land use plan for the Town of Long Beach, North Carolina land use plan, Town of Long Beach, North Carolina

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

13665

COASTAL ZONE
INFORMATION CENTER

COASTAL AREA MANAGEMENT ACT

LAND USE PLAN

TOWN OF LONG BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA

N.C. COASTAL RESOURCES COMMISSION

HD
211
.N8
L38
1976

COASTAL ZONE
INFORMATION CENTER

LAND USE PLAN

FOR THE.

TOWN OF LONG BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA

Prepared in accord with
State Guidelines for Local Planning in the Coastal Area

Under the Coastal Area Management Act of 1974

Submitted To:

North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission

21 May 1976

The preparation of this report was financially assisted by grants from the
State of North Carolina, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
and the Coastal Plains Regional Commission.

NOTICE TO USERS

All major policy related maps and documents are either included within
the text or attached to the back of the plan. However, due to the expense
and technical limitations required for reprinting some illustrations may
be omitted. Complete copies are available for inspection at the N. C.
Coastal Resources Commission offices in Raleigh or at the local government
offices.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Number

INTRODUCTION

Purpose of a Land Use Plan 1-1

Method of Preparing the Plan 1-5

CURRENT CONDITIONS SECTION I

Population and Economy I-1

Population I-1
Economy I-3
Municipal Finance I-4

Existing Land Use I-8

Residential I-10
Commercial I-11
Public and Institutional I-11
Transportation 1-11

Current Plans and Regulations I-13

Local Regulations I-13
Current Plans and Policies I-17

Constraints

Physical I-20
Fragile I-23
Community Service Facilities I-30

ISSUES, OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS SECTION II

Major Issues and General Alternatives

Development Patterns II-3
Storm Damage II-4
Community Service Provision II-6
Land Use Controls II-9
Priorities for Public Service Facilities II-11

Objectives and Standards II-17

AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN SECTION III

Introduction III-1

The Estuarine System III-2

The Beach-Foredune System III-5

TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)

Page Number

Hazard Areas 111-5

Inlet Lands and Excessive Erosion Areas 111-6
Coastal Flood Plains 111-7

Public Trust Areas 111-7

FUTURE LAND USE SECTION IV

The Demand for Land IV-1

Factors Influencing Growth IV-1
Accommodating Future Growth, IV-3

Land Classification System IV-8

PLAN ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION SECTION V

Plan Adoption V-1

Plan Implementation V-4

Revision of Town Ordinances v-4
Coordination of Permit-Letting Authorities v-4
Related Planning Activities v-6
Periodic Review and Revision of the Plan V-7

REFERENCES CITED VI-1

APPENDIX A: Public Paiiticipation Program

INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE OF A LAND USE PLAN IN NORTH CAROLINA COASTAL MANAGEMENT

The North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act of 1974 /Chapter

1284 1973 Session Laws (G. S. 113A/ (CAMA) established "....a coopera-

tive program of coastal area management between local and State

governments" whereby "Local government shall have the initiative for

planning."

Enactment of CAMA was based upon findings by the General

Assembly that

"Among North Carolina's most valuable resources are.its
coastal lands and waters."

"the estuaries are among the most biologically pro-
ductive regions of this State and of the nation"

"an immediate and pressing need exists to establish a
comprehensive plan for the protection, preservation,
orderly development, and management of the coastal area
of North Carolina."

The CAMA established the following goals for the coastal area

management system.

"(1) To provide a management system capable of preserving
and managing the natural ecological conditions of the
estuarine system, the barrier dune system, and the
beaches, so as to safeguard and perpetuate their natural
productivity and their biological, economic and esthetic
values;

"(2) To insure that the development orpreservation of the
land and water resources of the coastal area proceeds
in a manner consistent with the capability of the land
and water for development, use, or preservation based
on ecological considerations;

11(3) To insure the orderly and balanced use and preservation
of our coastal resources on behalf of the people of
North Carolina and the nation;

"(4) To establish policies, guidelines and standards for:

(i) Protection, preservation, and conservation of
natural resources including but not limited to
water use, scenic vistast and fish and wildlife;
and management of transitional or intensely
developed areas and areas especially suited to
intensive use or development, as well as areas of
significant natural value;

(ii) The economic.development of the coastal area,
including but not limited to construction, loca-
tion and design of industries, port facilities,
commercial establishments and other developments;

(iii) Recreation and tourist facilities and parklands;

Uv) Transportation and circulation patterns for the
coastal area including major thoroughfares,
transportation routes, navigation channels and
harbors, and other public utilities and facili-
ties;

(v) Preservation and enhancement of the historic,
cultural, and.scientific aspects of the coastal
area;

(vi) Protection of present common law and statutory
public rights in the lands and waters of the
coastal area."

The planning processes established by the CAMA include:

(a) State guidelines setting the objectives, policies and standards to be

followed.in public and private use,,of land and water within the coasta1

area; and (b) a land use plan for each county within the coastal area.

Following the procedures',contained in the CAMA, the Mayor and

Board of Town Commissioners of Long Beach declared the intent of the Town

to prepare a.land use plan in accordance with State Guidelines for Local

Planning in the Coastal Area under the Coastal Area Management Act of

1974 (Guidelines) adopted by the North Carolina Coastal Resources on

January 27, 1975, as subsequently amended.

The Guidelines mandate that each land use plan contain:

1) A statement of Local Land Use Objectives, Policies and
Standards;

2) A Summary of Data Collection and Analysis;

3) An Existing Land Use Map;

4) A Land Classification Map;

5) Written text describing and indicating appropriate
development for Interim Areas of Environmental Concern.

A land use plan is one of many elements that constitute a

comprehensive plan for Long Beach. The land use plan expresses the way

the democratically elected representatives of the people think the

finite land area should be allocated to best meet the hopes and aspira-

tions of the people who live and pay taxes in a specific jurisdiction.

A.land use plan can only be thorough when health care, education,

transportation, economic development, leisure time, and other components

of a comprehensive plan are tested against the people's goals and

objectives so they can be integrated into the land use element.

Long Beach's land use plan relies upon those data most readily

available and focuses upon themajor emphases of the CAMA: development

within the capability of the natural resources. Other topics, such as

water and sewer, roads and streets, and employment are consistent with

issues raised by the public, but are peripheral to establishing a basis

for decision-making with respect to land.

It is Long Beach's intention to utilize the plan as a keystone

for all future town activity. The land use plan is a major step in

comprehensive planning for Long Beach. Matters such as zoning, building

codes, Town appearance, and beach maintenance can be based upon the

plan; policy issues, such as annexation, taxes, maintenance of water

quality, health care and employment are preliminarily identified for later

study and decision-making as elements of the Town's comprehensive

planning process.

METHOD OF PREPARING THE PLAN

The Long Beach land use plan was developed as an iterative process

among elected and appointed public officials, the public, and

professional resources specialists.

The iterative process: 1) Sampled public recognition of problems

and opportunities in general terms; 2) defined the known physical,

social, and institutional setting; 3) invited the public to participate

in matching problem solutions with the setting by defining.objectives

and standards for the Town; 4) projected factors consistent with the

selected Town goals and the physical restraints; 5) allocated land

according to the projected magnitude of demand and the physical charac-

terestics of the Town; and 6) used the inventory data developed in step

2 to delineate areas recommended as areas of environmental concern with

a list of suggested uses..

Coastal Resources Commission Guidelines emphasize the need to map

three sets of data: existing land use, land classified according to

projected.use in 1985, and areas that will be recommended as interim

areas of environmental concern. These Long Beach data were mapped at

a scale of 1 inch = 400 ft. The basic map medium was an aerial photograph

mosaic prepared by Coastal Zone Resources Corporation from N. C. Department

of Transportation I inch = 1,000 ft photography taken in December 1974.

The air-photograph maps are easily reproducible and will serve as

a.useful public information tool. Additionally, the reproducible mosaic

is available -for use as a base map to support other planning activities

and for implementation of the plan.

Data describing current conditions in the Town were assembled

from numerous federal, state and local government sources, as listed

in References Cited (p vi-1) - Where more current or detailed infor-
AL

mation than was available in publications was needed, personal com-

MUnications with representatives of the publishing agencies and

knowledgeable Town residents were used to complete the data collection

and analysis.

Details of Long Beach's public participation program are

contained in Appendix A.

the CAMA sponsored land use planning in the Town was coordi-

nated with comparable activities conducted by the Brunswick County

Planning Board. No major conflicts between the county and mu.Inicipal

plan have surfaced. If in the future, conflicts should arise, provi-

sions of the county plan shall govern except in cases where the

municipal plan imposes greater restrictions upon land use or greater

demands for new development.

SECTION I

CURRENT CONDITIONS

POPULATION AND ECONOMY

Population

Estimates of the current population of the Town of Long Beach are

available from several sources; however, the various estimates differ

considerably. The population of Long Beach was reported to be 102 in the

1960 U. S. Census of Population; the 1970 population was reported as

493, an increase of 383 percent from 1960 to 1970 (U. S. Department of

Commerce 1973). The U. S. Department of Commerce (1973) estimated the

1973 Long Beach population to be 64l, an increase of 30 percent from

1970 to 1973.

The State of North Carolina's Department of Administratift (DOA)

makes yearly estimates of municipal populations for the purpose of

determining appropriate allocations of state funds. Both DOA and U. S.

Department of Commerce estimates are determined by use of standard

population projection methods based primarily on census data and extra-

polations of historical population growth trends. The DOA estimate of
1974 Long Beach permanent populat ion is 800a an increase of 62 percent

from 1970 to 1974.

In 1974, the Town of Long Beach conducted a count of all Town

residences in order to adopt a house numbering system. The total num-

ber of permanently occupied residences indicated in this count. was

b
1,439; the total number of residences only seasonally occupied was 479

a
Francine Ewing, N. C. Department of Administration, Office of State
planning, personal--communication, December 11, 1975.
bTown of Long Beach letter to Postmaster, Southport, North Carolina,
June 11, 1974.

The 1974 permanent population, based on 3.2 persons per residence, was

a
estimated to be 4,605

According to the above figures, the population of Long Beach in-

creased'by 940 percent between 1970 and 1974. Town sources attribute

much of this growth to three major factors: 1) In the last few years,

Carolina Power and Light Company's Southport nuclear generating facility,

Pfizer Drug Manufacturing plant and a cosmetic factory located within

7 miles of the Town and many people entering the area as employees of

these firms chose to live in Long Beach; 2) The Town.is receiving an.

influx of retirement people, many of whom bought lots and built houses
in'the 1950's and are now settling in the Town permanently; ana 3) A

large contingent of construction workers is associated with the building

industry, both in Long Beach and in surrounding areas, which has been

b
stimulated by the recent increase in industrialization

The difference between the DOA and Town of Long Beach 1974 popu-

lation estimates amounts to 3,805 persons. Both DOA and Town sources

recognize the deficiencies of each's method of estimation. DOA pro-

jections, ignore the impact of recent industrial location in the immediate

vicinity; the Town's evaluation of a residence's seasonalor permanent

occupancy is difficult'to substantiate.

The Town, DO.A.and Department of Commerce figures reflect only the

year-round population of the Town; no realiable estimate of seasonal

residency is available for years prior to 1973. According to the U. S.-

a
Town of Long Beach letter to N. C. Department of Administration, State
Planning Office, August 23, 1974.
bE. W. Morgan, realtor and former mayor; Clarence R. Morrison, realtor;
personal interview, May 21, 1975.

Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the 1973 average sumer weekday population

of Long Beach was 9,000 and the summer weekend-day population was 12,000

(U. S. Army Corps of Engineers 1973). There are no specific counts of 1973

seasonal population; the Corps estimates are based on values obtained

from recent water supply studies for the area as well.as information,

furnished by Town officials and local real estate agents. The Corps

evaluated the rates of development in Long Beach between 1961 and 1970

by comparing the nu mber.of residential and commercial structures appearing

on aerial photographs taken in those respective years. There were 389

structure s in 1961 and 1,434 in 1970, an increase of 2.69 percent. But

.as with the Town's survey of residential structures, the determination

of seasonal orpermanent occupancy is difficult to make. In addition,

the number of structures serving as single family residences as opposed

to duplexes cannot be determined from aerial photographs, nor can the

average number of persons occupying residential units.

The Town of-Long Beach recognizes the need-for accurate population

information on which to base future population needs. The Town has con-

tacted the U. S. Bureau of the Census and is studying the feasibility

of conducting a Census survey in 1976.

Economy

Occupations of most of the townspeople center around home building,

sale and maintenance, with the construction industry accounting for

the largest portion of jobs. Approximately 1,500 - 2,000 residents
'Ge work in areas outside .the Town, commuting mainly to the Carolina Power
andLightplant, various Brown and Root construction sites, and to

,Sunny Point; commercial fishing is also an important source of employ-

ment of permanent residents.

Additional job openings, especially for pier employees, waitresses,

store clerks, and motel operators are created in summer. Unlike many

beach communities, however, the Long Beach economy does not rely on

tourism. There is no bank in the Town and there are few professional

services such as doctor and law offices, but Long Beach commerce can

supply most of the day-to-day shopping needs for its residents. Adequate

grocery and variety stores,.beauty and clothing shops are open year@-

round and are supported.by local people.

Municipal Finance

The Long Beach Town Budget for fiscal year (FY) 1975-1976 is based

on a total estimated property valuation of $50,000,000 and a tax rate of

$.61 per $100 valuation. The propery valuation in FY 1971-1972 was

$8,572,000 and the tax rate was $1.20. The 483 percent increase in@valu-

a.tion in the last four years is offset somewhat by the 49 percent de

crease in the tax rate; ad valorem taxes (including back taxes and

penalties)' produced.a revenue of $105,700 in 1971 and $282-@000 in 1975.

Ad valorem taxes accounted for 47 percent of the General Fund

@revenues in the 1971 budget and 61 percent in 1975. Intergovernmental

taxes, such as franchise, ABC, and local sales, are the second largest

source of revenue to the Town, 36 percent in 1971 and 27 percent in 1975.

Table 1-1 lists the sources of revenue in the General Fund Town Budgets

for the two years, and the percent of total revenue produced..by--each

source.
The cost of general governmenta as a percent of total expenditures
aFor the purpose of analyzing community service finance, general govern-
ment includes all expenditures except those specifically cited here
as service facility expenditures.

Table 1-1. Long Beach.General Fund Revenues. a

Fiscal Year Fiscal Year
Source of Revenue 1975-1976 Total 1971-1972 Total

.Ad Valorem Taxes 282,000 61 105,700 47
(including back taxes and penalties)

Other Municipal Taxes 8,375 2 6,100 3
(including privilege licenses, building
permit fees)

Intergovernmental Taxes 127,998 27 80,298 36
(including franchise, ABC, local
sales, etc

Federal-Law Enforcement b 32,066 7 0 0
Assistance Administration (LEAA)

Water System 14,209 3 32,000 14

Total Revenue 464,6.48 100 224,098 100

a
Source: Town of Long Beach (Adopted) Budgets; 1971, 1975.

b
LEAA Grants not available in 1971.

Table 1-2. Long Beach General Fund Expenditures. a

Fiscal Year Fiscal Year
Cause of Expenditure- 1975-1976 Total 1971-1972 Total
General Governmentb 166,478 36 52,429 23

Police Department 174,485 38 45,055 20

Fire Department 13,283 3 9,550 4
(including rescue)

Streets 84,002 18 59,350 27

Health and Sanitation 8,875 37,525 17
(including solid waste collection and
mosquito control)
CIC
Recreationc 17,525 4 0 0@
Water Departmentd 0 0 18,991 9

Total Expenditures 464,648 100 222,900 100

aSource: Town of Long Beach (Adopted) Budgets; 1971, 1975.

b
For the purpose of analyzing service expenditures, General Government includes all General Fund
Expenditures other than those listed above.

cThere was no Recreation Department in 1971
dIn 1975 Budget, a Water Fund isseparate from General Fund.

has increased since 1971; expenditures for service facilities, except.

the police department, have decreased. Table 1-2 lists the General

Fund expenditures to service facilities and general government as

appear'in the FY 1971-1972 and 1975-1976 Town Budgets. The largest

single expenditre in 1975 is allocated to the Police Department; 81

percent of that allocation is for salaries. Salaries and professional

services account for 45 percent of general government expenditures.

Allocations for fire protection, street construction and main-

tenance, and health and sanitation have all increased since 1971 but

decreased as a percent of the total budget. It must be noted, however,

that the fire department (in cluding the rescue squad) is a volunteer

organization, and as such requires no expenditures for salaries. Per-

sonnel involved in solid waste collection in 1975 are under the direction

.of the head of the street department, and expenses for their salaries

are listed as street department expenses. Salaries actually accounted

for 50 percent of street expenses in 1975 and 79 percent of sanitation.

Overall, a comparison of the budgets for the two fiscal years

shows that the amount of revenue currently available as capital outlay

for future service facility expansion is limited. In the separate water

system budget, totalling $27,000 in FY 1975-1976, 38 percent of the ex-

penditures were contributed to the General Fund; only $291 were allocated

to capital outlay.

EXISTING LAND USE

The Town of Long Beach is located on Oak Island, on the southern

coast of Brunswick County. Oak Island is a narrow strip of land between

the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) and the Atlantic Ocean, stretching

virtually due east-west from the Cape Fear River to Lockwoods Polly

Inlet. The AIWW between the Cape Fear River and the Inlet is an 11 mile

long navigation channel with a minimum depth of 12 feet (ft) (low water

datum). Historic Fort Caswell (the North Carolina Baptist Assembly

Grounds) occupies the eastern tip of the island, with Caswell Beach and

Yaupon Beach located immediately to the west. The Town of Long Beach,

from its border with Yaupon Beacb, covers the rest of the island, ex-

tending for 8 miles to the Lockwoods Folly Inlet.

Long Beach is located 5 miles ESE of Southport and 33 miles SE

of Wilmington, the population centers of an area formerly characterized

by farmland, but presently showing signs of industrialization. North of

Long Beach, in both Brunswick and New Hanover Counties, tourist and perma-

nent populations are increasing dramatically. Bald Head Island, the site

of a large new resort/residential development is situated in Brunswick

County across the Cape Fear River from Oak Island.

Long Beach is made up of beaches, dunelands, maritime forests,

fresh and salt water marshes, and longleaf pine-turkey oak forests. For

the purpose of physical description, the Town can be divided into four

sections:

(1) The first sectijbn extends from the eastern town line, west

to 47th Street East. From south to north, this area consists of beach and

dunes, , brackish marshes and ponds, longleaf pine-turkey oak forest, and

along the AIWW, salt water marshes and piles of dredged material. Between

the AIWW and East Yacht Drive, numerous small creeks and canals traverse

the salt marsh; between the dunes and the forest, a small ditch drains

the fresh water ponds., Development in these areas is limited to the

forest and dunelands, with only sparse use made of either of the marsh-

lands.

(2) Between 40th and 47th Streets East, there are virtually

no marsheso, either in the north or south; the forest and beach areas

are extensively developed, with roads extending from the dunes to the

AIWW.
-(3) The Big Davis Canal a and marsh system begin at 40th

Street. North.of the canal land is higher and forested, principally

with longleaf pine-turkey oak; immediately south of the canal, is marsh.

The marshland widens progressively westward to the-inlet, separating

the development in-the beach area from that in the woods. On Middleton

Avenue, a bridge across the marsh and canal.connects the beach and forest

areas. The Big.Davis Canal, where sufficiently deep and wide, is used

for water transportation and fishing; the surrounding marshland is

virtually undeveloped at present.

(4) In the vicinity.of Pine Island, the marsh/creek network

becomes more complex with the beginning of Montgomery Slough and Eastern

Channel flow westward. In the Pine Landing-vicinity, Montgomery Slough

joins Eastern Channel, and the Lockwoods FollyRiver joins the AIWW;

all then flow out to sea through the Lockwoods Folly Inlet.

aBefore its dredging in the early 1960's, called Big Davis Creek.

*WW

The developed or improved land in Long Beach extends the full

length of the island and most of its breadth, with only limited areas,

principally marshland, remaining undeveloped at the present time. Presently,

90% of-all new construction in Long Beach is occurring in the wooded areas

with most of the year-round population residing in the wooded area in the
eastern part of town.a Both the permanent and seasonal population densi-

ties decrease progressively westward; while permanent population density

is heavier in the larger., wooded areas of town,.the land area covered most

densely with houses is the first three rows of ocean front lots.

Rqsid ntial

The existing Zoning Ordinance of the Town of Long Beach recognizes

and defines several categories of-land use within the Town limits. The

Residential Districts.include the.bulk 6f the land area -in'the Town,

especially along the beachfront and to the west of 64th Street East, and

permits single family.and two-family dwellings. With the recommendations

of the Planning Board and special approval of the Town Commissioners, multiple

family:dwellings.may also be permitted in the Residential I District..

Limited to the eastern end,of town is an area zoned Residential

II or Mixed Residential, in which, in addition to housing units, mobile

homes are permitted. This zone is bounded by the eastern town line and

64th Street East, Oak Island7 Drive and East Yacht Drive.

a
E. W. Morgan, realtor and former Mayor, Clarence R. Morrison, realtor;
personal interview, June 25. 1975.

,2Z

Commercial

The bulk of the Business District of Long Beach is located

along both sides of Oak Island Drive, between 47th and 65th Streets

East;,between 46th and 52nd Streets East, there is commercial land use

permitted on 2nd and 3rd row beach lots. There is some beach front

Business District located between 46th and 49th Streets East and.three

other smaller areas of town zoned for commercial uses. Between 14th

and 16th Streets East and between 27th and 30th Streets East are two

commercial areas, both located around piers; at the NE corner of the

intersection of East Dolphin Drive and Middleton Avenue, the site of

a proposed shopping center is zoned forcommercial use.

The other Business District in the Town of Long Beach is

called Restricted Business and-Office. There is only one block of this

District, located near the Town Hall, allowing for the operation of the

telephone office in Town.

Public and Institutional

The public and institutional land uses in Long Beach presently

occur within the Commercial zoning district. The Town Hall, City Garage,

Fire Departmenti Police Department, and Building Inspector's office ar

all located on Oak Island Drive. Behind the Town Hall is the Town's

public'recreation center, Middleton Park, which contains 2 lighted tennis

courts; basketball-courts, and a regulation little league baseball field.

Transportation

There are three main roads running east-west through Long Beach.

Beach Drive provides access to the beach lots between 58th Street East

1ZS

and the western end of:the beach strand@ Oak Island Drive runs.t4ough

the center of the island and the principal commercial district, from the

eastern town line to Pinner Point; Oak Island Drive provides access,to the

inland lots and constitutes a thoroughfare the length of Town. Yacht

Drive forms a broad arc around Town as it runs along the AIWW, providing

access to the waterway lots and their related boating activities. The

principal street in Long Beach with a north-south.orientation is Middleton

Avenue, which, with a bridge, connects the three main east-west roads.

Middleton Avenue provides the only land vehicular passage across the Big

Detvis Canal and marsh.

In general, land uses now present in LongBeach have not resulted

In Problems of compatibility; residential/recreation land use is supported

by commercial and institutional facilities. There are no agricultural,

industrial or forestry activities in-conflict with the above uses nor are

any foreseen in the future. Rather, land use problems beginning to,

surface in the Town and likely to be augmented in the future involve.

more the intensity of various uses, in particular a) the small amount

of commercial and insti tutional land zoned to support residential/rb-

creation activities and b) the undetermined carrying capacity of the

Town's land, water and fiscal resources to accommodate increased land

uses.

-loot
-24

CURRENT PLANS AND REGULATIONS

a
Existing Local Regulations Affecting Land Use in Long Beach

Plumbipg Code

Effective Date: Not available

Application: For all plumbing installations or alterations

thereto within the corporate limits of the

Town of Long Beach.

Summary of Provisions

.1. Long@Beach has adopte&,,the.@North Carolina State Plumbing

Code by reference.

2. An installation fee is to be paid to Town Clerk.

3. Those performing plumbing installation or alteration

must be approved by a Plumbing Inspector.

RMair, Closing and Demoliton of Dwellings Unfit for Human

Habitation

Effective Date: May'21, 1966

Application: The corporate limits of the-Town of Long

Beach.

Summary of Provisions

1. Persons receiving complaint notices allowed to appeal.'

2. Owner may be required to repair, remove or demolish

structure.

3. Non-compliance allows for necessary action by public

officer.

aSource: Town of Long Beach Ordinance, no date.

4. Code establishes minimum standards for health, safety

and morals of the Town of Long Beach.

Water System Ordinance

Effective Date: June 21, 1973

Application: All owners of improved property within

the corporate limits and upon.or within a

reasonable distance of any water line:

owned and operated by the Town of Long

Beach.

Provision

Connection of premises with the Town's water system is

required.

Zonipg Ordinan2e

Effective Date: July 17, 197S..

Application: Within the corporate limits of the Town

of Long Beach.

Summary of Provisions

1. In order to regulate and restrict building location,

height and size, yard and open space size, and density

of population, the Town of Long Beach is divided into

7 zones.

a. Residential Districts 1, 2, 3, and 4.

b. Business District

c. Restricted Business and Office

d. Open Spaces

2. Boundaries of each district are indicated on the

"Zoning Map" of the Town of Long Beach.

3. A certificate of occupancy from the Building Inspector

must be received before land shall be used or occupied,

or building structurally altered or erected.

4. A Board of Adjustment is established for the purpose

of hearing appeals over decisions of the Building.

Inspector and authorizing variances.

5 Applications for a building permit shall be accompanied

by a plat drawn to scale.

6. Requires application for permit from Planning Board before

subdividing or resubdividing.

7. Allows the Board of Commissioners the power to change

the boundaries or regulations herein or subsequently

established.

Subdivision Regulations for Long Beach, North Carolina

Effective Date: December-19, 1974

Application: All Ovisions.of parcels.-of land 2-

acres or larger in.size into 3 or more

-lots where a street right-of-7way de-

dication is'involved within the

jurisdiction of Long Beach.

Summary of Provisions

1. Plat to be submitted for approval of Planning Board

must conform to specific requirements.

@27

2. Planning Board to review and take action on the

preliminary plat within 30 days after first considera-

tion.

3. Prior to approval, of final plat, subdividers shall

have installed improvements specified or guaranteed

their installation as provided.

4. The final plat constitutes only that portion of the

preliminary plat proposed to be recorded and developed

at that time.

5. Final plats are reviewed by Planning Board. Town

Council then re.views plat And recommendations of the

Planning Board.

6. No construction permits shall be issued nor town

services or facilities extended to subdivisions until

final plats are approved.

Flood Insurance Ordinance

Effective Date: December 30, 1974

Application: Within those incorporated areas of Long

Beach designated as Special Flood-Hazard

Areas by the Flood Maps.

Summary of Provisions

1. A building permit is required for any new construction

or substantial improvement of residential and non-

residential buildings in Special Flood Hazard.Areas.

2. Requirements for Issuance of Permit Residential

a. Lowest floor elevated to or above applicable

level of 100-year flood.

b. Assurance that the proposed construction shall be

designed and constructed so as to minimize flood

damage.

3. Requirements for Issuance of Permit - Non-residential

(same as for residential except that flood-proofing

may be substituted for elevation of first floor level)

4. In Coastal High Hazard Areas-Additional Requirements

a. All non-conforming uses on land below the 100-

year flood level shall not be expanded.

b. Land shall not be developed unless the new con-

struction or substantial improvement shall be

located and designed so as to minimize impact of

abnormally high tides or wind driven waves..

Current Plans and Policies Concerning Land Use in Long Beach

Water and Sewer

1. Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan Region "0", Henry

Oesen and Associates, Inc., for Cape Fear Council of
Governments, 1972.a

aRegion "0" includes Br unswick, Columbus, Pender and New Hanover Counties.

Recommendation

(A proposed water treatment plant and system located

near Southport would initially provide finished water

for the Town of Long,Beach.)

2. Inventory of Facilities - Regional Water Supply and

Wastewater Disposal Study, Wiggins-Rimer and Associates

for Cape Fear Council of Governments, 1973.

Conclusions

a. The Town of Long Beach is in the process of

securing Farmers' Home Administration financing to

expand its water system to serve all its residents.

b. Long Beach is not at this time in the process of

developing public sewage facilities.

c. Continued growth in the area will require a rational,

regional approach to solving wastewater disposal

problems.

Transportation

1. Regional Development Guide Year 2000 Region "0", Cape

Fear Council of Governments, June 1972.

Recommendations

a. The improvement and extension of US 17 through the

Region.

b. Development of connector linking all Brunswick

County beaches and tieing-inboth ends with US 17.

2. Transportation Needs Study - Region "0", Traffic

Planning Associates, Inc., for Cape Fear Council of

soda
150

Governments, 1971.

Recommendations

a..Provide a limited access facility generally

parallel to the coast serving the recreation

and population center.

b. From above facility, provide additional con-

nections to the major beaches and inland re-

creation areas with high type secondary roads.

There are no utilities extension or open space and recreation policies in

effect in Long Beach.

CONSTRAINTS

Physical

There are certain areas of Long Beach where development would be

either especially costly or likely to cause undesireable consequences

because of the inherent characteristics of the land and water. The

permeability of soils, their'susceptibility to flooding, and their biologi-

cal productivity can and have exerted influence upon the choice of land

areas that can most economically, and with the least risk and uncertainty,

be put to various uses.

Flooding

The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Corps, under U. S. Flood

Insurance Administration contracts, are mapping Flood Prone Areas. The

purpose of these maps, as stated an each map, is to "show administrators,

planners and engineers concerned with future land developments, those

areas that are subject to flooding." The flood prone areas shown on.these

maps have a 1 in 100 chance on the average of being inundated during any

year. Flood Prone Area maps have been completed by USGS to date at 1"=2,000'

scale for only a limited part of Long Beach.

The Corps has conducted a study of storm flood levels in the

Long Beach area in order to assess the need for flood protection measures.

According to the Corps, a storm with an occurrence frequency of once in

100 years will produce a surge level of approximately 12.50 ft msl (U. S.

Army Corps of Engineers 1973).

There are a few developed areas of the Town thatare subject to

ponding during periods of heavy rains; in some cases soil conditions are

such that percolation and heavy runoff are seasonally very slow; in other

cases, poor alignment of streets and roads results in low spots that

collect and hold water. For example, there are parts of Beach Drive, par-

ticulaily between 40th and 20th Streets West and around 46th Street East,

where improper road construction causes ponding.

soils

According to the U. S. Soil Conservation Service (SCS) General

Soil map for Brunswick County (1969), there are three soil associations

present within the Town of Long Beach, each with its particular charac-

teristics and degrees of suitability for various purposes. The Coastal

Beach-Dune Sand Association is found in the dunelands in Long Beach,

extending inland for various distances along the coast. Deposited by both

existing and past wind and water action, this soil is often found

forming inland sand dunes and ridges as well as foredunes. It is a fine

to coarse sand, excessively drained, with varying amounts of marine1ife

deposits. The sands of the Coastal Beach-Dune Sand Association, princi-

pally because of their rapid drainage, are classed as having moderate

to severe limitations for septic tanks because of their frequent inability

to filter wastewater in large quantities, particularly as found in areas

of high population density. Further limitAtions of these soils are usually

associated with their proximity to the ocean and susceptibility to flooding-

The Capers Marsh (fresh and salt) Association, characteristically

very poorly drained and subject to frequent storm and tidal overflow, is

found in several locations in Long Beach. This association is formed by

both the deposition of silts, sands, and clays in the slowly moving waters

of the estuary and by the build-up of organic debris that is entrapped by

vegetation growing in it. The wetness and regular flooding of the Capers

soils render them generally unsuitable for septic tank fields; the Capers

soils also tend to have low traffic supporting capacity so they are poorly

suited to support buildings, roads, and streets.

The third soil association found in Long Beach is the Lakeland-

Rimini-Wagram, consisting of sand or loamy sand surfaces with sand to

sandy clay loam subsoils. The soils of this association are found under-

lying relatively high forested (or formerly forested) areas of the town,

and vary from well to excessively well drained. The limitations of this

association for septic tanks tend to be severe only in instances where a

high water table forms a water supply; in this case, contamination of

that water supply could easily result. There are moderate limitations

to use of these soils for foundations due to the moderate bearing strength

of the Lakeland soils.

Land in Long Beach is virtually level. Slopes exceeding 12,

percent are confined to dunelands and should not in themselves represent

a contraint on development.

Sources of Water Supply

Groundwater comprises the sole source of water supply for both

public and private water systems in Long Beach. The most important.,

groundwater-aquifer'in the area is the Castle Hayne limestone formation

which lies south of Route 17 in Brunswick County and east of the Lock-

woods Folly River (Wiggins-Rimer and Associates 1973). Water levels in

the Castle Hayne range from 15-25 feet below the surface with wells in

it yielding up to 250 gallons per minute (Wiggins-Rimer and Associates

1973). According to the study, recharge to the Castle Hayne in this

area is accomplished directly by rainfall; therefore, water supplies

would be easily subject to contamination from the surf ace.

Fragilea

Wetlands

Within the Town of Long Beach there are numerous creeks,

channels and ponds which, with their adjacent marshlands, comprise

valuable brackish and saltwater wetland areas. By virtue of the AIWW

and Lockwoods Folly Inlet, the flow of all the creeks and channels

in Long Beach is interconnected to a certain degree. For the purpose

of description, however, the wetland areas can be divided into fou'r

sections, three saline systems and one brackish.

In southeastern Long Beach, a brackish pond and marsh system

oticurs immediately behind the frontal dunes, from 58th Street East

across the Yaupon Beach town.line. The ponds are drained by a small

canal which flows westward into the Big Davis Canal.. The overall wet-

ness of the pond area, its susceptibility to overwash from the ocean, and

the high erosion rates of the beaches in this area have probably con-

tribiited to its present undeveloped status. The pond area is important

to the Town both for the prime waterfowl habitat it provides and for

its potential value as a natural scenic recreation resource.

The three remaining wetland areas of Long Beach are saline

marshes and tidal flats characterized by the very poorly-drained Capers

soil and dominant vegetation of marsh grasses

For,the purpose of better defining their significance, tidal

marshes can be divided into two categories; low tidal and high tidal.

a
No complex natural areas, areas sustaining remnant species or unique
geologic formations registered natural landmarks, archeologic or
historic sites have been identified in Long Beach.

VIM

marshes. Low tidal marshland is defined as that consisting.primarily of

Spartina alterniflora and usually subject to unundation by the normal

rise and fall-of lunar tides (N. C. Coastal Resources Commission 1975).

The particular significance of the low marsh is based on its high yield

to the estuarine waters of organic detritus, which serves as a primary

food source for various species of finfish and shellfish, such as

-menhaden, shrimp, flounder, oysters, and crabs. The roots and rhizomes

of @partina alterniflora serve as waterfowl food, and the stems as wild-

life nesting material. Low tidal marshes also help to retard shoreline

erosion (N. C. Coastal Resources Commission 1975).

High tidal marshland is subject to occasional flooding by'tides,

including wind tides,.and is characterized by a variety of marsh grasses,

including Juncus roemerianus and various species of Spartina. The high

marshes also contribute to the detritus supply of the estuarine system

and support a diversity of wildlife types; they function as effective

sediment traps and as a further deterrent to shoreline erosion.

The Elizabeth River-Dutchman Creek-Dennis Creek estuarine

complex extends from the extreme northeasterniend of Long Beach to the

south and west of Southport. This complex is characterized by oyster

flats; worm and clam flats, and highly productive low salt marsh which

contributes significantly to the food base of many types of estuarine

communities (U. S..Army Corps of Engineers 1973)..

Beginning at 40th Street East and extending westward to

Montgomery Slough, the Big Davis Canal estuary separates the wooded

residential areas of Long Beach from the ocean front lots. The Big

Davis system is characterized by both low and high marsh species in-

cluding small shrubs along its southern boundary.

IN"
36

The Big Davis Canal estuary grades into the Montgomery Slough-

Eastern Channel-Lockwoods Folly Inlet estuary complex in the vicinity of

Pinner Point. Eastern Channel is shallow and deposited mud and sand form

a plug restricting water movement into and out of the channel area; as a

result, the sands and muds are often.exposed at low tide (U. S. Army

Corps of Engineers 1973). Montgomery Slough is deeper, with a network of

shallow tidal creeks and wide areas of what the study calls ".cordgrass

marsh." The slough area is classified as a primary nursery area by'the

State of North Carolina Division of Commercial and Sports Fisheries,

signifying that the area is never opened to commercial fishing because

of potential danger to estuarine resources (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers

1973). The Lockwoods Folly Inlet.area is characterized by bt*@d 4xpanses

of mud flats, exposed at low tides and covered by intertidal oysters and

broad expanses of regularly flooded low salt marsh.

Portions.of the Lockwoods Folly Inlet, Montgomery Slough, and

the Big Davis Canal estuaries are controlled by the State of North Caro-

lina. as Oyster Management Areas. The state regularly places shell in

this area to furnish suitable "attachment material" for oysters (U. S.

Army Corps of Engineers 1973).

Estuarine Waters

The estuarine waters that surround the coastal wetlands in

Long Beach are some -of the most productive natural environments in the

area and support many finfish and shellfish species for all or part of their

life cycles. According to the statuatory definition, estuarine waters in

North Carolina include all of the waters of the Atlantic Ocean within

,its boundaries, and@all the waters of the bays, sounds, rivers, and tribu-

taries thereto seaward of the dividing line between Commercial Fishing

Waters and Inland Fishing Waters; the dividing line between these waters

has.been established for each body of water by agreement between the N. C.

Department of Conservation and Development (now DNER) and the N. C.

Wildlife Resources Commission /G. S. 113-229(n)(2)/. All of the surface

waters in Long Beach are within Commercial Fishing Waters and, as such,,

are designated estuarine waters of North Carolina.

Public Trust Areas

The State of North Carolina supports the traditional public rights

of access to and use of lands and waters designated Public Trust Areas for

purposes, such as navigation, fishing,and recreation. Public Trust Areas

include estuarine waters, navigable water bodies to their "ordinary" high

water marks, and all lands beneath these waters. The state allows

appropriate private development within Public Trust Areas, provided the

development is not detrimental to public trust rights.

Ocean Beaches.

Long Beach has approximately eight miles of ocean shoreline with .

an average beach width of 66 ft (U. Army Corps of Engineers 1973).@ The

ocean beahces consist of unconsolidated soil material without vegetative

covering; they are characteristically of a larger soil particle sizeand

lower slope than the adjacent sand dunes into which they grade. The

character of the sand deposits on ocean beaches is dynamic in nature, re-

sponding to fluctuations in the forces which cause their deposition and

erosion. Tidal action, littoral currents, and storms cause a continual

movement of sand both along the beach and between the dunes and deeper

ocean waters! The resultant changes in beach morphology cause the shoreline,

theoretically demarking the confluence of land and water, to shift to the

point of being virtually undefineable.

According to the Corps, the shoreline from 58th Street East to

the Yaupon Beach town line is characterized by an absence of back shore

dunes and a high degree of shore erosion; between Lockwoods Folly Inlet

and 58th Street East, the dune line is hummocky, offering some degree of

shore protection.

The ocean beaches ate the most valuable natural recreational

resource in Long Beach, and are extensively utilized as such. The Corps

(1973) estimated 1973 average summer daily beach use in Long Beach to be

6,300 visitor days' on weekdays, 8,400 on weekend days, with a total

annual visitor demand of 825,930.

Sand.Dunes

Sand dunes are valuable both for their esthetic appeal and for

the protection they afford the beach and the land behind them. Where

stabilized by vegetation, a foredune can act as a temporary buffer to

the erosive effects of storm wave action. For the most part, however, dunes

are relatively unstable land features over time and as such, are hazardous

areas.for the location of permanent structures.

In August 1970, the Corps of Engineers surveyed Long Beach

and produced a topographic map with a 2 ft contour interval at 1"=4001

scale; from this map, the height and condition of the foredunes along the

Town's beach can be compared. At the southeastern edge of Long Beachnear

Lockwoods Folly Inlet, the foredunes are irregular (do not form a distinct

duneline) but from 14-22 ft above msl. From this area to the Long Beach Pier,

the irregularity continues but heights are generally 10-14 ft above msl,

with only isolated dunes rising to 20 ft above msl. A distinct but low

foredune line begins near the Long 'Beach Pier and continues to the vicinity

of the Ocean Crest Pier; a distinctive duneline appears again between 29th

3cr

58th Streets East. Along the remainder of the Long Beach coast,

the foredunes are low and irregular, with virtually no dune development

between,58th Street East and the Yaupon Beach town line.

Excessive Erosion Areas

"Storm erosion of beaches and dunes of the North Carolina coast

has always occurred, but it has not been a serious economic problem until

recently when increased development of beach front property has taken

place" (Knowles et al 1973). Knowledge of the patterns of coastal erosion

is essential to the safe and productive development of a coastal regiIon.

The continual erosion and accretion occurring along a beach

result in a gradual change in the location of both the high water and

dune lines over time; excessive erosion and accretion, as accompany large

storms, can affect a change in the location of these lines very rapidly.

In the course of a large storm, great quantities of beach and dune saind

can be eroded from a site and replaced by subsequent accretion, with no

net erosion resulting. structures situated on these sands, however,"once,

removed, are seldom replaced intact. Planning for safe development of

beach front property must take.into account both longterm erosion trends,

established from historical records, and the probability of extensive

shorter term erosion losses predictable by scientific study.

A study of erosion and accretion rates on the Long Beach shoreline

between 1938 and 1972 reports net accretion of the duneline occurring

between 1966 and 1972,.but net erosion of the dune and high water lines

over the total 34 years. Table 1.3 compares recent with long term rates

of change in Long Beach.

zM"
40

Table 1-3. Mean annual rates of change (feet per year), 1938-1972 a in
Long Beach.

1966-1972 1938-1972

High water line 0.4 erosion 0.9 erosion

Dune line 2.3 accretion 0.6 erosion

aSource: Wahl,s, H. E., 1973. A survey of North Carolina Beach Erosion
by Air Photo Methods, North Carolina State University Center
for Marine and Coastal Studies, Raleigh.

The Corps (1973) reports a current average shore recession in

Long.Beach of 3.6 ft per year. The Corps study divides the Long Beach

shoreline into the following two sections: Section I Lockwoods Folly

Inlet east to 58th Street East, a distance of 37,200 lineal ft; Section

II - 58th Street East to the Yaupon B.each town line, a distance of 6,400

lineal ft. The beach area lost to@erosion annually averages 3.074 acres

in Section I and .529 acres in Section II.

The amount of,dune erosion that will take place during a storm

of a given frequency depends on several factors, primarily the storm surge.

level, the height and massiveness of the dune, and the distance of the dune

from the mean water line (Knowles et al 1973). In Long Beach, the calculated

recession from the toe of the dune during a storm with an expected frequency

of once in 25 years is approximately 142 ft (Knowles et al 1973).

now

Erosion and accretion occur normally along the shorelines of

estuarine marshland in Long Beach, but generally to a much lesser degree

.than along its beaches. Erosion in the channels and along the AIWW

is often accelerated by the wake of motor boats; accretion in these

waters is accelerated when sands And silts, carried by streams from the

mainland, settle out in the calmer waters of the sounds. Costly bulk-

heading of canal front property and-maintenance of navigation channels is

oftenrequired for developments in these areas.

Communi@x S rvice Facilities

The provision of community service facilities in Long Beach is

complicated by several factors.. Geographically Oak Island is isolated

from the rest of Brunswick County, being connected to the mainland only

by the Oak Island Bridge. The bulk of Brunswick County is rural, with

isolated areas of industrial growth and urbanization. County-wide

community facility planning must take into account the needs of the

majority of the county; county-wide facilities are generally centered

around the larger urban and industrial centers. Recommendations for a

county-wide solid waste collection and disposal system (Cape Fear Council

of Governments 1972),virtually ignore the needs of the Oak Island communi-

ties and suggest collection routes that do not cross the Oak Island

Bridge. A County waterline extends.south to the bridge, but dead ends

without crossing the waterway. The Brunswick County School and health

systems serve island residents, but,schools, hospitals and clinics are

all located on the mainland.

IMM

Oak Island is approximately eleven miles long; Long Beach extends

for eight miles. The major concentrations of both permanent population

and commercial activity are located in the eastern,part of town; the

extension of municipal services to these areas presents few problems.

But there is permanent and seasonal residential and commercial development

throughout the western part of the Town at densities often too low to

make the delivery of services cost effective. The length of the Town

requires the maintenance of two fire stations in order for all parts of

the jurisdiction to be within the required three road miles from a

station. Solid waste collection equipment must make long r ounds in order

to serve outlying areas of population.

The substantial seasonal changes in the Town's population cause

additional problems in the planning, distribution and maintenance of Town

services. Water and sewer facilities must be designed to serve a peak

population in summer, but serve,.most of the year, a smaller year round

population. Equipment required forthe operation of fire and police:pro-

tection and solid waste collection is too costly to let stand idle in

winter months, but must be sufficient in number to handle increased use in

summer.

Solid Waste

.Solid waste collection in Long Beach is conducted by the Town;

the landfill for solid waste disposal is operated by Brunswick County. The

1974 N. C. Department of Human Resources "Rules and Regulations-for

Solid Waste Disposal" require that vehicles or containers used for the

collection and transportation of garbage be covered, leakproof, durable

and of.easily cleanable construction. The Long Beach Sanitation Depart-

ment operates three compactor-type trucks (two side loaders and one rear

end loader) all of which meet those regulations. Sanitation Department

personnel include five men who pick up garbage house to house twice each

week.,

The location of the landfill, approximately eight miles north of

Oak Island, requires long drives to the disposal site in addition to the

distance traveled throughout the Town. The increased population in

summer necessitates additional trips to the landfill to dispose of in-

creased solid waste loads.
In 1975 approximately $40,'000 of the General Fund was allocated.

to the Sanitation Department; 79 percent of that allocation went for

salaries, 9 percent for capital outlay and the rest for operations,

maintenance and repair. The future solid waste, collection needs for Long

Beach cannot yet be estimated; few records of solid waste volumes have

been kept in the area either on a total or per capita basis. If the

long Beach Sanitation Department were to keep accurate records of volumes

it collects (in both summer and winter months), future solid waste collec-

tion needs could be established and planned for.

Fire Protection-Emergency Rescue

Fire protection in Long Beach is provided by the Long Beach

Volunteer Fire Department. The Department is funded by an annual appropriation

($600) from the County, annual allocations from the Town General Fund

($13,286 in 1975) and fund raising projects sponsored by the volunteers.

Town allocations are used for the purchasing.of equipment, utilities and

gas; County and fund raising projects provide for the upkeep on equipment

and buildings. The Town owns all equipment; the Department controls its

use.

The Fire Department serves the whole municiple jurisdiction by

means of two fire stations; both are located on Oak Island Drive, one

between 46th and 47th Streets, East, the other between -lst.and 2nd Streets

East. Fire calls (and.rescue squad calls) ring emergency phones in 26 homes

of volunteers and set off a siren system that can be heard throughout the

Town.

The Long Beach Fire Department personnel are all (33) volunteer,

pledged to duty at a moment's notice. Fire equipment includes a 1971 Ford

with a 1000 gallons per minute (4pm) pump and 750 gallons tank; a 1957 212

ton firetruck with a 500 gallons tanks and 500 gpm, pump; and a 1943
International 231 ton military truck with a 1200 gallons tank.a All equi p-

ment is reported to be in good condition.

The Long Beach Volunteer Fire Department has been given a fire

protection insurance rating of 9A by the'North Carolina Fire Insurance

Rating Bureau. According to the Cape Fear Council of Government's

Alternatives for Improving Fire Protection in Region '0"' (1974), it is

a
John Berry, Town Manager, Personal Communication, list of Fire Department
Equipment.

pow

the Town's lack of an adequate water system that prevents the Department

from receiving a better rating. The existing public water system covers

only,the first three blocks of beach front property. There are eight

hydrants in the beach area connected to 4 inch water pipes, but there are

a
no pipes or hydrants in high value business districts . The expansion of

the municipal water system to serve the whole Town could provide better

fire protection to the townspeople, thereby lowering the insurance rating

and the cost of insurance premiums.

The Long Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad is o
perated in conjunction

with the Fire Department. Rescue Squad equipment includes a 1,974 Dodge

van ambulance, a 1969 Chevrolet ambulance, and a 1968 Oldsmobile 4-wheel

drive ambulance. In addition, the Town maintains a 16 ft-flat bottom

fiberglass motorboat, a 1948 military jeep, and a 1963 Willis (civilian)

jeep. Rescue Squad equipment is capable of handling water related emer-

gencies, such as drowning and boating accidents, as well as land

emergencies; but there are no doctors practicing in the Town and emergency

victims must be taken to Southport.

Police Protection

Police protection, and law enforcement in Long Beach is one of

the Town's most costly services. General Fund allocations to the Police

Department in 1975 amounted to 38 percent of the total General Fund

expenditures. The financial assistance provided by the Law Enforcement

Assistance Administration (LEAA) in 1975 alleviated some of the pressure

aTown,of Long Beach "Report of Fire Conditions" to the Commissioner of
Insurance, Raleigh, N. C., 1975.

on the Town budget; LEAA appropriations totalled $32,066, or 18 percent

of the Police Department Expenditures. Salaries account for 81 percent

of. the Police Department budget; auto supplies.and capital outlay for

equipment are the next two major expenses.

The Long Beach Police personnel include 10 patrolmen year round

with 3 auxiliary officers hired in the summer tourist season. Police

force equipment includes 5 patrol cars;' 3 marked and 2 unmarked.

Water and Sewer

In order to make an "Inventory of Facilities--Regional Water

Sul3ply and Wastewater Disposal Study," Wiggins-Rimer and Associates (1973)

s.ent questionnaires to municipalities in Region '0' concerning water

supply and sewage treatment facilities. The report indicates the reply

to the questionnaire,from the Town of Long Beach was incomplete.

The Town of Long Beach has four wells with a combined pumping

capacity of .81 million gallons per day (mgd). The wells are: number 1

at 39th Street East and East Ocean.Hwy., numbers 3 and 4 at Middleton

Avenue and East Ocean Hwy., and number 2 at 27th Place West and Pelican

Drive.- Well number 1 is a six inch well, 181 ft deep, with a pumping

capacity of 150 gpm; number 2 is a six inch well, 145 ft deep, with a

150 gpm. capacity; number 3 is an eight inch well, 165 ft deep, with a

200 gpm. capacity; and number 4 is an eight inch well, 165 ft deep, with a

175 gpm capacity. Mains from the wells to the beach area are 8 inches in
diameter; lines running,along the beach front are 4 inches. a

aJohn Berry, Town Manager, Personal Communication, map provided.

Mi.
7

The water system currently serves only the first three blocks

of beach front development; there are approximately 500 connection to

the wat er system. There are no water meters to monitor total flows or

individual water usage, thus neither average nor peak summer water con-

sumption is known.

In 1975 CZRC made a count of residential buildings in the Town;

results of the count show a total of 2,273 residential structures. The

total number of water using public and business structures such as

restaurants, shops and marinas is not known. It can nonetheless be

assumed that only about 20 percent of the Town's buildings are connected

to the public water system; the remaining 80 percent rely on private water

supplies from individual wells.

According to Wiggins-Rimer and Associates (1973), there are

adequate quantities of ground water in the area but some problems with

high iron and calcium content have been encountered. The inadequacy of

the public system is a problem in fire protection; a lower insurance

rating could only be achieved by extension of the system to serve the

whole town.

There are no public waste water disposal facilities in Long

Beach; sewage disposal is achieved by individual subsurface.disposal

methods, either septic tanks or privies. Soil conditions vary in the

Town from the wetness and high water table characteristic of the Capers

soil, to the excessive drainage of the Newhan sands, to the Lakeland-

Rimini-Wagram soils underlying the higher forested areas of Town. The

3dw

suitability of these soils for septic tanks differs in different locations,

but ultimately depends everywhere on population density. The soils in,

Long Beach overlie the shallow water table aquifers from which some drinking

water supplies are drawn; contamination of these water supplies is a.,

serious potential problem.

There are currently few problems with water supply or surface

water contamination in Long Beach. Population density throughout most of

the Town is still relatively low, and little development at all has occurred

on the highly unsuitable Capers soils. The continued use of septic

ta4s,on small lots, however, will in the future create overloaded condi-

tions.

Recreation

The beaches and waterways in Long Beach constitute the principal

recreation facilities of the Town. Waterfront land is in private ownership

but public access to the waterways and beaches is provided by the Town.

There are 44 N-S streets whose dedicated rights-of-way extend to the.high

water line of beaches; there are approximately.750 ft between each right-of-

way providing ready access to the public. The Town maintains three boat

ramps on the waterway providing both pedestrian and boat access to

waterway recreation activities.

There is currently one municpally owned recreation area in the

Town, Middleton Park, located behind the Town Hall. Park facilities

include two lighted tennis courts, basketball courts and a lighted regula-

tion "Little League" baseball field. In September 1974, H. A. Templeton, Jr.,

representing National Development Corporation in a special meeting of

the Town Board of Commissioners, offered as a gift to the Town a 165

acre tract of marshland to be used for park development. The tract of

land is bounded on the east by 40th Street East, on the west by

Middleton Street, on the north by Big Davis Canal, and on the south by

the southern boundary of the marshline. Tentative plans for the marsh-

land area call for development of an open "salt marsh museum'! of marine

and aquatic life, and construction of foot bridges across the marsh

for views of natural marsh habitat. The deed to the property has not yet

been transferred to the Town, and development of the park area.is not

yet underway.

In 1974 the Town of Long Beach established a Recreation Depart-

ment; previously, the development of public recreation facilities was

operated by volunteers interested in developing year round recreational

activities. In 1975, budget allocations to the Recreation Department

constituted four percent of the total General Fund Expenditures. Fifty-

nine percent ($10,300) of the Recreation Department expenditures for the

year is allocated for capital outlay; 12 percent for slaries (lifeguards).

(No Areas with Resource Potential as defined in the CRC

Guidelines have been identified in Long Beach.)

SECTION II

ISSUES, OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS

MAJOR ISSUES AND GENERAL ALTERNATIVES

The permanent population of Long Beach increased by 383 percent

between 1960 and 1970, and probably more between 1970 and 1974.

No comparable estimates of the increase in vacationing residents

is available, but the tremendous growth in tourism throughout the

North Carolina beach areas between 1960 and 1975 would suggest high

growth rates of seasonal population as well.

Long Beach was originally developed as a summer resort area. Until

recently, the lack of employment-bases, the relative inaccessibility of

the town, and the limited.community services have precluded substantial

year-round residency. The seasonal nature of vacation activities con-

tinues to produce a much higher summer population; but in the last few

years, Long Beach has also become the permanent residence of many

people employed in nearby industries and of retired persons who formerly

just visited in summer.

There are now three distinct segments of the Long Beach population

younger family units, retirees, and vacationers each of which has

differing interests in the future of the town. As the population of

the town has increased, so has the teed for public services such as

solid waste collection and police and fire protection, and for commer-

cial support facilities such as shopping areas, restaurants and motels.

But the public and commercial service facilities desired by the dif-

ferent'segments of population often differ both in kind and extent.

The town's financial and human resources are under constant pressure

to keep pace with the increasingly diverse needs of its populace.

Questionnaires were distributed throughout the town (see Appendix

A) to appraise local views of major problems, needs and objectives.

There was substantial concensus of opinion on the principal attractions

of the town; it is the recreation resource value of the beaches and

waterways, the uncrowded living conditions, and open space that draw

people to Long Beach. But the increase in demand for living space has

put increasing pressure on the town's physical resources to absorb more

intense land use. Roadways have been,carved out of woodlands, shrub

and grass vegetation removed to accommodate construction, and soils in

some areas pushed close to the limit of their ability to filter waste-

water. The esthetic and recreational value of the beaches and water-

ways have suffered from.increased use, with resultant beach litter,

dune damage, and channel erosion and siltation. Economic losses have

been incurred as well - privately in the form of beach front property

losses and publicly in the form of reconstruction of roads - as a re-

sult of development situated in 'areas prone to damages from erosion and.

storms.

The development industry of Long Beach has responded to the in-

crease in demand over the years with the subdivision of large parcels of

land into.small lots. Most land use problems that have occurred in Long

Beach, such as the loss of property to erosion, the obstruction of

navigation channels by siltation, and extensive hurricane damages, are

the direct result of attempts to develop the existing land surface beyond

its Inherent capacity for that development. Development does not cause

hurricanes, erosion or siltation; but inappropriate development acti-

vities can accelerate the damage caused by these natural phenomena and

J-3

create new problems such as overcrowding, contamination of water supplies,

and the general degradation of the natural resources on which the town

is based.

Development Patterns

The grid road pattern.developed throughout the town, and the sub-

division of virtually all the developable land into rectangular lots

have been and will continue to be the major determinants of land use in

Long Beach. There are presently a total of.12,274 platted lots (11,825

zoned residential and 449 commercial) within the 7.3 square mile-,juris@

diction. Many lots in each of the many subdivisions.have alreadly,been

sold to private individuals. Lots sold may not yet be built upon; but

their separate individual ownership limits the town's ability to change

the direction of development even though problems with the existing

development pattern are recognized.

some of the problems Long Beach now faces could perhaps have been

avoided with more careful planning for the growth which has occurred.

Long Beach development began in the early 1940's with the construction

of Beach Drive and single family cottages on the beach front. By the

early 19501s, Beach Drive was extended westward to Lockswood.Folly Inlet

and several rows of cottages were situated along the shore. The natural

foredune line is poorly'developed in most areas and has been charac-@-

terized by erosion throughout the town's history. By 1975 a total of

a
2,688.ocean front lots has been developed, from 58th Street east to

a0cean front lots here refer to those lots platted south of East
Pelican Drive, the Big Davis Canal'and Eastern Channel.

ISO

the tip of the inlet, with little regard for the inadequacy of the

frontal dune system to protect them. The area is "in a hazardous

geographic zone with respect to movements of Atlantic Coast hurri-'

canes" according to the Corps (1973) but commitments have been made

to maintain beach front roads despite the constant assault on them

by erosive ocean currents.

Storm_Damage

In October 1954, Hurricane Hazel hit Long Beach, causing

virtually total destruction of all ocean front development. "There

was hardly a vestige of human habitation on the Brunswick County

shore following Hurricane Hazel" states the Corps (1973), with predic-

tions that "had development been complete in the area, it would also

have been totally destroyed." Not only were buildings lost, but

roads as well. The inlet.land was breached inthe vicinity of what

is now 57 Place West, making a separate island of the last 1.2 miles

of ocean front property. The probability of frequent recurrence of

a hurricane with Hazel's destructive force is slight; but the pro-

bability of recurrence of hurricanes with lesser.but still damaging

winds and waves is high.

An historical study of Locakwoods Polly Inlet's migration shows

that significant changes have occurred in the position and width of

the inlet between 1938 and 1972. Net inlet migration over the years

has been in a westward direction, but movement eastward of 171,feet

occurred between 1961 and 1966, (Lanqfelder et al. 1974). The erosive

currents of the inlet., Eastern Channel and the ocean continually

change the configuration of the inlet lands. Erosion of the Beach

Drive shoulder and roadbed has necessitated realighment of the west

end of the road several times over the years; the waters of Eastern

Channel are now again abutting the road shoulder.

The path of inlet migration during a large storm is unpredictable

but can be expected to follow the course of least resistence in closest

proximity of main.watercourses. According-to the Corps (1973) "there

exists some speculation that there is a natural propensity for the

inlet to be located 3,000 to 5,000 feet east of its present location

so that the inlet would be closer to the mouth of the Lockwoods Folly

River." During Hurricane Hazel, a new inlet was cut directly west of

the mouth of the Lockwoods Folly River. The 1859 coast survey locates

the inlet at a position about 3','OQO- feet east of its present location.

After the new inlet's opening in 1954, the suggestion was made that

the existing Lockwoods Folly Inlet be closed and the new inlet be

allowed to develop. However, the majority of local interests were

opposed to the idea; and at their request the Corps closed the new.,

inlet in 1958.@ Rap id development of the area began again soon after-

1958 and has proceeded in the same manner ever since.

There are risks inherent in the ownership of beach property due

to weather patterns and the changeable nature of@the enviromnent.

Some degree of shoreline erosion must be expected to occur over time,

new inlets open whete.once there was solid land, and the high winds

and waves of hurricanes cannot be avoided. But to a certain extent,

damages from these forces can be reduced by the proper design and

location of roads and structures and by care taken to avoid the de-

struction of natural protective features.

To be successful, storm and erosion protection measures must be-

practiced throughout a hazard area, as one man's efforts to protect

his property can be.thwarted by the negligence of neighbors. The

elevation of buildings on pilings to a level above' the level of breaking

waves can prevent storm wave damage; but the erosion of sands on which

the building is situated can cause the collapse of a structurally

sound building that is located too close to the moving water. Homes

'can be stiuated sufficiently far inland to be safe from actual wave and

erosion damage, but may remain susceptible to the battering ram action

of flying debris from the breaking up of other structures not so well

situated. A gap in the duneline on one lot can initiate floo&dnd,

erosion damage on adjacent lots. The risk of damage from a new inlet's

opening is borne equally'by public and private facilities located on

.the oceanfront.

The health and safety of human'life, the protection of property,

and the preservation.of those na:tural resources which make beach areas

both attractive and economically productive must be primary matters of

local public policy. To be appropriate, development of beach areas

must consider not only the immediate return on the private investment

dollar, but also the long-range impact on community resources, values.,

and welfare.

Community Service Provision

Earlier planning for growth in Long Reach could have prevented

many of the problems the town has en@countered in attempting to provide

efficient community service;:facilities. Facilities designed ahead of

time to meet anticipated future demands can generally be installed at

a lower, unit cost than those that are designed to catch up with a de-

mand that already exists. Developed land is more expensive than un-

developed and the cost of condemnation proceedings to obtain public

land for municipal services increases as the value of the land to be

condemned increases.

Public Water Supply

In the course of Long Beach development, a public water system

was established. A total of four wells have been drilled behind the

beachfront lots with lines extended along Beach Drive from 58th Street

East to the 70th Street West inlet land. But development of Long

Beach has spread westward to the AIWW, and throughout the woodland

area private wells must still be used. Most of these wells rely on

relatively shallow sources of ground-water, as water levels in the

surficial sands are generally 50 to 10 feet below the surface. The

density of development continues to increase in the woodlands, espe--

cially in the northeastern Mixed-Residential section of town. The

quantity of ground-water pumped from the underlying aquifers is in-

creasing at the same time as the quantity of wastewater that must be

filtered by overlying soils is increasing. There is currently little

information available on either the quality of private domestic water

supplies or on the continued safe yield of the aquifers as their source.

Responses to Long Beach questionnaires (see Appendix A) indicate

concern.on the part of town property owners and permanent residents

that the water system be expanded to serve the whole jurisdiction.

If"

The availability of good quality public water is seen as the primary

limiting factor for safe future growth in the town. The combined

pumping capacity of the four municipal wells and the safe yield

of their source are both known. But as neither the average nor maxi-..-

mum daily use of the system can be estimated, the number of connections

that can be safely added is undetermined. more feasible in the long

run than expanded use of the existing source of municipal water would

be the extension of the county water main across the AIWW and into

the Oak Island communities.

Sewage Disposal

Septic tanks are currently the only method of sewage disposal

in the town, despite the severe limitations for septic tanks of the

Capers-Newhan soils. Year-round population density is still relatively

low and peak seasonal use of the area is short. There has been no

indication yet that sewage effluent from Long Beach is causing pollu-

tion problems ineither the adjacent Class SA estuarine waters or the

shallow water table wells. But pollution of estuaries and shallow

aquifers, from incomplete nitrification of wastewaters, would likely

result if population density were to contine to increase rapidly.

The new N. C. Department of Human Resources regulationsiproposed

to govern new septic systems would preclude any new construction in

parts of Long Beach, and the erection of higher density buildings

most anywhere in the town. The basic issue is the choice between

continued reliance upon individual systems and the installation of a

municipal sewer system. Connection to sewer lines would not only

allow for higher population density in the future, but would relieve

problems caused by any presently malfunctioning septic systems.

The natural biological activities and filtration capacity of the

soils and estuarine waters can be expected to eliminate any existing

pollution in surface or ground-waters over a period of years if the

sources of those pollutants are eliminated or reduced to tolerable

levels.

Land Use Controls

In 1966, the Town of Long Beach enacted a building code ordinance

for.the Town and established a Building Inspector to enforce it. The

purpose of the building code was to decrease the incidence of fire and

accidents, to ensure adequate ventilation and sanitary facilities and

to eliminate structural defects. in 1959, the Town enacted a zoning

ordinance in order to lessen congestion in streets, prevent the over-

crowding of land, avoid undue congestion of population and to facili-

tate the adequate provision of public services. But both ordinances

were passed after substantial land subdivision and development has

occurred and street alignments hid been.made. The substance,of both

ordinances is the requirement of adherence to only minimum standards

deemed necessary to meet stated ordinance objectives.

Parking and Traffic Congestion

The Long Beach Zoning Ordinance requires buildings in residential

areas to be set back at least 30 feet from the front property line and

the provision of one parking space for each family unit. In the

business district, a building setback of 40 feet is required, but

parking spaces are not.' As a result, there is a severe lack of off-

street parking areas in the town and parking on the road shoulder

is usually necessary even in busy commercial areas. Dedicated streets

in Long Beach are all two-laned, even Beach Drive which serves as the

Town's main thoroughfare. Traffic congestion is particularly a .pro-

blem during the busy summer tourist season'and its associated hazards

are augmented by the lack of.sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks.

Unsightly Development

Neither the zoning ordinance nor the building code of Long Beach

deals directly with the visual quality of development. The use and

size of'signs and billboards are regulated in residential areas, but

on commercial property no controls exist. There are currently no regu-

lations to minimize the removal of vegetation in wooded areas nor con-

cerning the screening off of unsightly parts of commercial establish-

ments. The development of commercial areas has been conducted by

numerous individuals over the years with the result of little unifor-

mity in style or quality. Commercial areas designated by the Zoning

ordinance are generally in the form of strip development along East Oak

Island Drive rather than concentrated into malls or shopping centers.

Concern has been indicated by all segments of the Long Beach

population that the visual quality of the Town be improved and physical

amenities be preserved; that future development be planned and land

use ordinances be enforced. The establishment of a municipal body

charged with coordination and implementation of future planning, per-

mit issuance and ordinance enforcement would help to insure adherence

to the standards set for future development.

Priorities for Public Service Facilities

To a great extent, the kinds of public services that are now and

will in the future be demanded in Long Beach, as well as the ability

to pay for those services, depend on the overall character of the

Town. Long Beach continues to function.in summer as an ocean resort.

Resort communities have the particularly troublesome problem of trying

to meet with a small permanent population the needs of a population

that is seasonally four or five times as large. Much of the year-

round population relies upon the spending of the seasonal (vacation)

population for its livelihood; conversely, the seasonal population re-

libs upon the year-round population to provide the commercial services

it demands, such as shopping, dining, and lodging, and to operate

public services, such as police and-fire protection. The unevenness

of the population through the year limits expanison of tourist based

commercial facilities and causes some businesses in the town to close

.during the off-season; it is a major problem to the public sector for@

providing community facilities and services. Facilities and personnel

sized to meet the demand of seasonal residents and visitors exceed by

far what is necessary to meet off-season demand. The commercial acti-

vity created by vacationers directly benefits. the Town financially but

does not provide adequate revenue to support major service facilities

such as sewage treatmentplants and public water supplies. Property

taxes, which constitute the major source of revenue to the Town, are

paid by both resident and absentee property owners who often have

different views as to how tax money should be spent.

mum

The lack of commercial activity is viewed as an advantage to

much of the Long Beach vacation population who want to see the small

beach town atmosphere with its slow pace continue. The limited

amount of public service is often viewed as an acceptable price to

pay for outdoor recreation-oriented vacations. The commercial faci-

lities vacationers most need are restaurants, grocery stores, gift

shops and boating and fishing facilities which the Town now supplies.

Some need for additional recreational facilities is stated, but for

the most part vacationers indicate a desire for limited growth of

commerce.

Many permanent residents of Long Beach, on the other@hahd,.con@

sider the lack of specialty and general merchandise shops -- a bank,.

a drug store, department stores, and the like to be a major pro-

blem in the Town; many would like to see a growth of commercial

activity both to supply consumer needs and to provide more year-round

employment opportunities. The lack of professional services,.such as

doctors, dentists and lawyers, is a problem to permanent residents as

is the distance to neighboring hospitals, schools and libraries. An

increase in public and commercial recreational facilities that re-

main open year-round would receive widespread support from many perma-

nent residents, though perhaps little from vacationers.

The needs and wants of the retired population of the Town are

akin in some respects to those of permanent resident families, but

in other ways to those of vacationers. Many present retirees bought

property in Long Beach long ago and for years visited the Town in.

zem"

summer. They chose the area for retirement for much the same reason

as they had Previously chosen it for vacations. The quality of

schools and job opportunities are of little concern to them, but

their need for adequate health care facilities, year-round recreation

activities and transportation service has increased. many retired

persons live on fixed incomes, however, and would have difficulty

meeting increased taxes to pay for large-scale increases in municipally

,financed services.

Analysis of the Long Beach Town Budget indicates a very limited

supply Of municipal capital available for service facility expansion.

Some increase in tax base (therebyj increase in revenue) could be ob-

tained by an increase in'the Town's commercial activity. But the low

density development desired for the future will preclude substantial

increase in municipal revenues, and the scope of services that the

Town will be able to offer will by necessity be limited.

As long as the Long Beach population consists of separate elements

with differing desires for the kinds of.growth to be encouraged in the

future, compromises will have to be made in designations of future land

uses and the establishment of community service priorities. But before

such designations can me made, the desired and feasible overall land

use intensity must be determined. Community service facilities can be

designed to be Adaptable to seasonal,pupulation changes; summer vaca-

tion activities, if held within the physical and economic limitations

of the town to support them, can occur conformably with the activities

of the year-round residential population. But in order for service

facilities to be designed, traffic to be estimated, and recreational

-Imp

activities to be planned, the future population to be accommodated

the permanent and seasonal population density - must be established.

I
Within the 7.3 square mile (4,672 acre) Long Beach jurisdiction

there are approximately 3,211 acres of non-march or beach land suit-

able for development; 85 of these acres are zoned for commercial uses,

3,126 for residential. Given the extention of a public water.system

to serve the whole town, the physical limiting factor for future

development within the developable-area of the town will be soil

limitations for septic tanks. The State of North Carolina has established'

no minimum lot sizes for residences with septic tanks; but the.OiVi-

sion of Environmental Management's new septic tank regulations and their

"Technical Guide forthe Evaluation of Proposed Sites for Soil Absorp@-

tion Systems of Sewage Disposal" imply a need for. an average residential

lot size of as much as 20,000 square feet or 1/4 commercial acre in

Long Beach. Full development of the developable residential acreage

of the town, at an average lot size of 1/4 acre, would allow for a total

of 11,504 lots. There are currently 11,825 platted residental lots with

an average size of .24 acres. There are currently approximately 2,000
-residential structures (including mobile homes) in Long Beacha. Assuming

one structure per lot and, again, an average of 1/4 acre lots, Long

Beach has reached nearly 20 percent of its physical capacity for develop-

ment,With septic tanks.

aThe Town of Long Beach counted 1,918 residences in 1974. CZRC counted
2,273 residential structures including transient commercial lodging
facilities in 1975; the number of these structures that serve as
multi-occupancy buildings is unknown.

-loom

It should be emphasized that the above figures represent averages

only and are based on assumptions of physical land suitability that

can only be verified by individual site evaluation. The soils, topo-

graphy, and proximity.to surface and ground-waters in some parts of

the town would allow for the safe use of septic tanks on lots smaller

thanl/4 acre; in other areas larger lot sizes could conceivably be

required. While the average lot size is currently very close to 1/4

acre, there are some areas where lots are larger and others where lots

are much smaller. Unfortunately, in most cases it was marketability.

which determined-tthe size lots developed; there was often little corre-

lation between individual lot size and land suitability.

The above discussion has dealt primarly with building density in

Long Beach; population density, though related, is a somewhat different

matter. In order to plan effectively for community services, the popu-

lation expected to occur in the future must be projected, but as the

townspeople have certain rights of self-determination, the population

they desire to achieve must be evaluated. Future goals can best be

achieved by understanding the forces which would promote the former,

and establishing policies and standards to change those trends, where

necessary, in order to achieve the latter.

Responses to the Citizens Questionnaire (see Exhibit A-2) show

that Long Beach townspeople consider septic tanks to be one of the

four major problems of the town. The lack of crowded living conditions

was cited as the primary advantage to living in Long Beach. There is

a strong desire for both permanent and vacation population increases

to occur slowly and for that increase to be accommodated without an

increase in overall density. There is overwhelming concern that no

multi-story buildings be allowed and that multiple occupancy dwellings

(duplexes, apartments, and condominiums) be limited.

The current (1975-76) population of Long Beach has yet to be

determined; therefore, neither the past rate of growth nor reasonable

population projections can be established. The N. C. Department of

Administration (DAO) formulates population projections. But according

a
to DOA"s Francine Ewing projections for Long Beach cannot be re

leased at this time. The Town of Long Beach has initiated the con-

duCtance of a survey by the U. S. Bureau@of Census- Permanent resident

and seasonal.population projections for the nex'
t 5, 10, 20, and.25

yearsa. based on growth goals an&-.historic trends, will be formAilated

upon completion of the Census survey.

aPersonal communication, December 11, 1975.

OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS FOR LONG BEACH

ADOPTED March 11, 1975

Objective: It is to be the policy of Long Beach to promote development

of the Town at a rate commensurate with the goals of the

Townspeople and the capacity of the physical and economic

resources of the Town to support it.

Standards: 1. In order to determine its current population, the Town

will petition the U. S. Bureau of the Census to survey

permanent population and will request commercial establ-

lishments to record the average and maximum n et,of

vacationers per day using Town lodging facilities in

summer.

2. Projections for future population will be based on a

growth rate equal to the average calculated,growth per

year between 1960 and 1976, or a doubling of population

from.1975 to 1995, whichever.is lower. Community ser-

vices, including facilities for water supply and sewage

treatment, road construction and maintenance,'and police

and fire protection will be planned for the projected

1995 population needs.

3. The desires of the Townspeople for low density develop-

ment will preclude development at higher gross densities

than are currently permitted by Town ordinances and the

erection of any high-rise (over three stories) buildings

in the future.

4. The Town will petition the North Carolina Divisions of

Health Services and Env ironmental Management to study

the quality and quantity of existing local sources-of

water supply. Until the public water system has been

expanded to serve the whole Town, development may be

influenced by the amount that can be safely accommodated

by existing groundwater sources.

5. Long Beach plans to study the feasibility of establishing

a public sewer system. Until installation of such a

system, development may be influenced by the amount which

can be accommodated by subsurface disposal mothQds with-

out causing degradation of surface or groundwater,quality.

6. The Town will seek to inventory existing Town business

activities and encourage the location of new enterprises

that will meet the demands for shopping and recreation

facilities and incr Iease year-round employment opportuni-

ties for Long Beach residents.

objective: it will be the policy of Long Beach to promote that quality

of development which will offer the maximum reasonable@

enhancement of the natural and economic resources of the Town..

Standards: 1. The,Town will require strict adherence to the provisions

of its building code and dune protection, zoning and flood

insurance ordinances and will establish policies necessary

to protect the aesthetic and protective nature of the dune

system.

2. In order to alleviate traffic congestion along the Town's

main thoroughfare part of Oak-Island Drive will be de-

veloped as a four-lane boulevard with a landscaped median.
landa-

3. The Town will encourage*the,concentration of new com-

mercial areas into mall centers with adequate parking

spaces and landscaping.

4. The Town will attempt to improve the visual quality of

all development by requiring the screening of unsightly

parts of commercial areas from the view of the road.

Objective: It will be the policy of Long Beach to promote the safe and

enjoyable utilization,of the Towngs recreational resources.

Standards: 1. The Town will maintain abalanced recreational program

for its residents and vacationers. In order to promote.

recreational use of its waterways.consistent with the

ecological conditions of the estuarine system, the Town

will maintainboat launching ramps along the AIWW and

will seek establishment of a public marina.

2. The use of motorized vehicles on the beach strand id

prohibited.

3. Efforts will be made in road alignment and construction to

accommodate safe bicycle and pedestrian traffic particu-

larly on the north side of Beach Drive and in the vicinity

of recreation facilities.

4. The Town will make efforts to reduce the incidence of

litter by enforcing the litter ordinance and establishing

a beach clean-up program.

'70

Objective: Recognizing that at some time in the future additional access

to the Town may be required, the Town of Long Beach has

formally recommended to the North Carolina Department of

Transportation that the feasibility of constructing a second

bridge connecting Long Beach with the mainland be studied.

ANN"
7/

SECTION III

AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

INTRODUCTION

Section I of the Land Use Plan describes physical characteristics

of the land and water in Long Beach and specific areas of the Town

inwhich many kinds of development would be either especially costly

or likely to cause undesirable consequences. Some of these charac-

teristics, such as the.soils' high water table, susceptibility to

flooding and low bearing strength, constrain development primarily

because of the high costs involved in adapting the land for use.

In parts of the Town, intensive development, as for urban, trans-

portation or recreational use, would not necessarily endanger the

inherent value of the resource, but would require excessive public

or private expenditures for construction, maintaining access, Ais-

posing of waste products, or assuring adequate drainage.

In some parts of the Town, however, the undesirable consequences

that could result from uncontrolled or inappropriate development:are

not limited to monetary costs. In particularly valuable or fragile

areas, misuse of the land or water can cause degradation of the

site's biological, visual, or economic resource value. In parti-

culary hazardous areas, poorly located, designed or constructed

development can increase the risk of property loss or endanger the

health and safety of people using it. In these areas, designated

Areas of Environmental Concern, the Town is establishing specific

standards for use and development of each area category in order to

ensure that development proceeds in a manner consistent with the

capability of the land and water to sustain it.

Ultimately, as required by the 1974 North Carolina Coastal

Area Management Act, the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission

(CRC) will designate Areas of Environmental Concern throughout the

coastal counties and will designate permit letting authorities to

regulate land use within these areas. The following categories

and standards are to serve both as guidelines for Town Plan implemen-

tation and as recommendations to the CRC for consideration as State

Areas of Environmental Concern.

The Estuarine System

The estuarine waters, marshes and mudflats, as defined in

G. S. 113-229 and G. S. 113-230, are of primary importance to the

Town and the North Carolina coastal area because of their economic,

scenic, and recreational resource value. Tidal marshes and estua-

rine waters cover extensive areas of the municipal jurisdiction;

serving as a primary food source for numerous fish and shellfish

species, they contribute tremendously to the biological productivity

of the area. The major waterways function as transportation corri-

dors for commercial and sport boating activities. The Big Davis

estuarine systemwhich extends the length of the Townis unsurpassed

as a scenic resource, supporting a diversity of waterfowl and

subtle vegetation patterns characteristic of the coastal area.

The authority for regulating the use and modification of the

estuarine resources has for a number of years rested with state and

federal permit letting agencies. But until recently, the degree of

regulation exercised was slight and the criteria for permit letting

did not include consideration of the ecological balance in the estuarine

system. Approvals for marshland dredging and filling were often as not

a mere formality and sometimes granted after the fact. The increasing

awareness of the damaged caused by these activities, however, has re-

sulted in much stricter review now of permit applications.

The only kinds.of new development that can:be.justified in

the estuary are those that require water access and cannot function any-

where else. Piers, docks and marinas, for instance, connecting water-

oriented with upland activities, may be considered appropriate if their

need in the area can be demonstrated and their specific location and

design can be shown to be the most suitable alternative. The Town re-

cognizes, however, that while a pier or dock itself does not necessarily

cause degradation of the value of the estuary, the activities involved

fin constructingIt may. For that reason, the highest reasonable standards

of construction will be required for any construction in the area.

Within the estuarine area in the Town are islands of various sizes

and Origins which, though not marshland or estuarine waters in the strict

sense, are a valuable part of the estuarine system. The islands contri-

bute particularly to the scenic value of the estuary by adding topographic

relief and plant diversity which provide habitatfor avariety of wildlife

species. Some of them are significantly large and stable to accommodate

some degree of development without endangering.the surrounding estuarine

resources. But the islands are properly a part of the estuarine system,

included within the areas mapped as coastal wetlands; they are, therefore,

designated as Areas of Environmental Concern, and the development of any

of them will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

7-f

a
Complex Natural Areas

There are ponds located in the southeastern part of town which,

because their natural drainage patterns have been altered, are no

longer subject to regular tidal flooding. Nonetheless,,, the ponds,

with the immediately surrounding marsh land, support native plant

and animal communities and provide habitat conditions which have

remained essentially unchanged by human activity. The ponds are a

valuable scenic and biological re urce, any development in which will

be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

'The Beach-Foredune System

The Atlantic shoreline.of Long Beach is characterized by sandy

beaches, backed by a low, irregular foredune. The beaches are the

primary attraction of the outer banks for the residents and thousands

of vacationers who visit in the summer. The foredunes are a valuable

scenic attraction and a temporary buffer to the erosive effects of

storm induced wind and waves. The dynamic nature of the beach-

foredune complex, however, precludes safe structural development on it

since that development, and the construction activities involved, en-

danger both the scenic and protective value of the resource and the

roads and buildings situated inland.

aBecause this category of fragile area and proposed interim Area of
Environmental Concern has recently been redefined by the CRC, the pond
area can now be considered a complex natural area.

Because, however, of the recreational use of the beaches and

the necessity.for adequate access to them, allowances will be made

for'the provision of structural accessways across the dune provided

that utmost care is exercised in their location and construction to

prevent damage to the dune and the vegetation growing on it. Allow-

ances will also be made for the erection of safety facilities such

as lifeguard chairs, and for necessarily water-oriented recreational

structures such as fishing piers.

'Hazard Areas

The.North Carolina outer banks, as a.marketable piece of real

estate, is the most valuable area of the coast, sought after for second

homes, residences and vacation Isites, and for business enterprises to

support these uses. But the outer banks as a geologic feature is a

dynamic, perhaps transient, land form. The same forces of wind, water

and-time which caused the creation of the banks' various features:con-

stantly modify these features both in location and extent. Problems

are encountered when the made-made structures developed to accommodate

their use and enjoyment are built to be static and permanent despite

their location in an ever changing environment.

Inlet Lands and Excessive Erosion Areas

The only realistic compromise between expensive combat with the

forces of nature and complete surrender to their supremacy is develop-

ment of only the more stable parts of the whole in a manner which those

parts can accommodate. The particularly hazardous areas of the Town-

are designated Areas of Environmental Concern because of the importance

of protecting the health, safety and rights of the people who live,

-77

visit and own property there. Any new development in these areas.will

be strongly discouraged and, unless demonstrated to be directly in

the public interest, will,not be supported by public funds. In par-

ticular, coastal inlet lands and oceanfront property with a high

probability of incurring excessive erosion are unsuitable locations for

the placement of structures used for housing, institutional purposes,

transportation or commerce, and are considered of too high a risk to

warrant further public investments into roads, sewer and water lines

and other such facilities.

Because of limited data and some inconsistencies in available
"Aata, the inland extent of oceanfront property subject to excessive

erosion in Long Beach-is unknown. For that reason, only a dynamic

zone (referred to on AEC map as Ocean Erodible) can be established at

this time to warn prospective buyers of oceanfront property of its

hazardous location. All construction in this dynamic zone will be

required to meet at least the minimum standards of the North Carolina

Building Code and conform to the standards of the Federal Insurance

Administration for coastal high hazard areas.

Coastal Flood Plains

Much of the municipal jurisdiction is within a U. S. G. S. desig-

nated Flood Prone Areal susceptible to inundation during severe storms..

In order to reduce both flood damage and the cost of flood insurance,

all construction in coastal flood prone areas will be required to meet

the Federal insurance Administration standards for coastal high hazard

areas.

MEN*

Public Trust Areas

Long Beach supports the traditional public-rights of access to

and use of lands and waters designated Public Trust Areas for pur-

poses including navigation, fishing and recreation. The Town both

supports and encourages the development of commercial recreation

facilities, especially those that promote the use and enjoyment of

its waterways. But to the degree authorized by statute, the Town

will require some provision for public access in new developments

in Public Trust Areas and will prohibit any development which unduly

restricts-public access to and use of these areas.

It is obvious@from the outset that protection of Areas of En-,

viromental Concern in the Town cannot be accomplished without

some consideration of land uses in areas immediately adjacent. The

estuarine system along the Long Beach coast, for instance, is only

part of the system extending eastward into Yaupon Beach and west@

ward to Holden Beach. Long Beach'-s; regulatory authority to prevent

pollution-and siltation can be extended only throughout its political

jurisdiction. Circulation patterns in the water that transports silt

and pollution, however, function without regard to political boundaries.

Plate 2 delineates the approximate location of various categories
of municipally designated Areas of Environmental Concern.a It must

be emphasized, however, that these delineations are not sufficient

for most regulatory purposes because of the necessarily small map

scale and because, in most cases, on-site evaluations willbe necessary

-in order to determine the precise boundary of a particular category

aSome other categories of land and water have been proposed by the
CRC for consideration as AEC's. Because of inadequate data, these
other areas are not included here at this time.

of land or water. But the Town encourages anyone involved in or

contemplating a change in land use in the Town to use this map as a

guideline for interpreting municipal and state policy and for pre-

dicting the possible effect of public policy on particular parcels

of land.

SECTION IV

FUTURE LAND USE

THE DEMAND FOR LAND

A reliable forecast of the amount of growth to be expected over

the next 10 or 20 years in Long Beach has not been made at this time

because of the lack of acceptable data on current population and pre-

Vious rates of growth. However, a certified Census count was begun on

March 29, 1976; the growth goal calls for a doubling of population from

1975 to 1995.

Factors Influencing Growth

Expectations for continued growth in Long Beach over the next-20

years are based heavily on the rapid growth of the town for the past

20 years, particularly between 1970 and 1975. The seasonal population

growth resulted at least partially from nationwide affluence and in-

creased disposable income; the recent permanent population growth re-

sulted primarily from the location of major industry in the vicinity.

Long Beach is located in close enough proximity to Brunswick County.'s

metropolitan and industrial growth centers to remain susceptible to

suburban spillover in the future, should growth in those areas continue.

The long-term effects the current economic recession and rising price

of gasoline will have on the town's future development cannot be pre

dicted at this time; but it can be assumed that the general economic

slowdown will at least temporarily af f ect both the second home building

and tourist business in the town and the location of industry nearby.

The primary limiting factors for continued growth in Long Beach

relate to the availability of public water supplies and sewage disposal

facilities. The town, with county assistance, is seeking to expand

JIM

all

its water system to serve the whole jurisdiction. A preliminary engi-

neering study is now being made of the feasibility of extending the

county water main across the Oak Island Bridge and subsequent in-

stallation of water lines throughout the Long Beach jurisdiction. Pre-

liminary plans call for public water line extension first to a) all

ocean front lots (which already have public water lines), b) the mixed

residential (R-2) section in the northeast part of town, and c) trunk

lines along East Oak Island Drive to Middleton Avenue, with trunk lines

down 56th Street East, 40th Street East and Middleton Avenue. The re_

maining sections of town will be supplied with public water as soon as

financially possible.

Long Beach also plans to study the feasibility of establishing

a public sewer system. Outside financial assistance will almost

certainly be required for construction of a sewage treatment facility

as well as sewer line installation. i3.,artial federaland state funding

could conceivably be granted through the Federal 201 Wastewater

Facility Planning and State Clean Water Bond Act programs. However,

the availability of adequate funds in either of these programs now or

in the future is uncertain at best.

The soils in Long Beach have moderate to severe limitations for

septic tanks. There is no indication that the septic tanks in use in

the town are causing pollution problems at this time, either-of

estuarine surface waters or ground water supplies. Population densities

throughout the town remain relatively low all year and peak seasonal.

use of the area is short. There are other coastal areas, however, with

similar soil characteristics supporting higher density development,

where shellfish waters have been closed to harvesting and ground water

rpm

supplies found to be contaminated from subsurface wastewater disposal

systems' malfunctioning in supersaturated soils. Most of the town

of Long Beach continues@to rely on shallow wells for domestic supplies.

The potential for pollution of these water supplies and of the SA

estuarine waters surrounding the town cannot be overemphasized.

The amount of residential and commercial land use which could be

safely accommodated by septic tanks in Long Beach cannot realistically

be determined at this time. It can only be assumed that some of the

anticipated growth.could be accommodated without degradation of the town's

resources, but that at some undetermined point, the capacity of land

and water resources would be exceeded.. For that reason, failure to

find means to install both public water lines and an adequate sewerage

..@system could appreciably delay some of the growth which is expected.

Accommodating Future Growth

Residential

From a comparison of the count of platted lots in Long Beach with

the number of residential structures now occupying lots, it can be

estimated that thetown's developediresidential acreage is only about

20 percent occupied at this time. Such an estimation assumes that

only one structure will be built on each lot. There should be, in any

case, more than enough residential land developed into lots available

to accommodate the growth expected to occur by 1995.

There are platted lots that have not yet been built.upon in all

of.the town's residential zoning districts. In all districts except

one, only single family dwellings are permitted; in Residential Dis-

trict 1 (beach front) duplexes can be permitted if connected to the

municipal water supply. Construction, including the location of mobile

homes where permitted, is limited to single family detached dwellings

of no more than 35 ft in height for several reasons, including 1) the

necessity for adequate space to accommodate individual septic tank

filter fields and private wells, 2) the limitations of firefighting

equipment, especially water pressure, to deal with fires in buildings

exceeding 35 ft in height, 3) the size and shape of most residential

-lots, designed initially to accommodate single family units or duplexes,

and 4) the general desire on the part of townspeople to maintain low

density development.

Until public water and sewer facilities become operational, the

kinds of housing units that can be built will remain limited, and the

arrangement of houses on lots will retain a basic rectangular grid

pattern with uniform setbackst yard@sizes and the like. It is con-

ceivable, however, that after installation of the public facilities, a

larger variety of housing types could be allowed, and adjoining lots

could be grouped together to allow greater flexibility in the arrange-

ment of structures.

Commercial

The total amount of land that will be needed in the future for

commercial uses to support residential growth will depend on the kinds

of commerce sought.and the extent to which the town will function as

a commercial center. It can be assumed, however, that even if com-

mercial activity were limited to only residential and tourist support

facilities, more land would be needed than is currently zoned for

commercial uses. of the 3,211 acres of land suitable for development,

only 85 acres (3 percent) are zoned for commercial use, while 3,126

(97 percent) are zoned Residential. There are no minimum sizes for

commercial lots, so commercial land could conceivably be developed at

very high densities in order to allow its maximum use. There is,

however, a 35 ft limit on the height of commercial structures.

Most of the land in the town zoned for commercial uses is located

along the main thoroughfare, Oak island Drive. Problems are already

being encountered with heavy traffic and the lack of offstreet parking,

even though much of the commercial land is not yet built upon. Many

buildings in the main business district are located too close to Oak

Island Drive to facilitate four-laning the street there as is planned

to he done elsewhere. For that reason, the town plans to revamp its

zoning districts in the near future-towards a better proportion of com-

mercial to residential acreage and, in particular, towards development

of at least one commercial mall complete with adequate parking-and

landscaping.

Transportational

The road network for Long Beach is almost entirely developed at

this time; but while there are roads connecting all parts of the town,

there is no hierarchy designed into the system to accommodate heavier

traffic along major roads. The town plans, therefore, to study the

feasibility of four-laning Oak Island Drive and to develop any other

thoroughfares deemed necessary in light of the zoning redistricting.

Public and Institutional

Concurrent with the reapportioning of commercial/residential

lands, the town will assess the need for land to support municipal

functions. in particular, a site for a sewage treatment facility

will likely be necessary in the future as will land that can be used

for other municipal and public service functions. If the amount of

land needed to meet foreseeable future needs can be assessed soon,

and that land obtained, various public functions could be concentrated

into a municipal complex allowing for more efficient governmental

operation in the future, and ultimately, lower public-land costs.

Public Recreational Land

Long Beach is developing a balanced recreation program combining

extensive resourcebased activities such as boating, swimming and

fishing, with more intensive organized activities such as baseball,

basketball and tennis. There are at this time no publicly-owned and

operated beach areas or marinas in the town; but the town.is increasing

the number of structural public accessways to beaches and waterways

and plans to make more safety and sanitation facilities available.

Since the'town is v1rtually@ completely subdivided, little provision@

can be made in the $ubdivision.Regul:,ations to require open spaces to be

left for public recreation. The estuarine marsh system of the town,

however, is all zoned open Spaces; owners of land within the Open

Spaces District are encouraged to make arrangements with the town to

allow parts of this land to be developed for public recreation.

Facilities in the municipal park are continually being improved

.,and new recreation activities are being developed. The high cost of

land in the town, however, and the high priority placed on establish-

ing other municipal services immediately, reduces the feasibility

of the town's acquiring additional parkland in the near future. Efforts

will be made, however, to acquire additional land for recreation as

soon as such acquisition becomes feasible.

sow

LAND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

The North Carolina Land Policy Council has established a Land

,Classification System for localities to use to identify the most appro-

priate general uses of various kinds of land. The town's Land Classifi-

cation Map (LCM) produced from the Land Classification System Will

serve as a local government tool for informing state and federal autho-

rities, as well as local residents and property owners, on where and at

what density growth is desired, and of areas for which new or amended

land use regulations will be established.

The Land Classification System categories would perhaps be more

applicable to more urbanized places with more diverse land uses than

Long Beach. Moreover, the system was established to deal with projected

increases in permanent populationf rather than seasonal population

which in Long Beach is much higher. The population density needed to

warrant the "Developed" or "Transitional" category, for instance, though

applicable for the sumer seasoni exceeds the highest densities found

in the town in winter.. Strict application of the defined criteria for

each category, therefore, is impossible; but the system, when adapted

to the town's needs, can be used for its intended purpose.

The Land Classification System includes the following five cate-

gories of land:

1. Developed Lands where existing population density is

moderate to high and where there is a variety of land

uses which have the necessary public services.

1009

2. Transitional Lands where local government plans. to

accommodate moderate to high density development during

the following ten-year period and where necessary public

services will be provided to accommodate that growth.

3. Community - Lands where low density development is

grouped in existing settlements or will occur in such

settlements during the following ten-year period and

will not require extensive public services 4ow or in the

future.

Rural Lands whose highest use is for agriculture,

forestry, mining, water supply, etc., based on their

natural resource potential. Also, lands for future

needs not currently regognized.

Conservation - Fragilef hazardous, and other lands

necessary to maintain a healthy natural environment

and necessary to provide for the publichealth, safety,

and welfare.

Three of the above categories are applicable to Long Beach

Transitional, Community, and Conservation.

The Conservation class includes the town's estuarine areas

(except for the brackish pond area) and the ocean beaches. Designation

as Conservation indicates the municipal policy determination that

services, including water and sewer lines and paved streets, will

not be extended into these areas.

The Transition class covers those parts of the town where densities

by 1985 will necessitate public service extension and appropriate de-

velopment will be supported as necessary by public funds. In particular,

the Transitional class includes those parts of the town to which public

water lines will be extended by 1985. (Planning for a sewer system has

not yet proceeded to the point that areas expected to be connected to

the sewer system by a given date can be identified).

The Community class covers the remaining parts of the town where

the density of development should remain sufficiently low that sewer

and water lines will not be needed by 1985.

SECTION V

PLAN ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION

PLAN ADOPTION

As authorized by the Town Council, the Long Beach Land Use Plan

was prepared by the Town Planning Board with technical assistance pro-

vided by Coastal Zone Resources Corporation. Current economic, social

and environmental conditions in the town were assessed; major land use

issues were addressed; and alternative policy measures which could be

used to solve existing and deter potential problems were studied.

During this proces s, public opinion was solicited, obtained and evalu-,

ated, and used as a primary.determinant of future objectives, standards

and policies.

fn order to ensure that the Long Beach plan would be compatible

with provisions and policies of the Brunswick County Plan, activities

of the'respective planning groups were closely coordinated. A regular

part of the agenda for town planning meetings included reports of

planning progress in adjacent municipalities and the County. Repre-

sentatives of the Town and-county Planning Boards met to discuss

concurrent water system planning activities as well as those directly

related to CAMA planning.

The preliminary draft of the Land Use Plan, including recommended

policies, was submitted in February 1976 to Town Council for review.

On March 3 and 11, 1976, the Planning Board and elected officials

discussed at length the issues involved and their implications for

future growth and land use in the town. From these review sessions

and subsequent studies of alternatives, the proposed plan and policies

for future development of the town were developed.

In order that the essential elements of the Plan, including its land

use poliidies, objectives and standards, be available to all interested

persons, a Synopsis of the Plan is being prepared. The Synopsis will

include the Land Classification Map and examples of the Existing Land

Use and Areas of Environmental Concern delineations, with an explanation

of how additional information can be obtained upon request.

The sequence.of events yet to come, before final adoption and im-

plementation of the Plan, includes:

1. Joint City/County Public Hearing -- On May 6, 1976, a joint

public hearing, in which the Brunswick County and, municipal

plans will be presented will be held in Southport. The pur-

pose of the joint hearing is to allow the planning bodies of

each jurisdiction to acquaint each other with plans and

policiesand to assure compatibility among the various plans.

@2. Municipal,PUblic Hearing On May 7, 1976, the Town of Long

Beach will hold a public hearing in order to receive com-

ments from residents and property owners on the proposed

Land Use Plan and Synopsis. Comments and suggestions made

in the public hearings will be carefully reviewed; necessary

changes in the Plan and Synopsis will be made before their

formal adoption by the Town.

3. Transmission to the Coastal Resources Commission By May

21, 1976, a certified copy of th e Adopted Plan will be sent

to the coastal Resources Commission for its review and

appro:val.

At least 30 days before the Town's public hearing, copies of the

..completed plan with maps will be placed in the Town Hall for public

review and inspection. Notice of both public-hearings and of the

availability of the Plan for review will be made in newspapers dis-

tributed locally-

Following adoption of the Plan and its approval by the Coastal-

Resources Commission, copies of the full Plan will be available for

study in the Town Hall and County Courthouse. Copies of the Plan and/,

or any of its maps can be obtained from the Town Hall, at cost, upon

written request. The Synopsis will@be mailed to all recorded property

ownskO bf the Town;additional copies of the Synopsis will be MAde

available free of charge upon written request.

PLAN IMPLEMENTATION

The second phase of the CAMA planning process involves implementation

of the Land Use Plan. The town's adoption of its Plan constitutes a

formal declaration of land use policies, but many of the standards pro-

posed for meeting objectives require either some revision of existing

town ordinances or enactment of new ordinances in order to becomeeffec-

tive. Related planning activities, as for water and sewer systems and

parks and recreation, are also involved in plan implementation..

The major elements of the implementation phase of the Land-Us'e

Planning Process in Long Beach are su=arized as.follows:

Revision of Town ordinances

In order to carry out policy 6b3ectives, some revision ofthe town's

Zoning.Ordinance, Subdivision Regulations, Building Code, Sand Dune

Protection Ordinance and Environmental Impact Statement Ordinance.may be

necessary. Specifically, provisions will be made for:

lo assuring that all construction will meet applicable

standards pf the Federal Insurance Administration, adhering.

to municipal policies of protection of Areas of Enviroraaental

Concern,

2. requiring the screening of unsightly parts of commercial areas

from the viewof the road,

3. establishing a method of warning prospective property buyers

of the town's policies of service provision to hazard areas.

-Coordination of Permit-Letting Authorities

The 1974 Coastal Area Management Act provides for local

VW!t

permit-letting agencies to be established for minor development a permits re-

quired in Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC's). In order to qualify

for AEC permit-letting authority, a local jurisdiction must first declare

its intent, then prepare a Local Management-Pla.n acceptable to the

Coastal Resources Commission (CRC). The CRC is currently establishing

criteria for local implementation and enforcement programs including

elements that will be required for approval of a Local Management Plan.

The CRC emphasizes the value of coordinating the activities of

various local regulatory authorities, such as building and septic tank

inspections, subdivision plat approvals, and sedimentation and erosion

control program approvals, with the ABC minor development permit-16tting

authority. Such coordination could simplify the permit-letting process

for both the jurisdiction and applicants involved and could reduce local

governments costs of reviewing various kinds of applications.. The CRC

criteria being developed will,also allow for City-County coordinated

permit-letting authorities-.

Therefore, part of the implementation phase of planning in Long

Beach will be development of the aforementioned Local Management Plan.

aThe term: "Mi'nor Development" means any development other than a major
development. The statutory definition of Major Development is "any
development which,requires permission, licensing, approval, certifi-
cation of authorization in any form from the Environmental Management
Commission,.the Health Services Commission, the State Departments of
Natural.and"Eco.nomio'Resources or:C6ns6rvation and Development, the
State Depattment.of Administration, the North Carolina Mining Com-
mission, the North Carolina Pesticides Board, or the North Carolina
Sedimentation Control Commission; or which occupies a land or water area
in excess of 20 acres; or which contemplates drilling for or excavating
natural resources on land or under water; or.which occupies on a single
parcel a structure or structures in excess of a ground area of 60,000
square feet."

_VW

Related Planning Activities

The Town has contacted the U. S. Bureau of the Census and has

begun steps necessary to conduct a town census. The town will request

cooperation from commercial establishments in assessing average and.

maximum seasonal populations. Upon completion of these surveys, 'the

Town will formulate population projections to utilize in all,planping

activities.

As called for in the Objectives and Standards of the Plan, the-

Town Planning Board1will study the feasibility of establishing bicycle

paths and a beach clean-up program.

The town will i.nitiate a Commercial Needs Study (Federal 701 plan-

ning funds have been requested for this purpose) in order to carry out

necessary zoning redistricting. The study will assess both the future

comercial land needs in the town and the kinds of business enter-
prises w:hose location in the town should be encouraged. Upon completion

of the zoning redistricting, the'town will seek assistance from the

State Department.of Transportation in establishing a thoroughfare plan.

Section 208 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments

of 1972'(PL92-500), as well as other sections of this law, is designed

to achieve water quality which "provides for the protection and propa-

gation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and provides for recreation in

and on the water" by,.July 1, 1983. :Section 208, more specifically, is

designed to plan ways to reduce all,types of pollution,in specially

designated Areas to the 1983 level and to set up a management agency to

guarantee achievement,and maintenance of the 1983 water quality level.

Areas in North Carolina having complex water quality control problems

have been designated by the Governor as priority 208 PlanningAreas.'

_Vft

The Governor's designations include Long Beach as well as therest

of Brunswick County. The town will coordinate the 208 planning efforts

with the County as soon as adequate funds become available; in the

meantime, the town will petition the North Carolina Divisions of En-

vironmental Management and Health Services to assist in a study of the

quality of existing domestic water supplies, to be coordinated with

the Division of Marine Fisheries monitoring of estuarine water quality.

-Periodic Review and Revision of the Plan

In order to make-land use planning an on-going, effective
..process

the Town Planning Board, in its regular monthly,meetings and at

special meetings as.needed, will consider any upgrading or revision of

the Plan deemed necessary. The Planning Board will make an annual

report of the recommendations to Town,Council-l the full Land Use Plan

will be reviewed by each incoming Board of Commissioners .(biennially);

results of recreation, transportation and commercial needs,studies

will be incorporated into the Land Classification Map in order to pro-

duce a more complete portrayal of future land use.

SECTION VI

REFERENCES CITED

References Cited

Cape Fear Council of Governments. 1972. A solid waste management plan
for North Carolina planning region "0". Cape Fear Council of
Governments. Wilmington, N. C. 90 pp.

Cape Fear Council of Governments. 1974. Alternatives for improving fire
protection in.region "0". Cape Fear Council.of Governments..
Wilmington, N. C. 159 pp.

Knowles, C. E., Jay Langfelder and Richard.McDonald. 1973. A preliminary
study of storm-induced beach erosion for North Carolina. Center for
Marine and Coastal Studies ReportNo. 73-5. North Carolina State
University. Raleigh, N. C. 14 pp.

Langfelder, Jay, Tom-French, Richard McDonald and Richard Ledbetter. 1974.
A historical review of some of North Carolina's coastal inlets.
Center for Marine and Coastal,Studies Report No. 74-1. North
Carolina State University. Raleigh,.N. C. 40 pp.

N. C. Coastal Resources Commission. 1915. State guidelines for local
planning in the coastal area under the coastalarea management act of
N. C. Coastal Resources Commission. Raleigh, N. C. 72 pp.

U. S. Army.Corps of Engineers. 1973. General design memorandum phase
I; hurricane-wave protection-beach.erosion cohtrol-Yaupon Beach and
Long Beach. U. S. Army Engineer District. :Wilmington, N. C.

U. S. Department of Commerce. 1973. U.S. census of population 1970
Characteristics of the population -- North Carolina. U. S.'Government
Printing Office. Washington, D. C.

U. S. Soil,Conservation'Service. 1969. General soil map and interpreta-
tions for Brunswick County, North Carolina. U. S. D. A. Soil
Conservation Service. Raleigh, N. C.

Wiggins-Rimer and Associates. 1973 Inventory of facilities-regional
water supply and wastewater disposal study. Cape Fear Council of
Governments. Wilmington, N. C.

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX A: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PROGRAM

The Long Beach Planning Board, with the concurrence and support

of Mayor Herman E. Joyce and the Board of Town Commissioners, actively

sought and utilized public views in preparing the land use plan. The

planning process was open to all persons with an interest in Long Beach,

including resident and non-resident taxpayers and vacationers.

The Public Participation Program consisted of the following

activities:

1) Appointing a Planning Board representing the interestsi-

of the 'community. The Planning Board members are

Rosetta Short, Chairman

Ward Foster, Vice-Chairman

Walter Reinheimer, Secretary

Morris Ferrell

Otto Maehl

Don McNeill

Richard Sage

Jack Ward

2) Conducting public information meetings.

In order to obtain the widest possible input from all of the

Town's population, the Long Beach Planning Board arranged neighborhood

public information meetings beginning with the Spring of 1975 and extending

throughout the summer. The.meetings were scheduled at night in order to

be convenient to both permanent residents and vacationers. Notices of

the meetings were placed in the Town Hall and local stores.

163

Despite conscientious effort by the Planning Board, attendance

at the meetings was very poor and the neighborhood meetings were abandoned.

The Planning Board continued to hold its regularly scheduled

monthly meetings, open to the public, throughout the summer. The Board

continually addressed the major issues confronting the Town and studied

alternative means of solving problems.

3) Formulation and distribution of Questionnaires and

Tabulation of Responses:

Early in the planning process, the P-lanning.Board formulated

questionnaires designed to determine the nature of the major land use

idgUOs in the Town. The Citizens Questionnaire (See Exhibit asked

for an assessment of the major problems and advantages of the Town,,general

growth goals for the future, and desired means for accomplishing chosen

goals. The Questionnaire was distributed in neighborhood meetings and

in a local newspaper (editions of the Wilmington Star News, delivered to

Long.Beach. The volume of response to the Questionnaire was poor, but the

candid answers of those responding were enlightening. Tabulations of the

Citizens Ques tionnaire.are attached as Exhibit A-2. While the number of

responses was too small to be considered a concensus of Town opinion, the

information gained from them allowed the Planning Board to direct itself

to more specific issues in its next attempt.

EXHIBIT A-1

LONG BEACH CITIZENS QUESTIONNAIRE

105

EXHIBIT A-1

LONIG BEACH CITIZENS QUESTIONNAIRE

The Long Beach Planning Board and the City Commissioners are

preparing the Coastal Area Management Plan for Long Beach. Your

Planning Board and Commissioners are vitally interested in the

comments and suggestions you and other citizens have and are

inviting you tobecome involved in preparing theplan. Your help

will aid us,.in making a plan for Long Beach's future which is based

an your own goals and interests...

This'questionnaire is,the first step in the'continuing process

of getting.--the'citizens involved. You will be kept informed of

the progress Iwe are making and willbe invited to other meetings

as they are-scheduled.

'Please take the time to fill out this brief questionnaire

and hand it in at the end of the neighborhood meeting ori mail to:

Mr. Otto Maehl
P.O. Box 582
Long Beach, N.- C.
278-6433

1. What do you.think are the four major problems in Long Beach
today? (Indicate priority by numbering 1, 2, 3, and,4.)
Lack-of housing, especially during.the summer.

Poorlyconstructed housing

Lack of year.round employment opportunities

Poor roads and.traffic control facilities

Lack of good shopping areas

inadequate educational opportunities

Poor access to beaches

Lack of public beach areas

Lack of community recreational facilities (parks, golf
courses, tennis courts, boat access points)

Lack of cultural opportunities (drama, cultural arts, etc.)

Problems,with septic tanks

Problems with solid waste

Beach erosion

UnsightLly. development

Flooding or drainage

In.adequate..parking

Other@ (explain).

2. What do you think are the four major advantages to living in
Long Beach today? (Indicate priority by numbering 1, 2, 3,
and 4.)

Good supply of quality housing

Low taxes

Goodopportunities for business

Lack of crowded living conditions

closeness to beaches

Attractiveness ok outdoor activities

Good schools

Low cost of living

Clean air and water

Tourist support economy

3. 1.n the next 5 to 10 years, would you prefer to see the
permanent Long Beach population? (Mark one)

Increase rapidly

Increase slowly

Remain the same

Slightly decline

Decline significantly

4. 'In the next 5 to 10 years, would you like to see the.tourist trade and
seasonal residents (as measured by numbers of motels, restaurants,
camping areas, recreation area.s, and summer homes) to?, (Mark.one)

Increase rapidly

Increase slowly

Remainthe same

Slightly decline

Decline significantly

5. If*you desire population to increase, how should the increaseb e
accommodated? (Mark one or more)

Permit use of smaller lot sizes

Permit multi-story buildings

Increase multiple occupancy structures

Limit new development to the existing permitted densities on availaiale
undeveloped land.

Other; Explain

6. if the population of Long Beach increases, there will be an increase
in pressure for commercial areas. Do you think that this growth should
be regulated? _____yes, -no. if yes, how

7. What would you like Long Beach to.be like next year, five years from
now, or 10 years.from now?

B. Please make any additional comments or suggestions which would help us
to plan for the-future of Long Beach.

Thank you
Otto Maehl, Chairman
Long Beach Planning Board.

EXHIBT A-2

TABULATION LONG BEACH CITIZENS QUESTIONNAIRE

109

Exhibit A-2. Tabulation Long Beach Citizens Questionnaire

Question 1. Four Major Problems
First Second Third Fourth Total Four
Choices No.a Wt.b No. Wt. No. Wt. No. Wt. Wt. Problems

Lack housing 1 4 4
Poor construction 2 8 2 6 2 4 3 3 21
Lack employment 1 4 1 31 2 4 11
Poor roads & traffic 2 6 1 2 4 12
Lack shopping 3 12 3 9 2 4 2 2 27
Inadequate education 4 16 3 9 4 4 29 4
Poor access to beaches 4 12 1 2 1 1 15
Lack public beach 1 4 4 8 21 2 14
Lack comm. recreation 1 4 1 3 2 4 1 1 12
Lack cultural 2 8 2 6 3 6 20
Septic tanks 3 12 5 15 2 4 1 1 32 3
Solid waste 1 4 1 3 1 2 1 1 10
Beach erosion 5 20 3 9 3 6 1 1 36 2
Unsightly development 5 20 3 9 5 10 3 3 42 1
Flooding or drainage 1 2 1 1 3
Parking 4 41 4
Other: Town Board 5 20 20
Zoning enforcement 1 4 1 3 7

Taxes 1 3 3
aNo. indicates number of times listed.
bWt. indicates weight, i.e., number of times listed multiplied by 4 for first, 3 for second, 2 for third,
or 1 for fourth choices.

Exhibit A-2. (Continued).

Question 2. Four Major Advantages

First Second Third Fourth Total Four
Choices No. Wt. No. Wt. No. Wt. No. Wt'.- Wt. Problems

Supply housing 1 2 1 1 3

Low taxes 2 8 1 2 1 1 11

Business opportunities 1 3 3

Lack crowded living 11 44 8 24 :3 6 1 1 75 1

Closeness beaches 10 40 8 24 1 2 1 1 67 2

outdoor activities 2 6 7 14 8 8 28 4

Good schools 0

Low cost living 2 4 3 3 7

Clean air & water 5 20 6 18 5 10 5 5 53 3

Tourist economy
aNo. indicates number of times listed.

b
Wt. indicates weight, i.e. the number of times listed multiplied by 4 for--first, 3 for second, 2 for
third, or 1 for fourth choices.

Exhibit A-2. (Continued)

Question 3. Permanent Population

Increase rapidly 9

Increase slowly 20

Remain the same 3

Slightly decline 2
Decline significantly 0

Question 4. Tourist Trade

Increase rapidly 6

Increase slowly 19

Remain the same 3

Slightly decline 0
Decline significantly 4

Question 5. Increase Accommodated.

Smaller lot sizes

Multi-story buildings 3

Multiple occupancy structures 1
Existing densities 15

Question 6. Growth Regulation

yes 29 no 4
how: zoning 11 planning 7
landscaping 1 careful selection new businesses 3

Question 7. Long Beach in FUture

(sample of responses)
More business opportunities furnishing good employment.
Growth not be at expense of attractions - oaks of Oak Island, closeness,
to uncluttered beaches, low housing density.
Attractive, clean resort for families; profitable place for all support
services required in a resort and living area.
A nice, decent, moral, quiet place to relax and enjoy yourself.
As close as possible to today with low density population increase.

Exhibit A-2. (Continued)

Question S. Comments and Suggestions

(sample of responses)
Special.fishing rates for senior citizens.
More attention given to year-round residents.
Avoid trying to be either a honky-tonk, a "retirement village", or a
Bald Head-Hilton" type of place.
Stop arguing among yourselves.
Consolidate with Yaupon.
Keep our waters and land clean of pollution and don't.let the marshes
be.destroyed.

No multi-story building.
Beautification at campgrounds.
Encourage M.D.'s and veterinarians to come to Long Beach.

EXHIBIT A-3

(SECOND QUESTIONNAIRE)

tic(

In August of 1975, the Planning Board formulated a new

questionnaire asking opinions on those issues which had surfaced as the

major issues facing the Town (See Exhibit A-3). In order to assure its

wide distribution, the Taxpayers Questionnaire was mailed to all property

owners on record (approximately 5800). Approximately 1000 question-

naires (17 percent) were returned. The responses were tabulated by the

Planning Board; the tabulations are shown as Exhibit A-4.

its

TOWN OF LONG BEACH
P.O. BOX 217
LONG BEACH, N.C. 28461

Dear Taxpayer:
The Long Beach Planning Board is currently devising a land use plan as
required by Coastal Area Management Act of 1974. We are taking this means
to ask all individual taxpayers of Long Beach to give us their ideas on how they
would like the Town to be developed. We feel that since you own property at
Long Beach, you should have a say in how the Town develops over the next
5-20 years. Your ideas will be carefully considered regardless of the
size of your property.

1. Water will soon be available to the Town from the County, Would you like to
see a plan submitted to allow x the Town to implement it by phases?
YES____H NO_____
2. How would you like to pay for it?
a. Assessment____b. Revenue Bonds (pd for from water income)_______
3. Would you like strict enforcement of the present Ordinance that all structures
be in good repair or force condemnation proceedings?
YES_____NO____
4. Should an area be re-zoned to allow construction of an amusement park?
YES_____NO____
5. Would you like to see the Town of Long Beach acquire a public beach area
and provide sanitary facilities and life guards?
YES____NO_____
6. Should the growth of Long Beach be aimed at promoting permanent residents
to primarily vacation homes?
Permanent_________Vacation_______
7. Should the commercial areas be located in mall centers with parking and
landscaping, instead of strung out along the highway?
YES_____NO____
8. In the projected 15 year plan, would you like to see Oak Island Dr
boulevarded with a landscaped median and bicycle paths?
YES_____NO_____
9. The dunes are one of our areas of greatest environmental concern. Would
you like to see stricter evforcement of existing dune ordinance?
YES____NO_____

116

EXHIBIT A-4.

TABULATION LONG BEACH PROPERTY OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE

Exhibit A-4. Tabulation Long Beach Property Owners Questionnaire.

Total.
Question Response % Total Response % Total Responses-

1. Water Yes No
808 95 44 5 852

2. Payment-water Assessment Revenue Bonds
51 6 864 94 915

3.1 Zoning Yes No
enforcement 911 92 82 8 993

4. Amusement Yes No
park 473 48 522 52 995

5. Public beach Yes No
654 65 346 35 1000

6. VaCAtion vs.
permanent 473 47 347 34 1015
195 19

7. Mall centers Yes No
873 87 .129 13 1602

8. Boulevard Yes No
602 70 264 30 866

9. Dune Yes No
ordinance 903 95 52 5 955

Addendum

Corrections and Additions to Town of Long Beach Land Use Plan

Page 1-3, paragraph 2

Add to end of paragraph:

"On March 29, 1976, the Bureau of.the Census conducted a survey

of the Town's permanent resident population. The-preliminary..

-results of that survey show the 1976 population to be 1654."

Page 1-4

The first paragraph under the heading Municipal Finance is re-

written as follows:

"The Long Beach Town Budget for fiscal year (FY) 1975-1976 is

based.on a total estimated (at 100 percent) property valuation

of $80,000,000 and a tax rate of $.,61 per $100 valuation. The

pro perty valuation in FY 1971-1972 was $8,572,000 (at 50 percent)

and the tax rate was $1.20.. Ad valorem taxes (including back

taxes and penalties) produced a revenue of $105,700 in 1971 and

.$282,000 in 1975."

Page 1-15

Under the subheading Subdivision Regulations for Long Beach, North@

Carolina, the"'Application" is redefined as follows:

'!All divisions of parcels of land, with certain exceptionsil into 2 or

more lots where a street right-of-way dedication is involved within

the'jurisdicton of Long Beach."

Page 1-18

The description of water and sewer plan number 2-by Wiggins-Rimer

and Associates is deleted (since it is aninventory rather than a

plan). In'its place, the following plans are inserted:

2. Engineering Report Water Distribution.System,, Town of

Long Beach, North Carolina, Pierson and Whitman, Inc., Consulting

Engineers, Raleigh, N. C., 1974.

Recommendation

The Town's public water system should be expanded to serve the whole

jurisdiction..

3. Engineering Report Water Distribution System, Town of Long

Beach, North Carolina, Pierson and Whitman, Inc., Consulting

Engineers, Raleigh, N. C. 1976.

R@Cdmmendations

a. The Town's public water system should be expanded in phases.

Phase I should include-the beach area and the eastern part of the

town westto Middleton Avenue; Phasel.II should-include the rest of

the town.

b. The Town should attempt-to obtain Farmers' Home'Administration

financing.

On April 21, 1976, the Town of Long Beach submitted its application

to the Local Government.Commission. On May 5,-1976, theTown

Council passed a resolution to-hold a public referendum on floating

a general obligation bond for the water system. The.referendum is

scheduled for June 29, 1976.'

Page 1-38

In the first paragraph,, the sentence beginning "Tentative plans..."

and ending with "....natural marsh habitat." is deleted.

Page V-4

Under Revision of Town Ordinances delete subparagraph 3.

Index to Table of Contents (based on Standard Format)
Long Beach Land Use Plan

Subject Section Pages

Introduction 1 1-6

Description of Present Conditions 1-37

A. Population and Economy 14

B. Existing Land Use 8-12

1. Map Attached

2. Analysis 1, 12

C. Current Plans, Policies.a'nd Regulations 1 -13-19

.1. Plans and Policies 17-19

2. Local Regulations 1 13-17

3. Federal.and State Regulations N/A

Public Participation Activities Appendix-A

.A. Identification and Analysis of major
land use issues 1-16

1. The impact of population and
economic trends 1, 2, 11-16

2. The provision of adequate housing
and other services 6-8

3. The conservation of productive
naturallresources 2, 3

4. The protection of important
natural--environments ir 4, 5

S. The protection of cultural and
historic resources N/A

B. Alternatives considered in the develop-
ment of the objectives, policies and
standards 11-13

C. Land use objectives, policies and
standards for dealing with each identi-
fied major issue 17-20

Subject Section Pages

D. A brief description of the process
used to determine objectives,
policies and standards, emphasizing
public participation 2

E. A detailed statement outlining the
methods employed in securing public-
participation, and the deqjree of
participation achieved and the
results obtained. Appendix A

IV. Constraints 20

A. Land Potential 20-30

1. Physical Limitations 20-22

2. Fragile Areas 23-30

3. Areas with Resource Potential N/A

B. Capacity of Comm .unity Facilities 30-38

I.. Identification of existing water
and sewer service areas 35-37

2. Design capacity of existing water
treatment plant, 'sewer treatment
plant, schools and primary roads 1 30-38

3. The percent utilization of water
and sewer plants, schools and
primary roads. 30-38

V. Estimated Demand

A. Population and Economy

1. Population 11 14-16

2. Economy IV 1-2

B. Future Land Needs IV 3-7

C. Community Facilities Demand

1. Ten-year population projection
used to@determine facilities demand N/A

2. Consideration of the type and cost
of services needed to accommodate
projected populations 11 6-8

Subj ect Section Pages

3. Consideration of the ability of
the local economy to finance.service
expansion 13

VI. Plan Description

A. Description of the Land Classification
System IV 8

B. Projected population growth allocated
to Land classes based an local objectives IV 3

C. Gross population densities used to
allocate-Trans4.tion.and Community
Classifications. N/A

D. Land Clas.sification Map Attached

VII. summary

A. Discussion of the manner of data assembly, Introduction;,
analysis, and a statement of major following each
conclusions subsection

B. Discussion of the application of the
data to the plan's formulation V 1, 2

VIII. City-County Plan Relationship Defined Introduction;
V

j
1@1

. I,

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