HOUSING

The Town’s housing stock—4,888 units in total—forms the core of its developed areas. The high number of properties used as vacation rentals or seasonal homes makes analysis of housing in Atlantic Beach different from many other communities.

Most of the housing in Atlantic Beach is located in either single-family neighborhoods or large multi-family developments.

Only 1 out of 5 housing units in Atlantic Beach is occupied by a year-round resident

Atlantic Beach has very little vacant housing –only about 4% of the units in town, or about 200 units, are vacant. Of these, most are available for rental. Less than 50 homes on average are up for sale.

The dramatic increase in home values and low vacancy rates indicate a very strong housing market.

Median value of owner-occupied housingin 2018:

$357,800

Median value of owner-occupied housingin 2000: $160,200

Source: American Community Survey, 2018 Five-Year Estimates; Census

Visualization of housing data using chart, graphics, text summaries and community photos from the Atlantic Beach CAMA Land Use Plan Update (2021)

Section 2.3

Creating a Vision for the Future

TOPICS INCLUDE:

•Community concerns and aspirations

•The vision statement

Introduction

The initial phase of the planning process, often referred to as the “visioning” phase, should lead to both the identification of community concerns and aspirations and the vision statement. The community concerns and aspirations reflect the planning needs and desires of the community that support the land use and development policies included in the plan. Their selection typically grows out of the analysis of the existing and emerging conditions described in the previous section. Public engagement processes can also be used to identify the community concerns and aspirations. The community vision describes the general physical appearance and form that represents the plan for the future. Both are critical components of a plan. The community concerns and aspirations influence the topics addressed in the plan and how it is organized. The vision statement reflects the overall goals the plan seeks to achieve. Consequently, they both influence the development of the plan’s policies and recommended actions in significant ways.

Community Concerns And Aspirations

The community concerns and aspirations must reflect the community’s significant existing and emerging conditions and key planning issues. They are issues that are most important to residents, business owners, and non-resident property owners. This information should reflect the analysis of the existing and emerging conditions (see Section 2.2). While the CRC planning rules do not require public participation in the planning process, it is difficult to imagine how a planner would assess the community’s concerns and aspirations without using a survey, workshop, or other public engagement strategy. Public participation can also provide practical support because residents often have local knowledge that can inform the identification of community concerns and aspirations (see Section 1.3).

The discussion of community concerns and aspirations should include enough detail to clarify the planning needs and desires of the community to support the land use and development policies included in the plan. At a minimum, it must include a discussion of the following:

• Significant existing and emerging conditions: The plan shall describe the dominant growth-related conditions that influence land use, development, water quality, and other environmental concerns in the planning area.

• Key issues: The plan shall describe the land use and development topics most important to the future of the planning area. The description shall include public access, land use compatibility, infrastructure carrying capacity, natural hazard areas, and water quality and may include other areas of local concern

Accordingly, the list of community concerns and aspirations supports the development of a vision statement, and it becomes the basis for organizing the discussion of the plan’s goals, objectives, policies, and recommended actions.

Community concerns and aspirations in the Union Planning Area of Pender County were identified using a public engagement group exercise map. Note that the 100-year floodplain and aerial imagery have been provided on the map for reference. from the Pender 2.0: Comprehensive Land Use Plan (2018)

MANTEO 2007 CAMA LAND USE PLAN Community Concerns and Aspirations

Maintaining a small town sense of community; carefully developing an economy that is placeappropriate for Manteo; and maintaining the unique natural edges of forest, wetland, and water around the town are goals that Manteo residents have pursued since the first CAMA plan in 1981 and continue to pursue today.

The planning process for Manteo’s 2007 CAMA Land Use Plan Update reinforces long-held community values and goals and identifies new challenges and strategies for the Town to pursue. The key issues today revolve around growth. Manteo’s infrastructure, the wastewater treatment plant in particular, has limited capacity remaining. At the same time, Manteo residents are more focused than ever on resource protection, from preserving wetlands to improving water quality. With these issues in mind, community members participated in planning workshops to update goals for planning in Manteo. These goals became the foundation for the 2007 CAMA Land Use Plan Update:

1. Maintain small town character, hometown sense of community, and history

2. Protect upland wetlands and other environmentally fragile areas on the island

3. Require new development to be in character with the town

4. Maintain a natural edge of wetlands, forest, and water around town

5. Improve water quality in Shallowbag Bay to allow shellfishing

6. Provide adequate public parks and open spaces

7. Provide affordable housing

8. Limit growth so it doesn’t exceed the wastewater plant’s current capacity

9. Make safe places to walk to see neighbors, shop, and go to school

10. Slow down growth