Town of Carolina Beach Water Use and Harbor Management Plan Final Draft Prepared for the Town of Carolina Beach Planning Department by Mark T. Imperial, Ph.D. & Kristina Theodorson, MPA Candidate Town of Carolina Beach 1121 North Lake Park Boulevard Carolina Beach, NC 28428 Telephone (910) 458-2986 Fax (910) 458-2997 August 27, 2008 Town of Carolina Beach Water Use and Harbor Management Plan Town of Carolina Beach Water Use and Harbor Management Plan 2006 Town Council Mayor Bill Clark, [email protected] Mayor Pro Tem Alan Gilbert, [email protected] Councilman Jerry Johnson, [email protected] Councilwoman Pat Efird, [email protected] Councilman Joel Macon, [email protected] Town Staff Timothy W. Owens, Town Manager [email protected] 458 – 2994 Ed Parvin, Senior Planner [email protected] 458 – 2526 Lt. Kurt Bartley, Carolina Beach Harbormaster Lynn Prusa, Town Clerk [email protected] 458 – 2992 Planner-in-Charge Mark Imperial, Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Wilmington [email protected] 962 – 7928 Website http://www.carolinabeach.org/pages/welcome.html - i - Town of Carolina Beach Water Use and Harbor Management Plan Table of Contents Overview ................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 Organization of the Report.................................................................................................... 2 Summary of Existing Conditions .............................................................................................. 4 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 4 Physical Setting ..................................................................................................................... 4 Water Depths ........................................................................................................................ 4 Shoreline Land Use ............................................................................................................... 5 Shoreline Flood Potential ...................................................................................................... 9 Harbor Protection .................................................................................................................. 9 Submerged Cables or Pipes ................................................................................................ 10 Environmental Conditions ...................................................................................................... 10 Water Quality ...................................................................................................................... 10 Environmental Impacts Associated with Recreational Boating.......................................... 12 Biological/Wildlife Areas ................................................................................................... 14 Fish and Shellfish Resources .............................................................................................. 15 Regulatory Setting .................................................................................................................. 17 Local Policies and Ordinances ............................................................................................ 17 State Policies and Regulations ............................................................................................ 18 Federal Policies and Regulations ........................................................................................ 19 Existing Uses .......................................................................................................................... 19 General ................................................................................................................................ 19 Municipal Marina Facility .................................................................................................. 21 Other Marina Facilities ....................................................................................................... 21 Mooring and Anchorage Areas ........................................................................................... 22 Pumpout Facilities .............................................................................................................. 23 Public Access ...................................................................................................................... 23 Fishing and Shellfishing Activities ..................................................................................... 24 Wharves and Piers............................................................................................................... 24 Basin on the West Side of the Island .................................................................................. 24 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 26 Boater Access to the Harbor ................................................................................................... 26 Establish a Mooring Field ................................................................................................... 27 Maximizing Use of the Municipal Marina.......................................................................... 31 Developing Additional Boat Launch Facilities................................................................... 31 Public Access to the Harbor Area ........................................................................................... 33 User Conflicts in the Harbor Area .......................................................................................... 37 Water Quality and Other Environmental Issues ..................................................................... 40 Urban Stormwater Runoff................................................................................................... 40 Marinas and Recreational Boating Activities ..................................................................... 42 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 45 - ii - Town of Carolina Beach Water Use and Harbor Management Plan Duties of the Harbormaster ..................................................................................................... 46 Harbor Commission ................................................................................................................ 47 Mooring Allocation, Placement, Tackle Requirements, & Inspections .................................. 48 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 51 Sources of Potential Implementation Funding ........................................................................ 52 Clean Water Management Trust Fund ................................................................................ 52 Public Beach and Waterfront Access Grant Program ......................................................... 52 Marine Sewage Pumpout and Dump Station Grant Program ............................................. 53 Water Resources Development Project Grant Program ...................................................... 53 Park and Recreation Trust Fund ......................................................................................... 53 Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program ...................................................................... 54 Section 319 Grant Program ................................................................................................. 54 Appendix A ............................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix B ............................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix C ............................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix D ............................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix E ............................................................................................................................... 1 Appendix F................................................................................................................................ 1 - iii - Town of Carolina Beach Water Use and Harbor Management Plan List of Tables and Figures Table 1: Number of Registered Boats in North Carolina 20 Table 2: Inventory of Marinas within Carolina Beach harbor 22 Table 3: Public Access Inventory and Recommendations 34 Table 4: Sample Mooring Fee Schedule 47 Table 5: Sample Mooring Tackle Specifications 48 Figure 1: Carolina Beach Harbor in 1949 6 Figure 2: Carolina Beach Harbor in 1956 6 Figure 3: Carolina Beach Harbor in 1966 7 Figure 4: Carolina Beach Harbor in 1981 7 Figure 5: Carolina Beach Harbor in 1998 8 Figure 6: Carolina Beach Harbor in 2002 8 Figure 7: Number of Registered Boats in North Carolina 20 - iv - Town