i Contents TOWN OF TOPSAIL BEACH LAND USE PLAN .............................................................................................................. 1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 HOW TO USE THE LAND USE PLAN ........................................................................................................................... 3 SECTION 1: COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND ASPIRATIONS ........................................................................................ 3 A. SIGNIFICANT EXISTING & EMERGING CONDITIONS ................................................................................................. 4 B. KEY ISSUES ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 C. COMMUNITY VISION............................................................................................................................................... 5 SECTION 2: ANALYSIS OF EXISTING AND EMERGING CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 8 A.POPULATION ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 (1) Current Permanent Population Estimates ......................................................................................................... 8 (2) Current Seasonal Population Estimates ......................................................................................................... 10 (3) Permanent Population Growth Trends ........................................................................................................... 12 (4) Key Population Characteristics ..................................................................................................................... 12 (5) Age of Population .......................................................................................................................................... 14 (6) Income........................................................................................................................................................... 15 B. HOUSING STOCK .................................................................................................................................................. 16 (1) Current Housing Stock .................................................................................................................................. 16 (2) Building Permits Issued ................................................................................................................................ 17 C. LOCAL ECONOMY ................................................................................................................................................ 18 (1) Employment by Major Sectors................................................................................................................. 19 (2) Unemployment ......................................................................................................................................... 21 (3) Description of Community Economic Activity .............................................................................................. 22 D. POPULATION PROJECTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 22 (1) Short-term — five and ten year projections on permanent and seasonal population ...................................... 22 (2) Long-term — twenty year projections on permanent and seasonal population .............................................. 23 SECTION 3: NATURAL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................. 24 A. DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF NATURAL FEATURES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF TOPSAIL BEACH’S PLANNING JURISDICTION ........................................................................................................................................... 24 (1) Areas of Environmental Concern ................................................................................................................... 24 a. The Estuarine System.................................................................................................................................................. 25 b. Ocean Hazard Areas ..................................................................................................................................................... 26 c. Public Water Supplies ..................................................................................................................................................... 27 d. Natural and Cultural Resource Areas ............................................................................................................................ 27 (2) Soil Characteristics ....................................................................................................................................... 27 (3) Water Quality Classifications ........................................................................................................................ 30 (4) Shellfish Growing Areas & Primary Nursery Areas ...................................................................................... 33 a. Primary Nursery Areas ..................................................................................................................................................... 33 b. Secondary Nursery Areas ................................................................................................................................................ 33 c. Special Secondary Nursery Areas .................................................................................................................................... 34 (5) Flood Hazard Areas ...................................................................................................................................... 34 (a) Flooding – Rain Events .......................................................................................................................................... 35 (6) Storm Surge Areas ........................................................................................................................................ 36 (7) Non-coastal Wetlands (Probable 404 Wetlands) .......................................................................................... 37 (8) Water Supply Watersheds & Wellhead Protection Areas ............................................................................. 38 (9) Environmentally Fragile Areas ...................................................................................................................... 38 (a) Wetlands ................................................................................................................................................................. 38 (b) Natural Heritage Areas ........................................................................................................................................... 39 ii (c) Areas Containing Endangered Species ................................................................................................................... 39 (d) Prime Wildlife Habitats .......................................................................................................................................... 40 (e) Maritime Forests ..................................................................................................................................................... 40 (10) Additional Natural Features Identified by Topsail Beach ........................................................................... 40 SECTION 4: COMPOSITE MAP OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ......................................................................... 41 SECTION 5: ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS .......................................................................................................... 42 A. WATER QUALITY ................................................................................................................................................. 42 (1) Status and changes of surface water quality .................................................................................................. 44 (2) Current situation and trends on permanent and temporary closures of shell fishing waters .......................... 44 (3) Areas experiencing chronic wastewater treatment system malfunctions ....................................................... 44 (4) Areas with water quality or public health problems related to non-point source pollution ........................... 45 B. NATURAL HAZARDS ............................................................................................................................................. 45 (1) Areas subject to storm hazards such as recurrent flooding, storm surges, and high winds ............................ 45 (2) Areas experiencing significant shoreline erosion as evidenced by the presence of threatened structures or public facilities..................................................................................................................................................... 46 (3) Estimates of public and private