Initial Land Use Plan-1994

i
TOWN OF PANTEGO
' INITIAL LAND USE PLAN
1994
Local Adoption: March 13, 1995
Coastal Resources Commission Certification: March 24, 1995
I
Prepared For: Pantego Town Board
Glenda Jackson, Mayor
Marie Russ, Town Clerk
David Crosby . Richard Craig
Charles Daw, Sr. Mel Keech
Patricia Garrison
1 Prepared By: Pantego Land Use Plan Committee
Michael Polovitch, Chair
Linda L. Benson Grady Blake
Vernon Myers Carol Jean Keech
I Patricia Garrison Charles Daw, Sr.
David Crosby Glenda Jackson
' With Technical Assistance From:
Mid -East Commission
P.O. Box 1787
Washington, NC 27889
919-946-8043
Planner -in -Charge:
Jane Daughtridge, AICP
Planning Director
The preparation of this report was financed inpart by a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal
Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended,
which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and
' Atmospheric Administration.

11
11
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
A.
The Importance of Planning
1
Map 1: Locational Map
2a
B.
Background _ _
3
II. EXISTING CONDITIONS
A.
Population
4
B.
Housing
4
C.
Economy
5
D.
Existing Land Use
5
E.
Implications
6
Table 1: Demographics
7
Table 2: Demographics Comparison
8
Table 3: Area Employers
8
Map 2: Existing Land Use
8a
III. CONSTRAINTS
A.
Land Suitability
9
1. Physical Limitations
9
2. Fragile Areas
10
3. Areas With Resource Potential
13
Table 4: Prime Farm Soils
14
Map 3A: Constraints to Development(Soils)
14a
Table 5: Pantego Area Soils
14b
Map 3B: Constraints to Development(Hazards)
14c
IV. POLICY OBJECTIVES
A.
Resource Protection
15
B.
Resource Production and Management
19
C.
Economic and Community Development
20
D.
Storm Hazard Mitigation
23
E.
Public Participation
31
V. LAND CLASSIFICATION
A.
Purpose
33
B.
Classification Scheme
34
1. Developed
35
2. Limited Transition
35
3. Rural
35
4. Conservation
35
C.
Intergovernmental Coordination
35
Map 4: Land Classification
35a

1 INTRODUCTION
D CTION
IA. THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING
Planning allows a community to determine its own future by setting forth policies that
allow or discourage certain kinds of development. A plan answers three basic questions: What
are we like today? What do we want to be like ten years from now? What steps can we take to
move in that direction?
A Land Use Plan is a collection of policy statements which serve as guidelines for local,
State, and Federal officials when making decisions affecting development. It is also intended to
influence private individuals when they make decisions regarding development.
The Coastal Area Management Act of 1974 (CAMA) requires all county governments in
the twenty designated counties of North Carolina and municipalities in those counties, at their
option, to develop a land use plan. The purpose of the plan is to assure orderly growth in North
Carolina's coastal area and to protect important natural resources.
This land use plan is developed to serve the Town of Pantego for a period of ten years.
CAMA requires that the plan be updated every five years. Amendments may be made to the plan
to deal with new issues that arise over the planning period.
Land use plans prepared by local governments in the coastal area are distributed widely,
and have many uses. Plans are reviewed and used by local governments, regional councils of
government, State and Federal permitting agencies and public and private funding and
' development groups.
The discussion of policies, the land classification map, and the relationship between the
two serve as basic tools for coordinating policies, standards, regulations, and other government
activities at the local, State, and Federal levels. This coordination is described by three
applications:
1. The policy discussion and the land classification map encourage
coordination and consistency between local land use policies and the State
and Federal governments. Local land use plans are the principal policy
guides for governmental decisions and activities which affect land uses in
the coastal area.
2. Local land use plans provide a framework for budgeting and planning for
the provision and expansion of community facilities such as water and
sewer systems, schools, and roads.
3. Local land use plans aid in better coordination of regulatory decisions by
describing local land use policies and designating specific areas for certain
types of activities, thus directing other city tools such as zoning and
subdivision ordinances.
1

Local Government Uses - Counties and municipalities should use the local land use plans in their
day-to-day decision making and in planning for the future. Land use plans should provide
' guidance in local policy decisions relating to overall community development. Plans also provide
the basis for development regulations and capital facility planning and budgeting. By identifying
how the community prefers to grow, land use plans help to assure the best use of tax dollars for
extension of public utilities and services to areas designated for development.
Regional Uses - The regional councils of government on planning and regional development
commissions use the local land use plans as a basis for their regional plans and in their function as
regional clearinghouse for State and Federal funding programs. Local plans indicate to these
regional agencies what types of development the community feels are important and where the
1 development should take place.
State an Federal Government - Local land use plans are used as one major criteria in
' granting or denial of permits for various developments within the coastal area. State and Federal
agencies must be sure that their decisions consider the policies and land classification system
which are described by local governments in their plans. The Coastal Area Management Act
stipulates that no development permit may be issued within designated Areas of Environmental
Concern (AECs) if the development is inconsistent with local land use plans. Similarly, decisions
relating to the use of Federal or State funds within coastal counties and towns, and projects being
undertaken by State and Federal agencies themselves must also be consistent with the local plans.
State agencies also use the plans in their review of funding programs. Therefore, it is vitally
important that local governments take the opportunity to be as definitive as possible in developing
their policy statements and land classification system to minimize interpretive decisions on the part
of State and Federal review, permit, and funding agencies.
Planning for the future is of particular importance to Pantego, North Carolina. Pantego
has played an important role in Beaufort County's history since the late 1700's. It was a center for
education and commercial activity in the eastern portion of the county. While still an active
community, the town must work hard to maintain competiveness in a rapidly changing world.
' The Town of Pantego is a small, quiet community in eastern Beaufort County. It is located on
Pantego Creek at the junction of Highways 264 east and 99 north, approximately 4 miles west of
Belhaven and 25 miles east of Washington. This is the Town's first land use plan. Map 1, a
location map, follows this section.

■r r r r� r r r �r -r- --r r r �r �r �r r� rr rr �r
N
W
The preparation of this map was financed in part through a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal
Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended,
which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.

1 B. BACKGROUND
According to local lore, Indian runners on their way with messages to tribes in the south
would stop at this spot along the creek and pant a while before continuing on their journey.
Hence, this place became known as "Pant and go," or Pantego. A small tribe of Tuscarora
' Indians settled at the head of Pantego Creek but were driven out in the early 1700's during the
local Indian wars.
I
White settlers arrived in about 1775. Three Latham brothers from Massachusetts bought
land on the north side of Pantego Creek, and an Irishman named Flynn acquired the land south of
the creek. These families grew and settled in the area, slowly populating the community. Central
to the community was a boarding house, a buggy shop, and a school.
In 1840, the Albemarle Land and Lumber Company started an operation in the Dismal
Swamp. This company brought a group of men from Virginia and established new dwellings,
offices, a company store, a dam, a large canal, a gristmill, and a saw mill. They cleared out the
run of Pantego Swamp for a distance of three miles, and then cut a canal in to the swamp for a
distance of six miles. There was so much elevation to the land that locks were required where the
canal joined the run. Long barges were poled into the swamp and loaded with shooks for making
shingles. A tram road was built 11 miles into the swamp, and mules were used to pull the trucks
which were loaded with staves. The staves and shingles, finished in the swamp, were then loaded
onto larger barges and transferred to northern cities or the West Indies.
In 1874, the Pantego Educational Association was formed and a private academy was
built. A Grange Society was established and a store was built with the profits donated to the
school. The academy became an integral part of the community, with many social and
recreational events developed to support the school.
The town was incorporated in 1881, and prospered. A short time later, the mill dam was
cut and the mills were burned. It was believed that local farmers were responsible for these
actions since the dam pond interfered with their farm drainage. A new superintendent was named
at the Albemarle Land and Timber Company but the mills were abandoned. Later the company
became known as Roper Lumber Company and the entire operation was moved from Pantego to
Roper.
Commerce remained brisk in the community. Farmers grew large quantities of rice, and
Irish potatoes also became a large crop. The grist mill and the saw mill were re-established. The
railroad came through town and opened new transportation alternatives for shipping livestock and
farm products to other markets. Until this time, hog farming was primarily conducted only at a
scale that would accommodate local need. Once the railroad was established as a viable shipper,
surplus hogs were routinely grown and sold outside the area. The State Drainage Law was
enacted and Pantego Drainage District was the first in the State. This act enabled draining of vast
areas of the dismal swamp for rich black swamp land.
Today Pantego's population is stalled, and the old commercial vibrance is quiet. The
Academy has been replaced by a county school. Nevertheless, the town remains active . and
proud. New faces are moving in or old faces are moving back home with some regularity, and the
challenge facing the town is to maintain the tradition of progressiveness established by those first
"industrious and frugal citizens."
3

U. EXISTING CONDITIONS
IA. POPULATION
' An analysis of the population can indicate areas of concern for local governments by
pointing out potential needs. When the population declines, the tax base will follow suit, leaving a
town unable to provide basic administrative services to the community. Large populations of
' females in their child bearing years can indicate an opportunity for natural population grow,
whereas larger percentages of elderly reduce the possibility of natural growth. Larger elderly
populations also indicate a potential need for special services such as transportation, shared
housing, medical facilities, home maintenance or lawn care services, etc. Female headed
households with children tend to have higher rates of poverty, so this may also be an indicator to
watch.
' The Town of Pantego experienced a slight decline in population between 1980 and 1990
from 179 to 171 persons according to the decennial census of population and housing. About
56% of the population is female. Just over one fifth (20.5%) of the population is aged 65 and
' older. School age population represents 13.5% of the total population. The percentage of non-
white population decreased from 16.8% to 15.8% over the same period. Nearly 7% of the
' population reported having lived outside the county five years ago, indicating significant in -
migration for such a small town. In the 1980 Census, none of the population reported living
outside the county five years ago.
The Town has a total of 74 households with household size of 2.3 persons per household.
' This is three (3) more households than in 1980 and slightly smaller household size. The number
of female headed households increased between 1980 and 1990 from over 12% of total
' households to nearly 18%. This may indicate the presence of more widows and divorces. Also
the number of non -family households showed a 30% increase during the period, possibly
reflecting housing alternatives due to economic downturns.
Of persons age 15 and over, 46.8% reported being married; 22% were widowed and 7.1%
were divorced. Just less than half (48.5%) of persons aged 65 and over are female householders
living alone.
' Three quarters of the population over age 25 has a high school education or better,
compared to 68.6% in 1980, but of those, only 15.4% are college graduates, compared to 18.2%
in 1980.
B. HOUSING
' The total number of housing units reported in the 1990 census was 86, compared to 78 in
1980. Owner occupied units account for 64% of the housing stock; 22.1% is renter occupied; and
' 14% is vacant. The median value of owner occupied housing units is $42,500, which represents
an 89% increase in value since 1980. Median contract rent is $138 or an increase of 42.3%.
' Mobile homes now make up 14% of the housing stock compared to only 4%-in 1980. No multi-
family units are available. About one third of the housing units were built prior to 1939.
4

' C. ECONOMY
' The Town of Pantego has historically been a vibrant business community and still has
quite a bit of commerce and industry for a town its size.
In the 1990 census, only 3.8% of the workforce was unemployed (compared to about
1 14% for the Town of Belhaven four miles east of town.) Forty-two percent of the population
aged 16 and over was not in the labor force. Five percent of these were unemployed high school
dropouts aged 16 to 19. Seventy-two percent of those not in the workforce were females, and
' this number may largely represent older adults no longer in the workforce.
One third (33.7%) of the workers were employed in precision production or repair
occupations, and 19% reported occupations in Executive, managerial or professional specialty
' areas. Nearly 17% were in sales occupations. Only 6% reported employment in agriculture,
forestry or fisheries industries. Others work in a wide variety of occupations.
Ninety-seven percent (97%) of the workers reported commuting to work in 1990, and the
' average travel time to work was 20.8 minutes. The number of commuters had increased from
77% in 1980, but the mean travel time was about the same.
Median family income rose over 90% between the 1980 and 1990 censuses. Per capita
' income rose 52.7% during the same period. Only 9.3 % of the population fives below the poverty
level; however, of those person 65 years of age and older, 18.9% five in poverty. In 1980 the
poverty rate was 11.7% overall and 19.5% for persons 65 and older, so both of the 1990 rates are
' an improvement over 1980.
ID. EXISTING LAND USE
' The Town has experienced very little change over the past five years. The old junior high
school building has been sold by the school system to a private owner but has not been renovated
or developed. In fact, it was condemned by the school system and poses potential hazards to
' persons who might venture into the building. The building was briefly used as a cut and sew
operation, but that has now closed. Shavender Trucking made property improvements, and Mel's
Too changed operations but remained a restaurant. As noted in the economy section, Ratcliflas
' Store, a longtime local business, closed. This building and the old Pungo Machine Shop property
are currently vacant, as well as an old service station at the corner of US 264 and Church Street.
The majority of land in town is used for residential purposes. A few large tracts in the
' southeast and northeast sections of the jurisdiction are maintained in agricultural use. The
residential uses generally follow transportation routes in all directions. Commercial uses were
fisted previously. These are generally concentrated at and near the intersection of US 264 and NC
99. Grain bins are also present near the intersection of US 264 and Hwy 99 in the middle of
town. Recreational and institutional uses are somewhat scattered. There is a public playground, a
boat ramp, a tennis court on the old junior high property which the town developed, Town Hall,
' Pantego Fire Department, Beaufort County Elementary School in the northwest portion of town,
the US Post Office, and several churches within the town limits.

j
j
ADMINISTRATION
The Town employs one part-time clerk and contracts out for public maintenance and solid
waste services. The tax rate is 20 cents per $100 and the operating budget is about $41,000.
Total tax levy in 1993 was $1,028,205. The town employs a part-time clerk to assist the mayor
with administrative duties.
SAFETY SERVICES
The fire department is a volunteer squad with 21 personnel and 4 vehicles. Rescue is
provided by Belhaven Rescue Squad. The Town relies- on the Beaufort County Sheriffs
Department for public safety and a local "Crime Watch" has been formed. The Town Board is
responsible for the enforcement of any local ordinances. Building inspections are contracted out
to the county. No other direct services are provided. All water and wastewater systems are
individual on -site systems.
STREETS AND ROADS
The road system is awkward in Pantego, with US 264 taking a dramatic turn in the central
business area. The most recent Transportation Improvement Plan shows relocation of this
highway, completely by-passing Pantego to the west about three miles. Street and road
maintenance is contracted out by the town. Powell Bill monies are used for this purpose.
SCHOOLS
Area students attend Beaufort County Elementary School in Pantego; Belhaven Junior
High; and Northside High School. All of the schools have low utilization rates and are anticipated
to be able to accommodate all reasonable growth over the next 5 years.
LANDFILL _
The town contracts for solid waste services from a private contractor. Beaufort County
now participates in a regional landfill located in Bertie County, so the county levies a special tax
for solid waste and there is also a tipping fee at the site. These events have increased the cost of
solid waste disposal dramatically in the entire county.
OTHER
The town is served by Belhaven Cable TV. The town participates in the Belhaven 4th of
July Parade and decorates Pantego streets with flags. Christmas lights are hung during the
Christmas holiday.
E. IMPLICATIONS
The Town is in a relatively stable position, with population slightly decreasing over the
past ten years. Economic indicators show positive income and poverty trends. Unemployment
rate is very good, but represents an increase over the full employment evident in 1980. Building is
slack and mobile homes appear to be on the increase as a source of housing. The long-range
outlook for Pantego's viability is good, but growth will be slow. The most significant occurrence
will be the relocation of US 264 and the potential shift of development emphasis to the western
portion of town.
Tables 1, 2, and 3 on the following pages show the demographic and economic
information for the Town of Pantego.
Q

F
'
Table 1.
DEMOGRAPHICS
PANTEGO, NC
PERCENT
1980
%
1990
%
CHANGE
TOTAL POP
179
171
-4.5%
WHITE
149
83.2%
143
83.6%
-4.0%
FEMALE
106
59.2%
96
56.1%
-9.4%
'
MARRIED
76
51.4%
66
46.8%
-13.2%
AGE 65+
41
22.9%
35
20.5%
-14.6%
AGE 5-17
31
17.3%
23
13.5%
-25.8%
'
NOT IN CO.
5 YRS AGO
0
0.0%
11
6.9%
1100.0%
HOUSEHOLDS
71
74
4.2%
'
FEMALE HEAD
9
12.7%
13
17.6%
44.4%
NONFAM HSHLD
20
28.2%
26
35.1%
30.0%
EDUCATION
HS GRAD
83
68.6%
93
75.6%
12.0%
COLLEGE GRAD
22
18.2%
19
15.4%
-13.6%
HOUSING UNIT
78
86
10.3%
OWNER OCC
59
75.6%
55
64.0%
-6.8%
MEDIAN VALUE
$22,500
$42,500
88.9%
RENTER OCC
9
24.4%
19
22.1%
0.0%
MEDIAN RENT
$97
$138
42.3%
VACANT
0
0.0%
12
14.01%
1200.0%
MOB. HOME
3
3.8%
12
14.0%
300.0%
WORKFORCE
80
80
0.0%
UNEMPLOY
0
0.0%
3
3.8%
300.0%
N ED FAM INC
$15,625
$29,722
90.2%
PER CAP INC
$6,541
$9,987
52.7%
TOT. POVERTY
11.7%
9.3%
-20.5%
Source: U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 1980 and 1990. STF lA and STF 3A.
0
- 7

Table 2.
DEMOGRAPHICS
COMPARISON 1990
BEAUFORT
PANTEGO
% BELHAVEN
%
COUNTY
%
TOTAL POP
171
2,269
42,283
WHITE
143
83.6%
843
37.2%
28,949
68.5%
FEMALE
96
56.1%
1,247
55.0%
22,330
52.8%
MARRIED
66
46.8%
770
45.1%
AGE 65+
35
20.5%
348
15.3%
6,320
14.9%
AGE 5-17
23
13.5%
495
21.8%
8,189
19.4%
OUT OF CO.
5 YRS AGO
11
6.9%
238
11.4%
5,248
13.3%
HOUSEHOLDS
74
840
16,157
FEMALE HEAD
32
43.2%
351
41.8%
4,852
30.0%
NONFAM HSHLD
26
35.1%
19
2.3%
402
2.5%
EDUCATION
HS GRAD
93
75.6%
749
54.1%
18,342
65.9%
COLLEGE GRAD
19
15.4%
89
6.4%
3,019
10.8%
HOUSING UNIT
86
980
19,598
OWNER OCC
55
64.0%
840
85.7%
11,973
61.1%
MEDIAN VALUE
$42,500
$34,100
$52,600
RENTER OCC
19
22.1%
263
26.8%
4,184
21.3%
MEDIAN RENT
$138
$147
$191
VACANT
12
14.0%
140
14.3%
3,441
17.6%
MOB. HOME
12 .
14.0%
284
29.0%
4,850
24.7%
WORKFORCE
80
918
20,475
UNEMPLOY
3
3.8%
135
14.7%
1,239
6.1%
MED FAM INC
$29,722
$17,610
$26,010
PER CAP INC
$9,987
$6,982
$9,071
TOT. POVERTY
15
9.3%
811
36.5%
8,130 19.5%
Source: U.S. Census of Population and Housing, 1980 and 1990. STF IA and STF 3A.
Table 3.
Tideland Electric Membership Corporation
Shavender Trucking Company
Myers Lime Company
Babe's Florist
Katie's Beauty Shop
Britt Auto Sales
Royster Clark, Inc. Fertilizer
Pungo Machine Shop
Janice's Flower Shop
Raleigh Oliver Restaurant
Ratcliffs Store (recently closed)
E.T. Sawyer C.P.A.
Myers Used Cars
Beaufort County Elementary School
Younce & Ralph Lumber Company
I

m m m m m m r m m m r m r m m m m m m
s, TOWN OF
2 PANTEGO
NORM NORTH CAROLINA
Map Z
EXISTING LAND USE
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sY
RFSTDFNIIAL
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.�:' ��y_�r' G� +:+fir? •,� -
." • .i!w ` :::a_a.. ter . _. �
COMMERCIAL
1oMrs t '~ �d p LIGHT INDUSTRIAL
O
/ :.�cRaY. G� AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
Z
.. ? LJNDI' VFS.OPED
';;•5`�i I bu equals 750 M
0
v `k.
TM prsparatlon of thH mop was Rnarread bt part thragh • grand Prwld00
by the NoM Canna Cos.W Manapwwrd Props, tldougb funds W-Wsd
\ by Ws CoasW Zom Mampamwt Ad of 191% as onmWed. If b sdnWdstsrsd
\ by tM Of". of Oc"n and Costal Rowureo Manapsnwrd, Nano" Oownb
snd AtnwspMrb AdndNstrsb m
8a

III. CONSTRAINTS
LAND SUITABILITY
The general suitability of undeveloped land is determined by consideration of physical
limitations, fragile areas, and areas of resource potential. Discussion of this topic is required by
the CAMA guidelines because it is helpful for localities to recognize sensitive areas within their
jurisdictions when developing policies for growth.
1. PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS include natural and manmade hazards, areas with soil
limitations, sources of water supply, and areas of high erosion potential.
a. Natural Hazards in the Pantego planning jurisdiction
are the floodprone areas shown on the Flood Hazard Map
on page 15c. These areas are also subject to erosion.
Manmade hazards in the area are really not
applicable. There is bulk storage of lime for agricultural
use. As mentioned earlier, the old Junior High School
building is in hazardous condition and has two large
underground fuel tanks, but it is private property not
currently being used. Military flyovers are a presence in the
area but are not perceived as a significant problem at this
time. The Town would generally oppose activity which
negatively impacts local air traffic.
b. Areas of soil limitations for development are largely
associated with unsuitability for septic tanks. Highly
erodible soils are virtually nonexistent in the jurisdiction
except as associated with floodprone areas. A septic tank
suitability map of the area is reflected in Map 3A, Pantego
Area Soils Map on page 15a.
C. The only source of }potable water supply for Pantego
is groundwater from individual wells. The watershed land
uses are important to monitor because of seeping septic
tanks in the area and urban runoff pollutants which can
invade wells. Recharge areas are important to monitor
because these are the points at which surface water is able
to percolate into the rock layers to replenish underground
water supplies. There are local concerns about water
quality related to heavy minerals- particularly phosphate.
The water often has a distinctive odor and taste, and black
particles are often present.
I
W

11
L1
U
d. Areas where slope exceeds 12% or areas with a high
erosion potential where bulkheads may be constructed
in the future. There are no areas where predominant
slope exceeds 12%. As previously mentioned,
floodprone areas have erosion potential and these
encompass a large percentage of the developed area;
however, the reference to locations where bulkheads
may be constructed limits the discussion to waterfront
properties. In the Pantego jurisdiction, much of the
undeveloped creekfront is wetland. Of the developed
waterfront, very little appears to be stabilized with
bulkheads. Construction of bulkheads would require
issuance of a CAMA General Permit only if such
construction involved public trust waters. The town has
no estuarine shoreline. The Town may enact policy on
this topic if it chooses.
2. FRAGILE AREAS are those which could easily be damaged or destroyed by
inappropriate or poorly planned development. These have unique qualities
which make them valuable to man and nature. Pantego is rich with unique
and fragile features which may need special protection. The Coastal Area
Management Act refers to the most important coastal fragile areas as Areas
of Environmental Concern (AECs) and provides for a system of .local and
State regulations to protect these resources. The following excerpts from A
Guide to Protecting Coastal Resources Through the CAMA Permit Program
generally explains the estuarine system AECs:
"The estuarine system is the coast's broad
network of brackish sounds, marshes, and the shorelines
surrounding them. These lands and waters support an
abundance of plant and animal life and area a great
economic and recreational resource. Each component
of the estuarine system depends in some way on the
others. Any alteration, however slight, in one part of
the estuarine system may have unforeseen consequences
in other parts of the system. For example, the
destruction of a salt marsh may lower the quality of
estuarine waters and stimulate the erosion of nearby
shorelines.
"As an interdependent collection of lands and
waters, the estuarine system needs coordinated
management to ensure that human activities in one part
of the system do not damage other parts of the system.
Development in the estuarine system needs to be
managed in order to protect the system's important
values and benefits. These values include:
• good water quality for commercial and
10

' sport fishing, recreation, and human
consumption of fish and shellfish;
' • continued free public use of navigable
waters; and
• undisturbed nursery areas, spawning areas,
' shellfish beds, and other important
habitats.
"The following components of the estuarine
system have been designated as AECs: estuarine
waters, public trust areas, coastal wetlands, and
estuarine shorelines. Public Trust Waters are the only
known Areas of Environmental Concern in Pantego.
There has been a notation by Coastal Management that
Coastal Wetlands exist downstream from the bridge on
Pantego Creek.
PUBLIC TRUST AREAS
'Public trust AECs cover waters and submerged
lands in the coastal region where the public has rights of
use and/or ownership, including rights of navigation and
recreation. These areas support valuable commercial
and recreational fisheries and are important resources
for economic development. The following lands and
waters are public trust areas:
• all waters of the Atlantic Ocean
and the land thereunder from the
mean high water mark to the
seaward limit of state jurisdiction;
• all natural bodies of water, and all
lands thereunder, to the mean high
water mark;
• all navigable natural bodies of
water, and all lands thereunder,
except privately -owned lakes to
which the public has no right of
access;
• all water in artificially -created
bodies of water containing
significant public fishing resources
or other public resources which are
accessible to the public by
navigation from bodies of water in
which the public has rights of
navigation; and
11

'
• all waters in artificially -created
bodies of water in which the public
has acquired rights by prescription,
'
custom, usage, dedication, or any
other means.
"These areas overlap with the estuarine waters
AEC, but they also cover inland fishing waters that are
not in the estuarine waters AEC.
"Development in public trust areas must be
properly managed in order to protect public rights for
navigation and recreation, and to perpetuate the
biological and economic benefits these areas provide to
'
the people of the state. Projects which would directly or
indirectly block or impair existing navigation channels,
increase shoreline erosion, deposit spoils below mean
1
high tide, cause adverse water circulation patterns,
violate water quality standards, or cause degradation of
shellfish waters are generally considered incompatible
'
with the management policies for public trust areas.
The development of navigation channel or drainage
'
ditches, the use of bulkheads to prevent erosion, and the
building of piers, wharves, or marinas are examples of
uses that may be acceptable within public trust areas,
provided they will not be detrimental to public trust
rights and the ecological functions of the area. Pantego
Creek is a navigable inland water body. As such it is a
public trust AEC.
COASTAL WETLANDS
"The Coastal Area Management Act defines a
' coastal wetland as any marsh subject to regular or
occasional flooding by lunar or wind tides. Freshwater
swamps and inland wetlands are not covered by the Act,
' unless the CRC designates them as a 'natural resource
AEC.' They are, however, protected by the Clean Water
Act and a Corps of Engineers permit is required for
' work in them. Coastal wetlands contain certain plant
species.
"The roots, stems, and seeds of marsh plants
' provide high quality feed and nesting materials for
waterfowl and other wildlife. Plant leaves and stems
also tend to dissipate waves while their extensive root
' systems bind soil; thus, marsh plants reduce the erosion
of estuarine shorelines and help guard against flood
12

' damage. The unique productivity of the estuarine
system is supported by the nutrients and decayed plant
' material (or detritus) that the marshes produce; these
nutrients and detritus support marine life. The marsh
also traps nutrients by slowing the water which flows
' over it. In this manner, the level of nutrients supporting
life in the estuaries is maintained, and sediments
harmful to marine animals are removed. Without
' coastal wetlands, the complex food chains and high
productivity levels typically found in the estuaries could
not be maintained.
' "That productivity is of great importance to North
Carolina's economy. Ninety-five percent of the
commercial and recreational seafood species (including
shrimp, flounder, oysters, crabs, and menhaden) depend
on coastal wetlands for part of their lives."
1 Source: Department of Natural Resources and
Community Development, Raleigh, North Carolina,
1988. (Now Department of Environment, Health, and
Natural Resources.)
Areas of coastal wetlands may be identified along Pantego Creek.
e archeological and historic sites. o has one structure Pantego
Other fragile areas are g
listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The town still has many old homes and
an old church or two which help define the character and charm of the area. An actual
survey of these resources has not been done.
3. AREAS WITH RESOURCE POTENTIAL such as productive farmlands,
potentially valuable mineral sites, publicly owned parks, fish, forest or
gamelands may require special preservation efforts. Prime farmlands must be
identified according to the Governor's Executive Order 96 promoting
' interagency coordination toward prime farmland preservation. In the Pantego
area, prime farmland soils are found only in the southeast portion of town.
Table 4 lists prune farm soils in Beaufort County. Only Augusta fine sandy
I
loam and Yeopim loam are present within the town limits.
1
13

TABLE 4. Prime Farm Soils.
SOIL SURVEY
MAP SYMBOL SOIL TYPES
43
Altavista fine sand loam
46
Augusta fine sandy loam
SA, B, C
Craven fine sandy loam
55
Dogue fine sandy loam
6A
Goldsboro sandy loam
2A
State sandy loam
53
Yeopim loam
MAJOR CROPS
Corn, soybean, tobacco, small grain
Corn, soybean
Coin, soybean, tobacco, small grain
Coin, soybean, tobacco, small grain
Coin, soybean, tobacco, small grant
Corn, soybean, tobacco, small grain
Coin, soybean, tobacco, small gain
source: Beaufort County, North Carolina Soil Survey, Soil Conservation Service,
US Department of Agriculture, Washington, NC.
The mineral resources in the Pantego planning area are limited to sand deposits which
occur in the northernmost portion of the corporate limits and phosphate deposits in deep veins
throughout the eastern portion. There was some investigation of peat deposits many year years
ago, but local farmers were generally unwilling to risk the future use of their land by exploring
that possibility.
No primary nursery areas have been designated along the upper reaches of Pantego Creek.
14

•
„�
Map 3A
s�
4°
CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT
98
js{r
40
(Soil Types)
�% a6
% * See
Table 5 on the following page
46 for
soil descriptions.
48
82
86
'$
40 90
da
'A
U4
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f
`fir
PAf,EGO
v
1
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At r
r ,Q
46
i
86 •♦�` ��
♦��`� ##-0*
♦r,I S3
8R 1704
The preparation of this map was financed in part through a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal
' Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended,
which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
14a

TABLE 5
PANTE-GO AREA SOILS
'
#
Series Name
Soil Characteristics
82
Perquimans Silt Loam
Severe limitations for Septic; sewer lagoons; landfill; shallow excavations;
' dwellings, with of without basements; local streets and roadfill; playgrounds;
campsite; picnic facilities; paths & trails. Wetness, low strength, erodibility,
and slow perc are the soil's limitations. High water table is 0'-l' below the
surface. Permeability is 2"-6" per hour. Clay content is 8-25% 0"-8" below
the surface.
98 Muckalee Loam Severe limitations for all urban and recreational uses. Wetness and flooding
' are the soil's limitations. Cutbanks cave on shallow excavations. High water
table is 0.5'-1.5' below the surface. Permeability is 0.6"-2" per hour. Clay
content is 10-25% 0"-6" below the surface. Soils are subject to frequent
flooding for brief durations from November to April.
53 Yeopim Silt Loam Severe limitations for septic, sewer, landfill or streets and roads. Moderate
' limitations for dwellings without basements and small commercial buildings.
Moderate limitations for recreational uses. Wetness, seepage, and low
strength are the soil's limitations. High water table is 1.5'-3' below the
surface. Permeability is 2"-6" per hour. Clay content is 4-15% 0"-8" below
' the surface.
' 86 Tomotley Fine Sandy Loam Severe limitations for all urban uses. Wetness with rare flooding and slow
perc are the soil's limitations. High water table is 0'-1' below the surface.
Permeability is 6"-20" per hour. Clay content is 2-10% 0"-7" below the
' surface.
46 Augusta Fine Sandy Loam Severe limitations for most urban uses. Moderate limitations for streets and
roads and paths and trails. Wetness, seepage, and flooding are the soil's
limitations. High water table is l'-2' below the surface. Brief flooding is
apparent January to May. Permeability is 2'-6' per hour. Clay content is 5-
20% 0"-9" below the surface.
40 Dragston Loamy Sand Moderate to severe limitations for urban and recreational uses. Wetness,
seepage and caving cutbanks are the soil's limitations. High water table is
1'-2.5' below the surface. Permeability is 2"-6" per hour. Clay content is 4-
' 12% 0"-9" below the surface.
48 Seabrook Sand Severe limitations for septic, sewer, landfill, and shallow excavation.
' Moderate limitations for dwellings without basements, small commercial
buildings local streets and roads, and recreational uses. Wetness, poor filter,
seepage, and caving cutbanks are the soil's limitations. High water table is
' 2'-4' below the surface. Permeability is 6"-20" per hour. Clay content is 2-
12% 0"-9" below the surface.
7 Tarboro Loamy Sand Severe limitations for septic, sewer, landfill, and shallow excavations. Slight
limitations for dwellings, small commercial buildings, and recreational uses
in areas of low slope. Seepage, poor filter,and caving cutbanks are the soil's
limitations. High water table is greater than 6' below the surface.
' Permeability is 6"-20" per hour. Clay content is 3-12% 0"-40" below the
surface.
14b

m
1�]j PA N TE GO 1994
NOR= LAND USE PLAN
MBV 313
CONSTRAINTS TO DEVELOPMENT
(Hazards)
SR 1700
fL•••?•±••••••••••�•••••• -Y .ter'{.'•
w•
. .• E .;.•
•��aaaaa►►�•
1 In. puaL 7" M
The prparatkn of Ids map we* ltrlarlaad in W th-oW a grant prortAad
by the North Carolina Coastal Managamanl Program, thragh hands peo, ad
by the Coastal 20114 Managsmsrd Act of 1972, as mFwWad, which is admlNstarod
by 1st Me of Ocoan and Coastal Rasown Managamwd. National OoaaNa
and Atmosphork Admwstratbn.

1
P
u
C'
IV. POLICY OBJECTIVES
A. Resource Protection
The Town of Pantego is located in the northeastern corner of Beaufort County. Pantego
Creek, a public trust inland water body, flows through the northern half of the planning area.
Forests and farmland surround the town.
The Town relies on local and state efforts to preserve and enhance the quality of the
County's valuable water resources and its productive agricultural land.
Pantego Creek, limited prime farm soils, and areas of woodlands are the major natural
areas found in the Pantego jurisdiction. The Town will not support development that significantly
degrades the quality of its surface waters or has adverse effects on their use as habitat for fish and
wildlife. Most of the region's creeks and wetlands are floodplain areas. The Town will not
support new development in areas with natural hazards unless such development fully complies
with all applicable development controls.
The Town encourages new development and welcomes new industrial and commercial
concerns which protect natural areas and in turn, enhance the quality of life for local residents. It
is important that natural and cultural resources be protected from the impacts of development
during construction and over the long term.
Currently, the Town does not have any local land use regulations in place. One result of
this initial planning process may be an assessment of needs for land use controls. Stormwater
control measures are limited to drainage ditches, but better maintenance will be encouraged.
Groundwater resources supply Pantego residents with water. In the near future, residents
will be given the opportunity to participate in a county -wide water system which will also rely on
groundwater resources. Reports indicate that in recent years there have been substantial declines
in the level of underground reserves in some areas of the state, although the local aquifer water
levels appear to be stable. Another environmental threat to groundwater resources across the state
is leaking underground storage tanks. The State's underground storage tank program has
significantly reduced this threat over the past four years, but many tanks remain unaddressed.
New local development should not have negative impacts on local groundwater quantity and
quality. The Town will not support development locally that may cause future shortfalls in
groundwater supply or pose severe risks to the quality of underground waters.
The following is a listing of policy objectives the Town has adopted to protect its natural
resources. Included are strategies that the Town will attempt to implement over the next five
years in an effort to achieve these policy goals.
a. Soil Suitability - The Town contains many areas with
weaknesses in soil suitability for development. It shall be Pantego's policy
to discourage inappropriate development in areas with these weaknesses.
In order to accomplish this, the town will rely on the county sanitarian to
issue permits only on land which will support individual septic systems.
b. Septic tank use - Since Pantego does not provide municipal
wastewater treatment services, septic tanks are the only wastewater
disposal system available for new development in the jurisdiction. As
stated above, most of the town has soil limitations for septic tanks. This
15

has been a limiting factor for development in the area over time. It shall be
the policy of the Town to encourage development in all appropriate areas.
In order to accomplish this, the Town will support decisions of the County
Health Department, Environmental Health Division, in its issuance or
denial of septic tank permits in its jurisdiction.
2. Local resource development issues relative to Areas of Environmental Concern
(AEC's.
a. Land uses and development densities in proximity to
Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW's) - The only area of environmental
concern in the planning area is Pantego Creek. There are no ORW's within
the planning area. This issue does not apply.
3. Other hazardous or fragile land areas
a. Freshwater swamps and marshes - There are no swamps and
marshes in the area. This issue does not apply.
b. Maritime forests - There are no maritime forests in the
planning area. This issue does not apply.
C. Pocosins and 404 wetlands - There are no pocosins in the
planning area. Several areas may be considered 404 wetlands by the
current delineation scheme of the Army Corps of Engineers. At the time of
this writing, new guidelines for delineation of wetlands are under
consideration by the federal government which could change the status of
some areas. It shall be the policy of the Town to support federal decisions
with regard to 404 wetlands in its jurisdiction, and the Town will rely on
federal and state regulations to adequately protect these lands.
'
d. Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW areas) - There are no
ORW's within the planning area. This issue does not apply.
'
e. Shellfishing waters - There are no shellfishing waters in the
planning area. This issue does not apply.
f. Water supply area and other waters with special values -
The Town does not utilize surface water as a water supply and there are no
1
other surface waters with special values. This issue does not apply.
g. Cultural and historic resources - Pantego's historic
resources are many, although only one location has been formally
registered as an historic property. The Town takes pride in its historic
character and values the old homes still being used to raise local families.
It shall be the policy of the Town of Pantego to encourage preservation of
significant historic structures in its planning area. The Town supports
adaptive reuse of these structures. The Town will consider adopting an
historic district if is
overlay zone a zoning ordinance adopted within the
F
16

J
I
five-year planning period. Such an ordinance would cause owners of
significant properties to consult with the Town prior to modifications of
these structures.
h. Manmade hazards - There are really no manmade hazards in
the town. Bulk storage of lime is present, but not determined to be a
significant hazard. Perhaps the most troublesome hazard in town is the
condition of the old Junior High School property. The building is
deteriorating and old fuel tanks in the boiler room are exposed. The room
is also flooded with water and easily accessible to people seeking mischief.
While the building was condemned by the Board of Education, it was sold
to a private owner last year, and no efforts have been made to bring the
property up to safety standards.
The county as a whole experiences frequent fly-overs from
military activities originating in the Cherry Point area. These may increase
in light of manpower additions planned for that air base in the next few
years. The Town's policy is to allow bulk lime storage only in areas of
industrial use. With regard to military operating area, the Town favors
military operations in the area which do not threaten future development of
local air traffic.
4. Hurricane and flood evacuation needs and plans
Low-lying Beaufort County is threatened in hurricanes. The
lessons of Hurricane Hugo in 1990 have impressed upon coastal counties
that storms do not always follow predictable paths. Flooding in the
Pantego planning area is limited to the floodprone area around Pantego
Creek for most storms. It shall be the policy of the Town of Pantego to
support and rely upon the County's Emergency Management plans for all
evacuation needs.
5. Means of protection of potable water supply
The Town's potable water supply is taken entirely from
groundwater. Water tends to contain large deposits of phosphorus and
sulphur. Individual wells supply the Town's needs. The county is in the
process of installing a county -wide water system. The Town of Pantego
could be on line by 1996.
6. Use of package treatment plants for Sewage disposal
There have been no requests for package treatment plants in the
jurisdiction over the past five years. The Town's policy is to encourage the
use of these plants in locations where soils do not support septic tanks.
Stormwater runoff from municipalities often has a significant
impact on water quality. The Town of Pantego maintains ditch drainage in
laterals positioned to divert runoff for partial natural filtering of pollutants
11
17

' prior to entering Pantego Creek. There are no coastal wetlands to impact
in the jurisdiction, and the only surface waters nearby are Pantego Creek.
The issue of drainage scored the highest on the town's public survey. It
shall be the policy of the town to closely coordinate with the Department of
Transportation and the Soil and Water District to help address adequate
drainage for the town.
8. Marina_ and floating home develonment and dry stack storage facilities for boats
' There are no marinas or dry stack facilities in the planning area.
This issue does not apply.
9. Industrial
impact on fragile areas
Industrial development in Pantego consists only of light industrial
uses such as trucking, and bulk agricultural storage. These activities are
not noxious polluters and are not located in close proximity to the creek. It
is the Town's policy to help industry develop whenever possible. Since the
town does not currently enforce land use controls, their ability to
participate in this area is limited. The Town does contribute to and
participate in the Northeastern Beaufort County Economic Development
effort spearheaded by their neighbor, Belhaven, and currently under way.
The Town would not support development of any new industry which
might impose severe health risks on the public.
10. Development
of sound and estuarine system islands
There are no sound orestuarine islands in the planning area. This
issue does not apply.
11. Restriction
of development within areas up to 5 feet above men high water that
might
be susceptible to sea level rise and wetland loss
The only areas where elevation is below 5 feet are the flood plains
around Pantego Creek. There is minimal development currently in these
areas; specifically, Town Hall and the public park, the Fire Department, and
about four houses along Highway 264. Redevelopment of any of these
facilities would be supported or opposed on a case by case basis.
12. Upland
excavation for marina basins
Pantego Creek is certainly not suitable for marina development by
'
CAMA's marina definition. This issue does not apply.
13. Damaging
of existing marshes by bulkhead installation
The only possible area where this might be construed to apply
would be in the easternmost portion of the jurisdiction along Pantego
Creek. If indeed such development were feasible, the Town's policy is to
discourage installation of bulkheads along Pantego Creek in locations
where marshes exist.
a

k
I
B. Resource Production and Management
Directly or indirectly, many residents are involved in the development of the County's
natural resources. Harvested cropland accounts for 27% of all land in the County. Woodland,
much of which is used as commercial forestland, is also plentiful in Beaufort County.
Most of the land along roadways has been developed for urban uses, however most of the
outlying land is used for agriculture or remains in forests. The Town encourages the use of
adjoining rural areas for agricultural production and will support all efforts to ensure the viability
of the County's agricultural economy. The Town is concerned with preserving areas with prime
farmland soils. At the same time, agricultural uses should not have negative impacts on sensitive
areas such as Pantego Creek or on historic or archaeological resources. The Town supports
diversification of the local agricultural economy.
Much of the county's forestland is used for commercial forestry activities. The Town
supports the presence of the lumbering industry in the area and encourages expansion of
commercial forestry and wood processing operations if these will have no significant impacts on
residential areas and local natural resources. In all cases, the Town desires that cleared areas be
replanted as soon as possible.
The streams and creeks in the Pantego area are not large enough to support commercial
fishing activities. Recreational fishing does occur on a limited scale along Pantego Creek.
There are currently no areas in or around Pantego where mining or other mineral
production activities are taking place. Texas Gulf Corporation has a massive phosphate mining
operation in Aurora, on the south side of the Pamlico River, but it does not significantly impact
Pantego. The Town will support mining and quarrying activities only if those activities can be
shown to have no adverse impacts on the Townes agricultural and water resources.
Following is a listing of policy objectives the Town has adopted to protect and manage its
productive natural resources. Included are strategies that the Town will attempt to implement
over the next five years in an effort to achieve these policy goals.
Productive agricultural lands --
v
Prime farmland soils are present in small areas of the jurisdiction. It
shall be the policy of the Town to discourage conversion of prime
farmland to other uses to the extent reasonable for property owners. This
will be accomplished by State and Federal disincentives to conversion of
prime farmland since no local regulations currently exist.
2. Commercial forest lands
Commercial forest lands are not highly prevalent in the planning
area, but the industry has a significant impact on employment in the area.
It is the Town's policy to encourage support for commercial forestry so
that it can be maintained as a viable employer for its citizens. The Town
supports the practice of replanting cleared forestland.
3. Existing and potential mineral production areas
There are no existing mineral production areas, however, the area is
likely to have mineral potential; specifically phosphate. It shall be the
policy of the Town to generally discourage the creation of mining
operations in close proximity to the Town. There are no existing land use
tools to assist the town in implementing this policy.
19

I
11
d
4. Commercial and recreational fisheries
There are no nursery or habitat areas, no outstanding resource
waters and no trawling activities which apply to this jurisdiction. No policy
has been developed.
5. Off Road Vehicles
This issue does not apply with regard to pressing property damage
risks. There are a few of these vehicles in the planning area but they are
considered to be ridden on private property. The Town's local code of
ordinances would prohibit use of these vehicles on sidewalks or streets.
6. Development impacts on any resources
Development over the past five years has not imposed negative
impacts on the towns -resources. It shall be the policy of the Town to
assess the potential impacts of future development on a case by case basis.
There are no local land use control tools in place to address such impacts,
so the Town must rely on County, State, and Federal restrictions to protect
them.
7. Peat or phosphate mining's impacts on any resource
There are no mining operations in the planning area. As mentioned
above, Texas Gulf is well removed from the planning area and no plans for
mineral extraction in the area are known at this time. This issue does not
apply.
C. Economic and Community Development
Pantego is a small population center in Beaufort County. Only the Town of Bath is
smaller in population. Since the advent of railroads and highways, the Town has declined as a
central economic point, but there is still unusual vibrance for a town of this size.
The Town supports expansion of existing businesses and welcomes new commercial and
industrial concerns to the Pantego 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. As of
1994, the town partnered with the Town of Belhaven and other eastern Beaufort County
municipalities to initiate economic development opportunities in the remote eastern portion of the
county. The town contributes to the Northeastern Beaufort County Economic Development
Council and actively participates in their planning effort.
The Town would encourage the location of "clean" non-polluting industries, and those
that provide both technical and professional positions. Garment -fabricating operations, non -water
consumptive food processing firms, lumber industry products or services, and communications
oriented businesses would be appropriate new industries for the Pantego area. The Town
supports the location of commercial enterprises here. New tourist -oriented operations would be
viewed as an asset to the area. The Town has a few vacant commercial buildings and the old
junior high school property which could be converted for industrial use. The Town encourages
20

' new or expanding firms to locate in existing structures where feasible, rather than to invest in new
construction.
Land within the Town along the roadways has been developed for urban uses, primarily
residential in nature. Outside of Town, the area is rural; agricultural uses predominate. The Town
appreciates this pattern of development. To that end and to provide for the efficient delivery of
the few public services currently offered, the Town will encourage new development to locate
within the city limits. In general, outlying areas will be reserved for agricultural and low density
residential uses. When new development cannot be accommodated, the Town will support their
development in appropriate locations outside of Town.
Since no public sewage disposal is available, the Town will encourage the use of private
package sewage treatment facilities for any development of such a magnitude as to require such a
system.
The Town is committed to maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in Pantego. The
Town supports reuse of existing structures and redevelopment in areas were reuse is not feasible.
The Town supports improving its existing housing stock, as shown by its current inquiries into the
Community Development Block Grant Program, and supports new residential construction,
especially development that will serve the housing needs of the elderly and of low and moderate
income groups.
The Town values local natural resources such as Pantego Creek, and regional resources
such as the Pungo and Pamlico Rivers and the Intercoastal Waterway, for the recreational and
raesthetic amenities they supply. The Town supports state and federal programs that will assist the
Town in attaining its objectives for protecting and managing its resources, and for assisting in
' efforts for community development. These include but are not limited to public access programs,
programs for conserving prime farmland and preserving water quality, highway improvement
programs, economic and community development programs, and programs which assist in
1 preserving historic and archaeological resources.
Following is a listing of policy objectives the Town has adopted to provide for community
growth and for the economic development of the Town. Included are strategies that the Town
will attempt to implement over the next five years in an effort to achieve these policy goals.
1. Tvnes and Locations of Industries Desired.
The Town looks favorably on development of all types within the community, but its most
desirable development types in order of preference are residential, commercial,
' institutional, and industrial. Without public water and sewer, the town's ability to
adequately accommodate large operations of any kind are very limited.
' It shall be the Town's policy to support recruitment of industry and commercial
enterprises through continued participation in the Northeastern Beaufort County
Economic Development Council or other countywide recruitment efforts.
2. Focal Commitment to Providing Services to Development,
' The town does not supply services for development, so this issue does not apply at this
time. The Town will cooperate with the County's effort to initiate county -wide water for
' its citizens.
21

' Development is desired in existing buildings and on vacant lots inside the town limits, but
there is no current incentive or disincentive to encourage this pattern. No land use
controls have been adopted. As the town has evolved, the proliferation of mobile homes
has created some concerns for appearance standards or other land use requirements. At
this point in time, the Town has not chosen to initiate any of the traditional regulatory
- mechanisms, but they may discuss these possibilities further as a result of this planning
process.
It shall be the Town's policy to promote reuse and infill development to the extent
1 possible and to provide for orderly growth within the Town limits. This will be
accomplished by using the Town's Land Classification Map, classify areas according
to the guidelines of 15 NCAC 7B.0200. Developed areas within -the Town will be
classified Urban. Areas most likely to develop within the planning period will be
classified Transition. Agricultural and forest land will be classified Rural. Areas of
Environmental Concern and other sensitive natural or cultural resource areas will
be classified Conservation.
4. Redevelopment of Developed Areas.
There are currently no structures endangered by erosion and the Town has not adopted
zoning, so there would be no local review of redevelopment situations.
wofl)111111111111111��M • . I Is aT, rM. 19 re�,11
The town participates in meetings involving highway improvements and it provides public
access to the only Area of Environmental Concern in town (Pantego Creek). There are no
port facilities in close proximity. The town generally supports military presence in the
area. There have not been numerous opportunities for the town to participate in many
grant programs because they do not have high levels of poverty or minority populations,
and the town's housing stock is generally in good condition.
It is the Town's policy to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Pantego to the
best of its ability with limited resources. The town will support expansion of
academic and cultural programs at Beaufort County Community College. It will
support and participate in social and cultural events and festivals in the vicinity. It
will inquire into any opportunities which might enhance the quality of life for
taxpaying citizens of the town.
This issue does not apply in Pantego, although Pantego Creek does contain some
submerged navigational hazards which may someday need to be removed.
22

11
t' TI • I,IR - P e 111.1
Tideland Electric Membership Corporation has its corporate offices in the Town of -
Pantego but no energy generation facility is located here. The Town would not object to
siting of electric generation facilities inside its jurisdiction in areas classified as Rural on
the Land Classification Map. Refineries and their storage areas would be inappropriate in
Pantego, but the Town has no policy on Outer Continental Shelf exploration.
• 1 1t
There is limited potential for tourism in Pantego alone, but it could benefit from a regional
approach to tourism with the development of small inns and commercial ventures which
capitalize on its historic character.
It shall be the Town's policy to promote and enhance tourism opportunities
whenever possible. It will participate in regional efforts to promote tourism in
northeastern Beaufort County and encourage development of tourist -related
services such as "bed and breakfast" establishments, antiques, or commercial crafts.
The Town provides access to Pantego Creek with a public walkway and boat launch
located at the Town Hall. There are several miles of forest along the water which could
someday be developed into trails if easements could be obtained from property owners. It
shall be the Town's policy to support efforts to increase recreational access to
Pantego Creek; seek assistance from the state Office of Water Resources under their
Civil Works Project Program when appropriate; and consider projects which serve
multiple purposes - stream restoration, navigational improvements, and recreational
uses.
D. Storm Hazard Mitigation
Hurricanes and severe coastal storms represent serious threats to people and property on
the North Carolina coast. North Carolina has the second highest incidence of hurricanes
(Neumann et al., 1978). To date, North Carolina has experienced 23 major hurricanes since
1890. This averages to one major hurricane every four years. In addition to hurricanes, tropical
storms and "northeasters" present serious threats to eastern North Carolina. Recently a major
hurricane, originally classified as a Category 5 storm, skated past inland North Carolina and
brushed a small stretch of Hatteras Island as it moved northward. If the storm had made landfall
near the mouth of the Pamlico River as had been predicted by the National Weather Service at
one period during the storm threat, much of eastern North Carolina could have been destroyed in
its aftermath.
23

In order to effectively prepare for the hazards of storms, experts recommend adoption of a
plan which encompasses all aspects of the storm period. This plan should delineate areas most
likely to sustain damage, methods to keep areas affected to a minimum, and guidelines for
reconstruction after the storm. Beaufort County adopted a storm hazard mitigation plan, Before,
The Storm in Beaufort County: Avoiding Har_m__'s Wait, in September 1984, but this plan is
outdated and no longer used in Beaufort County. The most recent Disaster Plan was revised in
1991 and represents the operational plan for multi -hazards by Emergency Management. The
Town of Pantego endorsed this plan in November, 1991.
CAMA Land Use Plan guidelines require that procedures for pre -storm mitigation,
recovery, and immediate and long term reconstruction be addressed in each plan. The purpose is
to assist town and county officials in managing development in potentially hazardous areas and to
be able to expeditiously "snap back" after a disaster. The first step taken to assess the hurricane
vulnerability of a site is to analyze the types and locations of physical hazards within the planning
area. An estimate of the amount of people and property that would be exposed to the hazard is
also required. The following section is a discussion of the storm hazard mitigation, post -disaster
reconstruction policies and evacuation plans included in Beaufort County Emergency Operations
Plan for Multi -Hazards. All policies, unless otherwise referenced, are county -wide policies with
which the Town concurs.
The areas most vulnerable to the devastating effects of a hurricane or other major coastal
storm are identified in Map 3B. This map is the product of a computer model called SLOSH
(Sea, Lake and Overland Surge from Hurricanes). The SLOSH model was developed by the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers to simulate the height of the storm surge from hurricanes of a predicted
severity within a particular area. The National Weather Service ranks hurricanes into Categories
1 through 5 based on their wind speeds. The SLOSH model analyzes each hurricane category
scenario and provides a real boundary where flooding is expected to occur. For example, the
Category 1 and 2 hurricanes, with wind speeds up to 110 miles per hour, would produce a storm
surge that would flood a small stretch of land along the river. The Category 3 storm, defined by
winds up to 130 mph, would inundate points further landward than the Category 1 and 2 storms.
The Category 4 and 5 storms, the highest intensity storms possible, would push the water to areas
still further landward. In this scenario, water levels would be highest in the areas of Category 4
and 5 storms. At the same time, Category 4 and 5 flood zones have the least probability of
inundation because storms of such strength are not very common. Since the Category 1 and 2
storms are more common, the discussion will be limited to their impact on Pantego.
In Pantego, only a small portion of the planning area is situated in the Category 1 and 2
flood zone. Storm waters would inundate only the areas along Pantego Creek. The monetary
value of the property at risk in the Pantego planning area is about $150,000.
Within the Category 1-2 risk area, development includes 2 conventional homes, 1 mobile
home and 1 commercial establishment, and the Town Hall and Fire Department. The total
estimated value of these structures is about $150,000. This figure represents only 14.5% of the
total assessed value of the Town for tax purposes.
Although many all structures would be at risk from a Category 3 storm, the areas which
would be most seriously affected in the more common storm events would be in the Pantego
Creek AEC and associated wetlands.
24

' Hurricanes are extremely powerful, destructive meteorological events which are often
unpredictable. Destruction is typically the result of the combined energy of high winds, flooding,
erosion and wave action. Of these, the two most damaging components of the hurricane are the
1 high winds which define it, flooding from excessive rains, and the storm surge. In addition to
these forces, wave action and erosion are two by-products of the wind and rain along the
land/water interface. The following section discusses the effect of each of these storm
components on the planning area and delineates the sites which are most vulnerable to their
forces.
I HIGH WINDS
High winds are the greatest risk factor associated with hurricanes. Hurricanes are, in fact,
defined in severity by their wind speeds. The entire planning area would be subject to the winds
brought on by a hurricane making landfall nearby. Again, the areas most seriously impacted
would be the shoreline areas and wetlands. Structures adjacent to these features would most
likely receive the worst damage. Open field ditches or other sites that experience significant
backwash would also be impacted by the flooding resulting from high winds. Building restrictions
concerning wind stress should be applied in areas with the potential for strong winds.
' FLOODING
Unlike high winds, flood waters may not impact all areas hit by a storm. But, according to
' the SLOSH model map, Pantego Creek area would be subject to flooding from a mild hurricane.
This includes a total of 5 commercial, residential, institutional and community facilities structures,
resulting in a net loss of $150,000 dollars in the event of complete destruction.
' Flooding can not only damage buildings, but salt water flooding can also cause serious
damage to cropland. An estimated value of the cropland in the planning area is unavailable, but
short term damage would be financially debilitating. All of the agricultural land located south of
Town could be impacted by flood waters in a Category 3 storm event.
WAVE ACTION
Damage from wave action is very strongly correlated to wind speed and direction. Most
damage caused by waves will be in the immediate zone of the water along the shoreline and
coastal wetlands downstream at Belhaven and well outside the Pantego town limits.
1 Development adjacent to those shoreline areas would be subject to battering by waves. It would
be unlikely that significant damage would occur in Pantego from wave action.
IEROSION
The product of severe winds, high water and wave action is erosion. The areas most
likely to be impacted by erosion are the shoreline areas within the planning jurisdiction. Riggs,
Bellis, O'Connor (1978) studied shoreline types and their vulnerability to erosion. The research
' concluded that the low bank, marsh and high bank forms of shoreline are most erodible on the
Pamlico. In the Pantego area, low banks and marshes are the most common shoreline types.
The few developed portions of the Pantego Creek in the planning area are considered to
I
be the low bank shoreline type. Typical low bank shoreline types experience very high erosion
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rates. Low banks erode at a rate of 0.6 feet per annum (Riggs, et al., 1978). Shoreline
erosion is not anticipated to be a significant danger in Pantego.
SUMMARY
In summary, of the four major damaging forces of a hurricane, only wind and flooding
would be expected to play a significant role in storm events in Pantego. Financial loss would be
minimal from flooding in Category 1 and 2 storms. High winds would have the most significant
impact here. The Town Hall and Fire Department are located in an area of greatest flood risk.
According to the current disaster plan, approximately 30 days in advance of and continuing
through the hurricane season, the preparation and release of preparedness information for public
safety will be coordinated with local news media. There are no stipulations in the county's
hurricane plan recommending land use controls as tools for mitigating potential loss of life and
property. Since Pantego is an inland location, the risks involved in this community are less than
for other Beaufort County locations.
A post -disaster reconstruction plan allows towns to deal with the aftermath of a storm in
an organized and efficient manner. The plan provides for the mechanisms, procedures, and
policies that will enable the Town to learn from its storm experience and to rebuild in a practical
way.
A reconstruction plan typically has five purposes, according to Before the Storm:
Avoiding Harm's Wav (McElyea, Brower and Godschalk, 1982). It usually
1) outlines procedures and requirements before damages occur,
2) establishes procedures for putting storm mitigation measures into effect after
the disaster,
3) analyzes information about the location and nature of hurricane damages, 4)
assesses the community's vulnerability and
5) guides reconstruction to minimize the vulnerability.
It is important that local officials clearly understand the joint federal/state/local procedures
' for providing assistance to rebuild after a storm so that local damage assessment and reconstruc-
tion efforts are carried out in an efficient manner that qualifies the community for the different
types of assistance that are available. The requirements are generally delineated in the Disaster
Relief Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-288) which authorizes a wide range of financial and direct assistance
to local communities and individuals.
During reconstruction after a disaster, two phases of action are usually undertaken:
immediate post -disaster clean-up and clean-up and repair over a longer period. Although these
guidelines are directed for the county level, the Town of Pantego may take additional steps to
' complement this work. The following section discusses guidelines set forth for reconstruction in
the County plan.
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The Disaster Relief and Assistance Plan includes a program for immediate clean-up and
debris removal from roads, beaches and other areas where public health and safety may be
jeopardized. This concept should still be followed after a severe storm event. The responsibility
for completing these duties will be a combined effort by several agencies from the public and
private sectors. The Department of Transportation will be responsible for clearing debris from
roads and the Forest Service will remove fallen trees from the area, if necessary. In addition, the
County Emergency Management office will provide names of volunteers to call upon for
assistance in the immediate clean-up efforts.
While clean-up efforts are taking place, a Damage Assessment Team will be sent out to
evaluate the extent of damage in the area. Damage assessment is defined as a rapid means of
determining a realistic estimate of the amount of damage caused by a natural or man-made
disaster. For a storm disaster, it is expressed in terms of. 1) the number of structures damaged,
2) magnitude of damage by type of structure, 3) estimated total dollar loss, and 4) estimated total
dollar loss covered by insurance.
After a major storm event, members of the Damage Assessment Team should conduct two
types of surveys: one which roughly estimates the extent and type of damage, and a more detailed
second phase assessment after the initial damage reports are filed. The initial damage assessment
should include an estimate of the extent of damage incurred by each structure and identify the
cause of damage such as wind, flooding or wave action. Rapid and general initial damage
assessment reports are to be submitted by radio within one hour. Within six hours, private
property summaries and more detailed reports should be nearly complete. Under certain
circumstances, interim development moratoria can be used to give a local government the time to
assess damages, make sound decisions, and to learn from storm experiences. Beaufort County
can impose a development moratorium if it gets disaster declaration from the appropriate federal
authorities. This disaster declaration must stipulate the type and extent of reconstruction that will
be paid for by the Federal Insurance Agency. The length of the moratorium will be decided at the
time of the disaster, as it will depend on the extent of damage to the properties involved.
' RECOVERY TASK FORCE
Damage assessment operations are oriented to take place during the emergency period.
' After the emergency operations to restore public health and safety and the initial damage assess-
ments are completed, the guidelines suggest that a Recovery Task Force is formed. Annex K of
the Operational Plan for Multi -Hazards discusses damage assessment. The Task Force will guide
' restoration and reconstruction activities during a post -emergency phase. The County has formed
a group with members from all areas of the County to serve as a task force for recovery.
The responsibilities of this Task Force are to review the nature of damages in the
' community, establish an overall restoration schedule, identify and evaluate alternative approaches
for repair and reconstruction, and make recommendations for community recovery. The Task
Force will work with State and Federal representatives on the Interagency Regional Hazard
' Mitigation Team and also the Section 406 Hazard Mitigation Survey and Planning Teams.
Members of the Recovery Task Force will include:
' Beaufort County Commissioners
County Engineer and Building Inspector
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County Manager
City Managers and Engineers from each municipality
County Emergency Management Coordinator
County Health Department
I The Mayor of Pantego will be called upon to serve on this Task Force. Although this Task Force
will review damages, the authority to approve or deny permits will remain the responsibility of the
appropriate authorities.
SCHEDI JLE FOR. REPAIR AND RECONSTRUCTION OVER LONGER PERIOD
The procedures listed above deal directly with policies or clean-up immediately after a
storm or disaster. In conjunction with the policies stated above on storm hazard mitigation,
consideration should be given to long-term reconstruction. All reconstruction efforts must be in
compliance with the State construction standards currently in place. In the aftermath of a
disaster, reconstruction efforts will be rampant. A plan for the long-term reconstruction is
essential. The County has developed a priority system which the Town will also follow, designed
to stage and permit repairs. Staging and permitting repairs and construction in the Town are to
be done as follows:
First Priority: Replacement of essential services
such as power, water, telephone and
streets and bridges.
Second Priority: Minor repairs
Third Priority: Major repairs
Fourth Priority: New Development
In an effort to streamline the permitting process for the large number of applications for building
permits, a policy has been established by the County which issues permits for work in Pantego, to
repair and rebuild essential service facilities first. Second priority is to repair other public
facilities as necessary for shelter. A triage (worst damage) approach will be instituted for staging
the reconstruction effort. Properties with little damage would be permitted immediately if they
were in compliance with permit regulations before the storm. The schedule for permitting other
properties is as follows:
1. Moderate damage, meeting permit regulations
2. Moderate damage, requiring permit decisions
3. Extensive damage, requiring permits
This system was established to avoid interference with the reconstruction of public utilities and
facilities. The top priority in postdisaster reconstruction is the replacement of services.
The development standards for reconstruction will be in accordance with the Storm
Hazard Mitigation policies set forth by the Town. As a minimum, all construction must meet the
requirements set forth by the Town's ordinances on construction, as well as the State Building
Code. The County Commissioners will be the legislative body to enforce these policies.
Although consideration to the possible relocation of public facilities to safer locations was
not undertaken by the County, the Town has addressed this issue. Local officials realize that the
town hall and fire department is located in the hazard area. However, there are not sufficient
threats to warrant relocation.
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Evacuation is often necessary in pre -hurricane conditions when high winds and water are
anticipated to endanger the health and safety of local residents. According to Beaufort County
Emergency Operations Plan for Multi -Hazards, Pantego is located in Evacuation Zone I, which
' extends from a point near Sidney Crossroads to the Hyde County line. The evacuation shelter for
Evacuation Zone I is Northside High School.
Highways 99 and 264 are the principal evacuation routes for the Pantego planning area. In
the event of a category 5 storm moving at 30 knots, given high tourist occupancy and slow
response rate, it is anticipated that clearance time would be about 11 hours.
SUMMARY
Only a small proportion of the Pantego planning area is threatened by the hazards
associated with Category 1 and 2 storms. In the event of a major disaster, the planning area
would be subject to the policies and guidelines set forth in the Beaufort County Mitigation Plan
and accepted by the Town. In -town reconstruction standards will be enforced according to
FEMA, which attempts to mitigate disaster in the future. The calculated evacuation times for
' Pantego are within the safe limit.
' INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION
The Town of Pantego is responsible for reporting all of its activities concerning storm
hazard mitigation and hurricane preparedness with the following agencies:
N.C. Division of Coastal Management
State Office: Division of Coastal Management
' Department of Environment, Health & Natural Resources
P.O. Box 27687
Raleigh, NC 27611-7687
[phone]
Field Office: Division of Coastal Management
Department of Environment, Health, & Natural Resources
1424 Carolina Ave.
Washington, NC 27889
[phone]
N.C. Division of Emergency Management
State Office: Division of Emergency Management
Department of Crime Control and Public Safety
116 West Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27611
[phone]
Regional Office: Area Emergency Management Coordinator
N.C. Division of Emergency Coordinator
7607 West 15th Street
Washington, NC 27889
[phone]
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Federal Emergency Management Agency
National Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street, S. W.
Washington, D.C. 20472
Public Information [phone]
Publications [phone]
Regional Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency
Region IV
1375 Peachtree Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30309
Public Information [phone]
Disaster Assistance Program [phone]
Flood Insurance Program [phone]
STORM HAZARD MITIGATION AND RECONSTRUCTION POLICIES
1. Support Beaufort County Storm Hazard Mitigation and Post Disaster
Reconstruction Policies.
2. Town will encourage redevelopment of destroyed structures provided they
conform to applicable codes.
3. If destroyed, the Town will if possible, elevate public facilities structures to a
safe level.
4. Consider developing Recovery Task force for Town.
5. Increase public awareness and preparedness.
Implementation Schedule
1. Stay abreast of changes in Beaufort County Storm Hazard Mitigation plan.
2. Follow guidelines of the building codes and any subsequent zoning and flood
prevention ordinances for reconstruction after the storm.
3. The Town public facilities will be rebuilt at same pre -storm location, but
elevated to a level according to the specifications recommended by FEMA.
Consideration will be given to flood proofing facilities for which elevation is not
feasible.
4. Recovery Task Force members will include:
Mayor of Pantego
Rescue and Fire Squad Volunteers
Medical Board
Building Inspector
5. Educate public about evacuation procedures and about their responsibilities in
storm situations.
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E. Public Participation
At the outset of this initial planning process, the town appointed a citizen committee to
work on the planning project. Membership included nine persons. The committee adopted a
public participation plan which outlines the efforts they intended to take to solicit input from the
public. That plan reads as follows:
A RESOLUTION: THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN
FOR INPUT ON THE 1994 INITIAL LAND USE PLAN
In accordance with the North Carolina Administrative Code 15 NCAC 7B .0207 regarding public
participation in land use planning efforts, the Town Council of the Town of Pantego, Beaufort 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 1994 Pantego Initial Land Use Plan.
The elements of this citizen participation plan shall include but not be limited to the following:
(1) The Pantego Planning Committee shall be an appointed, diversified citizen group, and 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 direct mail to each household within the jurisdiction of the town.
(3) News articles and reports of Planning Committee meeting activities shall be provided to the local
newspaper, The Beaufort -Hy News,
(4) All meetings of the Planning Committee shall be public meetings, whether they be regularly
scheduled or supplemental meetings.
(5) The Town Board shall hold a public hearing prior to formal adoption of the final update as
described in T15A:NCAC 7B .0402(a), 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 was adopted by the Planning Committee on February 10, 1994.
During the month of March, a news article was printed in the Beaufort- yde News_ a
local newspaper, and the opinion survey was distributed and collected. At about the same time, a
newly formed economic development committee in nearby Belhaven was conducting surveys on
their own topics, and many people were confused about the different instruments being circulated.
The small showing of survey returns is probably indicative of that confusion. The following
represents the results of the public input survey which was distributed to all households in town.
Only eleven responses were received, or 14.3%.
Respondents were asked to mark each issue according to the degree of priority they felt it
should receive. The ratings were explained to have the following meanings: (1) High priority
means you would be willing to pay more in order to have that item; (2) Medium priority means
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you would do without some of the others in order to have that; (3) Low priority means it is
needed, but other things are more important; (4) Unimportant now is self-explanatory.
The results were tabulated using a weighting method to determine an overall value for
each item. High priority tallies were scored at 3 points each; medium priority was scored at 2
points each; and low priority was scored at 1 point each. No points were scored if the respondent
chose "Unimportant Now." The highest possible score in any category would have been 33 (that
is, if all 11 respondents had rated the issue as a number 1 priority and each tally was worth 3
points). There were three tied scores, so the rank order ranges from 1 to 13 rather than 16.
Write-in comments are included at the end.
BANK
1. Improve storm drainage ditches.
PUBLIC SURVEY RESULTS
1. Support development of new retail business.
2. Develop appearance standards for mobile homes.
'
2. Protect prime farmland
3. Promote services and facilities for the elderly.
'
4. Protect forestry resources.
5. Upgrade and expand Town streets.
6. Protect water quality for fish and shellfish resources.
7. Recruitment and expansion of industry.
8. Provide public sewer system.
U
WEIGHTED SCORE
0
30
_29-
74
9. Expand cultural and recreational facilities. _19
10. Establish public maintenance of cemeteries. 18
10. Support County water system. 18
11. Initiate Historic Preservation efforts. 155
12. Conservation of wetlands/floodprone areas. _U
13. Increase public access to boating/fishing. _J_Q
17. OTHERS (Write In): Full -Time Law enforcement; Remove junked and abandoned vehicles; Clean up
property (occupied and vacant); Build sidewalks inside town limits; Spruce up Town Hall.
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The public has been encouraged to communicate with committee members or to attend the
monthly meetings. No non -committee person has attended the meetings as of this time, but
people around town did talk to committee members about the plan.
The Planning Committee and the Town Board 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 on -going policy objectives:
' 1. solicit citizen input in all planning decisions
- advertise all Council meetings in the Beaufort Hyde News: emphasize that
' citizens are invited and encouraged to attend all meetings dealing with planning
issues.
' 2. apprise the public of planning issues as they develop
- report important planning and community development issues, decisions, and
' developments to the Beaufort Hyde News; propose feature articles for especially
important issues.
V. LAND CLASSIFICATION
' A. Purpose
Pantego 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. Four broad categories of land classifica-
tion are delineated on the Town's Map of Land Classification (Map 4). The map sets out a
proposed development pattern for the Pantego planning area. 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 their natural condition. The
classifications reflect proposed future land uses and attempt to link land use, policy objectives,
and implementation actions. The Town relies on county, state, and federal agencies to enforce
land use regulations at this time, so the relationship between the Town's policy objectives in the
areas of resource protection, resource management, and economic and community development,
and the Town's land classification scheme is very simplistic. As shown, most of the policies
dealing with resource protection and management will effect areas classified as Rural. The bulk
of the impact of economic and community development policy actions will be felt in the
Developed and Limited Transition classes. At the same time, the impact of some policy actions
such as those dealing with growth management issues will have an effect in all land classes.
CAMA guidelines make available seven possible classifications of land: Developed, Urban
Transition, Limited Transition, Community, Rural, Rural with Services, and Conservation. A
brief overview of each designation is included below. In the Pantego jurisdiction, only
Developed, Limited Transition, Rural, and Conservation classifications will apply. When the
county -wide water system is in place, Limited Transition may convert to Urban Transition, and
Rural may convert to Rural with Services.
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GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS
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.,
1 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.
LIIv=D 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.
COMMUNITY Areas meeting the community classification are presently developed at low
densities suitable for private septic tank use ... clustered residential and/or
commercial land uses ... and provide a local social sense of "community" ... in a
I
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
I
coastal region.
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.
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1. Developed
I�
The Developed classification encompasses all land along transportation corridors within
the corporate limits of the Town and represents the highest densities of development in the
jurisdiction. Even though no water or sewer services are offered, this area is the established core
area of the Town.
2. Limited Transition
Transition areas adjoin the Developed area and border roadways throughout the
community. Since the town provides no water or sewer services, any future development will rely
on on -site facilities until the county water system is in place. Even then, no high density
development is anticipated and services in the five-year planning period will be limited.
Therefore, the Town has chosen the Limited Transition classification for these areas.
3. Rural
The Rural Classification encompasses most of the land on the edges of Town. These are
primarily areas of farmland, and woodland. Agricultural uses predominate in the Rural area. The
Town supports agricultural activities in outlying Rural areas and has outlined support to
encourage and enhance agricultural activity. Should county water be installed during the planning
period, some of these areas may be expected to change classifications to Rural with Services.
4. Conservation
The Conservation Class designates areas in the Pantego planning region the Town believes
should be kept in their natural condition. These are unusually sensitive natural resources and
include Pantego Creek, a Public Trust Area of Environmental Concern. As shown on the Map of
Land Classification, the Conservation class encompasses Pantego Creek and has been extended 50
feet landward its banks, even though this area is not an estuarine shoreline. The Town recognizes
the sensitivity of this natural area and values it for its importance as wetlands rather than for
development. In an effort to direct new development to other more appropriate areas within the
planning jurisdiction, these water and wetland areas have been designated Conservation.
C. Intergovernmental Coordination
The Town's Land Classification Map has been designed to guide the actions of private
developers and of public agencies at all levels of government, in activities affecting land develop-
ment in the Pantego area. The plan was developed so that the planning objectives set forth in the
Pantego 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 planning
effort will be implemented as the Town develops over the next five years.
35 .

IM M M M M IM M r M M MI M M M IM M MI IM M
TOWN OF
PANTEGO
NORT11 NORTH CAROLINA
Map 4
LAND CLASSIFICATION
DEVEMPM
---_---_--_---_--'--'_--_'—_'—_--_'—
LvAnED 7RANSMON
RURAL
CONSERVA770N
I I'L Oqu& • 7fe M
The pMwadm of this map was fawwW in part Vwwlph a prwA peovMW
by" North Cronm CossW Manapwnwd P oprrn, t rouyl ha+ds pT'1
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