Assessing Local Government Capacity to Manage and Model Military-Induced Growth in Eastern North Carolina

Abstract

Military expansion can profoundly affect surrounding communities, which are often rural and have low capacities for accommodating rapid growth and associated impacts. Urban growth models that can assist community planning are often complex and costly. We describe a case study in a rural, coastal region of the American state of North Carolina that has been affected by rapid military expansion. The study used informant interviews and analysis of land-use plans to contextualize a review of urban growth models that fit local needs and capacities. Our findings suggest a method for selecting modeling tools that match community-specific capacities and needs that can be applied in other regions experiencing rapid, military-induced growth.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Paul Friday (Marine Corps Installations—East), our interviewees, and Peter Zambito for his assistance with interviews. This study was funded by Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability and was certified under UNC-CH's IRB #09–0418.

Notes

Sustainability in this case is defined by the ‘Three-Es’ approach (Economy, Environment, and Equity) articulated by Berke et al. (2006).

Because of limitations of space, appendices with lists of interviewees and the questionnaire have been omitted. They are available from the author.

Not all interviewees responded to several of our questions because the question was either not relevant to their organization, or they did not feel comfortable answering on behalf of their organization.

North Carolina's Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA; NC G.S. 113A-100/134.3) requires coastal counties to prepare land-use plans in accordance with guidelines established by the North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission. Each CAMA land-use plan must include local policies that address growth issues such as the protection of productive resources (i.e. farmland, forest resources, and fisheries), desired types of economic development, natural resource protection and the reduction of storm hazards.

This process may also be useful in an international context in locales where planning processes and the use of planning information is similar to that of the USA.