Tools and Techniques for Tools and Techniques for Management of Coastal Management of Coastal

DevelopmentDevelopment

Introduction to Coastal Introduction to Coastal ManagementManagement

ZoningZoning

• Zoning ordinances Zoning ordinances control land uses control land uses allowedallowed

• Used to restrict or Used to restrict or prohibit development in prohibit development in high risk areashigh risk areas

• Involve standards: Involve standards: setback, height, setback, height, impervious surface, impervious surface, stormwater stormwater managementmanagement

Setback RequirementsSetback Requirements

• Insure adequate space for future Insure adequate space for future roads and adequate light, access roads and adequate light, access and separation of structuresand separation of structures

• Most useful to reduce Most useful to reduce development impacts on development impacts on beaches and dunes and reduce beaches and dunes and reduce losses due to storms along losses due to storms along shorefront shorefront

Setback ExamplesSetback Examples

• North CarolinaNorth Carolina– Small coastal developments Small coastal developments

must be located landward of must be located landward of the 1the 1stst line of vegetation by line of vegetation by a distance equal to 30X the a distance equal to 30X the average annual erosion rateaverage annual erosion rate

• South CarolinaSouth Carolina– Myrtle Beach delineated 50-Myrtle Beach delineated 50-

year erosion line. Only year erosion line. Only certain uses allowed: certain uses allowed: sundecks, patios, gazebos, sundecks, patios, gazebos, walkways, etc.walkways, etc.

Community CharacterCommunity Character

• Ordinances to Ordinances to maintain community maintain community imageimage– Wrightsville Beach Wrightsville Beach

• Family beach image Family beach image protected by limiting protected by limiting “high rise structures”“high rise structures”

– Hilton HeadHilton Head•Special design review Special design review

board imposes certain board imposes certain design standardsdesign standards

Subdivision ControlSubdivision Control

• Control configuration and Control configuration and layout of developmentlayout of development

• Establish requirements Establish requirements and standards for public and standards for public improvementsimprovements

• Reserve recreation areasReserve recreation areas• Protect valuable Protect valuable

resources (dunes, resources (dunes, marshes)marshes)

Limitations of Zoning and Limitations of Zoning and Subdivision ControlsSubdivision Controls

• Separates uses and Separates uses and forces use of forces use of automobilesautomobiles

• Reduces social Reduces social interactioninteraction

• Reduces pedestrian Reduces pedestrian activityactivity

• Sensitive coastal areas Sensitive coastal areas often require large lot often require large lot sizes to minimize sizes to minimize environmental environmental degradationdegradation

Urban Growth BoundariesUrban Growth Boundaries

• Promote sharp boundaries Promote sharp boundaries between urban and ruralbetween urban and rural

• Useful in coastal settings Useful in coastal settings to avoid wasting valuable to avoid wasting valuable landland

• Create “low-growth” and Create “low-growth” and “high-growth” zones“high-growth” zones

• Old coastal towns such as Old coastal towns such as Atlantic City can be Atlantic City can be invigoratedinvigorated

ClusteringClustering

• Concentrates units Concentrates units and increases density and increases density over part of a over part of a developmentdevelopment– Reduce development in Reduce development in

high-hazard areashigh-hazard areas– Increase development Increase development

in low-hazard areasin low-hazard areas

• Reduces costs for Reduces costs for public services, public services, sewer, water, roads, sewer, water, roads, etc.etc.

Traditional Neighborhood Traditional Neighborhood DevelopmentDevelopment• Revives qualities and Revives qualities and

characteristics of traditional characteristics of traditional American townsAmerican towns– Encourages pedestriansEncourages pedestrians– Supports mixed usesSupports mixed uses– Includes public spaces, parks, Includes public spaces, parks,

squares, etc.squares, etc.

Incentive ZoningIncentive Zoning

• Allows developers to Allows developers to exceed limits in exceed limits in exchange for exchange for concessionsconcessions– Additional units if project Additional units if project

includes increased ability includes increased ability to withstand stormsto withstand storms

– Density bonuses on Hilton Density bonuses on Hilton Head for dune restoration, Head for dune restoration, beach access and drainage beach access and drainage improvementsimprovements

Planned Unit Planned Unit Developments (PUDs)Developments (PUDs)• Plans for development Plans for development

are arranged for large are arranged for large areaarea– Avoids lot-by-lot approvalAvoids lot-by-lot approval– Often lead to clustering Often lead to clustering

within developmentwithin development– Provide economical Provide economical

servicesservices– Allow environmental Allow environmental

protection of sensitive protection of sensitive areasareas

Land and Property Land and Property AcquisitionAcquisition• Fee-simple acquisition of Fee-simple acquisition of

undeveloped landundeveloped land• Acquisition of development Acquisition of development

rightsrights• Transfer of development rightsTransfer of development rights

Taxation and Fiscal Taxation and Fiscal IncentivesIncentives

• Differential TaxationDifferential Taxation• Special Assessments Special Assessments • Impact FeesImpact Fees

Public Infrastructure Public Infrastructure PolicyPolicy• Coastal development influenced Coastal development influenced

by road, sewers, and water by road, sewers, and water servicesservices

• Prevent location of services in Prevent location of services in high hazard areas high hazard areas

• Encourage relocation of facilities Encourage relocation of facilities after a hurricaneafter a hurricane

• May encounter legal challengesMay encounter legal challenges

Information Information Dissemination and Dissemination and Community AwarenessCommunity Awareness• Enlighten individuals Enlighten individuals

concerning storm and concerning storm and erosion threatserosion threats– Real estate agents to inform Real estate agents to inform

buyersbuyers– Place flood and erosion Place flood and erosion

information on deeds and mapsinformation on deeds and maps

• Educate housing consumerEducate housing consumer– Pamphlets/brochuresPamphlets/brochures– Construction practice seminarsConstruction practice seminars

Impediments to Local Impediments to Local Management of Coastal Management of Coastal DevelopmentDevelopment• Dislike of government control Dislike of government control

of private propertyof private property• Lack of adequate financial Lack of adequate financial

resources to implement resources to implement programsprograms

• More pressing local problemsMore pressing local problems• Opposition of real estate and Opposition of real estate and

development interestsdevelopment interests

Impediments to Local Impediments to Local Management of Coastal Management of Coastal DevelopmentDevelopment• Lack of trained Lack of trained

personnelpersonnel• Opposition of Opposition of

homeownershomeowners• Opposition of Opposition of

business interestsbusiness interests• Absence of politically Absence of politically

active people/groupsactive people/groups

Property Owner AttitudesProperty Owner Attitudes

Possible ResponsesPossible Responses FrequencFrequencyy

PercentagPercentag

ee

Yes, would not buy beachfront Yes, would not buy beachfront property againproperty again

88 6.16.1

Yes, would like to sell my property Yes, would like to sell my property and buy property in a safer and buy property in a safer locationlocation

99 6.86.8

No, hurricanes are just a normal No, hurricanes are just a normal risk in beachfront areasrisk in beachfront areas

5252 39.339.3

No, the benefits and enjoyment of No, the benefits and enjoyment of beachfront living outweigh the beachfront living outweigh the potential riskspotential risks

5555 41.741.7

OtherOther 88 6.16.1

Question:Question: Now that you have experienced the effects of a hurricane, has this Now that you have experienced the effects of a hurricane, has this had any influence on your feelings about owning beachfront property?had any influence on your feelings about owning beachfront property?