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IACT f987 TOWN OF BELHAVEN LAND USE PLAN UPDATE 1986 I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COASTAL ZONE INFORMATION CENTER HT i 168 .B4 N567 1987 IL) U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CENTER 2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE CHARLESTON, SC 29405-2413 r Propce-ty of C.C Libza-ry 1986 1 9 8 6 B E L H A V E N L A N D U S E P L A N U P D A T E UPDATE Adopted by the Belhaven Town Council April 6, 1987 Certified by the Coastal,Resources Commission July 24, 1987 COASTAL ZONE INFORMATION CENTER PREPARED BY: MID-EAST COMMISSION P.O. DRAWER 1787 WASHINGTON, NC The preparation of the plan was financed in part by a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management Program, through finds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 1986 BELHAVEN LAND USE PLAN UPDATE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Prepared by: TOWN COUNCIL Charles 0. Boyette, Mayor James B. Hodges W.P. O'Neal, Jr. Frank Ambrose, Jr. Rhonda M. Flowers Judy E. Allen PLANNING BOARD John Jones, Chairman George Baker Aubrey Hollowell Freddie Sawyer Wilber Logan Dr. Thomas Vicar MID-EAST COMMISSION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STAFF Lynn Roche Phillips, Technical Advisor Libby Anderson, Technical Advisor Robert Paciocco, Planner-In-Charge BELHAVEN IN-KIND ASSISTANCE Tim Johnson, Town Manager The preparation of this report was financed in part through a grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal Management Program, through the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended. The Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is also responsible for funding for this document. TABLE OF CONTENTS DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS I Introduction I U PR~~~~Estbihent of the Data Base 2 PEETCONDITIONS Present Population and Economy Summary 1 EXISTING LAND USE 11 I ~ ~~~~Introduction 11 Land Use Summary 1.1 CURRENT PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS 17 * ~~~~~Plans 17 Pol icies 18 Regulations 20 I ~~~~CONSTRAINTS: LAND SUITABILITY 22 Introduction 22 PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT 22 Hazards 22 Sails 24 Water Supplies 26 Excessive Ground Slope Areas 27 I ~ ~~~~Fragile Areas 28 Areas With Resource Potential 37 CONSTRAINTS: CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES 41 Introduction 41 Water and Sewer 41 Solid Waste Collection and Police and Fire Protection 42 U ~~~~~Schools 43 Roads 4 * ~~~~~Medical Facilities 4 ESTIMATED DEMAND 47 Population and Economy 47 Summary 49 REVIEW OF 19181 POLICY STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS 50 Resource Protection 51. Resource Production and Management 53 Economic and Community Development 54 I ~~~~ISSUES AND POLICY STATEMENTS 56 RESOURCE PROTECTION 57 Development in Areas with Constraints 58 I ~ ~~~~~~AEC Development 61 Other Fragile Areas and AECs 63 Hurricane and Evacuation Needs 66 Protection of Potable Water 66 I ~~~~~~~Use of Septic Tanks 67 Storm Water Runoff 6 Marina and Floating Home Development 71 I ~ ~~~~~~Industrial Impacts around Fragile Areas 72. RESOURCE PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT 74 I ~ ~~~~~~Productive Agricultural Land 74 Existing and Potential Mineral Production Areas 76 Commercial and Recreational Fisheries 78 Off-Road Vehicles 79 Impact of Development Types on Resources 80 ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 81 I ~ ~~~~~~Location and Types of Industries Desired 81 Commitment to Providing Services 84 Desired Urban Growth Patterns 85 Redevelopment of Developed Areas 86 Commitment to State and Federal Programs 88 Channel Maintenance and Waterfront Improvement 89 Energy Facility Siting and Development 91 I ~ ~~~~~~Tourism and Beach/Water Access 91 Types, Densities, and Location of Anticipated Development 93 HURRICANE AND STORM HAZARD MIT16ATION 95 Introduction 95 Hazards Map 96 Effects of Storm Components on Hazard Zones 101 Summary 104 Post-Disaster Reconstruction 106 I ~ ~~~~~Introduction 106 Immediate Clean-Up 107 Recovery Task Force 109 * ~~~~~Schedule for Repair and Reconstruction Over Longer Period 110 Evacuation Routes and Times i ll Summary 114 I ~~~~Intergovernmental Coordination 115 Storm Hazard Mitigation and Post-Disaster Reconstruction * ~~~~~~~Policies 116 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 118 LAND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM 121 RELATIONSHIP OF POLICIES AND LAND CLASSIFICATION 128 I ~~~~INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION 130 APPENDIX A 132 APPENDIX B 136 APPENDIX C 140 APPENDIX D, 145 LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE NUMER NAME PAGE NUMBER I Belhaven Planning Area 4 2 Population Change from 1960 to 5 19B4 - Belhaven and Beaufort 3 Employment by Persons 16 Years 7 and Over by Industry - Belhaven 4 Manufacturing Firms in Belhaven 9 5 Existing Land Use 1986 12 I ~~~~~6 Area Inundated by Category 1 25 Hurricane 7 Areas of Environmental Concern 30 and Other Fragile Natural Areas 8 ~~~Properties Identified as Historic 36 I ~ ~~~~~~~~Structures in the Belhaven Area 9 Location of Prime Agricultural 39 I ~ ~~~~~~~Sailis 10 Belhaven Area Public School 45 * ~~~~~~~~~Facilities 11 Population Projections - Belhaven 48 and Beaufort County 12 Areas Inundated by Category 97 *~~~~~~~~~ land 2 Hurricane 13 Inventory of Structures in the 99 Hazard Area I ~~~~~14 Land Classification Map 123 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Introduction Land development generally takes place as the result of a series of decisions by private individuals and government. If left entirely to chance, the resulting pattern of development may not be in the best overall interest of the community. To promote this community interest for both present and future generations, a land use plan is developed, adopted and kept current by the local governments in the coastal area. The land use plan is a framework to guide local leaders as they make decisions affecting development. Private individuals and other levels of government will also use the plan to guide their land use decisions. Effective use of the plan by these groups will lead to the more efficient and economical provision of public services, the protection of natural resources, sound economic development, the protection of public health and safety, and enhancement of the commu- nity's quality of life. The Town of Belhaven has responded to these needs by electing to complete and update its land use plan. The preparation of this plan represents an effort by the Town to guide development in a way which will maximize public benefits. This plan was financed in part through a grant provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. These funds are administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management of the' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Commun- ity Development (DNRCD), Division of Coastal Management. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DATA~ BASE One purpose of the 1986 Land Use Plan is to update information given in the 1981 Plan and to outline development that has taken place since the completion of the last plan. The 1981 Plan and its counter- part, the original 1976 Land Development Plan, sernve as the primary sources of information for this effort. Various other sources were used to update and expand the data base. Socioeconomic data were gathered from a variety of sources. The 1980 North Carolina Census of Porulation provided updated popula- I ~~~tion figures, which were then made current with data provided by the N.C. Department of Administration. The North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, Division of Marine Fisher- ies, provided data on the fishing industry in the Belhaven area. A~dditional statistics were gathered from The 1985-1986 Directory of I. ~~ManufacturinQi Firms and the Beaufort County School Superintendent. The DNRCD Divisions of Environmental Management and Soil and Water Conser- vation were very helpful in providing information. Various other sources were consulted, including the Town Manager and local residents. Information on land use within the Town's jurisdiction was I ~~~acquired from a variety of sources. United States Geological Survey 7 1/2 minute quadrangles, the Beaufort County Soil Survey, zoning maps, building permit records and on-site inspections were used to assess the development that has occurred since the 1981 plan. Personal interviews with various technical experts, such as the District Soil Conservation- I ~~~ist, supplemented information on land development trends in the area. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3 The accuracy of this Plan was checked throughout its development period. The Planning Board, Town Manager and Town Board proofread the text to ensure its accuracy and direction. These combined sources aimed to provide the most concise picture of the development trends H ~~~within the community. PRESENT CONDITIONS Present Ponulation and Economy The Town of Belhaven is ,.situated in eastern Beaufort County I ~~~at the confluence of the Pungo River and Pantego Creek, part of the Pamlico estuarine system (Figure 1). Belhaven is a Town which was formed mostly as a port for the nearby logging businesses. Today, it is primarily a farming, fishing and logging community. It lies on the Intracoastal Waterway, a major north-south route for the shipping I ~~~industry and rec reational boaters. * ~~~~The population of the Town has risen and fallen during the past 35 years (Figure 2). The population was undergoing steady decline until 1970 when the trend reversed itself. This coincides with the change in the economy from traditional rural industries, like I ~~~fishing and logging, to manufacturing. Several manufacturing firms located in Belhaven during this time. The Town developed residential areas as well as service industries to accommodate the growth brought * ~~~on by industry. A~ seasonal population flux does not play a significant role in the public service demands placed on the Town facilities. Recre- ational activities like boating and fishing attract an estimated 300 4 Figure 1 BELIIAVEN PLANNING AREA a,~~~~~~~~~~~~~O $.S 26L .... .-, -i~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .U ,..., ..s ...u I~~~~~~~~~~ /5c \ 'iS T . . .. --._...., :.. '~ .,C ..... , ........: .%. ' " . . . * 4, Submerged Vessel The preparation of this map was financed in part Ei Wetlands through a grant provided by the North Carolina Surface Water Coastal Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management A~ct of .972. a, which i administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management,' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "" '~.'"" -- APRXAT SCL ~,. ....~ ar.�*~~~~~~~~~~~~�~ -�'.~ ,'~ .... ~~~~~'""' "' ""~B Y I�" 15U~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LGND;= 197, as mede, w h c s diisee b h Office of. Oen adCatlRsucaaeet National Oceanic and ~tmospheric ~dministration.~~~~~~~~~~� Figure 2 POPULATION CHANGE FROM 1950 TO 1985: BELHAVEN AND BEAUFORT COUNTY 1950-1985 1980-1985 PERCENT PERCENT 1950 1960 1970 1980 1985* POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION POPULATION CHANGE CHANGE BELHAVEN 2,528 2,386 2,259 2,430 2,494 - 1.3% + 2.7% BEAUFORT COUNTY 36,431 36,014 35,980 40,355 43,260 18.7% 7.2% SOURCE: N. C. Census of Population, 1980. *1985 estimates provided by N. C. Department of Administration. VI 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ additional summer residents to the area (Town Manager). This limited number of visitors does not tax the overall adequate provision of water and sewer services. One event, the annual Fourth of July celebration, attracts several thousand daily .visitors to the Town. Nearly all of I ~~~these persons are day visitors; they do not place the same demands on the community facilities as full-time residents. Water and sewer facilities may be taxed during the day-long event, but this demand 3 ~~~lasts for only several hours during the peak of the festivities.- The majority of Belhaven's residents are under 30 years old I ~~~and considered minorities. The population is composed of approximately I ~~~41.2 percent whites and the median age is 28.9 years compared to 28.3 years for the state. Belhaven's $ 3,864 mean family income is somewhat lower than the $ 4,561 average for Beaufort County (N. C. Census of Population, 1980). U ~~~~The economy of Belhaven is mixed, but dominated by manufac- turing (Figure 3). Nearly one-half of the work force is engaged in the manufacturing, retail trade or education fields. The health 3 ~~~services industry employs nearly seven percent of the local work force. Unemployment in Belhaven is high (10.7 percent) compared to the 4.5 3 ~~~percent average for Region 0 (Employment Security Commission). Although not apparent from the employment statistics, agriculture is a very important component of the Belhaven economy. Agriculture, 3 ~~~forestry, fishing and mining employ more than four percent of the total labor force. Agricultural land uses occupy approximately 30 percent of 3 ~~~the total land area within the one mile jurisdictional area. The crops most widely grown are tobacco, corn, soybeans and wheat. Employment in Figure 3 EMPLOYMENT BY PERSONS 16 YEARS AND OVER BY INDUSTRY, 1984 BELHAVEN Total Industry Persons Percent Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing 59 6.6 and Mining Construction 41 4.6 Manufacturing 244 26.7 Transportation 25 2.8 Communications and other Public 28 3.1 Utilities Wholesade Trade 54 6.0 Retail Trade 186 20.9 Finance, Insurance and Real Estate 54 3.2 Business and Repair Services 14 1.5 Personal, Entertainment and Recreation 40 4.5 Services Health Services 63 7.0 Education Services 55 6.1 Other Professional and Related 23 2.6 Services Public Adminstration 28 3.1 TOTAL 914 UNEMPLOYED 107 11.7 SOURCE: N. C. Statistical Abstract, 1984 this business typically experiences peaks during the harvest season in late summer/early fall. In addition, Belhaven's economy is heavily dependent on the quality of the water in the surrounding rivers and creeks. This I ~~~is because the fishing and seafood business is the major industry 5 ~~~in the area (Figure 4). Four large seafood processing plants, who purchase the majority of their products directly from local fishermen 3 ~~~working on boats, are located in Town. Belhaven's catch is estimated to account for 90 percent of the commercial catch for Beaufort County, I ~~~which is consistently in the top five counties for seafood poundage and landings (DMF). Fishermen from nearby counties truck in their catches, as well. Blue crabs traditionally account for nearly 50 percent of the 5 ~~~commercial catch, but during periods of high salinity, brown shrimp are also brought in and processed in Town. * ~~~~Recreational fishing and boating are also very popular local industries. Belhaven's location along the rivers and Intracoastal Waterway makes it a convenient boating area as well as a port for long 3 ~~~distance voyagers. Lodging and supplies such as fuel% food, beverages, bait and marine gear add a significant boost to the regional economy. 3 ~~~Summer residents are also attracted to the area because of the rivers. A~dditional dollars are spent at local businesses by these second home I ~~~owners. The importance of water quality to the prosperity of the 3 ~~~economy is based on the water-related industries. Tourism and commer- cial fishing, both dependent upon water quality, are critical to 3 ~~~Belhaven's economic well-being. Figure 4 MANUFACTURING FIRMS IN BELHAVEN Number Name Address Product Employed Blue Channel Crab Company Water St. Canned and Pasteurized 100-249 Seafood I ~~Baker Crab Company Water St. Crab meat, unprocessed 50-99 crabs U ~~Belhaven Feed Mills, Inc. W. Main St. Livestock feed, 5-9 fertilizer Belhaven Fish and Oyster Front St. Shrimp, crabs 100-249 Co., Inc. Harris Furniture and Pamlico St. Upholstered furniture 5-9 I ~ ~Upholstery Co. manufacturing, marine canvas products Down East Garment CO. Pamlico St. Velour sweaters 50-99 Gwinn Engineering Co., Inc. Rt. 2, Box Dredges, molded 1-4 219 polyurethane boat repair Sea Safari Water St. Fresh and frozen 100-249 I ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~crabs, flounder Younce and Ralph Lumber Hwy 264 Pine Lumber 50-99 Co. I ~~SOURCE: 1985-1986 Directory of North Carolina Manufacturing Firms 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~10 I ri~~~~ost of the remaining manufacturing firms in Town, not related to water, are involved in textiles or lumber. Younce and Ralph Lumber and Down East Garment Company employ an average of 150 persons together. Nearly all of the industries in Town provide low skilled, low wage I ~~~jobs. Women are mos.t frequently employed as crab pickers and sewing * ~~~machine operators. Seasonal variations in employment are a concern for Belhaven residents. Unemployment among agricultural workers and crab pickers during the winter months is the major problem in the area. Economic I ~~~development activities should be directed toward diversifying the economy to alleviate this problem. * ~~~Summary The analysis of the demographic and economic conditions reveals I ~~~that Belhaven supports a stable economy and population. It is expected 3 ~~~that the population will continue to experience slight growth over the next ten years. The major industry in Town is the seafood business, 3 ~~~which is highly dependent upon the purity of the water. Tourism is also important to the regional economy. Additional growth in the I ~~~economy and/or population may have an impact on the natural resources * ~~~of the area. EXISTING LAND USE Introduction Sound decisions on directing future land use in a community are made based on an inventory of the present land uses. This inventory should take note of the types of land uses, their amount and their distribution. The following section details the existing land uses 3 ~~~~within the Belhaven planning area. U ~~~~Land Use Summary 3 ~~~~The Belhaven planning area includes the land within the Town limits and the land outside Town to a distance of approximately one * ~~~~mile (Figure 1). The total area encompasses slightly more than eight square miles, but only about 30 percent of the planning area is within the corporate limits. Within the planning area, about 20 percent of 3 ~~~~the land is developed for urban purposes. Most of this developed land is within the Town lim~its. The majority of the undeveloped land is in 3 ~~~~forests, agriculture, wetlandsor surface water. There has been little change in the layout of the land since the 1981 plan (Figure 5). The existing land use map shows that most land uses within the Town limits are residential. Residential development is concentrated in the eastern section of Town near Tooley's Creek, 3 ~~~west of Hwy 99 north of the bridges and in the blocks surrounding Belhaven Elementary School. Since 1981, few residential building I ~~~permits have been granted as a moratorium an sewer extensions was 3 ~~~passed due to the inadequacy of the wastewater treatment facility. I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fi~gure 5 EXISTING LAND USE I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I I - ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~APPiROXIMqATE SCALE 1000 ~ ~ M 0o- 3C. 200 oa I a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~Submerged Vessel Theprearaionofthi's map was financed in part Wtad through a grant provided by the North Carolina Surface Water Coastal Management Programs through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of Commercial 1972, as amended, which is administered by the I ~Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, Residential National Oceanic and Atmospheric A~dministration. 1 Dindustrial Institutional I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~11:P Forested DAgricultural 12 I ~~~~~~~~~~Figure 5 EXISTING LAND USE .4 C ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~* - r~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'. a ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~00 soo- = *. N , .~~~. % j ( ~ ~ ~ ' N . '.LEGEN '*.*--'Subme-ged V s s e l - The preparation of this map was financed in part PI Wetlands I~trog a rn�rvde yteNrt aoiaSufc ae Coastal Management Programo through fnds - poiebythe CoeastaltioneMngmtAc of C o m m e r c i tlad C7o asta Maagmendedora, whicuh funs Wadisteredb h pOfficed of Oceaan Coastal Reoure Management, Resdet oomrial Natonl7ceni andAmsphic Administeredbytion Indstrittnal I ~~~~~~~~~~~~Li I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 13 Mobile home permits have been the only building applications within the past five years. All building applications for development were sites in the northern section of Town. This has been the trend for resident- ial growth. The Town should consider the development of a mobile home I ~~~ordinance if this development trend should continue. Commercial land uses are those which support retail or personal services. Within the planning area, several concentrations of commer- cial uses exist. They are located in the downtown business district, along the Hwy 264 By-Pass and Business arteries and the small pockets I ~~~located in the eastern section of Town. During the past five years, the By-pass has been the growth area for commercial establishments. It is expected that future commercial, institutional and office space needs will be met in these existing zoned areas. Expanding strip development in along major traffic arteries is also expected. I ~~~~~s before mentioned, the industrial area of Belhaven is situated along the waterfront. Currently, most operations are water-related (seafood processors), but Cargill, a grain dealer, has also located here. The area was designated,,industrial due to its proximity to the river, highway and railroad tracks. Currently only a limited amount I ~~~of land remains available to accommodate industrial expansion; however * ~~~the Town does wish to accommodate new industrial development an the remaining available land. A~t the same time, local officials recognize that non-water related uses are better located at non-shoreline locations. Thus, I ~~~the Town intends to encourage most new industrial projects to locate * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~14 in commercial areas along the Route 264 Bypass or other industrial areas, reserving the waterfront for water-related uses such as tourist enterprises and seafood processing operations. Forested areas constitute about 25 percent of the land in the I ~~~extraterritorial limits. No forested areas exist within the Town limits. Instead, there areas are concentrated along the eastern portion of Hwy. 99 south of the bridge to the edge of the planning area * ~~~and in a band running from northwest to southeast near Lower Dowry Creek. Presently, there are no serious land use compatibility problems I ~~~with these forested lands. However, should these areas be logged or cleared for agricultural use, short-term aesthetic problems might result unless wise harvesting/reforestation practices are used. Much of the land within the extraterritorial limits has been cleared for agricultural uses. Most agricultural land lies north of I ~~~Town in a band extending across the extraterritorial limits. It is currently under production, but this land may be "squeezed" into other uses as the demand for developable land in the planning area increases and the availability of suitable land decreases. Growth is likely to occur at the expense of this farmland. Within the Town's planning jurisdiction, agricultural land has had an impact an other resources as well. Agricultural drainage and runoff from fields and ditches have I ~~~become a nutrient source for algae blooms in the nutrient sensitive Pungo River. Dams and dikes, originally constructed to mitigate the impact of floodwaters in cropland, have helped to minimize the impact of agricultural runoff in the adjacent waters. Additional policy 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~15 statements should be made to reflect this pollution problem in the planning area. Ai large portion of the planning area is in wetlands which extend along the north and south banks of Pantego Creek west of the bridge. I ~~~Other wetlands can be found on the peninsulas near Tooley's Creek and I ~~~along the shoreline of the Pungo River. A potential land use compat- ibility problem exists with the wetlands as the Town at one time expressed an interest in altering several local wetland areas for development. Because of their Productivity, the Town should avoid I ~~~growth at the expense of losing these wetlands. The establishment of * ~~~vegetative buffer zones between the wetlands and adjacent development would mitigate the effects of land use incompatibilities in these * ~~~areas. A~s the demand for industrial land increases, it may be necessary I ~~~to transfer some of the least productive agricultural lands into industrial uses. Also, as the need for residential and commercial uses increases, the cleared agricultural land may need to be developed. Several cropland areas with underlying soils prime for agriculture could be at risk. * ~~~~There is a very limited amount of ope n space available for development within the Town limits. The area on the north side of Town near the intersection of Hwy 264 By-Pass and Business 264 is one of the only areas left for expansion. The Town may need to acquire more land through annexation to accommodate future development. In summary, there are no significant land use compatibility problems that currently exist in the planning district. The negative * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~16 aspects of industry should not directly affect the land use patterns in Town because its location will be confined to the waterfront area and other areas zoned for industry., The Town recognizes the negative environmental impact of industry adjacent to the rivers. Sites in the I ~~~extraterritorial area should be investigated for industrial develop- ment. The wetland areas in Town should not be eyed for future growth because of the value of these natural areas. Should any further commercial strip development occur along the major traffic arteries, a compatibility problem may arise between the commercial and residential I ~~~uses located there. There are no major problems that have resulted from unplanned development, nor any which will have a bearing on future land use. The areas most likely to experience change in the planning region can be pinpointed to several locations. Within the Town I ~~~limits, additional residential development is expected in the existing residential subdivisions in the northern section of Town. Outside the Town limits, additional construction along transportation routes is possible. Encroaching development may impact the agricultural areas north of Town. The Town should acknowledge the location of prime agricultural sails before granting permits for development. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~17 CURRENT PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS Introduction Before policy can be formulated to guide future development decisions, it is useful to know what tools are already available I ~~~to enforce each policy chosen. The following is a description of the plans, policies and regulations the Town currently has in place to support its 1966 policy statements. Plans I ~~~~Belhaven has several planning documents that directly impact land development in the area. In addition, numerous other documents at the county and regional levels address development issues. The following is a list and description of the plans related to Belhaven's growth. Communitv Development' Block Grant Plans - Since 1981, two housing I ~~~revitalization plans have been funded, one of which was granted the maximum allowable amount of $750,000. Target areas for both projects have been in the northern section of Town. Revitalization of substan- dard housing is an on-going goal of the Town. Land Use Plans - Since the passing of the Coastal Area Management Act in 1974, two land use plans have been completed. The land classi- fication maps that accompanied each plan have been used as a reference I ~~~for land use decisions in the planning area. The policy statements included in each plan have been a reference for planning decisions. 201 Facilities Plan - The Town of Belhaven has had a moratorium on additional sewage piping installations toa the wastewater treatment facilities since 1978. This moratorium was instituted because of the I ~~~Town's failure to meet effluent requirements for an extended time period. The Town was recently funded for the first stages of a 201 Facilities Plan to upgrade the system. The improvements project will consist of developing a series of pump stations in the sewage collec- I ~~~tion system and a flow equalization basin that will retain peak flows until a time of lower demand and intensity. As of this writing, project directors are unsure if additional treatment units or extra flow requirements will be a part of the project. The Town's treatment system should be back in compliance with Federal regulations compliance I ~~~by July 1, 1988. The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that all municipal wastewater treatment facilities come into compliance by this date. Capital Improvements Plan - In 1979, the Mid-East Commission prepared a 20 year list of capital improvements needed for the Town. I gg~~A a result of one of the recommended improvements stated in the plan, the Town is currently revamping its electrical system by installing new transformers, poles and lines. The old system had become antiquated and was badly in need of revitalization. Electrical lines are being run an the back side of Main Street to bring on a more aesthetically pleasing downtown section. The expected completion date for this undertaking is 1987. * ~~~Policies Policies are defined as Retatements of intent and courses of action which are followed to reach a desired goal. In Belhaven, many policies are unwritten, but have been carried out for several * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~19 1 ~~~years. The following lists all the policies associated with develop- ment that Belhaven currently has in place. Utilities Extension Policies - Both in-town and out-of-town residents are eligible for water and sewer services. Nearly 93 percent of all residents are tied into the water system and approxi- mately 95 percent of the Town's residents are tied into the wastewater treatment system. The 1976 Land Development Plan discusses the Town's policy on utility extensions. In brief, an applicant must submit a request application to the Town Manager who then determines if the I ~~~application meets compliance requirements. The Town Council examines each request individually based upon the cost and subsequent availabil- ity of funds for each application. In Town, those applicants reques- ting the extension must advance 75 percent of the costs to the Town prior to construction. Out-of-town applicants must provide 100 1 ~~~percent of the funds for the extension. Possible extensions to * ~~~proposed developments or subdivisions are described more fully in A~ppendix A, which is Article V of the Town Ordinance. The capacity of * ~~~these community facilities is discussed in the section "Constraints: Capacity of Community Facilities" I ~~~~The Town purchases wholesale electricity from North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NiCEMPA) and sells it to area residents. A~s the North Carolina Utility Commission requires electrical companies to provide service only within designated districts, Belhaven does not have a formal policy on the extension of electrical facilities. I ~~~Electrical lines have already been installed in a large portion of the * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~20 * extraterritorial area. As of this writing, there have not been any requests for extensions. Open Space and Recreation Policv - Although Belhaven has no comprehensive recreation plan or open space policy, there is an I ~~~extremely active year around recreation program consisting of such activities as softball leagues, volleyball leagues, little leage football and baseball, youth dances, swimming and tennis lessons. Belhaven has two publically-owned parks, an active Recreation Center administered by the Recreation Department, plus a public boat ramp I ~~~which provides access to Pantego Creek. Two private marinas also provide access to the river. The Town has had no need for a policy on recreation facilities or the acquisition of open space. Regulat ions I ~~~~The Town of Belhaven enforces several regulations which have an impact on development. The Building Inspector is responsible for their enforcement. Regulations currently in place are: * ~~~~~~~Zoning Ordinance Building and Housing Regulations Subdivision Ordinance Flood Prevention Ordinance I ~~~~~~~Septic Tank Regulations 3 ~~~~~~~Nuisance Ordinance The Beaufort County Health Department governs the permitting system for septic tank and well placements. The Flood Prevention ordinance, adopted by the Town Board in early January, 1926, is very complex. it 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~21 divides the Town into two flood prone areas. In one area, the ordin- ance requires that all development must be situated at least nine feet above sea level and in the other flood area, structures must be situated at least eight feet above sea level. The Town is working to 3 ~~~make all new structures conform to this ordinance. Other aspects of 3 ~~~this regulation involve bulkheading of certain waterfront areas in Town. 3 ~~~~According to Chapter 113A Article I of the General Statutes, the North Carolina Environmental Policy Act, the Town can request develop- I ~~~ers to submit detailed statements outlining the potential impacts of 3 ~~~major developments. Belhaven has no additional requirements. Dune protection ordinances are not applicable as there are no dunes within 3 ~~~the planning area. Sedimentation regulations are determined at the state level in accordance with the NC Sediment Pollution Control Act. I ~~~Other Federal and State regulations enforced in the planning area are 3 ~~~outlined in Appendix B. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~22 C2ONSTRAINTS: LAND SUITABILITY Introduction The fundamental premise of land use planning is that distinctions exist between land masses which make them suitable for various uses. I ~~~Planning is required because not all lands are suitable for the same types of development. For example, the physical characteristics of the sail may permit subsidence, making development unsuitable. The following section identifies and discusses areas with development constraints to guide future land use decisions. Physical Limitations for Develooment Hazards Two types of hazards may impede growth: man-made and natural hazards. There are four types of man-made hazard zones in the planning I ~~~area where development should be discouraged. Buffers zones should be * ~~~established around these sites to mitigate their inherent dangers. These hazard zones include a sawdust pile in the waterfront industrial complex and the various fuel storage sites located in Town. During the 1940s, a lumber yard was located in the vicinity 3 ~~~of Cargill, Inc. on the waterfront area upstream from downtown. A massive sawdust pile is a relic of this industry. In 1984, gases I ~~~from the sawdust ignited and caused an underground fire that burned for several weeks. Since the fire burned below the ground surface, it produced hollow pockets unnoticeable from the ground level. This * ~~~region is hazardous because of the inherent fire hazard plus the I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~23 instability of the ground surface. Development should be avoided here until this hazard is removed or mitigated in some other way. Flammable substances, such'eas fuel oil, natural gas, and farm chemicals are stored in several different locations. Future develop- ment around these sites should be limited to low density land uses that would not be affected by a possible leak or explosion. Future tank farms should be situated away from existing development, possibly in areas designated as rural according to the land classification map. Nuclear power plants do not impact planning decisions because none I ~~~are located in the Belhaven area. The military has historically been an important asset to the economy and quality of life in eastern North Carolina. Recently, there has been debate over the expansion of the Military Operating Airspace (MOA) over Beaufort County. Land use patterns would need to I ~~~reflect this hazard. The flood prone area is a natural hazard zone where develop- ment should be carefully monitored. The entire Town is located in the 100 year floodplain. Nearly all Beaufort County residents are familiar with the frequent flooding that occurs in downtown I ~~~Belhaven after a normally heavy rain. Hurricane-level wind and rains would cause a greater hazard to the planning area. The United States Army Corps of Engineers SLOSH (Sea, Lake and Overland Surge from * ~~~Hurricanes) model maps show that all of the land in the planning area is located in the Category I and 2 hurricane zone (Figure 6). This I ~~~means that inundation may occur during a hurricane with winds between 75 and 94 miles per hour. Flood Ievels would depend on the relative * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~24 elevation of a site. The Town acknowledges the dangers inherent to the flood plain and certain building restrictions, in accordance with the Flood Prevention Program sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, exist in these areas. Details on the floodway prevention I ~~~ordinance are given in the section above entitled "Plans, Policies and * ~~~Regulations". Soils Soils in the planning area were mapped in 1982 by the Soil I ~~~Conservation Service for the Beaufort County Soil Survey. The Soil Survey was used to determine which soils present development limita- tions due to wetness or high potential for shrinking and swelling. Approximately 13 different soil associations can be found in the planning area. All soils have a high organic content. Many local I ~~~soils are considered mucks because of the persistently high water table, but some sandy loam series are available, as well. The entire planning area is covered by soils that are poorly drained and have severe limitations for the placement of -septic tanks. Most problems associated with these soils are their slow permeability, poor filtering * ~~~ability and wetness. Subsidence is typically a problem in the planning area. Because I ~~~the soils are usually wet, they are likely to become compacted under stress. This would present a problem for foundation stability. Soil fill, used in many instances to raise the relative elevation of a particular site, may mitigate subsidence problems in the planning area. Soil shallowness is typically not a problem in Belhaven. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I ~~~~~25 Figure 6 AREA INUNDATED BY CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE I * '� V Al~~~~~~~~~ N,~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~1 I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~."I -r~~~~~~~bl~~~~~~~~~~~~m~~~7--' :71~: i~~~~i~~~~-�--��~~~~~~~~� .....~ -- - ,,. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.%. I _ ....-1 . ~ ... ...... .............APP.ROX.MATE SCALE. :7~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1:7 ,~ It '0 2000' . 3000 ' . . . . . ' -' .,~ - ~~- -'-',- - ' -~ A PROXLATE CA LEGEND Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers S.L.O.S.H. model. * Submerged Vessel, Wetlands Surface Waters The preparation of this map was financed in part Behaven Town Limits through a grant provided by the North CarolinaBelhaven Town Limits Coastal Management Program, through funds ~I provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of Flood Prone Area 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~26 In summary, all of the soils found in the area have limita- tions for the efficient placement of septic tanks and stability of building foundations. Shallow soils are not a widespread problem. The implications for development translate into higher overall costs I ~~~per unit in order to overcome these constraints. Generally, large scale I ~~~development, such as industry, should be targeted to areas where the soil is not suited for residential development. Areas with "better" soils should be preserved for residential developments or projects which would require soils with fewer constraints. Water Suoplies The extensive groundwater reservoirs of the Coastal Plain were * ~~~considered a relatively unlimited source of water supply until recent years. Development in this region and adjacent states has had an I ~~~effect an the reservoir capacities and recharge rates are limited. The DNRCD Division of Environmental Management Groundwater Section has been collecting data and monitoring water levels in the Belhaven area to determine groundwater conditions and evaluate the effects of large withdrawals. The following is a brief synopsis of DEM's research * ~~~findings. The Town of Belhaven presently operates two deep wells which utilize subsurface water. A~ll of this groundwater is obtained from the Yorktown formation aquifer. Since the onset of phosphate mining operations across the river from Belhaven near Aurora, groundwater levels have been lowered drastically. Belhaven was included in a program called the "Capacity Use Area" which includes several counties I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~27 in eastern North Carolina. Groundwater usage in the Capacity Use Area has been carefully monitored since 1967 when excessive drawdowns were occurring as a result of the phosphate mining. The chemical and physical quality of groundwater in the this I ~~~aquifer varies areally and vertically. The water i s generally low in mineral content and suitable for any purpose. Recharge of this aquifer is principally from precipitation in the region. About 20 percent of the area's annual precipita- tion enters the surficial aquifer. The water table aquifer serves as U ~~~the reservoir for recharge to the underlyin g Castle Hayne system. The site for recharge is generally in an area northwest of Wilmar near the Pitt/Beaufort County boundary. DEM officials have stated that the groundwater level has reached a.-state of equilibrium; that is, as much water is being extracted from subsurface sources as is being added I ~~~through recharge. Obviously, this critical balance must be maintained in order to assure an adequate water supply for the futurei Expanded phosphate mining operations or any other additional heavy water uses may upset this balance. The Capacity Use Area groundwater management program was developed to protect the greater supply of water. Over the next ten years, there is no immediate danger of a limited supply of groundwater, but water use should still be considered I ~~~in determining what types of industry locate in the region. Excessive Ground Slope Areas * ~~~~Excessive slopes are defined as areas where the predominant slope exceeds 12 percent, i.e. where the change in elevation is * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~28 12 feet or more per one hundred feet of horizontal run. Most of the land in and around Belhaven is very low with little relief. There are no sites which have a slope of 12 percent or more (Beaufort County Soil Survey). Fraoile Areas Fragile areas are the water and land environments whose physical and biological nature make them especially vulnerable to damage or construction resulting from inappropriate or poorly planned develop- ment. Federal regulations, like the Section 404 Dredge and Fill Act, have beenf enacted to preserve sensitive wetland areas. State regula- tions, such as those promulgated under the Coastal Area Management A~ct (CAMA~), protect valuable coastal resources and are of particular importance for land use planning in Belhaven. The Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) established by CAMA, was directed by Section 113 of the Act to identify and designate "areas of environmental concern". I ~~~Those areas, known as AEC's, contain resources - natural and/or cultural - which are of statewide concern. Unregulated development in AEC's has a high probability of causing irreversible damage to public health, property, and the natural environment. Therefore the CRC has issued guidelines for development proposals in AEC's. Most I ~~~projects in AEC's require a CAMA permit. .'Minor" development permits * ~~~(generally projects altering less than 20 acres or involving structures less than 60,000 square feet) are issued by a local permit officer. "Major" development permits are issued by the Division of Coastal Management. 30 Figure 7 AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN AND OTHER FRAGILE AREAS -*� I.~ .�- �'~�� .~u, ~ ~ O 0 S..LC~~~~AW I -,�b . SCALE LEGEND Submerged Vessel The preparation of this map was financed in part D Coastal Wetlands AEC through a grant provided by the North Carolina E Coastal Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of P 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Public Trust Waters AEC Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Nursery Areas Estuarine Shoreline AEC I~~~~"~ I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~29 Four categories of A~EC's have been developed: the estuarine system, the ocean hazard system, public water supplies and natural and cultural resource areas. A~ good portion of land in Belhaven has been identified as being I ~~~part of the Estuarine System AEC. Estuarine AEC's have been defined as having four components: public trust areas, estuarine waters, estuarine shorelines, and coastal wetlands. Figure 7 depicts the estuarine system AEC in Belhaven. It should be noted however, that the AEC's have been depicted here for planning purposes only. The I ~~~influence of tides and wind makes the coastal estuarine system dyn- 3 ~~~amic. Since coastal areas are subject to change, maps are used for reference only; actual permitting decisions are determined an a U ~~~case-by-case basis through field inspection. A discussion of specific areas of environmental concern in Belhaven follows. I ~~~~Public trust areas are those waters to which the public has a right of access. They include all natural bodies of water and lands thereunder to the mean high water mark (if applicable) and all areas to which the public has rights of navigation, access and recreation. All surface waters in the area, including tributaries of the Pungo River 3 ~~~and Pantego Creek, are in the public trust. The tributaries include Battalina Greek, Tooley's Creek, Wynn's Gut and Shoemaker Creek. U ~~~~Public trust areas are significant because they support valuable 3 ~~~commercial and sports fisheries, have aesthetic value and are important resources for economic development. These areas should be managed so 3 ~~~as to protect the public's rights for navigation, recreation and a 1livelihood. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~31 Acceptable uses should be consistent with the management objectives listed above. The NCAC prohibits any uses that would negatively impact the public trust area. These include projects that would directly or indirectly block or impair existing navigation channels, I ~~~increase shoreline erosion, deposit spoils below mean high tide, cause adverse water circulation patterns, violate water quality standards or cause degradation of shellfish waters. 3 ~~~~The estuarine water A~EC occupies all surface waters in the Pungo River. Estuarine waters are defined as "all the water of the I ~~~~tlantic Ocean within the boundary of North Carolina and all the waters 3 ~~~of the bays, sounds, rivers and tributaries thereto seaward of the dividing line between coastal fishing waters and inland fishing 3 ~~~waters, as set forth in an agreement adopted by the Wildlife Resources Commission and the Department of Natural Resources and Community I ~~~Development filed with the Secretary of State" (NCAC). * ~~~~Estuaries are among the most productive natural environments of North Carolina. They support the valuable commercial and sports 3 ~~~fisheries of the coastal area. Several species must spend all or some part of their life cycle in the estuarine waters to mature and repro- 3 ~~~duce. Of the ten leading species in the commercial catch, only one is not dependent upon the estuary. The estuarine circulation system is I ~~~also responsible for the high productivity levels. The circulation of 3 ~~~estuarine waters transports nutrients, propels plankton, spreads seed and flushes wastes from animal and plant life. It also mixes the water * ~~~to create a multitude of habitats. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~36 Figure 8 PROPERTIES IDENTIFIED AS HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN THE BELHAVEN AREA U ~~Helen Boyd House 103 Magnolia Street Belhaven Railroad Depot Corner Main and Haslin Streets I ~ ~(Future Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center) Belhaven City Hall NE Corner E. Main Street (Currently used as museum) and Allen Street Kirk-Bishop House 513 Front Street I ~~W. C. Credle House 310 West Main Street Bullock House 701 East Main Street Brooks House 304 West Main Street Trinity Methodist Church 335 East Main Street I ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Intersection W/Edward Street Topping House Lamont Street I ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Between Pungo and Latham Streets 3 ~~Captain Terrill House 512 Main Street St. James Episcopal Church 405 Main Street 3 ~~Oden-Boyd House 105 Magnolia Street Riddick House 409 Front Street I ~~Midgett House 414 Main Street 3 ~~Luckton House 325 Front Street Clark House 102 Front Street 3 ~~Belhaven Baptist Church Edward Street near JCT W/Front Street 3 ~~SOURCE. NRCD Division of Cultural Resources, 1985. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~32 3 ~~~~The management objective for this AEC is to safeguard and perpetu- ate its biological, socioeconomic and aesthetic values. Suitable land/water uses shall be consistent with the state guidelines. The estuarine shoreline is another AEC type found in the planning I ~~~area. Although the estuarine shoreline is characterized by dry land, 3 ~~~it is included as a component of the estuarine system because of the close association with adjacent estuarine waters. Estuarine waters are the non-ocean shorelines which are especially vulnerable to erosion, flooding or other adverse effects of wind and water and are intimately I ~~~connected to the estuary. This area extends from the mean high water * ~~~level or normal water level along the estuary for a distance of 75 feet landward. A~ll the property adjacent to the Pungo River as far west as 3 ~~~the breakwater is included in this AEC. Present land uses within the Town limits along the estuarine shoreline include dispersed residences I ~~~and a marina at the mouth of Battalina Creek. Outside the Town limits, the estuarine shoreline is virtually undeveloped. Because of the well-defined link between the shoreline and 3 ~~~the estuarine water, development within the estuarine shoreline has a direct influence on the quality of estuarine life. This AEC is * ~~~also subject to the damaging processes of shore front erosion and flooding. I ~~~~The management objective for this AEC is to ensure that shoreline 5 ~~~development is compatible with both the high damage potential from storms and the values of the estuarine system. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~33 3 ~~~~The NCAC states that, in terms of land use, the estuarine shore- line is the least restrictive of all AECs. All development in the AEC should not have a significant adverse impact an estuarine resources. The 1981 policy set by Belhaven regarding estuarine shoreline develop- I ~~~ment is to allow the types of development described in the NCA~C guide- 3 ~~~lines. This includes most forms of structures. A~ll building applica- tions in this 75 foot jurisdictional zone must be submitted to the NRCD Division of Coastal Management. The zoning ordinance has been rewrit- ten to accommodate these development types. I ~~~~Coastal wetlands, another defined A~EC, are found along the northern bank of Pantego Creek from the western edge of the planning area to the Haslin Street extension, and along the Pungo River on the 3 ~~~two peninsulas surrounding Tooley's Creek and the estuarine shoreline area along Lower Dowry Creek. Wetlands are defined as "any salt marsh I ~~~or other marsh subject to regular or occasional flooding by tides, including wind tides". The tide waters can reach the marshland through natural dr artificial water courses. The NCAC sets forth a list of - indicator plants for the designation of a wetland. The wetland environment is one of the most productive in the 3 ~~~estuarine system. Detritus (decayed plant material) and nutrients exported from the marshland support the estuary's food chain. The roots, rhizomes, stems and seeds in coastal wetlands act as the nursery 3 ~~~area and food source for many fish and shellfish species. In addition, wetlands act as the first line of defense in retarding estuarine 3 ~~~shoreline erosion. Marshlands also act as nutrient and sediment traps * ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3 4 by slowing the water which flows over them and causing suspended organic and inorganic particles to settle out. Pollutants and excess- ive nutrients are absorbed by the marsh plants, thus providing an inexpensive water treatment service. I ~~~~The NCAC states that the management objective for this A-EC * ~~~is to give highest priority to its protection and management so as to perpetuate its biological, socioeconomic and aesthetic values. It is also recommended to utilize wetlands as a natural resource which is essential to the functioning of the entire estuarine system. I ~~~~In terms of land use, coastal wetlands are the most restric- tive of all AECs. As with other AECs, all applications for development must be permitted with the NRCD Division of Coastal Management. The NCAC prohibits alteration of the marshes and other wetlands; fill material cannot be placed on the wetland to raise its elevation and 3 ~~~artificial drainage of the wetland is not allowed. Any activity which may disturb the functioning of the wetland will not be permitted. The management objective of the NCA~C is to protect the overall functioning of the wetland. Acceptable uses would be utility easements, fishing piers and docks. Several other natural areas in the Belhaven planning area are significant, but are not protected by any State or Federal regulations. I ~~~The NRCD Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), through many years of 3 ~~~research, has developed a list of wate r bodies in coastal North Carolina which are known spawning areas for juvenile fish species. These waters are called primary nursery areas (PN~s). They are not 35 considered AECs by the NCAC. According to DMF technicians, Tooley's Creek is a PNA. Pantego Creek and its tributaries are secondary nursery areas which serve as a habitat for more mature juvenile fish species. Major estuarine species found in these creeks are spot, croaker, menhaden, Southern flounder, blue crabs and brown shrimp (during periods of high salinity). Fresh water species found in these creeks are catfish, bullheads, white perch and pumpkinseed. Pantego Creek is not recognized by the DMF because of a jurisdictional discrep- ancy between DMF and the Wildlife Resources Commission. These nursery areas should be protected as potential resource areas because of their unique biological significance. Land uses adjacent to these nursery areas would directly impact the quality of the habitat for the fish species. Although not a natural system, the historical integrity of the Town also deserves special attention. A number of structures have been recognized for their historical value by the State Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History (Figure 8). The Belhaven Town Hall, the only structure in Town listed on the National Register, is currently under restoration by the Town. To preserve the historical integrity of these structures, new development adjacent to these sites should be in the same theme as the historic properties. The area is also rich in archaeological heritage, dating from both prehistoric and recent times. The ancient Town of Aquasogoc is shown on the historical record as being located at the headwaters of the Pungo River. This location could either be Belhaven or present-day I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~37 Scranton, but thus far, little evidence confirms either location as being the site of Aquasogoc. In addition, the NRCD Division of Cultural Resources (DCR) is currently investigating the historical significance of the submerged shipwrecks in Pantego Creek. Historical documents show that a Civil War era schooner was sunk by the northern gunboat, Delaware, in March of 1862 in Pantego Creek. A~ny CAMA~ permit requests in the Pantego Creek area may be subject to a survey by the Underwater Blranch of DCR. The Town acknowledges that these are an irreplaceable resource that should be protected and preserved. A~n I ~~~underwater investigation by DCR is encouraged to identify the relative importance of the wrecks offshore. A survey completed beforehand will prevent permit applicants from running into roadblocks during the * ~~~permit process. Areas which sustain remnant species are those places which I ~~~support endangered species of plants and animals. As of this writing, none of these areas are located w~ithin Belhaven's jurisdiction. Should any be designated, the Town will take all precautions to ensure the * ~~~safe reproduction of these species. I ~~~~REAS WITH RESOURCE POTENTIAL Although much of the land within the planning district is devel- oped, there may be certain areas where development should be discour- * ~~~aged because of man-made or physical hazards or because the area contains or effects a -developable natural resource. In Belhaven, the * ~~~most valuable resource areas are the soils which produce the highest * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~38 yield per acre and the surrounding surface waters that are critical for the fishing industry. Several sites covered by prime agricultural soils are found within the jurisdictional limits (Figure 9). The NRCD Division I ~~~of Soil and Water Conservation and the U.S. Soil Conservation Service I ~~~assisted in gathering information necessary to map these soils. The existing land use map shows that the two easternmost sites are curren- tly under agricultural production. The in-town site is currently developed as a residential area. The Town has weighed the importance I ~~~of productive farmland and has developed policy statements regarding its protection in the "Resource Production and Management Policies" section of this plan. The estuarine system offers several very unique resources which require careful management and protection. These include the coastal I ~~~wetlands, primary and secondary nursery areas and all surface waters. * ~~~Descriptions of their significance and locations are given in the preceding "Fragile Areas" section. As described earlier, the commer- cial fishing business is very important to the local economy. Preser- vation of. nursery areas and quality of the water is critical for the economic vitality of the Town. Land use decisions should reflect this high priority for managing development. to protect the estuarine system. Peat and phosphate deposits are located in the Belhaven planning area. Mining these areas, however, should not become an issue within I ~ ~~the next ten years. According to Dr. Lee Otte, an East Carolina University professor who is recognized as being the foremost expert on 39 Figure 9 LOCATION OF PRIME AGRICULTURAL SOILS * U. q. 2*, I, * As defined by the Soil Conservatioh Service .4 Submerged Vessel E Wetlands The preparation of this map was financed in part Surface Waters through a grant provided by the North Carolina Prime Agricultural Soil Coastal Management Program, through funds provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, which is administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~''�4 n~,r ~ I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4 1.i- 40 the location and mining resource potential of N.C. peat and phosphate deposits, the deposits within the planning area are not rich enough to justify their being mined. This does not preclude, however, the possibility of developing a energy-generating facility for the peat resources. Belhaven's proximity to current sites eyed for mining in Tyrrell and Washington counties would make it an attractive location for a peat-fired electrical plant. Peat and phosphate mining in other locations could significantly impact Belhaven's water resources, in particular. Policies on mining and siting electrical-genera- ting facilities in the planning area are included in the "Resource Production and Management" and "Economic and Community Development" sections of this plan. I,~?� - ;�, * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~41 CONSTRAINTSi CAPACITY OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES Introduction I ~~~~~Development is often encouraged because of the increased tax base it brings. Eventually, however, the local government must spend some of its tax dollars to upgrade and expand the existing facilities to accommodate such growth. The land use planning process allows Town officials to assess development trends and analyze the requirements I ~~~~placed on the community facilities. The following section discusses the existing conditions of the water and wastewater systems, solid waste collection and treatment facilities, schools and roads. Water and Sewer Systems The Town of Belhaven operates municipal water and wastewater systems for customers within the Town limits. Nearly all residents are tied into the systems. The water system serves about 93 percent of the Town and the wastewater treatment facility serves 95 percent of the area's residents. The water system is designed for a capacity of 5049000 gallons per day. It consists of two wells. This system is currently used at less I ~~~than 73 percent of its capacity. For the purposes of this plan, an estimate of the average usage rate is measured. This is calculated by the total gallons being used daily based on the number of people living in the area which use the system. Given these values, theoretically, the current usage rate allocates 147 gallons per day per person. Given I ~~~these hypothetical usage rates, an additional 925 persons could be added on to the system before it would reach its design capacity. Any I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~42 peak load brought on by a population surge could easily be accommodated with the existing facilities. Additional residential, commercial and normal industrial growth could occur without causing any stress on the system, providing that no more than the equivalent of 925 persons are I ~~~added. Industry which uses an abnormally high volume of water, such as a mining operation or chicken processing plant, could create a supply problem for the town. The Town sewer system is operating at less than 70 percent of its intended capacity. It is designed for a capacity of one half a million I ~~~gallons per day (mgd). During peak times, the flow rate becomes 955,000 gallons, or nearly two times the design capacity. In 1978, a moratorium was placed on additional sewer pipe hook-ups to the system which states that no additional sewage lines can be laid to accommodate development. This has had a tremendous impact an the amount of growth I ~~~that has been able to occur in Town. Industrial recruitment has been severely limited by this moratorium. As stated in the "Plans, Policies and Regulations" section of this plan, the Town is currently involved in a 201 Facilities program to upgrade the system. Funding has been granted for the project in FY '86. The Town has not met effluent requirements for an extended period of time, but it is expected that the treatment facility will be in compliance by July 1, 1988. Until I ~~~upgrading is completed, no additional pipe hook-ups can be made. Solid Waste Collection and Police and Fire Protection The Belhaven Sanitation Department provides garbage collection within the Town limits. Collection takes place twice a week for both I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~43 residential and commercial customers. The refuse is deposited at the County landfill at Whitepost, near Bath. All in-town residents pay for service and customers located'~an the fringes can be served at a higher fee than in-town customers. Police service is provided for all persons located within the planning area. The police force consists of 14 persons and three squad cars. Twenty-four hour patrolling is limited to in-town locations * ~~~~only. The Belhaven Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad is manned by 30 volunteers. Its Fire District area is bounded by the Walter B. Jones Bridge in Hyde County, Smithton, and the Cuckold's Creek bridge I ~~~near Pantego. The rescue squad service area extends beyond the Fire District area by several miles. Agreements with nearby towns are designed to increase the fire fighting manpower in the event of a major disaster. The Town operates a tanker, three pumpers and an equipment van plus two ambulances. * ~~~~Schools The school facilities are very important in any community. Belhaven Elementary School, Beaufort County Elementary School, Pantego Junior High School and J.A. Wilkinson High School serve the area. Only I ~~~Belhaven Elementary School and J.A. Wilkinson High School are located in the Town. The Town also has a private school for grades Pre-Kinder- garten through 12. The Pungo Christian Academy is located in the * ~~~~western portion of the Town limits. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~44 Belhaven Elementary School, originally constructed in 1937, is I ~~~~operating at about 98 percent of its capacity (Figure 10). The school's pupil/teacher ratio is somewhat high, reflecting the crowded conditions. If the school age population should increase, the children from Belhaven Elementary School could be accommodated at Beaufort County Elementary School. It is operating at only 67 percent of its I ~~~~capacity. The junior high school is operating at nearly 50 percent of * ~~~~its capacity. Because of the demand projections and current overcrowding situations tentative Beaufort County Schools plans call for the reorganization of the local elementary, junior high and high schools. I ~~~~The elementary school's will be responsible for grades K-5 instead of K-6 as they are presently. J.A. Wilkinson High School, currently operating at 95 percent capacity, will become a junior high facility and will house sixth, seventh and eighth graders. As a result, Pantego Junior High School will be closed. A new high school constructed in I ~~~~Yeatesville, will have a capacity of 800 students. It will incorporate students from Bath, Pinetown, Belhaven and Pantego. The County School Superintendent's office anticipates growth in the demand for public school facilities. According to Superintendent Clifton Toler$ the growth will result from a spill-over from area private schools. I ~~~~Some private schools are losing enrollment and the public schools are taking in their former students. This is causing an overall growth in the population attending public schools. The reorganization plans should be carried out by 1990. Figure 10 BELHAVEN AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES PUPIL/ 1985-1986 PERCENT TEACHER TEACHER GRADE YEAR BUILT SCHOOL CAPACITY ENROLLMENT UTILIZATION ALLOTMENT RATIO TAUGHT PLUS ADDITIONS J. A. Wilkinson High School 475 452 95 30 1:15 9-12 1938, 1952 Belhaven Elementary School 525 516 98 28 1:18 K-6 1937, 1953, 1976 Pantego Jr. High School 400 209 52 14 1:15 7-8 1926 Beaufort County Elementary School 350 236 67 15 1:15.7 K-6 1936, 1953, 1954 SOURCE: Beaufort County School Superintendent, 1985. PRIVATE SCHOOL FACILITY Pungo Christian Academy 300 220 73 15 1:14.7 Pre- 1970, 1971, K-12 1975, 1977 Source: Pungo Christian Academy Staff UP * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~46 Roads U ~~~~~The road system in Town is currently sufficient for any traffic peaks which may occur. The N. C. Department of Transportation District Engineer estimates that no road in the planning area is used at more than 50 percent of its capacity. A~ny additional growth could easily be accommodated by the present road system. The Town of Belhaven is I ~~~~responsible for minor improvements to the roads in Town. There are no major improvements planned for this area according to the NC Department of Transportation Transportation Improvements Proqram 1986-1995. Some secondary roads will be resurfaced under the DOT priority system, but there will be no additional improvements made to the local roads. * ~~~~Medical Facilities The Town has a full service 47 bed hospital equipped with emer- gency room facilities. The Pungo District Hospital is served by four doctors and two dentists with local medical practices, as well as I ~~~~being equipped with a full regulation emergency heliport. A branch of the Mattamuskeet Medical Cli'nic is also located in the Town limits. Other medical specialists serve the Town on a regular basis, including * ~~~~four pharmacies. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~47 ESTIMATED DEMAND Population and Economy Population trends in Beaufort County have shown the population increasing at a modest rate since 1970. Historically, this has also been the trend for Belhaven (Figure 2). It is anticipated that this trend will continue in the next ,ten years (Figure 11). The population is expected to approach 2,591 by the year 1990. By 1995, it is projected that the Town will gain 84 more persons, bringing the total to 2,675 persons. It is expected that the Town can accommodate this growth after the problems associated with the wastewater treatment are corrected. Until then, no piping additions can be made to the existing system and only limited growth can occur. The target date for comple- tion of the 201 upgrading plan is July 1, 1988. When corrected, the water and wastewater systems could adequately accommodate the popula- tion change as both systems are used at less than 75 percent of their design capacity. The road system would also be able to service this potential population growth. A~ population surge in school age children could be accommodated by the new restructuring of the school facilities. Within the Town limits, there may be strains on the land brought on by this growth. There is currently only a small amount of open space that could be converted to residential uses. Given the average 2.8 persons per household calculated by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, an additional 65 dwelling units would need to be constructed to accommodate the growth projected by 1995. Sites for these dwellings are very limited. 48 Figure 11 POPULATION PROJECTIONS BELHAVEN AND BEAUFORT COUNTY 1984 - 1995 1984x 1990* 1995* Belhaven 2,494 2,591 2,675 Beaufort County 43,818 45,404 47,645 * Belhaven projections made by Mid-East Commission, 1985. x Municipal and County estimates provided by the N. C. Department of Administration, 1985. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~49 Future industrial growth may be constrained by the limited amount of industrial land available. The only sites available for industrial development are in the existing areas zoned for manufacturing. CAMA permits might also prevent industrial expansion in some areas. To work toward solving the problems associated with land availability, the Town should complete an annexation feasibility study. Additional land may need to be obtained to accommodate the projected growth. Summary The Blelhaven population is expected to increase moderately through the year 1995. The water, school and road systems could adequately I ~~~~accommodate the anticipated growth. The problems associated with the wastewater treatment facility must be resolved prior to any growth occurring. Currently, a limited number of users can be added to the system without laying additional piping. The 201 Facilities Project was recently funded and should improve capacity and effluent conditions I ~~~~in the wastewater treatment system. Based on current population projections, an additional 65 dwelling units will be required to house expected population increases. Given existing land use, the Town can easily accommodate such development. However, should population growth exceed current projections, more land may be needed to accommodate new develoment. To that end, an * ~~~annexation feasibility study is recommended to learn more about acquiring additional open space for residential and commercial develop- * ~~~~ment. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~50 REVIEW OF 1981 POLICY STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS During their October 1985 meeting, the Coastal Resources Commis- sion reviewed a land use plan update which included a systematic analysis of all its 1980 policies as an introduction to their 1985 I ~~~land use plan update. This analysis included an assessment of the effectiveness of the 1980 goals and a discussion of actions and activities used to implement these policies and goals. This "score- card" approach gave the local government an opportunity to reflect on how it achieved its previous goals as a beginning step to formulating I ~~~new policies. it also provided the opportunity to evaluate the I ~~~strengths and weaknesses of the previous policies. It was recommended that all 1986 plan updates adopt this "scorecard" approach to policy * ~~~evaluation. The following section includes an evaluation of the policies I ~~~addressed in the 1981 Belhaven Land Use Plan Update. The Planning Board critiqued the 1981 policies at one of its earliest meetings. Each policy was analyzed for its content, means of enforcement, and 3 ~~~implementation strategy effectiveness. In a "checklist" format, each implementation procedure was reviewed to see how well each goal had been carried out since its forma~tion. In addition to providing an outlet for evaluating accomplishments I ~~~since 1981, this proved to be an effective method for reflecting on the substance of each policy. The Planning Board members were asked to provide a grade on the substance and effectiveness of the 1981 poli- cies. The board gave Belhaven a "B". Most Planning Board-members felt that the policy statements were well thought out, but the imple- 51 mentation methods had not been fully carried out. Most of the Town's goals had not been attained. The following section outlines the policies for each major issue in the plan and describes the deficien- cies found by the Planning Board. RESOURCE PROTECTION Listed below are condensed versions of the policies and implemen- tation strategies regarding Resource Protection in the 1981 plan. The symbol ** indicates that the implementation strategies were not completely carried out. 1981 Policies and Implementation Strateoies 1. Allow a less restrictive set of uses in the coastal wetland AEC than those recommended by NCAC Subchapter 7H if the proper CAMA permits are granted. ** a. Make revisions in the zoning ordinance to allow for the above uses. 2. Limit the allowable uses for the estuarine shoreline AEC to those listed in NCAC Subchapter 7H. ** a. Make revisions in the zoning ordinance to allow for the above uses. 3. Allow a less restrictive set of uses in the public trust waters AEC than listed in Subchapter 7H. ** a. Make revisions in the zoning ordinance to allow for the above uses. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~52 2. Support hurricane evacuation efforts. a. Will participate in the County's Hurricane Evacuation Plan for threatened areas. 3. Will support flood insurance programs. I ~~~~~~~a. Will use zoning and building codes to ensure that the Town is in compliance with the Federal Flood Insurance Program. 4. Support development of an historic district. **a. By 1981, prepare a draft historic district zoning ordinance. I ~~~ ~~~b. If necessary, seek Community Development Block Grant funds to maintain public services and structural soundness to the homes in the area of the historic district. c. Discourage eastward spread of industrial and commer- cial uses to maintain the theme of the historic structures. I ~~~~~~5. Develop a plIan to construct a dike. * ~~~ ~~~a. Seek funds for a Corps of Engineers-sponsored dike plan. 6. Support State efforts to preserve underwater archaeolog- ical artifacts. ** a. Inform local permit officer about the state's interest in preserving offshore, submerged archaeological artifacts. Nearly all the above policies had been successfully followed * ~~~through by means of the implementation procedures decided upon. The Board felt, however, that although the policies were strong and good, all the issues required by the CAMA guidelines were not adequately discussed. Issues such as the availability of safe drinking I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~53 water, marinas, and physical constraints to development were not addressed. The Board was pleased that extracurricular efforts, such as the feasibility study for the dike, had been completed. It was decided that the policies formulated in the 1986 plan would be selected and I ~~~enforced only with existing regulations and policies adopted by the Town. Additional efforts- are often too much to expect without the assistance of a full-time professional planning staff for the Town of Belhaven. I ~~~RESOURCE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT 1981 Policies and Implementation Strateqies 1. Restrict open-pit mining activities to areas classified * ~~~as "rural" on the land classification map. a. Utilize -land classification map, zoning tool, I ~~~and utilities extension polic ies to restrict location of mining activities. 2. Encourage agricultural production. * ~~~ ~~~a. Encourage agricultural production through the land classification map, the zoning ordinance, and the utilities * ~~~extension policies. 3. Work toward maintaining the vitality of the commercial fishing industry. a. Provide dredging and support services. **b. Sponsor community forum to identify problems, * ~~~consider alternatives and generate interest in designing solutions to the fishing industry's space problems. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~54 The Planning Board felt that while the above policies were good, the means for their support were not as strong as they could have been. Not all issues required under the CAMA Land Use Planning Guidelines had been discussed. Also, in light of the heated debates I ~~~over peat mining in the Pungo River watershed, there were no policies U ~~~which directly related to the proposed mining activities. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 1981 Policies and Implementation Strateaies I ~~~ ~~1. Encourage fishing, agricultural and forestry-rela- U ~~~ted industries along the waterfront east of Highway 99, west of Hwy. 99, and inland along Highway 264. ** a. Request the Economic Development Administration to assist in identifying specific industries suited to the sites I ~~~listed above. * ~~~~~~2. Priorities for providing services: First to developed and transition areas in Town and second priority is to areas outside * ~~~the Town limits. a. Town Board will conduct survey to determine feasibililty of water and sewer expansion for every request. 3. Encourage development around the downtown business area. Strive for high density growth in the downtown, low density out of downtown. a. Study the feasibility of applying for Economic 3 ~~~Development grant funds to the downtown areas. I ~~~~~4. Support control of erosion along water. a. Will request technical assistance from the Corps of Engineers to reclaim eroded areas by filling them. b. Will request technical assistance in designing I ~~~stabilization measures for erosion-prone areas. 5. Support Corps of Engineers programs for channel mainten- ance. a. Assist in identifying sites for borrow and spoil material for maintaining channel depth. I ~~~~~6. Support the tourism industry. 3 ** ~~~~~a. Prepare a written history of the Town in advance of establishing a walking tour. **b. Establish an historic district to increase tourism. **C. Increase vistas between downtown and the waterfront. 7. The Town chose not to take a policy on the siting of * ~~~energy-generating facilities. 8. Promote industrial growth to the point where it does not have a negative impact on the environment. Of the policies listed above, the implementation strategies regarding tourism were not carried out. There were no policy state- ments on the inadequacy of the wastewater treatment facility, and its I ~~~problems during periods of high rain. Again, several key issues required in the CAMA~ guidelines were not addressed. The Board felt that the 1981 update was an excellent effort. I ~ ~~Due largely to the extra five years of experience, they agreed that the 1986 plan would show continued improvement. ISSUES AND POLICY STATEMENTS The formulation of specific policy statements regarding growth 3 ~~~and. growth management objectives is probably the most important contribution of this land use plan update. The evaluation of the I ~~~present population conditions, the condition of the land and water 3 ~~~resources in the Belhaven planning area, and the existing methods of policy enforcement sometimes suggests the need to modify policy to * ~~~accommodate changes in local conditions. The Coastal Resources Commission requires that policies be I ~~~addressed in five categories: * ~~~~~~~~~Resource Protection Resource Production and Management 3 ~~~~~~~~~Economic and Community Development Citizen Participation I ~~~~~~~~~Storm Hazard Mitigation 3 ~~~~Each policy category is intended to cover all issues associ- ated with growth for the Town in the coming years. The guidelines were 3 ~~~prepared to accommodate a wide range of conditions found in communities in coastal North Carolina. Because of this, not all issues addressed 3 ~~~by the guidelines are directly applicable to Belhaven. Policy statements in this section reflect recommendations from I ~~~Town staff and the planning consultants, input from citizens, and 3 ~~~experience of the Planning Board.'-in judging what is best for the future of Belhaven. These statements define the problem or issue, possible 3 ~~~alternatives for action, the selected alternatives), and the means of I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~57 implementing and enforcing the chosen alternative. It must be noted that some issues are of such great importance that only one policy alternative exists. In other cases, several courses of action are possible. The following section represents the Town's best effort to guide development in the planning area. RESOURCE PROTECTION Belhaven recognizes the need to protect its natural and cultural resources. It is understood that these are an irreplaceable asset I ~~~which require protection. Often, these resources represent an economic return to the area's residents through their exploitation. It is in the best interest of all citizens of eastern North Carolina that these * ~~~resources be protected and managed to their highest potential. The natural and cultural resources of the Belhaven area have I ~~~been identified in the Constraints to Develcoment: Land Suitability section of this plan. The Town of Belhaven is intimately familiar with, the water quality problems associated with the Pamlico and Pungo Rivers and their tributaries. As an upstream user, Bel haven recognizes its contribution to the pollution problems of the Pamlico-Pungo system. As I ~~~a result of this, the Town will work to mitigate any problem which contributes to the degradation of water quality in the Pamlico water- shed provided that the proposed solution does not interfere with * ~~~acceptable methods of development within the Town. Belhaven feels that it is in a favorable position for growth, I ~~~particularly industrial development, and does not want any policies in place which might inhibit growth in any way. While the Town does not I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~58 want development to occur at the expense of the natural system, it is felt that development should not be impaired by the characteristics of the natural system. The Planning Board worked hard to develop policies which would best reflect the Town's position. In any case, all I ~~~development in town must comply with the policies listed below. The following section details the issues concerned with development and the relationship with the ecosystem. DEVELOPMENT IN AREA~S WITH CONSTRAINTS I ~~~~The constraints to development in Belhaven were discussed in the preceding section and relate to both physical constraints associated with the natural surroundings and the capacities of community facili- ties and infrastructure. Physical constraints include man-made fuel storage areas, high hazard flood-~:zones, and areas with soil limitations I ~~~for the safe placement of septic tanks. The sawdust pile near the old * ~~~mill an the waterfront is also a hazard to development. All of the soils in the Belhaven planning area are poorly suited for the safe placement of septic tanks. The organic soils in the region also sometimes present subsidence problems for foundations. The * ~~~Town recognizes the importance of safe septic tank placement to prevent groundwater, surface water, and well contamination and also realizes U ~~~its inability to change or correct the characteristics of the soil. * ~~~~Fuel storage facilities are located along the By-Pass and Business routes of Highway 264. The Town acknowledges that any adjacent * ~~~development would be subject to fire risk from a possible ignition of flammable materials and well contamination from tank seepage. The I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~59 sawdust pile is also a dangerous fire hazard. Any construction in the vicinity of these hazards should be designed to withstand the potential risks associated with them. According to the Federal Flood Insurance Program, the entire I ~~~planning area is located in a high hazard flood zone. Water from the * ~~~100-year flood would inundate the entire planning area (Figure 6). Since the entire town is subject to flooding, it is not realistic to prohibit development in fIloodprone areas. The Flood Prevention Ordinance divides the Town into two flood districts based on eleva- I ~~~tions. It requires all development to be situated at least eight or * ~~~nine feet above sea level (depending upon the location in town) to qualify for flood insurance. This often requires development to be located on pilings or on fill material that has been piled to eleva- tions above eight feet. I ~~~Policy Alternatives * ~~~~Possible policy alternatives for growth management and development in areas with identified constraints include 1. Discourage major developments such as residential subdivi- sions and industry from locating in highest risk areas for flooding by I ~~~denying new water and sewer connections. 2. Develop and adopt additional regulations in the flood damage prevention ordinance and the zoning ordinance to regulate or * ~~~prohibit all development in areas with physical constraints. 3. Permit development in areas with physical constraints, utilizing current state, federal and local regulatory processes, i.e., I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~60 CAMA, flood insurance, subdivision regulations and Corps of Engineers 404 permitting system. 4. Encourage public education for landowners to learn about soil conditions and flood risks in the planning area. I ~~~Policy Choices and Implementatiop Stratecjies Belhaven adopts the following policies regarding development in areas with constraints: 1. Belhaven recognizes the inevitability of some development occurring in high hazard flood areas due to the prevalence of flood- I ~~~prone land in the area. Therefore, the Town will continue to partici- pate in the Federal Flood Insurance Program and promote enforcement through the Town Building Inspection Program. All proposed development * ~~~must abide by the regulations set forth in the Flood Prevention Ordinance. I ~~~~~2. The Town recognizes its inability to change the condition of the soils to accommodate development. As an optimal solution, the Town would like to develop a long-range plan to extend sewer lines to all development within the one mile extraterritorial limit located on soils unsuitable for septic tanks. This is currently impossible because of the limitations of the sewage treatment plant. The waste- water treatment facility is currently in the first phase of a 201 Facilities Plan to upgrade the system. It is expected that within two years, additional sewer lines can be laid and several more customers can be accommodated. For the present, the Town has decided to continue to support the decisions of the County Health Department on septic tank placement. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~61 Belhaven will continue to support the County Building Regulations which regulate where construction can occur based an soil characteristics. 3. The Town will work with potential developers in deciding the optimal sites for construction. Belhaven will utilize the Beaufort I ~~~County Soil Survey in deciding the best sites for development in the Town. The zoning ordinance will also regulate the location of all land uses within the one mile planning area. AEC DEVELOPMENT Belhaven rcgiethtthe primary concern of the Coastal I ~~~Resources Commission is to protect our coastal resources, especi- ally the Areas of Environmental Concern. The Town shares this concern for the protection and sound management of these environmentally sensitive lands and waters. The AECs in the Belhaven planning area I ~~~were described in the Constraints to Development section and include the estuary, the estuarine shoreline, public trust waters and coastal wetlands. * ~~~~The commercial fishing industry is an important component of the Belhaven economy. The vitality of this industry depends upon the I ~~~quality of the estuary. In order to remain one of the top seafood producers in North Carolina, Belhaven must protect its primary re- source, the estuarine waters, which produce most of the Town's wealth. The Town recognizes that development may jeopardize this resource, but feels it cannot afford to restrict growth. In order to strengthen the economy and provide jobs for the unemployed, Belhaven would like to 62 encourage development, providing that it does not violate the State's objectives for the protection of the natural resources. Belhaven shares the state's policy and management 'objective for the estuarine system "to give the highest priority to the protec- tion and coordinated management of these areas so as to safeguard and perpetuate their biological, social, economic and aesthetic values and to ensure that development occurring within these AECs is compatible with natural characteristics so as to minimize the likelihood of significant loss of private property and public resources" (15 NCAC 7H. 0203). In accordance with this overall objective, Belhaven will permit those land uses which conform to the general use standards of the North Carolina Administrative Code (15 NCAC ?H) for development within the estuarine system. The Town has no intention for further restricting the types of land uses permitted near the AECs. Policy Alternatives The Town's policy alternatives for development in AECs are: 1. Continue to utilize the NCAC guidelines for permittable uses in AECs. 2. Prohibit all development in AECs. 3. Establish a 75-foot conservation buffer zone from water or marsh's edge where no development shall be permitted. Classify this area as "Conservation" according to Land Classification system. 4. Create disincentives for development in AECs. 63 Policy Choices 1. The Town of Belhaven has decided to continue to utilize the current system along with Federal and State permit and review processes, i.e. CAMA and Dredge and Fill. 2. Belhaven will continue to conform with state guidelines for allowable uses in AECs and will list these as appropriate uses in the zoning ordinance. 3. The Town will allow development in the AECs provided that the development does not violate natural barriers for erosion, significantly interfere with the public's use of navigable waters, or have a substantial chance of causing pollution to the AEC as determined by the NRCD Division of Environmental Management. Implementation Stratenies 1. Current State and Federal permit and review processes will be employed to determine viable development types in AECs. 2. The land classification system will restrict development within each class. 3. Development will be controlled by the Town's zoning ordinance. OTHER FRAGILE AREAS AND AECS In addition to the AECs, other fragile areas in Belhaven warrant special considerations. These include the undesignated primary nursery areas; the archaeological sites and historic structures identified by the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, and historic structures on the National Reoister of Historic Places. 64 The nursery areas in the Pungo River and its tributaries are critical for the full development of several species of fish. Pantego Creek, Battalina Creek and Tooley's Creek function as nursery areas. Protection of these nursery areas is important for supporting the Belhaven economy, but the Town considers nursery area protection within the planning area to be of lower priority than economic development. The site of Aquascogoc, a prehistoric Indian village identified on a 1585 map, may be located in the Belhaven planning area. The map places it near the head of the Pungo River estuary. This location could be present-day Scranton, in Hyde County, or Belhaven. In addition, eight charted wrecks in the planning area may be archaeolog- ically significant, but no survey has yet been conducted. The Belhaven Town Hall has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its unique architectural style. The NC Department of Cultural Resources makes the following recommendations for management of historic and prehistoric sites: "Effective treatment of known or discovered archaeo- logical sites may be accomplished through survey, mitigative recovery of significant data, avoidance or preservation in place. Efforts will also be made to provide recognition and protection through such means as the National Register of Historic Places, if appropriate, and through adherence to regulatory programs administered by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History". * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~65 The Town recognizes the historical and scientific importance of archaeological sites and is committed to preserving the valuable information they may contain. BEilhaven understands that its historical integrity is a part of its heritage. Efforts should be taken to I ~~~preserve the structures which represent the Town's history. Policy A~lternatives As with the AECs, these fragile areas are of such importance that no reasonable alternatives exist but to offer protection. Varying I ~~~degrees of protection are reflected by these policy alternatives: * ~~~ ~~1. Prohibit development over archaeological sites listed by NC Department of Cultural Resources. 2. A~cknowledge that nursery areas are critical to the local economy and work to limit runoff into them. I ~~~ ~~3. Develop a program of "donating" historic properties * ~~~to the Town and work to set up an historic district. 4. Discourage development in all fragile areas. * ~~~Policy Choices 1. If an archaeological site is identified, a thorough investigation must be conducted by N.C. Department of Cultural Re- sources before any building permit is granted. I ~~~~~2. Encourage preservation of historic sites. 3. Utilizing the Division of Coastal Management, protect all nursery areas to the extent that it does not interfere with * ~~~acceptable methods of development outlined under the Town's land classification and zoning regulations. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~66 4. Review existing subdivision regulations to ensure regulations offer sufficient protection to historic and archaeological * ~~~resources. Implementation Stratecijes 1 ~~~ ~~1. Work with building permits officer to require thorough investigation of site before permit is granted. 2. Support of the Historic Preservation Committee and Downtown Redevelopment Commission if established. I ~~~HURRICANE AND FLOOD EVACUAT ION NEEDS The policy statements regarding Hurricane and Flood Evacua- tion Needs are addressed in the Storm Hazard Mitination and Post-Dis- aster Reconstruction section of this plan. I ~~~PROTECTION OF POTABLE WATER The availability of potable water is a critical concern in the Belhaven region because of the large drawdown resulting from nearby phosphate mining operations. Beaufort County is included in a state groundwater management region called the Capacity Use Area. Recently, * ~~~there has been discussion among legislators and community leaders about the possibility of constructing a pipeline to transport mined water from the Texasgulf site to the Virginia Beach area. Large groundwater withdrawals in Southern Virginia are also affecting groundwater supplies in Northeastern N.C. These factors may one day jeopar- dize the supply for the Belhaven area. In this issue, there are I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~67 no alternatives other than protection of groundwater for the future. The Town recognizes the importance of the limited regional supply of groundwater and the need for its protection. I Policy Choice Support state efforts to manage groundwater withdrawals in the Capacity Use Area. 2. Encourage Mayor and Town Manager to keep informed about the availability and quality of water from the Yorktown forma- I ~~~tion. 3. Discourage development of a pipeline or other system which exports water from the Belhaven area thereby endangering the limited available supply for all of Beaufort County. Imnlementation Stratecjies I ~~~~~1. Continue to support Division of Environmental Management I ~~~Groundwater Section efforts to protect water in Capacity Use A~rea. USE OF SEPTIC TA~NKS Soils are largely unsatisfactory for the safe placement of I ~~~septic tanks in the planning area. Most soils are too wet. Unless care is exercised, this could present problems for the health and safety of area residents. Unsatisfactory performance of soils around septic tanks could contaminate groundwater wells. The Town recognizes that it has no power over the soils: they cannot be altered in any way I ~~~to improve their efficiency. Also, all septic tank requests are I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~68 reviewed by the County Health Department, not the Town. Because of these restrictions, little can be done about policy for septic tank I ~~~placement. The optimal solution is to eliminate the need for individ- ual treatment systems by giving all area residents access to the municipal wastewater treatment plant. This must be a long-range plan because of the current limitations on laying sewage pipes imposed by the Division of Environmental Management. Within two years, the Town expects to have the potential to accommodate a signifi- cantly larger number of customers. I ~~~Policy Choices * ~~~~~1. Work on a long-range plan to extend sewer lines to all developed areas within the one-mile jurisdictional limit. 2. Where use of septic tanks is unavoidable, town supports implementation of techniques to improve the efficiency of septic tanks, I ~~~such as mound and waterless systems or other innovative technologies * ~~~which gain approval of state and county environmental and public health authorities. 3. A~s a minimum, any septic tank installation applica- tion must meet State and County regulations. I ~~~ ~~4. Encourage that everyone in "developed" zones hook up to town's wastewater treatment facility, providing that it is capable of handling the additional. * ~~~~~5. Improve the capacity and efficiency of the Town sewage treatment plant. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~69 Implementation Stratenies 1. Enforcement will remain the responsibility of the County Health Department, which grants permits for septic tanks, and the Building Inspector. I ~~~ ~~2. Continue to work with Division of Environmental Manage- ment to improve wastewater treatment facility. 3. Apply for any new sources of funding for wastewater treatment system improvement which may become available. I ~~~STORM WATER RUNOFF Non-point source poll ution is considered a major problem for the Town of Belhaven. *Non-point pollution refers to pollutants that are washed into surface waters during a rainstorm. The amount of fertilizers, pesticides, organic wastes, metals, oil contaminants and litter which eventually enters the river system is increased signifi- cantly by a heavy rain. Agricultural runoff typically contributes a significant portion to the nutrient load of the river, thereby creating conditions most li kely to result in algae blooms, low dissolved oxygen, and associated fish kills. Storm water runoff contributes to the many water quality problems discussed by commercial fishermen and recrea- tional boaters in the area. Several days after a heavy rainfall, I ~~~a fish kill frequently occurs. Blame for the kill can be largely placed on the bottom water anoxia resulting from storm water runoff which enters the creeks and rivers after a rain. Treatment for * ~~~non-point pollution can cost millions of dollars or be relatively I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~70 inexpensive. An effective, but costly method of mitigation is to route storm water runoff through the wastewater treatment facility. This I ~~~option often overtaxes the system during a serious rainfall and reduces its efficiency. Less expensive measures can be taken. The marshes and other wetlands located along the river offer a water filtering 3 ~~~system that works naturally to sift out or uptake many pollutants before they can enter the creek system. In addition, a good street * ~~~cleaning system can significantly cut down on the amount of pollutants entering the river. I ~~~~Because of the importance of the fishing industry in Belhaven, the * ~~~Town has no real policy options except to work to mitigate storm water runoff. Because of the limited amount of funds available for this I ~ ~~issue, the Town has decided to work to solve this problem by utilizing the natural system for passive control of non-point pollution. I ~~~Policy Choices * ~~~ ~~1. Encourage the use of permeable surface materials and development and maintenance of riparian vegetation throughout the planning area. 2. Development adjacent to A~EC must be designed so that I ~~~runoff will not violate water quality standards. 3. Implement street cleaning system to improve the appear- ance of Town and to try to limit the amount of pollutants which can * ~~~enter surface waters. Imolementation Strateaies 3 ~~~~~1. Continue to employ efforts of CAMA permitting system and Corps of Engineers 404 permitting in determining development types I ~~~which do not violate water quality. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~71 2. Work with property owners to encourage utilization of permeable paving materials for parking lots and other facilities which require large amounts of paving. I 3. Development in Conservation zone will be reviewed I ~~~on a case-by-case basis by the Planning Board. 3 ~~~ ~~4. Regulate land uses within estuarine shoreline AEC and "Conservation" land classification (for description of land uses, see definition of "Conservation" in Land Classification System section of this plan). MARINA AND FLOATING HOME DEVELOPMENT Marinas are an important convenience for boaters. They often generate revenue through slip rental, repairs and gasoline sales. But marinas are known to degrade the water in which they are located. Belhaven currently has several commercial marina facilities on Pantego Creek, plus a publicly-owned boat ramp. Floating homes are currently I ~~~not a problem for the planning area. 3 ~~~Policy Alternatives 1. Encourage the development of marinas and floating 3 ~~~homes. 2. Discourage the development of marinas and location I ~~~of floating homes in light of their contribution to water quality * ~~~degradation. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~72 Policy Choices 1. Allow marinas and floating homes, but encourage their 3 ~~location, design and size to ~.prevent violation of water quality standards and the integrity of coastal wetlands as determined by Division of Environmental Management officials. 3 ~~~Imolementation Stratepies 1. Continue working with CAMA permitting system in regula- * ~~~ting siting of marinas. 2. The Planning Board will examine each marina development I ~~~request on a case-by-case basis. 3. Work toward a revision of the zoning ordinance reflect- ing this policy statement. INDUSTRIAL IMPACTS AROUND FRAGILE AREAS I ~~~~The policies above address development of all types in and around fragile areas. Because of the Town's location on the Pungo River and its tributaries and its low elevation, nearly all locations zoned for industry might negatively impact the environment. There is currently a very small amount of land in town available for industrial I ~~development. Most of this land is located along the waterfront, * ~~~thereby contributing to the possibility of destruction to the fragile areas. 3 ~~~~The Town recognizes the importance of its natural and cultural resources, but the Town has an immediate need for economic growth. Belhaven would like to encourage all types of industry in the area and I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~73 does not want to have policies in place which may discourage industry in any way. The Town encourages all types of industry to consider I ~~~locating in Belhaven and each request will be reviewed on an individual basis by the Planning Board. Policy Choices 1. Industrial growth will be encouraged in lands currently zoned for industry. The Town will encourage water-dependent uses to locate at the waterfront, at the same time encouraging uses not water-oriented to locate in industrial zones away from the waterfront area. If no alternative location is available, development may be permitted in fragile areas, pending case-by-case approval by the Zoning Board of Adjustments. Implementation Strateciies 1. Continued support of CAMA and 404 permitting systems, Building Inspector and Town Building Requirements. * ~~~ ~~2. Town will consider expanding/reclassifying industrial areas. * ~~~~~3. The Town will consider permitting the use of package treatment plants on a case-by-case after consultation with county I ~~~health officials and state environmental officials. * ~~~~~4. Revise the zoning ordinance so that Planning Board review and comment is required before special permits for industrial * ~~~uses are issued. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~74 * ~~~~~~~RESOURCE PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT Appropriate management of productive resources is very important to any locality. In most cases, the productive resources are intri- cately tied into the economic fabric of the area. It is, therefore, I ~~~wise to manage these resources to the best of their productivity and to ensure their existence for future generations. The major productive resources in Belhaven are related to agriculture, mining and commercial and recreational fisheries. Commercial forestry, while important in the surrounding region) is not an important industry within the I ~~~Belhaven planning area, as no commercially-owned forest areas exist in the planning area. No policy statements regarding forestry were needed. PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL LAND I ~~~~~griculture, as discussed in the Existincj Condition section of this plan, is an important component of the local economy. Farming brings in a large amount of income to the area through the actual sale 3 ~~~of farm commodities, farm supplies and equipment. A large portion of the planning area is currently or has been *under cultivation. The Sail 3 ~~Conservation Service has identified and mapped the soils in the planning area which are considered to be some of the best in the county for agricultural productivity (Figure 9). These soils occupy a very 3 ~~~small pocket of land in the planning area. In policy, the Town could opt to conserve these farm soils for future use by restricting any development from occurring on them. Belhaven realizes how important agriculture is to the economy, I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~75 but feels that any type of development should take precedence over this small amount of farmland. Soils which are best suited to farming are typically well-drained and compatible with septic tank usage. If any development is proposed for these tracts of prime agricultural land, I ~~~the Town does not want to restrict development in any way. Until development proposals are presented, however, the Town would like to encourage the owner of these tracts to implement the Best Management Practices for their conservation. Policy Alternatives 1 ~~~~~~1. Town wishes to protect agricultural lands identi- I ~~~fied as "prime" by the SCS and Division of Soil and Water Conserva- t ion. 2. Prohibit any land use other than agriculture, forestry or conservation on prime agricultural soils. I ~~~ ~~3. Promote conservation of these lands by encouraging owners of these tracts to implement Best Management Practices and to participate in the Agricultural Cost Share Program. 4. Classify lands as Conservation-A, meaning that these are agricultural areas which should be precluded from development. * ~~~~~5. Do not impose any additional land use controls or restrictions on agricultural practices, so that needed land clearance and drainage activities can continue. Policy Choices 1. Town will not take extra precautions to preserve 3 ~~~these lands. 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~76 2. Encourage owners of these tracts and other areas under cultivation to implement Best Management Practices with technical 3 ~~~assistance from the Soil Conservation Service and encourage them to participate in the Agricultural Cost Share Program. Implementation Strateciies 3 ~~~~~1. Continue to work with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, Soil Conservation Service, and Beaufort 3 ~~~County Soil and Water Conservation Distr ict in getting farmers to adopt BMPs. Financial assistance is available through the Agricultural I ~~~Cost Share Program. Legislative action by the General Assembly in the Summer 19B6 session made projects in all coastal counties eligible for funding. Under the program,,~- 75% of the average cost of projects designed to reduce the input of agricultural nonpoint sources can be funded. In-kind support from the farmer can be used to provide the 1 ~~~25% remainder. Cost-shared practices include cropland conversion to 3 ~~~grass, diversions, tree planting, and water and grade control struc- tures. Cost-share incentive payments are available for land applica- 3 ~~~tion of animal wastes, conservation tillage, sod-based rotations, and strip cropping. * ~~~EXISTING AND POTENTIAL MINERAL PRODUCTION AREAS Open-pit mining has been an economic mainstay of Beaufort County since the Texasgulf mining operations came to the County in 1965. The environmental and economic effects of the phosphate mining have been 3 ~~~witnessed by Belhaven area residents. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~77 Peat mining has also become an issue within recent years, but there are currently no known' "prime" sites for peat mining in the 3 ~~~Belhaven area. All peat soils in Belhaven are low in energy value and would be uneconomical to mine at this time. There are, however, I ~~~significant mineable peat deposits in Hyde County where proposed mining operations would discharge to the Pungo River. The Town feels very uncertain about the impact of peat mining within its jurisdiction. There is little scientific knowledge about the ecological effects of peat mining and until answers are found to I ~~~the many questions brought up, the Town does not want to permit such mining without very seriously considering its effects. Until informa- tion is available about the effects of peat mining, the Town does not * ~~~want to allow mining within the planning area. Policy Choices * ~~~ ~~1. Town discourages any type of open-pit mining within 3 ~~~the one-mile jurisdictional limit of Town. Any mining activities proposed must apply for a special use permit which will be granted on a 3 ~~~case-by-case basis. 2. Discourage extraction of peat within the one-mile * ~~~jurisdictional limit. 3. Town will not be responsible for provision of services to any proposed mining activities which take place within its one mile 3 ~~~limit. Iminlementation Strateciies * ~~~~~1. Continued review process of applications for special use permits to Planning Board. 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~78 COMMERCIAL AND RECREATIONAL FISHERIES The commercial fishing industry is vital to the local economy. Dozens of independent full-time commercial fishermen live and work in the Belhaven area, and several hundred persons are employed -in the several crab processing plants. Tooley's Creek and Pantego Creek also function as nursery areas for several species. Concern has been raised by commercial fishermen and Division of Marine Fisheries technicians about the effect of runoff on the fisheries industries. Freshwater runoff from drainage ditches and non-point pollution has been detri- I ~~~mental to the fishing waters by altering the salinity content and adding pollutants to the estuarine system. Concern has also been raised over incidences of fecal coliform, largely from septic tank seepage, being identified in shellfish beds in other parts of the state. In order to support the commercial and recreational fishing I ~~~industries, the Town needs to implement techniques to maintain water quality. The Town recognizes the State's right to oversee the public waters and tributaries under public jurisdiction. To remain consistent with the aforementioned Resource Protection policies, the Town has * ~~~elected to take all measures possible to protect the fisheries to the I ~~~extent that it does not interfere with acceptable methods of develop- ment as outlined under the Town's land classification system and zoning regulations. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~79 Policy Choices 1. Town will protect the commercial and recreational fisheries areas within the Town's jurisdiction provided that the protection measures do not interfere with the development adjacent to I ~~~the public waters. Implementation Strateaies 1. The CAMA and 404 permitting system, as well as the Town's subdivision ordinance will provide sufficient enforcement for this policy. 1 ~~~ ~~2. The County Health Department, largely responsible for the safe placement of septic tanks, will be responsible for minimizing the likelihood of contamination of fishing waters from * ~~~the effluent of septic systems in unsuitable soils. 3. Classify areas within 75 feet of the mean high water I ~~~level of estuarine waters as Conservation. OFF-ROAD VEHICLES The mention of "'off-road' vehicles in coastal North Carolina, typically conjures ideas of four-wheel drive type vehicles driving up and down the sandy beaches of the ocean front. In Belhaven, there is no problem with these vehicles operating on the beaches. Since this I ~~~was not applicable to the planning area, no policy was formed. If this does become an issue in future years, the Town will encourage the development of an ordinance to deal with the problem. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~80 3 ~~~IMPA~CTS OF DEVELOPMENT TYPES ON RESOURCES Belhaven, as discussed in the "Existing Conditions" section of this plan, is currently not undergoing large amounts of growth like some other eastern North Carolina cities. It is, therefore, I ~~~not experiencing the same levels of development pressure as other 3 ~~~Towns. The Town views itself as being in a position to accommodate 3 ~~~growth and development. Consistent to the aforementioned policies, the Town is pro-growth as long as the development is not environmentally I ~~~degrading. The limitations imposed by the Town's policies on the 3 ~~~protection of sensitive natural and cultural resources must be met to accommodate growth. 3 ~~~Policy Choice 1. The Town is pro-development as long as the develop- I ~~~ment is not environmentally degrading, meets the approval of the 3 ~~~federal and state authorities, and is consistent with the aforemen- tioned policies. ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The analysis of the present conditions of the population and economy of the Belhaven planning area revealed no major changes in the economic atmosphere since the last update. Belhaven is very I ~~~concerned about future growth, especially industrial and commercial development. The Town's economy has undergone slow growth, basically due to the increasing importance of the commercial fishing industry in the region. Tourism is also being favorably regarded as a viable economic option. The potential exists for an explosion of growth in I ~~~Belhaven. Policies should be in place to accommodate this growth, when * ~~~it occurs. The following section outlines growth policies which have an impact on land use decisions. These policies define the goals Belhaven has set for where it would like to be in the next ten years. Particu- I ~~~lar issues, related to growth and the town's commitment to economic development, are discussed below. LOCATION AND TYPES OF INDUSTRIES DESIRED The Belhaven planning area, as discussed in the preceding section, I ~~~is blessed with several natural and cultural resources. It is situated at the confluence of Pantego Creek and the Pungo River, and has some of the county's most productive agricultural sails, plus several signifi- cant cultural assets. Many of the regional economic activities take advantage of these resources. A large phosphate mining industry, located across the river from Belhaven, employs about 1,150 persons, many of whom are * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~82 Belhaven residents. Within the Belhaven planning area, three seafood proc~essing operations employ a large percentage of the labor force through its various stages of operation. In addition, farming is a major economic activity which employs dozens of persons through farm I ~~~labor or through the sale of farming equipment and supplies. Belhaven has an intense need for increased job opportunities for many of its unemployed and underemployed citizens. Industri- al development could provide these opportunities as well as expand the County's tax base. I ~~~~The Town of Belhaven would like to recruit all types of industry * ~~~to the area and particularly encourages the continued development and/or expansion of resource-intensive industries. Timber products manufacturers, marine-related and seafood processing industries would be considered. A~gricultural products processing firms would also be I ~~~welcome to sites in the extraterritorial area. Low-pollution, light manufacturing and/or assembly industries would also be desireable. Electronics, textiles, heavy equipment, marketing firms, and furniture manufactures would not significantly contribute to the environmental problems, but employ a large number of * ~~~persons. To provide better services for its residents, the Town would U ~~~like to recruit new types of businesses, as well. Retail, enter- tainment, and service-oriented businesses are greatly needed. Addi- tional entertainment facilities, such as theatres, skating rinks, and bowling alleys would receive great support from the Town. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~83 All industries considering locating in the Belhaven planning area must be consistent with the Town's aforementioned resource policy statements. The proposed location of each industry will be examined an a case-by-case basis. U ~~~~Several sites are available in the planning area for industry. The Town would like to see industry locate along the waterfront in the existing industrial area and along Highway 264 By-Pass. Both areas are well connected for transportation purposes and are currently served by water and sewer. The waterfront would be best suited to industries I ~~~which cannot function without water access (i.e. marinas, seafood processors), but all industrial types will be considered for location at that site. Property along Highway 264 is very well suited to other industrial types listed above. Other sites considered for industrial location will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Planning I ~~~Board. I ~~~Policy Choices 1. Encourage industry types which take advantage of * ~~~natural resource base and existing labor supply. 2. Encourage low-pollution, light manufacturing types I ~~~which are compatible with resource protection, production and manage- * ~~~ment goals and policies. 3. Encourage low waste load industries to prevent contri- buting to wastewater treatment problems. 4. Encourage seafood-related industries providing they are I ~~~consistent with resource protecti on goals of the Town. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~84 5. Encourage industry which employs low-skilled workers, particularly women. Assembly-type manufacturing and a garment factory would be well suited for this purpose. 6. Industrial sites will be limited to areas zoned for I ~~~manufacturing along Highway 264 and the waterfront of Town. Implementation Schedule 1. Town will establish more active contact with state's industrial development representative for the region. 2. Zoning ordinance, CAMA and 404 permitting systems I ~~~will regulate the development of industry within specific areas. COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING SERVICES The Town rea~lizes the great importance associated with bringing the wastewater treatment facility into compliance with state discharge I ~~~requirements. Unless this goal is attained, very little growth can occur because of the limitations imposed on laying additional piping to the system. This is in the process of being corrected. The 201 Facilities Plan, recently funded, is expected to bring the sewage treatment system into compliance by 1988. All new development will be able to tie into the municipal treatment facility. Currently, nearly 93 percent of the area's residents are hooked up I ~~~to the water system. The equivalent of 925 persons can be added to 3 ~~~this system. Belhaven acknowledges that the its soils are not conducive to * ~~septic tank usage and the optimal solution to this problem is to provide wastewater treatment service to all residents in the planning * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~85 area. The Town has discussed a long-range plan to extend utilities, such as water and sewer, to all development "pockets" within the planning area. Belhaven is committed to providing basic services to serve I ~~~increased development in the area. The first priority is to "develop- ed" areas shown on the land classification map. Industrial requests will be examined on an individual basis by the Town Board. Policy Choices 1. First priority in delivery of services is to areas I ~~~classified as "Developed" on land classification map. Second priority is to "Transition" areas. 2. Residential customers will be served first. * ~~~ ~~3. Industrial uses will be examined on a case-by-case basis by the Town Board. I ~~~~~4. Service delivery will be as per the Utilities Ordinance. H ~~~DESIRED URBAN GROWTH PATTERNS Population projections suggest that the slow and steady growth rates that Belhaven has experience in the past will continue over the next ten years. The Town's population is expected to increase by 180 persons within the next ten years. The water and wastewater treatment I ~~~systems will be able to accommodate this growth if the sewage treatment * ~~~facility is upgraded. Presently, very little land is available to accommodate the projected growth. A~n annexation feasibility study is recommended to examine the possibility of the Town's acquiring additional land for * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~86 growth. The Town would like to encourage commercial and residential growth in the old downtown area. Policy A~lternatives I lities of 1. Limit growth to 3,500 persons, based on the capabi- litis ofthe water and wastewater treatment facilities. 2. Consider developing a zoning ordinance exclusively for mobile homes. 3. Urban growth patterns will remain consistent with the zoning ordinance. I ~~~Policy Choices I ~~~~~~1. Urban patterns will be limited by the zoning ordinance. Implementation Schedule 1. Urban growth patterns and densities will be limited by the subdivision ordinance,j -the County Health Department and the I ~~~zoning ordinance. H ~~~REDEVELOPMENT OF DEVELOPED A~REAS The Town of Belhaven's policy on redevelopment of developed areas has been demonstrated over the past five years. The Town * ~~~has been awarded two Small Cities Community Development Block Grants to improve substandard housing within its jurisdiction. Also, the Town encourages historic preservation. The steeple on the historic Town Hall is undergoing rehabilitation. The Town wishes to continue programs such as these over the next five years. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~87 Downtown revitalization has been encouraged for the past several years, but a limited amount of progress has been made toward this goal. The Town still feels committed to this effort, however. A~ccording to the SLOSH model, all structures in the planning I ~~~area would be wiped out in the event of a severe storm. In this case, all structures would be rebuilt according to the zoning ordinance. A~ccording to the ordinance, "all non-conforming uses damaged or 5 ~~~destroyed by fire, wind, flood, or other causes may be repaired or rebuilt and used as before if repairs are initiated within twelve (12) I ~~~months and completed within twenty-four (24) months of such damage" (p. * ~~~~16). Policy Choices 3 ~~~~~~1. Continued support of downtown beautification efforts and Historic Preservation Committee. Town will work to help secure funds 3 ~~~for historic redevelopment projects. 2. In the event of destruction by a storm, redevelopment 5 ~~~will occur in accordance with the zoning ordinance. If money is 5 ~~~available, the Town will consider purchasing appropriate areas, particularly waterfront parcels, for open space. 3. The Town supports the application of funds for redevel- opment of substandard housing within the town limits. I ~~~Implementation Schedule 5 ~~~ ~~1. The Town will coordinate with private individuals and organizations to secure finariLial support for downtown beautifica- * ~~~tion efforts. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~88 2. Town will consider the feasibility of applying for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant to rehabilitate substandard housing in town limits. I ~~~COMMITMENT TO STATE AND FEDERAL PROGRAMS The Town of Belhaven is receptive to State and Federal Programs which provide improvements to the Town. Belhaven will continue to 3 ~~~fully support such programs that provide necessary resources to meet identified community needs that compliment the economic and community I ~~~development goals of the Town. Of particular significance is the N.C. I ~~~Department of Transportation Road and Bridge Improvements program. The Town will support these programs and will honor financial assistance 3 ~~~requests when financially able and when the proposed project is in compliance with the Town's goals for economic development. I ~~~~The Erosion Control program, carried out by the Agricultur- al Stabilization and Conservation Service and the Soil Conserva- tion Service, is especially important to the farming community in the 3 ~~~planning area. The Town supports the efforts of these agencies, including the implementation of Best Management Practices to mitigate I ~ ~~soil loss through erosion. Funding is now available through the state's Agricultural Cost Share Program for projects which will reduce U ~~~agricultural runoff. The Town will work with District Soil and Water 3 ~~~Conservation officials to encourage farmers to apply for the 75% funding of conservation projects. In addition, the Town has establish- * ~~~ed a policy to encourage the use of a vegetative buffer between all * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~89 development and surface water bodies to reduce the sediment load from entering the riverine system (See Resource Protection policy state- ments). The Town also supports the use of previous surface materials in construction within the planning area. Pervious surface materials I ~~~provide a method of natural percolation of pollutants into the soils. * ~~~~The military has historically been an important asset to the economy and quality of life in eastern North Carolina. Recently, there has been continued debate over the expansion of the Military Operating Airspace (MOA) over Beaufort County. Belhaven is strongly opposed to I ~~~the expansion of the MOA because of the res trictions it would impose on the local air traffic community. Noise levels were an additional concern in the opposition of the airspace expansion. If the military 3 ~~~decides that Belhaven is a good''lace for the location of a small camp or headquarters, the Town would like to restrict their activities I ~~~to the less developed lands of the planning area. Belhaven opposes any 3 ~~~military activities from locating in the "developed" and or "transi- tion" areas of the planning area. CHANNEL MAINTENANCE AND WATERFRONT IMPROVEMENTS I ~~~~Proper channel maintenance is important in Belhaven and the Intracoastal Waterway because of the great importance of recreational boating and the commercial fishing industry to the local economy. Special attention should be given to the amount of dredging that occurs, because excessive dredging can be just as damaging as none at all. Dredge lines often disrupt valuable fish habitat on the bottom of 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~90 3 ~~~rivers, thereby robbing the river of some of its economic value and important fish habitat. 3 ~~~~The Town recently supported the dredging of Wynn's Gut and will continue to support future channel maintenance projects, but will I ~~~discourage excessive dredging because of its effect on fish habitat. I ~~~Financial aid for channel maintenance will be made available when possible. Efforts will be made to provide spoil and borrow sites * ~~~within the planning area. Several areas of Belhaven's waterfront are in need of maintenance. I ~~~~ massive pile of saw dust, the remains of a now-defunct lumber opera- 3 ~~~tion, is located near the Cargill plant on the Pungo Creek waterfront. In 1984, the pile ignited, starting an underground fire that burned for 3 ~~~several weeks. At several locations along the waterfront, old wharfs have deteriorated to such an extent that only broken piers and pilings I ~~~remain. A~ large warehouse was once supported by some of the pilings until destroyed by fire. Local residents suspect a considerable amount of large underwater debris lies amid the ruined pilings. As 3 ~~~well as making the Town's valuable waterfront unsightly, these areas present serious navigational and environmental hazards to the commun- 3 ~~~~ity. Policy Alternatives I ~~~~~1. The Town could take no action, leaving channel and 3 ~~~waterfront improvements to the discretion of state and federal offi- cials. 3 ~~~~~2. The Town could support efforts to improve navigational channels and initiate a program to improve its waterfront., * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~91 3 ~~~Policv Choices and Implementation Stratecies 1. The Town will support navigational improvements proposed 5 ~~~by other agencies and request improvements as necessary from appropri- ate officials. I ~~~~~2. The Town will request assistance from federal and state agencies to rectify navigational and environmental problems at the waterfront. ENERGY FACILITY SITING A~ND DEVELOPMENT ~~~~~iIn recent years, the dev elopment of prospective peat mining 5 ~~~operations in Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington Counties has brought on the possibility of locating energy generating facilities at sites 3 ~~~located near the source of the raw material. The Town of Belhaven would be a logical place for a peat-fired energy plant. The Belhaven I ~~~zoning ordinance allows public utilities, such as an energy-generating 3 ~~~facility, in the "industrial" zone. After careful examination, the Town feels that the development of large-scale energy generating 3 ~~~facilities should be discouraged within the one mile jurisdictional area. Energy generating facilities will not be permitted to any I ~~~site within the planning area. In order to remain consistent, the * ~~~zoning ordinance will be amended to support this change in philosophy. 3 ~~~TOURISM AiND BEACH/WATER A~CCESS Belhaven has demonstrated its commitment to public access to 3 ~~~public waters by having developed the Town boat ramp and Commun- * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~95 HURRICANE AND STORM HAZARD MITIGATION INTRODUCTION I ~~~~~Hurricanes and severe coastal storms represent serious threats to people and property on the North Carolina coast. North Carolina has the second highest incidence of hurricanes (Neumann et al., 1978). To date, North Carolina has experienced 23 major hurricanes since 1890. This averages to one major hurricane every four years. In addition to I ~~~~hurricanes, tropical storms and "northeasters' present serious threats to eastern North Carolina. Recently a major hurricanes originally classified as a Category 5 storm, skated past inland North Carolina and brushed a small stretch of Hatteras Island as it moved northward. If the storm had made landfall near the mouth of the Pamlico River as had * ~~~~been predicted by the National Weather Service at one period during the storm threat, much of eastern North Carolina could have been destroyed in its aftermath. In order to effectively prepare for the hazards of storms, experts recommend adoption of a plan which encompasses all aspects of the storm period. This plan should delineate areas most likely to sustain damage, methods to keep areas affected to a minimum, and guidelines for I ~~~~reconstruction after the storm. Beaufort County adopted a storm hazard mitigation plan, Before The Storm in Beaufort County: Avoidinci Harm's Way, in September 1984t. Currently, Belhaven's Town Manager and Civil * ~~~~Defense Coordinator are developing a storm hazard mitigation plan for Belhaven. Belhaven is now under the authority of the County's plan and I ~~~the Town's plan, when completed, will be consistent with the County * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~92 ity Recreation Center beach area. Presently, there are no available sites for additional public beach access points on Pantego Creek or the I ~ ~~Pungo RiVer. The Town should consider applying to NRCD for funding to conduct a Beach Access Study. Then, should appropriate sites be found I ~~~to increase access to the coastal area, the Town should apply for a Beach Access Grant to assist in site acquisition. The Town is also committed to increasing tourism in the area. * ~~~Efforts to increase tourism have involved work with the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Merchants A~ssociation, the Historic Albemarle Tour, I ~~~the Belhaven museum, the Belhaven library and the Resort Towns A~ssocia- tion. The Town supports the efforts of the state agencies who work with these projects. Policy Alternatives 1. The Town could establish no additional policies or I ~~~courses of action for improvement assuming that the existing facilities are sufficient. 2. The Town could encourage acquisition of undevelop- able waterfront properties for public access sites. 3. Development of a program for "donations" of waterfront property for public use. 4. Continued support for historic preservation, the museum, downtown revitalization efforts and other methods to increase tourism. Policy Choices 1. The Town will encourage acquisi tion of undevelop- able waterfront properties for public access sites. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~93 2. Development of a program for "donations" of waterfront property for public use. 3. Continued support for historic preservation, Belhaven museum, the Historic Albemarle Tour, downtown revitalization efforts I ~~~and other methods to increase tourism. H ~~~TYPES, DENSITIES AND LOCATION OF ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT Overly dense development is not a problem in Belhaven, nor is it anticipated to become a problem during the next ten years. I ~~~Within the past five years, the land use trends have shown residential growth to occur in existing residential areas and along the waterfront, and commercial growth has expanded along Highway 264 Business and By-Pass. Industry has also located along these arteries. Belhaven would like to see continued development in areas which are best able to accommodate growth and where support services, like sewer and water, are feasible and practical to provide. All of the growth in recent I ~~~years has been inside the hazard areas identified in Figure 12. Indus- * ~~~trial growth will be targeted to the land along the waterfront and along Highway 264 By-Pass. Policy Choices 1. Continue to enforce the subdivision ordinance with I ~~~minimum lot size of 20,000 square feet for lots without public water * ~~~and sewer. 2. Continue with efforts to upgrade the sewage treatment * ~~~plant to accommodate additional customers. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~94 3. Ensure that future growth is consistent with the above policies in Resource Protection, Resource Production and Manage- ment. A~lso, the growth must be consistent with the zoning ordinance and additional goals of the community. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~96 plan. The County plan is in fact, being used as a model for the Town. The Belhaven plan then is expected to differ only minimally from the County Plan. CAMA Land Use Plan guidelines require that procedures for pre-storm mitigation, recovery, and immediate and long term reconstruc- tion be addressed in each plan. The purpose is to assist town and county officials in managing development in potentially hazardous areas and to be able to expeditiously "snap back" after a disaster. The first step taken to assess the hurricane vulnerability I ~~~of a site is to analyze the types and locations of physical hazards within the planning area. An estimate of the amount of people and property that would be exposed to the hazard is also required. The following section is a discussion of the storm hazard mitigation, post-disaster reconstruction policies and evacuation plans included in I ~~~Before the Storm. All policies, unless otherwise referenced, are * ~~~county-wide policies which the Town has chosen to include within its own storm hazard plan. HAZARDS MAP I ~~~~The areas most vulnerable to the devastating effects of a hurri- * ~~~cane or other major coastal storm are identified in Figure 12. This map is the product of a computer model called SLOSH (Sea, Lake and Overland Surge from Hurricanes). The SLOSH model was developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to simulate the height of the storm surge I. ~~~from hurricanes of a predicted severity within a particular area. The Figure 12 AREAS INUNDATED BY CATEGORY I AND 2 HURRICANES I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 - Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers S.L.0 S.H. model. ~ SbegdVse Surface Waters Tepreparation o thsmpwas financed inpatTown Limits thrugha grant provided by the North Carolina Coastal MngmnPrraothrough funds FoddAe provdedby the C osa oeManagement Act of EFoddAe 197, a amnde, wichisadministered by the Offie ofOcean and Coastal Resource Management, NatinalOceanic and Atmospheric Administration. * ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~98 National Weather Service ranks hurricanes into Categories I through 5 based on their wind speeds. The SLOSH model analyzes each hurricane category scenario and provides a real boundary where flooding is expected to occur. For example, the Category I and 2 hurricanes, with wind speeds up to 110 miles per hour, would produce a storm surge that would flood a small stretch of land along the river (Figure 12). The Category 3 storm, defined by winds up to 130 mph, would inundate points further landward than the Category I and 2 storms. The Category 4 and 5 storms, the highest intensity storms possible, would push the water to areas still further landward. In this scenario, water levels would be highest in the areas of Category 4 and 5 storms. At the same time, Category 4 and 5 flood zones have the least probability of inundation because storms of su-ch strength are not very common. Since the Category I and 2 storms are more common, the discussion will be limited to their impact on Belhaven. In Belhaven, the entire planning area is situated in the Category I and 2 flood zone (Figure 12). Storm waters would inundate all areas within Town and the extraterritorial area. The exact monetary value of the property at risk in the Belhaven planning area is difficult to determine because of the amount of low density, widely dispersed development located outside the Town limits. Estimates have been made on the value of development within the Belhaven town limits, but no * ~~assessment is readily available which includes the structures in the rural, underdeveloped portion of the planning area. For the purposes of this plan, values of the property at risk will be limited to the structures within the'Town limits. I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. Figure 13 INVENTORY OF STRUCTURES IN THE I IAZARD AREA Conventional Dbl-wide Sng-wide Homes Mbl Homes Mbl Homes Institution Commercial Ind'l Utility TOTAL �Total 643 77 241 16 71 0 2 1,050 Median Value 42 K 10 K 4 K 45 K 20 K 40 K 40 K Total Estimated . Value 16.718 Mill. 770 K 964 K 720 K 1420 K 0 K 80K 31.68 SMill. Note: The total assessed value for tax purposes of the Town of Belhaven was $ 32,814,500 in January of 1986. Source: Before the Storm in Beaufort County: Avoiding Harm's Way, 1982. 100 Within the Town limits, development includes about 650 conven- tional homes, over 300 mobile homes and approximately 90 commercial and institutional establishments (Figure 13). The total estimated value of these structures is about $ 32,000,000. This figure approximates the I ~~~total assessed value of the Town for tax purposes. The loss of homes and commercial establishments is very important and costly, but more importantly, two of the Town's major utilities structures are located within this hazard zone. The municipal wastewater treatment facility merits special attention. In the event I ~~~of a major hurricane, the inundation of the wastewater treatment facility would be disastrous for the Town. Based on the likelihood of inundation of other sites, it is highly unlikely that a safer site is available within the planning area. Although many structures would be at risk from a storm, the areas which would be most seriously affected would be the AECs in the planning area. These include the estuarine water, estuarine I ~~~shoreline, coastal wetlands and public trust waters. Of these, the estuarine shoreline and coastal wetlands AECs will bear the greatest risk of destruction because they lie directly an the land-water interface and are among the most dynamic features of the coastal landscape. Shoreline erosion'~'is a day-to-day phenomenon that is I ~~~accelerated greatly with the energy of a major storm. Destruction that * ~~~may take years to occur along a normal low-energy shoreline can occur in a matter of several hours during a strong storm. The shoreline area will be directly impacted by severe erosion and scouring, direct wave 101 action, high winds and complete inundation by the storm surge accom- panying the storm. Development adjacent to the shoreline would obviously be at a great. risk. EFFECTS OF STORM COMPONENTS ON HAZARD ZONES Hurricanes are extremely powerful, destructive meteorological events which are often unpredictable. Destruction is typically the result of the combined energy of high winds, flooding, erosion and wave action. Of these, the two most damaging components of the hurricane are the high winds which define it, flooding from excessive rains, and the storm surge. In addition to these forces, wave action and erosion are two by-products of the wind and rain along the land/water interface. The following section discusses the effect of each of these storm components on the planning ar ea and delineates the sites which are most vulnerable to their forces. HIGH WINDS High winds are the greatest risk factor associated with hurri- canes. Hurricanes are, in fact, defined in severity by their wind speeds.. The entire planning area would be subject to the winds brought on by a hurricane making landfall nearby. A~gain, the areas most seriously impacted would be the shoreline areas and wetlands. Struc- tures adjacent to these features would most likely receive the worst damage. Open field ditches or other sites that experience significant backwash would also be impacted by the flooding resulting from high winds. Building restrictions concerning wind stress should be applied 102 in areas closest to the shore and other areas with the potential for strong winds.. FLOODING Unlike high winds, flood waters may not impact all areas hit by a I ~~~storm. But, according to the SLOSH model map, all of Belhaven and its I ~~~planning area would be subject to flooding from a mild hurricane. This includes a total of 271 commercial, residential, institutional and community facilities structures, resulting in a net loss of $32,000,000 million dollars in the event of complete destruction. I ~~~~Flooding cannot only damage buildings, but salt water flooding can I ~~~also cause serious damage to cropland. An estimated value of the cropland in the planning area is unavailable, but short term damage would be financially devastating. All of the agricultural land located north of Town would be impacted by flood waters. Construction of a I ~~~dike to retain flood waters has .been considered, but it was decided that little can be done to keep flood waters out. All of the Town and most of the planning area are located less than five feet above sea level. In an area as low as Belhaven, a dike would not be able to significantly help in the event of a major hurricane. I ~~~WAVE ACTION * ~~~~Damage from wave action is very strongly correlated to wind speed and direction. Most damage caused by waves will be in the * ~~~immediate zone of the water along the shoreline and coastal wetlands. Development adjacent to shoreline areas would be subject to battering by waves. Mluch of Belhaven's waterfront is bulkheaded and densely 103 developed. This bulkheading and the nearby structures on the water- front would be at high risk from wave action. In Town, the structures at stake would include the Pungo District Hospital, three seafood processing plants, the public boat ramp, several commercial marinas, the Belhaven Community Center and all residential units located on the waterfront. Included in this risk area are'several of the Town's most valuable structures, including many of its industries. In effect then, most of the Town's tax base would be subject to wave destruction. Most other shoreline areas within the one-mile limit are marshes. A limited amount~ of development exists in these areas because of the requirement for permits. Due to the fragile nature of wetland environ- ments, all development in marsh areas is subject to the Division of Coastal Management or U.S. Army torps *of Engineers permitting systems. The Battalina/Tooley's Creek areas would be highly subject to wave battering because of their orientation to northeast winds. The lack of development in these areas would preclude financial loss from occur- ring in the event of hurricane-induced wave action. EROSION The product of severe winds, high water and wave action is erosion. The areas most likely to be impacted by erosion are the shoreline areas within the planning jurisdiction. Riggs, Bellis, O'Connor (1978) studied shoreline types and their vulnerability to erosion. The research concluded that the low bank, marsh and high bank forms of shoreline are most erodible on the Pamlico. In the Belhaven area, low banks and marshes are the most common 104 shoreline types. At one time, all shoreline types in Belhaven were marshes. At the time of its development, a large amount of land was reclaimed from marshes through filling. The filling procedure and subsequent bulkheading produced the low bank shoreline type widely found along the waterfront today. The developed portions of the planning area are considered to be the low bank shoreline type, and most marshes are located west of the Highway 99 bridge and on the peninsulas surrounding Battalina and Tooley's Creeks. The low bank and marsh shoreline types experience very high erosion rates. Marshes< lose an estimate 3.1 feet per year and low banks erode at a rate of 0.6 feet per annum (Riggs, et al., 1978). It has been noted by several townspeople that Tooley's Point is eroding at a rate of nearly 5 feet per year (Planning Board, 1986). Shoreline erosion could lead to structural damage to buildings, loss of tons of topsoil through wave undercutting, and the destruction of bulkheads and other structures located at the land/water interface. The structures located directly on the shoreline are most likely to be lost through erosion. The establishment of a required setback from the water's edge will mitigate most erosion caused by hurricane winds and waves. SUMMARY In summary, all four of the major damaging forces of a hurricane would negatively impact the Belhaven planning area in the event of a storm. The entire planning area will be subject to high winds and flooding, as it is situated in the Category 1 and 2 flood zone. 105 Structures located along the shoreline are likely to receive the most damage from the cumulative impacts of waves and subsequent erosion. Damage from flood waters in the planning area would likely total $32,000,000, assuming complete destruction. Most of the Town's I ~~~industries are located in the highest risk zone along the shoreline. The financial loss brought on by hurricane destruction would be devastating. Unavoidably, the wastewater treatment plant is located in a high risk zone. Relocation of this facility should be a considera- tion for Town officials. 106 POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCT ION I NTRO DUCT ION A post-disaster reconstruction plan allows towns to deal with the aftermath of a storm in an organized and efficient manner. The plan provides for the mechanisms, procedures, and policies that will enable the Town to learn from its -storm experience and to rebuild in a practical way. A reconstruction plan typically has five purposes, according to Before the Storm: Avoidinci Harm's Way (MlcElyea, Brower and Gods- chalk, 1982). It usually 1) outlines procedures and requirements before damages occur, 2) establishes procedures for putting storm mitigation measures into effect after the disaster, 3) analyzes information about the location and nature of hurricane damages, 4) assesses the community's vulnerability and 5) guides reconstruction to minimize the vulnerability. In 1982, Beaufort County adopted The Beaufort County Disaster Relief and Assistance Plan, a post-disaster recovery and reconstruc- tion plan. As a municipality in Beaufort County, Belhaven is covered by this plan. The disaster relief plan, in concert with Before the Storm in Beaufort County: Avoidinci Harm's Way, provides Beaufort County with the tools necessary to serve all its communities during the recovery phase of a hurricane. Copies of these plans are available at the Beaufort County Emergency Management office in Washington. It is important that local officials clearly understand the joint federal/state/local procedures for providing assistance to rebuild after a storm so that local damage assessment and reconstruc- 107 tion efforts are carried out in an efficient manner that qualifies the community for the different types of assistance that are available. 3 ~~~The requirements are generally delineated in the Disaster Relief Act of 1974+ (P.L. 93-288) which authorizes a wide range of financial and I ~~~direct assistance to local communities and individuals. During reconstruction after a disaster, two phases of action are usually undertaken: immediate post-disaster clean-up and clean-up and repair over a longer period. Although these guidelines are directed for the county level, the Town of Belhaven may take additional I ~~~steps to complement this work. The following section discusses guidelines set forth for reconstruction in the County plan. 3 ~~~IMMEDIATE CLEAN-UP The Disaster Relief and Assistance Plan includes a program 3 ~~~for immediate clean-up and debris removal from roads, beaches and other areas where public health and safety may be jeopardized. I ~~~The responsibility for completing these duties will be a combined effort by several agencies from the public and private sectors. The Department of Transportation will be responsible for clearing * ~~~debris from roads and the Forest Service will remove fallen trees from the area, if necessary, In addition, the County Emergency Management I ~~~office will pro vide names of volunteers to call upon for assistance in 3 ~~~the immediate clean-up efforts. While clean-up efforts are taking place, a Damage Assessment 3 ~~~Team will be sent out to evaluate the extent of damage in the area. Damage assessment is defined as a rapid means of determining a realis- 108 tic estimate of the amount of damage caused by a natural or man-made disaster. For a storm disaster, it is expressed in terms of: 1) the U ~~number of structures damaged, 2) magnitude of damage by type of structure, 3) estimated total dollar loss, and 4) estimated total I ~~~dollar loss covered by insurance. After a major storm event, members of the Damage Assessment Team should conduct two types of surveys: one which roughly estimates the extent and type of damage, and a more detailed second phase assessment after the initial damage reports are filed. The initial I ~~~damage assessment should include an estimate of the extent of damage incurred by each structure and identify the cause of damage such as wind, flooding or wave action. Rapid and general initial damage * ~~~assessment reports are to be submitted by radio within one hour. Within six hours, private property summaries and more detailed reports 3 ~~~should be nearly complete. The format for damage assessments will be conducted in accordance with A~nnex F of the Disaster Relief and U t~~~ssistance Program. Under certain circumstances, interim develop- 3 ~~~ment moratoria can be used to give a local government the time to assess damages, make sound decisions, and to learn from storm experi- 3 ~~~ences. Beaufort County can impose a development moratorium if it gets disaster declaration from the appropriate federal authorities. This I ~~~disaster declaration must stipulate the type and extent of reconstruc- 3 ~~~tion that will be paid for by the Federal Insurance Agency. The length of the moratorium will be decided at the time of the disaster, as it 3 ~~~will depend on the extent of damage to the properties involved. I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A 109 RECOVERY TASK FORCE Damage assessment operations are oriented to take place during the 3 ~~~emergency period. After the emergency operations to restore public health and safety and the initial damage assessments are completed, the I ~~~guidelines suggest that a Recovery Task Force is formed. This Task 3 ~~~Force will guide restoration and reconstruction activities during a post-emergency phase. The County has formed a group with members from all areas of the County to serve as a task force for recovery. The responsibilities of this Task Force are to review the nature I ~~~of damages in the community, establish an overall restoration schedule, 3 ~~~identify and evaluate alternative approaches for repair and reconstruc- tion, and make recommendations for community recovery. The Task Force 3 ~~~will work with State and Federal representatives on the Interagency Regional Hazard Mitigation Team and also the Section 406 Hazard I ~~~Mitigation Survey and Planning Teams. Members of the Recovery Task 3 ~~~Force will include: Beaufort County Commissioners County Engineer and Building Inspector County Manager I ~~~~~~~City Managers and Engineers from each municipality County Emergency Management Coordinator County Health Department 3 ~~~The Mayor of Belhaven will be called upon to serve on this Task Force. The Town Engineer will also serve. A~lthough this Task Force will 3 ~~~review damages, the authority to approve or deny permits will remain the responsibility of the appropriate authorities. 110 3 ~~~SCHEDULE FOR REPAIR A~ND RECONSTRUCTION OVER LONGER PERIOD The procedures listed above deal directly with policies or clean-up immediately after a storm or disaster. In conjunction with the policies stated above on storm hazard mitigation, considera- I ~~~tion should be given to long-term reconstruction. All reconstruction efforts must be in compliance with the Town's Flood Prevention Plan and Floodway Ordinance and other construction standards currently in place. In the aftermath of a disaster, reconstruction efforts will be rampant. A plan for the long-term reconstruction is essential. The I ~~~County has developed a priority system which the Town will also follow, 3 ~~~designed to stage and permit repairs. Staging and permitting repairs and construction in the Town are to be done as follows: 3 ~~~~~~First Priority: Replacement of essential services such as power, water, telephone and U ~~~~~~~~~~~streets and bridges. 3 ~~~~~~Second Priority: Minor repairs Third Priority: Major repairs 3 ~~~~~~Fourth Priority: New Development In an effort to streamline the permitting process for the large number I ~~~of applications for building permits, a policy has been established by 5 ~~~the County which issues permits for work in Belhaven, to repair and rebuild essential service facilities first. Second priority is to 3 ~~~repair other public facilities as necessary for shelter. A triage (worst damage) approach will be instituted for staging the reconstruct- I ~~~ion effort. Properties with little damage would be permitted immedi- ately if they were in compliance with permit regulations before the storm. The schedule for permitting other properties is as follows: 1. Moderate damage, meeting permit regulations 2. Moderate damage, requiring permit decisions 1 ~~~~3. Extensive damage, requiring permits This system was established to avoid interference with the reconstruc- tion of public utilities and facilities. The top priority in post- 3 ~~~disaster reconstruction is the replacement of services. The development standards for reconstruction will be in accord- I ~~~ance with the Storm Hazard Mitigation policies set forth by the Town. 3 f~~~s a minimum, all construction must meet the requirements set forth by the Town's ordinances on construction, as well as the State Building 3 ~~~Code. The County Commissioners will be the legislative body to enforce these policies. I ~~~~~lthough consideration to the possible relocation of public 3 ~~~facilities to safer locations was not undertaken by the County, the Town has addressed this issue. Local officials realize that the 3 ~~~Belhaven wastewater treatment plant is located in the hazard area. A~t the same time however, there is no available land within the area to I ~~~accommodate its relocation. Thus, local officials have elected to investigate the possibility of floodproofing rather than relocating the structure. 3 ~~~EVA~CUATION ROUTES AND TIMES Evacuation is often necessary in pre-hurricane conditions when * ~~~high winds and water are anticipated to endanger the health and 112 safety of local residents. According to Before the Storm in Beaufort County, Belhaven is located in Evacuation Zone I, which extends from a point near Sidney Crossroads to the Hyde County line. The evacuation shelters for Evacuation Zone I are the Belhaven High and Belhaven Elementary Schools. In the threat of rising water however, these shelters will not be utilized. During this threat, evacuees will be directed to Pantego High School and the overflow will be sent to Beaufort County Elementary School. A full description of the capacity and adequacey of these shelters is in the Beaufort County Disaster Relief and Evacuation Plan. Highways 99 and 264 are the principal evacuation routes for the Belhaven planning area. There are several inundation points along these routes. They include: Highway 264 By-Pass * Stretch of 264 .25 miles on either side of Lower Dowry Creek culvert near intersec- tion of SR 1709. * Portion I mile east of Hwy. 264 and Hwy. 99 intersection in Belhaven, to that intersec- tion. * Portion 1.5 miles on either side of Cuckolds Creek Bridoe toward Pantego. Business 264 * Portion inside Belhaven. Highway 99 * From the intersection with 264 in Belhaven to Sidney Crossroads, over the Panteqo Creek Bridge to the Pungo Creek Bridge. Source: Before the Storm in Beaufort County, pp. 40-41. 113 These sites represent blockage points along the evacuation routes where roadway flooding could exist. The underlined bridges above are priority surge inundatibn points identified in the County Storm Hazard Mitigation Plan. Techniques for determining evacuation times are outlined on pages 44 through 47 in Before the Storm in Beaufort County. The total evacuation time is the sum of the following components: cut-off time, mobilization time, travel time, and queing delay time. The ideal capacity of Highway 264 is 455 vehicles per hour. Highway 99 can accommodate 298 vehicles per hour. Following the model given, the total evacuation time to Washington for each highway is: TOTAL EVACUATION TIME Highway 264 Cut-off time 3.0 hrs. Mobilization time 3.5 hrs. Travel time 1.0 hrs. Queing delay time 2.69 hrs. TOTAL 10.19 hrs. Highway 99 Cut-off time 3.0 hrs. Mobilization time 3.5 hrs. Travel time .97 hrs. Queing delay time 2.95 hrs. TOTAL 10.47 hrs. These evacuation times are calculated for a population of 3,000 in the Belhaven planning area. The total evacuation times for these routes dangerously approach the 12 hours which the National Weather Service can predict for effectively mobilizing an evacuation effort. The storm hazard mitigation plan recommends a sensitivity analysis to 114 test the validity of the evacuation times. This can be done by adjusting the mobilization time, or by calculating the queing delay time. By doing this, assumptions which are closer to reality may be introduced in estimating evacuation time for area residents. I ~~~~~This analysis provides the Town with the opportunity to consider adopting policies which would improve the capacity of the evacuation routes. The Town will consider their information in developing its own storm hazard mitigation plan. Although many factors which affect local evacuation are beyond the control of the local unit of govern- I ~~~ment, awareness of the potential problem is a first step in improving the evacuation times for Belhaven area residents. SUMMARY A large proportion of the Belhaven planning area is threat- ened by the hazards associated with storms. In the event of a major disaster, the planning area would be subject to the policies and I ~~~guidelines set forth in the Beaufort County Mitigation Plan and accepted by the Town. In-town reconstruction standards will be enforced according to the Flood Prevention Program, which attempts to mitigate disaster in the futurLe. The calculated evacuation times for Belhaven dangerously approach the safe limit. It is suggested that I ~~~efforts be taken to improve the capacity of the evacuation routes for * ~~~~the area. 115 INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION The Town of Belhaven is responsible for reporting all of its activities concerning storm hazard mitigation and hurricane prepared- ness with the following agencies: N.C. Division of Coastal Management State Office: Division of Coastal Management Department of Natural Resources and Community Development P.O. Box 27687 Raleigh, NC 27611-7687 (919) 733-2293 Field Office: Division of Coastal Management Department of Natural Resources and Community Development P.O. Box 1507 Washington, NC 27889 (919) 946-6481 N.C. Division of Emergency Management State Office: Division of Emergency Management Department of Crime Control and Public Safety 116 West Jones Street Raleigh, NC 27611 (919) 733-3867 Regional Office: Area Emergency Management Coordinator N.C. Division of Emergency Coordinator 607 Bank Street Washington, NC 27889 (919) 946-2773 Federal Emergency Management Agency National Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency 500 C Street, S. W. Washington, D.C. 20472 Public Information (202) 287-0300 Publications (202) 287-0689 Federal Emergency Management Agency Regional Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IV 1375 Peachtree Street, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30309 Public Information (404) 881-2000 Disaster Assistance Program (404) 881-3641 Flood Insurance Program (404) 881-2391 116 STORM HAZARD MITIGATION AND POST-DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION POLICIES Policy Choices 1. Support Beaufort County Storm Hazard Mitigation and Post I ~~~Disaster Reconstruction Policies. 2. Town will encourage redevelopment of destroyed structures provided they confrom to applicable codes. 3. If destroyed, the Town will if possible, elevate public facilities structures to a safe level in accordance with the Flood I ~~~Prevention Ordinance. 4. Consider developing Recovery Task force for Town. 5. Increase public awareness and preparedness. Implementation Schedule 1. Stay abreast of changes in Beaufort County Storm Hazard Mitigation plan. I ~~~~~2. Follow guidelines of the building codes, zoning and flood prevention ordinances for reconstruction after the storm. 3. Due to the lack of available land, the Town public facilities will be rebuilt at same pre-storm location, but elevated to a level according to the specifications of the flood prevention I ~~~ordinance. Consideration will be given to flood proofing facilities I ~~~(specifically, the waste treatment plant) for which elevation is not feasible. 117 4. Recovery Task Force members will include: Mayor of Belhaven Town Manager Planning Board Members Rescue and Fire Squad Volunteers Medical Board Building Inspector 5. Educate Town' employees and public about evacuation procedures about their responsibilities in storm situation. Iq ..I. .. I i i; ' S; 0 N + wNL ; PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Belhaven realizes the importance of soliciting public input into the planning process. During the development period of this land use plan update, several techniques were employed to encourage involve- I ~~~ment of Belhaven area residents in the land use plan's policies. Planning officials agree that there was considerable input from local residents throughout the process and that such input is well reflected * ~~~in the final plan. At the beginning of the planning period, a citizen partici- I ~~~pation plan was developed. At the first meeting, the Planning Board decided to schedule regular monthly meetings every third Wednesday from November until the plan was completed. It was decided that all Planning Board meetings concerning the CAMA Land Use Plan update should be made public. Citizen input was to be strongly encouraged. I ~~~~The Board decided that initially, emphasis would be placed on public education about the land use planning process. It was felt that once the public understood the importance of the plan, the public would feel a strong desire to be involved in its formation. Efforts were made to inform the public about the existence of the plan * ~~~and the importance of their contribution on policy recommendations. This was done in a variety of ways. First, news articles appeared in the local newspapers which discussed the plan and its purpose. Press releases were sent to two newspapers: the'Washington Daily News, based in Washington; and the Beaufort-Hyde News, based in Belhaven. The purpose of the articles was to explain the role of the CAMA plan in the development process and the explanation of the issues addressed in it. Other methods of public education involved direct communication with Belhaven residents by the Planning Board members. In addition to the public education efforts, press releases I ~~~were sent to the local newspapers prior to each meeting. Included in the press release was a description of the land use plan and its purpose as well as the agenda items. Upon completion of meeting, another news article was sent out which described the meeting's events. The combination of these newspaper articles intended to promote the I ~~~understanding of the land use planning process as well as to encourage the public to provide their opinion on various issues. Examples of the newspaper articles are included as Appendix C. A~dditional articles * ~~~appeared monthly the day following the Planning Board meeting. Another measure was taken to attract citizen input. Letters were I ~~~mailed to various civic and industry leaders in the community (Appendix * ~~~D) Special attention was given to soliciting names from a wide cross-section of individuals. Economic, social, ethnic and cultural view points were considered in developing the list. The intent of the letter was to educate the individuals about the plan and to invite them to attend the public meetings. This proved to be effective, as citizen attendance increased markedly at subsequent meetings. Members of the Belhaven Town Board were strongly encouraged * ~~~to attend the meetings to keep the Board abreast of progress on the plan. At least one Town Board member was present at every meeting and workshop. The Town Manager also gave Land Use Plan Update progress reports at Belhaven Town Board meetings. I ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~120 Draft sections of the plan were also made available for public review. A~ current draft of the plan was kept in the Town Hall and the public was encouraged to make written comments on it. The purpose was to have as much citizen input as possible. It is the belief of the I ~~~Belhaven Planning Board and Town Board that all citizens should be * ~~~provided adequate opportunity to participate in the governmental and planning decisions which affect them. In the future, citizen input will continue to be solicited, primarily through the Planning Board. All upcoming meetings will be advertised and adequately publicized to I ~~~help keep citizens informed about the land use changes occurring in their community. 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~121 LAND CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM The land classification system is a tool to identify the antici- pated land uses within a planning area. The land classification map, the culmination of the land use planning effort, designates specific I ~~~areas for certain types of development activities. I~t provides a uniform method of analyzing how the planned use of land interacts with environmentally sensitive areas during the development process of the Town. The land classification system promotes an understanding of the relationships between various land use categories and the need to I ~~~develop policies to accommodate these relationships. The focus is to evaluate the intensity of land utilization and the level of services required to support that intensity. According to the CAMA guidelines: "The land classification system provides a framework to be used by. local governments to identify the future use of all I ~~~~lands. The designation of land classes allows the local govern- * ~~~~ment to illustrate their policy statements as to where and to what density they want growth to occur, and where they want to conserve natural and cultural resources by guiding growth." (7B.0204) (b) The CAMA guidelines include five general land use classifi- cations for the land classification map: Developed, Transition, U ~~~Community, Rural and Conservation. Their definitions are ranked 3 ~~~according to the intended intensity of land uses within them. Areas classified as "Developed" require the traditional level of services associated with urban areas. "Transition" areas should include areas developing or anticipating development which will eventually require I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 122 urban services. Lower density areas which will not require services should be classified as "Community". Areas classified as "Rural" should be reserved for low intensity uses such as agriculture, fores- try, mineral extraction and widely dispersed housing. Public water I ~~~and sewer will not be provi ded in rural areas. The purpose of the "Conservation" class is "to provide for the effective long-term management and protection of significant, limited or irreplaceable areas". Public or private services, like water and sewer, should not be provided in this land classification. I ~~~~The five land classifications and land classification map are * ~~~intended to serve as a visual definition of the policies stated in this plan (Figure 14). The five land use classifications, as they are applied in the Belhaven planning area, are discussed below. DEVELOPED I ~~~~The Developed land classification is intended for continued intensive development and redevelopment of urban areas. It includes areas already developed as urban in character and include mixed land uses such as residential, commercial) industrial, institutional and other uses at high to moderate densities. Town services including I ~~~water, sewer, public roads and police and fire protection are provided to some extent within the Developed class. In the planning area, much of the land located within the Town limits is classifie d as Developed. Exceptions include the undeveloped waterfront industrial section and several pockets of undeveloped areas in the center of Town. Approximately 95 percent of the structures 123 Figure 14 LAND CLASSIFICATION MAP ~~~~~~~~~~r U. ~.S. 264 I ; Submerged Vessel through a grant provided by the North Carolina Surface Waters 1- QRural CRC disagrees with Transition classification, see pg . 125. 124 within this boundary are served by sewer service. Ninety-three percent I ~~~~of the residents are provided water service. TRANSITION The Transition class is categorized by the lands providing for intensive urban development within the ensuing ten years. These areas will be scheduled for provision of water and sewer in the I ~~~future. They will also serve as the overflow sites for development when additional lands are needed to accommodate growth. They will eventually become a part of the urban area. The Transition classification includes the area located in the northern section of Town, whif-h is currently agricultural land and I ~~~~light residential development. Additional concentrations exist on the peninsula between Battalina and Tooley's Creeks and along the southern portion of Highway 264 coming into Town.* Trends over the past five * ~~~~years have shown most of the Town's residential growth occurring in the northern existing residential areas and along the waterfront. General- I ~~~~ly, these areas are well suited for future development if water and sewer lines are extended. The land use analysis showed that the soils within the transition areas are generally unsuitable for septic tanks. Most of this area, however, is in the lowest risk zone for the Flood Prevention Ordinance. I ~~~~~The relationship between the Developed and Transition classes is important in a predominantly rural area like eastern Beaufort County. Local land use planning efforts and public investments will be target- ted to the land within these classes. Available vacant land within the developed class should be considered for development prior to using public dollars within to extend services to the transition class. 125 *It should be noted that the Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) disagrees with the Transition classification of the peninsula between Tooley's and Battalina creeks. Although the Town's 1976 and 1980 Land Use Plans were certified by the CRC with this area in the Transition classification, the CRC now in 1987 believes the area should appropri- ately be classified Conservation. Town officials however, do not feel the community can reasonably abrogate a long-standing pre-CAMA agree- ment between the Town and property-owners in the area by changing the area's land classification. Thus, although the area appears as Transition on the Classification Map, the CRC has stated that when development requests for the area are reviewed, the Tooley's Creek area will be considered as being in the Conservation land classification for permit purposes. COMMUNITY The "Community" classification is usually characterized by a small cluster of mixed land uses in a rural area which do not require municipal services. It usually serves to meet the housing, light shopping, employment and public services needs of a rural area. The Community classification typifies crossroads areas along primary and secondary roads. In the Belhaven planning area, there are no areas classified as "community". RURAL The "Rural" classification is designed for undeveloped areas which may be used for low intensity, non-urban uses. Urban services are typically not needed in the Rural class due to the dispersion of development within these areas. Generally, these are lands identified as appropriate locations for agricultural production, mineral extrac- 126 tion, or forestry activities. A~reas with significant limitations to I ~~~make development hazardous or economicalIly unfeasible should also be placed in the Rural classification. Nearly all of the land outside the town limits falls into this classification. Presently, th..is land is used for agriculture and forestry activities, but is not restricted to these uses. Spillover * ~~~development from the transition and developed classes will be welcomed. * ~~~~The Town has no special restrictions on development i n this area. COJNSERVATION The "Conservation" class provides for the effective long term management of significant, limited or irreplaceable resources. This I ~~~includes, as a minimum, all of the statutorily defined A~ECs. In Belhaven, this involves the estuarine waters, the estuarine shorelines, public trust waters, and coastal wetlands. The Conservation class does not imply "non-use". It is intended to provide for careful and cautious management of the uses allowed in I ~~~~it. Preservation, on the other hand, implies total restriction of all uses in an effort to keep the natural environment intact. Through conscientious management, the Conservation class requires all uses to be as unoffensive as possible. The intention of the Conservation class is to strike a balance between careful long-term management of sensi- I ~~~tive natural and cultural resources and the freedom of landowners to * ~~~utilize their property to its best use. The Town of Belhaven allows these specific uses in the Conserva- tion class: 127 1. Water-oriented uses such as docks, piers, mooring pilings, bridges and bridge approaches if shown not to cause a detri- ment to the AEC or Conservation lands. 2. Necessary utility service lines, such as water, sewer, electrical, natural gas, etc., when demonstrated that the lines will not terminate on the land designated as Conservation and the environ- mental integrity of the Conservation area will not be violated. 3. Bulkheading, when construction of bulkhead can be conducted without significantly altering the ecological system, and in compliance with existing federal, state and local regula- tions. Iions. 4. Revetments, culverts, groins and navigational aids. 5. Marinas, provided that they are in compliance with size and water quality requirements set by state. In conjunction with the Policy Statements section of this plan, each application for a "developed" use in the Conservation classifica- tion shall be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. 128 RELATIONSHIP OF POLICIES AND LAND CLASSIFICATION As required by the Coastal Resources Commission, this plan must discuss the manner in which the policies developed in the Policy Statements section will be applied to each of the land classes. In I ~~~addition, an identification must be made of the types of land uses which are appropriate in each class. DEVELOPED AND TRANSITION CLASSES Recent trends have shown that most of the growth in the Belhaven planning area is occurring on the fringes of the Belhaven Town limits. I ~~~This is the area where basic services such as water, sewer and commun- * ~~~ity support services are available or might be feasible within the planning period. These classes are designed to accommodate all inten- sive land uses, including residential, commercial, industrial, trans- portation and community facilities. Hazardous or offensive uses, such as land application systems, electrical generating facilities, air- ports, and noxious industries will not be permitted in the classes. I ~~~RURAL CLASS * ~~~~The rural class is the broadest of the land classes and is designated to provide for low intensity uses including agriculture, forest management, and mineral extraction. Residences may be located within the rural class where urban services are not required and where I ~~~natural resources will not be permanently impaired. Offensive land uses, such as land application systems and airports will be limited to this class. I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4 129 CONSERVA~T ION CLASS The conservation class is designed to provide for the effective, long-term management of significant limited or irreplaceable areas including Areas of Environmental Concern. Development in the estuarine I ~~~system should be limited to uses such as piers, bulkheads, marinas, and other water-dependent uses (See description of Conservation classifica- tion above). Policy statements under Resource Protection and Resource Production and Management address Belhaven's intentions for development in fragile areas. The protection of natural resources and specifi- I ~~~cally, water quality, is reflected in each policy statement. 130 INTER60VERNMENTAL COORDINATION The land use plan is a tool for coordinating numerous policies, standards, regulations and other governmental activities. The plan provides the framework for budgeting, planning, and the provision and I ~~~expansion of community facilities such as water, sewer, school and road systems. It is the principal policy guide for governmental decisions and activities which 'affect land use in the Belhaven area. The * ~~~implementation of policies in the land use plan requires coordination between the local government and the State and Federal governments. I ~~~Enforcement of the policies and goals requires a consistency with the higher levels of government. The formation of a policy without means of enforcement defeats the intention of the land use plan * ~~~update. Belhaven has worked to ensure compatibility between the Beaufort County and Belhaven Land Use Plans. There appeared to be no inconsis- tencies between the policies in each plan. A good working relationship I ~~~exists between the Town of Belhaven and Beaufort County. During its development period, the plan was continuously evaluated for its consistencies between State and Federal regulation. The Town of Belhaven intervds to foster intergovernmental coordi- nation by working with State and Federal agencies to implement policies I ~~~to improve water quality, as well as carry out goals for the agricul- ture and commercial fishing industries. In addition, Belhaven will work with the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources in protecting and enhancing its heritage. Coordination between the Division of Coastal Management and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be maintained in the 131 I permitting process for development in areas classified as wetlands. 1l additional efforts will be made to promote cooperation between the State, Federal, County and Belhaven governments. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 132 APPENDIX A ARTICLE V AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE EXTENSION OF WATER AND SANITARY SEWER SERVICE WITHIN I ~ ~AND OUTSIDE THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE TOWN OF BELHAVEN. Be it Ordained by the Board of Aldermen of the Town of Belhaven as follows: Section 1. APPLICATION FOR AND APPROVAL OF EXTENSIONS REQUIRED. A. From and after the effective date of this Ordinance, any property owner, or I ~ ~owners, desiring water or-sanitary sewer service shall apply in writing to the Board of Aldermen requesting the extension of water or sanitary sewer service or both. No request for the extension of services shall be considered unless submitted in writing in accordance with the requirements of this Ordinance. B. The Town may require the applicant to submit as part of the written appli- cation such information, plans, or other data as may be required to adequately determine if the requirements of this Ordinance are to be met. C. Wshen application is made for water and sewer extensions to serve an area I ~ ~or development project that is planned as part of a larger project or subdivision, all of which is not to be developed at the time application is made, the owner or owners shall submit plans in suffic ient detail in order to determine the size and typ facilities which will be necessary to serve the entire development or subdivision D. No extension to the water or sanitary sewer system of the Town of Belhaven shall be made and no application shall be approved except in accordance with the requirements of this Ordinance. I ~~~Section 2, GENERAL EXTENSION REQUIREMENTS. All extensions of either water or sanitary sewer service shall be governed by I ~ ~~the following: (a) The minimum distance for any extension of a water main or sanitary sewer main shall be determined by the Board of Aldermen. In general, the minimum distance folxtnions shallve tonvle pattd bokorin the case of wantar eer extensio from mainhoet folxtnione shalve tonvle pantd bokorin the case of santar eer exenions from mainhoet * ~~~manhole. (b) The size of water mains and sanitary sewer mains to be installed and the other required system facilities shall be determined by the Board of Aldermen in accordance with the recognized standards and accepted engineering practices and Section 3. FINANCING EXTENSIONS WITHIN CORPORATE LIMITS. A. Extensions to Approved Subdivisions or Developed Property. U ~~~~(1) When application is received requesting the extension of water or sanitary sewer service or both to serve property within the corporate limits which is develo or has been previously approved as a subdivision, or where streets have previously 1 33 I ~dedicated and accepted by the Town, and where such area is not part of a new sub- division which has not been approved by the Town, the Town Clerk or other person designated by the Board of Aldermen shall estimate the cost of the project and I ~present the application for such extension, the estimated cost and other required information to the Board of Aldermen for their consideration. If the application is approved by the Board of Aldermen and subject to the availability of funds, the Town I ~will install or have installed by contract under its supervision the extensions which have been approved , and such extension shall be financed in accordance with this subsection. (2) When an approved water or sanitary sewer extension project has been com- pleted and the total cost thereof has been determined, seventy-five percent of the total cost of such water or sanitary sewer extension or both shall be assessed I ~against the property owners whose property abuts upon such extension at an equal rate per front foot in accordance wit h and under the authority granted to the Town by G.S. 160-241 through G.S. 160-248. The remaining twenty-five percent of the total I ~cost of such extensions shall be borne by the Town from funds appropriated for this purpose. (3) Any property owner or owners sthall have the opportunity to pay his or I ~their proportionate share of the cost of such extensions after the assessment roll is confirmed rather than paying his or their share in equal annual installments with * ~interest as required by the statute. B. Extensions to Proposed Development or Subdivisions. (1) When an application is received requesting the extension of water or sani- tary sewer service or both to proposed development or subdivisions within the cor- porate limits which have not been approved by the Board of Aldermen, the Town Clerk or other person designated by the Board of Aldermen, shall estimate the cost of the project and present the application for such extension, the estimated cost and other required information to the Board of Aldermen for their consideration. If the application is approved, and subject to the availability of funds, the Town will install or have installed by contract under its supervision such extensions which shall be financed in accordance with this subsection. (2) Prior to the beginning of any construction, the property owner oowers shall advance to the Town funds in an amount equal to seventy-five percent of the total estimated cost of the proposed extensions. Upon receipt of such funds, a written contract shall be entered into by and between the Town of Belhaven and the property owner or owners, under which the Town will use such funds upon the following terms and conditions: I ~ ~~(a) The funds shall be deposited in a special account of the T own for which a separate accounting will be made. (b) At the time construction of the extension is completed and the total cost thereof is determined, if the amount deposited exceeds seventy-five percent of the total cost, that portion in excess of the amount deposited will be refunded to the owner or owners without interest. If the amount deposited is less than seventy-five .percent of the total cost, the. owner or owners shall pay such additional amount to the Town and this condition shall be a part of the written contract. (c) In lieu of depositing funds, the owner or owners may provide a surety bond or some other form of security that will insure payment to the Town of the owner or owners' proportionate share of the cost of extension in accordance with this Ordinance. (d) No refund or reimbursement of funds shall be made to the owner or owners who pay seventy-five percent of the total cost of extension under the requirements of this subsection except as provided for in paragraph (b) above. C. Facilities Excluded in Determining Owners' Share of Cost. (1) When the Town of Belhaven deterriines that it is advisable to install larger size facilities than are necessary to serve *the property requesting such extension, the difference in the cost of the larger size facilities over ~and above the cost of the facilities required to serve the property requesting such extension shall be paid for by the Town of Belhaven and excluded from the total cost to be shared by the property owner and the Town as provided for herein. (2) Fire hydrants, pumping stations, outfall lines, and other facilities in- stalled for general public use shall be paid for by the Town of Belhaven and ex- cluded from the total cost to be shared by the property owner and the Town as pro- 5vided for herein. D. Exceptions Authorized. (1) Nothing in this Ordinance shall prevent the Board of Aldermen from extend- ing water or sanitary sewer mains or both within the corporate limits on their own motion without receipt of an application from property owners, and to assess the cost I ~of such extensions in accordance with subsection A of Section 3 of this Ordinance when, in the opinion of the Board of Aldermen, the general public interest demands such 3 ~extension of service. (2) Nothing in this Ordinance shall require payments or assessments for the extension of water or sanitary sewer mains or both, which are to be extended by I ~William C. Olsen and Associates Engineers and Architects, Raleigh, North Carolina, under contract number 414 for water and 401 for sewer, and included under EDA number 03-1-00051P and HUD number PFL NC 89. I, ~~Section 4. FINANCING EXTENSIONS OUTSIDE CORPORATE LIMITS. A. All applications for water and sewer extensions outside the corporate limits shall be made in the same manner and under the same requirements as provided for in Sections I and 2 of this Ordinance. B. If an application is approved by the Board of Aldermen, the owner or owners shall be required to pay for the entire cost of all extensions. Provided, the Town may participate to the extent agreed upon by the Board of Aldermen in the cost of larger size mains which are in excess of the size mains required to serve the project. No I ~reimbursement shall be made upon annexation and all water and sewer lines connected to the Town system and located outside the corporate limits shall become the property of the Town at the time such facilities are connected. C. Prior to the beginning of any construction, the owner or owners shall deposit with the Town funds in an amount equal to the total estimated cost of such extensions. 1.35 Upon receipt of such funds, a written contract shall be entered into by and between - the Town of Belhaven and the property ow(per or owners in accordance with the require- ments of this Ordinance. Such contract shall provide that in the event the amount of the total funds deposited exceeds the amount of the total extension cost when com- pleted that portion in excess of the total extension cost will be refunded to the owner or owners without interest. Such contract shall also provide that if the amount deposited is less than the total cost, the owner or owners shall pay such additional amount to the Town of Belhaven. D. In lieu of depositing funds the owner or owners may execute a surety bond guaranteeing payment for such extension or the owner or owners may have such extension work performed under private contract with the approval of the Board of-Aldermen, provided the work is to be performed in accordance with all construction 'requirements I of the Town of Belhaven and subject to inspection and approval of the Town. E. In the event the property for which application has been made for water or sewer service is contiguous to the corporate limits and the owner or owners of such I property agree to annexation and in the event such property is annexed to the Town of Belhaven, extensions may be made to such property and the cost thereof financed in accordance with the requirements of Section 3A or 3D of this Ordinance, whichever is applicable. Section 5. SPECIFICATIONS, OWNERSHIP. I ~~Any water mains or sanitary sewer mains extended under the provisions of this Ordinance shall be installed and constructed in accordance with the approved plans, specifications and other requirements of the Town of Belhaven. All facilities in- .. stalled under the provisions of this Ordinance, whether within or outside the corporate limits,shall become the sole property of the Town of Belhaven and under its juris- diction and control for any and all purposes whatsoever at the time such facilities are Iconnected to the Town system. When required, the property owner or owners shall grant to the Town such utility eastments as the Town may require. In addition, a deed to the Town for water and/or sewer facilities installed which are located outside the corporate limits, the cost of which is borne by individual property owners, shall be executed prior to the time any extensions provided for in this Ordinance are connected to the Town systems. I ~~Section 6. ADDITIONAL SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT REQUIREMENT. * ~~The Board of Aldermen may in its discretion as a condition under which water or sewer service or both will be extended, require the owner or owners of a proposed subdivision to enter into an agreement to improve the proposed streets therein at their own expense and in accordance with the ordinances then in force governing the I' acceptance of public streets for the Town of Belhaven. If required, this section shall apply to subdivisions which are located either within or outside the corporate limits of the Town of Belhaven. I ~~Section 7. CONFLICTING ORDINANCES REPJEALED. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the provisions of this I ~Ordinance are hereby repealed. * ~~Section 8. EFFECTIVE DATE This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after the 6th day I ~of March, 1968. -- ~~~~~APPENDIX B 136 FEDERAL DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS Agiency Licenses and Permits Army Corps of Engineers - Permits required under (DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE) Sections 9 and 10 of the I ~ ~~~~~~~~~~Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899; permits to construct in navigable waters. - Permits required under Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972. - Permits required under Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act; permits to undertake dredging and/or filling activities. Coast Guard - Permits for bridges, cause- (DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION) ways and pipelines over navigable waters required under the General Bridge Act of 1946 and the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. I~~~~~~~~~~~ -Deep water port permits. Geological Survey - Permits required for of f- I ~ ~Bureau of Land Management shore drilling. (DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR) - Approval of OCS pipeline corridor rights-of-ways. Nuclear Regulatory Commission - Licenses for siting, con- (DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY) struction and operation of nuclear power plants required under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and Title I! of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974. 137 Federal Energy Regulation Permits for construction, Commission (DEPPARTMENT OF operation and maintenance ENERGY) of interstate pipelines facilities required under the Natural Gas Act of 1938. Orders of interconnection of electric transmission facilities under Section 202 (b) of the Federal Power Act. Permission required for abandonment of natural gas pipelines and associated facilities under Section 7C (b) of the Natural Gas Act of 1938. Source: CAMA Land Use Plan Update, Hertford County, NC, ? ~1980. 138 STATE DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS Aqency Licenses and Permits DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES - Permits to discharge to sur- AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT face waters or operate waste- water treatment plants or oil discharge permits; NPDES Per- mits, (G.S. 143-215). Division of Environmental - Permits for septic tanks that Management serve industrial process water flow or are community owned. Such systems owned by the State or Federal government are under the jurisdiction of the Health Department, (G.S. 143-215.3). - Permits for air pollution abatement facilities and sources (G.S. 143-215.108). - Permits for construction of complex sources; e.g. parking lots, subdivision, stadiums, etc. eG.S. 143-215.109). - Permits for construction of a well over 100,000 gallons/ day (G.S. 87-88). Division of Coastal - Permits to dredge and/or fill Management in estuarine waters, tide- lands, etc. (G.S. 113-229). - Permits to undertake develop- ment in Areas of Environ- mental Concern (G.S. 113A- 118). Note: Minor development permits are issued by the local government. 139 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES I Permits to alter or construct AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT dams (G.S. 143-215.66). Division of Land Resources - Permits to mine (G.S. 74-51). - Permits to drill exploratory oil or gas wells (G.S. 113- 381). Permits to conduct geograph- ical explorations (G.S. 113-391). - Sedimentation erosion control plans for any land disturb- ing activity of over one contiguous acre (6.S. 113A-54). Secretary of NRCD - Permits to construct oil refineries. Department of Administration - Easements to fill where lands are proposed to be raised above the normal high water mark or navigable waters (G.S. 146.6). Department of Human Resources - Approval to operate a solid waste disposal site or facility (G.S. 130- 166.16). - Approval for construction of any public water supply facility that furnishes water to ten or more residences (G.S. 130- 160.1). - Permits for septic tank systems of 3000 gallons/day or less capacity (G.S. 130-160). Source: CAMA Land Use Plan Update,. Hertford County, NC, 1980. 140 APPENDIX C U ~~CITIZEN iNVOLVEMENT NEWSPAPER ARTICLES Washington Daily News - 1-29-86 Belhaven!Plalnihng B9ard Assesses Lan"d Use Goals BELHAVEN - The Belhaven In a checklist format, each 1981 planning board has decided to policy and implementation work harder at meeting its goals strategywasanalyzedtodetermine and to remove the "vagueness" how well the town has moved for. ftom the land use policies in place ward in reaching each goal Out of for the past five years. 16 implementation strategies, 11, The town's planning board met or 69 percent, had been either par- Monday night to discuss the lane tially or completely fulfilled. The use plan which is being updated board was asked to evaluate each. this year. The meeting focused on policy for its content and clarity. the policies and goals set in the Each policy dealt with the issues of 1981 land use plan and how well resource protection, production or theimplementation procedures for management and economic de- each policy have been carried out velopment. since that time. The board con. eluded that the goals and policies se he planninag board also discus set forth in the 1981 plan are too ed othereas of intert for their "vague" for interpretation for the upcomingplan.Theshipwrecks lo- 98e plain cated off of the waterfront, consi- The land use plan update is a dered to be a significant cultural document used to assess and guide resource, were the subject of con- development. Each of 20 counties troversy. Planning board members covered by North Carolina's Coas. requested that Information on the tal Area Management Act must up, historical value of each wreck be date its land use plan every five gathered. Also, the economic feasi- years. Municipalities, like bilit, ofadiketokeepoutfloodwa- Belhaven, have the option of up. was from the downtown section dating their plans as well was debated. -i _ I[ r r i u , Six planning board members were present at the meeting, as wellas two town council members. ions V ;Tim Johnson, town manager, pres- ided at the meeting. I I WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS 141 2-20-86 Industrial Recruitment Concern Of Planners BELHAVEN - The Belhaven lems facing the town for this year's Planning Board has decided that update. although water quality is impor- Water quality and wetland re- tant to the growth of the commun- sources are important to ity, industrial recruitment should Belhaven's commercial fishing take a front seat over additional and recreation industries. Estab- town efforts to maintain water lishment of policies related to im- quality. proving water quality were an im- In proposing policy for the portant concern to the board, but town's 1986 land use plan list no strategies for implementing night, the planning board included new policies were formed. policies to protect natural re- Ms. Phillips noted that "the sources and the region's supply of effectiveness of each policy is mea- groundwater. The board did not sured by the actions taken to sup- approve new initiatives on {water port and carry it out." quality. - The N.C. Coastal Resources The board also elected not to pur. Commission requires that water sue establishment of an historic quality be addressed. Belhaven district in the town. TIhere are can decide whether to emphasize it approximately 17 structures listed in the plan. In general, it was deter- on the State and National Registers mined that water quality is secon- of Historic Places, but the board dary to industrial development in noted that there was hot wide- thetown. WilburLogan, a planning spread support for or interest in an board member, noted that the plan historic district at this time. should not have any statements Belhaven is updating its Coastal which might discourage industry Area Management Act Land Use in any way. Ptah.'The plarining bqard, plus ab.. ' The board decided'to table sever- 6outeight concerned.ci'tizens, met al decisioins 'con~cerning water last night with consiilting planner quality until the next meeting to Lynn Phillips of the Mid-East allow more time to consider each of Commission, who provided tech. the implementation strategies sug- nical information on which the gested. board based its'decisions. The board also examined the The board also elected John safe placement of septic tanks in Jones as its chairman. Jones noted area soil. The best way to prevent that non-point pollution is one of contanjination of water supplies is the greatest environmental prob- to require all potential users to hook up to the town's wastewater ' treatment plant. Town Manager Tim Johnson said that it will prob- ably be possible to extend sewer lines to all developed areas witlhin the one-mile extraterritorial .limit within the next two years. The town's wastewater treatment facil- ity is currently in the planning stages for a 201 Facilities Program to upgrade and expand the ex- isting facility. The plan is being developed and public opinion is still encouraged on,each policy recommendation. The board will meet again at 7:30 p.m.' March 19 in the Belhaven Town Hall. I own s rianning board U ~~~~~~~~~Discusses CAMA Plan 142 BELHAVEN - Discussing sites, however. If any residential, opportunities for development, commercial, or industrial de- the Belhaven Planning Board velopment considers these sites voted last -night to avoid special for development, the town sees precautions to preserve several no need to protect these farm- I ~ ~~~~~~~~tracts of "prime" agricultural lands. The lack of adequate land land within the planning area. for all development types was The Planning Board discussed cited as the main purpose for this the 1986 update of the Coastal policy choice. I ~ ~~~~~~~~Area Management Act Land Use In other matters, the board de- Plan. The Land Use Plan is a cided to discourage open pit min- document to guide and assess de- ing within the one-mile jurisdic- velopment over a ten-year tion of the town. Any mining acti- I ~ ~~~~~~~~period. vities proposed will be required Two pockets of "prime" agri- to apply for a special use permit. cultural soils exist within the Each special use permit will be planning area. "Prime" soils examined individually. The I ~ ~~~~~~~~have been identified by the Soil town plans to discourage the ex- Conservation Service as those traction of peat within its plan- soils with the highest production ning area. It will not be responsi- yields in the state. In Belhaven, ble for providing water and sew- I ~ ~~~~~~~~these soils are located near Duke er services to any proposed min- Street and outside the town ing operations. limits to the north of Battalina The board also agreed that Creek., available sites for future indust- I ~ ~~~~~~~~Since these lands are currently rial development are limited. under production, the town en- Sites that are currently zoned for courages the owners to imple- industry are located on the Pan- ment the best management prac- tego Creek waterfront and on the tices, a program currently in Battalina Creek peninsula. These place under the Soil Conserva- creeks are considered fragile be- tion Service. Development will cause they serve as nursery areas not be precluded from thp.,e for juvenile fish species. Most cett hs aesmyhvtypes of industry located adja- negative effect on the fragile nursery areas. It was recom- idsrbecniee.twamended that alternative sites for long-range plan for the town. However, the planning board will discuss it later. The development of marinas WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS and floating homes will be sup- 3..20)(Y86O ported, providing their des'ign U ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~and size do not violate water quality standards set by the Divi- sion of Environmental Manage- ment officials. Scientific studies have shown marinas to be contri- U ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~butors to the pollution problems of the waters in which they are located. The zoning ordinance will require slight revisions to re- fleet this policy statement. Several citizens attended the meeting. Most were interested in the possible requirement of sew- I ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~er hook-ups for all out-of-town residents. Board members reas- sured the citizens that this would not be a future requirement. I ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next meeting of the plan- ning board is scheduled for April 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers. The agenda will in- I d~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~cude policy statements on eco- niomic and community develop- ment 11 interested members of 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~the u,, ..,c are invited to attend. 143 WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS, MONDAY, APRIL 28, 1986 - PAGE 5 Comment Sought On CAMA Update Of Land Use Plan X BELHAVEN - Citizens will have the opportunity to provide input on the economic and com- munity development issues fac- ing Belhaven at a town meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 30. The town's Planning Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the coun- cil chambers of the Old Town Hall to discuss an update of the Coastal Area Management Act land use plan. The board will discuss the re- cruiting of industry and potential sites for specific manufacturing types. Members also will discuss the town's obligation to provid4 services to future industry. I~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 144 WASHINGTON DAILY NEWS, TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1986 - PAGE 5 Belhaven Continues Land Use Plan Talks Wednesday BELHAVEN - The Belhaven use plan is to address policies re- Planning Board will meet at 7:30 lated to development in a town in p.m. Wednesday evening to con- a 10-year period. tinue discussion on the town's Wednesday night's agenda in- Land Use Plan update. eludes discussion on the town's The meeting will be held in the commitment to citizen involve- town council chambers and is ment in planning along with open to all interested citizens. allowable uses within each clas- Since November, the plainning sification on the land classifica- board has been working on up- tion map. The map includes five dating the land use plan as re- classes based on development quired every five years. The land density. I~~ APPENDIX D PERSONAL INVITATION TO PUBLIC MEETINGS ~~~In MAORI TOWN COUNCIL: Di. C.O. Buyette W.P. O'Neal. Jr., Mayor Pro-Teri -Tim MI. Johnson -.-James .Hde * 7.. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Frank Ambrose. Jr. TOWN CLERK Mtbfl S~ t89 Judy E. Allen * Deborah M. Hollowell * ~~~~~~~January 31, 1986 Mr. Jerry Cox Front Street Belhaven, NC 27810 Dear Mr. Ccx:. I ~~~The'Town of Beihaven and the Mid-East Commission are currently engaged in updating the 1981 Belhaven Land Use Plan. The land use plan is a document used to assess and guide de- I ~velopment. it will be used by the county CAMA Permit Officers, developers and other state and federal agencies to make decisions * ~about development and preservation activities in the town. Thus far, our work has concentrated on establishing a data base on the existing conditions, all plans and policies, and physical constraints which might pose a development impedi- ment in the future.' The next task of the planning board is to formulate recommendations for policy on future development * ~~issues. Your input in this decision-making process is essential. You have been listed as one of the more prominent residents in the Belhaven community who has an interest in the future of the town. We invite you to be heard in the community forum. During the next meeting scheduled for Februa ry 15?, we will be- I ~gin making policy statements on resource protection in the area. Also, we will be discussing the most relevant issues facing Belhaven today. The incorporation of your opinion on these issues is our goal. The meeting is scheduled for February IS at 7:30 P.M. in Town Hall. Subsequent meetings will be held on the third Wed- I ~nesday of each month at the time given above. We encourage you to attend it to provide guidance and direction. 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~146 I ~~January 31, 1986 page two if you have any questions about the plan and its purpose or the meeting, please feel free to call me. We look forward to working with you to guide the future of the town. * ~~~~~~~~Sincerely, Lynn Phillips, Planner in Charge 3 ~~~~~~~Mid-East Commission LP/ma cc: Tim Johnson, Town manager