Gates County land use plan

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

COASTAL ZONE
INFORMATION CENTER
GATES COUNTRY
LAND USE PLAN

HD CAMA
211 1976
.N8
G38
1976

PrOPertY of CSC Library
COASTAL ZONE
INFORMATION CENTER
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page-

Introduction . . . . . . . . .

Present@Conditions . . . . . . . . . . 3

4
A. population and Economy . . . . . .
B. Existing Land Use- . . ... . . . ... . . . . . . 20
C. Current Plans, Policies, and'Regulations . . . . 29

III. Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . * * . " 30

"A. Land Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
B. Capacity of Community:F'acilities and
Community Facilities Demand . . . . . . . . . . 46

IV. Public.Participati-on-Ac't,ivities . . . . . . . . . . 50

A. Land Use Compatibility;pt-oblems . . . . . . . . 50
B. Obj@ectivesj Po-liciez;and.`Standards
Alternatives . . . . . . . . . . 51
C. Land-Use Objective,s,,.@Policies, and-Standards 53
D. Process to Determine objectives, Policies,
and Standards . . . . . . . 54
E. Methods to Secure Public Participation 54

V. Estimated,Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

A. Population-and Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
B. Future Land Needs .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
C. Community Facilities Needs . . . . . . . . . . . 57
D. Carrying Capacity: Land and Water . . . . . . . 61

VI. Plan Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

A. Land Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
B. Population Allication . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
C. Population Densities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
L
VII. Potential Areas of Environmental- Concern . . . . . . 67

VIII. City/County Relationship .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

IX. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

X. Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

U . S . DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA
COASTAL SERVICES CENTER
2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE
CHARLESTON , SC 29405-2413

INTRODUCTION

The coastal area of North Carolina is one of the most important regions

in the United States for food production, future expansion of commerce, indus-

try and recreation. To enable orderly growth and protection of important

natural resources of that area, the 1974 General Assembly passed the Coastal

Area Management Act.

The Coastal Area Management Act is a state law that asks local government

in 20 counties in Coastal North Carolina to prepare a blueprint for their

future growth and development. The county officials are asked to work closely

with local citizens in deciding what their goals are, in planning for their

best use. This Land Use Plan will serve as that blueprint.

The purpose of the Land Use Plan is to determine the most appropriate

future use of land in Gates County. This plan was undertaken by the county

citizens, elected officials, and staff in an effort to fulfill the requirements

of the Coastal Area Management Act,and provide an opportunity to all citizens

in the county to participate in the planning process.

In recent years it has been recognized that rigorous demands are being

made upon the land and natural resources that were not evident a short time

ago. This can be attributed in great part to rapidly advancing technology

and population migration. We have moved into an era where various use of

the land in one area may adversely affectzthe,property values and use of land

miles away.

In order to preserve and protect natural resources and property values,

it is necessary to plan for future development to occur where the land and

natural.resources can withstand development.

On the'State level, administration and coordination of the Coastal Area

Management Act will be handled by the Department of Administration and Depart-

ment of Natural and Economic Resources. The Act creates two citizen agencies:

Coastal Resources CommissJo n - The commission is a 15-member body appointed

by the Governor. All members are residents of the coast. Twelve were .

chosen from among nominees made by counties and towns in the coastal area.

Three are appointed at the discretion of the Governor. The Commission

'is responsible for establishing planning guidelines, approving land use

plans and issuing permits for construction when required.

Coastal Resources Advisory Council - The Council is a 47-mdmber body

made up of 'locally appointed representa.tives from each coastal county,

plus representatives from six state government departments. It includes

a broad cross section of coastal interests. The Council.advises the

Commission on those matters before the Commission, and assists local

governments.

There are three major land use management tools created by the Bill: Land

use plans, areas of environmental concern and a permit system.

Land Use-Plans - Each county has prepared a land use plan. The plans

are based on the goals of the people in the county,.the resources avail-

.able in the county, and the most reasonable path for reaching toward

those goals with the.resources available. After the plans are adopted,

use of the land must agree with the pla ns.
Areas of Environm6ntal-Concern' - These areas and their boundaries will.

be de signated by the Coastal Resources Commission. We know from expe-

rience to be cautious when using these areas. They include marshlands,

beaches, sand dunes, navigable waters, national and state parks and areas

of historical importance. Designation of an area as one of environmental

concern does not prohibit use ofthat area. It is a warning sign to be

carefu.1.

Permit System Any development.within an area of environmental concern

must have a permit. The Act does not reqvire a peiiMt for development

outside areas of environmental concern. The Act requires the following

proje cts in are as of environmental concern to obtain a permit from the

Coastal- Resources Commission: those projects currently needing s tate

permits; those of greater than 20 acres in size; those that involve

drilling or excavating natural resources on land or under water;. those

which involve construction of one or more structures having an area in

-excess of 60,000 square feet.

PRESENT CONDITIONS

Aegional Location

,Gates County is located in northeastern North Carolina. It is-bounded

on the east by Camden and Pasquotank Counties, on the south by Perquimans and

Chowan Counties, on the west by Hertford County (along thd Chowan River), and

on the north by the State of Virginia. The county ha s atotal area,of 343

square miles.

Gates is.one of.the few counties covered by the Coastal Area.Management

Act which is,not contiguous to.either the Atlantic Ocean.or to one:'of North

Carolina's major sounds (Albemarle, Currituck, and Pamlico). The county's

southernmost point lies approximately thirty miles north of the western end

of the Albemarle Sound on the east bank of the Chowan River. Gates's inclu-

sion among the counties covered by the Act is due to' the fact that the Chowan.-.

River is classified by state law as "estuarine water."

EXISTING POPULATION

Township Population Trends

Gates County's population has been.declining slowly but steadily for''the

past thirty years... -In 1970, the county's total population was 8 524. -This.

represented a decrease of 1,536 people since 1940 when the population was over

10,000.

Long-term.population losses have occurred in sig of the county's, seven
townshios:. Only Gat.esville and Reynoldsorr T6wnships have experienced growth

during this period.

The county lost.seven percent of,its population between 1960-1970, the

sharpest ten-year decline since 1940. During that same decade the population

of Reynoldson and Hall Townships in'creased significantly but no,t.en.ough to
regain their 1940 levels. This trend is expected to continue duriing-the plan-

ning period. These data are shown in the following table.

TABLE I

POPULATION

1940 - 1970
BY TOWNSHIP

TownshiR ULO 1950 19Q

Gatesville 1,563 1,571 -1,658 1,598

Hall 950 944 847 949

Haslett 1,053 929 - 904 767,

Holly G-rove 1,646 1,751 1,599 1,367

Hunters Mill 1,812 1,539 1,568 1,339

Mintons-Ville 11,571 -1 4A2 1,287 1,045

Reynoldson 1,369 1,391 1.9459
ICOUNTY TOTAL 109060 .9,555, 9,254 8,524,;j

Seasonal Population Fluctuations

Unlike many other counties in the coastal plain, Gates experiences vir-

tually no seasonal population fluctuation resulting from tourism. This is

due to its position far inland from the major tourist-attracting bodies of

water,

Future Population

Gates County's population has been declining for more than three decades,
largely the result of out-migration. In the absence of evidence to the con-

trary, the only reasonable assumption about population dynamics in the near-

and intermediate-term future is that the decline will continue. A review of

several sets of population projections for Gates County supports this assump-
tion. These are presented in the following table.

TABLE II

POPULATION PROJECTION
1980 - 2000

Year
projection Type 1980 1990 2000

oBERS 8500 8800 9100
Series "C"

OBERS 8200 7500 7000
Series "E"

N. C. Department of
Administration #1 7402 6310 5158

N. C. Department of
Administration #2 8000 7700 7300

The wide disparity between these projections results from differing

methods of projection and from differing assumptions about future birth rates,
mortality rates, migration, and other factors. Nevertheless, it is disap-

pointing to find that demographers are so divided in their prognoses for com-

munities of decreasing population.

The significant feature of the four preceeding projections is that three

of them exhibit the general decline anticipated solely on the basis of the

county's past performance. It would seem then that a simple average of the

four projected population levels is as sound as any one of them individually.
On the basis of this,the following estimates of population were adopted by

the Gates County citizens to be used throughout the remainder of this report:

Estimated
Year Population

1980 8,025
1990 7,577
2000 7,139
2025 6,929

Age Distribution

the outstanding components of the1960-1970 population change were the

decrease in the number of persons aged 0-34 and the increase of persons aged 9

55and over. The younger groupsconstitute asmaller percentageof total

county population in 1970. than in 1960 while the elderly group increased as
a percentage of thetotal, Age groupdistribuions for, 1960 and 1970 are

shown in Table III.

The population decline shown in Table III is underscored by the declining

number of births in the county. Between 1960 and 1970 the number of live

births declined from 225 to 127. The decline in live births can be attribu-

ted to a number of factors including improved birth control methods and the

outmigration of women in the childbearing.age group of 15-49 years.

TABLE III

AGE DISTRIBUTION

1960 1970

1960 1970
Age Grou Male,-- Female Male Female

0-4 555 @526 367 @13

5-14 1091 1052 978 8:91

15-24 7.16 631-@ 697 . 6 86
28-34 470 536 437 @393

35-44 540 471 442 482,

45-54 479 457 513 50R

55-64 349 392 425 @423

65 & Over 411 478 401 568

TOTAL 4611 4543 4.2%. .4264

Racial Composition
In 1960, 54% ofthe County's population was Negro and 46%.was Caucasian.

Although there was a decli.ne in both Negro and Caucasian population of the

County between, 1960-and, 1970, greater loss was in the Negro segment (10% Negro

vs 6% Caucasian). Census data for 1970 indicate that'53% of the County's

population was Negro and 47%'wa-s--,-Caucasian.

Age-Sex profiles for .1960 and 1970'indicate tha-t loss of Negro popula-

tion occurred primarfly in the 0 to 14 age group and the second largest loss

was between 15 and 44. This was also true of the Caucasian popula-tion but

in lesser numbers,
I du I

7 1

This further points out the trend towards out-migration of the child-

bearing productive age group in both races. Out-migration, coupled with the

decrease in birth rate, has contributed to the large decrease in the 0 to 14

age group.

EXISTING ECONOMY.

Family Income

The median family income in Gates County in 1970 was $5,879. Even after

converting this to constant (1960) dollars, a great improvement in family in-

come is seen to have occurred during the 1960-1970 decade (see:Table IV).

Gates County, in fact, outstripped both the State and Region R in family in-

come improvement (though not in absdl.ute dollar level).during that period..

TABLE IV

MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME

1960 1970

_1970
Median Family-Income Percentage
Area -(Constaht.1960--D611 chg. 1960-70

Gates County $4,585 .+102.8

Region R, $6,311 + 64.6

STATE OF N@ C@ $6,064 + 53.2

The County's median@family income for 1970 is still far below that of

Region R and the State. The per capita income is drast-ically 1 ow when com-
pared to the remainder of-the State.(99th out of 100 counties').
Thelincrease inmedian family income, however, is encouraging. It may be

noted at this point that the percent of families in Gates.-County considered be-

low th e-poverty threshold has decreased between 1960 (57.39%) and 1970 (25-53%)
7
ome
rsT]
a

by 56.02%.

Retail Sales
Gross retail sales in the'County have increased from $3,452,170 in 1960-61

to $1.0,018,556 in 1971-72. This represents. an approximate 200 percent increase

for the 11 year period. All retail sales groups realized.an increase in'total

retail sales between 1964-65 and 1971-72. The largest increases occurred in

building ma-terials, general merchandise, and food. This trend is interesting

considering the close proximity of the sophisticated retail centers of the

Virginia Metropolitan Area, Elizabeth City, Edenton and the fact that so.-many

of the County's employed commute to these areas for work.

Educational Attainment

Educational achievement of the County's population'was below that of the

State and Region R as a whole, both in 1960 and 1970. In 1960,.the *median

number-of schoolvyears completed for persons 25 years of age and older was

8.9 forthe State, 8.1 years for Region R, and 7.8 years for'Gates County.

Jn 1970, the,State, County, and Region R's*educational attai-nment increased

by over a full school year with the median number of school years completed

of 10.6, 9.1, and 9.5 respectively. Also seen in Table.V is, the percent of

the 25 years+ population that is high school graduates. Gates County,. in-

both areas, trails the State and*Region despite a large increase over :1960.

*Median school years completed is that year which divides the total
school years into two equal parts, one-half being more than the median
year and one-half being less.

TABLE V

Media.n Number of School Years Percent County Population
Place Completed-for 25 & Older With Hi-gh.School Diplomas
1 @70 1970
Gates County 7.8 9.1 23.2,

Region R 8. 1@ 9.5 28.5

State (N.C.) 8.9 10.6 38.4

Gates Coqn-ty--has attained a pu:p,.i 1 /teacher ratio comparable to that of

Ah@e Stateand Region R in thesecondary schools; -however, it-,-appears that

more effort should be concentrated withinthe elementary schools which depicts

a greater number of pupils per teacher than the elementary schools of. the

State and Region R.'

Gates County is presently allocating more money per pupil than either

Region R or the State. (see--Table'VI).-

TABLE V I
1970
Pu-pil-Teacher Expenditure
Ratio Per Pupil
Elem. Sec.

Region"R" 25 19 $586.00

State of N. C. 26-'@ 21 $463.00
fates County 30 23 $632.00

Employment

The number of employed persons residing in,Gates County has increased

between 1960 and 1970. The total employed residents in 1960 was 2,666 as

compared to 2,777 in 1970 representing a 4% increase.. The number-of persons

employed in 1960 represented 29% of the total county population. This number

increased to 33% of the total county population in 1970.

Even though the number of employed persons and the,percent of the County's
total residing1population employed increased during the 10 year period between
1960 and 1970, the number of jobs in Gates County decreased by 318 or 15%.

This may be attributed largely to a decline in agricultural employment.

Commuting patterns for Gates County point to the same trend. In 1960

there was a *net commuting loss of 569.persons and a net commuting loss in
1970 of 998. This repres.ents a 75%"increase in the out-commuti.ng trend.

Many factors may contribute to this trend. The gradual disappearance

of small farms due to large farm competiti,on and mechanization has forced a

flight to'th e city and towns for jobs by rural residents. There is. little

indication that the small farm will again flourish--therefore, continued

commuting to the city and suburbs for employment, The major metropolitan

areas have continued to draw workers by offering higher salaries and con-
tin6a"lly'') ri@'r;z@vi ng highways,which make commuting more feasible in spite of
rising fuel costs. The loss of workers to Virginia is like'[email protected]
unless there are somedevelopments in the northeastern counties which create

more Jobs.for residents.

In.Gates County 23% of the employed are white collar workers and 77%

are blue collar workers (as defined by the N. C. Department of Public Instruc-

tion).

*Net Commuting Loss.- The number of persons commuting to Gates County for
employment subtracted from the-number commuting from Gates.C,6unty for
employment.

Agricultural Characteristics

Between 1960 and 1970, the acres of harvested and idle cropland has

remained approximately the same. However, other changes have occurred on

the agricultural scene that.are noteworthy. For instance, the farm population

discussed earlier has decreased between 1960-70 by 52%. At the same time,

farm income,rose.106%.

This may be attributed in part to larger farms..employing more sophisti-

cated labor saving machinery.. As a result the demand for farm-labor is not

as great. This has resulted in farm labor migrating t o other areas where

job opportunities are greater. This situation has led to a decreasing farm
labor supply which is badly needed by the-small farm operator-who cannot af-

ford the expensive, automated farm machinery. The small farm operator cannot

provide enough..work nor pay wages that would interest an adequate labor sup-ply.

Gates County witnessed its greatest decline in the number of farms between

1954-64 (see Table VII). Within this time period, the number of farms de'

creased 46.8%'whereas the average farm size increased 46.M. This points
to the continuing trend throughout.the United. States of small, less,efficient

farms giving way to larger, moreefficient farming.operati'ons.
The trend from small to large farms has been caused principally-.by

1. inflation
2. farm labor shortages
3. high.labor wage increases
4. high cost of sophisticated machines

These four factors stymie survival attempts by small farm operators.

The small farm owner has been pressured into selling to the,larger farm

operations that are production oriented and can aff-ord to purchase the high'

priced, sophisticated machinery. However, in Gates County, between 1964-70

both trends have practically ceased, suggesting that the farm operations, as

they now exist, are returning.adequate income for the operator's subsistence.

This trend is depicted in Table VII.

TABLE VII
FARM NUMBER AND SIZE

NUMBER OF FARMS AVERAGE SIZE OF FARMS

% Change % change % ChangE ..:%.Change
1954 1964 1954-64 1970 1964-70 1954 1964 1954-64 1970 1964-70

1165 620 -46.8 -1@0 99.3 145.1 ..46.1 140.5 -3.1.

Further investigation illustrates the desire of the Gcites-County small

farm operator to continue his',farming business. Table VIII portrays the
increasing change between .1960-70 of. the number of farm operators working 100
or more days off the farm. Jn Gates County, during the ten year period, there
was an increase in this number from 20.6% in 1960 to 38@3% in..1'97b.. This

trend appears more evident in Gates County than in Region R and the State.

Thisfact may,ber attributed to the fact that more Gates farmers are trying.

to hold on.to their small farms@%by supplementing their income with second jobs@

TABLE VIII
FARM OPERATORS WOR'KI'NG -1-00,. OR MORE DAYS OFF THE FARM

-1954 1960 1970

Percent of Percent of Percent of
Total Operators Total Operators Total Operators

Gates Co. 20@6 38.3

Tenure of farm operators alsoAllustrates the point that-the smaller farm

is succumbing to larger farm.6perations. Between 1.964 and 1970 there was an

increasein full owners from 48 to 59 a decrease in part owners from 34 to

25 and a decrease in tenants from 18 to 16.'-

Gates County's farm population declined .(52.2% decrease) in the past ten

years (Table IX). At the same time, those persons seeking a-rural setting

for living conditions while maintaining-non-farm occupations increased.by
1.9.8%. Both'trends are evident in the nation and in Region R and the State....

Thls..-t.r@end is expected to continue as people move from the large city in

search of aesthetically pleasing open space.

TABLE I X

RURAL"CHANGE

Urban Rural Farm Rura
Percent Change Percent Change Percent Change
1960-70 1960-70 1960-70

ate� County --- -5L2 +19.8

egion R, +.1 .1 -54@01- +19.3

tate of N. C, +26@9 -53.6 .+24.5

In the following diagram;-of Gates-Coynty's farm land use, the amount of

land in farms has fluctuated between 1969 and 1974. The 1974 acreage was

approximately 4,000 acres less than 19691. Forest and other farmland witnessed
an overall decrease between 1969 and 1970. The amount of'harvested cropland
increased every year ex, .cept 1972. Idle cropland and pasture has@continually
declined from 10,021,,acres in 1969,to 2,780 in 1974.
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GATES COUNTY

FARKLAND USES
Acres

230,000
220,000
210,000
200,000
190,000
186,000
170,000
160,000
150,000
140,000
130,000
All Land in Farms
120,000 .124,47"@ 380@12@
11-61000 123,.947 ;0 123@ 617 @l 2 3, @239
100,000 119,652
90,000
Forest and Other Farmland
.80,000
80,321 81,798 8 0-9
7@,q@
3, @80@
70,000 2
60,000
50,000
40,000 Harvested-Cro pland
:40,210
30,000 34,487 37,252, 34,831 39,061
20,000 33,5919
10,000 Idle Cropland and Pasture
0 10,027 8,175 F) MA 2 7.qn
1969 1970 1971 1972 Wi@ 1974

I,n.the next@,diagram"on"piage 172 the-amount of Gates 'County's major crops
harvested is given for the 1969-1974time period.

-The amount of acres harvested for corn increased each year until@1972.

Between 1972 and,1974, increases were once again noted.

Soybeans followed the same pattern a*s corn. Overall increases in

acreage was greater,.increasing from 8.,631 in.1969 to 13,1168 in 1974.
'Peanut,. acreage harvested decreased steadily each year.excopt 1973.
Cotton and.tobacco acreage has de.creased'each, year since 1969.

-1979, witnessed an
Gates County, between 1960 increase in.receip'ts,jor,
crops and livestock/poultry. In Table X, there was a substantial increase

margin in.receipts for livestock/poultry over crops. This trend is expected

to contique and accglerate for poultry due to the recent efforts of Perdue

Farms, Inc. to expand their broiler industry into Northeastern North Carolina,

TABLE X
PERCENT CHANGE IN RECEIPTS 1960-1970

Livestock
Wnq & Poultry

Forestry

In 1.974, all. forest ownership was comprised of 156,206 acres. 63,742

was under the ownership of the forest industry., 62,546 was farmer owned and

.29,918 was owned by private individuals.

The amount@of forest ownership has decreased since 1964 by 6,594 acres.
Wd&d4.An._d owners have failed to realize the value of,good forestry

management. Emphasis should be on reforestation and.putting. theirtimber
-back into a [email protected].

GATES COUNTY
Acres MAJOR CROPS HARVESTED

20,000
19,000 Corn For Grain
189000 91009
18,837
18,001 18,077
17,000
16,000 16,855

15,000 15,748

14,000

13,000 13,168.
12,970
12,000

11,000

10,00 Soybeans

9100 543
8,000 8,631 .81909 8,587
Peanuts 7,80
7,000 79444 7,25-6 7,163 7,127 7,170
6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000
15000 Cotton and Tobacco
240 202
0 71 -
4 4LO
1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
@16,855
beans @12,970
43

Farmers need to changetheir attitude about reforestation and be willing

to return a portion.of,profits to aid in reforestation. A forestry program

should be set up on each farm to show the economic value of using,.good forestry

management practices. Farmers need to be informed of the latest.production

techniques.

Accordi'ng to the, publication IMPACT '76, Gates County, N. C., farmers

within the county are not attaining their full production capabilities.

Regarding the three major crops, the following problems,and suggestions-have

been determinedby the Agriculture Extension Service:

MAJOR.CROPS: PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

TYPE OF CROP PROBLEMS PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

CORN Yields are far below Educate the
PRODUCTION the potential of farmers on manage-
most soils in the ment and produc
country. tion techniques.

--- Farmers are not
using adequate
management techni-
ques.

SOYBEAN ---,P1r'od.ucers'.are not --- Educate.farmers
using recommended on production and
PROWTION production pract.ices management tech-
such as proper ro- niques.
tation fertiliza-
tion, insect and
weed control, etc.

PEANUT --- Farmers have.not --- Farmers must be-
reached full po- gin practicing
PRODdCTION tential production recommended pro-
for the land due duction practices,,
to improper u'se of ..familiarize them-
chemicals, pod, rot.' selves with latest
and inadequate farm pesticide informa-
management techniques and practice
better management
techn.i'quies-

There are other farm operations conducted within the county that have

been analyzed. Some of these and their problems/solutions are:

a), Swine prod uction - Producers have failed to use proper management

to maximize their income from their swine operations.

@b) Beef cattle production - Farmers have failed.to recognize the oppor-

tunity to increase income from cow-calf herds,and feeding beef cattle.

Better record keeping on the production of land involved in cattle

production will. help in making the decision on whether to decrease

cattleproduction and increase pasture on marginal land.

Tobacco production - The major problem in tobacco production is

empha sis on economical harvesting aids and equipment. Labor is in

short supply and the cost of labor is so high that 'Production without

mechanization will eventually make it unprofitable to produce tobacco.

Another problem is the failure of farmers to realize.the economic

value of following the all-practice production outline to i ease

net income.

d) Horticultural production Many farmers of low-income families do

not realize what the addition of.alternative enterprises'suclh as

grapes or even a'-family garden could mean in i,ncrea8ih'g their incomes.

An all out effort is being made through the Gates County Extension

Service to encourage 42 families to participate in a County Garden

Program and 12 low income farmers add one (1) acre.of grapes.to-

their operation to increase their income.

e) Forestr production - Woodland owners have failed. to realize the
y

value of good forestry management. -Emphasis should be on reforest-

ation and putting their timber land back into a productive condition.

The Gates County farmer has not.been using his land to its greatest

capacity. Due to the present trend of hi gh yield production.and mechanization,

he must become educated to and practice modern management and production

techniques in order to survive.

EXISTING LAND USE

Land,util)zation in Gates County may be divided into four large-groups.
They are: *hon-farm land, forest and other land, harvested.cropland, id1e and

pasture. The percebtage of each is shown in thefol-lowing diagram:

UTILIZATION OF ALL LAND,

Non-farmLand

40%

4% Idle
.39% Past,ure.@
'Forest and
other'land 17%
Harvested
Cropland

.*Crops with no signifiea-nt agricultural production.

Residential Use

Residential development in the County consists primarily of single-f amily
rural units. The distribution of housing units is wide-spread throughout the

Co'unty-as.depicted on the existing land use map.,

Mobile homes have recently become an increasing source of housing supply.

This trend-'is reflected across the nation, and Gates County is no exception.

(see Table XI).

The number of mobile homes increased by 169% between 1970 and 1974.'
Mobil. :e* homes now.make u-p 11% of the housing stock in Gates County as compared

to"4% in 1970. The largest percentage increases-,occurred in Holly.Grove,

Hunter's Mill, and Mintonsville Townships. These townships also witnessed

a-greater increa@se in conventional housing supply during the same period.
7h.is may be attributed to'the close pr6ximif@ of these townships to the
major employing:,.,areas of Virginia, Eltzabeth City, and 'Edenton.,

TABLE XI.

TOWNSHIP MOBILE HOMES -(1970-1974)

Census Visua-l Survey
1970 1974 Change %,Change

.22 55 +33 1.50.0
Hal 1 29 .67 +38 131.0

Haslett 1.4 22 + 8 175.0

Gatesville 24 50 +26 108.3

Holly Grove 6 52 766.6,

Hunters Mill 4' 18 +14;- 350.0

Mintonsvi 11e 5 16 +11 220.0

TOTALS 1.04 280 +176 169.2
Reynolds6n

-21

In January of-1974 the Division of Community Assistance conducted a visual

survey of the exterior condition of housing within the county. Housing

structures were graded and classified into three general categories as follows:
Standard: Structures which have no'-defects or only slight d efects which

are correctable during regular maintenance.

Deteriorated: Structures having defects which require-,imajor,-_,rq@p _5,to

prevent further deterioration,.

Dilapidated: Structures which are unfit and unsafe for human occupancy.

Such housing has one or more critical defects which are beyond economical

repair.

Inaddition, residential structures were classified as to whether they

were mobile home units or of conventional construction.

The survey indicated at$tal of 2,586 rural dwellings in Gates County.

Of,this amount,, 67.6% of the housing was classified as standard, 12.9%'deter-

iorated, 8.5% dilapidated, and 10.8% were mobile homes. Table XII indicates

the total number and percentage distri,bution,by condition of.residential

structures in each of the seven townships in Gates County. There are no

large concentrations of *substandard units'in any one particul,ar area.of the

County outside the Town of Gatesvill'e. They are'distHbuted rather evenly

throughout the County.

21.4% of the housing was judged to be substandard. Housilng becomes sub-

.standard for many reasons. Poor original construction and lack of proper
maintenance are two major factors. However,*61ch"- e is involved than JUst

poorconstruction and maintenance. Su bstandard dwellings are a problem, in

*Substandard: As used-in this study, encompasses housing of deteriorated
and dilapidated.condition.

and of themselves, but more than this, they are symptoms of a much broad er

problem. The environment in which housing is located is vital to its exis-

tence. Such factors as incompatible land use, lack of community faciliti@eis,

land speculation, poor subdivisi on practices, and the inadequate income of

families lead to deterioration.

TABLE XII

HOUSING CONDITIONS AND MOBILE HOMES
BY TOWNSHIP: 1974

Deter- Dilapi7 Mobi1e
ownshi Standard % iorated % dated % Home % Total %

e noldson '245 61.0 71- 17.7 30 7.4 55 .13.7 401 100

all 243 69.0 5.9 21 5.9 67 19.0 352 100

aslett 154 63.9 38 15@7 27 112 22 9.1 241 100

atesville* 237 68.2 28 8.0 32 9.2 50 14.4 347 100

olly Grove 346 70.0 53 10.7 43 8.7 52 1.0.5 494 100
unters Mill 282 69.1 ilt-4 _@9@ 9.7 1-3 1.00
4. 40,1

intonsvill 242 69.1 63 18.0 29 8@2 .16 4@5 350 100

749 67@6 336 280 10@8 2586 100
TOTALS'. 12.9 221 8.5.

Commercial Use

Gates County's commercial land use has changed very little.over the past
.years. Gatesville remain's the major retail cen@er with a variety of small

shops. The remainder th,roughout the County.,prim@arily distribute food and

gasoline and are strategically located along primary.,transportation systems
J@ and at important crossroads. It Is evident that 0acKlocation'originated

because of onetime population concentrations and/or vehicular circulation.

Whether-o.,r.not each'-adequately serves the retail needs of a pa'ticular
r

.*This.survey excludes the Town of Gatesmille.

,,section of the Co.unty is difficult to determine. For a higher level of

hopping, residents
comparison s must travel to larger retail trade areas in

Virginia, Elizabeth City, Ahoskie, and Edenton.

It is obvious in many cases that some of these establishments-create

many problems which would not necessarily occur if located elsewhere or con-
centrated in other -areas. One of the problems created is the traffic hazard

associated with the crossroads commercial areas. With.insufficient off-street

parking, cars are often parked on or close to secondary and primary roads

reducing the fi.eld*:.,of. vision for oncoming cars. An additional problem caused

by commercial structures in the rural areas is that they are often.constructed

too close to the primary roads. The Existing Land Use Map provides an adequate

picture of the land being utilized for retail and wholesale establishments.

Industrial Use

According to the windshield survey taken in 1974, five industrial opera-

tions were identified. All.five locations are eas:t of Gatesville. Industrial

land useis not expected to significantly alter land use patterns within the

County within the ten year planning period. This may be attributed to various

reasons including an inadequate availability of local community facilities',

services, and skilled labor.supply that are essential for industrial develop-

ment.

Public and Semi-Public Use

Publicand semi-public uses include schools, government offices, and

recreation-areas. The demand for land under this.category has not been inten-
sive i-n the past and is not expected to be a forceful land consuming factor

during the ten year planning pe riod.

Recreation Use

Gates County has been.rated as having eleven types of outdoor recreation
potential available for possible development. Each ha s been rated either high,

medium or low development potential.

The types of recreation having potential in.Gates County are summarized

as follows:

1. Big game hunting areas. Hunting areas for small game have medium
potential. Waterfowl has medium potential because of the abundant
habitat resources.

2. Vacation cabins, cottages, and home,sites have medium potential for
future development.

3. Camping.grounds for vacation campers have medium potential. Transient
campers were judged to have medium potential,

.4. Fishing waters for warm water fishing have medium potential for
-development.

5. Natural, scenic, and historic areas have medium potential for
development. The Great Dismal Swamp is a unique natural area and
was felt to have h.igh potential.
6.. Vacation farms, although yet untried in this area, were appraised
as having medium.potential.

7. Water sports are possibly the most popular of all outdoor activi-
ties. With adequate existing water sites, these types of sports
were appraised as having medium potential.

8. Picnic and field sports areas were appraised low for game, play,
target, and bicycling areas. Picnicking areas were judged to
have,medium potential.,.

9@ Golf courses for standard and-par-3 golfing have low potential for
development as do driving ranges and miniature golf, due to limited
demand for these types of activities by strictly local people.

10. Riding stables have,low potential. The natural resources'suitable
forthis activity are present in the county, however.

11. Shooting preserves rated only low potential with theademand being
poor as.a.result of the small proportion of population-in the :over
age 30" professional group which supplies the bulk of clientele
for this activity.

To aid in assessing recreational facilities, the Bureau of Outdoor Recre-
ation (BOR). has established a classification system for different recreation

facilities. Following is a description of each class. Each recreation facili-
ty which now exists in the county has been cla ssifie'd using this system.

BOR Class I: HIGH DENSITY RECREATION AREAS

Intensive development and recreation activities such as group spor ts@

Usually within or near major urban populations.

BOR Class.II: GENERAL OUTDOOR RECREATION AREAS

Generally less intensive and more remote.than Class I areas. Interesting

and attractive setting for activities such.-as camping, nature walks and out-

door sports.
BOR Class, III: NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AREAS
Weekend and vacation activities depend on'a natural.settin.g such as,

nature study, sightseeing,,hunting and fishing. Light facility development,

access, trails and campsites.

BOR Class IV:- OUTSTANDING,(UNIQUE) NATURE AREAS

Outstanding-natural features that merit special attention and preser-

vation. Activities limited to those that preserve the'setting. Minimum

development outside the immediate area of the unique features.

BOR Class V: PRIMITIVE AREAS

Wild and undeveloped areas removed from the effects of civilization.

Activities limited to those requiring minimum of conveniences and equipment.,

No development of recreational facilit.ies except trails.

BOR Class VI: HISTORIC AND CULTURAL SITES

Sites associated with history, tradition or cultural heritage that merit

preservation or restoration. Activities such as sightseeing and study of

features. Development not to detract from value of site;

Of the six BOR Classifications, Gates County',s 12 outdoor facilities

were.listed either as Class II or III.

Gates County is limited greatly in the availability of recreation programs

,and facilities. What does exist is limited in variety (primarily hunt clubs)

and public availabili ty Cprimarily for private use)., FacilAties for public

use structured around an organized program@are non-existent in Gates County..

Although potentials exist in the county for recreation (public and

private), the potential cannot develop alone. The people of Gates County

mUst.have the incentive to work for recreation facilities, and they mu.st.let

this fact be known.

Following is a.list of each facility and its appropriate BOR Class-, address, and

operation status.

BOR CLASS.1I

NO. -NAME
1. Bennetts Creek Landing Gatesville Commercial I
2. Merchants Mill Pond'' - Gatesville Public 11001
3. Rixons Land & Boat Club Gatesvill-e Private Club 1
-4. R..qys Beach Fish Club Sunbury @rivate Club .1
5. Shpups Marina Winton
Commercial .5
6. Vd.-Carolini Boat.:Club Euire Private Club I

00
BOR CLASS III

NAME LOCATION . OPERATION STATUS., ACREAGE

7. Gates Community Hunt Club Eure Private Club 1.000
8. Gates Summerton Hunt Club Gates Private Club 4,500
9. Gatesville Hunt Club Gatesville Private Club 6,200
10- 'Old Buck Hunt Club Gates Private Club 5,000
11.,, Sunbury Hunt Club 'Sunbury Private Club 4,000
12. Water-Swamp Hunt Club Hobbsville Private,.Club 7,000

13.- Hungary Farmers Country Club (Golf Course)

*Hungary'Farmers Country Club (Golf Course) was-not given a BOR,Classification.
I qe::C o@mme r c a @1@: F:I::
I u 1,00

CURRENT PLANS, POLICIES AND REGULATIONS

This section contains a list a-nd description@ of previous. pl anni ng documents
prepared for Gates County,.

Water and Sewer Study

A Comprehensive Water and Sewer Stu dy for Gates CounV was prepared in
1970 by Rivers and.Associates of Greenville,, N. C, The purpose of the study was

to identify the county's water and sewer needs over the next twenty years' and

to recommend a plan by which these faciliti.es might be provided.

To date no construction has taken place nor have financing arrangements

been finalized. The county is updating the 1970 cost estimates as a basis for

future action.

Consumer Characteristics..

A survey entitled Comprehensive Consumer Characteristics was prepared in

1969 by the Gates County Development Commission in cooperation with East

Carolina, University's Regional Development Institute, The study was aimed at

identifying certain consumerneeds as a guide to future economic development

activities.

Impact '76

This report was prepared by.the Gates County Extension Service in 1972.

It was designed to increase farm' i.ncome th rough production and-marketing pro-

grams; improve economic opportunity and the quality of life in rural areas;

protect and improve the quality of the environment; facilitate thedevelopment

of youth; and help families better develop and manage personal and family

resources.

2,9"

Mobile Home and Mobile-Home,.Park-Ordinance

This ordinance was adopted by the Gates County Board of Commissioners

in 1973. The purpose of the ordinance is to establish.minimum development

standards to be adhered to before the mobile home park is developed-in order

to protect public health, safety, and welfare. The County Planning Board

reviews plats, and the County Manager is the enforcement officer.

An Appraisal of Potential for Outdoor R.ec-reatl.qn.,.Gates County, N. C

This study rated the various types of outdoor recreation potential

available for possible development. It was*prepared in 1974 by the Soil

Conservation Service of the U. S.. Department of Agriculture.

The Gates County.Thoroughfare Plan

This plan does not propose any construction of new rights-of-way or

change In the existing rights-of-way during the planning period,

Minimum standards for septic tank installations are being enforced by
the County'Sa@nitarian.

CONSTRAINTS

The followIng analysis has beenmade of the general suitability of the
undeveloped Tands within the Gates,County planning area for development with

consideration given to the following factors:

1) Physical Limitations for Development;
21) Tragile, Areas;

3) Areas with Resource Potential.

These factors were analyzed, and where possible mapped, based upon the

best information available.

PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS-FOR,DEVELOPMENT

An identification is made of areas likely to have conditions making

development costly or. causing undesirable consequences if developed. The

following areas'are required t o be identified.

Hazard Areas

(1) -Man-made (for example, airports, tank farms for the storage of
flammable liqu.ids, nuclear power plants);

RY Natural, including:

(a) Ocean erodible areas

(b) Estuarine erodible areas

Areas With Soil Limitations

(1) Areas presenting hazards for foundations;

(2) Shallow soils;

(3) Poorly drained soils;
(,4) Areas with limitations for septic tanks including both:

(a) areas that are generally characterized by soil
limitations, but within which small pockets of
favorable soils do exist; and-

(b) areas where soil limitations are.coMmon to most
of the soils present.

Sources of WaLtL Suppl
(1) Groundwater recharge areas-(bedrock and surficial);

(2) Public water supply watersheds;

(3) Wellfields.

Where Slope Exceeds Twel:ve Percent

@31

FRAGILE AREAS

An identification is made of those a reas which could easily be damaged

or destroyed@by,inappropriate or poorly,planned development, such as:

(a) Coastal'Wetlands

(b) Sand Dunes along the Outer Ranks
(c) -Ocean Beaches and Shorelines

Jd) Estuarine Waters

(e) Public Trust Waters
(f) Complex Natural Areas

(g) Areas that Sustain Remnant Species

(-h) Areas Containing Unique Geologic Formations
M Registered.Na,tural Landmarks
(j) Others (such as wooded swamps, prime wildlife habitats, scenic
and prominent high points, etc.)
.(k) Archeologic and Historic Sites

AREAS WITH RESOURCE POTENTT. AL
(a) Productive and unique agricultueal lands, including:

*Pr-me agricultural soils
Potentially valuable agriculturaT.lands with moderate
conservation efforts
Other productive or unique agri.cultural lands.

(b) Potentially valuable mineral sites;

(d) Privately owned wildlife sanctuaries.

APPLICABILITY TO GATES COUNTY

Land use constraints that are evident in many counties are not evident

in Gates County. This fact is obvious from reviewing the list of fragile

areas to be identified by all coastal counties. Those applicable to,Gates

County follow:

Hazard Areas: Gates County contains no "hazard areas". other than the.flood-
plain.of the Chowan River.

Soils Limitations: Soils present considerable limitations for the'use of
septic tanks and building foundations throughouttho-county. A soils'associa-
tion map is presented in this section along with an explanation of the limita-
tions of each as56ciation.

Source of Water Supply: These are discussed under the sub-section entitled
"Geolo-gy and Ground Water."

Steep Slopes: There are no signi-ficant areas with slopes in excess of 12
percent. These exist only in very narrow strips along stream banks.

Wetlands: There are no coastal wetlands in Gates County.

Sand Dunes along Outer Banks: Gates County is landlocked,'

Ocean Beaches and Shorelines: Gates County is landlocked.

Estuar ine Waters: The Ch6wan River is estuarine, as are several smaller
streams. These are listed in the "Areas of Environmental Concern" section,

Public Trust Waters: Virtually all surface wa ters in.the County are public
,trust waters.

Complex Natural Areas: Wooded swamps are evident along many streams in Gates
County. The Di-smal and Chowan Swamps are complex natural areas; however,
the citizens of Gates County'do not wish to designate the Dismal Swamp as a
Conservation Area.

Areas that Sustain Remnant Species: The red-cock6ded woodpecker occursIn
stands of mature lo,blolly pine. The southeastern shrew, swamp short-tailed
shrew and southern.hog lemming occur in the Dismal Swamp.or eastern port ion
of the county. All of these are classified endangered species. The endangered
short-niosed sturgeon and the Atlantic sturgeon probably occur in the Chowa.n
River, however, occurrence records are scarrcefor these species.

Unique Geological Formati ons.: There are,no unique geological formations in
Gates County.

Registered Natural ' Landmar'k-s-. There are no Registered Natural Landmarks in
Gates County.

Archeological and.Historic Sites: Elmwood Plantation, located near Vivian,
is listed'in the National Register of HAtOric Places, The Gates County
Courthouse, located in Gatesville, has been approved forlisting in'the
Register by the North Carolina Historical Commission.

Productive and Unique Agricultural Lands: The use of land for adriculture
was di.scussed in the "Existing Land Use" sub-section. Soil factors which
have importance for agriculture are discussed in this section, "Co,nstraints.".@
Research conducted in the preparation of this plan revealed no evidence of'
any "unique" agricultural practices or potentialso'

Mineral Sites: Research conducted in the preparation of this plan revea.led
,no evidence of potentially valuable mineral deposits in the county,

Publicly-owned Forests, Parks, etc.: Publicly-owned forests, parks, fish,and
gamelands are illustrated on the Existing Land Use Map. They ificlude'Merchants
Millpond, Chowan Swamp State Park, Chowan Swamp Gameland and a Union Camp.
Land Grant to the University of N. C. located in the Southeast section of the
County.

Privately-Owned Wildlife Sanctuaries: Privately-owned w ildlife sanctuaries
and other outdoor recreational areas are illustrated on the Existing Land Use
Map,

PHYSICAL LIMITATTONS

Cl imate
The climate of Gates County is oceanic that is, it is affected by the

koximity of the Atlantic Odean. The winters.,-as a rule, are mi ld, but afew

days occur during the,winter when the temperature stays below freeztng. The

summers are long and hot, The average length of the frost-free season is 210

days, from April 3 to October 30, but killing frosts have occurred as late as
April 26 and as early as October I'l.. The average temperature for the year is

60.3 degrees.

Rainfall is well.distributed throughout the year,-the greater part falling

during the growing season.' The fall months are usually dry, thus allowing the

farmers good weather in-which to harvest their crops. The abundant moisture

and length of the growing season render Gates County climatically',a good agri-

cultural region@ -Cover crops and a.few hardy vegetables can be grown throughout

the winter, and farm labor can be carried on at all times of the year, The

average rainfall for the year is. 49.13 inches.

Topografty and Drainage
The topograph' of Gates County ranges from level to undulating and.g'ently
Y

rolling, interspersed with many small swamps and structural depressio ns, The

gently'rolling topography occurs mainly along the Chowan River, the Virginia

State line and along the Dismal Swamp; The western,, north-central and south

eastern sections of the.county are generally flat and include a -number of

swamps. Elevations range from.14 feet along the Chowan River and the Great

Dismal Swamp to 78.feet above sea level in the central-northern, section- The'

greater part of the county lies approximately 40.feet above sea Ievel.
With the.exception of'Bennett@s Creek, which drains into the.Chowan

River, there are no large streams within the county,, Drainage is largely ef-

fected by short, meandering streams that feed the large.swamps bordering much
of the county. The.largest of these are the Great Disma-I Swamp in the east

...and the Chowan Swamp in the south and west., The drainage divide separates the

county into two drainage areas Pasquotank River Basin to the east and the

Chowan River Basin to the west.

Geology nd Groundwater

The study of the geology of an area is essential to the study of its

ground water resources. Geologic formations of high permeability may readily
store and transmit ground water, whereas geologic formations of low permea-

bility may retard the movements of ground water. Thus, the movement of ground

water depends, among other factors, upon the size, shape, and physical character-

istics Of the geologic formations. In addition, ground water may dissolve from
or deposit chemicals in the material through which it moves. Thus, the chemical

quality of ground water is dependent upon the geology of an area.

The entire county is mantled by sands and clays of Quaternary age,

ranging in thickness from 15 to 40 feet This material composed of light-

colored iron-stained sands and clays, occurs at elevations ranging from nearly

80 feet in the northwestern part of the county to less than 20 feet in the

southeastern part of the county. Several former beach ridges are developed in

this material, particularly in a northeast direction from Hobbsville and Sun-

bury. The height of these fossil beach ridges is everywhere less than 10 or

15 feet.

Underlying the surficial material are clays, sands, and shell beds of

the Yorktown formation of late Miocene age. Individual beds within the forma-

tion are 1enticular,and cannot be traced from well to well in the subsurface.

In any one locality the Yorktown formation consists of a blue-gray marine clay
with subordinate occurrences of lenticular s a n d a n d s h e11beds.
In a recently
drilled well (1956) atGatesvillethe Yorktown formation was 126 feet thick.
It is thought that the formation is somewhat less than 100 feet thick wes Of
Gatesville, and that it is not more than 150 feet thick east of Gatesville.

Underlying the Yorktown formation in cent ral parts of the county are

deposits of middle Miocene age. 'The deposits are as much as 30 feet thick in

the vicinity of Gatesvi Ile. The deposits of middle Miocene age in Gates

County were not deposited in the same basin of deposition as deposits of

comparable age in Beaufort and Washington,Counties to the south.

West of Gatesville no subsurface information 'is-presently available to

indicate the presence of middle Miocene deposits. These deposits are probably

absent west of Gatesville.
iddle Miocene depos i'ts in the-central part of Gates
Underlying the m-

County.and the Yorktown formation.in western and eastern Gates County are

deposits of Paleocene age,,.the Beaufort formation, Euhedralacrystals or
authigenic pyrite occur'in sufficient abundance so as to give.well,cuttings

a metallic sheen,

The thickness of the Beaufortformation in Gates County increases from

west to east across the county. In the central part of the county, acco rding

to a study of we'll cuttings, indicate that the formation is more than 300

feet thick in the coastal part of the county9' and no more than 150 feet thick

in the western part. Examination of incomplete samples from several wells

suggests that the formation may be more than,400 feet thick in the eastern

part of the county,

Underlying the Beaufort formation with in the county are sediments of Late

Cretaceous age., the Peedee formation, No wells have been drilled deep enough

in this area, to pass entirely through the Peedee formation and,, therefore, no
information is available regarding its total thickness. Accordingto LeGrand

and Brown, the top-of the Peedee formation lies about 300 feet below sea level
in the western part Of ihe county an d about 700 feet below sea level in the

eastern part of the county. Older Cretaceous formations underlie the Peedee
formation throughout the county.

The Town of Gatesville is the only area within the county that has a

public water system. Remaining domestic' supplies are obtained from.wells,

andIas many as 7 or 8.families often obtai n,- -their water supply.from a sin-gle

well.

Surficial sands of Quaternary agle.and near-surface shell and sand beds

of the Yorktown formation are tapped by larg6,hUmbers of dug and driven wells
that@range in depth from 10 to 60 feet. The yielAY m this type of well
ranges from several to 20 gpm@. Sand and shell beds in ihe@-@',4Yorktown formation

and middle Miocene strata@&,re-_c "ble of yielding small to copious supplies
-apa

of water throughout the county,.

Jetted and drilled wellsobtain water from the Beaufort formation and the

upper, beds of the Peedee formation at-depths of as much as 300 feet in the

western part of the county and at'depths slightly more than 600'feet in the
'eastern part of the county. Such wells, rarely greater than 4 inches in dia-.

meter, yield 5 to 50 gpm throughout the county.
Water occurring at depths greater than.40 to 50 feet througK6ut the county

is under artesian pressure and will rise to within 5 to 30 feet of the I.a,nd

surface at most places. Flowing wells are common along the low land bordering

the Chowan River, and several flows occur in and near Gatesville,

The chemical quality of the water is adequate for most domestic purposes.

Water from the shallow sands is soft but may be corrosive and may contain

objectionable quantities of iron. Water from the deeper aq.uifers is soft

sodium bicarbonate water. Water from the Paleocene and Cretaceous aquifers,
particularly in the vicinity of Gatesville and Sunbury, contains excessi ve
amounts of fluoride, as much as 6 to 8 ppm, but otherwise the water is of
acceptable quality.. In the vicinity of Hobbsville, bracki,sh waters oc cur at

a depth of about 600 feet.

Stream Classification

Rivers and streams of North Carolina.are classified by the N, C. Depart-

ment of Natur6l*and Ec'ono,mic...Resources according to their existing or contem-

plated best usage. The classifications'are based on extensive studies of

stream characteristics, established water quality standards, and public hear-

ings held within the area..

The streams of Gates County have "swamp water" characteristics. These

are characterized by high coloration, low pH and dissolved oxygen due to decay

of-organic substances, and sluggish flow

The following is a brief explanation-of the classification system as to

best usage and conditions related to best usage.*

1. Class B Waters
(a) Best Usage of Waters: Bathing and any other best usage except as a
source of water supply for drinking, cu-Iinary or food-processing
purposes.
(b) Conditions Related-to Best Us2,9e: The waters, under proper sanitary
supervision by the controlling health authorities, will meet accepted
standards of water quality for outdoor bathing places and will be
considered'safe and satisfactory for bathing purposes, Also., suitable
for other uses requiring waters of'lower quality.

L Class C Waters
(a) Best Usage of Waters: Ffs'hing, boating, wading and any other usage
except for bathing or as a source of water supply for drinking,
cu,linary or food-@processing purposes.

Conditions Rela ted to Best Usage: The,waters will be suitable for
fish and wildlife propagation. Also, suitable for boating,lwading,
and other uses, requiring waters of lower quality,

3@ Class D Waters
(a) Best Usage of Waters: Agriculture, industrial cooling,and process
water supply, fish survival, navigation, and any other usage, except
fishing, bathing, or as a source of water supply for drinking.'
culinary or food processing purposes..

*Water quality standard's applica.ble to' each.class@are omitted here because
of 'length and technical detail; however.. the applicable water@quality standards
for each.classification can be obtained from the Department of'Natural and
Economic Resources, Washington, NC,

(b) Conditions Related to.Best Ls@e: The waters without treatment
and except for natural impurities which may be present therein will
be suitable for agricultural uses and will permit fish survival.
The waters will also be usable after special treatment by the user
as may be needed under each particular circumstance for industrial
purposes, including cooling and process waters.

4@ Class D SWP Waters

same as #3 above except that swamp waters may have a pH as low as
4.3. The pH for Class D streams generally range@between 6.0 and
8.5.

MAJOR STREAMS AND CLASSIFICATIONS

IN GATES COUNTY

Chowan River Basin:

Chowan River C
Somerton.Creek C
Beaverdam Creek D
Duke Swamp C
Goodman Swamp D
Laster Jordan Branch D
Flat Branch also known as Jones Swamp D
Hacklan Branch D
Buckland Mill Branch D
Barnes,Creek C
Spikes Creek C
Island Creek C
Sarem Creek C
Bennetts Creek C
Gum Branch C
Chowan River B
Middle Swamp D
Lassiter Swamp C
Harrell Swamp C
Raynor Swamp C
Cath&ine Creek C
Trotman Creek C
Warwick Creek C
Pasquotank River'Basin:-
Taylor Swamp D, swp
Jones Millpond D swp
Folly Swamp D swp
Goose Creek D swp
Jones Pond D swp

SOILS

Basic to any long-range platifting program is a knowledge of the soils,
their producti've capabilities and their suitabili.ty for supporting various
urban land uses. This sub-section provides interpretations of the soils of

Gates County with respect to both agricultural productivity and suitability

for selected urban land uses.

For purposes of interpretation, the soils of Gates County were grouped

into seven interpretive group s. These groupings were based on similarity of

soil characteristics and degrees of li@nitations the sojJs have for specific

uses,

Soils occurringtogether in a characteristic and repeating pattern con-.

stitute a'general.soil area or soil association. An association consists of

two or more principa] soi-Is'and at least one minor soi1which may be quite
similar to or quite different from each other, Although closely associated

geographi'cally, the soils in an association may differ in their suitability

.for agricultural and non-farm uses,.
Soil ratings are based on the chaIracteristics of the s'oils@and related

costs of developing the land area for a specific use,. Any soil area may be

developed for anyus e if the capital is available to perform the necessary.

modifications of the 'land area in question; however, one of the main purposes
of planning is to identify and make key use'of soils in order to avoi.d unneces-

sary investment in poor soils.' The ratings used in this report are.listed

and defined as follows:

DEFINITIONS OF SOIL LIMITATIONS

e- to-
Slight --- Soils have properties favorable for the rated use,
Limitations are so minor that they can be easily
overcome. Good performance and low maintenance
canbe expected fromIthese soils.

Moderate --------- Soils have properties moderately favorable for the
rated use. Limitations can be overcome or modified
with p1anning, design, or special maintenance.

Severe ----------- Soil s.have one or more properties unfavorable for
the rated use. Limitations are difficult and costly
to modify or overcome,..requiring major soil reclama-
tion, special design, or intense maintenance.

ICaution should be exercised in Lfsing this information for detailed or

small area interpretations. The scale on which the soil resources were re-

'ble to evaluate small tracts of land in
corded is,s.uch that it is not possi

any one,geographic area of the county. As anlexample, an area on the map 'of

15,000 acre size may be listed.as."unsuitable" for residential development

without public sewer; however, withln' this area there may be several hundred

acres-of soils that would be suitable for residential development,with septic

tank disposal systems. These interpretive'maps should be used as guides to
evaluate the dominant suitability of land*areas for specific land use., A.

soil.survey of medium or high intensity would be required to determine the

use suitability for small tracts of land. The scale limitations of the soil

survey used for these interpretations does not, however, eliminate its use-.

ful@ess for planning and implementation of a sound land use.policy for the

County. For example, if the County Planning Board was interested in locating

a suitable development site, then the chances foe-finding satisfactory sites

would be si gnificantly higher in soil areas designed as "suitable" than they

would be in soil areas designated as '-'unsuitable,"

A-General 'Soil Map appears on'the following page which shows the location

and-extent of the seven soil associations in Gatestounty. In addition, imme-

diately followi,rig the General-Soil Map is a sofl interpretative table giving

the suita'bility of the principal soils.for..,geryeral agriculture and woodland.

It also gives their limitations for-non-farm uses', such as septic tank absor-

ption fields, foundations-for.-light industry or recreation areas.
.The seven soil associ-ations as mapped in Gates County are@describesdl`as'

follows:

SUMMARY DATA.

SOIL SUITABILITY FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT

TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT

SOIL
GROUP RESIDENTIAL INDUSTRIAL RECREATION

I Slight Moderate- Slight

2 Severe Severe Moderate

3 Severe: Severe Severe

4 Moderate Moderate

5 Severe Severe Severe

6 Severe Severe severe

7 Severe Severe Severe.

Appendix - E
G I N I A

LEGEND

N A N S E A a N D c a u H 7 v
WAGRAM-NORFOLK-GOLDSBORO ASSOCIATION: Well drained
sount"FrOm 31 VA. to moderately well drained soils with gray sandy surfaces over friable, yellowish
cot#m Im brawn or mottled Yellowish brown and gray sandy clay loam subsoils.

3
LENOIR-CRAVEN-DUNBAR ASSOCIATION: Somewhat powlydrained
to moderately well
drained soils with gray sandy surfaces over firm to very firm
sandy clay or clay subsoils.

PLUMMER-TORHUNTA-PORTSMOUTH ASSOCIATION: Poorly to
very poorly drained soils with dark gray to black surfaces over friable, gray sandy
wdkn,- loam to sandy clay loam subsoils.
_16-30, LAKELAND-CHIPLEY-PACTOLUS ASSOCIATION: Well drained
an moderately well drained soils with thick sandy surfaces and firabie, gray sandy
subsurface layers.

CO'XVILLE-MYATT-RAINS ASSOCIATION: Poorly drained soils with
gray friable surfaces over gray and yellow friable to firm sandy clay loam or sandy
clay subsoils.

JOHNSTON-BIBB ASSOCIATION: P oorly and very poorly drained soils
I(D:
with black to dark gray sandy surfaces and gray. stratified sands. sandy loam or silt
subsurface layers. They are subject to flooding for brief to long periods of duration.

ft4UM Cm, PONZE R-DOROVAN -DARE ASSOCIATION: Very poorly drained orsan4c
soils with thick organic surfaces (Histosols) over mineral subsurface layers ranging
'25' from sands to clays. They are inundated throughout most of the year in normal seasons.

00 Note: This General Soil Map Is s itable for broad
planning purposes only. For more detailed
planning on individual tracts of land. a
detailed soil survey is needed.

Irl E R F
0

.2
0 .J%Ows
N

36-A' 366201
.1 2 3 4 ;11 37 GENERAL 'SOIL MAP
MILES TENTATIVE: SUBJECT TO CHANGE
APPROXIMATE SCALE 1:152,675 GATES COUNTY
COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Map prepared at 1:126.720 and reproduced without
regard to scale for maximum legibility on sheet size. SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

POLYCONIC PROJECTION. .9-72 4-R-32164
Base -General Highway Map, 1970 Revision. North Carolina State Highway Dept. and USOC. Bureau of Public Road... 9-72 4-R-29947

wom. @s

EXISTING COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Educational Facilities

Gates Coiunty@s educational facilities include four elementary schools,

one high school, one junior high school and six public kindergartens. There

are no private or parochial schools located'in the county. Vocational education

programs, are i.ncluded in the high school curriculum for students entering into

the labor force upon graduation,.,-

Gates County students have access to a number ofinstitutions of higher

education. The College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, Chowan College,-a
junior 'college located at Murfreesboro, is onl y 23 miles from Gatesville.

Eli.zabeth.Cify State College at Elizabeth-City ts a four year college and only

35 miles from Gatesville. A technical institute, Ro.anoke-Chowan Technical

Institute, is approximately 25 miles from Gates residents.

Transportation

The c@ounty`s present highway needs are met by U@S, Highways 13, 158, and

N.C@ 32, and a number of state secondary roads which,criss-cross the county.'

These roads provide access to allparts of the county and.connect the count
with the, nearby regional trade centers of Elizabeth City and the:Norfolk-

Suffolk metropolitanarea. U. S. Highway.13 provides the primary north-south

route and connects the western section of the county with Norfolk, N. C@ .32

links the eastern section of the county to Norfolk. U,S. 158 which intersects

U@S. 13 divides.the county approximately in half and provides an east-west,

arterial linking the county to Elizabeth City and the Outer Banks of North

Carolina.

46,

Bus Service: There are n o regular scheduled bus services in Gates County.

Motor Freight: Five motor freight carriers are certified to stop in the

county. United Parcel Service makes deliveries in the county.

Rail Transportatione Railroad transportation consists of the mainline of

the Seaboard Coast Line from Rocky Mount to Norfolk, Virginia. This line

is also leased by the Southern Railroad and has several loading points

in the county@

Air Transport: The nearest commercially-served airports are located in

Elizabeth City and Norfolk, Virginia., Charter- -se@rVfces are: also available

at both, Edenton Municipal Airport offers maintenance and charter flights

from a private alv.iation service.

Medical Facilities

The County's medical facilities\ are limited, Gates County's -medical

facilities consist of a County Health and Welfare Department. The,Health

Department also empToys a full-time Sanita-rian'. There are no dentists in the

county.

There are numerous.medical facilities Within a 30 mile radius'-of the,

center of the county. There are two hospitals within this radius (totaling

151+ beds), 38 physicians, and 14 dentists.

.Police and Fire Protection

Police'protection is provided primarily by the County Sheriff's Depart-

ment which consists of one deputy and the Sheriff. The Department has one

patrol car. There is'no municipal police protection, The only police services

provided in the county, other than the Sheriff's Department, is by.the State

Highway Patrol. Fire,protection is provided by the fire departments in
Gatesville and@two rural fiy@e departments..(Gates and Sunbury). The Gatesville
fire.,department is.:.s.upported by 18 volunteer firemen and two 500 GPM pumps.

Rescue Services

The Gates County Rescue Squad was formed in 1�64 at Eason's Crossroads.
In 1972 the building was enlarged, in or'der to*bous .'e' the expanding service.

Prior to 1964 county residents had to rely upon surrounding counties for all

emergency ambulance services,

The Gates County Resc'ue-Squad owns two ambulances. One is a standard

and the second is.termed a "crash truck" which is equipped with

tools.needed toretrieve and treat automobile crash victims. Both ambulances

are equipped with modern medical gear, including oxygen, standard splints,

inflatable splints, traction spli.nts,'a "spine board-", an ort.hopedic structure

designed to splint the entire body, dressings and bandages.

Solid Waste Collection and Disposal

Approximately 40 refuse containers are/placed at strategic points through.-

out the county, Residents are allowed to dispose of household garbage into

these containers. Each container is dumped twice weekly and carried to a

central site to.be buried, Open dumps presently being operated by municipal,

community, or private groups are closed and covered with two feet of s oil.

These operators are al 1 owed to use th,e..county 1 andfi 11

Water Transportation

The Chowan River is used by barge traffic carrying pulpwood. So far,

Gates County is not making use of this potentially important and inexpensive

means.of transportation. With the exception oUthe marina near Winton, there
are no commercial developments on'the river.

Telephone

Gates County is served by two telephone companies, the Carolina Telephone

and Telegraph Company, serving the western half, and the Norfolk and Carolina
Telephone Company:serving the eastern-ha-If of the c ounty.

Post Offices

Post offices in the.county arelocated i.n the following communiti.es:

Eure, Roduco, Gates, Gatesville, Sunbury, Corapeake and Hobbsville.

Radio and TV

There are no radio or TV stations located' in the county. However, there

are three AM stations within a 80-mile radius and one FM station 58 miles

away. Televi-sion reception is excellent from a number of North Carolina and

Virginia stations,

Newsp,@p@rs.

There is one weekly paper, The Gates County Index, published in Gatesville.

Electricity

Electric power-is furnished in Gates County by the VJrginia Electric and

,.Power Company and the Roanoke Electric Membership Corporation.

Gas Lines

There are no natural. gas lines in Gates County.. Lines are.located

within-15 miles in Hertford County. Should the people of Gates County'd6sire

natural gas, these lines could.be extended to serve, the@ county.

Fuel:-Oil

Fuel'.oil is available to county residents using this type of fuel.

Sanitary Sewer

There are no sanitary sewer Systems in Gates County..

Water Supply and Distribution

The only water distribution system in the county is the Gatesville Muni,-r-

CIP4.1 system. Installed in 1971, it has approximately,160 connections..,-The

system is supplied by two deep wells with a combined pumping capacity of 200

gallons per minute. A 150,000 gallon, elevated tank provides storage and main-

tains pressure i n the system, Fire h drants are located throughout-the system.
y

PUBLICPARTICIPATION ACTIVITIES

LAND USE COMPATIBILITY PROBLEMS

Many of the major I-and use problems that are prevalent in other coastal

counties are 'not so evident in Gates County. This is primarily due. to the

distance of Gates, County from the'sounds and ocean,and the county's landlocked
characteristicsi Intensive land development in Gates County has been very

limited in the past and little is.expected due to a projected populationdecline

in years to come. County citizens therefore rated land use planning as the.

lowest priority on a list i nvolving ten-county.needs.

A rapid iHflux of,mobile homes has been identified by the Citizens Advisory

Board as one of the major land use issues confronting the county. Recently,

minimum standards'for lot size, park development, tie-down requirements, etc.,

were adopted. Only through,continued enforcement of the existing regulations

will minimum standards bp-,,implemented to assure a high degree of health, safety,
and protected I-and values to mobile home dwellers, and to all citizens affected

by the mobile wme influx.

The use of individual wells and septic tanks in areas of high.density is

a threat to the health of some citizens of the county', particularly where well

depths,are shallow. Such areas as Eure, Roduco, Eleanor's Crossroads-,, Corapeak,

Sunbury and,the Hobbsville/Mintonsville area presently do not have public water

or sewer services. To enhance the health, safety, and welfare of residen,ts 'in

these areas, itpay be necessary to establish water corporationsor sa-nitary

districts in order to obtain public water systems that will eliminate the

potential danger.

Gates County,has not felt the "growth pains" that other coastal counties
are enduring as,a result of recreation oriented development, Urban spillove r,
and the accompanying rapid,development.

With a declining population and a seasonal population that is insignifi-

cantly low, the demand upon public services and natural resources has been

minimal. This has been the trend in Gates County for decades and is projected

by the citizens to continue. The county citizens do not believe urban spill-

over from the Virginia metropolitan areas,will occur so intensely that it

.will present a problem during the planning period.

ALTERNATIVE POLICIES

The goals and policies adopted by the county citizens were formed as a

result of various methods used to measure citizen views.

A set of alternative goals may be established for various public service

..categories based upon the results ofthe citizen survey/questionnaire that

was distribu ted throughout the county. They are as follows:

Law Enforcement: It is widely felt that drugs are a problem and that more

public funds should be spent to control illegal drugs and organized crime.

Environmental Considerations: Most respondents believe agricultural pollution

should beregulated. They are willing to pay a high cost for commodities if it

means no pollution. Although ma,ny would like to see more job opportunities

expand into the Gates County area, they would not like to see the environment

harmed in the process.

Land Use Planning: 93% of the questionnaires believe future development should

be planned. Most believe that growth should occur at a slow, controlled rate.

People should not be permitted to do anything they want with their land, no

matter how it affects their neighbors, The majority believe that there is

danger in rapid development and mobile home development should be controlled.

Educat ional Facilities: The adequacy of school facilities is not perceived

to be a problem. Most believe the kindergarten program is adequate, Vocational

and adult education programs are not considered a problem.

Community Facilities: Garbage collection,,water and sewer services, librar ies

and transportation system were judged by the 'respondents to be adequately

meeting their needs.

Recreation: Recreation facilities.are.not constdered adequate. Most believe

more. money should be spent to.develop public recreation facilities and programs,

public parks, and tourist attractions.

Industrial Development: Employment Opportunities-are inadequate and unemployment

is a problem. Industrial development is considered to be inadequate and most

believe more industrial development would improve the quality of life, Most

belie ve more funds should be spent for 'Industrial devellopment.

Medical Facilities: Medical facilities a,nd staff Are inadequate. More funds

should be appropriated in an effort to allevi,.atie this short-fall,

The goals and policies and alternative goals, and policies derived from the

citizen participation efforts served as a guide for land classific.ation.

..._Citize.,ns at the public meetings expressed the.desire to maintain Gates County's

ural and small community characteristics. As a result of this '.Slow growth'

attitude and a declin'Ing population trend, --the County citizens limited the
classif-ication..'of land to.Community, Rural, and Conservation. A discuss.io,n

of each follows later in this report,

5-2

POLICY STATEMENT

According to the Guidelines adopted by the Coastal Resources Commission,

"The basic policy,decisions in any effective program of county-wide land use

planning must be made within the county by the people familiar with local

tradition, local problems and local desires for the future."

After conducting*a'series of public meetings, questionnaire distribution,

and township meetings, the Planning Board proposed thefollowing policy state-

ments to be adopted by the Board of County Commissioners.

1) Law Office: there is adefinite need'for a full-tim6, qualified

enforcement staff including an immediate need for at least one

additional deputy.

2) Environmental Considerations and Land Use Planning they should

be covered by the land use plan,

3) Education: there is a.need for a larger gymnasium'in the school

system and a need for an auditorium sufficient in size to:accom-

modate school and county activities.

4) Communi@y facilities: a need for a child care center for working

parents.

5)' A need for a county-wide water system.

6) Recreation: need for supervised programs for youth.

7) Industrial Development and Employment: a ne ed for a continued
ef6r-t to attract desirable industry. A need for a professional

industry hunter.
8). Medical Facilities: a desparate need for doctors, and:a clinic to

serve Gates County.

9) Social Services.

10) Cultural Activities: a'need for library facilities.

53-

Based on the results of themeetings, it appears that the categories should

be numbered as follows:

1) Law Enforcement
2) Medical Facilities
.3) Community Facilities
4) Educational Facilities
5) Recreation
6) -Cultural Activities
7) Social Services.
8) Industrial Development and Employment
9) Environmental Considerations
10) Land Use Planning

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SUMMARY

.The effort to achieve public participation during the planning process i.n

Gates County was accomplished primarily through the efforts of the County
Planning.'Board and the 42 member Citizens Advisory Board. The planner provided

technical assistance, data, and materials. The Planning Board and Advisory

Board, through various methods, contacted the public and in turn relayed this

input to the planner for 'incorporation into the plan.

The Gates County Commissioners instructed the Planning Board to do.all
that was necessary to.assure optimum citizen participation and input.throughout
the process. The Planning Board appointed the 42 member Citi.zens Advisory

Board to distribute questionnaires, Make individual contacts throughout their

respective townships and to give input into the planning process.

Combination workshops and public meetings have been held to assess public

needs and to acquire input. Workshops were.held with the members of the

Advisory Board to explain CAMA. Townsh'lp meetings were held as a combination

workshop and public participation sessions. Later, this group held similar

township meetings once again to explain CAMA to new participants and to receive

input concerning the questionnaire results. A meeting of the Planning Board

was held to assess.the questionnaire resu Its and to assess the input from the

township meetings regarding the questionnaire results. The assessment was

written in the form of alternative.policy statements concerning various cate-

gories of public service.

The County school system's aide in distributing questionnaires was helpful

toward-educating the public about CAMA and soliciting citizen input.

The questi-onnaires instructed that the head of household was to fill out

the form. Out of 2,396 heads of households in the County, 564 or 24% fi'lled

out a questionnaire and returned it for tabulation. The Planning.B.oard-and

Citizens Advisory Board members were actively involved with personal contact

conversations within their'comunity in an effort to acquire in-putfrom those,

who did not atten d a meeting or fill out a questionnaire.
The survey questionnaire sought citizen.ideas regarding thefollowing
public service categories: (1) Law Enforcement; (2) Environmental Consider-

ations; (3) Land Use Planning; (4) Educational Facilities; (5) Community

Facilities; (6) Recreatio n; (7) Industri-al.Development and Employment; (8)

Community Responsibility and Pride; (9) Medical Facilities.; (10) Social

Servi ce s; and (11) Cultural Activ ities.

Out of the total-number of questionnaires returned, 60.9% we'recompleted
by,ma.les, 55.2% were completed by non-white.persons, 29.0% of the respondents

were presently living on a farm, and 49.4% had a high school education or less.

This is evidence that the returned questionnaires were diversified and repre-

sented a diversifled cross-section of the county.

Public participation 'in Gates County can be assessed as adequate. Major

efforts' by local governing officials, Planning Board and Advisory Board members,

and media have made ever y effort to inform the public of meetings to be held and

results of meetings in volving CAMA, If public turnout at any meeting was in-

adequate, it was not because the effort to 'inform was not made.

ESTIMATED DEMAND

POPULATION AND ECONOMY

Population in Gates County will continue to decline as it has since 1940,

There'is a-trend towards the out-migration of the child-bearing'productive

age group in both races. If the, population is to increase and/or maintain it-

self at a specific level, in-migration must be intensified and out-migration

..must be reduced. Both efforts must be concentrated primarily around the

child bearibg, productive age groups, To accomplish this, job opportunities

and community services must be increased within the county and neighboring

,counties that are in easy commuting distance. Persons in thJs age group
evidently are not attaining de 1.1velihood that they can'be obtaining else-

where.

The dependent population, persons ages 64 and ov'er plus persons under

age 18, will continue to increase in number while the productive age group.
(ages 18-64) will continue to leave the county. -Unless more of the productive

age group remains in the future, the overall level of material well-being for

the population will decline, i.e., services to sustain the elderly,while

the tax services to finance that support is being'depleted.
The median family income of Gates County families improved substantial'ly

in the last decade. The percent of families considered to be poverty stricken

decreased greatly.

The number of persons commuting out of the county for employment.has in-

creased for Gates County during the past decade, The gradual disappearance.

of small farms has forced a flight to the city and towns for jobs by rural

residents. The major metropolitan areas have continued to draw workers by

offering higher salar'16s. The loss of workers to Virginia is likely to con-
tinue unless there are some developments in the.'nort.heastern counties,which

create more jobs for residents.

There will be no apparent reasons why the land and, water resources of,

Gates County cannot sustain the projected population, since a decline is

projected.

FUTURE LANVNEEDS

The ten year population projection was used to determine future land

needs in Gates County. The projection portrays a decl-ining population. As

a result there were no areas delineated to develop in the future as Developed.

or Transition. The Citizen Planners designated lands as Community that already

possess these characteristics. It is not expected that these areas will change

in.character during the ten year planning period, The tame principal was used

to determine the Rural land classification.

@COMMUNITY FACILITIES NEEDS

When the population of an area is projected to increase, a subsequent

increase in the demands for public services should be anticipated. The demands
for increased servi.'ces -are particularly noteworthy for transportation, schools,

and water-sewer facilities. Although the population of Gates County is pro-

jected to decline, the cit,izen planners of the county have identified needed

facilities.

Educational Facilities
Table XIII is a list-of public schools, the average daily membership (ADM)

for the first part of the school year 1975-76, and the capacity of.each.build-

ing,facility to house additional. students. All schools are presently operating

within the capacity ra.nge; however, it has been recommended that the Sunbury

School be phased out and rebuil t due to inadequate construction, as pointed

out by the Architect/Engineer's. evaluation.

TABLE XIII

-5CHOOL-FACILITIES-AND. UTILIZATION

Architect/
Engineer's
Evaluation Average Committee
of Long- Daily Recommenda-
Range Membership Capacity tions for
School Ade uacy (@ADM_L_ Range Long Range-Use.

Gates Sr. High' @Adequate 522 480-600 Continue to:Use

Central Jr.,-High 3 6 Continue- to Use
'Adequate 9*

T. S1. Cooper Adequate 236
LIN", Continue to Use.
,Sunbury Inadequate* 309 so Phase out of Use

Oates v Il le Adequate 659 Continue to Use
Vncludes' Buckland
School)

Highway Facilities

According to. the Department of Transportation, the practical capacity for

a two-way highway is between 5,700 8,200 vehicles per day. A recent traffic

count of the Gates County-transportation-network by the Department of Trans-

portation indicates that there.are no public transportation routes presently

exceeding the maximum capacity.
Ade"

Adeqi

58:

Water Services

Aproposed county.water system would serve almost the entire.county, with

the exception of Gatesville which has an-existing water system.

.Water'mains will end where diminishing population density makes it econo-

mically unfeasible to continue service.

It is antic ipated that additional homes and small.commercial establish;..

m6nts wi.1-1 be established in the proposed area of service. It is also possible

that,the area would.be attractive to industries.
@A public water system is needed in.the area because individual private

wells are shallow, producing hard, high-iron..content water.. A high chloride

content is also a problem in some parts of the county. Most wells are subject

to pol lutfon from nearby septic tanks and privies. The condition is made

worse-by the low, flat elevations, highwater tables, and swamp.areas. The
water presently used stains and deteriorates plumbing fixtures, stains clothes,

and is unpleasant in taste and odor. This creates.a.serious health hazard..
Many of the residents have installed individual water softening andiron
removal equipment. The cost of maintaining this equipment runs from $10 to

$15 per month, requiring continuous maintenance. Added to thi-s.is the cost

of operating and.maifitaining the pumping equipment.

Industrial growth, which-is very vital to the economical growth of an

area, is somewhat limited in the choice of plant location. With a county-
..wide system, having elevated tanks to provide an adequate-water supply with

adequate pressure, potential industry would have a much better choice,of
where to.loc'ate their.plant sites. A public water system.also encourages
home building along the system mains.

The proposed project includes the construction of (1) a water distribu-

tion system, (2) one 900 GPM water treatment plant, (3) three 500 GPM deep

wells,, and (4) two 250 000 gallon elevated storage tanks. Should a future

industry require additilonal pressure to meet insu'ranc .e requirements, then ad-,

ditional elevated tanks or booster pumps can be added to the system to meet

their requirements. Although-the system -is not designedfor complete fire

protection, fire hydrants are.proposed in the more populated areas to provide.,

water to.provide protection and for filling water tankers. Hydrants and blow-

off valves-are also proposed to flush dead-end lines.
it is.also proposed that the system be connected to the existing Gatesville

system and Chowan County System through-a buy-sell agreement.
Total estimated project cost would be $3,450,000.00. A detailed break-

down of estimated cost may be reviewed in the appendix.

The construction of.the Gates County water system appears economically

feasible.with the aid of.a FHA loan and grant, a State grant, a Coastal Plains

grant, and a favorable user sign-up. It is the recommendation of Rivers and

Associates that the County apply to the Farmers Home Administrati.on-for a loan

of ($1,417,000.00) and a grant of.($1,600,,000), to.the N.-C.' State.Board of
Health for a grant of. ($83,000.00) under the Clean Water Bond Act.of-1971, and.
a grant.from the Coastal Plains Regional Commission in the amount of ($350-,000).
in the event that grants are not available, and that total.user sign-up

is not sufficient., the system could be constructed in phases, with each phase

coordinated so that the goal of a county-wide water-system could be achieved6

The construction of each phase would depend on the location of the greatest
number of signedusers and theavailability of funds..

60'

Sewage Facilities

There are no existing sewage treatment facilities in Gates County.

Because of a declining population growth rate and limited development in

the County, the demand for a .-public sewage system cannot justify the cost

that would-be invdlved..

CARRYING CAPACITY: LAND AND ATER

The Coastal Resources Commission is requiring that crucial and identifiable
carrying capacity issues be addressed in theIand use plans. "Particular at--

tention should be given to the capability of the !a-nd to sustain whatever growth

is called for, with emphasis on the limitations of the natural resources of.

the area". The planning problem thus involves determin,ing at a point in time,.
given existing and available technology, existi,ng economic, a6ility to.finance

growth, available energy resources, and acceptable concepts of life styles,

the optimum carrying capacity of an area.,

The increasing awarebess of the great value, both in.ecological.and in

economical terms, of our estuarine waters and wetlands has caused increased

concern;over the quality of our coastal surface waters, These coastal waters

are the.collecting basins for land run-off fronadjacent areas, for. the drain-

age of the entire eastern divide, and for seepage of effluents f@om adjacent

ground waters.

Perhaps the most significant index is the number of acres of..state waters

closed to the taking of shellfish. As of the end of February,@approximately

670,000 acres, or about one-third of the state's1coastal waters, were closed
to our oyster and clam fishermen. Another indication of the degradation of

water quality is'the, increases in fish diseases over the past decade culmi-

nating in significant fish mortalities in Albemarle Sound during the summer of.
1975. Such trends are not as yet irreversible,

Diminution of the quality and availability of ground water resources in

the coastal area i.s also a.significant potential problem in the coastal area

and hence also a potential carrying capacity limitation,

Most of the groundwater pollution resulting from surface activities, remains

within the upper few feet of the water table;,how.ever, the polluted groundwater

flows laterally and discharges into streams, sounds, and other surface water

bodies, and usually causes deterioration of the surface water quality.

Areas in which the water table aquifer is the primary source of fresh

water and areas in which the soil-conditions@ are not suitable for waste treat-

ment s-hould be protected with stringent regulations to prohibit the installation,

of any surface pollution into the surface waters.
The increasing density pattern of' septic'tan'k systems'in the coastal area

has led to a degradation of,both ground and surface waters.

The most recent figures indicate that'in the 20 county coastal area, 89%

of the 'land areas'have soils judged to be unsuitable for conventional septic

systems. Summarized in a-different way, if.conventional septic systems are

used for sewage dispo5al in the coa-stal area approximately 90% of these.

systems will malfunction and fai,l within the first year's use.

It might be appropriate to point odt here that many coas-tal communities

may assume that the adoption and enforcement of more.stringent septic tank and

land use density regulations, whether at the state or local level, coupled

with th6possible inability of the communities to finance central sewage facili-

ties, may tend to severely retard economic development. However, the real long

run effect is that such limitations should encourage an ordered, thoughtful

pattern of development which benefits not only the-permanent residents of the

area but developers as well.

Detailed information concerning *actual and potential water quality

problems i,n Gates County follows:

Waste Treatment Plants

Shoups Chowan River Inn
Design Capacity: .005 MGD
Current flow: .007 MGD
Receiving stream: Tributary to Chowan River
-Treatment: septic tank
Adequacy: inadequate-

Areas of Concern

none

Ini the popul ation and density allocation section of1this report, the

distribution of the estimated population growth to the various land.classi-

fications is to be made (see page 66). The prin-cip16 of carrying capacity.is

a storage determinant as to where population growth should be allocated, Since

Gates County is estimated to decrease in population, nd-Developed or Transition

,growth areas were designated. Community lands were designated as they presently

exist.- Population increases i-n-these areas.will be minimal, if any at all,

Since.-the population is estimated to remaln stable or decrease and.there

are no Developed or Transition lands in 6x.istence, carrying capacity of the

land and.water to sustain growth is -not forseen to be-a problem during, the

planning period,

*This'material was prepared by the Regional Water Quality Engineers of
the Northeastern and Southeastern Field-Offices'.of the Department of Natural
and Economic Resources.

PLAN DESCRIPTION

LAND CLASSIFICATION

The purpose of the Land Classification System is to encourage coordina-

tion and consistency between local land use policies and those of State Govern-

ment. Lands are classified by the local governments. The Coastal Resou rces

Commission then reviews those classifications to ensure conformance with mini-

mum guidelines for the system, The coastal county maps taken to gether will be
Ithe pri-ncipal policy guide for State and Federal governmental decisions and

activities which affect land use in the coastal area.

The system provides a guide for public investment i*n land. For example,

state and,local agenci.es can anticipate the need for early acquisition of lands

and easements in the Transition class for sc'hools, recreation, transportation,

and other public facilities.

The system can also provide a useful framework for budgeting and planning

for the construction of community facilities such as water and sewer systems,

...schoolsi and roads. The resources of many state and federal.agencies, as well

as those of the local g overnmeht which are used for such faci lit ies,. can.then
be more efficiently allocated.
In addition,.sucha@"'�ystem will aid in better.coord.ination of regulatory

policies and decisions. Conservation and Rural Production lands will help t"

focus the attention of state and local agencies and interests concerned with

the valuable natural resources of the state.. On the other hand, lands in.the

Transition and Community classes will be of special concern to those agenci.es

and, in terests who work for high quality development through, local land use

controls such as zoning and subdivision f*egulations.

Finally, the system can he lp to provide guidance for a more equitable

distributi on of the la nd tax burden. Private lands which are.in the Rural and

Conservation classes should have low taxes to reflect the policy that few, if

any, public services.will be provided to these.lands, Jn contrast, lands in

the Transition class should be taxed to pay for the large cost of new public

servic.es which will be required to support the density of.growth anticipated.

The following five classifications and definitions have been adopted by

the Coastal Resources Commission for'use by local gove@nment planning teams.

Their application to Gates,County is shown on the Land Classification Map.

Developed

-is access to both
The Developed classification designates all land that.ha

public water and sewer, educational systems, and road systems all of which

are able to support the present population and its accom panying land uses

including commercial, industrial, and institutional. These are areas'with a.

minimum,pQpulat.ion of 2,000 people.per square mile.. There are'presently no

,areas i.n the county that meet these criteria.

Transition

The-Transition classification designates all land that [email protected] 2,000

people per-square mile and-no public water and sewer, or land-thatfia s public.

water and sewer but does not have 2,000 people per square mile. This classi-

fication does not apply to any area of Gates County.

Community
The Community.classification designates all lands that have minimum

public services and includes clusters of one or more land uses.. The Community

class is mapped at several. locations in Gates County. This classification

logically applies to the areas around the communities of Eure, Roduco, Gates,

Eleanor's Crossroads, Gatesvil1e, Corapeake, Sunbury and the Hobbsville/

Mintonsville area.

Rural

The Rural classification includes all lands not included in the developed,

transition, community, and conservation classes. Only'limited public services

are expected to be.de veloped in these areas (access roads, electrical lines,

etc.). The majority of Gates County's land is classed as Rural.

Conservation,

Conservation is the fifth class, This identifies all.la.nd which should

be maintained essentially in its natural state and where very limited*'or no

publtc services are provided. These lands are fragile and may be easily

destroyed by development. Areas adjacent to the Chowan River, Somertan Creek',

Barnet Creek, Sarem Creek, Cole Creek, Bennetts Creek, Trotman Creek, and

Lassitor an*d Raynor Swamps have been identified as flood prone areas and

wooded swampland Also included are the Chowan Swamp State Park, Chowan Swamp

Game'Land, and the State owned portion of the Merchants Mill Pond. The recent

donation. of land by Union Camp to N. C. State U-niversity located in �Outheast

Gates County is also included.

POPULATION AND DENSITY ALLOCATION

The population of Gates County has been projected' by the County citizens

to decline during the planning period. As a result, the'Community and Ru ral

areas were d6sighated'according to existing characterist.ics.atid availability

of services, Population increases in.the�e areas aY6e expected to be minimal,

if any increase at all.- Population trend and citizen...views were the,primary
guide's for classifying land in Gates County., The density of areas designated
as Communi'ty areereas where lot sizes.are ten acres or less.

POTENTIAL AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN

Various areas have been identified throughout the coastal counties as

areas of grea.t-environmental importance. These are areas in which uncontrolled

-or incompatible development might result 'in irre parable damage. Unless these

pressures. are controlled by coordinated management, the very features of the

coast which,make it economically, aesthetically, and ecologically rich will be

destroyed.
Due to the di's,tance of-Gates County from the coast, many of the environ-"'-.

mentally critical areas identified in other coastal counties are not found

in Gates..'Development trends in other coastal counties (seasonal population
demands, etc.) that promote development which is detr imental to sensiti've

environmental areas are not as prevalent in Gates County.

Estuarine waters, public trust waters, and areas that susta.inremnant.

species are the only types of environmentally critical areas identified by,

the citizens of Gates County, These may'be designated as "Areas.of Envi.ron-

mental Concern" by the Coa..stal Resourc es Commission.

U
T, WATERS
U, A I N E
(a) Descri pti.on:, Estuarine waters are defined as "all of the Water' of the.
Atlantic Ocean within the boundary of North Carolina and all the waters.of the
bays, so.unds,..,rivers, and tributaries thereto seaward of the di.viding line:
between 'coastal fishing waters and inland fishing waters,".as set forth in-an
agreement adopted by the,,Wildlife,@esources Commission and the Department of
,Conservation and Development filed wi'tfi:the Secretary of Statee,

(b) Significance: Estuaries are among the mostproductive natural environ-

.ments of North Carolina. They not only support valuable commercial and sports

fisheries, but are also utilized.for commercial navigation, recreation, and

a@esthetic purposes. Species dependent upon estuaries such as menhaden, shrimp,

flounoer, oysters and crabs make up 90 percent of the total value of North

Carolinals commercial catch, These species must spend all or some part of

their 11fe cycle in the.estuary, The high level of commercial and sports

fisheries and the aesthetic appeal of Coastal North Carolina, is dependent upon

the protection and susta-i-ned quality of our estuarine areas..

of estuarine waters. The deveilopment of navigational channels, the use of

bulkheads to prevent erosion, and the building of piers or wharfs where no

other feasible alternative exists are examples of land uses appropriate within

estuarine waters, provided that such land uses will not be detrimentaltothe
biological and physical estuarine functions and public trust rights. Projects

which would direc,tly or indirectly block or impair existing navigation channels,,

increase shoreline erosion, deposit spoils below mean high tide, cause adverse

water circula.tion patterns, violate water quality standards, or cause degrada-
tion-of shellfish*waters are generally considered incompatible with the

man.-age ment of estuarine waters.

.(d) Applicability to Gates County: Estuarine waters in Gates County have

been identified as the Chowan River, Somertan Creek, Buckhorn@ Creek to the

Seaboard Railroad, Sarem Creek to the intersection of Sarem and Cole,Creeks,

Bennetts Creek to within two miles of Gatesville, and Catherine Creek to the

intersection of Catherine and Trotman Creeks,

PUBLIC TRUST WATERS

(a) Description: All waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the lands thereunder

from the mean high water mark to the seaward limit of State jurisdiction; all
natural bodies of water subject to measurable lUnar tides and lands thereunder

to the mean high water mark; all navigable natural bodies of water and lands

thereunder to the mean high water mark or ordinary high water mark as the

case may be,except privately owned lakes to which the public has rights of

navigation;all waters in artificially created bodies of water in which the

public has acquired rights by prescription, custom, usage, dedication or any
othermeans. in determining whether the public has acquired rights in arti-

ficially created bodies of water, the following factorshall be considered:

(i) the use of the body of, Water by the public; (ii) the length of time the

public has used the area; (iii) the value of public resources in the body

of water;(vi) whether the public resources in the body of water are mobile

to the extent, that they can move into natural bodies of water; (v) whether the

creation of the artificial body of water reqired permission from the state;

and (vi) the value of the body of water to the public for navigation from

one public area to another public area.

(b) Significance: The public has rights in these waters including navigation.

and recreation. In addition, these waters support valuable commercial and

sports fisheries have aesthetic value, and are important potential resources

for economic development.

of navigation, or other public trust rights, which the public may be found

to have in these waters, shall not be allowed The development of navigational

channels, drainage ditches, the Use of bulkheads to prevent erosion, and the

building of piers or wharfs are examples of land uses appropriate within public

trust waters provided that such land uses will not be detrimental to the

biological and physical functions and public trust rights. Projects whic h

would directly or indirectly block or impair existing navigation channels,

increase shoreline erosion, deposit spoils below mean high tide, cause adverse

water circulation patterns, @iolate water quality standards, or cause degrada-

tion of shellfish waters are generally considered incompatible with the manage-

ment of public trust waters.

(d) Applicability to Gates County: Includes all waters that are capable of

being navigated in their natural condition by the ordinary modes of navigation

including modes. of.navigation used for recreational purposes

AREAS THAT SUSTAIN REMNANT SPECIES

(a) Description: Areas that sustain remnant species are those places that

support native plants or animals, rare or endangered, within the coastal area
(b) Significance: Comp@ex natural areas provide the few remaini .ng examples
of conditions that existed within t'he coastal area prior to settlement by

Western man. Often these Tratural areas provide habitat conditions suitable

for rare or endangered .species or they support plant and animal communities

representative of pre-settlerrent conditions- These areas help provide a

historical perspective to ch4ngi.ng natural conditions in the coastal area and

together are important and irreplaceable scientific and educational resources.

or kinds of development that will unnecessarily jeopaydize the natural or pri-

mitive character of the natural area directly or indirectly through increased

accessibility. Additionally, lands adjacent to the complex natural area should

not be planned for additional development that would unnecessarily endanger the

recognized value of the-AEC. The var-lability between kinds of complex natural

areas and between land uses adjacent to those natural areas means that the

range of permissible uses and intensity of use must be carefully tailored to

the individual area.

(d) Applicability to Gates County: The red-cockaded woodpecker occurs in

stands of mature loblolly pine, The southeastern shrew, swamp short-tailed

shrew and southern hog lemming occur in the Dismal Swamp or eastern portion

of the county, All of these are classified endangered species, The endangered

shortnosed sturgeon and the Atlantic sturgeon probably occur in the Chowan

River, however, occurrence records are scarce for these species.

CITY/COUNTY RELATIONSHIP

The relationship between the tount"y and Town of Gatesville planning

effort has been closely coordinated: Since Gatesville did not@choose to

apply for funds"to do its land development plan locally, the county assumed

the responsibility upon direction of the Guidelines adopted by the Coastal

Resources Commission.

Several methods were used to assure that the relationship- between Gatesville

and the county would be coordinated without conflicts: A questionnal ;re was

distributed to all parts of the county, to citizens in Gatesville as well as

to those in the rural, unincorporated areas.

Joint public hearings were held in the county involving Gatesville citi-

zens who participated in discussions and decisions concerning the town.

A Citizens Advisory Board was appointed which included representatives

fr,om the rur-al county and the town.

As you review the Land Classification Map provided herein, you will

notice that the Community classification extends from the towWs jurisdiction

without conflict into the unincorporated rural areas,

SUMMARY

A summary of reference material used as sources of data for the Land

Use Plan is listed as follows:

I Coastal Area Management, A New Look on the Horizon, N. C. Agricultural
Extension Service and N, C. Department of Natural and Economic Resources.

2@ Nc C. Commuting Patterns, 1960-1970, Employment Security Commission, Job
Research Center, March 1974,

3. Tar Heel Economist, November 1972.

4 W C,. Department of Agriculture

5. Change: Agriculture and Economic Trends-in N. Preliminary Statistics,

6: Impact '76, Gates County, N. C

7. An Appra)sal of Potential for Outdoor Recreation, Gates County, N. C@9
Gates Soil and Water Conservation District, Gatosville, N-C., Apri l' 1974,

8 N: C, Department of Natural and Economic Resources, Recreation Section,
General Inventory Summary, March, 1974.

9 State Guidelines for Local Planning in the.Coastal Area Under the Coastal
Area Management Act of 1974.

10 Geology and Ground Water Resources in the Greenvil.1-1?-, N. C,. Area, Philip
M. Brown, Geol.ogist, Geological Survey, U, S. Department of Interior, 1959,

11- U. S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation District, Raleigh, W.C.

12 School Survey, Gates Count y, 1973-74, North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction, Divisi-on of School Planning.,
13@ dates County No@th Carolina Water System Study, 1975, Rivers and Associates,
Inc-, Consulting Engineers, Greenville, North Carolina.

14@ Comprehensive Consumer Characteristics, Gates County, Gates County
Development Commission, 1969,

15@ A Comprehensive Water and Sewer Study for Ga@@ou@nt , Rivers and
Associates, 1970,

16, Overall Economic Development Plan, Albemarle Regional Planning and
Development Commission, 1971.

17, Wildlife and Land Use Planning with Particular Reference to Coastal Counties,
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, 1975.

18 A New Geography of North Carolina, Bill Sharpe, 1966.

19. Vital Statistics, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, North Carolina State
Board of Health

20 County Population Trends, North Carolina, 1790-1960, Carolina Population
Center, University of North Carolina and Statistical Services Center,
Budget Division, Department of Administration, State of North Carolina,
1969

21 North Carolina State Government Statistical Abstract, Statistical Services
Section, Office of State Budget, Department of Administration, 1973,

22 1970 Census of Population, North Carolina, U. S. Department of Commerce.

23 Thoroughfare Plan, Gates County, North Carolina, N C. Departmeft of
Transportation,

24. North Carolina Labor Force Estimates, Employment Security Commission,
Raleigh, 1975.

25. County Commissioners Farm Census Summary, N C and U. S. Depa rtments
of Agriculture, Crop Reporting Service, Raleigh, N. C.

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1 75

ESTIMATED COSTS

GATES COUNTY PROPOSED WATER SYSTEM

A detailed breakdown of the estimated-cost of cons.truction of the proposed

water system is attached, All construction costs are based on current unit

prices bid for the work in this general area.

The construction cost is estimated at $2,840,480,00.. The total project

cost is estimated at $3,450,000.00 which includes construction, technical

services, legal, administrative'costs, interest during construction and

development, land cost and contingencies.

GATES COUNTY
Water System Design Data
1975

Initial Customers'Anticipated 1400
(80% of Potential)

Supply Design
Well, Pump, and Treatment
1400 x 400 gal /day/customer 777.7 gal/min.
,2 hrs.x 60 min/hr-

Future Growth 50 gal/min.
827.7 gal/min.
3 Wells Proposed Use 500 GPM Wells &
900 GPM Treatment & Pumps

Storage Tank Capacity
1400 Users at '400 gal/user 560,000 gal.
Allowance for Growth 100,000 gal.

TOTAL 660,000 gal.

Recommended Storage
1/2 Day's Supply Minimum 330,000 gal,.
2 Tanks Proposed 250,000 gal, each

GATES COUNTY WATER SYSTEM

COST ESTIMATE

DISTRIBUTION
638,880 If 6" PVC 2.00 $1,277,760.00
316,800 If 4" PVC 1,40 443,520.00
137 6'.' Valves 160 00 21,920-00
74 ea. 4" Valves 130.00 9,620,00
3ea, Two Way
Meters 4,500.00 13,500-00
70 ea, 6" Hydrants 350,00 24,500@00
1,400 ea. 3/4" Services 130.00 182,000.00
10 ea. 2" Services 450-00 4,500,00

11 ea. Blow-off
Valves 60@00' 660.00
3,500 If Misc. Casing 30.00 105,000.00
7ea, Railroad
Crossings 1,500.00 10,500-00
Bridge & Creek Crossings 20,000-00

$2,113,480-00

SUPPLY
3 ea. 500 GPM Wells & Pumps 81,000-00
I ea. Treatment Plant/Pumps
& Controls (900 GPM)- 250,000,00
2 ea. 250,000 gal." Elevated Tanks Z70,000,00
2 ea, Tank Foundotion 126,000.00

TOTAL ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST $2,840,000-00

TECHNICAL SERVICES
Soil Borings $ 1,200.00
Surveys 200.00
Engineering Fee @4.9% 139,180.00
Inspection Fee @ 2110 56,810-00

$197,390- $ 197,390,00
Legal and Administrative 28,33OeOO
Land Cost + 12,000 00
Int'erest During Construction @ 10%.,_ 160,000@00
Contengencles @ 7-5/10 211,800.00

TOTAL-ESTIMATED PROJECT COST $3,450,000-00'

FUNDING ANALYSIS

State Grant $ 83,000.00
FHA Grant 1,600,0OO.OO
CPRC Grant 350,000:00
TOTAL GRANTS $2,033,000.00
FHA Loan 1,417,000.00
TOTAL PROJECT COST $3,450,000.00
ASSUME TOTAL INITIAL USERS 1,400

Estimated Annual Income:
First 2,000 gal. @ 6. 00 (Minimum) Average
Next 2,000 gal. 1.50/1,000 gal. Rate 7.85/use Mo
Next 5,000 gal. 1.00/1,000 gal.
All Over 10,000 gal. .80/1,000 gal.

Anticipated Income From Sales of Water:
560 Customers @ 2,000 gal./mo. @ 6.00 40,32OOO
378 3,000 7,50 34,020.00
350 5,000 10.00 42,000.00
98 7,000 12.00 14,112.00
8 11,000 15.80 1,517.00
TOTAL ESTIMATED INCOME PER YEAR 13,969.00

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSES*

Debt Repayment
1,417,000 (.05928) = 84,OOO.OO
Operation and Maintenance = 45,400,00
$129,400.O0/yr.

Annual Reserve = $2,569,00

*OPERATING EXPENSES
Maintenance, Billing & Collections 30,000.00
Analysis of Water Samples 200.00
Audit 500.00
Materials and Supplies 5,000,00
Electrical Power 5,500,00
Insurance 700.00
Office Expense 3,500.00
TOTAL EXPENSES $45,400.00/yr.

GATES COUNTY

Characteristics of Persons Filling Out Questionnaires

1. Male 60.9%
Female 39.1%

2. White 44.8%
Non-White 55.2%

3. Ages 17-2S 4.7%
26-40 54.5%
41- 55 3.0.7%
56+ 9.5%

4. Do you live on a farm?

yes .29.0%
no 71.0%

S. Number of family living at home.

1-2 7.7%
3-S 60.0%
6-8 24.7%
9+ 7.7%

6. Education

High school or less 49.4%
Beyond high school 50.6%

7. Income

Under $2,000 14.5%
2,000 - 3,999 12.S%
4,000 - 5,999 11.3%
6,000 - 7,999 12.3%
8,000 - 9,999 11.9%
10,000 - 1S,000 20.6%
over 15,000 16.8%