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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Use Plan Update-1980LAND USE PLAN UPDATE OMBER, 1980 PROPERTY OF DIVISION OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE TABLF OF CONTENTS I. Introduction ............................................... 1 II. Existing Conditions ........................................ 5 A. Population ............................................. 5 B. Existing Land Use ...................................... 9 C. Current Plans, Policies, and Regulations...............13 1. Current Plans......................................13 2. Regulations........................................15 3. Policies...........................................16 III. Public Participation Activities ............................17 A. Methods for Securing Public Participation..............17 B. Major Land Use Issues..................................17 C. Development Alternatives...............................20 D. Goals and Objectives ............. ....................21 19 IV. Constraints................................................23 A. Land Suitability.......................................23 1. Physical Limitations..............................:M a. Soil Limitations...............................23 b. Water Supply...................................23 c. Flood Hazards..................................24 Flood hazard Map...............................26 B. Community Facilities...................................2 1. Water System.......................................2 2. Sanitary Sewer System............ ....29 3. Streets and Street Lighting System.................33 a. Curb and Gutter................................33 b. Traffic Control Devices ........................34 a or 36 Prepared for......................................Richlands Board of Aldermen and Richlands Planning and Zoning Board Mayor: Graham L. Cavanaugh Town Clerk: Jo Ann Williams Aldermen: Bobby Huffman Dennis Miller James F. Mohn R. O. North Tommy Ramsey Planning and Zoning Board: Annie K. Ragsdale Jim J. Wilson Durwood H . North Carl A. Boggs Alternates Ashley Saunders McKinley Smith Richard H. Williams Prepared by.......................................Town Administrator & Planner: Jack Di Sarno Secretary: Nancy C. Dameron, Typist Technical assistance provided by..................Onslow County Planning Director: Kenneth Windley The preparation of this document was financed, in part, through a Coastal Area Management Act grant provided by the North Carolina Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Coastal Zone Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. s 19 TABLE OF CONTENTS (cunt.) 4. Emergency Services.................................34 5. Schools............................................34 6. Town Hall and Other Office Space...................35 7. Recreation Facilities..............................37 V. Estimated Demand...........................................39 A. Population and Economy.................................39 B. Future Land Needs......................................41 C. Community Facilities Demand ............................43 1. Water Supply.......................................43 2. Sanitary Sewer System..............................43 3. Streets............................................44 4. Schools............................................44 5. Town Hall..........................................44 6. Recreational Facilities ............................45 VI. Land Classification........................................46 VII. Implementation and Review..................................47 VIII. Areas of Environmental Concern .............................48 IX. Policy Statements and Implementation Methods...............49 1. Resource Protection....................................49 2. Resource Production and Management .....................50 3. Economic and Community Development ............... .....51 4. Continuing Public Participation ........................55 5. Cost Benefit Considerations ............................56 X. Town -County Coordination...................................57 Appendix: State and Federal Land Use Regulations .....................60 R a I. INIRODLUMON Throughout this document the terms "land use plan" and "land use element" may be used interchangeably. The Town of Richlands is attempting to integrate all community planning documents into a Conprehensive Community Plan. In this approach the various individual planning documents are labeled "elements", that is elements of the comprehensive plan. This does not mean that the Town mast possess an element to regulate every conceivable physical problem, it does however, indicate that the individual documents will be written so that they are consistent with each other. Further, the elements should utilize uniform terminology where this is possible, and the various elements should be placed in a single loose-leaf system.1 Placing the various elements in a single loose- leaf system should encourage consistency, if local employees, officials, and consultants utilize the comprehensive approach. The courts have also indicated that local land use regulatory programs are more legitimate when they are part of a comprehensive community planning process. The land use element is the foundation of the community planning process. Although North Carolina laws authorize many different local community planning programs, it is noteworthy that land use planning is the only program which is legally required.2 This prominence of the land use element is also built into the Comprehensive Planning grant-in-aid program of the U. S. Department of Hous- ing and Urban Development ("701 Program"), and the planning grant program of the U. S. Office of Coastal Zone Management. The Comprehensive Planning Program assigns the highest funding priority to the preparation of the local land use plans 1Elements which are regulatory in nature, for example, zoning mast also be adopted in ordinance form and placed in the ordinance book. -nand use plans presently are only required in the twenty coastal counties, however, the North Carolina General Assembly has considered expanding the program to the re- mainder of the state. The North Carolina State Building Code, although enforced locally, is a possible exception to this state if it is considered a land use pro- gram. -1- and requires local governments to complete their land use plans before asking for funds for community facilities documents, transportation studies, or other planning documents. The North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development which administers the coastal programs in this state assigns the highest funding priority to land use planning. In 1975, largely in response to the legal requirements of the Coastal t Management Act of 1974, the Town of Richlands prepared its first Land Use Plan. The Plan analyzed existing land uses and encouraged preparation for future orderly growth within the Town boundaries. An analysis of existing land uses and the establishment of the municipal land classification system were two of the most important features. Although Richlands is not located on the shore, it is subject to the land use planning regulations of the Coastal Area Management Program because it is located in a coastal county. The relation- ship here is more than a legal one. Activities in Richlands directly affect coastal land. For example, if extensive water pollution occurs in Richlands, shellfish areas in Onslow County will be damaged. Conversely, developments if in the coastal area will affect the Richlands community. If coastal tourism increases substantially over the next ten years, major improvements to the Gum Branch Road (S.R. 1308) or the Richlands segment of U.S. 258 Highway might be needed. No Areas of Environmental Concern were designated in 1976. This was typical for non -shoreline towns since most of these areas were ocean or sound related. This Land Use Element should mesh or be consistent with the Onslow County Land Use Plan, and should be used by the Town's people and the local governing body as a reference tool for guiding future growth. The element is not a perfect document. It should be refined and u " p-dated on a regular periodic basis. The Richlands Land Use Element is the most basic planning tool available, and should serve as the foundation of the entire community planning program. -2- Richlands is a small town functioning as a center for employment, re- tail trade, agricultural trade, financial services, governmental and other services. Several services are available that are usually only found in much -larger towns. The Onslow County Museum and the privately owned swimming club are two good examples. The Town was laid out in an arbitrary rectangular shape rather than according to developmental locations. Today municipal bound- aries still do not follow development. Richlands was incorporated in 1880 and has not conducted a single annexation. On the other hand, there is a consider- able amount of undeveloped land within the Town limits. There is strong public support for growth and improvements in Richlands. This is indicated by the Town's vigorous participation in the Governor's Community of Excellence Program, strong support for industrial recruitment .by local businessmen, and the recent request by the Board of Aldermen for designation by the North Carolina Interim Balanced Growth Board as an Economic Growth Center. The public has also demonstrated support for the Town's Downtown Revitalization Program which is in the planning stage. In spite of these efforts , growth in recent years has been moderate. Over the ten year planning horizon several important growth factors will predominate. Locally, the industrial recruitment efforts, condition of public utilities, vitality of Camp Lejeune, future development of Albert Ellis Airport, and the spin-off effect of coastal development are major factors. Factors which are beyond local influences include inflation, mortgage interest rates, and the cost and supply of gasoline. For the next year or two the credit tightening policy of President Carter and the Federal Reserve Board will act as a brake on development. If the local factors are positive, Richlands should experience signifi- cant growth in spite of problems associated with the national economy. Presently, the local growth factors appear favorable. -3- DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS A. Establishment of Information Base A variety of information sources were used in the preparation of this Land Use Element revision. With the exception of data dealing with population, all data used was adequate or better than adequate. Of course, the 1976 Land Use Plan, Existing Land Use Map, and Land Classification Map were heavily relied upon. Where data in the 1976 Plan was questionable, it was tested. Other available planning docu- ments, such as the Draft Community Facilities Element, Richlands Develop- ment Project Report, and other documents were also utilized. The. planner -in -charge conducted windshield surveys to gather information concerning existing land uses. The records of the Building Inspector were also examined, and the Mayor, Town Clerk, and other local citizens were interviewed concerning land use compatibility and other matters. Minerals in the Economy of North Carolina by the U. S. Bureau of Loans was used to confirm the absence of important mineral resources within the Town limits of Richlands. B. Statement of the Major Conclusion ' The conclusion concerning the adequacy of the data base used for the preparation of this report is that the data generally was adequate to good. The only exception to this is the data concerning population. The timing of the preparation of this report is a major problem here. When the 1980 Census data is available, it should be examined and, if gross errors in this report are found, the Land Use Element should be revised accordingly. ' , -4- r II. EXISTING CONDITIONS A. Population The original Land Use Plan stated, "Demographic data for the Town of Richlands cannot be compiled through the use of available published infor- mation due to the small size of the Town". Unfortunately, this statement is still accurate. Population data for minicipalities with a population of less than 2500 is extremely limited. Further, the most recent official population data for the Town of Richlands is contained in the 1970 De- cennial Census of Population. The one exception is the Annual Population Total Estimate of the N. C. Department of Administration. These estimates are shown below. of course, the 1980 Decennial Census of Population and Housing is currently being conducted by the United States Census Bureau. The published 1980 Census reports will not be available until after Jan- uary 1st, 1981. This is the deadline for the Census Bureau's suhmittal of state population counts to the President, therefore, this document should be amended when the 1980 Census data is available. The 1978 North Carolina Department of Administration Population Es- timate for the Town of Richlands is 970. This is an increase of 35 persons over the 1970 actual population count of 935 or an increase of 3.7%. Be- tween 1960 and 1970 Onslow, County's population increased 20%, while Richlands lost 13% of its population. This is due to Richlands being situated in an agricultural region. Richlands Township has gained 3% in the same period. There is the expected concern, however, about the decrease in the young adult population. For example, there were 254 people in the 5-14 age group in 1960 and in 1970 only 160 are remaining. This is a typical occurence in small towns due to service in the military and college. Also, the attractions of larger cities and outside employment opportunities drain this age group consid- -5- erably. Richlands has lost 37% of the people that were 5-14 in 1960. Conn paratively, Swansboro, another small comunity in Onslow County, has lost 25% in this age group while there total population increased between 1960 and 1970. Richlands Population 1970 Male Female 0-5 53 30 5-14 105 79 15-24 78 71 25-34 61 66 35-44 59 58 45-54 47 47 55-64 36 48 65+ 31 55 Richlands Richlands Township 0-5 83 779 5-14 184 1699 15-24 149 1499 25-34 127 950 35-44 117 825 45-54 94 748 55-64 84 611 65+ 86 .463 1960 1970 0-5 137 83 5-14 254 184 15-24 174 160 25-34 155 127 35-44 126 117 45-54 84 94 55-64 83 84 65+ 66 86 R x bi POPULATION ESTIMATES NORTH CAROLINA DEPAR'IVlENT OF ADMINISTRATION Year Richlands 1978 970 1977 970 1976 910 1972 890 1970 935 POPULATION GRANGE Year Increase %Increase 1977-78 -0- -0- 1976-77 60 .07% 1972-76 20 .02% 1970-72 45 .05% -7- Public sector employment is also considerable when education is included. Three public school campuses, Richlands Elementary School, Trexler Junior High School, and Richlands High School collectively are very important to the local economy. The Town of Richlands and the U. S. Postal Service are the other local public sector employers. Of course, the facilities of all these public employers are exempt from property taxes. Many local residents must conrute to Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, Kinston, Duplin County, and to the military facility of Cherry Point to work. The run -away price of gasoline and gas supply problems is turning what was an inconvenience in the past into a serious financial problem. The number of low income families in Richlands according to the 1970'Census data is slightly higher than the County as a whole; with 19.0% below the federal poverty figure compared with 15.3% - Onslow County. With a large amount of undeveloped land available, the Town should attempt to secure new, stable manufacturing industry to compensate for the business fluctuations of Richlands Textiles and the overall limitations of the tax base which presently is valued at approximately $ 7,000,000. This would also reduce the need for residents to commute to work and reduce local unemployment and underemployment. Simultaneously, the Town should closely examine the appro- priateness of annexation and encourage redevelopment in the Central Business District. If new manufacturing firms are secured, the comnmity would benefit from a multiplier effect, which would stimulate growth in the service sector and result in residential development. According to Edward Ullman and Michael Dacey, 100 new manufacturing jobs would produce approximately 30 additional jobs throughout the local economy.3 3"The Minimum Requirements Approach to the Urban Economic Base", Papers and Proceedings of the Regional Science Association, 1960. r R a. Existing Land Use The existing land use map of Richlands has been prepared and shows the development pattern within the Town limits. The map was the result of a field survey conducted in May, 1975. The map has been reviewed for land use con- versions since 1975 using building permit records, interviews, and field checks. Land uses are classified in eight basic categories. Listed below are the eight land use categories found in Richlands, its acreage, and percent of the total. Land Use Acreage Percent Residential 98.4 14.6 Com ercial 27.6 4.2 Industrial 7.3 1.1 Transportation, Communication and Utilities 95.91 9.8 Government and Institutional 37.15 5.5 Cultural, Entertainment and Recreation 21.2 .3 Agriculture 90.48 13.5 Undeveloped 342.96 51.0 Total 672 100 The above table indicates that 51% of the total acreage within the Town limits of Richlands is undeveloped. The second largest land use is -devoted to residential use. There is a total of 98.4 acres of residential land on which 327 dwelling units are located. Richlands has 27.6 acres of commercial land which, relative to the population, is'a significant amount. Many of these comurcial services require large tracts of land. Examples are the car and tractor dealerships. One of these dealerships, the Ford dealer, may be in a state of transition since the owner has declared bankruptcy. Much commercial activity has shifted from the Richlands Central Business District to strip commercial development which is occurring along the Highway 258 By -Pass. The,Central Business District has deteriorated and is not as - attractive to shoppers and merchants as it once was. Therefore, the shopper L and prospective merchant have focused their attention to the 258 By -Pass area. Not only is this strip development aiding in the business decline of the Central Business District, but it is also hindering traffic flow on the in- tended By -Pass around Richlands. There has been a significant amount of new development since the original Land Use Survey was conducted in 1975, however, very little land use conver- sion occurred. Virtually all of the development has occurred in areas already developed. The only exception is the proposed Brookhaven Subdivision. At present this 29.1 acre site is in the process of transition. This site has been partially cleared, however, the developer has experienced problems r completing the project, and the completion date is difficult to predict. A portion of the site is in the flood hazard area. Due to uncertainties con- sidering this proposed development, we have not classified this as a land use conversion. The only other land use conversion is the one associated with the construction of the Super Dollar Store on U.S. 258 Highway. The Super Dollar Store is under construction at the present time on a 100' x 200' lot. This conversion is shown on the existing land use map, however, the tabular information has not been adjusted due to the nominal amount of land involved. Several other commercial developments have been completed which do not in- volve land use conversion. New commercial development includes the Country Junction Clothing Store, the storage building at Rand Oil Company, a new car wash, Professional Office Park, which includes a dentist office and accounting office, and the expanded and reconstructed Piggly Wiggly which was built in 1977. -10- New residential growth in Richlands has been virtually non-existent since•1975. Approximately one site -built house has been added to the stock, however, one house has been moved out and one house demolished, 'for a net change of minus one for site -built houses. The Town has gained eight mobile units and lost six for a net change of plus two since the original plan was written. The overall net change is only plus one. In the industrial category there has been virtually no change. The only change which has occurred is a change in occupancy. A local resident has established a cabinet and woodworking shop in a building that was formally a Doctor's office. Virtually no changes have occurred in the transportation, communication, and utilities category, or the agriculture and undeveloped groups (pending the outcome of the Brookhaven Subdivision). Under the government and institutional grouping, Richlands Elementary • School completed an add -on on the present site, and the Richlands Boy Scout Troop finished their new brick veneer building in 1980. K Venter's Park was completed, two lighted tennis courts were constructed on the CommTunity Building grounds, and the Onslow County Museum was expanded. This constitutes the change which has occurred in the cultural, entertainment, and recreation categories since 1975. In conclusion, the existing land use situation has experienced some change, however, since 1975 growth has been slow. The problems related to the large amount of agricultural land and undeveloped land located within the Town limits persist. Most growth in Richlands has been of the commercial type. The following list briefly outlines characteristics of existing land use in Richlands: RESIDENTIAL Approximately 14.6% or 98.4 acres are devoted to residential uses.. The -11- amount of land used for residential purposes in Richlands is second behind undeveloped. In communities the size of Richlands, this is very often the leading type of land use. C g4ERCIAL Commercial land use is comprised of 4.2% or approximately 27.6 acres. Most of this land occurrs in the Central Business District, and along Highway 258. INDUSTRIAL Only 1.1% of the land in Richlands is utilized by industry. This amounts to 7.3 acres and is almost totally confined to the Richlands Textile site. TRANSPORTATION, CONE NICATION, AND UTILITIES Approximately 65.91 acres or 9.8% of the existing land use is devoted to this category. Of course, a major item here is street and highway rights -of -way. The Town's two sites for water storage and wells are also accounted for here, as well as property owned by Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Company. GOVER Z= AND INSTITITrIONAL This category is dominated by the public school campuses and the Fire Department site. The Community Building and Town Hall are also in- cluded. _Approximately 37.15% of the total or 5.5 acres is included in this grouping. CULTURAL, ERI'ERTAIIEIT, AND RECREATICN This is the smallest category with 2.2 acres or .03%, however, specific sites are included under other land use categories which do possess a similar function. iL r -12- 0 MXVELAPED LM 400 Amia m SCALE IN FEET C. Current Plans, Policies, and Regulations 1. Current Plans Richlands Zoning Ordinance-1970 This is a typical municipal Zoning Ordinance prepared with the assist- ance of the N. C. League of Municipalities and the Onslow County Planning Department. This document regulates the type of development by district, and includes a zoning map and enforcement regulations. The Richlands Zon- ing Ordinance makes heavy use of pyramid zoning. Project Proud This was the Town's first attempt to plan for Downtown revitalization. With financial assistance from Carolina Telephone Company, drawings and iwdels of storefronts were prepared by a design student from N. C. State University. The drawings show the condition of the buildingfronts at the time and include recomn endations for physical rehabilitation of exterior veneers. A one dimensional streetscape was also prepared. Public meetings were held to formulate recommendations to stimulate commercial revitalization. This plann- ing effort was limited in scope to storefronts, parking, and other extremely basic issues. Richlands Development Project: Alternative Town Planning for Richlands, N.C., Community Development Group, School of Design N. C. State University -May 1980. This report summarizes an intensive analytical study of the Central Business District, and other related problems in the Town of Richlands. This report includes an indepth physical and economic description of the Town, a survey of the existing buildings in the Central Business District, and proposes sites for new development. The report goes on to discuss growth ` issues, land use issues, redevelopment methods, including sign controls, and community facilities with an emphasis on city law. 'Finally, preliminary design work was a part of this study, including exterior design and floor plans -13- for a proposed city hall. Recreation Planning The recreation committee appointed in 1976 to determine the Town's recreation needs and formulate recommendations has achieved considerable results in Richlands. This comidttee has not issued any formal reports, however, their accomplishments.include: the construction of Venter's Park, construction of outdoor basketball courts, construction of two lighted tennis courts and mechanical improvements (cooling) at the Cc m anity Building. Richlands Area 201 Facilities Plan At the present time Richlands is awaiting final approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a 201 Facilities Step I grant. The Town has contracted with the engineering firm of James E. Stewart & Asso- ciates, Inc.,Jacksonville, N.C., to assist them in the preparation of this study. The purpose of this study is to plan for the wastewater, collection, and treatment needs of the greater Richlands area over a 20 year planning horizon. One of the basic goals of the project is to formulate recommenda- tions which will enable greater Richlands to cone into compliance with the federal Clean Water Act as amended. At the present time the Richlands Waste- water Treatment Plant is a secondary treatment system, and the Environmental Protection Agency is considering requiring the Town to upgrade treatment to tertiary -or advanced, in order to remove more of the.pollutants from the wastewater, prior to discharge into the receiving stream. Draft Community Facilities Element With financial assistance from the.N. C. Department of Natural Resources and Community Development the Town has prepared a Draft Community Facilities report which, in brief, describes the major municipally owned community facilities in Richlands and evaluates the quality of these facilities. Very -14- brief sections are included on potential financing sources for improvements. Draft Subdivision Regulations Element The Town has prepared a proposed Subdivision Regulations Element which would seek to improve the quality of development within the Town. Draft Historic Property Inventory A brief listing of historic and architecturally significant property in Richlands has been prepared. Minor editorial changes are necessary prior to adoption. 2. Regulations N. C. State Building Code -all volumes Traditionally, the Town of Richlands has attempted to enforce the N. C. State Building Code through local ordinances and local enforcement, however, in 1979 the Town formally requested the Onslow County Inspection " Department to assist in this enforcement. Onslow County agreed, and at the present time all volumes of the N. C. State Building Code are being effect- ively enforced in the Town. Zoning Enforcement The.Town of Richlands attempted to enforce the Zoning Ordinance by the use of part-time building inspectors paid on a fee basis. In 1979 the Board of Aldermen assigned zoning enforcement responsibilities to the Town Admin- istrator and Planner. The Town Clerk assists the Town Administrator and Planner when he is not present in Richlands. At the present, coordination between the Onslow County Chief Building Inspector and the Zoning Officer for the Town is extremely good, and enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance has improved. Flood Plains Regulations The Board of Aldermen adopted two resolutions on May 8th, 1979, establish- -15- ing a Flood Mitigation program and assigning responsibility for this program to the. Town Administrator and Planner. Activity in this program has been very low since very little development has occurred. Most of the regulatory requirements of this program are enforceable through the - -Building and Zoning Permit system thereby, relieving the Town of a separate bureaucratic mechanism. Draft Water and Sewer Extensions Element This is a document designed to provide for a systematic and equitable system of reviewing the requests for water and/or sewer services beyond the Town limits. This set of regulations would also establish minimum construc- tion standards to ensure that sub -standard materials or construction methods are not utilized. 3. Policies Economic Growth Policy ` In 1979 the Board of Aldermen established a local policy of encouraging economic growth. Informally, economic growth measures had been taken prior to 1979, however, the Commmity of Excellence application formalized this policy. The policy has been reinforced with the preparation of the Economic Growth Center Designation application which was submitted to the N.C. Interim Balanced Growth Board in April, 1980. This application requests that the Town of Richlands be designated as a Comtunity Employment Center. At this time the application is pending. -16- III. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ACTIVITIES A. Methods for Securing Public Participation The Town of Richlands has used several methods of soliciting public participation in the revision of this Land Use Plan. Public Hearings, the Land Use Citizen Opinion Questionnaire, and the establishment of a Planning Board have been the primary means of commmication. A related planning project, the Richlands Downtown Revitalization Study also generat- ed a substantial amount of public comment on land use and land use related issues. Major input for formulating the goals and objectives was gathered from the 62 returned questionnaires out of the approximately 300 which wexe distributed. In an attempt to broaden input for coninmity planning issues, especially land use planning, the Richlands hoard of Aldermen established a Planning Board in March, 1980. This Board is composed of lay -citizen; and will increase public participation in the area of comcrunity plarui- ing. The Platuiing Board has reviewed the draft Land Use Plan revision.. B. Major Land Use Issues Richlands experienced a population decline from 1960 to 1970. `I`he 1<> of population was attributed to the out -migration of young adults. The population decline between 1960 and 1970 appears to have stoprx—` and presently the Town appears to be experiencing small gains in popu- lation. The 1976 document stated: "Employment opportunities for young people in Richlands are few. Consequently, the young Richlands citizen must search outside of his native Town for gainful employment. The Jacksonville job market is attractive to the Richlands citizen, for this affords him the opportunity of working in Jacksonville while residing in Richlands. However, employment outside of the Town of Richlands usually results in relocation". -17- The employment problem is still a serious one. Job creations was repeatedly addressed in the Citizen Opinion Survey responses. The 1976 document also stated: "Medical and recreational facilities are inadequate in - Richlands. For medical care one must travel to Jacksonville, which is 16 miles away. The citizens of Richlands would like to see their own Town able to provide basic medical services for its inhabitants and its surrounding communities. Richlands is very interested in providing recreational facilities for its citizens of all ages. Present recreation and entertainment are limited to a few activities such as a private swimming pool, a Downtown pool hall, and athletics associated with the public school system. There is no provision within the Town for a park playground area, which would be beneficial to all ages". The negative evaluation of medical facilities in Richlands, which was contained in the 1976 Land Use Plan appear to be overstated. When evaluating com mity facilities and services one must compare comnnities, with other comtunities of similar size, geography, and economic situation. When a comparison is made between Richlands and other towns in North Carolina of approximately 1000 population, it appears that the medical facilities in Richlands are probably above average. It is unrealistic to expect a town the size of Richlands to be able to support a hospital or to be able to support specialists in the medical profession, however, the Town does possess two practicing physicians and one dentist. One of the physicians operates a clinic which includes facilities for minor surgery and x-ray photography. The dental office has been built since the first Land Use Plan was written, and is housed in a modern building. Many towns the size of Richlands do not possess any medical facilities locally. The Town should continue to ensure that the highest level of medical services possible is available locally, while realizing that limitation due to the size cannot be avoided. (see N.C. Atlas: Portrait of a Changing Southern State, pages 273-290). The comments in the 1980 -18- public hearings and survey did not show a great concern for the lack of medical facilities, however, recreation continues to be a primary concern. Since the original document was prepared, the Town has constructed a park - playground area which is named Venter's Park. The N.C. Division of Com anity Assistance has prepared an inventory of recreation resources, and the inventory appears to suggest that for a town its size, Richlands does possess considerable recreational resources. In view of the extremely strong public support for recreational programs, the Town should continue to improve its performance in the area of recreation. Retail shopping services were also cited in the original document as an area which should be improved. The 1980 survey responses echo this concern.. Unfortunately, correction of this problem must be largely the responsibility of the private sector , however, the Town should, where possible, encourage the development of retail shopping outlets. Based.on the comments of local officials, public hearing participants, and the responses to the Land Use Survey, there appears to be a considerable amount of public support for economic development and growth in general. Approximately 42.9% of the survey respondents stated that they would like to see the population of Richlands increase greatly during the next five years. Approximately 52.0% stated that they wish to see the Tom's popu- lation increase slightly, and only 5.4% stated that they would like to see the population stay the same. There were no responses indicating a desire for the population to decrease. The respondents also indicated extremely strong support for industrial development. Support for light and medium industry was virtually unanimous, and when asked about heavy industry, the responses were 3 to 1 in favor of heavy industry. In conclusion, there is a strong and broad public support for economic development and growth in Richlands. Specifically, citizens -19 would like to see inprovements in recreational facilities and services, and apparently they would like to be less dependent on Jacksonville and Kinston for household supping. The Land Use Survey also documents con- siderable support for future annexations and extraterritorial community - planning. C. Development Alternatives There appears to be approximately four development alternatives which the Town of Richlands may choose from. The first alternative is described as a no -growth posture. Under this option the Town would actively discourage new growth and development. A somewhat less extreme option would be for the Town to take a do-nothing stance in terms of growth and development. In other words, the Town would do nothing to attract new economic development and nothing to discourage it. A third developmental option would be a selective response policy. The Town would respond to inquiries from developers, but would not actively solicit new development. Many communities the size of Richlands follow this approach. The final option from which the Town may chose has been labeled active recruitment approach. This appears to be the approach the Town is presently following, and it appears to be the style which the citizens support based on the survey responses and comments made in the Downtown Revitalization workshops, public hearings, Chamber of Commerce meetings, and other gather- ings. Such an approach would also be consistent with the Town's recent application for designation as a Commznity Employment Center and the Town's participation in the Community of Excellence Program. D. Goals and Objectives Based upon the wishes expressed by the people of Richlands, the Planning and Zoning Board, and local elected officials, a set of goals for the develop- -20- ment of the Town have been formulated. Since Richlands is neither a beach community, nor associated with an appreciable amount of environmentally sensitive areas, the goals formulated are developmentally oriented. For clarification, a goal is a desired future condition. An objective is a task or course of action to be performed. Goal: Develop potential for industrial development. Objectives - Work with the Onslow County Economic Development Commission and the N. C. Department of Commerce in finding new industries interested in locating in Richlands. - Identify sites available for industrial development. Goal: Develop vacant land within the City limits. Objectives - Re-examine the Town's Zoning Ordinance to determine if it encourages growth within the City limits. Goal: Revitalize the Central Business District. Objectives - Achieve physical improvements to buildings, streets, and public utilities in the Central Business District. - Reverse the existing economic decline in the District. Goal: Expand the existing Town Hall facilities. Objectives - Acquire additional office space in the Central Business Dis- trict through rental payment, lease/purchase payments, fee simple acquisition or donations. Goal: Improve recreationalfacilities. Objectives - Continue to cooperate with local school officials in the u-- of school recreational facilities. - Apply for federal grants to assist the Town in acquiring land for the construction of a communitywide park. Goal: Achieve compliance with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act by improving the Town's Wastewater Treatment Plant. Objectives - Secure approval of state and federal grants for Step I of the 201 Facilities Program. - Develop a Richlands Area 201 Facilities Plan and secure plan approval from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the N. C. Division of Environmental Management. -21- - Review the findings of the plan and, if appropriate, proceed with Step II, preparation of the design documents for improve- ments to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. - Review plans and specifications, arrange financing, and complete construction (Step III) of the Richlands Wastewater Treatment Plant. Successful completion of Steps I, II, and III in the 201 Facilities Program are heavily dependent on federal and state grants and the ability of the Town to finance the local portion, which will probably be approximately 12h% of the total project cost. Goal: Improve the distribution portion of the Richlands municipal water system. Objectives - Replace all water mains smaller than 6" in diameter with new 6" or larger distribution mains. - Abandon the flat rate monthly charge method and install water meters throughout the system. -22- IV. CONSTRAINTS -A. Land Suitability 1. Physical Limitations Physical limitations for development can be defined as areas having conditions that would make development costly or create an undesirable effect if developed. Although these constraints are not severe or even likely to influence development patterns, they do warrant consideration. Primarily of concern are areas with soil limitations, and sources of water supply, and flood hazards. Unfortunately, most of the data relating to physical limitations is tentative or general. a. Soil Limitations Richlands is situated entirely in the Rains--Lynchburg-Goldsboro soil association. This association occurs in the broad interstream uplands of the Coastal Plans and,the soil series are somewhat poorly drained to poorly drained with moderate permeability. The Goldsboro series has slight limitations for most non -industrial development.- However, this would in- dicate the necessity of spot site tests of all sites expected to be developed to determine the exact restrictions present. Some general characteristics can be illustrated, though, through the use of the chart on the following page. Site specific soil analysis should be conducted prior to street, utility or industrial development. Where questions of this type occur, the U. S. Soil Conservation Service can provide technical assistance from their Jacksonville Office. b. Water Supply The source of potable water supplies to all users in Richlands is ground- water. Three wells with a total depth of 450 feet provide groundwater to serve a regional population of 2000 and one textile industry. Potable ground- water occurs in the Post - Miocene Aquifer and in upper zones of the Cretaceous System Aquifer. The Post - Miocene Aquifer is conposed of unconsolidated sand -23- which contains groundwater under water table conditions. Unconsolidated sand layers within the upper zones of the Cretaceous System Aquifer store ground- water under predominantly artesian conditions. Brackish groundwater under artesian conditions probably occurs in the middle and lower sand layers within the Cretaceous Aquifer System. The water table Post —Miocene Aquifer exists from land surface to 30 feet below land surface (BIS). Cretaceous System Aquifers occur below the Post - Miocene Aquifer extending down. to a probable depth of 1000 feet where base- ment is encountered. It is unclear if the Post - Miocene is hydraulically connected to the upper portion of the Cretaceous System Aquifer. The Post - Miocene Aquifer is recharged directly by rainfall infiltration. The upper zone of the Cretaceous System Aquifer receives recharge from the updip area of the aquifer but under favorable hydraulic conditions would receive recharge from the Post - Miocene Aquifer. Any activity of man which diminishes the quantity and quality of groundwater to the Post - Miocene Aquifer should be avoided, therefore, to protect the integrity of the Post - Miocene Aquifer, and perhaps, the upper zone of the Creteous System Aquifer. Based on the official method of calculating daily water system capacity, using a twelve-hour day, the capacity of the Richlands System is .469 MGD. c. Flood Hazards There are no serious flood hazard problems in Richlands, however, a sub- stantial portion of the northeast quadrant is currently listed as an A Zone by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Emergency Management Agency. A Zones are tentative designations given to the 100 year flood plain. A 100 year flood is a flood that has a 1% chance of occurring in each of the last 100 years. Many local citizens have questions the accuracy.of the A Zone. At the present time Richlands is operating under -24- the Emergency Phase Flood Hazard Boundary Map. The term Emergency Phase does not imply a dangerous situation here, but is simply the term used to describe the initial, tentative flood hazard mapping process conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Town should attempt to insure that accurate Regular Phase Maps are produced. According to local residents, the infrequent floods that have occurred in Richlands have been only moderately destructive. In 1980 the Town applied for and received eligibility for federally sub- sidized flood insurance. In return for the eligibility,the Town agreed to meet the regulatory requirements of FEMA. At this time enforcement of the N.C. State Building Code and review of zoning permit applications to identify flood hazards on proposed building sites, generally satisfy these regulatory require- ments. When the Town moves into the Regular Phase these requirements will intensify. The Board of Aldermen should remain aware that many federal grant-in-aid programs require participation in the Flood Insurance Program. Further, develop- ers should be aware of the flood prevention, mitigation and insurance require- ment of the Farmer's Home Administration, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Veteran's Administration, and lending institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. -25- DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT Federal insurance Administration O I TOWN OF RICHLANDS, NC (ONSLOW CO.) CORPORATE LIMITS ui cc �q2 0 FAY ? \ CORPORATE LIMITS 50 0 1000 2000 3000 FEET f1000 HAIARO BOUNDARY MAP Etfect" Ogle 801 JULY 11.. 1976 k N r — 26— B. Cowunity Facilities 1. Water System Richlands possesses excellent groundwater, which can be supplied at • the rate of 928,000 gallons per day. Daily comsumption is approximately 350,000 gallons, and the daily excess capacity is approximately 588,000 gallons per day. The Town does not use surface water and is not likely to in the future since there is presently no quality surface water located at a reasonable distance. Well #1 is equipped with a 75 gallon per minute pump, and according to the Public Works Department, the groundwater has been polluted. Due to these groundwater problems, this well is not in use and should be eval- uated. Well #2 is screened well located in sand at a depth of approximately 535 feet. This well has a 10" diameter and is gravel walled. The pump here is 15 H.P. and has a capacity of 300 gallons per minute. Water quality here is good with a relatively low iron and flouride level. This well is located at Tank #1. Well #3 is located at Tank #2 on the Cox Street Extension and is the newest in the system built in 1973. This well has 6" diameter, is approximately 535 feet deep and is of the turbine type. Pumping is provided by a 30 H.P. pulp rated at 350 gallons per minute. The water storage facilities consist of two elevated steel water tanks. Tank #1 is a.1001000 gallon facility of riveted construction. This tank was constructed in 1935 by Chicago Bridge and Iron Works. Tank #1 is supplied by a well and pump on the same site located on the corner of Franck and Academy Street. This site is not fenced and is also being used as a storage yard. "Town of Richlands" is.lettered on the tank bowl. -27- Tank #2 is an elevated tank of welded construction and was constructed in 1973 by Taylor Iron Works of Macon, Georgia. This structure has a capacity of 300,000 gallons and is 137 feet tall. This tank is also supplied by a pump and well on the site. The site is adequately protected with an 8 foot hurricane fence. Very limited storage of material takes place on the site which is located in a wooded area on the Cox Street Extension. Water Distribution System: This section deals with water mains (pipes), hydrants, water meters, valves and other minor appurtenances. The distribution system dates to 1935 when a Works Progress Administration (WPA) was funded by the Federal government to stimulate development and reduce unemployment. Most of the pipe installed then was galvanized steel. Much of this pipe. is still in service and is characterized by clogging and frequent leaks. This may be one of the reasons that static pressure is low in certain locations. - Presently, the distribution system is only partially metered. Further, more than one style is in place which causes confusion in reading. Therefore, users presently are charged a flat rate. This type of billing is subject to accusations of unfairness, makes it impossible to determine the amount of system waste and is financially risky. Most of the Town is served with 6" mains. A 2" line serves approximately 4251on Elizabeth Street. Large lines 8" in diameter serve Mills, a portion of Franck, and a portion of Onslow Street. The Town has one 12" water line from well #3 to the apparel factory which was sized to supply the factory's sprinkler system. Clogging in the oldest 6" galvanized lines may have effectively reduced the flow. The distribution pattern is also characterized by several locations where hydrants are not available every 500 linear feet. ' -28- 2. Sanitary Sewer System The Town of. Richlands is presently under contract with the engineering firm of James E. Stewart & Associates of Jacksonville to conduct a Richlands Area 201 Facilities Plan. This firm is presently initiating the work under Step I of the Facilities Plan. When Step I and Step II are finished, the Town will possess a comprehensive evaluation of the Town's sanitary sewerage collection, pumping, and treatment facilities. Therefore, this portion of this report will remain brief and be subject to correction by the larger study. The Town of Richlands currently owns and operates a modern secondary sewerage collection and treatment system. The treatment plant has an average design flow of 210,000 gallons per day. The plant was constructed in 1964 and is a contact stabilization plant which releases the treated wastewater after chlorination to Mill Swamp. The estimated average daily flow is presently 140,000 gallons ("Report on Operation and Maintenance of Wastewater Treatment Plant", March 1, 1980, Environmental Protection Agency). The sanitary sewerage collection system is in relatively good condition, however, the Town recently was required to have mechanical equipment brought in to repair a line which had severe infiltration problems. Each manhole and collection line will be tested during the 201 planning process. In view of the uncertain results of thisEtudy, the Town should take a wait -and -see approach on suggested improvements. At the present time the service area consists of the Town limits. There have been no extensions of sanitary sewer mains into unincorporated areas. However, a Richlands Area 201 Facility Planning Area Map has received tentative approval. This area would comprise geographic boundaries for wastewater service -29- planning for the next 20 years. The area will be officially approved when the entire 201 Plan is completed and approved by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the North Carolina Division of Environmental Manage- ment. This should be completed in the next one to three years. ff -30- RICHLANDS FACILITY -2LANNING Aa-A lio; Coe e 1 s _ qO may, ... •• ; � t � C y 11 q a Ile o 0 OFF 1972 STATE OF NC �� HIGHWAY MAP 4 ,• , a FOLLOW FROM Straight Line (S) Inter. SR 1311/SR 1308 New River (SW) NC 258 SR 1231 (SW) New River SR 1238 (SW) SR 1231 NC 258 (SW) US 24 SR 1300 (N) NC 258 SR 1301 (NW) SR 1300 SR 1302 (E) SR 1301 SR 1304 (N) SR 1302 SR 1003 (N) SR 1304 SR 1307 (E) SR 1003 SR 1311 (E) SR 1307 TO Inter. NC 258/New River SR 1231 SR 1238 Inter. NC 258/US 24 SR 1300 SR 1301 SR 1302 SR 1304 SR 1003 SR 1307 SR 1311 Point of Beginning -31- RICHLANDS LOCATIONS OF EXTRA -TERRITORIAL WATER DISTRIBUTION LINES Road Size Material U.S. 258 E. 1" Gal. Steel U.S. 258 W. 21' Gal. Pipe S.R. 1301 2" PVC S.R. 1003 2" ------ S.R. 1307 2" PVC Note: The entire Town of Richlands (incorporated area) is served by water distribution lines with the exception of agricultural areas that are undeveloped. The locations of water distri- bution lines in the unincorporated area are shown above. -32- 3. Streets and Street Lighting System The Town presently possesses a street lighting system which is main- tained by Carolina Power & Light Company. The Town has had relatively good experience with this service. Municipal Street System: Rights -of -way An inspection of the Town rights -of -way was conducted on Monday, July 19th, 1979. At that time it was apparent that the Richlands Public Works Department is doing an excellent job of weed control, erosion control and other maintenance items. Surfaces: Virtually all of the settled areas and heavily traveled roads in the Town of Richlands are paved and in a fair state of repair. Due to frequent open cuts to repair water main leaks, it is often necessary to patch recently resurfaced streets. This problem is largely unavoidable until major improve- ments to the water distribution lines can be realized. The Town has a very small number of potholes and minor base failures, however, streets -have been opened up which are not paved. Most of these unpaved surfaces have fair to good bases and erosion is virtually non-existent. According to the most recent State Street Aid Certified Statement, the Town of Richlands has approximately 6.14 miles of local streets. Approximately 1.9 miles are unsurfaced an(' .79 miles are surfaced with either gravel or stone. a. Curb and Gutter Richlands possesses a considerable amount of curb and gutter. Most of the Central Business District has curb and a portion of the state system, especially Wilmington Street leading into the Central Business District, has these appurtenances. The N. C. Department of Transportation is presently de- signing an extension of the curb and gutter system from the Eastern end of -33- Wilmington Street and will soon close the gap between the curb and gutter in the Central Business District at the end of the curb on Wilmington Street as one enters Richlands from Jacksonville. Some elected officials have voiced a desire for additional curb and gutter throughout .the Town. b. Traffic Control Devices The Town's inventory of traffic control devices is presently in ex- cellent condition. This is due to the Town's recent participation in the Sign Inventory and Standardization portion of the North Carolina Governor's Highway Safety Program. The Richlands Police Department and Public Works Department cooperated in this program. 4. Emergency Services The Richlands Volunteer Fire Department possesses a considerable amount of firefighting equipment. The Department owns four fire engine punpers, a 1952 500 GPM. punper with 500 gallons of storage, a 1956 pumper - with a 750 GPM pump and 500 gallons of storage, a 1971 pumper rated at 1,000 GPM which also has 500 gallons of storage, and a 1975 Quad truck with a pump capacity of 750 GPM and storage capacity of 750 gallons. In addition, the Department owns a 1957 1200 gallon tanker and a 1978 crash truck with 300 gallons of storage. Other major pieces of equipment include five Scott airpacks, two "Jaws of Life", and one Porta Power. The Depart- ment is mused in a five bay concrete block building which contains 2940 square feet. The same building houses the Rescue Squad which is not a municipal department. The rescue unit owns and operates three ambulances; a 1975 and 1979 Dodge and a 1979 Chevrolet. 5. Schools The Town of Richlands is served by the Onslow County School System which is under the supervision of the Onslow County Board of Education. Since the basic planning responsibility for the Onslow County School System comes under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruc- tion and the Onslow County Board of Education, to a limited degree the Onslow, County Planning Department has some responsibilities for school system planning. Therefore, the information contained here is for in- formational purposes only. Richlands is served by three public schools; Richlands Elementary School which acconbdates grades K-5, Trexler Junior High School which houses grades 6-8, and Richlands High School which accomcdates grades 9-12. The enrollment figures are as follows: 977 at Richlands Elementary School, 507 at Trexler Junior High School, and 588 at Richlands Senior High School. The design enrollment for the schools is 950, 400, and 625 respectively. Generally, these schools then can be reviewed as adequate for current enrollment needs. The recent enrollment trend for these schools has been stable since 1966. There are only three mobile units used at these schools, and all three are located at Trexler Junior High School. Both Trexler Junior High School and Richlands Senior High School campuses can accomodate an expansion, however, the Richlands Elementary School campus is somewhat more limited. According to the superintendent of schools there are no severe physical or land use problems at any of the Richlands schools, however, there is a major parking problem at Richlands Elementary and Trexler Junior High. The superintendent has stated that all three campuses are suitable for additional growth. Since 1976 there has been one expansion, the addition of a band room at Rich- lands High School. 6. Town Hall and Other Office Space At the present time the Richlands Town Hall located on Wilmington -35- Street is the only office space available for Town use. The Town Hall which was constructed around 1911 is a one-story brick facility which is presently occupied by the Town Clerk,the part-time Clerk Typist, the Police Department, and the Public Works Director. Although generally, there is one Policeman on duty per shift, there are frequently two or three Policemen in the Town Hall at the same time due to shift briefings, non -shift paperwork and preparation for court time, and other special duties. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen's files are also maintained in this building as are the files of the Town Administrator & Planner. The largest portion of this building is equipped for meetings of the governing body, however, the meet- ing table of the Board is constantly in use during working hours. In addi- tion to the above named staff, the Town Administrator & Planner uses desk space in the Town Hall approximately two days per week. Also, the Magistrate, Drivers License Examiner, Representative for Disabled Veterans, and field worker for the Onslow County Department of Social Services use the large room on a part-time basis. Dispatching for the Police Department, Richlands Volunteer Fire Department, and Richlands Volunteer Rescue Squad are also provided from this building. During tax listing season, a County Tax Lister holds office hours in the large room. Finally, the Town Hall houses the Town's complete inventory of business machines, and is used on a limited basis for storage of chemicals, florescent light tubes, and other materials. The Town Hall is furnished with two restrooms, however, one of these is in need Of repair's. Neither restroom can accommodate handicapped persons. There are no steps or high doorway thresholds to prevent further barriers to handi- capped persons. Several critical duties are performed in the Town Hall, including sub- stantial amounts of money, the dispatching of emergency services, and confidential -36- interviews associated with police and personnel administration. At the present time, the only office suitable for confidential interviews is the Public Works Director's Office which is located at the rear of the building, however, this office is extremely small and is not suitable for use by more than one person. It appears that in the very near future, the Town will begin to perform its own accounting services which are presently handled by a private firm. This will increase the need to organize the work area in the Town Hall. Fur- then, it is extremely difficult for the Police to question suspects in the Town Hall at the present time. All of the functions listed above are carried out in an area which is approximately 1200 square feet. The.need for expansion of the present Town Hall.was one of the points of emphasis in the Richlands Development Project Re rt (1980). This report states "The Richlands City Hall.....is severely undersized for the number of employees housed therein ..... City Hall space should be expanded by a factor of four". 7. Recreation Facilities The Town of Richlands is served by an extremely high level of outdoor recreation facilities when conpared to other Towns of similar size and geography, however, much of the resource recreational potential is not being fully utilized. At the present time the Town owns, operates, and maintains a small but very good quality mini park. Two lighted cement tennis. courts are located in the rear yard of the Comunity Building site on Franck Street. Although not owned by the Town, the Town is served by a privately owned swinm- ing pool and has a very fine country club located near the Town limits. There are two school campuses located in and near the Town limits and the Richlands Baptist Church owns and maintains a very good multi -purpose field which is used extensively for softball, and a sheltered picnic area. Although the focus -37- of this report is on facilities owned and operated by the Town, the demand on Town resources is indirectly affected by the total resources which are available throughout the community. In spite of the large amount of recrea- tional resources available there is a continuing desire by many local citizens to increase the Town's role in providing recreational services. Venter's Park is located on a site adjacent to the Richlands Volunteer Fire Department on Wilmington Street. This park contains playground equip- ment, benches, a water fountain, and paved outdoor basketball courts. The facility is fenced and the level of maintenance by the Public Works Department staff is excellent. The level of use here appears to be substantial. -3 8- V. ESTIMATED DEMAND A. Population and Economy The regulations of the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission at 15 NCAC 7B Section .0202 (e)(1) require all land use plans to make a population projection and to attempt to forecast future economic con- ditions. Of course, basic community planning principles that require land use plans emphasize this sort of forecasting. Describing past and exist- ing conditions is not sufficient to enable planning efforts to be mean- ingful. The regulations referred to above state: "A population estimate for the upcoming 10 years shall be made and used as the basis for determin- ing land and facilities demand and for classifying land areas". However, while recognizing the importance of population and economic forecasting, we mast also remain aware of the difficulties associated with such a process. This sort of forecasting is difficult for all local governmental units, but it is even more difficult and subject to inaccura- cies in the smaller commnities. Ironically, the larger units in North Carolina can call on the North Carolina Department of Administration for technical assistance, but cosmunities of less than 2500 are not furnished this service. The regulations cited above continue: "Ten year population projections will be provided for counties and those cities and towns having a population greater than 2500. Accurate projections for those areas with a population of less than 2500 are not available and must.be developed by the local planning unit". This difficulty was described in the original Land Use Plan which reads: ."In Richlands, or in any small town, popula- tion projections are difficult to make confidently due to the lack of a substantial base number with which to work". To illustrate this point, if a new manufacturing industry with a work force of 200 causes a population -39- increase of 350, this amounts to a population increase of approximately 33% in a town the size of Richlands. In a city the size of Jacksonville the same new plant location would cause only a 1% increase. Finally, 2500 population is a major cut-off point in the availability census data. Certain valuable types of information such as unemployment rates are available only for rmnicipalities of greater than 2500 population. In spite of these problems, we proceed with certain understandings. No seasonal variations in the population have been identified. Rich- lands is approximately 31 miles from the coast and virtually no regional recreational resources such as state parks are located in town or nearby. Therefore, seasonal outmigration and immigration is negligible. The very -recent Richlands Development Project Report, May, 1980, discusses population trends and growth alternatives. This discussion conTpares population projections using the geometric method with one using a simplified economic base method. An estimate of 3750 is projected for 1990 using the economic base method. The method for this projection is explained in the'Report: According to the Onslow County Economic Development Commission, industrial growth possibilities in the town range from two sites in 1980 to a maximum of 12 sites in the next ten years. The average labor force in light industrial (plants) is 150 people for industrial (plant) (p.31) . We have chosen to use a method which also is influenced by -economic base theory. The method enployed here uses an average household size of 2.5. Average household size in Richlands was 2.8 in the 1970 census, but due to declining birthrates statewide, we have arbitrarily adjusted it downward to 2.5.. The number of new plant locations has also been adjusted down to five over the next ten years. The average size of the workforce of the new plants has been adjusted down to 100. However, we have added "spinoff" non-nanufacturing jobs at a ratio of 1 non-vanufactur- -A 0- ing jobs. Since it is not logical to predict that all of the new pop- ulation will reside in Richlands, we are estimating that the Town will capture 30% of the additional population. This is an optimistic estimate. when looking at the residential growth in the outlying area conpared to that in Town. Using this method, the population projection for 1985 is 1252 and the estimate for 1990 is 1440. These projections are based on the present geographic boundaries of the Town. They are also based on certain economic assumptions. Attraction of a large new labor intensive industry, lay-offs by local Moyers, or annexation are illustrations of actions that can upset a population projection. When 1980 Census information is available this portion of this document should be reviewed for accuracy and revised if necessary. • B. Future Land Needs By acreage, Richlands is approximately 50% developed. This means that the Town has an excellent capacity to accommodate future growth. Much of this land is enlarged parcels. This would tend to make comrexcial and industrial development more feasible. As of 1976, Richlands had 98.4 acres developed for residential use, with a total of approximately 327 dwelling units. The average residential lot size was .3 acres. With the present. Town boundary line Richlands could accommodate a doubling of its present population. The average household size is approximately 2.8 persons per unit so that a doubling of the population would require approximately 336 more residential units. If these additional units were located on tracts of approximately 1/3 of an acre, only 112 acres would be needed for future residential development. The 1976 Land Use Plan stated that the 6000 to 8000 square foot residential lot seemed unwise in light of the potential pollution threat to crowded residential land use. This is -41 an issue which could continue to receive attention, however, the pollution potential can be minimized by strict adherence to a mandatory sanitary sewer connection policy. Presently, Richlands contains approximately 28 acres of commercial land. The additional land demoted to commercial development in future years should be carefully regulated. An attempt should also be made to encourage re -development of the Central Commiercial Business District. Where prospec- tive commercial developers insist on locating outside the Central Business District, there may be a need for additional comnercial land. The need to encourage commercial development may conflict with the efforts of the N.C. Department of Transportation to limit access on the U. S. Highway 258 By -Pass. These problems do not appear to be unresolvable and the large amount of un- developed land located in several portions of the Town will make it easier to resolve any land use conflicts which arise. Industrial land use in Richlands is presently limited to approximately 7.3 acres of land, and approximately 60 acres are zoned for industrial uses. The 1976 Land Use Plan stated that the zoning of 60 acres for industry was probably "an over estimation of land needed for industrial use.....". How- ever, if the Town is to pursue an active program of promoting economic development, this is not an excess amount of industrial land. If industries are selected properly, they can be located within the Town limits without any substantial adverse affect on the residential neighborhoods. If the Town's economic development policy is successful, there will be a need for industrial land over and above the 60 acres presently zoned for industry. There may be a need for additional recreational land since many citizens have called on the Town to provide more and higher quality outdoor recrea- tional services. From a financially realistic standpoint, it may be more -42 - prudent for the Town to closely cooperate with the Onslow County School System in making their athletic fields and other recreational facilities more widely accessive to the general public. This suggestion was contained in the 1976 Land Use Plan, and the suggestion has been partially implemented. The 1976 Plan has also stated that Richlands "should encourage comrnxcial establishments providing recreational entertainment services". The Town has taken some steps to provide this encouragement. This sort of activity is difficult for local governmental units to influence. Overall, the future land needs for Richlands are encouraging due to the large amount of undeveloped and underdeveloped land within the Town limits. In addition to encouraging development of this land within the Town limits, the Town should closely observe developmental activities in the fringe area, and where justified, annexation procedures should be conducted. C. Community Facilities Demand 1. Water System As noted elsewhere in this report, the Town of Richlands possesses an excellent supply of groundwater. The Town's water pumping and storage facilities are adequate to accommodate the projected growth over the next ten years. However, the oldest portions of the water distribution system are sub -standard in quality and size. Over the next ten years and possibly in conjunction with Step III of the 201 Facilities Plan, the. Town should attempt.to replace all galvanized water mains which are less than 6 inches in diameter, and meter the entire system. The lack of metering is presently causing financial problems for the municipal Water and Sewer Fund. 2. Sanitary Sewer System The Town's municipal sanitary sewer system is basically in good operating -43- 0 condition. The treatment plant has a design population equivalent of 2100. This indicates that the facility should be able to accommodate considerable growth once the major points of infiltration have been corrected. The 201 Facilities Study will identify virtually all deficiences in the sewer system, ` and provide detailed recommendations for correcting them. Although the Town has been.instructed-to proceed with the completion of the 201 Facilities Pro- gram, it does not appear that a moratorium will be imposed as long as reasonable progress is made in the 201 Facilities Program, therefore, it appears that the Town should make every effort to complete the 201 Facilities Study, and should, where possible, consolidate water improvements with sewer improvements in Step III so as to secure the best prices for construction work. 3. Streets Generally, the street and highway system in Richlands is in good condition, however, the Town should attempt to surface all dirt streets, and encourage the N. C. Department of Transportation to continue good maintenance practices of the state maintained portion of the system. 4. Schools The Onslow County School System Facilities located in Richlands appear to be able to accommodate a significant amount of growth over.the next ten years. No specific recommendations for improvements are offered here. 5. Town Hall The Richlands Board of Aldermen should place a strong emphasis on ex- pansion or replacement of the existing Town Hall. The present facility on Wilmington Street contains only approximately 25% of the floor space needed for a modern adequate facility. The recent Downtown Revitalization Study placed strong emphasis on this need, and called for the acquisition of the -4 4- old Richlands food market building which contains approximately 6700 square feet of space. The study team strongly recomu ended that, if the Richlands food market building was not acquired, that the Town Hall remain centrally located in the Business District. 6. Recreational Facilities Within the financial limitations of the Town, efforts should be con- tinued to upgrade and improve public On-inicipally owned) and private recrea- tion facilities in the Town of Richlands. If a new Town Hall is acquired, it should be designed so that it may accomcdate small scale indoor educational, cultural, and recreational activities, where possible. Within financial limitations, the Town should also attempt to continue improvements to the Community Building, Library Building, municipal tennis courts, and Venter's Park. Finally, the Town should attempt to make athletic fields more readily available, either through close cooperation with the Onslow County School System or through acquisition of a municipal park site. This possibily can be achieved through land donations or state and federal grant funds supplemented with local funds. However, competition for these federal grant funds is extremely high and large local cash matches are usually re- quired. -45- VI. LAND CLASSIFICATION The State guidelines for Local Planning in the Coastal Area under the Coastal Area Management Act of 1974 require that a land classification may be prepared for all planning jurisdictions in the coastal area. There are five classes of land prescribed in the North Carolina Land Classifica- tion System: A. Developed - Land with a minimum density of 2000 people per square mule (3.124/acre) and containing public services able to support the present population. This land mast be serviced by water and sewer systems and adequate road and educational systems. B. Transition - Land where a minimum density of 2000 people per square mile is expected in the future and where minimum services will be required. Areas with severe development limitations or one of significant special value would not be included in this category. C. Community - Existing low density land that doesn't require major public services. This class includes all new rural growth of lot sizes of 10 acres or less. Approximately one person per acre should be used as a guide in identifying this land. This classification has not been used in Richlands. D. Rural - Land used for management and utilization of productive resources and where limited public services will be provided. Generally, large tracts of land not expected to develop more intensely than agriculturally would be considered in this category. E. Conservation - This last class identifies land to be maintained for its natural qualities and least desirable for development. These areas wouldn't be able to withstand development without lose of natural value, have severe limitations for development, or are too valuable to be endangered by it. Due to a lack of unique natural areas, this classification has not been used in the Town of Richlands. -46- TRANSITION .00 o sao SCALE IN FEET VII. IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW In order to reach the goals formulated in this Land Use Plan, the Town of Richlands mist have a method to follow for implementing recommendations. The following steps indicate such a method: 1. The citizens of Richlands elect a Town Board; 2. The Town Board appoints a Planning and Zoning Board, and Town Administrator & Planner; 3. The Planning Board and Town Administrator and Planner are respon- sible for making recommendations, plans, and policies to the Town Board on land use, recreation, housing and community facilities; 4. The Town Board considers the recommendations and plans for the Planning Board for adoption; 5. The recommendations and plans may be implemented through: a) ordinances such as: —zoning --subdivision --housing —building code, and b) fiscal policy including: --budgeting —State grants —Federal grants --revenue sharing The plans and policies implemented by the Town Board need to be kept current. The tools for implementation should be updated periodically. Each one to two years the plan should be briefly re-examined and new recommendations made if needed. A thorough review of the entire plan should be made every five years. Included in the five year review should be new citizen and land use surveys and population projections. Of course, the most basic and recurring -47- obstacle to achieving goals is financing. Sometimes financial problems are direct such as a lack of funds to construct recreational facilities. At other times the financial obstacle is less obvious. For example, the Town might wish to intensify industrial recruiting efforts but a staffing problem may prevent it. State and federal authorities as well as local interests should remain aware of this problem. VIII. AREAS OF ENVIRONMERrAL CONCERN Areas of Environmental Concern include marshlands, beaches, sand dunes, navigable waters, national and state parks and areas of extreme historic importance. None of these areas exist within the Town limits of Richlands or in the outlying area. v -49- IX. POLICY STATEMENTS AND IMPLIIMENTATION METHODS 1. Resource Protection The Town of Richlands contains no coastal areas of environmental concern. Further, the Town has chosen not to nominate any optional areas of environmen- tal concern. Since the Town of Richlands is not located on a major body of water, hurricane and flood evacuation are insignificant. Hazardous and fragile land areas are nominal with the only possible exception being the storage of agri- cultural chemicals and petroleum products within the Town limits. The Town has exercised a local policy of conducting annual fire prevention inspections of all businesses. It shall be the official policy of the Town to continue its program of volunteer fire prevention inspections of all businesses on an annual basis. The method of implementation shall be to continue the present ' systemof -using a part-time inspector who is also a voluntary fireman, but is paid on an hourly basis for his inspection services. With reference to constraints to development the soils for the Richlands area are comparable with the soils for Onslow County in general, and do not present any special hazards, however, it shall be the Town policy to advise developers of industrial and commercial property to consult the local Soil Conservation Service Office prior to building. This responsibility shall be carried out by the Town Administrator and Planner, but will be waived when an architect or engineer is provided. According to local residents, the Town's vulnerability to flooding is extremely low. Apparently, there has been minor flooding of Mill Swamp within the last 100 years, however, the flooding has been the type without velocity and damage has been nominal. In May 1980 the Town was informed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that Richlands has been dropped from the list of communities in which regular phase mapping -49- will be completed. This reflects the opinion of the Federal Emergency Management Agency that flooding is not a severe problem in Richlands,. therefore, it shall be official Town policy to comply with the minimum requirements of the flood insurance program. This is a continuation of existing practices. This policy is being implemented through the Zoning Permit System which is administered locally. Further, it shall be the policy of the Town to actively monitor the Regular Phase Study when it is initiated. The purpose of the monitoring will be to ensure that the regular phase maps are accurate, and do not unnecessarily restrict develop- ment.- The regular phase mapping will probably be completed prior to the end of the planning horizon, however, this will be determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2. Resource Production and Management Commercial and recreational fisheries and off -road vehicles are not relevant to land use planning in the Richlands area. Further, no existing or potential mineral production areas have been identified. The basic resource production and management question facing the Town of Richlands is the appropriateness of its extensive agricultural and woods - land uses within the Town limits. There is very little land which is used for commercial forestlands, however, there is a substantial amount of wooded land which is not managed for commercial purposes. There is an.extensive. amount of cultivated agricultural land (see Existing Land Use section). The presence of this type of land use on a large basis within the Town limits severely limits the growth of the municipal tax base, makes utility exten- sions difficult, and produces an overall limiting affect on the local economy. The policy choices available to the Town include active protection of agri- cultural areas through changes in the municipal Zoning Ordinance, a neutral -50- policy where no effort is made to stimulate land conversion, and a strong economic development policy which encourages conversion of agricultural land to comnercial, industrial or residential uses. The Town of Richlands concedes that mach of the agricultural land located within the Town limits is highly productive, however, the Town finds that large amounts of agricul- tural land use within the Town limits is not in the overall best interest of the community and therefore endorses a policy of encouraging orderly development in areas which are presently cultivated. Richlands will attest to implement this policy by encouraging new industries to locate.in Richlands or existing industries to expand by encouraging development and by closely monitoring the tax appraisal process of the Onslow County Tax Office. Further, the Town will attempt to review the Zoning Ordinance to determine if Zoning Regulations can be modified so as to encourage conversion of agricultural land. This review of the Zoning Ordinance will be completed within the next two years if staff and/or funds are available. Finally, the Town will classi- fy present agricultural land as transition land. 3. Economic and Community Development The 1976 Land Use Plan outlined a brief but clear policy of encouraging new economic and community development. This revised Land Use Planning Element reiterates and reinforces this policy. The Town's position, with respect to economic and community development, has been demonstrated by participation in the Governor's Community of Excellence Program, submittal of a recent re- quest to receive eligibility for Urban Development Action Grants, and the Town's recent suhndttal of a request for designation as a Community Eaployment Center. The policy choices here appear to be varied. The Town could actually attempt to discourage new community and economic development. A less severe practice would be to take a neutral position where the Town would neither encourage -51- nor discourage growth. A third policy choice would be for the Town to attempt to accommodate growth when presented specific development proposals by developers, but to refrain from active recruitment and encouragement of new development. The final policy choice is one where the Town actively encourages and attempts to recruit new economic and comiamity development. Of course, this policy does not preclude ruling out certain types of new development which, due to environmental considerations, are not in the best interest of the Town. For example, adoption of such a policy would not pre- vent the Town from refusing to connect to the municipal sewer system a develop- ment which would damage the Town's wastewater treatment plant. The Town of Richlands hereby establishes a firm local policy of active encouragement of new economic and comnmity development. This policy is consistent with the survey responses received from the general public where a considerable amount of support for new light, moderate, and heavy industry was expressed. The " policy adopted here does include active recruitment of new and expanded light and moderate industry and selective consideration of small scale heavy industry. It is not wise to name specific sites for such development since such an identi- fication tends to cause the price of land to be artificially inflated, however, such development should be considered within the Town limits as well as in the fringe area. Consistent with this pro -development policy, the Town will attempt to provide municipal services in adequate quality and quantity to serve new development. This policy will also attempt to encourage growth closest to the center of Town, however, where developers insist on locating in the fringe area, this will not be ruled out but will be examined on a case by case basis. Where the proposed development is outside of the planning area (Town limits), 1 -52- utilities will be provided when this can be done without undue financial burdens on the citizenry. The Town will also assist where possible in encouraging redevelopment of the Central Business District. Further, as part of its overall community development policy, the Town will attempt to continue its efforts in improving municipal and state system streets and highways. The present Richlands-N.C. Department of Transportation project to widen Wilmington Street from the existing curb and gutter to Highway 258 is a good illustration of this policy when implemented. The Town will continue to encourage the N. C. Department of Transportation to improve existing state maintained streets and roads within Richlands and in. the fringe area. Special attention should be given to providing curb and gutter and widening streets where traffic is heavy. Where the condition of underground utilities and the financial resources permit, the Town will at- tempt tro improve the municipal street system. Street improvement should in- clude efforts to beautify the community through the use of shrubbery plant- ings, proper grading of shoulders, and maintenance of ground cover. As in the past, the Richlands Board of Aldermen will continue to support Onslow County's attempts to maintain and improve Albert Ellis Airport which is a 15 minute.drive from Richlands. Albert Ellis Airport is located approximately 4.8 miles or 25344 linear feet from Richlands. Due to the close proximity, - the Town Planning and Zoning Board should investigate the need for additional height restrictions in the municipal Zoning Ordinance. Presently, the ordinance limits the height of buildings constructed in the residential zoning districts to 35 feet, however, there are no limitations in the Central Business, the Highway Business District or the Industrial District. Federal Aviation Administration regulations limit structural height to 1 vertical foot for every 100 feet of linear distance from the runways (see "FAA Obstruction Standards", Part 77). This restriction is in force in a 20,000 foot radius. -5 3- Extensions of a runway or an annexation could place Richlands under this regulatory control. Also, the distance mentioned above is by map and only an approximation. The finding of this report is to recommend a height re- striction in the range of 150 to 175 feet throughout the Richlands Zoning jurisdiction. This restriction should apply to structures not just buildings so there is no doubt that it reaches microwave towers, 'radio antennas, etc. The Town may wish,to selectively permit the construction of facilities necessary for the provision of vital public services, e.g., elevated water storage tanks, approaching a height of 200 feet by special use permit only. However, most tanks of this type are approximately 100 feet tall. The Town should also frequently check the red warning lights atop both existing water tanks. The Town also hereby states its continued support for the maintenance and expan- sion of Camp LeJeune Marine Corps Base. This policy statement is prompted by the recognition that Camp LeJeune is a major employer of Richlands' citizens; and that in the past, Camp LeJeune has provided substantial assistance to the Town in conmanity beautification and other projects. Because of Richlands's size and location, it does not have detailed energy facility siting policies. However, the Town supports a small scale energy producing facility that may include a woodburning electrical generating plant. Thus, it shall be the policy of Richlands to promote the local area as a good site for a small woodburning or non-nuclear electrical generating plant. The following economic and community development issues are considered irrelevant for the Town of Richlands: beach and waterfront access, channel maintenance, beach nourishment, public access, dredging, and tourism. The Town does encourage day visitors and does not take a negative stand on the development of the tourist industry. The implementation methods for the Town's economic and conmznity develop- -54- El 0 ment policy include classification of all municipal land in either the developed or transition classification, review of the municipal Zoning Ordinance within the next two years to determine if regulatory changes can be made which will encourage the com mity and economic development process, and review of the Onslow County Tax Office procedures for appraisal of land within the Town limits to determine if agricultural use exemptions are appro- priate. Specifically, the Town will proceed with completion of the various steps in the 201 Facilities Program. The Town has set'a project completion period of twelve months from the date of all grant approvals for the first step in the 201 Facilities Program. Steps II and III should be completed with- in the planning horizon, but a precise completion date is impossible to predict. The Town will also attempt to consolidate water and sewer improvements into a unified construction project when Step III of the 201 Facilities Program is initiated. The Town will actively pursue financial assistance under the Clean Water Bond Program for both water and sewer improvements. In a general way, within the limitations of the law and management considerations, the Town will attempt to direct utilities extensions in such a way as to encourage economic and com mmity development. Finally, the Town will participate in programs such as the Community of Excellence Program, Economic Growth Center Program, and the ongoing industrial recruitment programs of the N. C. Department of Commerce and the Onslow County Economic Development Commission to encourage new industrial development. 4. Continuing Public Participation The Town of Richlands states here that its policy concerning public partici- pation shall be one of open and effective communications with the Richlands. citizenry. This will be achieved by efficient compliance with all federal, state, -55- and local legal requirements concerning public participation. In the process of revising the Land Use Plans public hearings were conducted, however, attendance at public hearings held in the Richlands area have been light and therefore, this will not be the only method used to encourage partici- pation by the public. Primary emphasis will be placed on the Planning and 4 zoning Board and its regular and consistent communication with the general public. The Town will also attempt to improve its communication and cooperation with the Greater Richlands Area Chamber of Commerce to maintain effective communications with the business community. Also, assuming the necessary re- sources are available, all major Land Use Plan revisions will utilize citizen opinion questionnaires similar to the one used in this update. 5. Cost Benefit Considerations Although the Town's strong economic and community development policy may incur additional public expenses, the finding of this Land Use Plan is that X any such increases in cost will be more than compensated for by expansion of the municipal tax base and stimulation of the local economy. We.must realize that the Town does have extremely limited financial resources and many of the improvements called for in this document may be dependent on outside financial assistance from the state and federal government or other sources. All statements contained in this document are conditioned by the Town's financial ability to pay for the improvements. Many of these financing considerations are primarily political issues and therefore, land use plans cannot commit an elected governing body to a specific course of action on any particular question. Finally, the Board of Aldermen shall continue to exercise their right to weigh practical considerations when making land use and land use related decisions. -56- X. TOWN-COURN COORDINATION There are several areas in which it will be mutually beneficial for the Town of Richlands and the County of Onslow to work cooperatively toward a common end, and to communicate effectively on a day to day basis. At the present time there is excellent comnmication between the Town Admin- istrator and Planner's Office and the Onslow County Planning Department• Above the staff level there is a need for improvement. Coordination be- tween the Town and the County Building Inspection Department has been very good. Specifically, the two governmental units should continue to work closely in the areas of economic development, land classification, building inspection, and water and sewer utilities. Town -County coordination in formulating the land use plans for Richlands and Onslow County was achieved through informal meetings between the planners. The Onslow, County Planning Director has a standing invitation to public hearings held in Richlands which are related to community planning questions and especially land use planning. The Director has attended these hearings and the Town has benefited from this cooperation. Copies of the draft planning documents have been supplied to the Onslow, County Planning Department for comment. In recent months the Mayor's office has com micated directly with the County Commissioners by attending meetings of the Onslow County Board of Commissioners. Considerable cooperation has been achieved in the areas of Econoanic Growth Center designation and the Richlands Area Wastewater Facilities (201) Program. Attachment B to the funding agreement for this project specifically re- SUred an examination of the extension of the Onslow, County Water System into -57- the Richlands Area 201 Facilities Service District. The large area covered by this service boundary presents some difficult problems. Realistically, the Town of Richlands cannot serve the entire 201 Facilities Area even over the next five to ten years. However, where feasible, effective planning should prevent situations where property owners are served by the Town of t Richlands for sanitary sewer service and by Onslow County for water services. Such a service delivery system will result in poor management of utilities rights -of -way, confusion on the part of the property owners in the area of maintenance, and inefficient use of equipment, vehicles, and manpower in maintenance. In order to minimize these problems the local governmental units should exchange information in the initial stages of requests for water and sewer utilities service within the Richlands 201 service area. To illustrate this point, if a developer contacts the Onslow, County Water System and requests water service, the water system should in turn, in the " initial stages of consideration of the request, contact the Town to determine if Richlands can serve the property owner. If the Town can serve the property owner, the County should give the Town this opportunity. Onslow County should also consider participating financially in extensions by the Town when these extensions are in the unincorporated portion of the 201 service district. This practice has been followed in several areas of the state. Further, the Board of Aldermen should be provided information in the initial planning stages when the County Water System is condsidering any con- struction or acquisition within three miles of the Town limits. This coor- dination should occur before engineering work is initiated. Special attention should be devoted to careful location of well sites so that aquifers are not adversely effected due to municipal and county wells being located too close CM to each other. The policy recotnended here recognizes that in some instances,it will not be feasible for the Town of Richlands to provide service in extra- territorial portions of the 201 service district, however, this possiblity should be considered and, where feasible, water and sewer utilities should J be provided by the Town rather than the Onslow County water System. e l -59- STATE LICENSES AND PERMITS Agency Licenses and Permits Department of Natural Resources and Community - Permits to discharge to surface Development waters or operate wastewater Division of Environmental Management treatment plants or oil discharge permits; NPDES Permits, (G.S.143- 215) . Department of Natural Resources and Community Development Office of Coastal Management Department of Natural Resources and Community Development Division of Earth Resources - Permits for.septic tanks with a capacity over 3000 gallons/day (G.S. 143-215.3). - Permits for withdrawal of surface or ground waters in capacity use areas (G.S. 143-215.15). - Permits for air pollution abate- ment facilities and sources (G.S. 143-215.108). - Permits for construction of cony plex sources; e.g. parking lots, subdivisions, stadiums, etc. (G.S. 143-215.109). - Permits for construction of a well over 100,000 gallons/day (G.S. 87- 88) . - Permits to dredge and/or fill in estuarine waters, tidelands, etc. (G.S. 113-229). - Permits to undertake development in Areas of Environmental Concern (G.S. 113A-118). NOTE: Minor development permits are issued by the local government. - Permits to alter or construct a dam (G.S. 143-215.66). - Permits to mine (G.S. 74-51). - Permits to drill an exploratory oil or gas well (G.S. 113-381). - Permits to conduct geographical exploration (G.S. 113-391). k r • Sedimentation erosion control plans for any land disturbing activity of over one contiguous acre (G.S. 113A-54). Department of Natural Resources and - Permits to construct an oil re- Community Development finery. Secretary of NRCD Department of Administration - Easements to fill where lands are proposed to be raised above the normal high water mark of navigable waters by filling (G.S. 146.6(c)). Department of Human Resources Approval to operate a soild waste disposal site or facility (G.S. 130- 166.16). - Approval for construction of any public water supply facility that furnishes water to ten or more residences (G.S. 130-160.1). -61•- FEDERAL LICENSES AND PERMITS Agency Licenses and Permits Army Corps of Engineers - Permits required under Sections 9 and 10 of the Rivers and Harbors of 1899; permits to construct in navigable waters. - Permits required under Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. Coast Guard (Department of Transportation) Geological Survey Bureau of Land Management (Department of Interior) - Permits required under Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control. Act of 1972; permits to undertake dredging and/or filling activities. Permits for bridges, causeways, pipelines over navigable waters; required under the General Bridge Act of 1946 and the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. — Deep water port permits. - Permits required for off -shore drilling. Approvals of OCS pipeline corridor rights -of -way. Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Licenses for siting, construction and operation of nuclear power plants; required under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and Title II of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission - Permits for construction, operation and maintenance of interstate pipe- lines facilities required under the Natural Gas Act of 1938. - Orders of interconnection of elec- tric transmission facilities under Section 202(b) of the Federal Power Act. k -62- It - Permission required for abandonment of natural gas pipeline and asso- ciated facilities under Section 7C (b) of the Natural Gas Act of 1938. - Licenses for non-federal hydro- electric projects and associated transmission lines under Sections 4 and 15 of the Federal Power Act. -63-