Hurrican Evacuation, Hazard Mitigation and Post-Disaster Reconstruction Plan-1984

Please do not remove!!!!!
Division of Coastal Management
TOWN OF TOPSAIL BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA
S]
HURRICANE EVACUATION, HAZARD MITIGATION
AND
POST -DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
JUNE, 1984

TOPSAIL BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA
HURRICANE EVACUATION, HAZARD MITIGATION
AND
POST -DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
prepared by
GEORGE EICHLER & ASSOCIATES, INC.
JUNE, 1984
The preparation of this report was financed in part through
a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management
Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone
Management Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by
the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
I. INTRODUCTION
1
II. TOPSAIL BEACH HURRICANE HAZARD
MITIGATION PLAN
2
A. EXISTING DEVELOPMENT
2
B. HAZARD AREAS IN TOPSAIL BEACH
3
C. EXISTING DEVELOPMENT LOCATED
IN HAZARD AREA
8
D. ESTIMATED SEVERITY OF POSSIBLE
HAZARD AREA DAMAGES
11
E. ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT IN
HAZARD AREAS
12
F. EXISTING TOPSAIL BEACH HAZARD AREA
MITGATION POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
12
G. RECOMMENDED HAZARD MITIGATION
POLICIES
14
III. TOPSAIL BEACH POST DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION
PLAN 15
A. INTRODUCTION 15
B. ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
TEAM 16
C. DAMAGE ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS 18
D. ORGANIZATION OF RECOVERY OPERATIONS 20
E. RECOMMENDED RECONSTRUCTION POLICIES 24
IV. TOPSAIL ISLAND HURRICANE EVACUATION PLAN 28
A. TOPSAIL BEACH EVACUATION PLAN 28
B. SURF CITY EVACUATION PLAN 29
C. TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT OF MAJOR EVACUATION
ROUTES 30
APPENDIX - DAMAGE ASSESSMENT FORMS

I. INTRODUCTION
The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission has adopted
rules for "Storm Hazard Planning" which require the
incorporation of such a planning program into the land use
plans that local coastal communities are required to prepare.
The Commission's rules are designed to implement a storm
hazard planning process that is outlined in Before the Storm:
Managing Development to Reduce Hurricane Damages. That pub-
lication was prepared for the Office of Coastal Management of
the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and
Community Development to be used as a guide for local
planning efforts.
In Before the Storm. Topsail Island was used as a case study
to illustrate how the storm hazard planning process should
work. Hazard area maps were prepared as part of that under-
taking. However hazard information on Topsail Beach and Surf
City used in the case study has been significantly revised
during the past year. Additionally, Before the Storm
includes only a cursory examination of storm reconstuction
planning for both Topsail Beach and Surf City. Consequently,
the objective of this project is to build on the information
contained in Before the Storm and present storm hazard miti-
gation and post -disaster reconstruction plans which 1) meet
the specific needs of Topsail Beach, and 2) conform with the
State rules for storm hazard planning.
The remainder of this report describes Topsail Beach's storm
hazard planning program. Chapter II presents the Town's
Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan. Chapter III presents the
Town's Post Disaster Reconstruction Plan. Chapter IV pre-
sents recommendations related to Hurricane Evacuation opera-
tions effecting both Topsail Beach and Surf City.
1

II. TOPSAIL BEACH HURRICANE HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN
A. EXISTING DEVELOPMENT
Topsail Beach has developed as a vacation/second home
community, with permanent residents representing only about
5% of its seasonal population.
Table 1 shows the permanent, average seasonal and peak sea-
sonal populations of the Town for the years 1975, 1980, 1990,
and 2000 based on data included in the Topsail Beach Land Use
Plan.
TABLE 1
TOPSAIL BEACH POPULATION
PEAK
AVERAGE
YEAR
SEASONAL
SEASONAL
PERMANENT
1975
4110
3140
200
1980
5310
4060
220
1990
7720
5890
260
2000
10120
7720
300
There are 354 acres of land zoned for residential purposes
within the Town. About 55X is already developed for residen-
tial purposes at an average town -wide density of about 4
units per acre. About 160 acres of developable land remains
vacant. Although vacant lots are scattered throughout the
Town, the largest undeveloped tracts are generally located on
the northeast side of the Town above Empie Street.
Based on 1980 data, the rates of peak seasonal visitors per
dwelling unit is between 8 and 9 persons per unit. If the
same ratio is used to project future needs, another 500 to
600 housing units would have to be constructed in the Town to
accomodate the year 2000 peak seasonal population. There are
indications that higher density development is starting to
occur within the Town to accomodate this demand.
There are now about 653 residential units in the town that
are either existing or under construction. The construction
of single units on individual lots is the norm for the town,
with the major exception being the 120 unit Queens Grant
development which is currently under construction on the
ocean side of Anderson Boulevard ,lust south of Dolphin Pier.
There are 37 non-residential structures in Topsail Beach.
These structures are concentrated in the center of town
generally between Crews Street and Davis Street.
2

Topsail Beach does not have a central sewer system.
Individual septic systems are utilized throughout the Town.
A central water supply system is supplied by three deep
wells. Because the recharge area is located on the mainland,
the Topsail Beach Land Use Plan concluded that the
"possibilities of contamination from on -site disposal systems
are almost non-existent."
B. HAZARD AREAS IN TOPSAIL BEACH
Topsail Beach contains a full -range of storm hazard areas.
Areas of Environment Concern (AECs) include: ocean erodible
AECs; inlet hazard AECs; flood hazard AECs; and estuarine
shoreline AECs. Other hazard areas include the 100 year
flood zone and the finger canals located at the northern end
of the Town opposite Dolphin Pier.
Ocean Erodible AECs
These are areas where a substantial possibility of excessive
erosion and significant shoreline fluctuation exists. The
ocean erodible AEC is based on a setback from the first line
of stable natural vegetation plus an additional area where
erosion can be expected from storm surges and wave action.
When the case study in Before the Storm was developed, the
State rule was to multiply the annual erosion rate factor by
30 to determine the boundary of the ocean erodible AEC. This
rule has now been modified to use 60 rather than 30 as the
multiplier. The practical effects of this change in Topsail
Beach was to increase the ocean erodible AEC from 195 feet to
255 feet for 1.8 miles on the northern most sector of the
Town and from 215 feet to 275 feet along the remaining 3
miles of ocean frontage.
Inlet Hazard AECs
An inlet hazard area is a natural hazard area that is
especially vulnerable to erosion, flooding and other adverse
effects of sand, wind, and water because of its proximity to
dynamic ocean inlets. New Topsail Inlet on the southern end
of the Town is currently migrating to the southwest adding
land to Topsail Beach. However, this inlet hazard area,
which consists of all the land south of Trout Avenue is still
considered to be very unstable.
Estuarine Shoreline AECs
Estuarine shorelines are defined as non -ocean shorelines
which are especially vulnerable to erosion, flooding or other
adverse effects of wind and water and are intimately con-
nected to the estuary. In Topsail Beach, the estuarine
shoreline encompasses the area landward from Banks Channel
for a distance of 75 feet from the mean high water level for
3

about 4.8 miles.
Figure 1 dipicts the Topsail Beach ocean erodible, inlet
hazard and estuarine shoreline AECs. Development is not
prohibited in any of these AECs. However, it must conform
with use and construction standards delineated in the State
Guidelines for Areas of Environmental Concern.
Flood Hazard AECs
The flood hazard AEC corresponds to the National Flood Insur-
ance Program V-zones, which refer to flood prone areas that
are also susceptible to high velocity wave surges. New data
indicates that the size of the 'V' zones in Topsail Beach
was significantly overestimated in Before the Storm.
Topsail Beach was converted to the Regular Phase of the
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1977 with the
issuance of Flood Insurance'Rate Maps (FIRMS). In the fall
of 1983, new detailed Flood Insurance Studies for the town
were released by FEMA. A comparison of the 1977 and 1983
maps reveals considerable changes to the designation of flood
hazard areas. The "V" zones, or areas subject to high
velocity water from wave momentum during the 100-year flood,
cover considerably less land on the new maps.
The original FIRM designated 95% of Topsail Beach as being in
"V" zones. The remaining 5% were designated as "A" zones, or
areas subject to little or no wave action but within the 100-
year flood area. The revised maps designate the beachfront
area on the oceanside of Ocean Boulevard and Anderson Boule-
vard and the area southwest of Godwin Street (the inlet
hazard area) as "V" zones with base flood elevations of from
13-17 feet. The new maps designate about 25% of the town as
being in "V" zones. Marsh and waterways behind Topsail
Island were originally designated as "V" zones but are no
longer so designated.
Other Flood Prone Areas
When Before the Storm was prepared, the entire Town of
Topsail Beach was estimated to be in the "A" zone below the
100 year flood elevations, with 95/. of this area also being
in the "V"-zone. The new FEMA flood insurance rate maps
indicate that most of the Town remains below the 100 year
flood elevations.
The new study indicates that 100-year flood elevations on the
landward side of the Island will vay from 9 to 11 feet. A
narrow strip of land about 50' to 1 50' in width between the
beach and Ocean Boulevard is designated as being in Zone "B".
An area between Fields and Humphrey is also in a "B" zone.
"B" zones are areas lying between the 100-year and 500-year
flood. The remainder of the town, basically everything
4

vi
�
�IIIu,Nuuluullou!u Ilnnvl::n:� •,�,::::,.iall ' 91��n�llnpp.O � O O
I. i�„NN"P1np ar• Inryr;IlrtP:mP'
1l,,11 Q�jjj���l�' ,fi N � � MN � nil p4T'w II nM IXI MNII I!. n Nllip I
�1 IIE{lIl alU
i� ' ! ! I' 'III Ili Ili Iilili ifIlCillll uuuuu uun qu �i
illlllll it iiiiiiil i'il ililll ililill iiiliilll i►I)1ii!!!!1 11111111 !II Pll fiil111 �IIIIIIIII611111 iii�lll f1611 illlllll �llll !I I �Gi�llllllllll6111111 i►6111111 �i1111 irtllll�,�l illlllll t llllllilNl il,L�,I�611lV IIIIIIIIIIIiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII61i�rNN6bl'����NV I i111111111I Nilll►I
NORM HAZARD
I/.
Legend
®. Oo EroEDM A.E.C.
ii E.hwrW. Shore" A.E.C.
® 114.1 Wald AE.C.
ErrAron -ental Hazard
TOWN OF TOPSAIL .BEACH
Scale:
OEOROE EIGIER 6 ASSOCIATES. AT AWA. OECWM

landward of the "B" zone and northeast of Godwin, lies in "A"
zones with base flood elevations of from 10-13 feet. The
1983 study estimates that beachfront erosion resulting from a
100-year storm surge will range from 154 feet at the north-
eastern City limits to 215 feet between Crocker and Darden.
Finaer Canal Areas
There are two areas in Topsail Beach where finger canals have
been cut from the Banks Channel toward the ocean. A major
storm could breach the beach at these locations, cutting off
all southward areas from the remainder of the Island and from
the mainland.
The first series of 3 finger canals is located at the south-
ern end of the Town south of Trout Avenue. The canals are
only 300 feet from the ocean, with only a road and a narrow
beach with low dunes in between.
The second series of finger canals is located 400 feet
from the ocean on the northern end of the Town just south of
the Dolphin Pier. The dunes in this area are higher than at
the southern end of the Island and offer better protection.
However, there is still a possibility that a very major storm
could broach the beach at this point.
Figure 2 depicts the areas within the Town of Topsail Beach
that are susceptible to flooding of varying severity. The
two finger canal areas are also highlighted.
Q

J
... _- ---_ 'L o -
Legend
❑ V ZONE: Ar"I Softt— 100 6 500 Ywr Fl do
®V ZONE- Aron Of 100 Year Fl d WNN
p Nta Yotodb' won Acot
g: y W ZONE: ArNo S,epct 7o 100 Ywr Fiww
Flood Hazard
TOWN OF TOPSAIL BEACH
Scale:
NING OEOROE EICNLER

C. EXISTING DEVELOPMENT LOCATED IN HAZARD AREAS
In Before the Storm, the following system, shown in Table 1,
for classifying hazard areas was presented.
TABLE 1
DEFINITION OF HAZARD AREAS
Forces Present/Expected
Wave High
Area Erosion Action Flooding Winds Boundaries
1 x x x x Ocean erodible AECs,
inlet hazard AECs,
estuarine shoreline
AECs
2 x x x Flood insurance V-
zones
3 x x Flood insurance A -
zones
4 x Rest of community
The number of structures within each hazard area based on
the above classifications was then determined as follows.
TABLE 2
STRUCTURES BY HAZARD AREA FROM BEFORE THE STORM
Area Residential Units Commercial Units
1 298 11
2 312 26
3 1 0
4 0 0
Total 611 37
The above analysis tends to be somewhat misleading in that
all the AECs included in Area 1 were also in the Flood Insur-
ance V zone (Area 2). Therefore, the 312 residential units

were not the total number of units in the V zone, but instead
refers to only those units located in the V zone that were
not also included in one of the other AEC areas. In
actuality, 610 residential units were located in the V zone.
Based on this earlier data, only one structure in the entire
Town was located in an area that was not susceptible to ero-
sion and wave action and that structure was susceptible to
flooding and high winds as are all other structures in the
Town.
The AEC boundaries have been revised significantly since the
hazard maps used in Before the Storm were prepared in order
to reflect:
o Significant enlargement of the ocean erodible AEC
area in accordance with new Coastal Resource Com-
mission rules.
o Significant reduction of the V zone to reflect new
FEMA flood insurance rate maps.
o Significant enlargement of the flood insurance A zone
to reflect the reduction of the V zone.
o Existence of the narrow strip running approximately
85 percent of the length of the Town that is
located outside of the primary hazard areas. The
land in this strip appears to be susceptible only
to damage resulting from high winds.
Figure 3 is a composite hazard area map based on this new
data. The number of structures within each hazard area
category are presented in Table 3 below.
TABLE 3
STRUCTURES BY HAZARD AREA
Hazard Area
Category Residential Units Commercial Units
1 288 14
2 0* 0*
3 359 27
4 6** --
Total 653 41
* There are actually 4 commercial stuctures and 113 residen-
tial units located in the V zone that are already included
in AECs included in Hazard Area Category 1.
O

Legemi
®
Wy�TYtArd MM
flood ft" AWN
ElSwmtbw
PrMrlt To Wind Du po
Hazard Area Categories
TOWN OF TOPSAIL BEACH
Scale: ... .� ,.�
STORM HAZARD P N` E DEOAGE EK>ILER 6 ASSOCUTES. ATLANT& OEORMA

** It is estimated that 60 other residential structures are
located above the 100 year flood elevation. However,
these structures are within the ocean erodible area and
are therefore included in Hazard Area Category 1.
Topsail Beach does not have a central sewer system. Indi-
vidual septic systems and the Town's wells are all located
within the 100 year flood plain.
There are no potentially hazardous material storage or
disposal sites at Topsail Beach.
D. ESTIMATED SEVERITY OF POSSIBLE HAZARD AREA DAMAGES
In 1982, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers surveyed existing
structures at Topsail Beach in order to estimate the monetary
damages to each structure which could result from flooding
associated with different storm events. The damages associ-
ated with the 500 year storm were estimated to be $18 million
for residential structures and $4 million for commercial
structures. The average damage to a residential structure
would have been about $30,000 and the average damage to a
commercial structure was estimated at $110,000. Based on
these estimates and pervailing 1982 market values, it has
been estimated that the average structure would incur 50%
damage from storm of this magnitude. Using these same
assumptions, the 500 year storm occurring in 1984 would
result in an estimated $28 million in damages.
The Corps study estimated that $10.1 million in residential
damages and $2.6 million in commercial damages would result
from the 100 year storm. The estimated $2.6 million in
commercial property damages would not change because all of
these structues remain within the 100 year floodplain.
However, there are now 647 residential structures (versus the
610 in 1982) located within the 100 year flood plain and/or
in other AEC areas that are susceptible to hurricane damage.
If each'of these structures receives the same average amount
of damages as was estimated in the Corps study, the resulting
damages from the 100 year storm would be about $13.3
million.
According to the Town's Land Use Plan, about $13 million (or
38%) of the Town's tax base was accounted for by oceanfront
properties. It is expected that this percentage has
increased and will continue to increase because most new de-
velopment is occurring on the oceanside of Anderson Boule-
vard. Additionally, it was estimated that property in the
inlet hazard area was worth over $7 million (about 20% of the
Town's tax base). This data provides another indication of
the magnitude of property damage that could result from a
major storm.
11

E. ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT IN HAZARD AREAS
About 160 acres of developable land remains vacant in Topsail
Beach. It was previously estimated that between 500 and 600
new housing units will have to be consturcted in the Town if
the peak seasonal population actually increases by 90 percent
between 1980 and 2000 as is projected in the Topsail Beach
Land Use Plan. If developed at historical densities, these
new units would utilize all the developable land still
available within the Town. However, a trend toward higher
density development is already apparent.
The only area in Town located outside the V and A zone flood
hazard areas is the narrow strip on the ocean side of
Anderson Boulevard. However, most of this area is located
in the ocean erodible area AEC. Consequently, it can be
anticipated that almost all future development within the
Town will be located in hazard areas. The primary issue is
to insure that this development is constructed in a manner
that minimizes damages when an inevitable major storm occurs.
F. EXISTING TOPSAIL BEACH HAZARD MITIGATION POLICIES AND
REGULATIONS
The growth policy of Topsail Beach as stated in the Town's
Land Use Plan is for gradual and controlled increases in
single family residential development at existing growth
rates, with only limited growth in supporting retail services
and other uses encouraged.
Topsail Beach has adopted a full range of policiAs and
regulation to 1) support its growth policy, and 2) control
development in hazard areas. Two primary ordinances, the
zoning ordinance and the flooplain management regulation, are
used to control development in hazard areas. The primary
provisons of each of these ordinances related to hazard area
development are summarized below.
Topsail Beach Zoning Ordinance
1. The flood insurance rate map is considered an overlay to
all existing zoning districts. Uses within the under—
lying districts are permitted only if they meet the re—
quirements of the Town's Floodplain Management regula—
tions. Special use permits are required for any use in
the flood hazard overlay area.
2. Only single family residences and duplexes are permitted
in ocean erodible areas. Multi —family uses are permitted
with a special use permit. The special use permit
requires that dune protection measures be implemented in
order to receive the permit.
12

3. Only single family residences and duplexes are permitted
in inlet hazard areas. Multi -family uses are permitted
only with a special use permit.
4. Multi -family structures are a permitted use only in the
business district. The Town has also lowered the per-
mitted multi -family density.
5. The maximum height in any district is limited to 36 feet.
6. Non -conforming uses may not be rebuilt in a residential
zoning district if reconstruction costs exceed 50 percent
of replacement cost.
7. Non -conforming uses may not be rebuilt in a non-residen-
tial zoning district if reconstruction costs exceed 70
percent of replacement cost.
8. Non -conforming structures (i.e. those not meeting set-
backs and other requirements) may not be rebuilt in any
district if reconstruction costs exceed 75 percent of re-
placement cost.-
9. The establishment of a mobile home park.is not a permit-
ted use in any of the Town's zoning districts.
Topsail Beach Floodplain Management Regulations
The Town's floodplain management regulations meet all
requirements for participation in the Regular Phase of the
federal flood insurance program. Specific ordinace require-
ments include:
1. Non-residential structures must be elevated to 13
feet above MSL or floodproofed.
2. Structures in the V-zone must have open space or
breakaway walls below base flood elevations.
3. Pilings, anchorages, and breakaway walls must be
approved by the building inspector.
4. No dunes may be altered.
5. No use of fill for structural support shall occur
in the V-zone
6. No mobile homes may locate in the V-zone.
13

G. RECOMMENDED HAZARD MITIGATION POLICIES
Almost the entire Town of Topsail Beach is located in areas
susceptible to storm damage. Recognizing this, the Town has
already taken strong steps to insure that future development
occurs in a manner that minimizes hazard damages. Speci-
fically,
1. The Town's growth policy encourages low density
residential development and avoids the higher den-
sity, high rise developments found in other coastal
communities.
2. The Town's policies support and comply with State
policies and regulations for development in Areas
of Environmental Concern.
3. The Town's floodplain development policies conform
with all Federal and State requirements.
The basic conclusion is that Topsail Beach is already doing a
good job to mitigate future storm damages and that the Town's
policies meet both the requirements and philosophical
objectives delineated in Before the Storm.
The modification of only one Town policy is recommended. The
non -conforming structure provision of the zoning ordinance
currently permits the rebuilding of a non -conforming struc-
ture even it it sustains up to 75/. of the value of the
structure. This should be modified so that if a structure
sustains damages of up to 50% of the value of the structure
it will not be rebuilt. The justification for this modifica-
tion is that if a structure sustains 75Y. damage, it is for
all practical purposes destroyed. There is no reason to
allow the same situation to be repeated by permitting such a
structure to be rebuilt at the same location.
14

III. TOPSAIL BEACH POST -DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
A. INTRODUCTION
A post -disaster reconstruction plan provides a program that
will permit a local government to deal with the aftermaths
of a storm in an organized and efficient manner. The Plan
provides the mechanisms, procedures, and policies that will
enable a local community to learn from its storm experiences
and to rebuild the community in a wise and practical manner.
A post -disaster reconstruction plan encompasses three dis-
tinct reconstruction periods:
o The emergency period encompasses the period immediately
after a storm. The emphasis is on restoring public
health and safety, assessing the nature and extent of
storm damage, and qualifying for and obtaining what-
ever federal and state assistance might be available.
o The restoration period covers the weeks and months fol-
lowing a storm disaster. The emphasis during this
period is on restoring community facilities, utilities,
essential businesses, etc. so that -the community can
once again function in a normal manner.
o The replacement reconstruction period is the period
during which the community is rebuilt. The period
could last from months to years depending on the
nature and extent of the damages incurred.
It is important that local officials clearly understand the
joint federal -state -local procedures for providing assist-
ance to rebuild after a storm so that local damage assess-
ment and reconstruction efforts are carried out in an
efficient manner that qualifies the community for the dif-
ferent types of assistance that are available. The require-
ments are generally delineated in the Disaster Relief Act of
1974 (P.L. 93-288) which authorizes a wide range of financial
and direct assistance to both local communities and indi-
viduals. The sequence of procedures to be followed after a
major storm is as follows.
1. Local damage assessment teams survey storm damage
within the community and report this damage to the
County Emergency Services Coordinator.
2. Damage information is compiled and summarized by the
County, and the nature and extent of damage is re-
ported to the North Carolina Division of Emergency
Management (DEM).
3. DEM compiles local data and makes recommendations to
the Govenor concerning state actions.
15

4. The Govenor may request a Presidential declaration
of "emergency" or "major disaster". A Presidential
declaration makes a variety of federal resources
available to local communities and individuals.
5. Federal relief assistance provided a community when
an "emergency" has been declared typically ends one
month after the initial Presidential declaration.
Where a "major disaster" has been declared, federal
assistance for "emergency" work typically ends six
months after the declaration and federal assistance
for "permanent" work ends after 18 months.
Federal disaster assistance programs previously provided aid
for communities to rebuild in the same way as existed before
the disaster occurred. This policy tended to foster reoccur-
ring mistakes. However, recent federal policy has started to
change the emphasis of disaster assistance programs.
Specifically,
o Executive Order 1198 (Floodplain Management) directs
all federal agencies to avoid either directly or in-
directly supporting future unwise development in flood -
plains (e.g. through sewer grants in locations that
foster floodplain development).
o Section 406 of the Disaster Relief Act can require com-
munities, as a prerequisite for federal disaster assis-
tance, to take specific actions to mitigate future
flood losses.
The remainder of this chapter concerns recommendations
regarding 1) procedures that Topsail Beach should follow in
carrying out its damage assessment program so as to meet all
federal and state reuirements, and 2) reconstruction policies
that the Town should adopt to insure that future development
that does occur in local hazard areas is constructed in a
manner consistent with sound land use planning, public safety
considerations, and existing and evolving federal and state
policy.
B. ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TEAM
A local damage assessment team should include individuals who
are qualified to give reliable estimates of the original
value of structures, an estimated value of sustained damages
and a description of the repairs (and costs) that will be
needed to rebuild each structure. Following is a listing of
Topsail Beach town personnel available to assume these re-
sponsibilities:
16

Administrative
1 Town Clerk
2 Office Personnel
Police
1 Police Chief
3 Officers
Public Works
1 Supervisor
I Worker
Fire Department
1 Chief
26 Volunteer Firemen
Rescue Squad
1 Chief
15 Members
Inspection Department
1 Building Inspector
Town Officials
t Mayor
5 Commissioners
The Building Inspector should head the Damage Assessment
Team. The Public Works Supervisor should also be a member of
the Team. Other members of the team should consist of volun-
teers recruited from the community. Such volunteers must be
recruited, organized and trained prior to a storm occurrence.
The suggested make-up of the Topsail Beach Damage Assessment
Team is as fol 1 ows:
o Building Inspector (Team
o Public Works Supervisor
o Local Property Appraiser
o Building Contractor * or
o Architect *
* Community Volunteer
Chief)
(MAI) *
Residential Realtor
The Mayor should immediately undertake a recruitment effort
to secure the necessary volunteers and to establish a
training program to familiarize the members of the team with
required damage classification procedures and reporting
requirements. In doing so, it must be recognized that it
might be very difficult to fill certain positions, such as
the building contractor position, because the services of
individuals with such skills will likely be in great demand
after a storm disaster.
17

C. DAMAGE ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS
Damage assessment is defined as a rapid means of determining
a realistic .estimate of the amount of damage caused by a
natural or man-made disaster. For a storm disaster, it is
expressed in terms of 1) number of structures damaged, 2)
magnitude of damage by structure type, 3) estimated total
dollar loss, and 4) estimated total dollar loss covered by
insurance.
After a major storm event, members of the Damage Assessment
Team should report to the Emergency Operations Center prior
to deployment. There are over 650 structures in the Town.
The extent of damage will depend on the magnitude of the
storm and where landfall occurs on the North Carolina coast.
Because of the potentially large job at hand, the limited
personnel resources available to conduct the assessments, and
the limited time within which -the initial assessment must be
made, the first phase of the assessment should consist of
only an external visual survey of damaged structures. A more
detailed second phase assessment can be made after the
initial damage reports are filed.
The inital damage assessment should make an estimate of the
extent of damage incurred by each structure and identify the
cause (wind, flooding, wave action, combination, etc) of the
damage to each structure.
Damaged structures should be classified in accordance with
the suggestd State guidelines as follows:
o Destroyed (repairs would cost more than 80 percent of
value).
o Major (repairs would cost more than 30 percent of the
value).
o Minor (repairs would cost less than 30 percent of the
value, but the structure is currently uninhabtable).
o Habitable (some minor damage, with repairs less than 15
percent of the value).
It will be necessary to thoroughly document each assessment.
In many cases, mail boxes and other information typically
used to identify specific structures will not be found.
Consequently, the Damage Assessment Team must be provided
with tax maps, other maps and photographic equipment in order
to record and document its field observations. Enough infor-
mation to complete the Damage Assessment Worksheet must be
obtained on each damaged structure. (Samples of damage
assessment worksheets are contained in the Appendix of this
report. The emphasis should be placed on completing the
worksheets and on providing documentation on the tax maps.
a

To expidite the more detailed follow-up assessment, the Town
could consider using the Town of Long Beach's method of
coding" structures as to damage. Each category of damage is
given a color code. During initial damage assessment, the
appropriate color would be sprayed or painted on a corner of
the structure. The second phase of the damage assessment
operation will be to estimate the value of the damages
sustained. This operation should be carried out in the
Emergency Operations Center under the direction of the Mayor
and the supervision of the Town Clerk. The two other Town
Hall office personnel should be assigned to assist the Town
Clerk in carrying out this responsibility.
In order to estimate total damage values it will be neces-
sary to have the following information available for use at
the Emergency Operations Center:
o A set of property tax maps identical to those utilized
by the damage assessment field team.
o Copies of all Town property tax records. This informa-
tion should indicate the estimated value of all com-
mercial and residential structures within the Town.
Because time will be of the essence, it is recommended
that the Town immediately commence a project to list
the property values of all existing structures on the
appropriate lots on the set of property tax maps that
will be kept at the Emergency Operations Center. While
somewhat tedious job, the fact that there are less
than 700 structures in the Town makes this task man-
ageable. The information should prove invaluable if a
storm disaster does occur. This set of tax maps should
be updated annually prior to the hurricane season.
Additionally, the Town should make a request to Pender County
for the County to undertake a telephone survey of Pender
County lending institutions to determine the average value of
flood insurance coverage that is carried by Pender County
participants in the program. This information should be kept
available in the Emergency Operations Center for estimating
the value of sustained damages covered by hazard insurance.
In order to produce the damage value information required,
the following methodology is recommended:
1. The number of businesses, and residential
structures that have been damaged within the town
should be summarized by damage classification cate-
gory.
2. The value of each damaged structure should be ob-
tained from the marked set of town tax maps and
multiplied by the following percentages for the
appropriate damage classification categories.
19

o Destroyed - 100%
o Mai or Damage - 50%
o Minor Damage (uninhabitable) - 257.
o Habitable - 10%
3. The total value of damages for the Town should then
be summarized and reported as required to the County
Emergency Operations Center.
4. The estimated value loss covered by hazard insurance
should then be determined by 1) estimating full cov-
erage for all damaged structures for situations
where the average value of such coverage exceeds the
amount of damage to the structure, and 2) multiply-
ing the number of structures where damage exceeds
the average value of insurance coverage by the aver-
age value of such coverage.
The Damage Assessment Plan is intended to be the mechanism
for estimating overall property damage in the event of a
civil disaster. The procedure recommended above represents
an approach for making a relatively quick, realistic "order
of magnitude" damage estimate after a disaster.
D. ORGANIZATION OF RECOVERY OPERATIONS
Damage assessment operations are oriented to take place
during the emergency period. After the emergency operations
to restore public health and safety and the initial damage
assessments are completed, the State guidelines suggest that
a Recovery Task Force to guide restoration and reconstruction
activities be created. In Topsail Beach, the Mayor and
Council should assume the responsibilities of such a Task
Force in carrying out the following:
1. Establishing reentry procedures.
2. Establishing an overall restoration schedule.
3. Setting restoration priorities.
4. Determining requirements for outside assistance and
requesting such assistance when beyond local capa-
bilities.
5. Keeping the appropriate County and State officials
informed using Situation and Damage Reports.
6. Keeping the public informed.
7. Assembling and maintaining records of actions taken
and expenditures and obligations incurred.
20

8. Proclaiming a local "state of emergency" if war-
ranted.
9. Commencing cleanup, debris removal and utility res-
toration which would include coordination of
restoration activities undertaken by private utility
companies.
10. Undertaking repair and restoration of essential pub-
lic facilities and services in accordance with pri-
orities developed through the situation evaluations.
11. Assisting private businesses and individual property
owners in obtaining information on the various types
of assistance that might be available to them from
federal and state agencies.
In Before the Storm, a sequence and schedule for undertaking
local reconstruction and restoration activities is presented.
The schedule was left deliberately vague because specific
reconstruction needs will not be known until after a storm
occurs and the magnitude of the damage can be assessed.
Table 4 contains a sequence of activities and schedule to
guide reconstruction activities. The schedule should be re-
considered by the Mayor and Council and revised as necessary
and appropriate after the damage assessment activities are
completed.
21

TABLE 4
SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITIES FOR ASSESSING DAMAGES
AND PERMITTING RECONSTRUCTION
ACTIVITY
1. Complete Initial Damage
Assessment
2. Complete Second Phase
Damage Assessment
3. Prepare Summary of Re-
construction Needs.
4. Decision with Regard to
Imposition of Temporary
Development Moratorium
5. Set Reconstruction
Priorities and Prepare
Master Reconstruction
Schedule.
6. Begin Repairs to Criti-
cal Utilities and Faci-
lities.
7. Permitting of Recon-
struction Activities
for all Damaged Struc-
tures receiving minor
damage that are not
included in Develop-
ment Moratorium Areas
8. Permitting of Recon-
struction Activities for
all Damaged Structures
receiving major damage
that are not included
in Development Moratorium
Areas
9. Initiate assessment of
existing mitigation poli-
cies
TIME FRAME
Immediately after storm oc-
currence.
Completed by second week
after the storm.
Completed one week after
damage assessment is com-
pleted.
One week after damage assess
ment is completed.
Completed one week after
summary of reconstruction
needs is completed.
As soon as possible after
disaster.
One week after damage assess
ment is completed.
Two weeks after damage
assessment is completed:
Two weeks after damage
assessment is completed.
22

10. Complete Re-evaluation
of Hazard Areas and Miti-
gation Policies in Areas
Subject to Development
moratorium.
11. Revise Mitigation Poli-
cies and Development
Standards for Areas Sub-
jected to Development
Moratorium and Lift Devel-
opment Moratorium.
12. Permit New Development
Length of period for con-
ducting re-evaluations and
receiving input from State
should not exceed two
months.
Two months after Temporary
Development Moratorium is
imposed.
Upon suspension of any tem-
porary development mora-
torium.
23

E. RECOMMENDED RECONSTRUCTION POLICIES
The following policies have been designed to be 1) considered
and adopted by the Topsail Beach Town Council prior to a
storm, or 2) implemented, as appropriate, after a storm
occurs.
REENTRY
1. Reentry of Topsail Beach town residents to Topsail Island
shall not be permitted until 1) the damage assessments
have been completed, and 2) the Mayor proclaims the Town
safe to re-enter.
2. A list of Topsail Beach (and Surf City and West Onslow
Beach) property owners shall be maintained at the
N.C. 210 and N.C. 50-210 bridge entrances to Topsail
Island. Valid identification must be shown in order to
proceed onto the Island. Passes shall be issued and dis-
played at all times until the State of Emergency is of-
fically lifted (this policy needs to be coordinated with
the Town of Surf City and with Onslow County).
PERMITTING
1. Building permits to restore structures located outside of
designated AEC areas that were previously built in con-
formance with local codes, standards and the provisions
of the North Carolina Building Code shall be issued auto-
matically.
2. All structures suffering major damages as defined in the
Town's Damage Assessment Plan shall be repaired or re-
built to conform with the provisions of the North Caro-
lina Building Code, the Topsail Beach Zoning Ordinance
and the Topsail Beach Floodplain Management Regulations.
3. All structures suffering minor damage as defined in the
Topsail Beach Damage Assessment Plan shall be permitted
to be rebuilt to their original before the storm condi-
tion.
4. For all structures in designated AECs, a determination
shall be made for each AEC as to whether the provisions
of the N.C. Building Code, the State Regulations for
Areas of Environmental Concern and the Topsail Beach
Floodplain Management Regulations appeared adequate in
minimizing storm damages. For AECs where the construc-
tion and use requirements appear adequate, permits shall
be issued in accordance with permitting policies 1, 2 and
3. For AECs where the construction and use requirements
do not appear to have been adequate in mitigating
damages, a Temporary Development Moratorium for all
structures located within that specific AEC shall be im-
24

posed and a request should be made to the North Carolina
Offic of Coastal Management to assist the Town re-evalu-
ating the requirements.
5. Permits shall not be issued in areas subject to a Tem-
porary Development Moratorium until such a moratorium is
lifted by the Topsail Beach Town Council.
UTILITY AND FACILITY RECONSTRUCTION
1. All damaged water system components shall be repaired so
as to be elevated above the 100 year floodplain or shall
be floodproofed, with the methods employed and the con-
struction being certified by a registered professional
engineer.
2. Overhead power lines and utility poles along Anderson
Boulevard present the greatest obstacle to the safe
evacuation of Topsail Beach in the event of a major storm
disaster. The narrowness of the Islands prevents these
poles and lines from being relocated away from the road-
way. Additionall, relocating these lines underground
would be very costly at this time. However, if major
damage occurs as a result of a storm, the cost effective-
ness would improve and public safety considerations might
override economic considerations. Topsail Beach should
now request that Jones Onslow initiate an assessment of
the feasibility of relocating overhead power lines under-
ground if substantial damage to the existing system is
sustained during a major storm.
TEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT MORATORIUMS
Under certain circumstances, interim development moratoriums
can be used in order to give a local government time to
assess damages, to make sound decisions and to learn from
its storm experiences. Such a moratorium must be temporary
and it must be reasonably related to the public health,
safety and welfare.
There is no doubt that Topsail Beach will suffer heavy and
serious damages should a major storm have its landfall in the
vicinity of Topsail Island. Consequently, the Town should be
prepared to issue Temporary Development Moratoriums as appro-
priate.
It is not possible to determine prior to a storm whether a
temporary development moratorium will be needed. Such a
measure should only be used if damage in a particular area is
very serious and if redevelopment of the area in the same
manner as previously existed would submit the residents of
the area to similar public health and safety problems. In
Topsail Beach, such a situaion is most likely to occur in one
or more of the AECs.
25

The Topsail Beach policy regaring the proclamation of
temporary development moratoriums shall be to:
1. To determine for each AEC whether the provisions of
N.C. Building Code, the State Guidelines for Areas of
Environmental Concern and the Topsail Beach Flood -
plain Management Regulations appeared adequate in
minimizing storm damages. For AECs where the con-
struction and use requirements do not appear ade-
quate, a Temporary Development Moratorium for all
structures located within that specific AEC shall be
imposed.
2. After imposing a Temporary Development Moratorium
for an AEC, the Town of Topsail Beach shall request
that the Coastal Resources Commission conduct a
special analysis for the Town and all other communi-
ties similarly situated in order to determine how
local regulations for those hazard areas which are
based on State and or Federal guidelines or require-
ments should be imposed or modified. A response
within a reasonable time period (e.g: two months) as
determined through negotiations should be requested.
3. The Temporary Building Moratorium shall be lifted
after local ordinances and regulations have been
revised after receiving recommendations from the
State or at the discretion of the Mayor and Council
if a response is not made within a reasonable period
of time. In the latter case, reconstruction shall be
permitted in accordinance with existing regulations
and requirements.
WIND DAMAGE
It is assumed that many structures constructed to conform
with the provisions of the North Carolina Building Code will
not be able to withstand the accompanying winds if a major
hurricane hits the North Carolina coast. It is stated in
Before the Storm that 'the State Building Code, as it now
stands, falls short in adequately protecting buildings
from the damaging forces of hurricanes and other coastal
storms. The Building Code Council, in seeking to maintain
uniformity of regulation across the state, has been resist-
ant in the past to allowing more stringent local standards.
Another problem small coastal communities are likely to face
is a lack of fiscal and staff resources to sponsor the engi-
neering and architectural studies that the Building Code
Council requires to justify any local variations to the
code.'
While Topsail Beach has no technical studies to indicate that
the provisions of the Code are inadequate as they effect the
Town, the Town should have some flexibility in imposing
I

stricter standards it if desires. This is a problem that the
Coastal Resources Commission must face it it expects local
communities to take the iniative in developing effective
storm mitigation programs. The Town policy should be to
request the Coastal Resources Commission to carefully assess
this problem which is common to all coastal communities.
27

IV. TOPSAIL ISLAND HURRICANE EVACUATION PLAN
Topsail Beach, Surf City, Pender County and Onslow County
must coordinate Topsail Island evacuation operations in the
event of major storm. Each of these local governments has
developed its own evacuation plan. In this report, the
primary concern is the evacuation of the southern end of the
Island which includes the Towns of Surf City and Topsail
Beach.
The Town of Topsail Beach has developed and adopted a
Hurricane Emergency Plan and the Town of Surf City has
developed and adopted a Hurricane Evacuation Plan.
These plans have been thoroughly assessed. Both plans are
very comprehensive and provide an excellent framework for
each Town to use in conducting its evacuation operations.
Following is a brief outline of the major provisions of each
plan regarding evacuation operations.
A. TOPSAIL BEACH EVACUATION PLAN.
The Topsail Beach hurricane evacuation procedures are
verb thorough. The plan presents a program for carrying
out evacuation operations as part of a five phase effort:
Condition 3 - Hurricane Watch (approximately 48 hours to
forecasted land fall); Condition 2 - Hurricane Warning
(approximately 24 hours to forecasted landfall); Condi-
tion 1 - Evacuation Phase (12 hours or less to expected
landfall); Condition 0 - Landfall Imminent; and Reentry.
The plan describes how specific preparatory, shutdown,
warning and evacuation operations will be conducted by
Town personnel during each phase of the evacuation
process.
At the southern end of the Town there are three north -
south routes - Carolina Boulevard, Anderson Boulevard
(N.C. Highway 50), and Ocean Boulevard. The number of
north -south routes is reduced to two north of Hines
Street and to only one (Anderson Boulevard) from
Bridges Street to Surf City. Consequently, the success-
ful evacuation of Topsail Beach is dependent upon keeping
Anderson Boulevard clear and open until all evacuation
operations are complete. In Before the Storm the entire
length of Anderson Boulevard was shown as being within
the 100 year flood plain. However, the most recent FEMA
flood insurance rate maps indicate that portions of the
roadway are above the 100 year flood elevation. Regard-
less, Anderson Boulevard remains subject to flooding
that could isolate Topsail Beach from the mainland. Ad-
ditionally, the roadway is lined on both sides by utility
poles and electric overhead lines. The toppling of even
one of these poles could block the only evacuation route
available to town residents.
28

Therefore, the prime concern with the Topsail Beach Hur-
ricane Emergency Plan is that if localized flooding or
heavy winds occur prior to the setting of Condition 1,
the only evacuation route from the Town could be impas-
sable before evacuation operations are completed or be-
fore they even commence. Because of the potential dif-
ficulties in keeping this 4.5 mile length of roadway open
for evacuation operations, it is recommended that a two-
phase evacuation order be included in the Town's Hurri-
cane Emergency Plan.
A Phase 1 Evacuation Alert would be issued concurrently
with the issuance of the hurricane warning and the set-
ting of Condition 2 (24 hours prior to projected land-
fall). The Topsail Beach Chief of Police should request
that the Pender County Emergency Services Coordinator
open the designated shelter at the Topsail High School
at this time and Town residents and visitors should be
urged to evacuate at this time. A Phase 2 Evacuation
Order (mandatory evacuation with door to door warnings
provided by the Topsail Beach Police and Fire Depart-
ments) would be issued as Condition 1 is set, as is
currently provided for in the Town's Plan.
B. SURF CITY EVACUATION PLAN
The Surf City hurricane evacuation procedures are very
thorough. The Town's Evacuation Plan also includes a
five phase evacuation process: Condition 3 - Hurricane
Watch; Condition 2 - Hurricane Warning; Condition 1 -
Evacuation; Condition 0 - Landfall; and Condition 5 -
Reentry. The Plan is organized according to depart-
ment responsibilites. Specific responsibilities for
each evacuation phase are listed for the Rescue Squad,
the Fire Department, the Police Department, the Public
Works Department, and other Town Officials.
Shore Drive (N.C. Highway 50) is the only north -south
evacuation route available from the Surf City/Topsail
Beach city limits northward to the intersection of
Shore Drive and Topsail Drive. Fortunately, Shore Drive
is elevated above the 100 year flood elevation over this
entire 2.3 mile stretch.
Both Topsail Drive and Shore Drive are available as
evacuation routes from their intersection northward to
Roland Avenue. Both routes are below the 100 year flood
elevation over this stretch. North of Roland Avenue,
Topsail Drive, Shore Drive and New River Drive are
available for use as evacuation routes. According to the
latest FEMA flood insurance rate maps, both New River
Drive and Topsail Drive are located below the 100 year
floodplain elevation.
I

Because there is only one evacuation route available for
use of Town residents south of the intersection of Shore
Drive and Topsail Drive, it is recommended that residents
south of this area be evacuated prior to the setting of
Condition 1. While the high dunes along this stretch of
roadway should protect the roadway from flooding, the
concern is that high winds could result in damage that
blocks this single evacuation route.
C. TRAFFIC ASSESSMENT OF MAJOR EVACUATION ROUTES.
As discussedd in the previous section, there is a single
primary road (N.C. Highway 50/N.C. Highway 210), which
runs the entire length of Topsail Island. It is the only
through route on the southern/western end of the Island.
Other north -south routes are located in the middle sec-
tion of the Island. N.C. 50/210 is subject to flooding
at various locations along its entire length.
Topsail Island was utilized as a case study in Before the
Storm. In this study it was concluded that evacuation of
the Island was not currently a problem and that up to
18,000 vehicles could be evacuated during the 12 hour
evacuation period. As a component of the review of
existing evacuation plans, a special traffic engineering
analysis was undertaken in order to confirm the conclu-
sion reached in Before the Storm. The analysis is sum-
marized in the sections which follow.
N. C. Highway 50 from Topsail Beach to Surf City and its
juncture with N.C. 210 is 20 feet wide with 10 foot tra-
vel lanes in each direction. The roadway is currently
being widened to 24 feet. N.C. Highway 210 is a 20 foot
roadway from Onslow County to its intersection with N.C.
Highway 50.
There are two basic characteristics that differentiate
traffic operations on a two-lane roadway from multi -lane
facilities. First, distribution of traffic by direction
has practically no effect on operating conditions at any
given total volume level. Therefore, the capacity and
service volumes of two-lane highways are expressed in
total vehicles per hour, regardless of the distribution
of traffic by direction. Second, overtaking and passing
maneuvers must be made in the traffic lane normally oc-
cupied by opposing traffic. Inasmuch as the maintenance
of a desired speed requires passing maneuvers, the volume
of traffic plus the highway geometrics, which establish
available passing sight distance, have a much more signi-
ficant effect on operating speeds than is the case on
multi -lane roads.
The capacity of a two-lane, two-way roadway under ideal
30

conditions is 2,000 passenger vehicles per hour total,
regardless of directional distribution.
Traffic volume increases have a direct effect on operat-
ing speeds, independent of roadway alignment features.
Operating speeds for uninterrupted flow on all two-lane
roadways are 40 mph or above. The total volume for both
directions reaches 70 percent of capacity with continuous
passing sight distance, or 1,400 passenger cars per hour,
under ideal conditions. With operating speeds of 35 mph,
total traffic volumes for both directions may reach 85
percent of capacity with continuous passing sight dis-
tance, or 1,700 passenger cars per hour, under ideal con-
ditions. This represents the highest volume that can be
maintained for short periods of time without a high
probability of breakdown in flow.
The ability of the transportation network to adequately
handle evacuation needs is dependent upon the evacuation
time as established by Pender County, Surf City and Top-
sail Beach. A major element of the evacuation timing is
the clearance time, which is directly related to the ve-
hicular capacity of the transportation network. Clear-
ance time is defined as the amount of time necessary for
the relocation of all vulnerable evacuees to their re-
spective shelter destinations once the official evacua-
tion order is issued. The clearance time consists of
three main subcomponents: mobilization time, travel
time and queuing delay time.
Mobilization time is that period between the issuance of
the evacuation order and the departure time of the last
vehicle from the vulnerable area. It depends to a large
extent on the attitudes and response time of residents
Travel time is the period necessary for the vehicles to
travel the length of the evacuation route at an antici-
pated operating speed assuming no traffic delays (queu-
ing). Queuing delay time is defined as the time spent
by vehicles in traffic jams resulting when the capaci-
ties of the evacuation routes are exceeded by the num-
ber of vehicles using these routes.
The primary Topsail Beach evacuation route is Anderson
Boulevard (N.C. 50). The current widening of this road-
way will improve this route to consist of two twelve foot
travel lanes. Open areas unprotected from wind and sand
will remain. Based on information contained in the Top-
sail Beach Land Use Plan, this route might have to be
used to evacuate up to 7720 peak seasonal vactioners by
the year 1990 and over 10,000 by the year 2000.
The primary Surf City evacuation routes are N.C. 50 from
the south and N.C. 210 from the north. Based on the Surf
City Land Use Plan, these routes might have to be used to
31

evacuate up to 7340 peak seasonal vacationers by the year
1990 and about 9000 by the year 2000. The potential
number of persons that might have to be evacuated from
the two communities during peak vacation seasons by the
year 1990 could therefore be over 15,000 (specific plan-
ning for year 2000 evacuation needs should be accom-
plished during the regular update of this plan).
An analysis of clearance time from Topsail Beach and Surf
City was undertaken utilizing the following assumptions:
o a peak number of 15,000 persons might have to be
evacuated.
o approximately 15/. of the beach population wi 1 1
leave the area prior to the issuance of official
evacuation orders (this is probably a very conser-
vative estimate).
o the evacuation roadways will only be able to
operate at 75 percent of capacity due to the rela-
tively narrow travel lanes, the limited lateral
clearance and the general storm conditions that
will be present.
o each vehicle will contain 2.5 persons on the aver-
age
o the. departure speed will be 35 mph
o under the above assumptions, the normal unrestric-
ted travel folume of 1,700 vehicles per hour (vph)
would be reduced to 1,275 vph as the maximum road-
way capacity.
Based on the above assumptions, approximately 5,100 ve-
hicles could have to be evacuated from Topsail Beach and
Surf City during the evacuation period. Assuming N.C.
50/210 is operated as a one-way facility off the Island
during the evacuation period, it would require approxi-
mately 4 hours to evacuate the beach areas. This period
might be extended somewhat because the N.C. 50-210 bridge
over the Intracoastal Waterway is somewhat narrower than
the roadway approaching the beach and the reduced lateral
clearance could lower its capacity somewhat.
Even if two-way traffic were allowed on the N.C. 50/210
bridge during the evacuation period (which is highly un-
likely), the clearance time under this "worse case" con-
dition would only be extended to about 6.5 hours, which
is still well within the established 12 hour evacuation
time limit.
32

Of additional concern in assessing the evacuation routes
and the clearance time from the beach areas is the po-
trential for bottlenecks occuring at key intersections.
On Topsail Island, the intersection of N.C. 50 and
N.C. 210 will be required to handle the traffic from
both Topsail Beach and Surf City, as well as a
portion of the traffic from West Onslow Beach. At this
time, it is impossible to evaluate the capacity of that
particular intersection due to the lack of traffic data.
A signalized intersection under normal operation will
accommodate approximately 1,500 vehicles per lane per
hour of green. During emergency operation, this inter-
section should be monitored/manned by local law enforce-
ment officials to ensure that the merging traffic from
the two routes is provided orderly right-of-way and flows
smoothly.
Another location that should require extra attention dur-
ing evacuation is the intersection of N.C. 50 with Roland
Avenue one block east of its intersection with N.C. 210.
There will be heavy left turn movements at this intersec-
tion during evacuation operations. Manual traffic con-
trol at this intersection during the evacuation.period
will also be required.
The primary conclusion resulting from this analysis is
that N.C. 500 N.C. 210 and the N.C. 50-210 bridge all
have adequate capacity to handle projected evacuation
traffic through the planning period. White West Onslow
Beach traffic flows were not considered in this analysis,
traffic from this part of Topsail Island could evacuate
the Island from the N.C. 210 bridge on the northern end
of the Island as well as by way of the N.C. 50-210
bridge. The excess capacity of both bridges supports
the conclusion contained within Before the Storm.
While the evacuation roadway capacity should be adequate
to handle evacuation needs for the foreseeable future,
specific actions have to be undertaken to insure that
this capacity is available when needed. The following
provisions and actions are recommended to be incorpor-
ated into the Topsail Beach and Surf City evacuation
plans in order to help insure that this capacity remains
available.
1 . Evacuation operations for the entire Town of Top-
sail Beach and that portion of Surf City south of
the intersection of Shore Drive and Topsail Drive
should commence upon the setting of Condition 2.
This is recommended because there are no alterna-
tives to this narrow route and the extra evacua-
tion time allows the leeway to address unantici-
pated problems (i.e. road blockages) along the
33

two lane, one-way facility upon the setting of
Condition 1. The Surf City Evacuation Plan does
not include a simialr provision. It is recom-
mended that N.C. 50 be operated as a one-
way northbound facility upon the setting of
Condition 1. Shore Drive north of its
intersection with Topsail Drive would continue to
be utilized as a two-way facility.
3. It is imperative that N.C. Highway 50 be kept
cleared during the evacuation period. Both
the Topsail Beach and Surf City Police Departments
should station vehicles at key locations along
the road in order to monitor conditions and to
coordinate and direct clearance operations to
remove accidents, fallen poles, etc. from the
roadway as necessary.
4. Surf City should assign members of its Police
Department to manually direct traffic at the
intersections of N.G. 50/Roland Avenue and N.C.
50/N.C. 210 during the evacuation period in
order to keep traffic flowing smoothly and to
facilitate needed turning movements. As an al-
ternative, the Pender County Sheriff's Depart-
ment or the North Carolina Highway Patrol could
be requested to assume this responsiblity.
5. A request should be made to the North Carolina
Highway Patrol to operate the N.G. 50/210
bridge as primarily a one-way facility during
the evacuation period. The only vehicles
allowed onto the Island during this period should
be official emergency vehicles.
The above recommendations are based on the assumptions that
the N.C.50/210 drawbridge will remain passable throughout the
evacuation period. This should be the case under fore-
seeable circumstances. If the drawbridge is not passable,
all traffic from Topsail Island will have to be re-routed
northeast on N.C. 210 and cross the 210 bridge at the north-
ern end of the Island. The capacity of N.C. 210 and the
bridge are adequate for handling these flows. If such a
situation occurs, Dixon High School in Onslow County near the
intersection of N.C. 210 and U.S. 17 would become the
designated shelter for Surf City and Topsail Beach evacuees
rather than Topsail High School.
34

Check (,/) Type i
Check Extent of Damage
For Use By Damage Assessment Officer
of Building
a
w
Unusable/Uninhabltable
Usable/
Habitable
•
�
s
Property Address
Name of Owner
$
Destroyed or
Extensive Exterior
Damage to
Mostly Exterior
Value of
Essentially
and Interior
Extedor and
Surface Damage,
Building
Estimated
% Insurance
Destroyed, Small
Damage, Portions I
Interior of Such
Broken Window
(Exclusive of
Dollar Loss
Coverage
Percentage of
of Roof or Walla
Magnitude to
Glass, etc.
Land, Contents)
Structure Remains,
Destroyed, or I
Render Building
Building is Usable.
Intact, or Flood
Water Line a Feet
Flood Water Line a
Feet Above Floor. I
Unusable. or Flood
Water Line 3 Feet
Flood Water Line
Above Floor.
Above Floor.
(x 0.70) i
Above Floor.
(x 0.10).
(x 1.00)
(x o.30)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Notes:
Incident
Area/Zone
Date of Insp.
1. Check If single family, enter number of families
duplex,
DAIMAf1e Assessment Worksheet
9
If multi -family, or apartments.
2. Check and describe on reverse side of form.
(Percentage of Value Method)
Assessor
Sht. No.
Of
3. Use reverse for notes, sketch maps, etc.
worm tnn-ja a-ni

9/30/81
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT WORKSHEET INSTRUCTIONS
(Percentage of Value Method)
This form is used by local/county government damage assessment teams.
following a disaster to assess losses to private property. Assessment is
based upon on -site inspections and classification of damages according to r
"Extent of Damage" columns on the form. Estimated dollar losses are cal-
culated by the Damage Assessment Officer.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Damage Assessment Team -
a. Complete bottom of form indicating type of incident (flood, tornado,
ice storm, etc.), area or zone of assignment covered by this worksheet,
date of inspections, name of assessor, and sheet number (serially by
assessor, area/zone, or incident, depending upon local preference).
b. List damage property assessed by indicating address, name of owner (or
business name, building name, etc.), and type of building. In case of
multi -family housing, use figure to indicate number of families. For property
not covered by types listed, check "Other" and describe under "Remarks" below.
c. Indicate usability and extent of damage by checking the most appropriate
column.
d. Upon completion of the inspections, submit worksheets to the Damage
Assessment Officer.
Damage Assessment Officer -
a. Review worksheets for completeness and legibility while assessor is
present. Have any incomplete information added and any illegible entries
clarified before releasing assessor.
b. Enter property values from available listings, being sure to exclude
value of land and building contents.
c. Determine estimated dollar loss by multiplying value of building by
.percentage multiplier indicated in Damage column checked.
d. Using best available information, enter % of property value covered by
insurance.
e. Consolidate damage figures and transmit to the State Emergency Operating •
Center (EOC) using Damage Assessment Report format used by the local Emergency
Management Coordinator.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
REMARKS:
A-2