Inlet hazard zone change could affect some beach properties

If the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) decides next year to adopt a proposed rules change affecting inlet hazard zones, a number of properties at the north end of Wrightsville Beach could fall under new development restrictions.

The CRC tentatively accepted the findings of a study conducted on the state’s 12 developed inlets during its meeting last month, said Steve Everhart, Wilmington district manager for the N.C. Division of Coastal Resources. The purpose of the study was to update the rules pertaining to inlet hazard zones to take advantage of new erosion data and mapping techniques.

If the new inlet hazard zones are adopted, several properties at the north end of Wrightsville Beach could be affected. The existing inlet hazard zone includes part of the Shell Island property, while the proposed zone would extend south to include the properties north of Wrightsville Dunes.

Supplied graphic courtesy of N.C. Coastal Resources Commission Proposed changes to state regulations could expand the inlet hazard zone at the north end of Wrightsville Beach.

The main difference, said Michele Walker, public information officer for the
N.C. Division of Coastal Management, would be the types of development that would be allowed in the zone.

“The only development that is allowed in an inlet hazard area is a residential building of four units or less and nonresidential buildings of less than 5,000 square feet,” she said.

Wrightsville Beach ordinances already prohibit the new construction of large condominiums, but in some instances, mixed-use developments can be approved.

Walker said she does not expect the rules to include a grandfather clause, so any properties in the inlet hazard zone would fall under the rules, if they were destroyed and needed to be rebuilt.

The setbacks for the properties would not be affected, since the setback regulations for inlet hazard zones are the same as the adjacent ocean hazard zones that apply to all of Wrightsville Beach. The minimum setback for Wrightsville Beach is based on an annual erosion rate of 2 feet.

“The setback factor in the ocean hazard zone is 30 times the annual erosion rate, with a minimum of 60 feet,” Walker said.

The setback is measured from the first line of stable natural vegetation.

Whether or not the proposed changes will be approved is still in the air, Everhart said.

The final version of the proposal will be presented to the CRC in January 2008. “It will have to go through public hearings, and the Coastal Resources Commission will vote on it. Once they vote on whether to make the rule change, it then also has to go through the rules review commission,” Walker said. “It would probably be at least the spring before it could actually go into effect.”