Comprehensive Plan
ENVISION CAMDEN COUNTY
Monday, November 14, 2011
John Manuel
Environmental Author
Workshop Overview
• Welcome and Introductions
• What We Tell You
– Comprehensive Transportation Plan
– Comprehensive Plan
• What You Tell Us
– Community Survey
– Keypad Polling Exercise
– Group Discussion Exercise
• Adjourn
Comprehensive Transportation Plan
• Purpose:
– Identify existing and future transportation
deficiencies
– Generate information decision-makers can
use to guide future transportation decisions
• Primary Objectives
– Improve Mobility and Safety
• Product
– Comprehensive Transportation Plan
Comprehensive Plan
• Road map for making future short and long
range policy decisions
• “Comprehensive” because it covers wide
range of community issues
(transportation, land use, economy, environment, health,
community, design, infrastructure, etc.)
• Three part planning process:
– Identifying Planning Influences and Opportunities
– Developing a Community Vision
– Constructing a Policy Framework and Implementation Plan
Comprehensive Plan
Project Schedule
ehensive
Camden
Plan Project
County,
Schedule
NC Comprehensive Plan Project Schedule
Tasks
d Community
Task 1: Assessment
Project Initiation and Community Assessment
and Needs
TaskAssessment
2: Issue Identification and Needs Assessment
ernative
Task
Plans
3: Development of Alternative Plans
ement of
Task
Plan
4: Selection and Refinement of Plan
ommended
Task 5:
Plan
Development of Recommended Plan
Task 6: Project Reporting
ironmental
Task Culture
7: Camden
Document
County Environmental Culture Document
Updated: August 11, 2011
July
Aug.
2011
Sept. Oct.
SC
SC
2011
Nov.
July Dec.
Aug. Jan.
Sept. Feb.
Oct.
SC
SC
PW
BOC/SC
SC
2012
Nov.
MarchDec. AprilJan.May Feb.
June
PW
Ma
BOC/SC
SC
BOC/SC/PW
BOC Meeting with Board of County
BOC
Commissioners
Meeting with Board of County Commissioners
PW Public Workshop
PW Public Workshop
SC Steering/Technical Committee
SC
Meeting
Steering/Technical Committee Meeting
BOC/S
BOC/SC
Comprehensive Plan:
Community Planning Influences Report
• Report sets out foundational information for
plan
• Purpose to provide factual basis for
development of policy framework
• Three parts to report:
– Part 1: Summary of Planning Initiatives
– Part 2: Summary of Existing Conditions
– Part 3: Summary of Key Planning Influences and
Opportunities
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 1 – Summary of Planning Initiatives
• Solid Planning Foundation for
Development of Comprehensive Plan
Land Use and Infrastructure
Economic Development
• 2005 Advanced Core CAMA Land Use Plan
•
• Camden County Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Long Range Water and Sewer Service Plan
• CAMA Sea Level Rise Policy
Transportation Plans
Camden County 21st Century Community
Strategic Plan
• Camden County / US 17 Corridor Master
Plan
•
Green Industrial Park Feasibility Study
• Comprehensive Transportation Plan
• Hampton Roads TPO Long Range Transportation Plan
• US 17 Great Dismal Swamp Corridor Study
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Facts and Trends
• Broad array of community planning topics:
• Regional Context and Planning Area
• Stormwater
• Population (historic and projected)
• Water / Wastewater
• Economy / Agriculture
• Recreation
• Natural Systems and Hazards
• Community Health
• Land Use and Development
• Public Services
• Transportation
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Key County Attributes:
– Location in the Hampton
Roads region
– Natural features /
resources
– Affordable cost of living
– Well educated workforce
– Schools
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Population Trends:
– The County had a very healthy rate of growth
over the last decade – 3.78% annual average
growth
– Significant considering the County had a 3.5
year moratorium on development during this
period
– Highest growing County in region
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Population Projections:
– Projections vary by source
– Growth expected but at slower pace
Source
2010 Pop
2030 Pop
Change
Annual
Average
Growth Rate
State
Demographer
9,980
11,600
1,620
0.75%
Woods &
Poole
9,980
13,994
4,014
1.8%
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Housing
– Housing stock in very good condition, but lacks
diversity
• 99% of homes are single-family units (detached, modular,
manufactured)
– National and state trends show changing market
demands for more diverse housing products
– Opportunity to create housing that reflects rural
nature of community but provides new housing
opportunities
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Economy
– Few options for employment
– Highly skilled workforce
– Employment in the County represents
approximately half of the jobs needed to employ
the local workforce
– Opportunity to expand local employment and
provide new jobs “close to home”
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Agriculture
– Farming Operations Grew Between 2002-2007
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Workers Commute Out of County – 29.3% to
Pasquotank Cty and 23.6 % to Hampton Roads area
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Natural Features are Abundant and Limit
Development Potential
•
21 out of 24 soil types
severely limit septic
system use
•
60% of County in
wetlands
•
67% of County in
floodplain
•
26% of County is
designated Significant
Natural Heritage
Areas
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Land Use: Majority is in a natural state, agricultural,
or low-density single family development (1 acre +)
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Development Focus on Northern US 17 Corridor
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Transportation Infrastructure Adequate but
Limited to Vehicular Travel
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Stormwater Management is a Critical Challenge
•
Key considerations:
Low topographic
relief, high
groundwater tables,
and poor draining
soils
•
These features limit
the ability to employ
best management
practices and lowimpact development
techniques
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Water/Wastewater
– Raw Water Supply Needed to Meet Needs of Future
Populations
– Wastewater treatment is a critical challenge; may septic
systems are inadequate and expected to fail
– Water and Sewer Master Plan
identifies the need for three
localized wastewater treatment
systems to expand needed
service - may be cost prohibitive
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Parks and Recreation
– Recreational opportunities have increased
– Opportunities exist to expand further and provide a solid base
for an eco-tourism industry sector in the County
• Hiking/biking trails
• Blueways and other water activities
• Hunting/fishing
• Sports and tournaments
• Environmental education
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 2 – Summary of Existing Conditions
• Government Facilities
– Needed New Public Facilities
• High school
• Administrative office space
• Expansion of reverse osmosis water treatment plant
• Sewer system expansion
• Parks and recreation
– Also need long-term strategy for solid waste/recycling
Comprehensive Plan:
Part 3 –Influences and Opportunities
1. Camden Plantation
2. Camden Town Center
3. Eco Industrial Park
4. Hales Lake Wind Farm
5. South Mills Small Area Plan
6. Expansion of Dismal Swamp State Park and New
Bike Trail Linking Park to Virginia
Are there others we should include?
Comprehensive Plan:
Preliminary Topics to Address in Plan
1.
Recreational transportation
2.
Community facilities (county offices, storm shelter, schools, recreation)
3.
Public appearance
4.
Water / sewer
5.
Economic development (waterfront, business development)
6.
Educational programs
7.
Curbing sprawl
8.
EMS service
9.
County representation on Planning Board
10.
Community building
11.
Public / traffic safety
12.
Zoning conflicts
13.
Adult living community
14.
Agriculture
Are there others to add?
Comprehensive Plan:
Community Survey
• Prepared joint CTP and CP survey
• Available online or in hard copy
• Deadline for survey: December 31, 2011
Keypad Polling Exercise
• Interactive, real-time polling
• Anonymous, no pressure to provide true
opinion
• Learn what others think
Warm Up Question:
Which team do you prefer?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
ECU
UNC
NC State
Duke
Other
0%
1
0%
2
0%
3
0%
0%
4
5
1. Do you live in Camden County?
1. Yes
2. No, but I work
here
3. No, but I own
property here
4. No, I live and
work elsewhere
and don’t own
property here
0%
1
0%
2
0%
3
0%
4
2. If you live in Camden County, how
long have you lived here?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
0-4 years
5-9 years
10-19 years
20-29 years
30-39 years
40-49 years
50+ years
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
3. For those that work outside the
county, what is your profession?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Sales
Manufacturing
Military
Government /Education
Medical
Real estate development /
Construction
7. Technology / Professional
Services
8. Hospitality
9. Agriculture
10. Other
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0%
10
4. What do you like most about
Camden County?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Rural setting and low
density development
Small town environment
and slower pace of life
Natural features – rivers
and Dismal Swamp
Access to NC coast
Access to Hampton Roads
area
Sense of Community
Affordable Cost of Living
Other
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
5. What do you like second most
about Camden County?
1. Rural setting and low
density development
2. Small town environment
and slower pace of life
3. Natural features – rivers
and Dismal Swamp
4. Access to NC coast
5. Access to Hampton
Roads area
6. Sense of Community
7. Affordable Cost of
Living
8. Other
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
6. What do you like least about
Camden County?
1. Lack of employment
opportunities
2. Lack of commercial
establishments
3. Lack of housing
choices
4. Few places to
walk/bike
5. Few places to have
community
gatherings
6. Other
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
0%
0%
5
6
7. Which phrase best describes
Camden County today?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Tranquil – A place for peaceful
living
Bedroom community – Mostly
serve people working elsewhere
Full service – Provides everything
you need
Fragmented – It’s a fragmented
collection of developments
My hometown – It’s a great place
to establish roots, to raise a family
and grow old
Not home – It’s a great place to
live for a while, but it’s not “home”
Other
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8. Which phrase best describes your
hope for Camden County in the future?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Tranquil – A place for peaceful
living
Bedroom community – Mostly
serve people working elsewhere
Full service – Provides everything
you need
Fragmented – It’s a fragmented
collection of developments
My hometown – It’s a great place
to establish roots, to raise a family
and grow old
Not home – It’s a great place to
live for a while, but it’s not “home”
Other
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9. Future growth in Camden County
should….
1. Be targeted
(geographically) to
minimize negative impacts
on the natural environment
2. Be driven by the free
market
3. Be managed to most
efficiently use existing
infrastructure
4. Be targeted through
development of new
infrastructure
5. Other
0%
1
0%
2
0%
3
0%
0%
4
5
10. Camden County should grow in the
following manner…
1. Continue Current Trend:
Expansion via dispersed,
single-use developments
2. Become More Compact:
Higher intensity, more
efficient, mixed-use
developments in targeted
locations
3. Don’t know/no opinion
0%
1
0%
2
0%
3
11. How strongly do you support the following statement?
“In considering new development, quality and appearance are
more important than the number of units or how intensely
they are organized.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know / no opinion
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
0%
0%
5
6
12. If Camden County offered a job for
your skill set, would you work here?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Strongly agree
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know / no
opinions
0%
0%
0%
0%
1
2
3
4
0%
0%
5
6
Group Discussion Exercise
• Discuss 6 questions – 4 of which have
mapping elements
• Facilitator and scribe for each table
• [Insert color coding]
Thanks for your participation!
• Visit all stations and provide input
• Fill in comment form and leave with
planners
• Survey online or at County Planning
Department
• Information on planning efforts and survey
on County website
www.camdencountync.gov