At its July meeting, the CRC:
- Adopted rule amendments that would expand the use of CAMA general permits on the sound
side of barrier islands when the property also falls within the Ocean Hazard Area of
Environmental Concern (AEC). Current rules largely prohibit the use of general permits in
the Ocean Hazard AEC, which is made up of the Ocean Erodible, High-Hazard Flood, Inlet
Hazard and Unvegetated Beach areas. Under the rule changes, sound-side property owners in
the Ocean Hazard AEC will be eligible to get general permits for traditional structures
routinely permitted along sounds. Examples are: piers, docks, bulkheads and riprap.
Currently, property owners would have to apply for a CAMA major permit, which takes longer
to issue. The rule changes are scheduled to take effect next April.
- Adopted rule amendments that will allow property owners to use additional pilings and
crossbeams to brace their piers to prevent or minimize storm damage, as long as the
pilings do not extend more than 2 feet beyond either side of the pier. The piers must have
been built by July 1, 2001. This rule change is already in effect as a temporary rule, and
the permanent version is scheduled to take effect next April.
- Adopted a change to definitions used in the mapping requirements in the new CAMA
land-use planning guidelines. The change replaces the phrase “probable Section 404
wetlands” – which are under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction –
with the text, “non-coastal wetlands, including forested wetland, shrub-scrub
wetlands and freshwater marshes.” The text change is scheduled to take effect next
April.
- Concurred with DCM staff’s standards and protocol for implementing the
commission’s “50 percent rule,” which is used in distinguishing between
repair and replacement of damaged structures located within CAMA jurisdiction.
- Granted authority to the towns of Kitty Hawk and Plymouth to develop individual CAMA
land-use plans. Under CAMA, municipalities must receive authority from the CRC if they
choose not to follow the county’s plan and develop their own.
- Granted a variance to Dennis and Alita Carroll of Buxton to build a single-family house
with decking that would encroach into the 30-foot coastal shoreline buffer on a sound-side
lot they own in Frisco. The Carrolls will install a stormwater collection system.
- Denied a variance to Donald Edwards of Sneads Ferry, who wanted to add a covered porch
to his existing house despite the fact that it would encroach into the 30-foot coastal
shoreline buffer.
- Granted a variance to Eddie Dawkins of Atlantic Beach to build a single-family house
that would encroach into the 30-foot coastal shoreline buffer on an irregularly shaped
lot. The house will have a stormwater collection system.
- Denied a variance to Robert Kenefick and six other Figure Eight Island property owners,
who wanted to place sandbags in front of the sand dunes even though the erosion scarp was
not close enough to their homes to qualify them as “imminently threatened” under
CRC rules.
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