"From the beginning we wanted people to know 

 that all aspects of their lives fold into wise planning. 

 We've been looking at everything that impacts their 

 lives from flood protection to transportation needs. 

 We try to let them know that their input is vital. 

 This is their county. They are planning 

 for future generations. " 



Michele Bunce, Onslow County planner 



Some residents demanded to know what 

 right Leutze has to support such a proposal. 

 After all, he doesn't live in their neighborhood. 



The confrontation demonstrates a need to 

 raise awareness of how "new urbanism" can fit 

 into land-use planning for coastal counties. It 

 also demonstrates a necessity to show that good 

 planning is everyone's business, says Leutze. 



"Public and private interests need not be at 

 odds. We all have a stake in the wise use of 

 resources. It's in everyone's interest to help 

 preserve water quality," he says. 



Surprisingly, the city council turned down 

 the proposal — even though both the City of 

 Wilmington and New Hanover County 

 planning boards had recently adopted mixed- 

 use zoning policies. What's more, the dissenting 

 citizens didn't have to travel far to see a budding 

 smart-growth community. 



In nearby Brunswick County, Buddy 

 Milliken is developing the Village of 

 Woodsong, a mixed-use subdivison, near 

 Shallotte. Its conservation design was guided by 

 landscape architect Nancy White from North 

 Carolina State University's College of Design. 



Woodsong' s design keeps natural systems 

 functioning. A wetland helps maintain natural 

 drainage patterns and effectively filters 

 stormwater runoff. In addition, cisterns, 

 courtyard ponds and grading are being used to 

 slow down stormwater leaving individual 

 homesites. And, says White, Woodsong's 

 landscape standards will encourage the use of 

 native plants, and man-made wetlands will 

 provide habitat for wildlife. 



White writes about Woodsong's 

 innovations in a forthcoming publication 

 Protecting Estuarine Water Quality Through 

 Design. In it. White describes other landscape 

 strategies that are compatible with — or go 

 beyond — CAMA land-use goals and 



An abundance of clean rivers, streams and estuaries attract thousands of recreational 

 paddlers to the state each year, contributing to a lucrative ecotourism industry. 



objectives. The guidebook is part of Vie 

 Sound/font Series, produced by North Carolina 

 Sea Grant in collaboration with DCM and the 

 NC State College of Design. It is meant to help 

 property owners, developers and planners reach 

 sustainable development goals. 



New levels of expectation 



Meanwhile, Moffitt is encouraged by 

 feedback from citizens and local officials from 

 CAMA counties involved in land-use planning. 



There is no question, she says, that the new 

 rules are taking planning to higher levels of 

 expectation. Local governments may choose 

 from three levels of planning formats: a 

 workbook plan for small towns; a core plan for 

 all coastal counties and towns that have Areas of 

 Environmental Concern ( AECs); and an 

 advanced plan for counties and towns that want 

 to go beyond minimum state standards. 



The rules require rigorous land-suitability 

 analysis and establishing management objectives 

 to guide local policies. Local governments will 

 be able to use the analysis to meet requirements 

 for other planning programs, such as the EPA 



Phase II Stormwater Management Plan. 



A revised grant-funding system encourages 

 local governments to work jointly to develop 

 and implement plans. 



"I see a level of sophistication in counties 

 that have been doing serious land-use planning," 

 Moffitt says. 



"CAMA counties are far and away better 

 off than same-sized counties in other parts of the 

 state not required to do land-use plans. Their 

 skills are much better, and they have a better 

 sense of self and community. In the long run, the 

 well-being of our counties is at stake. Good 

 land-use planning goes direcdy to the health, 

 safety and welfare of the community." □ 



Copies of Paving the American Dream are 

 available from UNC-W. The documentary is the 

 centerpiece of a Web site developed as an 

 educator's resource on smart growth. Log on at 

 www.uncwil.edu/smartgrowth/ or call 910/962- 

 2650 for additional information. 



For information about land-use planning 

 in CAMA counties, go online to 

 www.nccoastalmanagement.net. 



20 HIGH SEASON 2002 



