06-02-06: Coast's allure puts it at risk

Coast's allure puts it at risk
Group says beware brisk development

An environmental group said Thursday that North Carolina's coastline is undergoing unprecedented development that threatens to transform its water and land.

In its annual State of the Coast report, the N.C. Coastal Federation said condominiums are replacing fishing piers, and eight to 10-bedroom rental houses are replacing modest beach bungalows.

"If the current pace of unplanned and largely uncontrolled growth continues, it's no secret what we will become," said Frank Tursi, the Cape Lookout Coastkeeper and author of the report. "A visit to Florida, the Georgia Sea Islands or the South Carolina coast will give you a glimpse of the future."

The federation noted that building permits in some coastal counties are up as much as 300 percent. The population of Camden, Currituck, Brunswick and Dare counties increased 20 percent in five years.

The coast's population is expected to increase another 40 percent by 2030 as baby boomers retire and continue moving closer to the water, the report said.

The group said governments will have to step in if the coastal heritage is to be saved. Among the steps the federation recommended:

• The General Assembly should appoint a study commission to recommend ways the state can encourage varied waterfront uses, such as commercial fish houses, industrial and recreational marinas and fishing piers.
• The legislature should propose an amendment to the state Constitution that would allow counties to provide relief from high property taxes that encourage owners to sell their land to developers.
• Local governments should sponsor bond referendums to provide money to buy conservation easements to land that is ecologically important or provides waterfront access to commercial or recreational fishermen.

Staff writer Wade Rawlins can be reached at 829-4528 or wrawlins@newsobserver.com.