Town of Wrightsville Beach, 2005 CAMA land use plan core plan

              May 24, 2006
Town of Wrightsville Beach
2005 CAMA Land Use Plan
Core Plan
Prepared for the Town of Wrightsville Beach
Land Use Plan Steering Committee by
Mark T. Imperial, Ph.D.
&
Melinda Powell-Williams
Town of Wrightsville Beach
321 Causeway Drive
P.O. Box 626
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Telephone (910) 509-5019 Fax (910) 256 -6848
Town of Wrightsville Beach 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan: Core Plan
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Town of Wrightsville Beach
CAMA Land Use Plan Update
2003 to 2005
Board of Aldermen
Mayor Robert O’Quinn, roquinn@towb.org
Ed Miastkowski, emiastowski@towb.org
Kitty Brunjes,kbrunjespublicemail@towb.org
David Cignotti, dcignotti@towb.org
Steve Whalen, swhalen@towb.org
Ed Paul,epaulpublicemail@towb.org
Steering Committee
Larry Mahl, Chair, 256 - 4481
Bill Sisson, Vice-Chair, sissonw@bellsouth.net, 392 - 3770
Norman Akel, Nhakel@acninc.net, 256-0675
Mack Arnold, Arnoldma@juno.com, 256-3895
Bill Baggett, Williamb@wilmington.net, 256 - 2251
Keith Beatty, Keithbeatty@intracoastalrealty.com, 509-1447
Jim Busby, Jwbusby@aol.com, 443-3992
Eddie Collins, 256-5840
Bob Cook, bob-ann@earthlink.net, 256 - 9196
Peggy Gentry, 256 - 8845
Joetta Joris, Jojoris@intracoastalrentals.com, 256 - 2709
Lori Rosbrugh, Lwr@lawfirm.com, 772-9960
Town Staff
Robert Simpson, Town Manager bsimpson@towb.org 256 - 7900
Tracie Davis, Director of Planning and Parks tdavis@towb.org 509 – 5019
Tony Wilson, Building Code Administrator twilson@towb.org 509-5019
Melinda Powell-Williams, Development Code Administrator mpowell@towb.org 509-5019
Anne Britt, Administrative Assistant abritt@towb.org 509 – 5019
Planner-in-Charge
Mark Imperial, Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Wilmington
imperialm@uncw.edu 962 – 7928
Websites
http://www.townofwrightsvillebeach.com/
http://www.townofwrightsvillebeach.com/LUP/landuseplan.htm
Town of Wrightsville Beach 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan: Core Plan
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ii
List of Tables and Figures vii
Financial Support ix
Acknowledgements ix
Acronyms Used In the CAMA Land Use Plan x
Community Vision Statement xii
Section 1: Introduction 1
1.0 Introduction 1
1.0.A Organization of the Report 2
Section 2: Community Concerns & Aspirations 4
2.0 Introduction 4
Section 3: Population, Economy, & Housing 7
3.0 Introduction 7
3.1 Permanent Population Estimates 7
3.1.A Permanent Population Trends 9
3.1.B Permanent Population Projection 11
3.2 Key Population Demographics 12
3.2.A Age of the Population 12
3.2.B Racial Composition 13
3.2.C Educational Attainment 13
3.2.D Housing Stock 13
3.2.A.1 Age of Structures 16
3.2.A.2 Occupancy 16
3.2.A.3 Vacant and Seasonal Housing 17
3.2.A.4 Development and Redevelopment Activity 18
3.3 Housing Value 19
3.4 Income 21
3.4.A Low and Fixed Income Population 22
3.5 Local Economy 23
3.5.A Employment 24
3.5.B Unemployment 25
3.5.C Retail Sales 26
3.5.D Summary of Community Economic Activity 26
3.6 Future Population Estimates 27
3.6.A Permanent Population Estimates 27
3.6.B Seasonal Population Estimates 28
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3.6.C Alternative Ways of Estimating Peak Population 30
Section 4: Natural Systems 32
4.0 Introduction 32
4.1 Areas of Environmental Concern 32
4.1.A Estuarine and Ocean System 33
4.1.A.1 Estuarine Water 33
4.1.A.2 Estuarine Shoreline 34
4.1.A.3 Coastal Wetlands 34
4.1.A.4 Public Trust Areas 35
4.1.B Ocean Hazard System 36
4.1.B.1 Ocean Erodible Area 36
4.1.B.2 What is the 1939 Building Line 37
4.1.B.3 High Hazard Flood Area 37
4.1.B.4 Inlet Hazard Area 38
4.1.B.5 Unvegetated Beach Area 38
4.2 Soil Characteristics 38
4.3 Water Quality 39
4.4 Shellfishing & Primary Nursery Areas 42
4.5 Hazards 43
4.5.A Flood Hazard Areas 43
4.5.A.1 FEMA Flood Insurance 43
4.5.B Hurricanes 45
4.5.B.1 Storm Surge Areas 46
4.5.C Nor’Easters 46
4.5.D Severe Thunderstorms 47
4.5.E Tornadoes 47
4.5.F Urban Fires 48
4.6 Non-coastal Wetlands 48
4.7 Water Supply and Wellhead Protection Areas 48
4.8 Environmentally Fragile Areas 49
4.8.A Natural Heritage Areas 49
4.8.B Areas Containing Endangered Species 49
4.9 Composite Map of Environmental Conditions 50
Section 5: Existing Land Use and Development 51
5.0 Introduction 51
5.1 Existing Land Use 51
5.1.A Neighborhood Characteristics 52
5.1.A.1 Central Beach Area 52
5.1.A.2 North End 53
5.1.A.3 The Parmele Area 53
5.1.A.4 The Waynick Boulevard-South Lumina Area 53
5.1.A.5 The South End 54
5.1.A.6 Old Harbor Island 55
5.1.A.7 Pelican Drive, Lees Cut, Channel Walk, and Lookout
Harbor
55
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5.1.A.8 Causeway Drive/Marina Area 56
5.1.A.9 Town Government and Parks Area 56
5.1.A.10 Mainland/Wrightsville Sound Area 56
5.1.A.11 Conservation Areas 56
5.1.A.12 Historic, Cultural, and Scenic Areas 56
5.1.B Projection of Future Land Needs 57
Section 6: Community Facilities & Town Services 58
6.0 Introduction 58
6.1 General Administration 58
6.2 Fire Protection & Emergency Medical Services 59
6.3 Police Department 60
6.4 Department of Planning and Parks 60
6.4.A Division of Planning and Inspections 61
6.4.B Division of Parks and Recreation 62
6.5 Public Works Department 64
6.6 Schools 64
Section 7: Infrastructure Carrying Capacity 65
7.0 Introduction 65
7.1 Public and Private Water Supply Systems 65
7.2 Public and Private Wastewater Systems 68
7.3 Stormwater System 70
7.4 Solid Waste Disposal and Recycling 71
7.5 Parking Facilities 72
7.6 Transportation System 72
7.6.A Wrightsville Beach (Heide Trask) Drawbridge 72
7.6.B Traffic Counts and Roadway Design Capacity 73
Section 8: Land Suitability Analysis 74
8.0 Introduction 74
8.1 Land Suitability Analysis 74
8.2 Implications of the Land Suitability Analysis 75
Section 9: Plan for the Future: Policies and Recommended
Actions
76
9.0 Introduction 76
9.1 Land Use and Development 77
9.2 Infrastructure Carrying Capacity 79
9.3 Public Access and Recreation 81
9.4 Water Quality and Natural Environment 87
9.5 Hazard Mitigation 93
Section 10: Tools for Managing Development 98
10.0 Introduction 98
10.1 Role and Status of the Land Use Plan 98
10.2 Existing Development Management Program 100
Town of Wrightsville Beach 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan: Core Plan
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10.2.A Wrightsville Beach’s Land Development Regulations 100
10.2.A.1 Wrightsville Beach Zoning Code 103
10.2.A.2 Subdivision Regulations 104
10.2.A.3 Minimum Housing Standards 104
10.2.A.4 Pierhead Ordinance 104
10.2.A.5 Building Code 104
10.2.A.6 Floodplain and Damage Prevention Ordinance 105
10.2.A.7 Additional New Hanover County Regulations
Affecting the Wrightsville Sound Area
105
10.2.B CAMA Requirements 105
10.2.C Permitting Process 107
10.2.D Nonregulatory Efforts to Implement CAMA Policies and
Recommendations
108
10.3 Additional Tools 110
10.4 Action Plan and Implementation Schedule 112
Section 11: Required Policy Analysis 113
11.0 Introduction 113
11.1 Consistency of the Policies with CAMA Management Topics 113
11.1.A Land Use Compatibility 114
11.1.B Infrastructure Carrying Capacity 114
11.1.C Public Access & Recreation 115
11.1.D Water Quality & Natural Environment 117
11.1.E Natural & Man-made Hazards 118
11.1.F Local Areas of Concern 119
11.2 Consistency Between the Policies and the Future Land Use Map 119
11.2.A Residential Density 120
11.2.B Comparison of the environmental composite map, land
suitability map, and future land use map
120
11.2.C Availability of Waters and Sewers to Future Development 121
11.2.D Natural Hazards 121
11.2.E Protecting Shellfish Waters 121
11.3 Impact of the Policies on Management Topics 122
Appendix A: Supporting GIS Maps A 1
AEC Coastal Wetland and Estuarine Waters Map
AEC and Fragile Areas Map
Closed Shellfishing Areas Map
DWQ High Quality and Outstanding Resource Waters Map
Fish Nursery Areas Map
Special Flood Hazard Zones Map
Flood Zone Map
Storm Surge Map
Hurricane Storm Surge Inundation Map
NC CREWS Exceptional, Substantial, and Beneficial Map
Significant Natural Heritage Areas Map
Existing Land Use Map
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Zoning Map
Public Access and Recreation Map
Infrastructure Map
Transportation System Map
Appendix B: Detailed Policy Analysis B 1
B.0 Introduction B 1
B.1 Public Access B 1
B.2 Land Development B 1
B.3 Infrastructure B 2
B.4 Natural Systems B 2
B.5 Local Areas of Concern B 3
Appendix C: Maps for the Land Suitability Analysis and
Environmental Composite
C 1
Environmental Composite Map
Land Suitability Analysis Map
Appendix D: Activities Identified in the Town’s NPDES
Phase II Stormwater Permit Application
D 1
D.0 Introduction D 1
D.1 Public Education/Outreach Measures D 1
D.2 Public Involvement and Participation Measures D 4
D.3 Illicit Discharge Elimination Measures D 5
D.4 Post Construction Stormwater Management Measures for New
Development and Redevelopment
D 8
D.5 Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal
Operations Measures
D 9
Appendix E: Future Land Use Map E 1
Future Land Use Map
Appendix F: Action Plan & Implementation Schedule F 1
Appendix G: Impact of Policies on Management Topics G 1
Appendix H: Adjacent Jurisdiction Comments H 1
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List of Tables and Figures
Table 2.1 Existing and Emerging Conditions 5
Table 2.2: Planning Issues and Concerns 6
Table 3.1: Comparison of Population Characteristics of Selected North Carolina
Beach Communities
8
Table 3.2: Population 9
Table 3.3: Percent Population Growth (1960 – 2000) 10
Table 3.4: Population Growth in North Carolina Coastal Communities (1990 –
2001)
11
Table 3.5: Persons by Age (1990 – 2000) 12
Table 3.6: Racial Composition (1990 – 2000) 13
Table 3.7: Educational Attainment for Persons 25 and over (2000) 14
Table 3.8: Percent Change in the Housing Stock (1990 – 2000) 14
Table 3.9: Percent of Housing Stock (1990 – 2000) 15
Table 3.10: Age of Structures in Wrightsville Beach 15
Table 3.11: Percent of Owner vs. Renter Occupied Housing (1990 – 2000) 17
Table 3.12: Percent Change in Owner vs. Renter Occupied Housing (1990 –
2000)
17
Table 3.13: Percent of Vacant and Seasonal Housing (1990 – 2000) 18
Table 3.14: Percent Change in Vacant and Seasonal Housing (1990 – 2000) 18
Table 3.15: Building Permits Issued (1999 – 2004) 19
Table 3.16: Development and Redevelopment Activity (1999 – 2003) 19
Table 3.17: Housing Value of Owner Occupied Housing Units (2000) 20
Table 3.18: Monthly Contract Rent for Renter Occupied Housing Units (2000) 20
Table 3.19: Income (1999) 21
Table 3.20: Median Income (1999) 21
Table 3.21: Poverty Status (1999) 21
Table 3.22: Employment Status 23
Table 3.23: Wrightsville Beach Occupations 23
Table 3.24: Employed Persons 16 and Over (2000) 24
Table 2.25: Wrightsville Beach Class of Worker (2000) 25
Table 3.26: Unemployment (2003) 25
Table 3.27: New Hanover County Tourism Revenue ($ Millions) 26
Table 3.28: Wrightsville Beach Motels & Number of Rooms 29
Table 3.29: High and Low Seasonal Population Estimates 29
Table 4.1: Receiving Streams Adjacent to Wrightsville Beach 41
Table 4.2: Parcels Located in the Flood Zone 43
Table 4.3: Flood Insurance Policies 44
Table 4.4: Loss Statistics for Wrightsville Beach and New Hanover County,
North Carolina (1978 – 2002)
44
Table 4.5: Hurricanes and the Saffir-Simpson Scale 45
Table 4.6: Approximate Impact of Various Storm Levels (Acres Impacted) 46
Table 4.7: Fujita-Pearson Tornado Scale 47
Town of Wrightsville Beach 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan: Core Plan
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Table 5.1: Land Usage in Wrightsville Beach (2004) 52
Table 6.1: School Capacity and Enrollment 64
Table 7.1: Water Connections 66
Table 7.2: Well Field Capacity (Gallons Per Minute) 66
Table 7.3: Average Daily Water Flows (1986 – 2003) 67
Table 7.4: Average and Maximum Daily Water Use by Month (2002) 67
Table 7.5: Projected Service Area Demand for Water 68
Table 7.6: Average Daily Wastewater Discharges (2002) 69
Table 7.7: Average Daily Wastewater Flow (1986 – 2003) 69
Table 7.8: Owner of Drainage Systems 70
Table 7.9: Marked Parking Spaces 72
Table 7.10: Estimated Peak Traffic Volumes (1990 – 2003) 73
Table 10.1: Wrightsville Beach’s Development Management Program 101
Table 10.2: Dimensional Table of Conforming Uses 103
Table 10.3: Dimensional Table of Non Conforming Uses 104
Table B.1: Analysis of the Implementation of the 1996 CAMA Land Use Plan B 4
Table D.1: Public Education and Outreach Management Measures D 3
Table D.2: Public Involvement and Participation Management Measures D 6
Table D.3: Illicit Discharge and Elimination Management Measures D 7
Table D.4: Post Construction Stormwater Management Measures for New
Development and Redevelopment
D 10
Table D.5: Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping for Municipal Operations
Management Measures
D 11
Table F.1: Action Plan & Implementation Schedule 2005 - 2011 F 2
Table G.1: Impact of Policies on Management Topics G 2
Figure 3.1: Population Growth in Wrightsville Beach (1960 – 2000) 10
Figure 3.2: New Hanover County Population Growth (1960 – 2000) 10
Town of Wrightsville Beach 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan: Core Plan
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Financial Support
The preparation of this document was financed, in part, through a grant provided by the
North Carolina Coastal Management Program, through funds provided by the 1972 Coastal
Zone Management Act (CZMA), as amended, which is administered by the Office of Ocean
and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The Town or Wrightsville Beach also provided funding and staff support for the planning
effort.
Acknowledgements
The development of the land use plan began early in 2003 with a decision by Town leaders to
commit the community’s economic resources and the valuable time of citizens and staff to
update the Town of Wrightsville Beach’s Land Use Plan. Funding and technical assistance
for the planning process was obtained from the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) Division of Coastal Management (DCM). Additional technical
assistance in the preparation of this document was obtained from the University of North
Carolina at Wilmington’s (UNCW’s) Master of Public Administration Program and the Cape
Fear Council of Governments (COG). Special recognition and thanks go to the following
individuals who supported the development of this Phase I report:
􀂃􈌠 Ms. Andrea Surratt, Ms. Tracie Davis, Mr. Tony Wilson, and Mr. Jon Giles for their
willingness to share knowledge of Wrightsville Beach and guidance in the
development of the Land Use Plan;
􀂃􈌠 Mr. Scott Logel and the Cape Fear Council of Governments for their assistance with
the mapping and land suitability analysis;
􀂃􈌠 Ms. Anne Britt for her tireless preparation of the Land Use Plan Steering Committee
minutes and staff support;
􀂃􈌠 Mr. John Carey, Mr. Frank Smith, Mr. Mike Vukelich, Mr. Tom Ames, Mr. Billy
Beasly, Ms. Kelly Strickland and Mr. Shannon Slocum for their willingness to share
their knowledge of the operation of the Town of Wrightsville Beach with the Land
Use Plan Steering Committee;
􀂃􈌠 Ms. Raquel Ivins for her assistance in updating and maintaining the website for the
Land Use Plan Update planning process;
􀂃􈌠 All Land Use Plan Steering Committee Members who willingly donated their time
and expertise to the development of the Land Use Plan Update; and,
􀂃􈌠 All members of the public who participated in the November 2003 and December
2004 Public Workshops and attended Land Use Plan Steering Committee Meetings
during the planning process.
Town of Wrightsville Beach 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan: Core Plan
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Acronyms Used In the CAMA Land Use Plan
AEC Areas of Environmental Concern
CAMA Coastal Area Management Act
CFCC Cape Fear Community College
CIP Capital Improvement Program
COE Corps of Engineers, United States
CRAC Coastal Resource Advisory Committee
CRC Coastal Resource Commission
CRS Community Rating System
CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act
DCM Division of Coastal Management
DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources
DOT Department of Transportation
DWR Division of Water Resources
DWQ Division of Water Quality
EMS Emergency Medical Service
EMT Emergency Medical Technician
ETJ Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
FAR Floor Area Ratio
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
GIS Geographic Information System
HQW High Quality Waters
ICC Infrastructure carrying Capacity
ICW Intracoastal Waterway
LPO Local Permit Officer
LSA Land Suitability Analysis
LUP Land Use Plan
LUPSC Land Use Plan Steering Committee
MG Million Gallons
MGD Millions of Gallons per Day
MHWL Mean High Water Line
MLWL Mean Low Water Line
MS4 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
NC North Carolina
NCAC North Carolina Annotated Code
NCDOT North Carolina Department of Transportation
NFIP National Flood Insurance Program
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NSW Nutrient Sensitive Waters
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ORW Outstanding Resource Water
OSDS Onsite Sewage Disposal System
PL Public Law
SW Swamp Waters
UNCW University of North Carolina at Wilmington
U.S. United States
WTA Wilmington Transit Authority
Town of Wrightsville Beach 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan: Core Plan
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Community Vision Statement
We, the residents, businesses and property owners of the Town of
Wrightsville Beach, shall maintain and enhance our community as
one of the finest family oriented beach communities in the United
States. This requires due diligence and working to retain our
small town, family friendly character while preserving and where
possible enhancing the quality of the natural and man-made
environment. It is essential that we maintain the quality of life
that makes Wrightsville Beach a community that is a desirable
place for visitors and residents alike.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 1: Introduction
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Section 1
Introduction
1.0 Introduction
Coastal areas of the United States have experienced tremendous population growth and
development since the 1960s. In response, the United States Congress passed the 1972
Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), as amended. The State of North Carolina
established itself as a leader amongst the states by enacting the 1974 Coastal Area
Management Act (CAMA). The overall objective of CAMA is to insure the orderly balanced
use and preservation of our coastal resources on behalf of the people of North Carolina and
the nation (NC PL 113-102A b4). Of particular importance, the Act:
􀂃􈌠 Defined North Carolina’s Coastal Area to include its twenty coastal counties.
􀂃􈌠 Created the Coastal Resource Commission (CRC), a fifteen member body appointed
by the Governor to create policy and pass rules governing development activity in the
Coastal Area.
􀂃􈌠 Created the Coastal Resource Advisory Council (CRAC), a forty-five member
advisory body that advises the CRC and works as a liaison between the CRC and
local governments.
􀂃􈌠 Created the Division of Coastal Management (DCM), the division that carries out the
policies of the CRC and CAMA.
An essential feature of CAMA is the requirement that each coastal county prepare a land use
plan that is updated every five years. The Town of Wrightsville Beach has long recognized
the benefit of land use planning and chosen to create its own land use plan rather than be
folded into New Hanover County’s plan.
At nearly every Board of Aldermen and Planning Board meeting, decisions are made
concerning zoning, variances, location of buildings, and allocation of funds for projects.
Wrightsville Beach’s Land Use Plan provides guidance to local decision-makers to achieve
the long-term vision for the community as articulated in previous plans. This allows local
decision makers to be proactive rather than reactive and helps maintain Wrightsville Beach
as one of the finest family oriented beaches on the East Coast of the United States.
Wrightsville Beach has prepared a series of Land Use Plans over the past four decades:
􀂃􈌠 1976 Wrightsville Beach Land Use Plan
􀂃􈌠 1980 Wrightsville Beach Land Use Plan
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 1: Introduction
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􀂃􈌠 1985 Wrightsville Beach Land Use Plan
􀂃􈌠 1990 Wrightsville Beach Land Use Plan
􀂃􈌠 1996 Wrightsville Beach Land Use Plan
Each version of the Land Use Plan continues to be a valuable source of information and
provides policy direction to the Town concerning future development.
This Land Use Plan (LUP) update will be its sixth land use plan. It encompasses all
geographic areas in the community and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). It also
considers issues pertaining to future land use and development and natural resource
protection. The plan is long range in nature and looks beyond current issues to address
potential future land use and environmental issues over the next 10 to 15 years.
The Town of Wrightsville Beach’s 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan was prepared in accordance
with newly promulgated guidance by DCM entitled Technical Manual for Land Use
Planning. The planning effort involved analyzing data on the economy, population, land use,
land suitability, and natural systems of Wrightsville Beach. The Town’s Geographic
Information System (GIS) was updated and used to create a series of maps contained in
Appendix A. The GIS data were also used to perform a land suitability analysis and to
generate the environmental composite map contained in Appendix C. Finally, this report
contains a series of policies and recommended actions that comprise the Town’s plan for the
future. The policies and recommended actions are designed to address the issues identified at
a public workshop in November 2003 and at Land Use Plan Steering Committee meetings.
This plan also incorporates other policies and recommended actions developed as a result of
other planning processes over the last three years.
1.0.A Organization of the Report
The 2005 CAMA Land Use Plan is organized into a series of sections. Section 2 addresses
the community’s aspirations and concerns. This section identifies existing and emerging
conditions and summarizes the issues discussed at a public workshop held November 15,
2003. It also summarizes the public participation efforts during the planning process.
Section 3 describes the Town of Wrightsville Beach’s population, housing, and economy and
identifies trends that potentially influence land use or impact natural resources. This section
presents a profile of the community and its key demographic characteristics as well as
estimates of its projected year round and seasonal populations. Section 4 contains the natural
systems analysis. It describes the Areas of Environmental Concern (AECs) found within and
adjacent to Wrightsville Beach. The section also describes other important natural features
and flood zones. Section 5 analyzes existing land use and development while Section 6
analyzes community facilities and Town services. Section 7 examines the Town’s
infrastructure carrying capacity and its adequacy to serve the year round population, the
influx of summer residents and visitors, and projected changes in the population. Section 8
contains a land suitability analysis required by DCM’s revised planning guidelines. Section
9 describes the plan for the future and the plan’s goals, objectives, policies, and
recommended actions. Section 10 describes the tools for managing development and the
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 1: Introduction
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current development management program. It also summarizes future implementation
efforts. The action plan and implementation schedule is described in greater detail in
Appendix F. Finally, Section 11 contains the required policy analysis. It examines the
consistency of the land use plan’s policies with CAMA’s required management topics. It
also examines the consistency between the land use plan’s policies and the future land use
map contained in Appendix E. Additionally, it examines the consistency of the policies with
the DCM’s benchmarks for the management tools. A detailed version of this analysis is
contained in Appendix G.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 2: Community Aspirations & Concerns
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Section 2
Community Aspirations & Concerns
2.0 Introduction
This section of the land use plan identifies the community’s aspirations and concerns. The
identification process took place in three steps. First, a series of existing and emerging
conditions were identified by examining a wide range of data sources including:
􀂃􈌠 Examining the 1996 Land Use Plan;
􀂃􈌠 Examining the 2002 Surface Water Use Plan;
􀂃􈌠 Examining the 2003 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
Phase II Comprehensive Storm Water Management Report;
􀂃􈌠 Examining the Town’s Hazard Mitigation Plan
􀂃􈌠 Reviewing survey data from the 2002 loop survey;
􀂃􈌠 Reviewing survey data from the beach strand surveys in 2002 and 2003;
􀂃􈌠 Discussions with Town staff;
􀂃􈌠 Input from the public; and,
􀂃􈌠 Analysis of data contained in subsequent sections of this report.
The product of this analysis was the identification of a series of existing and emerging
conditions warranting further investigation during the planning process. These conditions
can be categorized into 4 broad categories
􀂃􈌠 Population Housing and Economy
􀂃􈌠 Water Quality and Environmental Conditions
􀂃􈌠 Infrastructure Carrying Capacity
􀂃􈌠 Public Access
Each of the conditions described in Table 2.1 has the potential to influence future land use
and development decisions and could impact environmental and quality of life concerns.
Second, a comprehensive effort to educate and involve the public in the planning process was
undertaken. A website for the planning process was developed that contains agendas and
minutes of the Land Use Plan Steering Committee meetings. The products of the planning
process were also posted on the website for public comment. A public workshop was also
held early in the planning process on November 15, 2003. After a short presentation, the
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 2: Community Aspirations & Concerns
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Table 2.1 Existing and Emerging Conditions
Population,
Housing,
& Economy
􀂃􈌠 Permanent population remaining steady
􀂃􈌠 More seasonal property owners
􀂃􈌠 New owners/residents believed to be more affluent
􀂃􈌠 Limited lots for new development
􀂃􈌠 Re-zoning of commercial to residential properties
􀂃􈌠 Increasing property values
􀂃􈌠 Increasing redevelopment
􀂃􈌠 Building Out of Lots to maximum FAR
􀂃􈌠 Increasing housing size
􀂃􈌠 Loss of commercial business on the beach
􀂃􈌠 No heavy industry at Wrightsville Beach
􀂃􈌠 Small tourists oriented businesses are seen as appropriate for Wrightsville
Beach
􀂃􈌠 Visual pollution, lack of visual access to water and buildings that look out of
place at Wrightsville Beach
Water Quality
& Environmental
Conditions
􀂃􈌠 Preserve dunes in order to protect from storm damage
􀂃􈌠 Litter on beaches and roads
􀂃􈌠 Need to maintain/improve water quality
Infrastructure
Carrying
Capacity
􀂃􈌠 Heavy Traffic congestion in summer months
􀂃􈌠 Not enough parking spaces for the number of day trippers during the
summer months
􀂃􈌠 Little or no mass transportation
􀂃􈌠 Need to encourage more pedestrian traffic.
􀂃􈌠 No bike paths
Public Access
􀂃􈌠 Need to maintain visual access to water.
􀂃􈌠 Plentiful public accesses
􀂃􈌠 Need more restrooms
􀂃􈌠 More walkovers desired in order to protect dunes and aid in access
􀂃􈌠 User conflicts in ICW (e.g., boaters, kayakers, jet skis, wake boards, etc.)
􀂃􈌠 No wake zones not enforced
􀂃􈌠 Congested waters in ICW
􀂃􈌠 User conflicts on beach front between surfers, swimmers, kite surfers etc.
􀂃􈌠 Congestion at boat ramp
public was split into a series of breakout groups with members of the Land Use Plan Steering
Committee and Town staff. The goal of the breakout sessions was to identify issues,
concerns, and problems that the Land Use Plan Update should address. The breakout groups
also discussed community aspirations and the vision for the community. Participants were
then given the opportunity to rank the issues that were most important. The results of the
public workshop and the complete list of issues identified by the public were posted on the
town’s website and made available for further comment.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 2: Community Aspirations & Concerns
- 6 -
Table 2.2: Planning Issues and Concerns
Land
Development
􀂃􈌠 Determining the appropriate density of development on the Island.
􀂃􈌠 Maintaining the current balance of residential and commercial development
􀂃􈌠 Improving or enhancing the existing commercial district.
􀂃􈌠 Determining if the current height/floor area restrictions (FAR) are adequate.
􀂃􈌠 Improving the application and enforcement of ordinances
􀂃􈌠 Communicating the requirements of ordinances and other town decisions to
the public.
Infrastructure
Carrying
Capacity
􀂃􈌠 Improving traffic flow on the Island, particularly during summer months.
􀂃􈌠 Examining residential, commercial, and visitor parking restrictions.
􀂃􈌠 Lack of mass transportation.
􀂃􈌠 Building bike paths and otherwise encouraging more pedestrian traffic.
Public Access
􀂃􈌠 Improving or maintaining visual access to the beach.
􀂃􈌠 Maintaining adequate facilities and services for beach goers.
􀂃􈌠 Reducing user conflicts along the beach.
􀂃􈌠 Reducing user conflicts on the ICW.
􀂃􈌠 Improving the management of the boat ramp.
Natural
Hazards
􀂃􈌠 Protecting and preserving current building setbacks and restrictions to
prevent further encroachment.
􀂃􈌠 Continuing to protect dunes and preserve their ability to minimize potential
storm damage.
Water Quality
&
Natural
Resources
􀂃􈌠 Protecting and preserving water quality
This list of issues and the policies and recommended actions became the starting point for the
Land Use Plan Steering Committee’s discussions. The product of these discussions is the list
of planning issues and concerns contained in the Town of Wrightsville Beach’s Phase I
report on Land Use and Future Development [Table 2.2].
During Phase II of the planning process, the Land Use Plan Steering Committee turned its
attention to developing the policies and recommended actions contained in the plan for the
future. The draft policies and recommended actions were presented at a public workshop in
December 2004 where the public was given an opportunity to provide feedback and rank the
priorities of the policies and recommended actions. The Land Use Plan Steering Committee
used this public input when finalizing the policies and recommendations and preparing the
implementation strategy.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 7 -
Section 3
Population, Housing, & Economy
3.0 Introduction
The Town of Wrightsville Beach is widely recognized as one of the finest family oriented
beach towns on the East Coast of the United States. The mix of residential and resort
development, the quality of the natural and man-made environment, and the beautiful sandy
beaches, clear water, and small town atmosphere create a high quality of life for residents
and visitors alike. This section of the land use plan identifies important community
characteristics and demographic trends. The analysis draws primarily on data drawn from
the 2000 Census, Wrightsville Beach land use records, and other regional data sources. In
the discussion that follows, comparisons are drawn with New Hanover County and other
barrier beach communities summarized in Table 3.1 to help interpret these data.
3.1 Permanent Population Estimates
The population of a municipality with a large influx of seasonal residents requires a careful
analysis because there are many distinct categories of residents including:
􀂃􈌠 Property owners and non property owners;
􀂃􈌠 Residents and non residents;
􀂃􈌠 Registered voters and non registered voters;
􀂃􈌠 Business owners and non business owners.
The Division of Coastal Management (DCM) guidelines require input from all groups of
potentially affected residents and members of the public. This section of the land use plan
focuses on the population and demographic characteristics of the year-round population of
Wrightsville Beach. Because the Bureau of the Census and other state agencies collect these
data, there is much more accuracy in these data than there is in the seasonal population
estimates presented later in this section of the land use plan.
The North Carolina State Data Center identifies the 2001 estimated year-round population of
Wrightsville Beach as 2,604 persons [Table 3.2]. According to the U.S. Department of
Commerce, Bureau of the Census, the 2000 population was 2,593 persons. The municipality
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 8 -
Table 3.1: Comparison of Population Characteristic of Selected North
Carolina Beach Communities
Local
Government
Median
Age
Percent
Housing
Units
occupied
all year
Percent
in Labor
Force16
& Over
Median
House-hold
Income
Median
Family
Income
Per
Capita
Income
Percent
of Total
Housing
in 1-unit
detached
Median
value of
Owner
Occupied
Housing
Southern
Shores
51.4 49.2 % 51.3 % $61,676 $68,250 $35,933 97.4 % $221,500
Kitty Hawk 40.6 48.3 % 69.9 % $42,813 $48,656 $22,960 67.8 % $144,600
Kill Devil
Hills
36.7 48.8 % 76.6 % $39,712 $44,681 $20,679 82.9 % $104,500
Nags Head 42.7 27.4 % 67.0 % $53,095 $61,302 $30,157 83.3 % $143,900
Atlantic Beach 48.7 20.5 % 63.3 % $38,312 $52,411 $31,339 30.8 % $207,800
Pine Knoll
Shores
61.8 37.9 % 36.8 % $53,800 $60,662 $34,618 47.7 % $220,500
Indian Beach 58.8 4.1 % 52.7 % $47,250 $45,250 $25,826 2.7 % $625,000
Emerald Isle 50.1 27.3 % 54.3 % $53,274 $60,257 $31,316 58.7 % $200,000
North Topsail
Beach
45.1 21.6 % 64.4 % $45,982 $53,125 $33,972 25.7 % $137,500
Surf City 48.1 26.7 % 61.7 % $40,521 $48,654 $25,242 55.6 % $177,100
Topsail Beach 55.6 21.9 % 53.7 % $55,750 $64,167 $35,838 81.1 % $281,300
Wrightsville
Beach
37.1 41.8 % 65.6 % $55,903 $71,641 $36,575 31.3 % $480,600
Carolina
Beach
43.6 56.2 % 68.0 % $37,662 $44,882 $24,128 42.8 % $156,000
Kure Beach 50.5 46.3 % 56.7 % $47,143 $55,875 $26,759 61.2 % $188,300
Bald Head
Island
56.3 14.7 % 39.9 % $62,083 $56,964 $45,585 87.5 % $525,000
Caswell Beach 59.9 32.7 % 56.1 % $57,083 $63,750 $41,731 43.7 % $242,300
Oak Island 49.2 46.2 % 48.8 % $40,496 $48,775 $23,964 83.5 % $119,400
Holden Beach 55.4 18.4 % 49.6 % $59,583 $70,000 $36,113 84.7 % $247,300
Ocean Isle
Beach
53.4 8.3 % 37.8 % $67,639 $65,625 $42,605 69.3 % $340,700
Sunset Beach 60.2 30.5 % 58.5 % $47,356 $57,019 36,181 51.8 % $219,600
New Hanover
County
36.3 85.6 % 66.5 % $40,172 $50,861 $23,123 60.7 % $135,600
North Carolina 35.3 88.9 % 65.7 % $39,1984 $46,335 $20,307 64.4 % $108,300
NC Beach
Municipal
Average.
50.26 31.44 % 56.75 % $50,356 $57,065 $32,118 59.47 % $249,145
Wrightsville
Beach Rank
2nd lowest 7th
highest
5th
highest
6th
highest
1st
highest
4th
highest
3rd
lowest
3rd
highest
grew during this one year time period (2000 to 2001), at an annual rate of 0.4 percent while
New Hanover County increased at a rate of 2 percent during the same period. During the
2000 to 2001 time period Wrightsville Beach’s population remained constant at 1.6 percent
county’s overall population.
The permanent population of Wrightsville Beach in 1990 was estimated to be 2,937 persons.
The 10-year growth rate from 1990 to 2000 was –11.7 percent. The growth for the 11-year
period was –11.3 percent. Annualized this is equal to a loss of 1 percent of Wrightsville
Beach’s permanent population per year. The important conclusion to be drawn from these
data is that the permanent population of Wrightsville Beach is currently declining.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 9 -
Table 3.2: Population
Year
Wrightsville
Beach
Percent of
County Pop.
New Hanover
County
1960 723 1.0% 71,742
1970 1,701 2.0% 82,996
1980 2,786 2.7% 102,779
1990 2,937 2.4% 120,284
2000 2,593 1.6% 160,327
2001* 2,604 1.6% 163,682
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 1970 to 2000
*NC State Data Center Municipal Population Estimate 2001
3.1.A Year Round Population Trends
Figures 3.1 and 3.2 examine population growth in Wrightsville Beach and New Hanover
County from 1960 to 2000. It is readily apparent that while New Hanover County’s
population continues to increase steadily, Wrightsville Beach’s greatest period of growth was
from 1960 to 1980. It then leveled off as the acreage of land available for development
declined. Over the last decade, Wrightsville Beach’s population has declined slightly.
Table 3.3 shows that from 1960 to1980, Wrightsville Beach’s growth rate was faster than
New Hanover County and has since declined dramatically. For example, during the 1990 to
2000 period the population of Wrightsville Beach declined by 11.7 percent while New
Hanover County increased by 33.3 percent during the same period. To further put this in
context, Wrightsville Beach’s 11.3 percent population decrease was the 4th greatest loss of
population of the 20 barrier island beach municipalities in North Carolina.
The cause of these trends was the unprecedented building boom in New Hanover County
triggered in part by the completion of I-40 and the lack of substantial land area available for
new development in Wrightsville Beach. The decrease in population from 1990 to 2000 in
Wrightsville Beach is also due to other factors such as:
􀂃􈌠 Redevelopment-conversion of quadraplexes and triplex structures to larger duplexes
and single-family homes;
􀂃􈌠 A dramatic increase in home prices that has caused many year-round residents to sell
their homes to owner’s who are using them primarily for seasonal purposes; and,
􀂃􈌠 Redevelopment of smaller single-family homes to larger homes used for seasonal
purposes.
As a result, the number of seasonal homes increased by 85.4 percent from 603 seasonal
homes in 1990 to 1,100 in 2000. Evidence suggests these trends will persist over the next 5
to 10 years. Wrightsville Beach is not expected to experience any significant population
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 10 -
Figure 3.1: Population Growth in Wrightsville Beach (1960 – 2000)
Figure 3.2: Population Growth in New Hanover County (1960 – 2000)
Table 3.3: Percent Population Growth (1960 – 2000)
Decade Wrightsville
Beach
Absolute
Increase
Percent
Growth
New Hanover
County
Absolute
Increase
Percent
Growth
1960-1970 1,701 978 135.3 % 82,996 11,254 15.7 %
1970-1980 2,786 1085 63.8 % 102,779 19,783 23.8 %
1980-1990 2,937 151 5.4 % 120,284 17,505 17.0 %
1990-2000 2,593 -344 -11.7 % 160,327 40,043 33.3 %
2000-2001* 2,604 11 0.4 % 163,682 3,355 2.1 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 1970 to 2000
*NC State Data Center Municipal Population Estimate 2001
New Hanover County
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Year
Persons
New Hanover
County
Wrightsville Beach
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Year
Persons
Wrightsville
Beach
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 11 -
Table 3.4: Population Growth in North Carolina Coastal Communities (1990 - 2001)
Municipality 1990
Population
2001
Population
Percent Growth
1990 - 2001
Percent Growth
(Avg. Yearly 90-01)
Sunset Beach 311 1,849 494 % 44.9 %
Ocean Isle Beach 523 441 (15.6 %) (1.4 %)
Holden Beach 626 819 30.8 % 2.8 %
Oak Island 4,550 6,898 51.6 % 4.6 %
Caswell Beach 175 392 124 % 11.2 %
Bald Head Island 78 184 135 % 12.2 %
Kure Beach 619 1,573 154 % 14 %
Carolina Beach 3,630 5,225 43.9 % 3.9 %
Wrightsville Beach 2,937 2,604 (11.3 %) (1 %)
Topsail Beach 346 481 39 % 3.5 %
Surf City 970 1,423 46.7 % 4.2 %
North Topsail Beach 947 833 (12 %) (1 %)
Emerald Isle 2,434 3,538 45.3 % 4.1 %
Indian Beach 153 93 (39.2 %) (3.6 %)
Pine Knoll Shores 1,360 1,529 12.4 % 1.1 %
Atlantic Beach 1,938 1,777 (8.3 %) (.75 %)
Nags Head 1,838 2,801 52.3 % 4.7 %
Kill Devil Hills 4,238 6,122 44.4 % 4 .0 %
Kitty Hawk 1,937 2,991 54.4 % 4.9 %
Southern Shores 1,447 2,201 52.1 % 4.7 %
Duck 0 459 N/A N/A
Source: Land Use Plan (Phase I) Surf City 2003
growth. However, given recent development projects in the surrounding areas (e.g.,
Mayfaire), vehicular traffic is likely to increase, particularly during seasonal periods.
3.1.B Permanent Population Projections
When preparing a land use plan, it is useful to include a projection of future population so
that local decision makers can plan for growth. Typically, population projections for beach
communities are presented as an extrapolation from the overall countywide growth trends
and historic patterns over the past several decades. This estimation technique would assume
that Wrightsville Beach’s permanent population would continue to hold steady at around 1.6
percent of New Hanover County’s total. Unfortunately, this technique would provide an
unrealistic estimate of Wrightsville Beach’s population. Given the lack of developable land
and existing height and density restrictions, there is no reason to believe that Wrightsville
Beach’s population will grow in any significant way over the next 5, 10, or 20 years unless
there are significant changes in the density allowed pursuant to the Town’s zoning
ordinances and a corresponding redevelopment of land in accordance with these higher
densities. Instead, given current zoning and the policies and actions recommended in this
plan, the population is likely to increase or decrease slightly as the ratio of full time to
seasonal residents varies. If the current trend towards seasonal housing continues, the
population is likely to continue its slight decline. If the trend reverses itself, the population
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 12 -
Table 3.5: Persons by Age (1990 – 2000)
Age
Group
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Percent
Total
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
1990
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Total
0-4 59 2.0 % 78 3.0 % 7,434 6.2 % 9,177 5.7 %
5 to 17 257 8.8 % 152 5.9% 19,880 16.5 % 24,415 15.2 %
18 to 24 551 18.8 % 436 16.8 % 15,000 12.5 % 19,249 12.0 %
25-44 1,107 37.7 % 882 34.0 % 39,155 32.6 % 48,838 30.5 %
45-64 621 21.1 % 657 25.3 % 23,749 19.7 % 38,061 23.7 %
65+ 342 11.6 % 388 15.0 % 15,066 12.5 % 20,567 12.8 %
Total 2,937 100.0 % 2,593 100.0 % 120,284 100.0 % 160,307 100.0 %
Source: United States Census Population and Housing 1990 and 2000
might increase slightly to around 3,000 but these increases are likely to have a negligible
effect on the town’s infrastructure or services.
3.2 Key Population Demographics
In order to better understand the population of Wrightsville Beach, it is useful to examine
several key population, economic, and housing demographics and compare them to New
Hanover County and other NC barrier beach communities [Table 3.1].
3.2.A Age of the Population
The median age of residents of the Town of Wrightsville Beach is 37.1 years. This is
comparably young among NC beach communities. In fact, of the 20 barrier beach
communities, Wrightsville Beach has the 2nd lowest median age. The low median age may
be explained, in part, by its proximity to Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) and the
University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). The barrier beach municipality with
the highest median age is Pine Knoll Shores (61.8) and the lowest is Kill Devil Hills (36.7).
While younger than other barrier beach communities, the median age is slightly older than
the median age in New Hanover County (36.3).
In both 1990 and 2000, on a percentage basis, Wrightsville Beach had fewer school age
children than New Hanover County [Table 3.5]. This may be due to the high cost of housing
on Wrightsville Beach and the economics of young families. In both 1990 and 2000, there
were higher percentages of young adults aged 18 to 24. This may be due to the attractiveness
of Wrightsville Beach to college students and young single professionals. In 1990 and 2000,
the age groups ranging from 25 to 64 on a percentage basis were more prevalent in
Wrightsville Beach than in New Hanover County. In 1990, the percentage of people aged 65
and over in New Hanover County was slightly larger than the percentage in Wrightsville
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 13 -
Table 3.6: Racial Composition (1990 – 2000)
Race
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Percent
Total
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
1990
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Total
Total 2,937 100.0 % 2,593 100.0 % 120,284 100.0 % 160,327 100.0 %
White 2,788 94.9 % 2,544 98.1 % 95,020 79.0 % 128,098 79.0 %
Black 9 0.3 % 7 0.3 % 24,038 20.0 % 27,203 20.0 %
Other 0 0.0 % 42 1.6 % 1,226 1.0 % 5,006 1.0 %
Source: NC State Data Center Municipal Population-Race 1990 and 2000
Beach. However, in 2000 the percentage of those 65 and over in Wrightsville Beach was
larger than New Hanover County [Table 3.5]. While Wrightsville Beach is a young
community when compared to other barrier beach communities, it appears to be experiencing
a slight aging of its overall population.
3.2.B Racial Composition
Table 3.6 demonstrates that less than 2 percent of Wrightsville Beach’s population is non-white
and 0.3 percent is black. This stands in contrast to New Hanover County where 21
percent of the population is non-white and 20 percent is black. Comparing the 1990 and
2000 racial compositions, Wrightsville beach has become slightly more diverse, but still lags
far behind New Hanover County [Table 3.6].
3.2.C Educational Attainment
Residents of Wrightsville Beach are generally better educated than residents in New Hanover
County [Table 3.7]. Approximately 99.9 percent of all adults in Wrightsville Beach are high
school graduates compared to 86 percent in New Hanover County. Sixty percent of residents
have a bachelor’s degree or additional advanced degrees compared to only 31 percent in the
County.
3.2.D Housing Stock
Tables 3.8 and 3.9 look at changes in the housing stock in Wrightsville Beach and New
Hanover County from 1990 to 2000. It is important to note that due to formatting in census
data, some small areas of mainland New Hanover County are included in the figures for
Wrightsville Beach. This explains the presence of mobile homes in these statistics even
though there are no mobile homes within the Town’s corporate limits.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 14 -
Table 3.7: Educational Attainment for Persons 25 and Over (2000)
Education Completed
Wrightsville
Beach (2000)
Percent
Total
New Hanover
County (2000)
Percent
Total
Less than 9th Grade 15 0.7 % 3,818 3.5 %
9-12 no Diploma 10 0.5 % 10,938 10.2 %
HS Graduate 277 13.5 % 26,327 24.5 %
College, No Degree 378 18.4 % 24,767 23.0 %
Associates Degree 124 6.0 % 8,481 7.9 %
Bachelors Degree 923 44.8 % 23,985 22.3 %
Graduate or Professional Degree 332 16.1 % 9,355 8.7 %
Total 2,059 100.0 % 107,671 100.0 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000
Table 3.8: Percent Change in the Housing Stock (1990 - 2000)
Housing Units
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Change
New
Hanover
County
1990
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Change
Total, All Housing Units 2,413 3,097 28.3 % 57,076 79,616 39.4 %
Total All Single Family Units 1,110 1,283 15.6 % 36,102 52,910 46.5 %
Detached 826 968 17.2 % 33,587 48,320 43.9 %
Attached (Townhouse) 284 315 9.8 % 2,515 4,590 82.5 %
Multi-Family 1,222 1,797 47.1 % 15,683 21,766 38.9 %
2 units per structure 504 720 30.0 % 3,289 4,097 24.6 %
3 to 9 units per structure 352 483 37.2 % 6,957 8,994 29.3 %
10 or more units per structure 366 594 62.3 % 5,437 8,675 10.9 %
Mobile Homes 57 17 -70 % 4,831 4,891 59.6 %
Other 24 0 - 460 49 -838 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 1990 and 2000
Compared to New Hanover County (27.3 percent), a larger percentage of the housing stock
on Wrightsville Beach is multi-family development (50.6 percent) [Table 3.9]. The number
of single-family homes in New Hanover County increased by 46.5 percent from 1990 to
2000 while it increased only 15.6 percent in Wrightsville Beach [Table 3.8]. These
differences are likely to become even more pronounced during the next ten-year period due
to the rapid development in New Hanover County and the dwindling supply of vacant lots
available for development in Wrightsville Beach. There are a little more than 100
undeveloped lots suitable for development left in Wrightsville Beach.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 15 -
Table 3.9: Percent of Housing Stock (1990 – 2000)
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Percent
Total
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
1990
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Total
Total, All Housing Units 2,413 100.0 % 3,097 100.0 % 57,076 100.0 % 79,616 100.0 %
Total All Single Family Units 1,110 46.0 % 1,283 41.4 % 36,102 63.3 % 52,910 66.5 %
Detached 826 34.2 % 968 31.3 % 33,587 58.8 % 48,320 60.7 %
Attached (Townhouse) 284 11.8 % 315 10.2 % 2,515 4.4 % 4,590 5.8 %
Multi-Family 1,222 50.6 % 1,797 58.0 % 15,683 27.5 % 21,766 27.3 %
2 units/structure 504 20.9 % 720 23.2 % 3,289 5.8 % 4,097 5.1 %
3 to 9 units/structure 352 14.6 % 483 15.6 % 6,957 12.2 % 8,994 11.3 %
10 or more units/structure 366 15.2 % 594 19.2 % 5,437 9.5 % 8,675 10.9 %
Mobile Homes 57 2.4 % 17 0.5 % 4,831 8.5 % 4,891 6.1 %
Other 24 1.0 % 0 0.0 % 460 0.8 % 49 0.1 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 1990 and 2000
Table 3.10: Age of Structures in Wrightsville Beach
Year Structure Built Number Percent
1999 to March 2000 32 1.0 %
1995 to 1998 135 4.4 %
1990 to 1994 434 14.0 %
1980 to 1989 802 25.9 %
1970 to 1979 671 21.7 %
1960 to 1969 313 10.1 %
1940 to 1959 567 18.3 %
1939 or earlier 143 4.6 %
Total 3,097 100 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000 and Permit Records
Wrightsville Beach Planning and Parks
Within the Town of Wrightsville Beach, a relatively small percentage (31.3 percent) of the
total housing is in single-family unit/detached housing. This is the 3rd lowest percentage of
any NC barrier beach community. Although the U.S. census reports that 17 mobile homes
are found in Wrightsville Beach, they are actually located in Wrightsville Beach’s extra
territorial jurisdiction. Therefore, there are no manufactured or mobile homes within the
Town limits. The NC barrier beach with the highest percentage of single family/detached
homes is Southern Shores (97.4 percent). The lowest percentage of single-family homes is in
Indian Beach (2.7 percent) and the 2nd lowest is Atlantic Beach (30.8 percent). In New
Hanover County, 60.7 percent of housing is in single family/detached units while in NC it is
64.4 percent.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 16 -
Duplexes accounted for 23.2 percent of all housing units in Wrightsville Beach in 2000
compared to only 5.1 percent in the County. The percentage of duplexes in Wrightsville
Beach increased slightly from 20.9 to 23.2 percent from 1990 to 2000 while the percentage
of duplexes in the County decreased from 5.8 to 5.1 percent. The number of duplexes at
Wrightsville Beach increased by 30 percent from 1990 to 2000 while the number of duplexes
in the County increased by 24.6 percent over the same period of time.
Housing units with 3 or more units per structure accounted for 29.8 percent of housing in
1990. The percentage increased slightly to 34.8 percent in 2000. Comparatively, the same
type of units increased slightly during this period in New Hanover County to 22.2 percent.
The number of housing units with 3 or more units per structure increased by 42 percent in the
County from 1990 to 2000 while the same units increased by 50 percent in Wrightsville
Beach.
3.2.A.1 Age of Structures: The last inventory of housing age in Wrightsville Beach was
during the 2000 U.S. Census. Only 19.4 percent of housing in Wrightsville Beach has been
built since 1990. This may be attributed to the fact that there are few developable lots left on
Wrightsville Beach. Most future development is expected to be redevelopment rather than
new development.
3.2.A.2 Occupancy: In Wrightsville Beach, 41.8 percent of the total housing units were
occupied year round. An occupied unit is defined as a unit where a person or group of
persons is living at the time the Census is conducted. The occupants must have no other
normal place of residence for the unit to be counted as occupied. Similarly, if the occupants
are only temporarily absent (i.e., on vacation) the unit is counted as occupied. Wrightsville
Beach has 7th highest occupancy rate among NC barrier beach communities. The highest
percentage is Carolina Beach (56.2 percent) while the lowest is Bald Head Island (14.7
percent). This statistic characterizes Wrightsville Beach as a mixed resort and residential
community, with population spiking during summer months and approximately half of the
housing standing empty during the winter months. By way of contrast, in North Carolina the
percentage of housing units occupied year round is 88.9 percent. In New Hanover County
the figure is 85.6 percent.
In Wrightsville Beach, owner occupied housing accounted for 29.6 percent of all units in
1990 and 23.0 percent in 2000 [Table 3.11]. As shown in Table 3.12, the number of
occupied units in Wrightsville Beach actually decreased by 7.6 percent from 1990 to 2000
while it increased by 41.6 percent in the county. From 1990 to 2000, the number of owner
occupied units also decreased slightly (-0.4 percent) while during the same period the
County’s owner occupied units increased by 46.1 percent. Renters occupied 28.4 percent of
all housing at Wrightsville beach in 1990 and 18.8 percent in 2000. During this same period,
renter occupied housing decreased by 15.2 percent at Wrightsville Beach, while in the
County renter occupied housing increased by 34.1 percent. The high cost of living and the
growth of seasonal, recreational, and occasional housing units helps explain the low
occupancy rate. The increased home values and other aforementioned trends in the housing
market may also work to decrease the number of properties that are rented on a year-round
basis in Wrightsville Beach.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 17 -
Table 3.11: Percent of Owner vs. Renter Occupied Housing (1990 – 2000)
Housing Units
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Percent
Total
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
1990
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Total
Total Housing Units 2,413 100.0 % 3,097 100.0 % 57,706 100.0 % 79,616 100.0 %
Occupied 1,401 58.1 % 1,295 41.8 % 48,139 41.8 % 68,183 85.6 %
Owner Occupied 715 29.6 % 712 23.0 % 30,193 23.0 % 44,109 55.4 %
Renter Occupied 686 28.4 % 582 18.8 % 17,946 18.8 % 24,074 30.2 %
Vacant 1,012 41.9 % 1,802 58.2 % 8,937 15.5 % 11,443 14.4 %
Source: 2000 Census of Population and Housing
Table 3.12: Percent Change in Owner vs. Renter Occupied Housing (1990 – 2000)
Housing Units
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Change
New
Hanover
County
1990
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Change
Total All Housing Units 2,413 3,097 28.3 % 57,706 79,616 39.5 %
Occupied 1,401 1,295 -7.6 % 48,139 68,183 41.6 %
Owner Occupied 715 712 -0.4 % 30,193 44,109 46.1 %
Renter Occupied 686 582 -15.2 % 17,946 24,074 34.1 %
Vacant 1,012 1,802 78.1 % 8,937 11,443 28.0 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000
3.2.A.3 Vacant and Seasonal Housing: Given the large influx of seasonal residents, it is
useful to understand the vacant and seasonal housing available on Wrightsville Beach. As
indicated in Tables 3.13, 41.9 percent of all housing at Wrightsville Beach was vacant in
1990. Of this, 25 percent was for seasonal, recreational or occasional use, which is defined
as vacant but not for rent or sale. In 2000, the percentage of vacant housing increased to 58.2
percent with 36.1 percent used for seasonal, recreational or occasional purposes. This
translates into an 85.4 percent increase in the housing used for seasonal, recreational or
occasional purposes during the 1990 to 2000 time frame. During the same period, there was
only a 28.3 percent increase in housing units [Table 3.14].
The vacancy rates are obviously much higher in Wrightsville Beach when compared to the
County due to the large number of seasonal properties and the influx of seasonal residents,
many of whom rent properties for some period of time. For example, New Hanover County
as a whole had a very low vacancy rate during the 1990 - 2000 time period. In 1990, 15.7
percent of all units were vacant, with 5.9 percent being used for recreational purposes. In
2000, 14.4 percent of all housing was vacant in New Hanover County with 5.5 percent being
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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Table 3.13: Vacant and Seasonal Housing (1990 – 2000)
Housing Units
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Percent
Total
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
1990
Percent
Total
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Total
Total of All Housing
units
2,413 100 % 3,097 100 % 57,076 100.0 % 79,616 100 %
Vacant 1,012 41.9 % 1,802 58.2 % 8,937 15.7 % 11,443 14.4 %
Seasonal,
recreational &
occasional use
603 25.0 % 1,118 36.1 % 3,345 5.9 % 4,387 5.5 %
All other vacant 409 16.9 % 684 22.1 % 5,593 9.8 % 7,056 8.9 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 1990 and 2000
*Seasonal: held for occupation during summer
*Occasional Use: Unoccupied but not for rent or for sale
Table 3.14: Percent Change in Vacant and Seasonal Housing (1990 – 2000)
Housing Units
Wrightsville
Beach
1990
Wrightsville
Beach
2000
Percent
Change
New
Hanover
County
1990
New
Hanover
County
2000
Percent
Change
Total of All Housing units 2,413 3,097 28.3 % 57,076 79,616 39.5 %
Vacant 1,012 1,802 78.1 % 8,937 11,443 28.0 %
Seasonal, Recreational &
Occasional Use
603 1,118 85.4 % 3,345 4,387 31.2 %
All other Vacant 409 684 67.2 % 5,593 7,056 26.2 %
Source: 1990 and 2000 Census of Population and Housing
used for recreational purposes [Table 3.13]. However, the vacancy rate for non-seasonal
housing in Wrightsville Beach is much higher than in the county as a whole and has
increased at more than twice the pace of the county vacancy rate.
3.2.A.4 Development and Redevelopment Activity: Another important trend is the
redevelopment of existing parcels now that there are few vacant lots available for
development. Table 3.15 reports on the building permits issued from 1999 through October
2004. Data were not collected from 1996 through 1998 due to changes in the computer
tracking software. Of the 110 newly erected structures, 34 (or 30.9 percent) were built on
lots where the previous structure was destroyed or removed to allow for new construction.
Table 3.16 looks at all development and redevelopment activity from 1999 through 2003. A
similar pattern emerges with a significant amount of redevelopment activity. During this 5-
year period, 86 new residential structures were built; 69 (or 80 percent) of which were single-family
homes and 17 were duplexes. During this same period, 34 projects demolished and
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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Table 3.15: Building Permits Issued (1999 – 2004)
Type of Building 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004* Total
Single Family 10 11 4 7 6 21 69
Manufactured Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Commercial 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Duplex 3 2 2 3 1 5 16
Demolish and Rebuild 6 5 3 8 3 9 34
Total 19 19 9 18 10 35 110
*Only data through October 2004
Source: Wrightsville Beach Planning and Inspections Yearly Reports 1999 to 2004
Table 3.16: Development and Redevelopment Activity (1999 – 2003)
Type of Development 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Total
New Single Family 8 11 4 7 6 36
New Duplex 2 0 2 0 1 5
Demolish And Rebuild Commercial 0 1 0 0 0 1
Demolish and Rebuild Single Family 2 1 2 3 2 10
Demolish and Rebuild Duplex 1 1 1 4 0 7
Demolish Single Family Rebuild Duplex 0 4 0 0 1 5
Demolish Duplex Rebuild Single Family 0 0 0 1 0 1
Demolish Multifamily rebuild Duplex 0 2 0 0 0 2
Demolished Not Rebuilt 3 5 2 1 2 13
Modifications 367 243 265 225 226 1326
Source: Wrightsville Beach Planning and Inspections Yearly Reports 2000 to 2003
rebuilt either a single-family or duplex structure [Table 3.16]. Of the structures classified as
redevelopment, 69 percent retained their current use. Five lots (19 percent) increased their
usage by converting from a single-family development to a duplex. Three lots (12 percent)
decreased usage by converting from either multi-family development to duplexes or to
single-family homes.
3.3 Housing Value
One measure of a community’s vitality is the value of its housing stock. Since Wrightsville
Beach is a barrier beach community, it is not surprising to find that the value of owner
occupied units is generally much higher at Wrightsville Beach than in the County. Over 47.3
percent of owner occupied housing at Wrightsville Beach is valued at $500,000 or greater.
In comparison, only 4.1 percent of housing is valued above $500,000 in New Hanover
County [Table 3.17]. Not surprisingly, the cost of rent is also much higher at Wrightsville
Beach than in the County. In Wrightsville Beach, 80.8 percent of rent is above $750 while in
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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Table 3.17: Housing Value For Owner Occupied Housing Units (2000)
Values
Wrightsville
Beach 2000
Percent
Total
New Hanover
County 2000
Percent
Total
Less Than $50,000 0 0.0 % 966 2.6 %
50-99,000 22 4.3 % 9,017 24.0 %
100-149,999 14 2.7 % 11,783 31.4 %
150-199,999 23 4.5 % 6,916 18.4 %
200-299,999 74 14.4 % 4,633 12.3 %
300-499,999 138 26.8 % 2,647 7.1 %
500,000-999,9999 201 39.1 % 1,251 3.3 %
1,000,000+ 42 8.2 % 304 0.8 %
Total 514 100.0 % 37,517 100.0 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000
Table 3.18: Monthly Contract Rent for Renter Occupied Housing Units (2000)
Monthly
Contract/Rent
Wrightsville
Beach 2000
Percent
Total
New Hanover
County 2000
Percent
Total
Gross Rent
Less than $200 0 0.0 % 1,516 6.3 %
$200-$299 0 0.0 % 1,011 4.2 %
$300-$499 13 2.2 % 3,829 15.9 %
$500-$749 77 12.7 % 9,454 39.3 %
$750-$999 236 39.1 % 5,329 22.2 %
$1,000-$1,499 183 30.3 % 1,755 7.3 %
$1,500 or more 69 11.4 % 306 12.9 %
No Cash Rent 26 4.3 % 841 3.5 %
Total 604 100.0 % 24,041 100.0 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000
New Hanover County only 42.4 percent of rent is above $750 [Table 3.18]. Given the
tremendous increase in property values in recent years, these trends are likely to increase.
The median value of owner occupied housing in the Town of Wrightsville Beach is
$480,600. This is the 3rd highest value amongst NC barrier beach communities. The NC
barrier island beach municipal average is $249,145. By way of contrast, New Hanover
County’s median value of owner occupied housing is $135,600 while in North Carolina it is
$108,300. The highest median value for owner occupied housing is at Indian Beach
($625,000). The 2nd highest is at Bald Head Island ($525,000). The lowest median value of
owner occupied housing is in Kill Devil Hills ($104,500).
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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Table 3.19: Income (1999)
Income Range Number Percent
Less than $10,000 73 5.5%
$10,000 to $14,999 25 1.9 %
$15,000 to $24,999 132 9.9 %
$25,000 to $34,999 198 14.8 %
$35,000 to $49,999 190 14.2 %
$50,000 to $74,999 298 22.3 %
$75,000 to $99,999 171 12.8 %
$100,000 to $149,999 68 11.5 %
$150,000 to $199,999 28 2.1 %
$200,000 or more 153 5.1 %
Source: United States Census Population and Housing 2000
Table 3.20: Median Incomes (1999)
Wrightsville Beach Income
1989
1999
Percent
Growth
Median Income Households $35,455 $55,903 57.7 %
Median Income Families $46,789 $71,641 53.1 %
Per Capita Income $29,722 $36,575 23.1 %
Source: North Carolina State Data Center Municipal Data 1989 and 1999
3.4 Income
Given the value of its housing stock, it should not be surprising that Wrightsville Beach is an
affluent community with approximately 53.8 percent of the population making more than
$50,000 per year. The U.S. Bureau of the Census collected the latest information on the
income in Wrightsville Beach in 2000 but the income information was gathered from the
previous year. Consequently, the latest information available is for the calendar year 1999
[Table 3.19 & 3.20.]
The median household income in Wrightsville Beach is $55,903 making it the 6th highest
amongst NC barrier beach communities. This is substantially higher than New Hanover
County ($40,172). The highest median household income among NC barrier beach
communities is in Ocean Isle ($67,639) and the lowest is found in Carolina Beach ($37,662).
The median family income in Wrightsville Beach ($71,641) is the highest of all NC barrier
beach communities and is substantially higher than New Hanover County ($50,861) and
North Carolina ($46,335). By way of contrast, the lowest median family income is in Kill
Devil Hills ($44,681).
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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Table 3.21: Poverty Status
Poverty Status 1999
Wrightsville
Beach (Number)
Wrightsville
Beach
New
Hanover
County
North
Carolina
Families 12 2.0 % 8.3 % 9.0 %
Families with related children
under 18
12 7.1 % 13.6 % 13.3 %
Families with related children
under 5
0 0 % 15.6 % 16.5 %
Families with female
householder with no husband
present
12 20 % 18 % 27.4 %
With related children under
18
12 40 % 38.6 % 34.3 %
With related children under 5 0 0 % 51.2 % 45.9 %
Individuals 255 9.5 % 13.1 % 12.3 5
18 years and over 233 9.5 % 12.2 % 11.0 %
65 years and over 9 2.2 % 9 % 13.2 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000
The per capita income in Wrightsville Beach is $36,575, making it the 4th highest among NC
barrier beach communities. This is substantially higher than New Hanover County ($23,123)
and North Carolina ($20,307). The highest per capita income among NC barrier beach
communities is at Bald Head Island ($45,585) while the lowest is Kill Devil Hills ($20,679).
The important conclusion to draw from these data is that regardless of how you measure
income in Wrightsville Beach, the trends over the last decade are towards a growth in income
with median household income rising by 57.5 percent, median family income increasing by
53.1 percent, and per capita income rising 23.1 percent.
3.4.A Low and Fixed Income Populations
Given the high rent and home values, it should not be surprising to learn that there is very
little of what the U.S. government classifies as “people living in poverty” in Wrightsville
Beach. However, because the Census includes areas within Wrightsville Beach’s ETJ, there
are 12 households or 2 percent of the population defined as living in poverty [Table 3.21].
The average amount of public assistance income for this population was $4,200. By way of
contrast, in Wrightsville Beach there are 249 households earning in excess of $100,000,
approximately 20 percent of all households. Moreover, the percentage of persons living in
poverty in Wrightsville Beach (2.0 percent) is lower than the percentages found in the state
(9.0 percent) and New Hanover County (8.3%).
The number of households in Wrightsville Beach reporting Social Security income is 310
with the median social security income per household was $12,509. The number of
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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Table 3.22: Employment Status
Wrightsville Beach Employment Status Number Percent
Population 16 years of age and over 2,514 100 %
In Labor Force 1,648 65.6 %
Civilian Labor Force 1,609 64 %
Employed 1,577 62.7 %
Unemployed 32 1.3 %
Armed Forces 39 1.6 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing
Table 3.23: Wrightsville Beach Occupation
Occupation
Number
Wrightsville Beach
Percentage
New Hanover
County Percentage
Management, Professional, and related 624 39.6 % 34.5 %
Service 287 18.2 % 16.5 %
Sales and Office 428 27.1 % 27.0 %
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 0.0 % 0.2 %
Construction, Extraction, and maintenance 159 10.1 % 10.7 %
Production, Transportation, and material
moving
79 5 % 11.1 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000
Wrightsville Beach households reporting retirement income was 179 with a mean retirement
income of $28,427. By way of contrast, North Carolina’s mean retirement income was
$16,831. Thus, there is a significant population of retired individuals, many of which may be
on fixed incomes. However, these retirees are more affluent than those found elsewhere in
the county or state.
3.5 Local Economy
A vibrant economy is essential to assure a community’s continuing prosperity. Wrightsville
Beach is a mixed community with almost 50 percent of housing occupied year round.
During the summer months, the Wrightsville Beach population more than doubles as tourists
and vacationers as well as summer residents flood the island. Accordingly, Wrightsville
Beach is dominated by a service-based economy [Tables 3.22, 3.23, and 3.24]. No
traditional industry is found on the island. Many of the year-round residents work in the
New Hanover County area. Approximately 85.7 percent of all persons employed who live in
Wrightsville Beach drive to work alone while 5.1 percent car pool. Non-Wrightsville Beach
residents occupy many of the service jobs related to tourism on Wrightsville Beach.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 24 -
Table 3.24: Employed Persons 16 and Over (2000)
Industry
Wrightsville
Beach 2000
Percent
Total
New Hanover
County 2000
Percent
Total
Agriculture Forestry fishing hunting and mining 0 0.0 % 369 0.5 %
Construction 151 9.6 % 8,130 10.0 %
Manufacturing 65 4.1 % 8,001 9.8 %
Wholesale Trade 70 4.4 % 2,480 3.1 %
Retail Trade 153 9.7 % 11,407 14.0 %
Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities 36 2.3 % 3,349 4.1 %
Information 54 3.4 % 2,013 2.5 %
Finance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing 174 11.0 % 5,060 6.2 %
Professional scientific, management,
administrative, and waste management services
229 14.5 % 7,693 9.5 %
Educational Health and Social Services 255 16.2 % 16,202 19.9 %
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation
and Food Services
304 19.3 % 8,761 10.8 %
Other Services (Except Public Administration) 60 3.8 % 4,408 5.4 %
Public Administration 26 1.6 % 3,365 4.1 %
Total Employed Persons 16+ 1,577 100.0 % 81,238 100.0 %
Source: United States Census of Population and Housing 2000
Local students from area colleges and high schools often fill seasonal and year-round service
related jobs.
3.5.A Employment
The percentage of persons in the labor force (16 and over) at Wrightsville Beach is 65.6
percent making Wrightsville Beach the 5th highest among NC barrier beaches [Table 3.22].
This is likely due to the younger median age in Wrightsville Beach. This is also comparable
to the percentage of persons in New Hanover County in the workforce (66.5 percent). It is
also similar to the percentage of the total North Carolina population in the work force (65.7
percent). Examining Table 3.23, it appears that slightly more Wrightsville Beach residents
work in the sectors of management, professional and related occupations, and service
occupations when compared to New Hanover County. This is likely due to the well-educated
population and the Island’s reliance on service-oriented business establishments.
Table 3.24 summarizes employment patterns of permanent residents in Wrightsville Beach
16 and over. Employment patterns are similar to those found in New Hanover County.
However, a few differences deserve attention. Manufacturing employs only 4.1 percent of
Wrightsville Beach residents but almost 10 percent of New Hanover County residents.
Finance and real estate employ 11 percent of Wrightsville Beach residents and 6.2 percent of
the New Hanover County. Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste
management industries employ 14.5 percent of residents of Wrightsville Beach but only 9.5
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 25 -
Table 3.25: Wrightsville Beach Class of Worker
Class of Worker
Number
Wrightsville Beach
2000 (Percent)
New Hanover
County 2000
(Percent)
Private Wage and Salary 1255 79.6 % 77.5 %
Government 128 8.1 % 14.2 %
Self-employed 194 12.3 % 8.0 %
Unpaid Family 0 0.0 % 0.4 %
Source: United States Census Population and Housing 2000
Table 3.26: Unemployment
Area Unemployment
Rates - 2003
October
2003
3
months
prior
6
months
prior
12
months
prior
New Hanover County 4.7% 5.4% 5.1% 6.1%
Pender County 6.1% 7.6% 7.2% 8.5%
Brunswick County 4.6% 5.9% 6.2% 6.2%
North Carolina* 6.2% 6.5% 6.2% 6.6%
Source: North Carolina Employment and Security Commission Labor Market Information Division
*North Carolina Percentages begin in November not October
percent of the County. The larger number of residents employed in finance, real estate and
professional industries also reflect its more educated population and higher median income.
Approximately one-fifth of Wrightsville Beach residents are employed by arts,
entertainment, recreation, accommodation, or food services, compared with 10.8 percent of
the County. This can be explained by it being a tourism destination and its younger age
structure. There are slightly more private wage and salary workers and self-employed
workers in Wrightsville Beach than in New Hanover County [Table 3.25].
3.5.B Unemployment
Unemployment tends to be a lagging indicator in that it follows the business cycle. Overall,
unemployment rates generally declined between October 2002 and October 2003. New
Hanover County has the lowest unemployment rates in the region and these rates are
generally below those found at the state level.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 26 -
Table 3.27: Tourism Revenues in New Hanover County($ Millions)
Year $Millions
1990 $153.23
1991 $172.04
1992 $172.46
1993 $185.93
1994 $202.84
1995 $220.91
1996 $235.07
1997 $242.26
1998 $257.41
1999 $294.08
2000 $309.77
2001 $300.75
2002 $302.59
3.5.C Retail Sales
Another measure of a community’s economic vitality is its retail sales. According to
Wilmington Industry, with the exception of Brunswick County, retail sales decreased in 2001
(most recent data available). They rose 1.1 percent in Brunswick County to $844.1 million.
They fell 2.9 percent in Pender County to $236.1 million. Sales in New Hanover County fell
3.4 percent to 3.2 billion. Statewide, sales fell 4.6 percent to 126.7 billion. The 2001
changes compare to growth rates of 13 percent in Brunswick County, 9.7 percent in New
Hanover County, and 1.3 percent in Pender County and 5.8 percent in the state. The sales
data is somewhat older than the unemployment data, which indicates a growing rather than a
shrinking economy.
3.5.D Summary of Community Economic Activity
Wrightsville Beach’s economy generally reflects the trends that occur in New Hanover
County and the larger tri-county region. Therefore, it is expected that as the regional
economy improves, so will Wrightsville Beach’s. Wrightsville Beach is also heavily
dependent on the tourism industry. In general, if this industry is doing well, the Town’s
economy is doing well. Thus, the local economy is affected by larger statewide and national
fluctuations in the economy that influence tourism. However, as noted in Table 3.27, the
growth in county tourism revenue has flattened out. The same trend appears to hold on the
Island and may be due to the limited season and the limited number of hotel rooms.
Moreover, as described in Section IV, the local economy can also be influenced by events
outside of human control (e.g., weather, hurricanes).
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 27 -
3.6 Future Population Estimates
Given the large influx of summer tourists and the corresponding impacts on the Town’s
infrastructure, services, and natural resources, it is important to have good estimates of the
seasonal population. The following distinctions are useful to consider:
􀂃􈌠 Permanent population: year round residents who declare Wrightsville Beach as
their primary residence on their census form and other government documents.
This includes people who both own and rent residential property on a year round
basis.
􀂃􈌠 Seasonal population: people who are temporary residents of Wrightsville Beach
who either rent or own property but declare another location as their primary
residence. This includes people who own or rent property and reside at
Wrightsville Beach for the summer season or visit only on weekends. It also
includes the additional population occupying housing units rented on a weekly or
monthly basis. Given the transitory nature of this population, it is likely to vary
over the course of the summer and during any given week with lower numbers on
weekdays and higher numbers on weekend days.
Related to seasonal population is the peak seasonal population. This figure is the largest and
is the combination of the permanent and seasonal residents plus the additional visitors,
guests, and tourists that visit the Island during a peak summer weekend day rather than a
typical weekday.
While it is important for planning purposes to know these numbers, they are difficult to
estimate with any precision and require making assumptions based upon experience and an
understanding of the underlying population demographics, seasonal tourism industry, and the
habits of beach goers. In making these estimates, it is also important to use a variety of
techniques whenever possible to help evaluate the reasonableness of the assumptions used by
any one technique.
3.6.A Permanent Population Estimates
As noted earlier, the permanent population in 2000 was 2,593 persons, a reduction of 11.7
percent since 1990. Accordingly, Wrightsville Beach has been losing population at a rate of
a little more than 1 percent per year over the last decade. These trends are due to the
conversion of higher density structures to lower density structures, the conversion of year
round homes to seasonal homes, and the redevelopment of year-round homes into larger
seasonal homes. There are also only approximately 100 undeveloped lots. If these are
developed as year-round homes, it might lead to a small increase (232 persons) in the year
round population to approximately 2,825. However, these small increases are likely be offset
by the current trends that are leading to a declining population. Accordingly, in the absence
of significant changes in zoning that allow higher densities, increased heights, or other
changes that allow increased population, the permanent population is projected to fluctuate
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 28 -
around its current level (2,593) over the next 5, 10, and 20 year periods as the ratio of year
round to seasonal residents changes. If the current population declines continue at their
current rate, the population could decline to 2,290 by 2010 and 2,022 by 2020. If the trend
reverses itself, the population might increase to around 3,000. In either case, it is unlikely to
have a significant impact on service delivery.
3.6.B Seasonal Population Estimates
One of the most frequently used techniques for estimating seasonal populations is to use the
number of housing units and occupancy rates to determine how many people per housing unit
occupy different types of housing units. According to the 2000 Census and the number of
building permits issued for residential construction issued between 2000 and 2003 as
determined by the Wrightsville Beach Department of Planning and Parks, there were
approximately 3,130 housing units in Wrightsville Beach in 2003. If we assume the same
occupancy rate for 2003 as the U.S. Bureau of Census found in 2000 (41.8 percent), there are
1,308 housing units occupied by permanent residents in 2003. This equates to an average of
2.02 persons per unit. Using the same methodology, there were 1,130 seasonal and
recreational housing units, and vacant housing accounted for an additional 692 units. For the
purposes of this analysis, vacant housing is treated similar to seasonal and recreational
housing in terms of the assumptions made about the number of persons per unit, however,
slightly different occupancy rates are used in the calculations. There are also 892 hotel
rooms [Table 3.28].
Table 3.29 summarizes the seasonal population projections and it includes both a high and a
low estimate. The high estimates use many of the standard estimates of the number of
persons per unit used by other barrier beach communities, however, only a 95 percent
occupancy rate was used in calculating seasonal and vacant housing [See Table 3.29]. Since
the assumptions made in other barrier beach communities may be unrealistic given the higher
rental costs and home values in Wrightsville Beach, a low estimate was also calculated using
more conservative estimates of the average number of people per unit and occupancy rates.
The high and low estimates make several assumptions. First, to account for occasional
visitors staying with year round residents, the high estimate assumes that there is an
additional person per unit (3.02). The low estimate drops this estimate to .25 persons per unit
(2.27). In both cases, a 100 percent occupancy rate is assumed. Second, the high estimate
uses the standard number used for the number of occupants in a vacation cottage (6.5 persons
per unit) and assumes a 95 percent occupancy rate for seasonal and vacant housing units.
The low estimate drops the average number of people per unit to 4.5 per unit and assumes an
85 percent occupancy rate for seasonal housing and a 75 percent occupancy rate for vacant
housing. Finally, the high estimate uses the standard number of 3.5 persons per hotel/motel
unit with a 100 percent occupancy rate. The low estimate assumes only 2.5 per hotel/motel
unit and a 90 percent occupancy rate. The calculations are fairly simple and involve using
the following equations:
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
- 29 -
Table 3.28: Wrightsville Beach Motels & Number of Rooms
Name of Hotel # of Units
Blockade Runner 150
Carolina Temple Apartments 16
Harbor Inn 20
Holiday Inn Sunspree 184
Ocean View Motel 40
One South Lumina 21
Sandpeddler Motel and Suites 21
Shell Island Motel and Suites 160
Silver Gull Motel 32
Station One, Inc 104
Summer Sands Motel Suites 32
The Surf Suites 45
The Glenn 25
Waterway Lodge 42
Total 892
Source: http://www.cape-fear.nc.us/
Table 3.29: High and Low Seasonal Population Estimates
Low1 High2
Housing Units Persons/unit Total Persons/unit Total
Permanently Occupied Housing (1,308) 2.27 2,969 3.02 3,950
Seasonal or Recreational Housing (1,130) 4.5 4,322 6.5 6,978
Vacant Housing (692) 4.5 2,336 6.5 4,273
Hotel/Motel Rooms (892) 2.5 2,007 3.5 3,122
Total 11,634 18,323
1For the low estimate, the following assumptions were used to calculate the total number of persons:
.25 guests per permanent housing unit on average; 85% occupancy rate for seasonal recreational
housing; 75% occupancy rate for vacant housing; and 90% occupancy rate for hotel rooms.
2For the high estimate, the following assumptions were used to calculate the total number of
persons: 1 guest per permanent housing unit on average; 95% occupancy rate for seasonal
recreational housing; 95% occupancy for vacant housing; and, 100% occupancy rate for hotel
rooms.
(# units) X (Occupancy rate) X (# of people per unit) = # of people
These calculations produce a high estimate of 18,323 and a low estimate of 11,634 people
with a mid-range estimate of around 14,979. Thus, while the high estimates may typify a
peak summer weekend (e.g., July 4th), the low estimate may better reflect an average summer
weekend. In either case, these numbers reflect the population on weekends as compared to a
weekday where the number of people per unit and the occupancy rates will be substantially
lower.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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To estimate the future high seasonal population, one can assume that the 100 vacant parcels
are all developed as seasonal or recreational units. This would add an additional 618 people
for a projected future seasonal population of 18,941. To estimate the future low seasonal
population, one can assume that the 100 vacant parcels are developed as additional
permanently occupied housing. This would add an additional 227 people for a projected
future seasonal population of 11,861.
These figures do not include people who may travel to the island during the day. This
additional strain on the Town’s infrastructure is difficult to estimate. However, data from the
Wrightsville Beach 2003 Survey of Beachgoers provide information that allows us to make
some informed assumptions about these travel behaviors. The average carload of people
traveling to the beach is unlikely to be much larger than 4 people and is probably closer to 3
people. The typical length of stay at the beach is about 5 hours. Since people tend to arrive
at the beach after 11 AM, only a limited turnover in the spaces is likely to occur by
beachgoers. People also travel to the Island for shopping and to frequent restaurants.
It is hard to estimate these numbers with any precision because you run the risk of double
counting since some of these people have already been counted in the estimates of the
seasonal population. What is known is that there are 1,792 public parking spaces on the
Island, 1,479 of which are located on Wrightsville Island and are used by beachgoers. If we
assume an average of 3 people per car and that all of the spaces turn over 1.5 times, 6,700
people may travel to the beach by automobile to engage in some activity on the beach on any
given weekend day. There are an additional 313 spaces on Harbor Island. It is unclear what
the use pattern is for these spaces, although at least some of these spaces accommodate
people traveling to Harbor Island for shopping or food. It is also probable that some number
of people visit the Island during the evening hours for shopping and food.
3.6.C Alternative Ways of Estimating Peak Population
It is also useful to look at other ways of estimating peak population. Given its geographic
configuration with only one entry point at the Heide Trask Bridge over the ICW, it might be
possible to estimate changes in seasonal population by looking at changes in the traffic
counts at the bridge. Traffic counts were obtained for January 7 through January 13 and July
27 through August 1, 2003. The lowest total traffic count observed was 17,963 on January
10, 2003 (Friday). This included 8,892 cars leaving the island and 9,071 entering the island.
By way of comparison, the average daily traffic leading across the bridge to Wrightsville
Beach in 2003 was 22,000. This does not reflect any seasonal fluctuation, only the overall
yearly average. This typifies the average amount of traffic generated by year round residents
an businesses operating on Wrightsville Beach on a year round basis.
During the July 27 – August 1 counts, the highest total count observed was 44,785 on July
27, 2003 (Sunday). This included 21,902 cars entering the Island and 22,883 exiting the
Island. Subtracting the total trips observed in January, 26,822 additional car trips were
observed on the Island in the summer compared to the winter. This indicates that there is 2.5
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 3: Population, Housing, & Economy
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times more traffic over the bridge during the summer compared to the winter. If one assumes
that the travel patterns of year round residents are similar to seasonal residents, this might
suggest an average summer population of around 6,492. However, since the summer traffic
counts include people visiting the beach, this likely overestimates the average seasonal
population.
It is also possible to estimate seasonal population by comparing water consumption and
wastewater discharges during summer and winter months using the figures provided later in
Section VII. The lowest month for average daily use of water is January with 557,000
gallons. The highest month for average daily use is July with 1.621 million gallons.
Approximately 40 percent of this increased water use is for irrigation purposes (648,400
gallons), which reduces the volume to 972,600 gallons. Accordingly, average daily water
use is 1.75 times greater during summer months. If we assume that water use patterns among
seasonal residents during summer months are similar to permanent residents in winter
months, then the average seasonal population would be approximately 4,547. If one assumes
that summer visitors use more water, then the estimates would be lower.
In terms of average daily wastewater discharges, the lowest month is January with an average
daily discharge of 406,000 gallons. The highest month is July with an average daily
discharge of 892,000 gallons. Accordingly, wastewater discharges are 2.2 times higher in the
summer than in the winter. Assuming that seasonal residents use their toilets in a manner
similar to year round permanent residents, then the average seasonal population would be
approximately 5,721.
Using these alternative estimation techniques, the average seasonal population appears to be
somewhere between 4,547 and 5,721. Since the water consumption and wastewater numbers
are based on average daily use, it is important to remember that the population for five
weekdays could be much lower than the two weekend days. Using the following algebraic
formula, it is possible to estimate various peak seasonal populations based on different
assumptions about the summer weekday populations:
2x + 5y = 5,721 X 7
2x = 40,047 – 5y
x = 20,024 – 5/2y
Where
x = population on a weekend day
y = population on a weekday
Using this formula, a population of 4,000 on a summer weekday equates to 10,024 on a
weekend day. A population of 3,500 on a summer weekday would equate to 11,275 on a
weekend day. These estimates are similar to the lower estimates of the peak seasonal
population described in the previous section.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
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Section 4
Natural Systems
4.0 Introduction
Protecting and enhancing Wrightsville Beach’s natural systems is critical to the quality of life
of residents and visitors. The Town’s previous land use plans demonstrate a strong
commitment to preserving the beautiful and abundant natural resources located in and
adjacent to Wrightsville Beach. Accordingly, any residential, commercial, or other
development activities permitted by the Town of Wrightsville Beach shall be compatible
with current regulations, development patterns, Areas of Environmental Concern (AEC),
wetlands requirements, soil suitability, and must take measures to mitigate any potential
environmental degradation. This section of the land use plan describes and analyzes the
natural features and environmental conditions within the jurisdiction of the Town of
Wrightsville Beach.
One of the basic purposes of the North Carolina’s Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA) is
to establish a management program capable of rational and coordinated management of
coastal resources. Development of local land use plans and the designation and regulation of
AECs provide the foundation for North Carolina’s coastal resource management program. In
combination, these mechanisms allow state and local governments to preserve and enhance
the state’s coastal resources. State guidelines have been adopted to ensure uniformity and
consistency in land use plans and in the regulation of AECs, however, local governments
have a lot of flexibility when developing polices and taking actions to protect them.
Accordingly, an important component of the land use plan is to identify the AECs present
within the Town’s jurisdiction.
4.1 Areas of Environmental Concern
The State Guidelines for Area of Environmental Concern (15A NCAC 7H, or regulations
governing development for AECs) require that local land use plans give special attention to
the protection of appropriate AECs. CAMA charges the Coastal Resources Commission
(CRC) with the responsibility for identifying the areas—water and land—in which
uncontrolled or incompatible development might result in irreversible damage. CAMA
further instructs the CRC to determine what development activities are appropriate in such
areas, and local governments are required to give special attention to these areas when
developing their land use plan. An AEC is an area of natural importance designated by the
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
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CRC. An AEC may be easily destroyed by erosion or flooding. It may also have
environmental, social, economic or aesthetic values worthy of protection. AECs have also
been designated to protect them from uncontrolled development that causes irreversible
damage to property, public health, or the environment.
To limit detrimental impacts on AECs, CAMA established a permitting program. The intent
of the permitting program is not to stop development, but rather to ensure the compatibility
of development with continued productivity and value of critical land, waters and natural
resources. Responsibility for the permitting program is shared between the CRC and local
governments. Local governments permit “Minor” development activities, while “Major”
development activities require permits from the CRC (DCM personnel are the staff
representatives of the CRC). This permitting process is discussed in Section V.
The CRC established four categories of AECs:
􀂃􈌠 Estuarine and Ocean Systems
􀂃􈌠 Ocean Hazard Systems
􀂃􈌠 Public Water Supplies
􀂃􈌠 Natural and Cultural Resource Areas
Two categories of AECs are not present within the Town of Wrightsville Beach’s
jurisdiction, public water supplies and natural and cultural resources areas. The two
categories found within Town’s jurisdiction are Estuarine and Ocean Systems, and Ocean
Hazard Systems. As a result, shoreline erosion is an important issue for residents in the
Town of Wrightsville Beach. According to a study conducted by the NC Division of Coastal
Management, the long-term average annual erosion rate within the Town of Wrightsville
Beach is 2 feet per year.
4.1.A Estuarine and Ocean System
The estuarine and ocean system AEC is a broad category that includes the Town’s sounds,
marshes, and the surrounding shorelines. The system includes the following components:
􀂃􈌠 Estuarine waters;
􀂃􈌠 Estuarine shorelines;
􀂃􈌠 Coastal wetlands; and,
􀂃􈌠 Public trust areas.
4.1.A.1 Estuarine Water: Estuarine waters include all waters of the Atlantic Ocean with the
boundary of North Carolina and all waters of the bays, sounds, rivers, and tributaries seaward
of the dividing line between coastal fishing waters and inland fishing waters (GS 113A-
113(b)(2)). Wrightsville Beach’s estuarine waters include the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW),
Masonboro Sound, Mott’s Channel, Lee’s Cut, and Bank’s Channel. Estuaries are extremely
productive natural systems [See AEC Coastal Wetlands and Estuarine Waters Map in
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
- 34 -
Appendix A]. Masonboro Sound, located adjacent to the Town’s ETJ, was also nominated as
an outstanding resource water (ORW) by the state.
Estuarine waters in and around Wrightsville Beach provide important habitat for a diverse
range of shellfish, birds and other forms of marine wildlife. Important habitat features of an
estuarine system include its mud and sand flats, eel grass beds, salt marshes, submerged
vegetation flats and clam and oyster beds. They provide nursery areas and serve as habitat
for a variety of marine and benthic species. Generally speaking, development activities,
which are water dependent, require water access and cannot function elsewhere may be
allowed within this AEC. These uses include simple access structures, structures to prevent
erosion, boat docks, marinas, and mooring pilings.
4.1.A.2 Estuarine Shoreline: The estuarine shoreline is the non-ocean shoreline, extending
from the normal high water level or normal water level along the estuarine waters, estuaries,
sounds, bays, fresh and brackish waters, and public areas (15NCAC 7H.0209). For non-
Outstanding Resource Waters, the estuarine shoreline is defined as 75-feet landward from
mean high water line (MHWL) [See AEC Coastal Wetlands and Estuarine Waters Map in
Appendix A]. For ORW waters the distance is 575 feet, however, there are no ORW waters
within Wrightsville Beach. CAMA permits control development within the shoreline areas.
Generally, development in this area may not weaken natural barriers to erosion, must have
limited hard surfaces, and must take steps to prevent pollution of the estuary by
sedimentation and runoff.
4.1.A.3 Coastal Wetlands: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) defines wetlands as
those areas inundated and saturated by surface or ground water at a frequency and duration to
support, and that under normal circumstances support, a prevalence of vegetation typically
adapted for life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands have significant values that support
the unique lifestyle and quality of life enjoyed by Wrightsville Beach residents and visitors.
These values include:
􀂃􈌠 Water Storage: wetlands are able to store heavy rain, surface runoff, and flood
waters, and thereby reduce downstream flooding
􀂃􈌠 Shoreline Stabilization: ground cover and roots of wetland plants help hold soils
in place and prevent sedimentation and nutrient transport
􀂃􈌠 Water Quality: wetlands plants can enhance water quality by removing pollutants
from surface water runoff
􀂃􈌠 Wildlife and Aquatic Habitat: the variety of plants, hydrologic and soil
conditions associated with wetlands provide abundant food and cover for animal
populations and support a number of endangered species and other rare plants and
animals.
􀂃􈌠 Recreation and Education: the rich array of plants and animals supported by
wetlands provide significant consumptive and non-consumptive use values such
as hunting, fishing, bird watching, kayaking, etc.
CAMA defines coastal wetlands as any salt marsh or other marsh subject to regular or
occasional flooding by tides and containing some, but not necessarily all of the following
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
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marsh plant species: Cord Grass, Black Needlebrush, Glasswort, Salt Grass, Sea Lavender,
Bulrush, Saw Grass, Cat-tail, Salt Meadow Grass, Salt Reed Glass. This definition does not
include flooding by tides associated with hurricanes, tropical storms, or severe weather
events (15A NCAC 07H.0206).
According to mapping developed by the DCM, Wrightsville Beach has coastal wetlands of
the brackish saltwater variety. There are 114 acres of wetlands within Town limits, of which
112 acres are coastal wetlands or salt water marsh. Therefore, coastal wetlands comprise 8.5
percent of the land area within Wrightsville Beach. There are also 1,114 acres of coastal
wetlands in the ETJ [See AEC Coastal Wetlands and Estuarine Waters Map in Appendix A].
Coastal wetlands are considered to be unsuitable for all development activities and other land
uses that alter their natural functions.
4.1.A.4 Public Trust Areas: Public trust areas include coastal waters and the submerged
tidal lands below the MHWL. The water and submerged tidal lands are held in trust for the
public to use through such activities as fishing, swimming, and boating. These areas will
often overlap with estuarine waters, but they also include many inland fishing waters. As
general guidance, the following lands and waters are considered to be public trust areas:
􀂃􈌠 All waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the lands underneath, from the MHWL
seaward to the state's official boundary three miles offshore;
􀂃􈌠 All tidally influenced waters below and associated submerged lands below the
MHWL;
􀂃􈌠 All navigable natural water bodies and the lands underneath from the normal high
water line seaward (Navigable waters include anything you can float a canoe in).
This does not include privately owned lakes where the public does not have
access rights;
􀂃􈌠 All water in artificially created water bodies that have significant public fishing
resources and are accessible to the public from other waters; and,
􀂃􈌠 All waters in artificially created water bodies where the public has acquired rights
by prescription, custom, usage, dedication or any other means (CAMA Handbook
for Development in Coastal North Carolina).
Accordingly, the Town or Wrightsville Beach’s public trust waters include all estuarine
waters, their tributaries, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Since the submerged tidal waters are held in trust for the public, the state’s policy is to ensure
that the public is able to maintain access to these waters. Accordingly, development,
structures, and land uses that interfere with public’s rights to access and use of these waters is
inconsistent with state policy. Conversely, navigation channels, piers, marinas, and
bulkheads to control erosion are examples of uses that are frequently considered to enhance
the public’s use of these public trust areas.
An issue of growing concern in Wrightsville Beach is the growth in user conflicts associated
with uses of public trust waters, particularly conflicts associated with jet skis and other
personal watercraft. Concerns have been raised regarding the tendencies of jet skiers to
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
- 36 -
operate watercraft in a reckless and dangerous manner. Other concerns relate to their
operation in marshes and other shallow estuarine waters, where damage to the marsh occurs
and where waterfowl are disturbed. In 2002, the Town of Wrightsville Beach developed a
Surface Water Use Plan. This plan identified user conflicts on public trust waters and
recommended actions to remedy user conflicts. Many of these recommended actions will be
included in this LUP update.
A second issue concerns the trend towards lengthy piers extending out into the Town’s
estuarine waters, particularly at the North End of the Island. Prime waterfront sites with deep
water close to shore have become developed. As a result, remaining waterfront sites have
been building longer piers to reach water of adequate depth for boat dockage. This results in
unsightly and environmentally damaging piers extending out into coastal marsh. While state
regulations require that piers shall not block stream channels, the effect in many instances
has been to inhibit the movement of watercraft in the shallow water estuary. This is
particularly evident at low tide when navigation is limited to pockets of open water. In some
cases, the presence of these long piers can prevent boats from navigating the affected water
body. Thus, the Town’s policy reserves the right to be more restrictive that the State’s
standard where the public’s right to access is being compromised by construction of long
piers. No pier may be constructed which extends beyond the pier-head line. This issue was
also addressed in the 2002 Surface Water Use Plan.
4.1.B Ocean Hazard System
Ocean Hazard AECs are areas where potential erosion and the adverse impact of sand, wind,
and water make uncontrolled or incompatible development unreasonable and hazardous to
life and property. The Ocean Hazard category at Wrightsville Beach includes 4 areas:
􀂃􈌠 Ocean erodible area
􀂃􈌠 High hazard flood area
􀂃􈌠 Inlet hazard area
􀂃􈌠 Unvegetated beach area
Development and land use in each area requires a CAMA development permit. All
components of the ocean hazard AEC are shown or labeled on the AEC and Fragile Areas
Map in Appendix A. However, the map is for planning purposes only and careful on-site
investigation is required for any development or construction in or adjacent to an ocean
hazard AEC.
4.1.B.1 Ocean Erodible Area: Ocean erodible areas are located along the beach strand
where there is significant risk of excessive beach erosion and significant shoreline fluctuation
due to natural processes such as hurricanes and tropical storms (15 NCAC 07H.0304). There
are 205 acres of oceanfront property on Wrightsville Beach. The seaward boundary of this
area is the mean low water line (MLWL). The landward boundary is described as follows:
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
- 37 -
􀂃􈌠 60 feet or 30 times the annual erosion rate landward of the first line of stable
vegetation for small structures and 120 feet or 60 times the annual erosion rate for
large structures. For Wrightsville Beach, the vegetation line established in the
1980 photos is called the recession line; or
􀂃􈌠 A distance landward of the recession line described in (1) above to the recession
line that would be generated by a storm having a 1-percent chance of being
equaled or exceeded in any given year (i.e., 100-year storm event).
The ocean erodible area is defined on a lot-by-lot basis due to the significant variation in the
first line of stable vegetation. The most restrictive method for determining the setback
distance and the recession line is always used (15 NCAC 7H.0304). This line is not to be
confused with the 1939 Property Line or other buffer or setback lines established by the State
or the Town of Wrightsville Beach. Each line has a distinct regulatory purpose.
4.1.B.2 What Is The 1939 Property Line? If you own ocean front property in Wrightsville
Beach located between Masonboro Inlet and Heron Street, you should be aware of the
existence of the 1939 Property Line and its impact on your property. The 1939 Property Line
was created by an Act of the North Carolina General Assembly in 1939 in connection with a
beach renourishment project at Wrightsville Beach. The effect of this Act was to grant
ownership of the property lying east or seaward of the 1939 Property Line to the Town of
Wrightsville Beach. Ownership of the property lying west or landward of the 1939 Property
Line remained with the adjoining property owner. The 1939 Act also required the Town to
prepare a survey of the property line and record the survey in the New Hanover County
Register of Deeds. Such a map was prepared and recorded in 1939 and can be found in Map
Book 3 at page 71 in the Office of the New Hanover County Register of Deeds.
The existence of this property line affects the property between Masonboro Inlet and Heron
Street in one of two ways. First, the 1939 property line is a property line and therefore
establishes the easternmost or seaward boundary of your property even though some older
deeds for lots adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean incorrectly include in their legal description that
the property extends to the MHWL. Second, the 1939 Property Line established a property
line from which any structure connected on the property must be setback. The required
setback is controlled by the Town’s zoning ordinances (Chapter 155 in the Town of
Wrightsville Beach Code of Ordinances). Other setback requirements imposed by CAMA
also apply to any structure built on the property. The most restrictive setback is always
applied to mitigate potential storm damage and protect public health and safety.
4.1.B.3 High Hazard Flood Area: The Ocean Hazard System AEC also covers lands subject
to flooding, high waves, and heavy water currents during a major storm. The high hazard
flood area is defined as the area subject to high velocity waters including but not limited to
hurricane washover in a storm having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in
any given year. This area is identified as coastal flood with velocity hazard or “V zones” on
Federal Flood Insurance Rate Maps. “V zones” are determined by an engineering analysis of
expected flood levels during a storm, expected wave and current patterns, and the existing
topography of the land. The high hazard flood area is land expected to experience washover
and high velocity waters during a 100-year storm event. This AEC often overlaps with the
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
- 38 -
ocean erodible and inlet hazard AECs. Harbor Island and some oceanfront properties of
Wrightsville Island are located in V zones. The interior of Wrightsville Island is in the “A
zone”. A zones are subject to flooding and washover, but not wave action during a 100-year
storm event. The entire Town of Wrightsville Beach lies within the 100-year flood zone [See
the Flood Zone Map in Appendix A].
4.1.B.4 Inlet Hazard Area: The Inlet Hazard Area AEC covers the land adjacent to Mason’s
Inlet, located at the North End of Wrightsville Island. The Inlet Hazard Area extends inland
a sufficient distance to encompass the area where the state reasonably expects the inlet to
migrate in the future (15 NCAC 7H .0304). Masonboro Inlet, located at the southern end of
the Island is not designated as an inlet hazard area because it is stabilized with a jetty
preventing its migration. Development within the inlet hazard area on the North End must
comply with three key use standards: (1) it must comply with setbacks for the ocean hazard
area found in the preceding section; (2) the density for commercial and residential structures
is limited to no more than 3 units per acre; and, (3) only residential structures of 4 units or
less or commercial structures less than 5,000 square feet are allowed [See AEC and Fragile
Areas Map in Appendix A].
4.1.B.5 Unvegetated Beach Area: The final ocean hazard system AEC is the unvegetated
beach area. This is defined as land within the ocean hazard system where no stable natural
vegetation is present. This area is subject to rapid and unpredictable landform change from
wind and wave action.
4.2 Soil Characteristics
Three soil types are located within the jurisdictional boundaries of Wrightsville Beach.
Newhan Fine Sand consists of gently slopping excessively drained sands located mostly on
dunes, beaches and along coastal waterways. Almost the entire barrier island portion of
Wrightsville Beach including the developed area abutting Banks Channel consists of Newhan
Fine Sand. Tidal marsh soils are found in the tidal flood plains between coastal sand dunes
and the ocean and upland areas of the mainland. Soils are often covered by smooth
cordgrass, but further inland may be covered with black needlebrush. Tidal marsh soils are
poorly drained, generally have slopes of zero to two percent, and primarily serve as natural
habitat for birds and other wildlife. A large part of the area within Wrightsville Beach’s
jurisdiction, including the area between Banks Channel and the ICW, excluding Harbor
Island, is classified as tidal marsh. Generally tidal marsh has limited suitability for
development. Urban land soils exist in areas where the original soil profiles have been cut,
filled, graded, paved or otherwise changed so that the original soil types (mostly dry, poorly
drained sands) are substantially altered or destroyed. The entire developed portion of Harbor
Island is classified as urban land soil.
All three soil types found on Wrightsville Beach have limited development potential for
onsite sewage disposal systems (OSDS) due to poor filtration or being wet with poor filter.
However, these soil conditions are of limited importance because Wrightsville Beach is
served by a central sewer system.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
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In the ETJ, most soils belong to the Murville-Seagate-Leon Association. These soils range
from very poorly drained to somewhat poorly drained and have a fine sand to sand surface
layer. Subsoil is composed of fine sand, sand, sandy loam, or clay loam. Johnston, Lynwood
and Murville soils in the Wrightsville Sound Area are subject to frequent flooding and
wetness. Each site should be inspected before construction to determine site-specific
building constraints on subsurface and surface features. The Soil Survey of New Hanover
County published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service (1977)
provides further information on the capabilities and characteristics of the soil types, their
location and extent.
4.3 Water Quality
Surface waters should contain a balanced amount of nutrients and has normal fluctuations in
salinity and temperature. It should also have plenty of oxygen and little suspended sediment
so that marine life can breathe and receive enough sunlight to grow. Monitoring changes in
North Carolina’s water quality is important. Data collected helps scientists evaluate
changing water quality conditions. Factors affecting water quality include:
􀂃􈌠 Nutrients: while essential for plants and animals, they can be harmful if there is
an overabundance;
􀂃􈌠 Sediments: can cloud the water and hamper the growth or even kill aquatic
plants;
􀂃􈌠 Water temperature: changes in normal water temperatures can affects when
animal and plants feed, reproduce, and migrate;
􀂃􈌠 Salinity: changes in salinity can adversely affect a wide range of marine life
􀂃􈌠 Dissolved oxygen: is essential for animals living within the estuary. Reduced
levels of dissolved oxygen (e.g., due to an algae bloom or eutrophic conditions)
can adversely affect marine life.
􀂃􈌠 Contaminants and other pollutants: there are a variety of other contaminants and
pollutants that can adversely affect the growth, survival, and reproduction of
marine and benthic organisms.
As a strategy for the management of North Carolina’s waters, DENR’s Division of Water
Quality (DWQ) assigns classifications to water bodies. The primary classifications are:
􀂃􈌠 SC: unacceptable quality.
􀂃􈌠 SB: suitable for marine fish, shellfish, and wildlife habitat. Not suitable for
commercial shellfish harvesting. Suitable for swimming, fishing, recreation and
all other legitimate uses including navigation.
􀂃􈌠 SA: suitable for marine fish, shellfish and wildlife habitat, shell fish harvesting
for direct human consumption, recreation and all other legitimate uses including
navigation.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
- 40 -
Additional water quality classifications include:
􀂃􈌠 High Quality Waters (HQW): waters are ranked as high quality based on
biological, chemical or physical characteristics through division monitoring or
special studies.
􀂃􈌠 Outstanding Resource Waters (ORW): unique and special surface waters of the
state that are of exceptional state or national ecological or recreational
significance that require special protection to retain existing uses
􀂃􈌠 Swamp Waters (SW): waters that are located so as to generally have low
velocities.
􀂃􈌠 Nutrient Sensitive Waters (NSW): waters that experience or are subject to
excessive bloom of microscopic or macroscopic vegetation.
These designations highlight important characteristics of water bodies that should be
protected through local land use plans.
The water quality within the planning jurisdiction of the Town of Wrightsville Beach is
generally good but needs improvement. There are no areas within the jurisdiction of
Wrightsville Beach known to have chronic waste treatment malfunctions. This is due to the
centralized sewage treatment system. The system has no chronic malfunctions and operates
within its NPDES permit conditions. However, since their original classification in 1981,
some waters have degraded from unimpaired to impaired due primarily to nonpoint source
pollution. Consequently, most inland waters in and adjacent to Wrightsville Beach are now
permanently closed to shellfishing [See Closed Shellfishing Areas Map in Appendix A].
Since the Island is nearly built out, additional development is unlikely to significantly
increase these water quality problems since these activities are subject to stormwater
requirements. Moreover, redevelopment activities often produce a net improvement in
stormwater management. However, continued development within the Howe Creek, Bradley
Creek, and Hewlett Creek watersheds will impact water quality in and adjacent to
Wrightsville Beach unless actions are taken to minimize nonpoint source pollution in these
watersheds [See Table 4.1].
The highest quality waters are located in Masonboro sound area in the Town’s Extra-
Jurisdictional Territory (ETJ). These waters were nominated by DNER’s DWQ as
outstanding resource waters (ORW) [See DWQ High Quality and Outstanding Resource
Waters Map in Appendix A]. This designation is given to the most pristine and productive
waters in North Carolina. At the northern and southern ends of the Town’s jurisdiction,
water quality is classified SA making it suitable for swimming, fishing and shellfishing.
However, many of these waters are closed to shellfishing due to high fecal coliform counts in
water quality samples [See Closed Shellfishing Areas Map in Appendix A]. Areas near
Harbor Island are generally classified SB meaning that they are suitable for swimming and
fishing but not shellfishing. Generally, water quality is better at the Northern and Southern
ends due to circulation and flushing patterns. Conversely, water quality in the central part of
the island is worse due to the prevalence of stormwater outfalls, circulation patterns, and its
proximity to Bradley Creek [See AEC Coastal Wetlands and Estuarine Waters Map in
Appendix A].
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
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Table 4.1 Receiving Streams Adjacent to Wrightsville Beach
Receiving
Stream Name
Stream
Segment
Water
Quality
Classification
Use
Support
Rating
Water
Quality
Issues
Howe Creek From source to Intracoastal Waterway
including tributaries
SA, ORW Fully
Supported
Waters are classified as SA but
are subject to closure for shell-fishing
activities based on
Division of Marine Fisheries
classification. Bacterial
pollution from stormwater runoff
is the primary water quality
problem.
Intracoastal
Waterway
From the western mouth of Howe Creek
to the SW mouth of Shinn Creek,
exclusive of the Wrightsville Beach
Recreational Area
SA, HQW Partially
Supporting
Waters are classified as SA but
subject to closure for shell-fishing
activities based on
Division of Marine Fisheries
classification. Bacterial
pollution from stormwater runoff
is the primary water quality
problem along with Marinas.
Bradley Creek From source to Intracoastal Waterway
including tributaries
SC, HQW Partially
Supporting
Waters are classified, as SC.
Fecal Coliform is the primary
water quality problem.
Hewlett Creek From source to Intracoastal Waterway
including tributaries
SA, HQW Fully
Supported
Waters are classified as SA but
are subject to closure for shell-fishing
based on Division of
Marine Fisheries classification.
Bacterial pollution from
stormwater runoff is the primary
water quality problem.
Wrightsville
Recreation
Area
(including
Lees Cut,
Motts Channel
and portion of
Banks Channel
Any waters within a line beginning at a
point on the mainland along the
Intracoastal Waterway 1400 feet North
of the U.S. Hwy. 74-76 bridge
extending directly across the
Waterway to the northern edge of Lees
Cut, thence along the northern edge of
Lees Cut to the end of the Cut crossing
the Cut in a northeasterly
Direction to a point on Wrightsville
Beach 1900 feet northeast of the U.S.
Hwy. 74 bridge, thence along
The western shoreline of Wrightsville
Beach to a point 4000 feet Southwest of
the U.S. Hwy. 76 bridge, thence in a
northwesterly direction across Banks
Channel and mud flats to a point on the
eastern side of the Intracoastal
Waterway across from the southern
edge of Bradley Creek, thence along the
eastern side of the waterway to a point
1750 feet
Northeast of Channel Marker #128,
thence directly across the waterway in a
easterly direction to Money Point and
along the western edge of the
Intracoastal Waterway in a northeasterly
direction to the point of beginning.
SB Partially
Supporting
Waters are classified as SB.
Urban Runoff and Marinas are
the primary reasons for the water
quality problem.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
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Table 4.1 Receiving Streams Adjacent to Wrightsville Beach (Cont.)
Receiving
Stream Name
Stream
Segment
Water
Quality
Classification
Use
Support
Rating
Water
Quality
Issues
Banks Channel Entire Channel south of the Wrightsville
Recreation Area
SA; HQW Partially
Supporting
Waters are classified as SA but
are subject to closure for
shellfishing based on Division of
Marine Fisheries classification.
Bacterial pollution from
stormwater runoff is the primary
water quality problem along with
Marinas.
Source: Wrightsville Beach, NPDES Phase II Comprehensive Stormwater Management Program Report (Wrightsville
Beach, NC: Town of Wrightsville Beach, 2003)
4.4 Shellfishing & Primary Nursery Areas
Salt marshes and estuaries along the North Carolina coast serve as nursery grounds for 90
percent of fish species. North Carolina was the first state to protect these fragile ecosystems.
The nursery system in North Carolina contains 3 categories:
􀂃􈌠 Primary nursery areas;
􀂃􈌠 Secondary nursery areas; and,
􀂃􈌠 Special secondary nursery areas.
Only one category, primary nursery areas are found within the Town of Wrightsville Beach
[See Fish Nursery Areas Map in Appendix A]. Primary nursery areas are generally located
in the upper portions of creeks and bays. These areas are usually shallow with soft muddy
bottoms and are surrounded by marshes and wetlands. Low salinity levels and abundance of
food make these areas ideal for young fish and shellfish. To protect juveniles, many
commercial fishing activities are prohibited in primary nursery areas including the use of
trawl nets, seine nets, dredges, or any mechanical devices used to harvest clams and oysters.
Violators face substantial penalties. There are approximately 18 acres of primary nursery
area within Wrightsville Beach’s corporate limits and 1,100 acres within the ETJ. This is
significant. In North Carolina, 80,144 acres are designated as primary nursery areas. Thus,
approximately 1.4 percent of NC’s primary nursery areas are located with Wrightsville
Beach’s planning jurisdiction.
Secondary nursery areas are located in the lower portions of creek and bays. Young fish and
shellfish (primarily blue crabs and shrimp) move into these waters as they grow and develop.
Trawling is not allowed in secondary nursery areas. There are 35,502 acres of secondary
nursery areas in North Carolina, none of which are located in Wrightsville Beach. Special
secondary nursery areas are located adjacent to secondary nursery areas but are closer to
open waters of sounds and the ocean. When juvenile species are abundant, these waters are
closed to trawling for a majority of the year. In North Carolina, 31,362 acres are designated
as special secondary nursery areas.
Town of Wrightsville Beach Section 4: Natural Systems
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Table 4.2: Parcels Located in the Flood Zone
Zone Parcels (lots) that
Intersect Flood Zone
Percent of Parcels
(%)
AE 1,651 52.1%
VE 1519 47.9%
Source: Wrightsville Beach GIS
4.5 Hazards
The Town of Wrightsville Beach is located in the southeastern coastal plain along the eastern
edge of New Hanover County. It is a barrier island community bordered by the Atlantic
Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). Due to its geographic proximity, the town is
susceptible to a variety of natural and manmade hazards such as flooding, hurricanes,
nor’easters, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and urban fires.
4.5.A Flood Hazard Areas
The 100-year flood plain is the accepted benchmark for defining flood hazard areas. All of
Wrightsville Beach East of the ICW lies within the 100-year flood plain [See Special Flood
Hazard Zones and the Flood Zones Maps in Appendix A]. The flood plain in Wrightsville
Beach is mapped in two classifications:
􀂃􈌠 AE zones: Areas where there is a 1 percent chance of a hundred year flood event;
􀂃􈌠 VE zones: Areas where there is a 1 percent chance of a hundred year flood event.
The interior of the outer island and the sound are in the A zone, subject to washover and
flooding. This constitutes about 1,651 parcels, or 52.1% of Wrightsville Beach land area.
Development in these areas is subject to local setbacks and stringent base flood elevation
requirements. “V zones” are determined by an engineering analysis of expected flood levels
during a storm, expected wave and current patterns, and the existing topography of the land.
Generally development in these areas is subject to more stringent elevation and setback
standards because the land is subject to flooding high waves and heavy water currents during
a major storm. Approximately 1,519 parcels or 47.9% of land in Wrightsville Beach is
located within the VE zone [Table 4.2]. Setbacks for oceanfront lots in the AE and VE z