Natural hazards, such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, winter storms, earthquakes, wildfires, and other hazardous natural events occur every year and are an essential component of the earth’s natural systems. These events damage the ecological environment, but the natural environment possesses remarkable recuperative capabilities, restoring plant and animal habitat in a short time.

The built, or manmade, environment does not possess these recuperative capabilities. When these natural hazards interact with the built environment, disasters occur. The frequency of disasters is increasing, not necessarily because natural hazards are occurring more frequently, but as a result of more people choosing to live, work, and visit locations where the risks of natural hazards are greater. Since the 1960’s, increasing numbers of people are choosing to live and work in areas at risk from coastal storms and repetitive flooding. By 2010, the number of people living in hurricane-prone counties will likely double (Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Manual. 1998. NC Division of Emergency Management, p. 1). This realization makes it imperative that coastal and riverine communities undertake floodplain management and hazard mitigation.

Geography and the Environment

Duck consists of approximately 2.32 square miles (1,485 acres) and is approximately 6 miles in length. It is located along the northern Outer Banks. The Currituck County line is to the north of Duck and Southern Shores is located to the south. Access to Duck is possible only by accessing Highway 12. The town is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the west by the Currituck Sound. Duck has a reputation as a cottage community, with a seasonal population in the tens of thousands and a permanent population of about 450 residents.

Duck is a newly incorporated municipality. The North Carolina General Assembly voted to grant Duck’s charter in the 2001 session, and the effective date of incorporation was May 1, 2002.

Statement of the Problem

Flooding is the predominant natural hazard in Duck. Because of the town’s proximity to coastal waters and its topography, a significant portion of Duck is at risk to flooding associated with storm events. While it is not feasible to prohibit development in these vulnerable areas, the Town recognizes this vulnerability and has adopted policies to minimize and mitigate damages associated with these natural hazards.

Duck possesses various capabilities: legal, institutional, fiscal, and technical. Local governments in North Carolina only have the legal authority that is granted to them to exercise by the state. This principle is commonly known as “Dillon’s Rule,” where all power is vested in the state and can only be exercised to the extent delegated. This rule applies to all of North Carolina’s counties and cities. Institutional capability refers to the Town’s form of government, which is a Mayor-Commissioner form of government. Police, Fire, and Rescue departments play a critical role in the mitigation of and response to natural hazards. Duck also possesses technical capabilities. There are a number of local, state, and federal agencies available to help Duck with various aspects of hazard mitigation. In addition to the Town’s budget, there are a number of various funding sources that round out the Town’s fiscal capabilities. All of these capabilities are discussed in greater detail.

Demographic Profile

Because Duck was incorporated in 2002, there is no census profile for the area within the corporate limits of the Town of Duck. However, census tract and block data from Dare County can be used to determine some population characteristics. The Census 2000 data available estimates Duck’s population to be 448 people. There were 233 females and 215 males. Duck’s population consisted of 438 white persons, 5 African Americans, 4 American Indians, and 1 Pacific Islander.

The State estimates Duck’s population in 2001 grew by 11 people, for a total of 459 persons.

The permanent population of Dare County, according to the Census 2000, is 29,967. The seasonal population peak is approximately 200,000. Duck’s portion of this figure could be more than 14,600 people.

The Census 2000 noted 2,068 total housing units in Duck. Presently, there are more than 2,400 housing units in the town. According to Dare County, there were 2,423 housing properties in Duck in January 2003. There were 1,960 single family detached residential structures, of which as many as 1,750 may be vacation homes. There were 463 units in multi-family developments (condominiums, townhouses, timeshares, and co-ownership properties) in Town, 122 units at The Sanderling, and 8 rooms at bed and breakfast businesses. (Source: Duck 2003-2004 CAMA Land Use Plan)

Table 1. Estimated Peak Seasonal Population

Type of Accommodation	Estimated Number of Units	Average Number of Persons Per Unit	Total Peak Population
Single family detached residential structures	1,960	6.5	12,740
Multi-family developments	463	3.5	1,621
The Sanderling	122	--	254
Inns and Bed and Breakfasts	8	2	16
TOTAL	2,553	--	14,631

Source: Town of Duck Land Use Plan Committee

Housing Profile

The primary land use in Duck is single family detached residential structures that are generally not the principal residences of the owners. The Census 200 noted a total of 2,068 housing units in Duck, of which 1,852 (90%) were vacant, while 215 (10%) were occupied. Vacation homes are often made available for short-term rental during the summer months.

The number of total households in Duck in 2000 was also reported to be 215. The average household size was 2.1 persons. There were 137 married couple families in Duck in 2000. Twenty (20) of these were households with (own) children under 18 years of age present. The balance of married couple households (117) were households with no (own) children under 18 years of age present.

Purpose of the Plan

This hazard mitigation plan makes an assessment of our current natural hazard risk and sets forth goals and schedules for 2004 and beyond to eliminate, reduce, and mitigate this risk. After conducting a few meetings, the committee developed a problem statement, or purpose for the plan. The purpose of this plan is:

Duck, through hazard mitigation planning, seeks to maintain or lower the community’s flood insurance rating, qualify for future disaster funding, identify potential problems, minimize repetitive losses, and educate the public on Duck’s vulnerability to natural hazards.

This document is Duck’s Hazard Mitigation Plan. It is prepared to guide policy in the Town’s vulnerable areas and to assist state and federal funding efforts.

Presently, Duck property owners participate in the NFIP through Dare County’s Flood Damage and Prevention Ordinance. Duck will soon participate in the NFIP independently from Dare County and will seek certification under the CRS. The NFIP provides federally supported flood insurance in communities that regulate development in their floodplains. The CRS reduces flood insurance premiums in those communities that do more than implement the minimum regulatory requirements. The Town has developed this plan in order to limit life and property losses due to a major flood.

The benefits of hazard mitigation planning are:

· Saves lives and property – Duck can save lives and reduce property damage from natural hazards through mitigation actions, such as moving families and their homes out of harm’s way.

· Reduces vulnerability to future hazards – By having a mitigation plan in place, Duck is prepared to take steps that will permanently reduce the risk of future losses. This opportunity is often lost when we build communities without regard to natural hazards or when we rebuild them after a disaster “just like they were before.”

· Saves money – Duck will experience cost savings by not having to provide emergency services, rescue operations, or recovery measures to areas that are dangerous to people in the event of a hazard.

· Facilitates post-disaster funding – By identifying and ranking projects before the next disaster, Duck is in a better position to obtain post-disaster funding because much of the background work necessary for applying for federal and state aid will already be done.

· Speeds recovery – By developing a mitigation plan, Duck can identify post-disaster mitigation opportunities in advance of a disaster. By having this strategy in advance, Duck can be ready to respond quickly after a disaster.

· Demonstrates commitment to improving community health and safety – A mitigation strategy demonstrates a community’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens and protecting its economic, social, and environmental well-being.

Participants in the Planning Process

The North Carolina Division of Community Assistance provided the Town with a professional planner to draft this plan, with input from a 8 member planning committee, the Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee, established by the Town Council. The Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee membership included:

· Neil Morrison

· Linda Nave

· Donna Black

· Chris Layton

· Gene Schwarz

· Suzanne Cotellessa

· Jack Hughes

· John Jenkins

The Committee held a public meeting during the preparation of the plan. Additionally, it held five working sessions that focused on hazard assessment, problem identification, mitigation goals, review of possible activities and work elements to be included in the proposed plan. The draft plan assembled by the Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee was submitted to the Duck Planning Board in June for review.

The Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee met initially on June 17, 2002 to develop a plan that met the requirements of S.B. 300. This committee later met on March 10, 2004 and developed a plan to include public participation in the planning process, to meet the requirement of the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. Elements of the public participation plan included:

Copies of the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan were made available at the Duck Town Hall for public review on January 31, 2004; and
On April 12, 2004, a public meeting was held on the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan prepared by the Committee.

In addition to public meetings and making information available to the public, the committee itself consisted of 4 citizens representing the community. The citizens participated in the committee meetings and provided lively discussion and a fresh perspective to the planning process.

Additonally, outside agencies were invited to participate in the planning process. There are two reasons to involve agencies and private organizations in planning efforts. First, they may be implementing or planning to implement activities that can affect flood damage or some of the other interests and concerns. The Committee wanted to make sure that their efforts were not going to be in conflict with a government program or duplicate the efforts of another organization. Second, the Committee wanted to involve other agencies to see if they could assist their efforts. Help may be in the form of flood hazard data, technical information on various measures, guidance on regulatory requirements, advice and assistance in the planning effort, implementation of a recommended measure, and financial assistance to help implement a recommended measure.

During the initial research period at the beginning of the planning process, a list of outside agencies that could help Duck in the preparation of this document was created:

Currituck County
Charter Communications
Dominion Power
Sprint
US Corps of Engineers
Waste Management
NC Division of Coastal Management
NC Division of Emergency Management
Duck Land Use Plan liaison
Duck Police Department
Duck Fire Department
Ocean Rescue
Homeowners Association
Turnpike Properties
Coast Guard
Dr. Nancy White
Local business group
Tourism Bureau
Dare County Board of Education
US Army Corps of Engineers
Dare County Emergency Management
Town of Kitty Hawk
Town of Kill Devil Hills
Town of Nags Head
Town of Southern Shores
Town of Manteo
Soil and Water Conservation District
Outer Banks Association of Realtors
Outer Banks Homebuilders Association
Association of Insurance Agents
Build the Bridge Committee
Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce
Regional Medical Center
Outer Banks Hospital
Dare County Sheriff
NC Department of Transportation

These parties were made aware of Duck’s public meetings and they were invited to attend and participate.

Description of the Planning Process

Planning is one of the best ways to correct shortcomings associated with natural hazards. The objective of planning is to produce a program of activities that will best tackle the community’s flood problem and meet other community needs. A well-prepared plan will guide a community’s flood, stormwater, and hazard mitigation activities so that they are implemented more economically and in ways more attuned to the needs and objectives of the community and its residents. A well-prepared plan will result in lower hazard losses and improved protection of the floodplain’s natural and beneficial functions. This will benefit both the community and the NFIP.

A hazard mitigation plan, one that is carefully researched to reflect local needs and conditions, can provide many benefits to a community. This is especially true of plans that are prepared in advance of a hazard event, not in the aftermath of a disaster. Many communities have engaged in mitigation activities on a project-by project basis by incorporating such projects into the context of a comprehensive plan that considers multiple aspects of the community. A local government can avoid the often inconsistent and uncoordinated results of this ad hoc approach to mitigation by developing a mitigation plan. A local hazard mitigation plan can be effective for establishing the community’s commitment to mitigation goals, objectives, policies and programs. By articulating what the community hopes to achieve, the plan can serve to establish an important connection between the public interest and mitigation measures to be employed.

Overview of the Planning Process

In order to help the reader visualize the nature of the planning process, a “mitigation planning tree” is used. By comparing the planning process to a living, growing being, emphasize is placed on the interrelationships between each step and the dynamism of the final plan itself. Each step is designed to be supported by the previous step, and in turn, provides support for the next. Some of the steps in the planning process are “root” steps. These are essential analytical steps that will provide the necessary background data and justification for the action part of the plan. Next, the “ground” level steps will be pursued, followed by the “branch” steps, or actions and policies.

Figure 1. Planning Tree

This hazard mitigation plan follows the guidelines endorsed by the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management that meet the requirements of Senate Bill 300. The essential planning steps are:

1. Identify the hazards - The first of the “root” steps requires the community to identify the natural hazards that affect the area and analyze them in terms of likelihood, magnitude, and potential impact.

2. Assess vulnerability of people and property – The next “root” step is made up of multiple tasks, or sub-steps, that helps the community to assess the vulnerability to the hazards identified in Step 1. During the vulnerability assessment, the areas within the community where the hazards are likely to occur will be identified.

3. Assess community capability – The final “root” step asks Duck to assess the community’s current mitigation practices, as well as its potential to engage in mitigation activities. While few communities in North Carolina have a dedicated mitigation strategy, most do have policies that affect construction and land-use in hazard-prone areas.

4. Form interim conclusions – At this level, the Town has established a strong root system that identifies the problems Duck faces, where those problems are located, and the tools at the Town’s disposal to address them. Step 4 gives the community an opportunity to look at these background analyses and determine whether or not it should move forward with the planning process.

5. Establish values and goals – Duck now determines how mitigation fits into the community’s vision of its future, and formulates goal statements to express that vision. Picture the goal statements as forming the “trunk” of the Mitigation Planning Tree. The goals and values are the central supporting element of the entire plan – they shape and determine all the mitigation policies that will be created as a result of the plan.

6. Set policy selection criteria – Current and potential policies will be examined by: 1) Effectiveness; and 2) Cost. Effectiveness will be determined by the perception of the Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee as High, Medium, or Low. Cost will be determined by the Committee and rated as High, Medium, or Low. The cost will be the expense of implementation and administration to the community.

7. Formulate mitigation strategies and policies – Step 7 is where all the previous steps have been leading up to. The mitigation policies are the “branches” of the Mitigation Planning Tree. The policies will put into action the goals established for reducing vulnerability.

8. Preparation of the final plan – The draft plan will meet all minimum requirements of Senate Bill 300 and keep Duck eligible for state public assistance funds, effective for state-declared disasters after August 1, 2002.

9. Assign implementation responsibilities – Each action step outlined in the plan will be assigned to an individual or a Town department. A 5-year implementation schedule is included for every action step.

10. Establish procedures for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting progress – An effective plan is dynamic and evolving. A community must periodically monitor its implementation, evaluate its effectiveness, and report on the progress of the plan.

11. Establish procedures for revisions and updates – This step calls for establishing procedures to see that the annual evaluation report results in revisions and updates of the plan, when warranted.

Adoption

The Committee held a public meeting during the preparation of the plan. Additionally, it held a working session that focused on hazard assessment, problem identification, mitigation goals, review of possible activities and work elements to be included in the proposed plan. The draft plan assembled by the Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee was submitted to the Duck Planning Board in June for review. Copies of the Draft Hazard Mitigation Plan were made available at the Duck Building Inspections office for public review on March 29, 2004.

After a recommendation to approve the plan was forwarded to the Town Council by the Planning Board, a public hearing was held in July and the Town Council subsequently adopted the plan.

Mitigation Goals and Values

The Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee developed goals to mitigate hazards in Duck. These goals were developed for the following 5 types of mitigation strategies: 1) prevention; 2) property protection; 3) natural resource protection; 4) emergency services; and 5) public information.

The Committee identified the following goals:

· Continue enforcement of current hazard mitigation regulations;

· Locate a regional debris removal area;

· Improve stormwater drainage in vulnerable areas;

· Preserve, protect, and enhance the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound shorelines and ensure future generations are able to enjoy its beauty and bounty and can continue to use the beach and water for active and passive recreation and leisure activities;

· Educate property owners on dune maintenance effectiveness;

· Make good construction techniques information available;

· Regulate the use and storage of propane;

· Mitigate ocean overwash and soil erosion;

· Develop and dedicate more open space;

· Support the continued management of oceanfront shoreline development to protect and preserve the natural and recreational resources along the oceanfront;

· Re-nourish and maintain the ocean beach;

· Build the Mid-County Bridge;

· Raise low spots along Route 12 to prevent localized drainage problems;

· Develop an emergency communications network;

· Develop effective public information regarding natural hazards and disseminate to citizens; and

· Communicate hurricane information to tourists

The Committee also evaluated the Town’s current programs and policies, along with potential programs and policies that could reduce Duck’s susceptibility to natural hazards.

Current and potential policies were examined by: 1) Effectiveness; and 2) Cost. Effectiveness was determined by the perception of the Hazard Mitigation Plan Committee as High, Medium, or Low. Cost was determined by the Committee and rated as High, Medium, or Low. The cost is the expense of implementation and administration to the community.

Mitigation Action Steps

Each action step outlined in the action plan is assigned to an individual or a Town position. A 5-year implementation schedule is included for every action step.

Duck Hazard mitigation Plan - Action Plan

Activities Actions		Responsible Person	Deadline
Activities Actions		Responsible Person	‘04	‘05	‘06	‘07	‘08
Preventive Goals: 1. Continue enforcement of current regulations 2. Locate a regional debris removal area 3. Improve stormwater drainage in vulnerable areas 4. Preserve, protect, and enhance the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound shorelines and ensure future generations are able to enjoy its beauty and bounty and can continue to use the beach and water for active and passive recreation and leisure activities
1a	Continue to provide funding for enforcement positions	Town Council	X	X	X	X	X
2a	Meet with Currituck County and Southern Shores to discuss possible locations for a debris removal area	Town Manager		X
3a	Identify areas vulnerable to stormwater problems	Planning Board			X
3b	Coordinate town roles and state roles in stormwater management problems	Planning Board			X
3c	Provide funding for stormwater improvements	Town Council			X
4a	Adopt and apply development policies that balance protection of natural resources and fragile areas with residential and economic development	Town Council	X