdiction. On US 158/258 to the west, the Town annexed a fairly large area which included the Howell Metal operation, the new shopping plaza containing Byrd's Supermarket and a Family Dollar Store, and a residential neighborhood in the Jay Trail/Truitt Street area. The Town also acquired a large residential area by annexing the Roanoke-Chowan Regional Housing Authority (RCRHA) project and the new residences that have been constructed across from the project on State Road (SR) 1157. The 1986 annexation also extended the Murfreesboro town limits south on NC 11 to include the Fox Ridge townhouse development and Whitely's BBQ. The 1991 annexation added additional contiguous territory to the area annexed in 1986. This annexation included the Food Lion Shopping Center. As shown on the Map of Existing Land Use, most of the land within the Town limits has been developed. Residential uses predominate, however the Town has an 11 extensive area of commercial development along Main Street and two large industrial areas have developed in the northern half of the Town. The town's oldest buildings are found in the north central area of the community near the river. The Murfreesboro Historic District occupies an area of about six square blocks, bounded by Wynn, Williams, and Second Streets. Many notable historic structures in the area are found north of Broad Street between Sycamore and Fourth Streets. Most residential dwellings in Murfreesboro are single family structures. The Town does however, have two major multifamily developments. The oldest, the RCRHA project, contains 50 low income, multifamily units. The Fox Ridge townhouse development off NC 11 was constructed in the early 1980s. This project contains 32 multifamily units. The planning area also contains six mobile home developments; five are located in the extraterritorial area. Within the Town limits on US 158 is the Murfree Trailer Court. Southwest of town is found the Westwood Mobile Home Park on SR 1157 and the Deerfield Mobile Home park on SR 1182. The Woodbridge Mobile Home Park is found northeast of town across the river on US 258. Although most residential development has occurred within the Town limits, there has also been considerable development in the extraterritorial area, particularly in the southern half of the Town. A few homes have been built along SR 1179 south of Chowan College, and there has been considerable residential development, as well as commercial development, along US 158/258 west of Murfreesboro. The Town has a number of churches of all denominations, and several public buildings including the Roberts -Vaughn Village Center, the Murfree Center, and the Town Hall. The largest institutional use in the Town is Chowan College. The college owns a large area of land in the south-central portion of Town between Union Street and Lakeview Drive. The college maintains a number of buildings including dormitories, academic and administrative buildings, and an athletic complex. The most recent building at the college dating 1982, is the Graphic Arts Center. Three major industrial areas are found within the Town. The oldest industrial area is found near the river. The old Georgia Pacific facility, at the east end of Broad Street between East and Third Streets extending north almost to the river, is currently occupied by Murfreesboro Veneer. This plant produces furniture grade veneer. Also located in this vicinity is Royster Mid -Atlantic Company, a fertilizer distributor, which has a large retail distribution warehouse along the river at the north end of Hart Street. As the Town developed, industry expanded inland away from the river. A second major industrial area in the Town is found along Broad Street between Winder and Lawrence Street. The area extends north along Commercial Street and east along Darlene 12 Street. Revelle Builders (building services and supplies) and Murfreesboro Manufacturing (textile products) are located here. The third industrial area within the Town, a 1986 annexation area, is the Howell Metal Corporation operation (producer of industrial equipment parts) on US 158/258 on the western edge of the Town. There are several scattered industrial areas in the extraterritorial jurisdiction including an old cement -mixing plant on US 158/258 and Rose Brothers sand and gravel operation off US 258 near the river. Commercial areas have developed both inside and outside the town limits. Main Street between First Street and West Street is dominated by commercial uses although some residential uses remain. The downtown commercial area extends one block north and south of Main street in some places. Other commercial uses include the shopping plaza containing the.Byrd's Supermarket, Revco Drugstore and the Family Dollar Store. Commercial uses extend along US 158/258 in and outside the town limits. Although there has been considerable development in the extraterritorial area along existing roads, most land within the extraterritorial jurisdiction remains undeveloped. Agricultural uses predominate. The planning area has one large tract of commercial forest land on the east side of US 258 north of the river. This tract, owned by Union Camp Corporation, extends north of the municipal wastewater treatment plant almost to the one - mile boundary, and extends southeast to the river. Scattered areas of woodland are found surrounding residential areas and between tracts cleared for agriculture. The remainder of the extraterritorial area has been cleared for farmland, and much of it is still used for agriculture. The vast majority of land north of Murfreesboro along SR 1302 (Wynn Street) and SR 1300 is used for farming. Excluding the development that has occurred on the west side of SR 1300, cleared agricultural land is broken only by scattered clumps of woodland. Other large areas of agricultural land are found along SR 1180, NC 11, and US 158 Bypass. Although some strip residential development has occurred along these roads, cleared farmland adjoins residential properties. B. Recent Development/Future Growth Since 1990, the majority of new development has been residential (see figure 13). The area with the greatest concentration of residential development has been the Jay Trail area; 15 single family homes have been constructed in that area since 1992. Other single family homes have been constructed on Maple Street, Spring Avenue and extension, and Spring Branch Road. Much of the residential construction has been in the southeastern area inside the city limits, though some construction has been occurring in the eastern and 13 western portions of the planning jurisdiction off of US 158, US 158/258, SR 1157 and SR 1180. FIGURE 13 BUILDING PERMITS Murfreesboro,1990-1995 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 to 4/1 3 S/F Residential 6 S/F Residential 5 S/F Residential 2 S/F Residential 13 S/F Residential 7 S/F Residential 3 S/F Residential 1 Institutional 1 M/F Residentiall 3 Commercial 1 2/F Residential 2 2/F Residential 2 2/F Residential 1 Commercial 1 Commerciall 1 Commercial 2 Cornmerciall 1 Commercial While new commercial buildings have been few, those business which have constructed a building in the last five years include uses such as an auto shop, gas stations (2), bank, auto parts shop, and mini warehouses. C. Land Use Concerns The two major land use concerns expressed by the Town in the 1987 and 1993 plans, were nuisance and traffic problems related to industrial development along the river in the northeast corner of the town and traffic safety problems related to strip commercial development along US 158/258 at the western end of Town in the extraterritorial jurisdiction. Neither of these land use issues is currently a concern for the town. The Hwy 158 bypass around Murfreesboro has been constructed since the last land use plan. The bypass has alleviated traffic concerns throughout the town. The Hwy 158 bypass around Murfreesboro was completed in 1995. The new highway alleviates some of the traffic congestion along Main Street through Murfreesboro. Currently, the uses along the bypass include mixed agricultural and single family residential. Areas along the current bypass are outside the town's planning authority, though future annexations may bring the area along the bypass into the extraterritorial jurisdiction. The Bypass is a limited access facility, which means that additional roads or driveways not currently existing will not be permitted to join the highway. Currently seven (7) interchanges exist which could be utilized to spur some future commercial development, and access roads could be a possibility for encouraging more dense commercial development. Though the area along the Bypass is not currently under the town's planning authority, controlled development along the bypass is in the town's best interest. 14 D. Development Controls 1. Regulatory Controls Local codes, regulations, and ordinances are as follows: The Murfreesboro Town Code; The Murfreesboro Zoning Ordinance; Mobile Home Park Regulations (included in the zoning ordinance); Sign Ordinance; Historic District Regulations (administered by the Historic District Commission); Septic Tank Regulations (enforced in the ET7 by the county); Nuisance ordinance; Flood plain regulations under National Flood Insurance Program (apply to small area along the Meherrin River). Local ordinances controlling land use decisions have not changed over the past five years. Subdivision regulations were mentioned as forthcoming in the last plan; however, the town has been unable to find an appropriate set of model subdivision regulations. The town continues to look for simplistic regulations that are only minimally restrictive. The zoning ordinance update, anticipated in the last plan, was not accomplished, though there have been periodic amendments to the ordinance. Several amendments to the Town Code have been made since the last land use plan update. In August 1993, the Minimum Housing Standards clause was added. Other additions to the Town Code included a consumption of alcohol ordinance, or open container law and concealed weapons law, which outlawed concealed weapons on all town property. 2. Development Plans The town hired an new Administrator in 1995. The administrator's philosophy towards growth is one of incorporating areas with existing services and improving existing services for those areas inside the town. The new administrator is actively pursuing grants and technical assistance for subdivision regulations, digital parcel maps, and projects relating to rehabilitation of existing town facilities. The State's Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) lists one project in the Murfreesboro area which could impact development, though its expected time of completion is currently unknown. The 1996-2001 TIP has identified a future need to widen US 158, the Murfreesboro Bypass to US 13. This project could be an issue in the next land use plan update. 15 The Hertford County Disaster Relief and Assistance Plan is still in effect for response to natural disasters such as storm events, as well as man-made hazard disasters, such as chemical spills or other toxic exposures. While the Town does not have a formal Solid Waste Plan, it now contracts with a private solid waste contractor. The town pays a set fee for each house, as well as, tipping fees. A yard waste composting site was developed at the end of Carver Street, east of town, just outside the corporate limits. 3. Development Policies Like most small towns in rural areas, Murfreesboro encourages development and deeply respects private land development decisions. However, the town also seeks to maintain property values and quality of life for its citizens. A spirit of cooperation and compromise is evident in the number of special exceptions, conditional uses, and zoning map changes, which have been approved by the various boards for local property owners. Local growth policy encourages controlled development through enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance and the Historic District regulations. The Town Administrator and Town Clerk both work closely with the Planning Board/Zoning Board of Adjustment, providing staff functions and advice. IV. Development Constraints A. Land Suitability Compared to other areas of the state, there are few physical factors constraining land development in Murfreesboro. Land use constraints can be classified into one of three categories: physical limitations, fragile areas, and areas of resource potential. 1. Physical Limitations for Development. A variety of factors determine the suitability of land for development. These include soil and subsoil conditions, topography, potential for flooding, and existing land uses in the development area. • Flood Prone Areas: As shown on the Map of Land Use Constraints, the Murfreesboro region has a small area along the Meherrin River and Worrells Mill Swamp which is subject to periodic flooding. The Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) has defined the Zone A flood plain as those areas which have a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any year. In communities, such as Murfreesboro which participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, the lowest floor of residential buildings must be elevated at or above flood level as determined by FIA; non-residential above base flood level as 16 determined by FIA; non-residential structures can be flood -proofed instead. In the Murfreesboro area, a narrow Zone A flood plain is located along both banks of the Meherrin River in the north east corner of the planning area. The 100 year flood plain also extends south from the river along Worrells Mill Swamp. A small portion of this flood prone area is located within the Town limits with the major portion located in the extraterritorial area. Soils and Slone: The presence of poor soils and steep slopes also limit the development of land resources. Soil conditions determine the suitability of the land for in -ground sewage disposal systems. Before land can be built upon the stability, bearing capacity, and erodibility of the soil must also be considered. The major soils found in the Murfreesboro area are listed in Figure 14. As noted on the Murfreesboro Area Soils map, within the Town limits, soil types GpA, GoA and the Norfolk type soils predominate. Within the corporate limits, soil type GpA identifies developed urban land. Dorovan soils are poorly drained organic soils on flood plains and are found in the extraterritorial area along the river. These soils are poorly suited for urban or recreational uses, and are considered poor soils for crop or pasture land as well. Dorovan soils have severe limitations for building construction and for the location of septic systems. Moreover, at certain times of year, the high water table is above the soil surface in some places (not "plus sign" in "depth to high water table" column in Figure 14). Norfolk type soils: NoA, NoB and NoC are the major soil types found in the remainder of the extraterritorial area. Norfolk soils have only slight limitations for building construction and only moderate limitations for septic systems. It is especially important to note soil conditions in the extraterritorial area where public sewage is not available. Winton soils are well drained soils on bluffs along rivers and major tributaries. In the Murfreesboro area, Winton soils are found in the west side of the river on the bluff about the river's flood plain. The topography of this area limits its development potential. Slopes in this area are steep and generally are greater than 12%. 17 FIGURE 14 SOIL CHARACTERISTICS Murfreesboro 1984 Limitations For. Buildings w/o Se ptic Runoff Depth to High Code Soil Type Sloe Basements Tanks Potential Water Table 8 BB Bibb 0% Severe Severe Moderate 0.5 -1.5 BoB Bonneau loamy sand 0-6% Slight Moderate Low 3.5 - 5.0 BoC Bonneau loamy sand 6-12% Moderate Moderate Low 3.5 - 5.0 CrD2 Craven fine sandy loam 8-12% Moderate Severe Moderate 20 - 3.0 DO Dorovan 0% Severe Severe High 0.5 - +1.0 30 GpA Goldsboro -Urban Complex 0-2% Moderate Severe Slight 20 - 3.0 LF Leaf loam (% Severe Severe 0.5 -1.5 Lv Lynchburg fines loam 0% Severe Severe Moderate 0.5 - 1.5 Q • �y� p .. �� i ..,o -_ . j � ...�.y.�.}�.: f ems,{' - I A./���. ,4L�t�i „X1�'(k�}�/�d�!"V. vaj- a• 1 r.. ME .V ;.I ), _ � �, Severe � w, „-`aa. Severe wi.. Moderate .emu , , ,EF. �Y`V`4`6. 0.0 - 1.0 Ra Rams fine sandy loam 0% RuA Rumford loamy sand 0-3%1 Shghtj S' t Slight >6.0 Se Seabrook loamy sand 0% Severe Severe Moderate 20 - 4.0 TaB Tarboro sand 0-5% Severe Severe Low >6.0 Ud Udorthents, sandy Winton 0% 12-60% Severe Severe Moderate 20 - 4.0 WT g°; Pram farmland soils On site investigation needed; soil characteristics vary. Definition of Limitations: SLIGHT: GeneraRy favorable for described actMty, Minor limitations only. MODERATE: Not favorable for described use, and special phnnin& des4A or maintenance is required to overcome or mini a limitations. SEVERE: Soilproperties or site features are so unfavorable or difficult to overcome that Ispecial design, sigifficant increases in constriction costs and sib increased maintenance will be required. 18 • Groundwater: The Town obtains its water from groundwater resources. The extensive groundwater reservoirs of the state's Coastal Plain region were considered a relatively unlimited source of water supply until recent years. Northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia share an aquifer system. Studies have documented that groundwater levels have been declining for a number of years. The largest declines have been noted in the groundwater layer serving a large portion of Hertford County and are attributed to relatively large water withdrawals in Virginia. The area's aquifer system can be divided in three hydrogeologic units: the Cretaceaus aquifer system; the Teritiary aquifer system, and the water -table aquifer. The Cretaceaus aquifer provides Hertford County with much of its groundwater and is the aquifer in which the largest water level declines have been noted. The water -table aquifer recharges the underlying artesian aquifer units. In the Winton area, the layer lies close to the surface in many soils and is very vulnerable to pollution from septic tanks, industrial and municipal waste disposal, landfills, and agricultural activities. In an effort to protect public water supplies, many communities are now regulating development in this recharge area of public wells. Development has already occurred near two to the Town's three public wells, and to date, has produced no water quality problems. The Town's downtown commercial area lies just south of the Sycamore Street well. Residential uses adjoin both the Townes well at the intersection of Spring Avenue and SR 1157 and the Town's third well of SR 1180 in the southwest corner of the extraterritorial area. 2. Fragile Areas. The Murfreesboro area is rich in natural and cultural resources. The extent and location of these resources should be considered as development decisions are made. • AEC: The Murfreesboro area has three Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs): the waters of the Meherrin River and the river's shoreline - up to 75 feet of its normal high water level, as well as the waters of the tributaries to the Meherrin River. The Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) of 1974 established the Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) and specified that the CRC identify and designate "areas of environmental concern" AECs. AECs are areas with natural or cultural resources which are of statewide concern. Four categories of AECs have been developed: the estuarine system; the ocean hazard system; public water supplies; and natural and cultural resource areas. It has been determined that unregulated development in these areas have a high probability of causing irreversible damage to public health, property, 19 and the natural environment. Thus, the CRC has developed guidelines for development in these areas. According to the guidelines established by the CRC, most projects in AECs require a CAMA permit. "Minor" development permits (generally projects occupying less than 20 acres or involving structures less than 60, 000 square feet) are issued by a local permit officer. "Major" development permits are issued by the Division of Coastal Management. The AECs in Murfreesboro are part of the estuarine system. Four types of natural areas are included in this system: estuarine waters, public trust areas, coastal wetlands, and estuarine shorelines. Public trust areas are water and submerged lands in the coastal region where the public has traditionally had the right of use, including the right of navigation. All navigable waterways in the coastal areas - including the Meherrin River and its tributaries - are considered public trust AECs. The shoreline of the river is also considered an AEC. For management purposes, all water in the state has been classified into one of three categories - inland fishing water, where fishing is regulated by the Wildlife Resources Commission; coastal fishing water, where fishing activity is under the jurisdiction of the Marine Fisheries Commission; and joint fishing waters, where regulations developed by agreement of both agencies control development along the river and within 75 feet of the mean high water level - the "estuarine shoreline". Aside from the Estuarine shoreline and waters of the Meherrin River and tributaries, no other areas of environmental concern have been identified. The State Natural Heritage Program has no record of any endangered species or habitats, or rare geologic areas within the planning area. The Town has within its corporate limits, a number of buildings of historic importance and the NC Department of Cultural Resources has identified 46 archaeological sensitive areas in the planning area. The historic area constitutes another type of fragile area. • Historic Areas: The Town's National Register Historic District currently occupies an area of about six square blocks north and south of Main Street between Winder and Fourth Streets. State historic officials expect that the District will be enlarged in the near future and that a number of individually eligible properties will be proposed for National Register listing. Eight properties within the District have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places (Figure 15), and a ninth National Register property, the Columns, is located outside the district on the grounds of Chowan College. The Town's Historic District has also been identified as an archaeological sensitive area. Inside the planning area, there are 46 recorded archeological sites. 20 However, there has never been an intensive survey of the area inside the town, and it is likely that there are other unknown sites present. 3. Areas of Resource Potential. • Prime Farmland: Most of the planning area outside the town limits is currently used for agricultural purposes. According to the US Department of Agriculture, much of that land is prime farmland. Agricultural officials have observed that prime farmland will be of major importance in providing the nation's short and long range needs for food and timber. To that end, conservation of prime farmland has become a national objective and is an important state agricultural goal as well. Prime farmland is defined by its current use (urban, built up, and water areas cannot be considered prime farmland) and by the soils that comprise it. In Murfreesboro, the CaB, GoA, NoA, NoB, and NoC soils are considered prime farmland soils. These soils have properties that are favorable to the production of sustained high yields of crops. According to agricultural officials, these soils produce the highest yields with minimal inputs of energy and economic resources, and farming these soils results in the least damage to the environment. As shown on the Murfreesboro area soils map, the region contains a fairly extensive area of the Norfolk soils. These soils are well distributed throughout the planning area, with the majority being found in the extraterritorial area. • Other: Areas of resource potential also include state parks, forest and wildlife preserves; private game preserves; and areas of valuable mineral deposits. The Murfreesboro planning area contains no public or private areas of resource potential as listed and no known mineral deposits. B. Facility Limitations Population growth has been negative in both the Town of Murfreesboro and Hertford County since 1980; therefore there should be no shortfall in provision of public services. The primary issues related to facilities will be State and Federal regulations which impact the cost of providing these services. • Water Service. According to the 1990 census, all housing units in Murfreesboro are now served with public water. Well capacity is 3000 gallons per minute or 4.32 million gallons per day (GPD), the 3.5 million gallons per day reported in the 1987 Land Use Plan represent an underestimate of capacity; capacity has not increased. 21 Storage capacity is still 575,000 gallons or just under two days usage. Water demand, shown at 400,000 GPD in 1987 and 313,482 GPD in 1993, is currently 324,000 GPD. • Sewer Service. According to the 1990 census, 98.6% of all housing units in Murfreesboro are provided with public sewer service. In recent years, several CDBG extensions of sewer service have been accomplished. These extensions have occurred at Revelle Park/Story Road and Rose Road. In addition, CDBG funds have been used to bypass a current lift station. Perdue Farms in Northhampton County, near Conway, was able to connect to the town's gravity line. Average usage amounts to 280,000 GPD, or 240,000 GPD when the college is not in session of the system capacity at 476, 000 GPD. The system is currently operating at 59% of its total capacity. A 1988 study and subsequent corrections to the sewer system reduced infiltration problems. In the next two to three years, another study concerning the age of the sewer lines should be accomplished. The sewer piping will be examined to assess the need for relining. • Police. Fire, and Rescue Protection. The Murfreesboro Police Department has a staff of 9 officers, including the Chief. This is a ratio of one officer for every 295 persons. The Murfreesboro Volunteer Fire Department has a paid chief on staff and 19 volunteer fireman. The Rescue Squad provides protective services with one paid staff and 14 certified EMT volunteers. • Public Administration. The Town employs four full time administrative personnel. The Town administrator also acts as the zoning administrator and both the Administrator and Town Clerk provide support for the planning boards. • Solid Waste. The Town currently provides solid waste service to 975 housing units. Recycling services are available through a private solid waste contractor, ARS, which collects paper, glass, aluminum, and some plastics. For yard waste, a composting site is available at the end of Carver Street. Smithton currently provides curbside pickup once a week. The Town pays tipping fees of $40 per ton for all waste. Since the last land use plan, the Town has switched from utilizing the Hertford County landfill to the regional landfill in Bertie County. Tipping fees did not increase in this transition. • Public Schools. The school system in Hertford County was consolidated in 1989, with one of four elementary schools in the county and a new middle school for the county being located in Murfreesboro. Riverview Elementary teaches kindergarten through 22 fifth grades and Hertford County Middle School teaches grades 6 through 9. Neither of these schools is operating near capacity at this time, and no surges in school age population are anticipated in the next five years. • Roads. Improvements and proposals in highway service tend to acknowledge the linkages between Hertford County and the Tidewater area of Virginia. The 158 bypass, now completed, has helped to alleviate downtown traffic congestion and reestablish a small town atmosphere for shoppers and residents. Murfreesboro maintains local streets and through CDBG funds has improved streets in Revelle Park, and along Story Road and Rose Road, since the 1993 plan. No other major local proposals are under consideration at this time, although the Planning Board has expressed a desire to see the town extend brick sidewalks along main thoroughfares. • Implications. The existing public facilities are anticipated to be ample for even the most optimistic projection of growth over the planning period. Service personnel are adequate for the current population but would need to be reviewed if the population grows substantially. The rescue squad continues to rely heavily on the community spirit of volunteers. Solid waste is the area most likely to impact the Town's budget over the next five years. If processing or extraction industries which demand significant water and sewer usage were to locate in Murfreesboro, the Town would want to reevaluate this section and address outstanding needs at that time. 23 V. 1993 Policy Objective Assessment The following is a listing of policy goals the Town adopted in 1993 to protect and manage land use. Included are strategies that the Town intended to implement over the past five years in order to achieve these policy goals. The Planning Board and Town Administrator were asked to identify past strategies which had been pursued by Murfreesboro over the planning period. Reported attempts to implement the stated strategy was rated as "+." Partial attempts were rated as "1/2." No attempt was rated as ...... Issues which did not arise during the planning period were not rated. In all policy categories, there were a total of 39 proposed strategies, of which only 32 were applicable during the last planning period. The assessment discovered that 25.5 of the applicable strategies have been attempted, giving the Town an overall implementation rate of about 80%. 1. Resource Protection to support and enforce Federal, State and local regulations for septic tank installation or other waste treatment alternatives and building requirements in flood prone areas + attention to State guidelines for proper operation of land application wastewater systems + strong support for County enforcement of septic tank siting regulations + strict enforcement of local zoning ordinance +1/2 work with potential developers to encourage sewer line extension to areas experiencing septic problems to discourage industrial development, encourage recreation and tourism and support Federal, State and local restrictions with regard to AECs + strict enforcement and coordination of local zoning restrictions +1/2 support of CAMA permit issuing and Corps of Engineer wetland restrictions to conserve all fragile and hazardous areas, including manmade hazards, historic sites, and water supply areas and to preserve wetlands, marshes and swamps + enforcement of local zoning ordinance and historic district ordinances 24 + monitor water quality and quantity and modify zoning requirements in the well field area if necessary for buffer zone N/A to follow the Hertford County Emergency Management Plan for hurricane and flood evacuation needs to. protect potable water supplies from negative land use impacts + monitor water quality, and quantity and modify zoning requirements in the well field area if necessary for buffer zone try to gain access to information coming out of North Albemarle Study to discourage use of package treatment plants in favor of extending municipal services to area of need as long as excess capacity exists in facilities N/A require developers to tap onto municipal wastewater system unless can show that such a requirement is significantly more costly to property owners than an adequate package plant N/A rely on State and Federal standards when developers utilize package plant to continue existing procedures relating to storm water management + enforcement of zoning ordinance which limits impervious surfaces in residential areas to allow appropriate marina development along the northern run of the river under certain conditions and regulations N/A enforcement of local zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations N/A support for State and Federal regulations concerning marinas to conserve fragile areas from industrial development + support of existing State Federal and local requirements to encourage upland excavation for marina development in order to preserve the public trust waters for public use N/A support of CAMA actions taken in regard to this standard 2. Resource Production and Management 25 support conversion of farmland to appropriate new uses + enforcement of local zoning ordinance encourage commercial and recreational fishing of local water and support State agency regulation in regard to commercial operations + promote recreational and commercial fishing in the area to utilize existing resources by exercising careful management + regularly review existing and proposed development +1/2 regularly update the local zoning ordinance, historic district ordinance, and subdivision regulations to keep development requirements effective 3. Economic and Community Development to encourage and support wide variety of industrial development to enhance town's economic base + review by the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment all proposals for industrial development requiring conditional use permit or by the Planning Board and Town Council for rezoning actions + support the efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, Hertford County Industrial Developer, and the Committee of 100 + support existing State and Federal regulations regarding safety and responsibility to consider service extension proposals on a case by case basis + support and apply for grant funding such as CBDG or economic development projects which involve extension of services to rely on the local zoning ordinance for guiding urban growth into areas classified as Developed of Urban Transition + strict enforcement of zoning ordinance +1/2 update of local ordinances as necessary support prudent redevelopment + enforce building codes and local flood ordinance requirements 26 + follow Zoning ordinance for current allowed uses and patterns of redevelopment be committed to state and federal programs that will aid the Town in its goals for resource protection and community development + support advantages of higher agency programs which enhance quality of life for local residents + partner with state and federal agencies to enforce restrictions or review projects which impact the planning area to consider any proposal for energy facilities on a case by case basis N/A strict enforcement of local zoning ordinance with regard to allowable uses to continue current levels of support for tourism in the area + cooperation with local and State agencies and businesses promoting the area +1/2 enhance public access along the Meherrin River in long range efforts to promote current access points and apply for development funds in the future + monitoring use of facilities encouraging local property owners to continue donating undevelopable properties to the Town for public purposes to encourage appropriate density and location with regard to residential development and discourage dense development outside range of public water and sewer service close review of any subdivision proposal which would burden municipal services periodically review the zoning map for inconsistencies and patterns of undesirable use 27 VI. POLICY ISSUES The Town of Murfreesboro is a small, historic place with the Meherrin River running through it. Commerce addresses the basic daily needs of an aging year-round population and younger, college residents. Local industry has struggled in recent years. The Historic Commission is very active. Recreation opportunities are abundant, but reliant on personal initiative rather than organized public or private activity. Ten years from now, the town envisions a place very similar to the one you find today, but the hope is for greater economic opportunity as a result of attention to needed infrastructure improvements to accommodate growth, recruitment of new jobs, local efforts to promote historic and cultural tourism, and educational vibrance at Chowan College. The formulation of specific policy statements regarding growth and growth management objectives is probably the most important contribution of this land use plan update. The evaluation of the present population conditions, the condition of the land and water resources in the Murfreesboro planning area, and -the existing methods of policy enforcement sometimes suggests the need to modify policy to accommodate changes in local conditions. The Coastal Resources Commission requires that policies be addressed in five categories: Resource Protection Resource Production and Management Economic and Community Development Storm Hazard Mitigation Citizen Participation Each policy category is intended to cover all issues associated with growth for the Town in the coming years. The guidelines were prepared to accommodate a wide range of conditions found in communities in coastal North Carolina. Because of this, not all issues addressed by the guidelines are directly applicable to Murfreesboro. The policy statements for 1997-2007 are the results of recommendations, local input, and the Planning Board's experience in the Town's jurisdictional needs. These statements define the problem or opportunity, possible alternatives for action, the selected alternatives, and the means to implement those alternatives. Some of the issues are of great importance. Others are only vaguely applicable at this time. The Coastal Area Management Act provides a mechanism for amendments to local plans if conditions change in such a way that new local directions are desirable. There are three basic approaches which may be taken for resource issues: Preservation, Conservation, and Unregulated. For Resource issues, the Town will choose one of these approaches. A Preservation approach attempts to prohibit use altogether in order to save the resource in its natural state for future generations to enjoy. This approach requires adoption and strict enforcement of protective laws. An example might be prohibiting development in a known habitat for endangered species. If applied to private property, such restrictiveness is subject to legal challenge as a "taking" of property rights; however, the courts have ruled favorably in cases where public purposes were well defined. Other preservation strategies might involve public acquisition of property or negotiated easements for public use. A Conservation approach attempts to use resources sparingly in order to prolong their usefulness over a long period of time. This approach uses regulations, restrictions, • and incentives to control the rate or the way in which a resource is used. In a sense, it controls the supply regardless of the demand. Economic pressures are a fact of life for all communities and for the citizens therein. A realistic assessment of the existing resources and the rate at which the locality can afford to base them will guide strategy choices in this type approach. An unregulated approach supports use of resources in an uninhibited way in direct response to market forces. It has a relatively short-term focus and relies on the availability or development of substitutes when the resource is depleted. This approach thrives in the absence of regulation or enforcement, and may be desirable where resources are overabundant or substitutes are readily available. Any of these approaches is an alternative open to Murfreesboro as it explores policy options. For policy categories other than resource -oriented issues, these approaches may not be appropriate. In those cases, the policy statements have been written to convey general attitudes on a given issue. 1997 POLICY STATEMENTS 1. RESOURCE PROTECTION The Murfreesboro Planning Area is blessed with water resources and abundant prime farmland soils, providing economic and recreational opportunities for man, and habitat areas for herring and shad. Generally speaking, the Town relies on Federal and State regulations to protect natural resources. Vigorous local resource protection tools are not desired at this time. a. Constraints to Development. (1) Soil limitations are found primarily in flood prone areas, and in areas outside the Town Limits where municipal water and sewer service is not available. Septic tank suitability is generally a problem in the low-lying flood prone areas near the Meherrin River and Worrell Mill Swamp and in scattered locations in the southwest section of the ETJ. The Town is subject to a the Federal Flood Insurance program which shows floodprone areas adjacent to the river and swamp. Development in these areas must be situated above flood level in order to qualify for flood insurance and to meet the Building Code requirements. Present development in the flood prone areas is limited. The Town owns about 400 acres of the floodplain and another large plot in the northeast section of the ETJ is used for its wastewater land application site. 29 (2) The options are preservation, conservation, and unregulated. Prohibiting all development is not a desirable option; however, health and property risks make an unregulated approach an unacceptable choice also. (3) The approach shall be conservation. The policy shall be to support and strictly enforce Federal, State, and local regulations governing septic tank installation or other waste treatment alternatives and building requirements in floodprone areas. (4) The policy shall be implemented through local attention to State guidelines for proper operation of land application wastewater systems, by strong support for County enforcement of septic tank siting regulations, and by strict enforcement of the local zoning ordinance. The Town will also work with potential developers to encourage sewer line extension to areas experiencing septic problems. b. Local Resource Development Issues Relative to Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs). (1) Murfreesboro natural AECs are the Meherrin River and its shoreline and tributaries, including wetland areas. There are no Outstanding Resource Waters within the Murfreesboro jurisdiction. As mentioned in a.1 above, the Town holds most of the AEC shoreline acreage. (2) Options are preservation, conservation, and unregulated. (3) The approach shall be conservation. The Town recognizes that floodplains and wetlands possess the values of groundwater recharge and discharge, floodwater alteration, nutrient and waste retention and transformation, habitat protection, and recreation enhancement; and that these values make floodplains and wetlands worthy of protection for ecological and economic reasons. At the same time, the Town would like to better utilize its river resource for economic development purposes relating to recreation and tourism. The policy shall be to support current Federal, State, and local restrictions with regard to development in areas of environmental concern. The Town discourages industrial development near Areas of Environmental Concern. (4) Implementation shall occur through strict enforcement and coordination of local zoning restrictions to protect the public trust 30 waters and estuarine shoreline; and through support of CAMA permit issuing and Corps of Engineers wetlands restrictions. C. Protection of wetlands identified as of the highest functional significance. (1) No maps were provided by the Division of Coastal Management for this issue, so it does not apply at this time. d. Other Hazardous or Fragile Land Areas. (1) The Murfreesboro planning area has freshwater swamps and marshes, 404 wetlands, groundwater supply areas, historic resources, and man-made hazards (bulk fuel storage) to consider with regard to allowable land use in hazardous or fragile areas. There are no maritime forests, outstanding resource waters, commercial shellfishing waters or pocosins in the jurisdiction. The Town has an active Historic Properties Commission and a vibrant Historic District. The Town does not feel that Military Operating Area is an issue for them. Murfreesboro would not be directly effected by OCS gas and oil exploration, although there is general opposition to such a high risk environmentally hazardous industry developing along the coast most commonly used for ocean recreation in this area. (2) Options include Preservation, Conservation, and Unregulated. Since the listing above contains different types of sensitivity, the policy options for each may vary. (3) The -general approach for all fragile or hazardous area policies is conservation. Manmade hazards are currently recognized in the local zoning ordinance related to industrial uses. Historic sites are regulated locally by the Historic District Ordinance. Water supply areas are currently adequate from the standpoint of quantity, quality, and apparent land use impacts since the supply is derived from deep aquifer groundwater. The policy for swamps, marshes, and 404 wetlands is a -Preservation approach; i.e. holding these areas out of development to the greatest extent possible in accordance with State and federal regulations. Only water dependent uses are appropriate. (4) Implementation shall occur through enforcement of the local zoning and historic district ordinances, and support of State and Federal regulations. The Town will closely monitor water quality and quantity and modify the zoning requirements in the well field area if necessary to include a buffer around well sites. 31 C. Means of Protecting Potable Water Supply (1) A safe and adequate supply of drinking water is important to Murfreesboro, but this issue is not in jeopardy at this time. The groundwater supply is adequate in quality and quantity for the present and any anticipated growth during the planning period. During the last plan, a large pulp mill in Franklin, Virginia was causing significant drawdowns in the aquifer. There have been no recent studies, but one was reported to be under way in 1993 by the Division of Water Resources. The "North Albemarle" study was to do modelling over the next four to five years to try and determine large industrial impacts on water levels. Dry wells could be a significant issue in the future, and studies of these issues should be provided to the county and town for their information. (2) The options with regard to land use impacts are preservation, conservation, and unregulated. A preservation approach would disallow all development within a specified radius of public water recharge areas. This approach might require public purchase of those lands, and is probably not feasible for the Town in terms of both cost and benefit. An unregulated approach would allow any and all development according to market demand regardless of its impact on groundwater supply. Obviously, this approach is unacceptable. (3) The approach shall be conservation. The policy shall be to protect potable water supplies from negative land use impacts (4) . Implementation could occur through close monitoring of water quality and quantity and modification of the zoning ordinance to include a buffer requirement around well sites if a need arises. f. Use of Package Treatment Plants for Sewage Disposal (1) No individual systems other than septic tanks are currently operating within the Town's jurisdiction. Any dense residential development or large industry outside the municipal service area would probably be required to consider some package alternative. Package treatment facilities present certain issues of concern for local government: local water quality (where is the system discharging) and ongoing finance and upkeep of the system (who pays to keep it properly operating after the sale of land). (2) Options with regard to package treatment plants are limited to policies equal to or more restrictive than those imposed by the 32 State since the Division of Water Quality would be the permit issuer for such facilities. (3) The Town's policy on any future proposals shall be to discourage the use of package treatment plants in favor of extending municipal service to tho area of need as long as excess capacity exists in facilities. (4) This policy shall be implemented through a requirement for developers to tap onto the municipal wastewater system unless the developer can show that such a requirement is significantly more costly to property owners than a package plant adequate to meet the need. In such a situation, the Town would rely on State and Federal standards for safe operation and maintenance requirements. g. Stormwater Runoff and Its Impact on Coastal Wetlands, Surface Waters, or other Fragile Areas. (1) Stormwater runoff can be offensive to fragile areas because it is likely to contain toxic oil, grease, rubber, and other petroleum products washed from road surfaces during rainstorms, as well as pesticides and fertilizers from yards or agricultural uses, and eroded soils which contribute to turbidity, interrupting plans growth in shallow waters. Urban stormwater runoff inside the Town is channeled directly into the Towns wastewater system. Agricultural runoff from farms in the northern portion of the ET7 may affect the river; however, the Division of Environmental Management reports that there have been no fish kills and no compliance problems on the Meherrin during the planning period. (2) Options include greater control of impervious surfaces, careful assessment of current impact, or continue existing procedures. (3) The chosen policy shall be to continue existing procedures until a need is shown based on negative impacts. (4) Implementation shall occur through enforcement of the zoning regulations which limit impervious surfaces allowed in residential areas. 33 h. Marina and Floating Home Development and Dry Stack Storage Facilities for Boats, moorings and mooring fields (1) The Town has no commercial marinas as defined by CAMA within its jurisdiction at this time. There are no dry stack storage facilities or floating home development to date. Marina development would be desirable if precautions were taken to protect water resources. Most of the shoreline is subject to steep slopes. (2) Options are limited to policies which are at least as restrictive as or more restrictive than those imposed by the State in Title 15, Subchapter 7H, Section .0108(b)(5) of the North Carolina Administrative Code. (3) The policy shall be conservation. The Town desires protection from random marina development along its waterfront, but supports such development as is appropriately placed in the floodplain areas along the northern run of the river. The Town supports CAMA regulation of marinas. Dry stack storage facilities would be regulated by the local zoning ordinance and may be acceptable under certain conditions. Dry Stack facilities would be subject to local zoning restrictions. Floating home development does not apply at this time but an amendment to this plan would be considered. If the issue arises within the planning period. The Town would not categorically prohibit such development at the local level as long as it conforms to state requirements. Moorings and mooring fields would not be desirable to the town. Marinas are the preferred mechanism for accommodating vessels. (4) Implementation shall occur through strict enforcement of the local zoning ordinance and subdivision regulations and support for strict enforcement of State and Federal regulations. i. Industrial Impact on Fragile Areas (1) The industry which presently impacts on fragile areas is Georgia-Pacific's wood products plant which discharges into the river and affects the Historic District. No new industrial development would be permitted in such close proximity to fragile areas according to the current zoning scheme. 34 (2) Policy options include close scrutiny of proposed new industries in or near fragile areas through requirement of environmental impact statements prior to issue of building permits in or near fragile areas, or reliance on State and Federal standards for industrial development which impacts wetlands. (3) The policy shall be conservation. (4) Implementation shall occur through support of existing State, Federal, and local requirements. No additional action is deemed necessary. j. Development of Sound or Estuarine System Islands (1) THIS ISSUE DOES NOT APPLY. k. Restriction of Development That Might Be Susceptible to Sea Level Rise (1) THIS ISSUE DOES NOT APPLY. 1. Upland Excavation for Marina Basins (1) By CAMA standards, the highest preference for marina development site alternatives is "an upland site requiring no alteration of wetlands or other estuarine habitats and having adequate water circulation to prevent the accumulation of sediment and pollutants in boat basins and channels." Other alternatives, in rank order, are upland sites requiring dredging only for access, a deepwater site away from primary nursery areas and requiring no excavation, and open water sites requiring excavation of unproductive areas. (2) Policy options are limited to requirements which are at least as restrictive as, or more restrictive than, State standards. (3) The policy shall be conservation. The Town would encourage upland excavation for marina development, where feasible, in order to preserve the public trust waters for public use. 35 (4) Implementation shall occur through general support of CAMA actions taken with regard to this standard. The local government will not impose additional restrictions. M. Damage to Existing Marshes by Bulkhead Installation (1) THIS ISSUE DOES NOT APPLY. Steep slopes deter bulkhead installation. n. Water Quality Problems and Management Measures to Reduce or Eliminate Local Sources of Surface Water Quality. (1) Surface Water quality on the Meherrin River is reported as "Supporting" at this time. Murfreesboro does not have adequate staff or finances to initiate local programs that protect water quality, but the Town favors agricultural Best Management Practices, local citizen monitoring programs, and other State measures based on sound science to reasonably protect present and future water quality in the Meherrin River drainage area. 2. RESOURCE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT Murfreesboro relies for the most part on State and Federal regulations for resource production and management issues. Local zoning will also have an impact on this category of issues. In the Murfreesboro planning jurisdiction, agriculture is an important activity, but it is anticipated that land conversion will be taking place in the southern portion of the jurisdiction near the by-pass currently under construction. There are scattered prime farmland soils throughout the jurisdiction. No commercial forestry operations are within the jurisdiction any longer. There are also small commercial fishing operations, usually gill net operations. Recreational water use for boating and fishing represents a significant natural resource in this area. a. Productive Agricultural Lands (1) Agricultural production in the ETJ plays a significant but diminishing role in the economy. Prime farm soils are scattered throughout the planning area. (2) The options are preservation, conservation, and unregulated. Prime farmlands might be held out of lands available for development, but this approach would unfairly penalize farmers. A conservation approach would restrict allowable uses on .36 productive farmlands and discourage conversion to other uses. An unregulated approach would allow a variety of uses according to the locally adopted zoning ordinance and would facilitate conversion from farmland to other uses as a growth mechanism for the Town. It should be noted that Farmers Home Administration loans are not approved for projects which convert prime or important farmlands to other uses. (3) The policy shall be moderate conservation. Conversion of farmland to appropriately zoned new uses would not be opposed by the Town. (4) Implementation shall occur through continued enforcement of the local zoning ordinance. b. Commercial Forest Lands (1) There are no commercial forestlands within the Murfreesboro planning area. Though the Town is positively influenced by this industry, it is not a policy issue for the Town in terms of land use. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT APPLY. C. Existing and Potential Mineral Resource Areas (1) Sand mining is an economic presence outside the planning jurisdiction. Peat mining does not apply. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT APPLY. d. Commercial and Recreational Fisheries (1) A limited amount of commercial fishing does occur on the Meherrin River. These operations are usually gill net operations and the catch is most often Herring. Recreational fishing is popular in the area and is considered an important source of economic opportunity. (2) Options are preservation, conservation, or unregulated. However, State agencies do regulate this resource such that full-scale nonregulation is not feasible. Since this resource has important commercial and recreational appeal in this area, a preservation approach would also be very unpopular locally. 37 (3) The approach shall be conservation. The policy shall be to encourage commercial and recreational fishing of local waters and to support State agency regulations with regard to commercial operations. (4) Implementation shall occur through local promotion of recreational and commercial fishing. e. Off -Road Vehicles (1) These vehicles have no impact in areas of concern to CAMA and therefore no policy is required. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT APPLY. f. Development Impacts on Resources (1) The water is an important resource for Murfreesboro. It provides a habitat for fish and other wildlife, a recreational advantage to area residents, and a tourist or retirement incentive to people from other places. Adjacent wetlands also provide a —filter— for pollutants. Virtually every use of land exerts some impact on the water. Therefore, as growth occurs, the impact increases. Economic necessity drives the Town's willingness to grow and this is not likely _to change within the ten-year planning period. The Town has provided a municipal water and sewer system which, if properly operated, minimizes negative impacts on both man and nature. Since the Town now owns much of the estuarine shoreline and floodprone area, its ability to protect this resource is enhanced. Plans for utilization of some of this area for the Town's spray field system could have a significant impact on water quality; however, the town will adhere to strict State requirements which govern these systems. This includes requirement of a 400 foot buffer area along the river. The industry located adjacent to the river has not been cited for discharge violations in several years. Agricultural Best Management Practices are encouraged in the area to minimize impacts of nutrients and pesticides. Murfreesboro coexists reasonably well with its environment. The Town's Historic District is also an important resource which brings many visitors to the area. (2) Policy alternatives must recognize the unique and sensitive character of the area and the inevitable impact of development on any resources. Policy should be based upon the best possible blend of avenues for allowing growth of all types wHe minimizing negative impacts. W (3) The policy shall be conservation. The Town is interested in utilizing its resources by exercising careful management. (4) Implementation shall occur by regular review of existing and proposed development and update of the local zoning ordinance, historic district ordinance, and subdivision regulations as necessary to keep development requirements effective. g. Peat or Phosphate Mining's Impact on Resources (1) THIS ISSUE DOES NOT APPLY. 3. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT An analysis of the present conditions of the population and economy of the Murfreesboro planning area reveals no major changes in the economic atmosphere since the last update. Murfreesboro, a town 200 years old in 1987, is considered by preservation officials to be one of North Carolina's "greatest cultural treasurers". In addition to its historic resources, the Town is home to several large industrial concerns and to Chowan College, a private educational concern which converted from a two-year junior college to a four-year system in 1990. The Town values its historic and institutional resources and supports all efforts to preserve, promote and expand them. The overall community development strategy focuses on strengthening and promoting the Townes historic character. Given the recreational and cultural opportunities available in and around Murfreesboro, additional tourist enterprises such as bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and retail shops would be welcomed. These would also then serve students and visitors at Chowan College. Development of any kind that will have unmitigatable adverse impacts on the river or the Town's historic resources will not be supported. The Town is committed to maintaining and entrancing the quality of life in Murfreesboro. The Town supports reuse of existing structures and redevelopment in areas where reuse is not feasible. The Town supports improving its existing housing stock, as shown by its current participation in the Community Development Block Grant Program, and supports new construction,. especially development that will serve the housing needs of the elderly and of low and moderate income groups. The following section outlines growth policies which have an impact on land use decisions. These policies define the goals Murfreesboro has set for .where it would like to be in the next ten years. Particular issues related to growth and the town's commitment to economic development are discussed below. we, a. Types and locations of Industries Desired (1) The Town supports expansion of existing industries and welcomes new commercial and industrial concerns to the Murfreesboro area. However, new industrial development should not have negative impacts on the natural environment or the area's historic and cultural resources. New commercial and industrial development should enhance the quality of life for local residents. New and expanding industrial uses are encouraged to locate on available industrial land away from the Meherrin River and historic areas. The Town encourages the location of "clean" non-polluting industries, and those that - provide both technical and especial professional positions. (2) The alternatives are to encourage any and all industry; to encourage only limited industrial development, or to discourage industry from locating in the planning area. (3) The policy shall be to encourage and support a wide variety of industrial development to enhance the economic base of the Town. In light of the poverty and unemployment rates, limiting or discouraging industry would not serve the best interest of our citizens. (4) This policy will be implemented by critical review by the Planning Board and Board of Adjustments of all proposals for industrial development which requires a conditional use permit or by the Planning Board and Town Council for rezoning actions involving industrial proposals. The Town will also support efforts by the Chamber of Commerce, the Hertford County Industrial Developer, and the Committee of 100 to the extent feasible. Additionally, the Town supports existing State and Federal restrictions and regulations related to safety and responsibility. b. Local Commitment to Providing Services (1) Currently, 100 percent of the area's residents are hooked up to the water system and nearly 99 percent are connected to the public sewer system. Even if use per person increased 50% over the planning period, the town's current water capacity would support a total population of over 19,000 persons, and its sewer would support more than 4,600 total persons. Murfreesboro acknowledges that some of its soils are not conducive to septic tank usage and the optimal solution to this problem is to provide 40 wastewater treatment service to all residents in the planning area. When new development cannot be accommodated within the Town, the Town will support development in appropriate locations outside of Town and when feasible, will provide public services. (2) The alternatives are to take active steps to extend water and sewer to all habitable structures in the jurisdiction and to plan and budget for orderly extension into areas expected to experience development over the next five years; to support the development of an industrial park which would be provided services in lieu of considering all industrial requests; or to wait until a request is made before considering service extensions. (3) The policy shall be to consider service extension proposals on a case -by case basis. (4) The Town is not in a position to finance costly infrastructure extensions in the absence of development pressure. The Town will also support and continue to apply for grant funding such as CDBG or economic development projects which involve extension of services. C. Types of Urban Growth Patterns Desired (1) Land within the Town has been developed for urban uses, primarily residential in nature. Outside of Town, the ares is rural; agricultural uses predominate. The Town appreciates this pattern of development. To that end and to provide for the efficient delivery of public services, the Town will encourage new development demanding urban services to locate within the city limits and attempt to reserve outlying areas for agricultural and low density residential uses. (2) The alternatives are to create incentive programs for development which encourage the desired uses to occur in the desired areas; to rely on the current zoning map and ordinance to establish urban patterns for growth; or to accommodate random, unrestricted growth patterns. (3) The policy shall be to rely on the local zoning ordinance for guiding urban growth into areas classified as "Developed" or "Urban Transition" on the Land Classification Map. 41 (4) Implementation shall occur through strict enforcement of the adopted zoning ordinance and updates of local ordinances as necessary. d. Types, Densities, Location, Units per Acre of Anticipated Residential Development and Services to Support This Development (1) Overly dense development is not a problem in Murfreesboro, nor is it anticipated to become a problem during the next ten years. Within the past five years, the land use trends have shown residential growth to occur in existing residential areas. Murfreesboro would like to see continued development in areas which are best able to accommodate growth end where support services, like sewer and water, are feasible and practical to provide. Close review of the zoning patterns around the Highway 258 by-pass will assure proper development patterns along that major transportation route. The Town has no sites which are suitable for landfills. They are dependent on the county to provide such a site. The existing County facility in operating on an expired permit in anticipation of developing a new site which meets state and federal standards. In the County, recycling efforts are intensifying and the number of permanent sites is increasing. Tipping fees will impact the cost of providing solid waste disposal in the future. (2) Alternatives include close review of proposed development projects to assure appropriate density of development. The Town currently contracts a local recycling plan. (3) The policy shall be to encourage appropriateness of density and location with regard to residential development and to discourage dense development outside the range of public water and sewer service, which generally encompasses the areas classified as 'Developed" or "Urban Transition". Periodic review of the overall zoning scheme will identify any areas which may be experiencing land use conversion or which may require amendment. (4) Implementation shall occur through close review of any sub -division proposals (after adoption of sub -division regulations) which would tax municipal services, and continued support for the local recycling plan. The zoning map should be periodically reviewed for inconsistencies or the emergence of undesirable patterns of use. 42 e. Redevelopment of Developed Areas (1) Murfreesboro's policy on redevelopment of developed areas has been demonstrated over the past five years. The Town has been awarded Small Cities Community Development Block Grants to improve substandard housing within its jurisdiction. Also, the Town appreciates historic preservation. The Town wishes to continue programs such as these over the next five years. Downtown revitalization has been encouraged for the past several years, and a significant amount of progress has been made toward this goal. The Town still feels committed to this effort. Very few structures in the planning area would be affected in the event of a severe storm, as evidenced by the lack of serious damage during the 1996 series of hurricanes which hit the area. If substantial damage should occur, all structures would be rebuilt according to the zoning ordinance. (2) The alternatives are to support redevelopment; to limit redevelopment; or to discourage redevelopment. (3) The policy shall be to support prudent redevelopment. Since little of the jurisdiction is subject to destruction in a severe storm, there is not great concern about redeveloping developed areas. (4) New development is required to meet current building codes and the local flood ordinance requirements. These standards increase safety and reduce potential loss in the future. The same would be true for non -conformities which were rebuilt. The Town's Zoning ordinance also provides guidance and restriction as to allowed uses and patterns of redevelopment. f. Commitment to State and Federal Programs (1) The Town of Murfreesboro is receptive to State and Federal Programs which provide improvements to the Town. Murfreesboro will continue to fully support such programs that provide necessary resources to meet identified community needs that complement the economic and community development goals of the Town, such as the N.C. Department of Transportation Road and Bridge Improvements program, the Erosion Control program, carried out by the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service and the Soil Conservation Service, Community Development Block Grant Program, Sedimentation and Pollution Control requirements of the Division of Land Resources, etc. The Town supports the efforts of these agencies, including the implementation of Best Management Practices to mitigate soil loss through erosion. Funding is still 43 available through the state's Agricultural Cost Share Program for projects which will reduce agricultural runoff. The Forest Incentive Program provides funds and technical assistance for farmers to replant areas where trees have been timbered. Murfreesboro supports the Army Corps of Engineers 404 Wetlands program as it relates to the planning area. The military has historically been an important asset to the economy and quality of life in eastern North Carolina. Parts of Hertford County are included in existing Military Operating Airspace (MOA), but Murfreesboro does not experience significant inconvenience from this. Murfreesboro has no policy on expansion of the MOA. The Town participates in CDBG community revitalization grants to improve housing conditions, and citizens have utilized the Small Business Administration loan programs available in the area. Additionally, the Town is upgrading public facilities to meet new ADA requirements, they provide back door garbage pick up for elderly residents, if necessary, and they Support and assist elder activities at the Walter Reed House in conjunction with the Area Agency on Aging. (2) Alternatives include complete commitment to State and Federal programs; limited support of these programs; or opposition to the programs. (3) The policy will be commitment. to state and federal programs. The Town supports state and federal programs that will assist the Town in attaining Its goals for resource protection and community development. (4) The Town will continue to support and enjoy the advantages of higher agency programs which can enhance the quality of life for local area residents. Some of those programs are geared toward individuals, and the Town has limited direct interaction in those cases. To the extent possible, the Town will partner with state and federal agencies to enforce restrictions or review projects which impact the planning area. g. Assistance to Channel Maintenance and Beach Nourishment Projects. (1) This Issue does not apply. h. Energy Facility Siting and Development (1) Electric generating plants are regulated by State and Federal agencies and are usually sited in very rural areas. Any potential project would be subject to local zoning regulations, however it is :Eli believed that the likelihood of such a proposal in the Murfreesboro jurisdiction is very remote. The Town might support such development outside the corporate limits, but desires to review any request on a case -by case basis. Offshore and inshore exploration for possible oil or natural gas is an issue elsewhere in North Carolina but is believed to present no significant impact on the Murfreesboro planning area; however, since Dare County is a frequent vacation destination point for many Murfreesboro residents, there is interest in seeing the area protected from high risk offshore drilling. (2) Alternatives might include specifically disallowing or allowing generating plants in any of the zoning districts or making a statement of protest or support for off -shore drilling. (3) The policy for energy facilities shall be to consider any proposal on a case -by -case basis. No formal statement is being made on offshore drilling. (4) Implementation shall occur through strict enforcement of the local zoning ordinance with regard to allowable uses in the planning jurisdiction. i. Tourism (1) The Town is committed to increasing tourism in the area. Efforts to increase tourism have involved work with the Chamber of Commerce and the Historic Properties Commission to increase the number of promotional events each year. Developing the river resource for more active public use is a future goal. The Town supports the efforts of the state and local agencies who work with these projects. (2) Alternatives might include taking a more active role in promotions of existing events or development of new events to attract tourists to the area. (3) The policy shall be to continue present levels of support for tourism in the area. (4) Implementation shall occur through cooperation with local and State agencies and businesses promoting the area and through long range efforts to enhance public access along the Meherrin River. 45 j. Public Beach and Waterfront Access (1) The Town values the Meherrin River for the recreational and aesthetic amenities it supplies. The Town supports increasing access to the River and will support development of marinas in the Murfreesboro area if developed in accordance to state guidelines. Marinas providing public access would be especially welcomed. There are few floating homes in the area and so the Town has adopted no official policy on their use. (2) An alternative would be to seek funding to build a public fishing pier or public beach park on land already owned. (3) The policy shall be to promote current access points to the best of the town's ability and to apply for development funds in the future, if the opportunity arises. (4) Implementation will occur through monitoring the use of facilities and by encouraging local property owners to donate undevelopable properties to the Town for public purposes. 4. STORM HAZARDS North Carolina is well-known for the hurricanes and tropical storms that batter its coastline and the tornados that ravage inland areas. Typically, the bulk of hurricane storm damage occurs in coastal areas and Hertford County is not considered one of the 13 coastal counties at greatest risk. The most recent hurricanes of 1996 (Bertha, Fran, and Josephine) did not cause major damage in Murfreesboro. In fact, the only damage was wash -out on a local road which was not built to DOT standards. However, hurricanes and tropical storms have caused severe damage to other inland areas. Thus, even inland counties and their local municipalities must effectively plan for storm hazards. This section summarizes the actions Hertford County and the Town of Murfreesboro have undertaken to protect residents and resources from the damaging effects of hurricanes and other major storm events. A. Hazard Areas In the Murfreesboro region, areas adjoining the Meherrin River and areas subject to flooding along local streams are those areas most threatened by a major storm event. As shown on the Map of Land Use Constraints, the river and its shoreline is an Area of Environmental Concern. This sensitive area could be threatened by damage due to flooding, erosion, wave action, and high winds. In addition this area has been designated a Zone A floodplain by the Federal Insurance Administration. Most of the extraterritorial area on the east side of the river and land adjoining the western bank of the Meherrin is ER subject to flooding. Floodplain areas also border the Town to the east, adjoining Worrells Mill Swamp. Flood -prone areas are moderately threatened by damaging forces such as high winds and flooding, and to a lesser extent, by erosion and wave action. During our recent Hurricane Bertha (July, 1996) the town experienced no damage. The Town is fortunate in that all areas in the community severely threatened by damage from storms are basically undeveloped. As shown on the Map of Existing Land Use, farming and forestry activities predominate in the northeastern extraterritorial area. However limited residential development has occurred in the floodplain area along U. S. 258. Maney's Neck Mobile Home Park is found in the flood -prone area on the west side of U. S. 258 and a small subdivision has been developed adjoining the mobile home park. lust north of this residential area near the river, is a sand and gravel operation. Two restaurant -type operations are also found in the flood -prone area on the west side of U. S. 258. B. Evacuation and Reconstruction In 1980, Hertford County adopted a plan to guide the actions of various local officials in the event of a major storm occurrence in the County. Murfreesboro is under the jurisdiction of this plan, (the Hertford County Hurricane Evacuation and Shelter Plan,) which was most recently revised in 1992. Two groups have been formed to implement the plan. A Control Group exercises overall direction and control of hurricane evacuation operations and reconstruction activities immediately after the storm event. This group is composed of the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners, the mayors of all municipalities in the County (including Murfreesboro), and the County Emergency Management Coordinator. A Support Group provides personnel and material resources for the actions requested by the Control Group. The Support Group also provides direction to personnel engaged in operations and provides data and recommendations to the Control Group. This group has 26 members including the Murfreesboro Town Manager, the Chief of Police, and the Chief of the Murfreesboro Fire Department. The Evacuation Plan details the duties and responsibilities of each member of the Control and Support Group as a storm event unfolds. Five levels of increasing preparedness (Conditions 4-0) are outlined; a "Reentry" stage constitutes a sixth. The plan identifies eight potential problem areas - areas containing mobile homes or areas of dilapidated housing - which would be evacuated during Condition 1. These are areas of unsubstantial housing and mobile home parks where storm damage could be especially severe. Four of these eight problem areas lie within the Murfreesboro planning region. The County Evacuation Plan has identified Wise's Mobile Home Park, Woodridge Mobile Home Park, Fieldcrest Mobile Home Park, Deerfield Mobile Home Park and Maney's _ Neck Mobile Home Park as being severely threatened by wind damage. Residents of these areas would be evacuated during Condition I, early in the storm event. Evacuees would be moved to either the Riverview School on U. S. 158 east of Murfreesboro, or to Hertford County Middle School on N. C. 11 south of Town. Reentry into affected areas will be directed by the Control Group. Upon reentry, the County Tax Assessor, a member of the Support Group, will assemble personnel and conduct a damage assessment. Should damage from a storm be especially severe, the 47 County has the authority to impose a temporary moratorium on all development in the area. Such a measure would be used only if damage to a particular area is very serious. and if redevelopment of the area in the same manner would pose residents with similar health and safety problems in the future. After emergency operations to restore public health and safety and initial damage assessment are completed, the Town Council will assume responsibility for ensuring orderly repair and rebuilding in the Town. The Planning Board will act as an advisory group. It is likely that reconstruction would take place in the same locations as before. CAMA permitting officers will be included in redevelopment planning for areas where CAMA permits would be necessary. The Town advocates the following schedule for staging and permitting repairs and construction in the Town: first priority - replacement of essential services such as power, water, sewer, telephone, and roadways; second priority - minor repairs; third priority - major repairs; fourth priority - new development. All repairs and new development will be in conformance with applicable state and local development controls including the state building code and the Townes zoning ordinance - including local floodplain regulations. C. Mitigation Murfreesboro has a limited amount of low-lying area associated with local tributaries, but for the most part, the Town would be high and dry in a coastal storm. The greatest potential for local damage would be in the form of wind or erosion. The Town strictly enforces its fire codes and performs regular maintenance on fire hydrants in anticipation of hazard situations. It has also recently cut down trees near power lines to try and avert power outages during storm events. The National Flood Insurance Program requires structures built in flood prone areas to be elevated above the 100 year flood stage, and the Town supports enforcement of this requirement. D. Coordinating Agencies The state and federal agencies involved in coordinating local storm hazard mitigation and hurricane preparedness activities are listed at the end of this section. E. Policy Objectives The Town acknowledges that the Murfreesboro area is somewhat subject to storms that threaten the health, safety, and welfare of its residents and the integrity of its natural and cultural resources. In an effort to plan for such natural storm disasters and to safeguard local residents, resources, and property, the Town has adopted the following storm hazard policy objectives. reduce the potential for storm damage - enforce the Town's floodplain ordinance. - enforce the state building code in all new construction. - continue maintenance of protective infrastructure such as fire hydrants. 48 - periodically remove tree limbs that interfere with power lines. * protect natural areas sensitive to storm hazards - classify AECs as Conservation on the Town's Land Classification Map. * increase public awareness of the need for hurricane preparation - support the preparedness program the County Office of Emergency Management conducts in local schools. - participate in the storm evacuation exercise if held by the Office of Emergency Management. 5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION The preparation of Murfreesboro's Land Use Plan was the responsibility of the Murfreesboro Planning Board. A workshop session introducing Board members to the planning process was held on January 16, 1996 and the group agreed to incorporate land use planning activities within their regular meeting schedule. At their first meeting, the Planning Board agreed that soliciting public input would be an important goal of the planning process. A copy of the public participation plan adopted by the planning board is included in Appendix B. The Board discussed conducting a public survey and devised a survey form for distribution through publication in the newspaper. A survey was published in May, 1996. There were only a total of 24 responses and the results of this survey are shown at the end of this section. There are no pressing development issues for the Town at this time, and like many small communities, the citizens of Murfreesboro did not choose to attend public meetings in the absence of dynamic issues. The Planning Board and the Town Council will be the primary groups through which public input will be accepted as the planning program continues over the next five years. The Planning Board will continue to meet monthly to assist the Council in implementing the strategies for attaining policy objectives on resource protection, production, and economic and community development proposed in the 1997 Land Use Plan. Following the example of the current planning program, soliciting public input will be a primary goal of all future planning endeavors. The Planning Board and the Council recognize the importance of keeping the citizenry informed of current planning concerns and of receiving the comments and concerns of local residents. Thus, the Town has adopted the following policy objectives: solicit citizen input in all planning decisions - Coordinate all Council and Planning Board meetings with the Roanoke- Chowan News -Herald representative assigned to Murfreesboro: emphasize that citizens are invited and encouraged to attend all meetings dealing with planning issues. apprise the public of planning issues as they develop - report important planning and community development issues, decisions, land developments to the Roanoke-Chowan News -Herald; propose feature articles for especially important issues. 49 PUBLIC SURVEY RESULTS The Town of Murfreesboro published the following survey in the local newspaper for citizen input. A weighted scoring of responses was utilized to rank the issues, but so few responses were received that the results are not considered highly relevant. 4 pt=High priority; 3 pt=Medium Priority; 2 pt=Low Priority; 1 pt=Unimportant Now RANK ISSUE SCORE 1 Assure safe and adequate city water supply. 64 2 Actively recruit and expand any kind of industry. 57 3 Expand cultural and recreational facilities. 55 4 Protect the river from pollution and over development. 53 4 Develop river resources for business and pleasure. 53 4 Recruit only non-polluting industries. 53 5 Recruit businesses primarily to the downtown area. 50 6 Reduce water pollution caused by runoff from agricultural fields 49 and urban areas. 7 Upgrade and expand Town streets. 48 7 Create historic village atmosphere in the downtown by 48 developing appearance standards for buildings. 8 Restrict development in flood prone areas. 46 9 Improve solid waste management/recycling efforts. 45 10 Encourage new residential development inside city limits. 42 10 Limit development near wetlands and areas of 42 environmental concern. 10 Provide more information on emergency preparedness. 42 11 Improve pedestrian walkways throughout town. 40 12 Promote services and facilities for the elderly. 38 13 Support expansion of current commercial forestry industry. 37 14 Protect prime farmland from conversion to other uses. 34 15 Support development of shopping centers along Bypass. 32 50 VII. LAND CLASSIFICATION A. Purpose Murfreesboro has adopted a system of land classification and an official Land Classification Map to assist local officials in attaining policy objectives in the areas of resource protection and production, and economic and community development. Seven broad categories of land classification have been developed for use by local governments in the update process to be delineated on the Town's Map of Land Classification. The map sets out a proposed development pattern for the Murfreesboro planning region. Based on this classification scheme, the Town has designated areas it believes are appropriate to accommodate additional growth and development, and areas it believes would be better left in a rural condition. The classifications reflect proposed future land uses and attempt to link land use, policy objectives, and implementation actions. B. Classification Scheme The Town's land classification scheme is based on the guidelines for land classification outlined in the Coastal Area Management Act's Land Use Planning Guidelines. Of the seven possible classifications, only four apply to the Murfreesboro Planning Area. Neither Limited Transition, Community, nor Rural with Services was selected to describe land classification here. The general characteristics of each class are outlined in Exhibit 1. 1. Developed The Developed classification encompasses all land within the corporate limits of the Town. In its 1993 Land Use Plan, the Town stated that it will encourage new development to locate within the city limits whenever possible. This policy is reiterated in 1997. By applying the Developed classification to all areas within Town, local officials are attempting to facilitate this pattern of development. At the same time, the Developed classification reflects the existing pattern of service provision, as all areas within the city limits are serviced by public water. The only area outside the city limits classified Developed is the area adjacent to the southeast corporate limits on the east side of N.C. Highway 11. A Community Development Block Grant completed by the county provided Murfreesboro water and sewer service to this subdivision and to Hertford County Middle School. 2. Urban Transition Urban Transition areas adjoin the Developed area and delineate areas of existing or anticipated high density development outside of the Town's corporate limits. Public water and in some places, public sewer, extends to service areas of certain Transition zones. At this time no area designated Urban Transition is currently serviced throughout with public water or public sewer. It is likely however, that Urban Transition zones will be those areas 51 given priority when the Town extends water and/or sewer service. In its policies, the town has stated that extension of services will be considered on a case -by -case basis outside the current service area. As shown on the Land Classification Map, the Town has three distinct areas designated Transition: the area between S. R. 1179 within the city limits; the area outside of Town which includes the Carver Park subdivision and River View School; and an area adjoining U. S. 158/258 west of Town and extending north, east of S. R. 1166. Although there is currently little development in the Urban Transition area along N. C. 11, local planners believe development activity in this area will increase, given its location along the highway and the gradual southward expansion of the Town's residential area. A considerable amount of development has already occurred in the Carver Park and U. S. 158-58 Urban Transition area. However a good deal of land remains open and available for development and planners expect development of these areas to continue - the Carver Park area primarily for residential uses and the U. S. 158/258 area for a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial uses. The transportation corridor associated with the Highway 258 southside bypass may experience pressure for conversion of land use now that the by-pass is in place; however, since it is a limited access situation, the Town has not reclassified the area as urban transition at this time. Area. 3. Limited Transition No areas have been designated as Limited Transition in the Murfreesboro Planning 4. Community No areas are classified as Community in the town's planning jurisdiction. A small area outside of Town but in the ETJ on the west side of S. R. 1166 was shown in the Community classification in 1987. The area was residential in nature with densities generally lower than across the roadway in the area designated Transition at that time. While physical change has occurred in this area since the last plan update, the nature of this area does not really meet the intent of the Community Classification since this area of development is more urban than rural, so in 1993 it was reclassified as Urban Transition. 5. Rural The Rural Classification encompasses most of the land outside of Town. As noted on the 198 7 Land Classification Map, the Rural class was divided into three subclasses to reflect existing land uses - Rural General, Rural Agriculture, and Rural Forestry. For the 1993 update, the Rural Forestry class was eliminated because Union Camp donated the former tree farm for public purposes. No areas are now classified as "Rural Forestry." The Rural Agriculture area encompasses a large area north of Town between S. R. 1300 and the river. This area is almost exclusively devoted to agricultural uses and the Town 52 supports its continued use for agricultural operations over the next five years, although the policies section does not discourage conversion of land from agricultural to urban purposes. The large area shown as Rural Forestry in 1987 appeared in the northeast corner of the extraterritorial area and has now been reclassified as Rural General. This area generally denotes the area the town will use for spray fields. The rest of the Rural General subclass encompasses a mix of low density residential uses, agricultural land, and scattered areas of woodland. The Town appreciates the rural character of these outlying areas and has classified these areas Rural in an attempt to maintain an open, low density arrangement. 6. Rural with Services There are no areas in the Murfreesboro Planning Area which meet the intent of the Rural with Services classification. 7. Conservation The Conservation Class designates areas in the Murfreesboro planning region the Town believes should be kept in a natural condition with only appropriately designed and built, water -dependent development. The Conservation designation has been applied to the Meherrin River and most of its shoreline up to 75 feet from the high water line. Specifically, shoreline areas less than 50 feet in elevation within 75 feet of the mean high water line are classified Conservation. A 50 foot elevation level is included as a limit for the Conservation designation as the western bank of the river has a steep bluff within 75 feet of the shoreline. In contrast to low-lying areas, Town officials do not feel it is necessary to restrict development in this area to protect environmental quality, given its high elevation. The river is an Esturaine Waters Area of Environmental Concern, so its shoreline up to 75' of normal high water mark is considered Esturaing Shoreline AEC. Its waters are considered Joint Fishing Waters by the NC Division of Marine Fisheries. It is a Public Trust Area AEC. The Town values the river for the aesthetic, recreational, and commercial amenities it provides, and has classified the river and its shoreline Conservation in an effort to protect this resource of local and regional importance. 53 EXHIBIT 1 LAND CLASSIFICATION DEVELOPED Areas meeting the intent of the Developed classification are currently urban... where minimal undeveloped land remains, and have in place ... the usual municipal or public services. Urban in character includes mixed land uses, i.e., residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and other uses at high to moderate densities. URBAN TRANSITION Areas meeting the intent of the urban transition classification are presently being developed for urban purposes or will be developed within the next five to ten years going from lower intensity uses to higher intensity uses and as such will eventually require urban services. Examples include lands included within municipal extraterritorial planning boundaries and areas being considered for annexation. LIMITED TRANSITION Areas meeting the intent of the limited transition classification will experience increased development during the planing period. They will be in a state of development necessitating some municipal type services ... will provide controlled low density residential development ... on lands with physical limitations for development or areas near valuable estuarine waters or other fragile natural systems. COb7TvIDN= Areas meeting the community classification are presently developed at low densities suitable for private septic tank use ... clustered residential and for commercial land uses ... and provide a local social sense of "community" ...in a rural landscape. RURAL Areas meeting the intent of this classification are appropriate for or presently used for agriculture, forestry, mineral extraction, and other uses, that due to their hazardous or noxious nature, should be located in a relatively isolated and undeveloped area. Population densities will be very low. RURAL WITH SERVICES Areas meeting the intent of this classification are appropriate for very low intensity residential uses where lot size is large and where the provision of services will not disrupt the primary rural character of the landscape ... most development is supported by a closed water system to avert a known or anticipated health problem in a predominantly larger agrarian region. CONSERVATION Areas meeting the intent of the conservation classification include Areas of environmental concern such as public trust waters, estuarine waters, coastal wetlands, etc. as identified in 15 NCAC 7H ... other similar lands, environmentally significant because of their natural role in the integrity of the coastal region. 54 C. Intergovernmental Coordination The Town's Land Classification Map has been designed to guide the actions of private developers and public agencies at all levels of government, in activities affecting land development in the Murfreesboro region. It is hoped that the objectives set forth in the Town's Land Use Plan will enhance the land use goals of neighboring communities, the County, and the coastal region as a whole. The Town will work with the various public groups noted in this plan to ensure that the planning objectives and policy actions adopted as part of this plan will be implemented as the Town develops over the next five years. There is already a good working relationship with Hertford County on issues of common concern and frequent contact for sharing of information or local resources. This update has been conducted sooner than the required 5-year interval in an effort to coordinate with the county's required update cycle. D. Relationship of Policies to Land Classification All development which occurs within the Murfreesboro Planning Area is subject to the local zoning regulations and State Building Codes enforced for the town by the Hertford County Inspections Office, as well as other local ordinances. So to some extent, we could say that all policies in all classification areas are controlled by local enforcement efforts. Such a statement points out what an essential land use component the zoning ordinance can be in small communities, as well as the importance of keeping the ordinance and map updated to reflect current conditions and philosophies. Policies to support and control development in the Developed and Urban Transition classes primarily rely on enforcement of local ordinances and management of local initiatives for implementation. There is also support for the state and federal programs which can provide infrastructure, economic development, public access or improved housing conditions in areas with these classifications. Policies which influence the Rural and Conservation classes are largely left to higher levels of government supervision. The town supports state and federal regulatory action as well as voluntary programs such as Best Management Practices (BMP's) for protection of its resources. The town supports CAMA permitting requirements for areas of environmental concern (AECs). 55 APPENDIX A AGENCIES COORDINATING STORM PREPAREDNESS NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT State Office: Division of Coastal Management Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources P.O. Box 27687 Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 (919)733-2293 Field Office: Division of Coastal Management Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources Washington Square Mall Washington, North Carolina 27889 (919)946-6481 NORTH CAROLINA DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT State Office: Division of Emergency Management Department of Crime Control and Public Safety 116 West Jones Street Raleigh, North Carolina 27611 (919)733-3867 Regional Office: Area Emergency Management Coordinator NC Division of Emergency Management P.O. Box 424 Winton, North Carolina 27986 (919)358-1621 FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY National Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency 500 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20472 Public Information: (202)287-0300 Publications: (202)287-0689 Regional Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IV 1375 Peachtree Street, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Public Information: (404)881-2000 Disaster Assistance Program: (404)881-3641 Flood Insurance Program: (404)881-2391 56 FEDERAL REGULATORY DEVICES AGENCY LICENSES AND PERMITS Army Corps of Engineers, Permits required under Sections 9 and 10 Department of Defense of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; permits to construct in navigable waters U.S. Coast Guard . Department of Transportation Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior Nuclear Regulatory nuclear Commission Act of Permits required under Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 Permits required under Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972; permits to undertake dredging and/or filling activities Permits for bridges, causeways, pipelines over navigable waters; required under the General Bridge Act of 1946, and the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 Permits required for offshore drilling; Approvals of OCS pipeline corridor rights -of -way. Licenses for siting, construction and operation of power plants; required under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, and Title II of the Energy Reorganization 1974 Federal Energy Permits for construction, operation and Regulatory Commission of interstate pipeline facilities required under the Natural Gas Act of 1938 Orders of Interconnection of electric transmission facilities under Section 202(b) of the Federal Power Act Permission required for abandonment of natural gas pipeline and associated facilities under Section 7C(b) of the Natural Gas Act of 1938 57 STATE REGULATORY DEVICES AGENCY LICENSES AND PERMITS Department of Environment, Permits to discharge to surface waters or operate Health, and Natural Resources, wastewater treatment, plants or oil discharge Division of Environmental permits; NPDES permits (G.S. 1432-215) Management Permits for septic tanks to be used for industrial purposes (G.S. 143-215.3) Permits for withdrawal of surface or groundwaters incapacity use areas (G.S. 143-215.108) Permits for air pollution abatement facilities and sources (G.S. 143-215.108) Permits for construction of complex sources; e.g., parking lots, subdivisions, stadiums, etc. (G.S. 143-21S.109) Permits for construction of a well over 100,000 gals. day (G.S. 87-88) Department of Environment, Permits to dredge and/or fill in estuarine Health, and Natural Resources, waters, tidelands, etc. (G.S. 87-88) Division of Parks and Recreation Department of Environment, Permits to undertake development in Areas Health, and Natural Resources, of Environmental Concern (AEC) Division of Coastal Management (G.S. 113A-118) NOTE: Minor development permits are issued by local government. Department of Environment, Permits to alter or to construct a dam Health, and Natural Resources, (G.S. 143-215.66) Division of Land Resources Permits to mine (G.S. 74-51) Department of Environment, Permits to drill an exploratory oil Health, and Natural Resources, or gas well (G.S. 113-391) Division of Land Resources, continued Permits to conduct geographic exploration (G.S. 113-391) Sedimentation erosion control plans for any land -disturbing activity of over one contiguous acre (G.S. 113A-S4) Permits to construct an oil refinery Department of Administration Easements to fill where land are proposed to be raised above the normal high water mark of navigable waters by filling (G.S. 146.6(c)) 58 State Regulatory Agencies continued AGENCY LICENSES OR PERMUS Dept. of Human Resources Approval to operate a solid waste disposal site or facility (G.S. 130-166.16) Approval for construction of any public facility that furnishes water to ten or more residences (G.S. 130-160.1) 59 APPENDIX B PUBLIC PARTICIl'ATION PLAN A RE'SOLU11ON: TIIE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN FOR INPUT ON THE 1996 LAND USE PLAN UPDATE In accordance with the North Carolina Administrative Code 15 NCAC 713.0215, as amended, regarding public participation in land use planning efforts, the Town Council of the Town of Murfreesboro, Hertford County, North Carolina hereby resolves to support public educational efforts and participation techniques to assure that all segments of the Town's population have full and adequate opportunity to be informed of proceedings and decisions relating to the 1996 Murfreesboro Land Use Plan Update. The elements of this citizen participation plan shall include but not be limited to the following: (1) The Murfreesboro Planning Board, which is an appointed, diversified citizen group, shall be responsible for supervision of the update process and shall make recommendations to the Town Board regarding the preliminary and final draft versions of the plan. (2) An opinion survey/questionnaire shall be used to solicit public opinion. The survey shall be distributed by some or all of the following methods: (1) newspaper cut-out for return by mail or to drop box, (2) presentations at local civic clubs, (3) direct pick up at Town Hall, with a drop box available in -the same location, (4) direct mail to absentee property owners of land subject to CAMA restrictions. (3) News articles and reports of Planning Board meeting activities shall be provided by local newspaper, The News Herald for publication. (4) All meetings of the Planning Board shall be public meetings, whether they be regularly scheduled or supplemental meetings. A calendar of the projected work schedule Neill be posted in all public buildings. (5) The Town Council shall hold a public hearing prior to formal adoption of the final update as describe in T15A:NCAC 7B .0402(a), posted and advertised at least once in a newspaper of general circulation, with such notice appearing at least 30 days prior to the hearing date and stating the date, time, place, and proposed action, and that copies of the plan may be viewed at a particular office of government during designated hours. This resolution hereby adopted this the 6th day of February, 1996. Planning Board Chairman Town Council Chairman W X The a g Prw Man Noti A 4 hazard Areas M u r f r e e s b o r o 1996 TECHNOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HAZARDS HISTORIC DISTRICT AEC GROUNDWATER RECHARGE Ml 100 YEAR FLOOD PLAIN 0 Town Limits ,\i E T J FU 14 Di it Hydrologic Units 0 .5 1 1.5 2 MILES m�m , The preporoti.on of this mop was finonced in part through a gront provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Acf of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. rCONCU( AMA TIES Ladd Use Murfreesboro 1996 LAND USE Residential Commercial Industrial Institutional F—] Agricultural or Vacant Land FN-] Town Limits Mjj E T J �14 Di it Hydrologic Units 0 .5 1 1.5 2 MILES m�r The a g Pro Man b Not Land Classification M u r f r e e s b o r 0 1996 LAND CLASS DEVELOPED up URBAN TRANSITION F—]RURAL 0 CONSERVATION FN� Town Limits e E T J � 14 Di it Hydrologic Units 0 .5 1 1.5 2 MILES m�r The preparation of this mop was financed in part through a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Ac[ of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NC CAMA COUNTIES Land Use M u r f r e e s b 01'0 1996 LAND USE Residential Commercial Industrial Institutional Agricultural or Vacant Land FN� Town Limits i E T J 14 Di it Hydrologic .Units 0 .25 .5 .75 1 MILES r�r