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Sarcidi adopts CAMA 6‑foot pool‑border standard for Coastal Forest Overlay District
Summary
The Town of Sarcidi voted to revise its Coastal Forest Overlay District ordinance to adopt CAMA's guidance on pool aprons—effectively replacing a local four‑foot concrete border limit and directing that pool aprons be counted toward impervious lot coverage where applicable.
The Town of Sarcidi voted to revise its Coastal Forest Overlay District (CFOD) ordinance to align with CAMA guidance on pool aprons, replacing the town's four‑foot concrete border limit with standards consistent with CAMA.
At a working‑session style meeting, the Chair moved to adopt the current CAMA standard and Sean, a town staff member, seconded the motion; the board approved the change by voice vote. The staff had presented two alternatives: keep the existing 4‑foot concrete border limit around private in‑ground pools, or remove that local limit and adopt CFOD language consistent with CAMA while counting pool aprons as impervious surface in the town's lot‑coverage calculations.
Staff told the board that research of other North Carolina coastal towns found no local four‑foot limit and that CAMA's guidance (cited in the meeting packet) treats an adjacent deck or apron up to 6 feet as part of the pool. As staff summarized, "This pool deck can be any material, concrete, stone, brick, or wood," and CAMA's Rule 15(a) was presented to the board as the comparative standard. Staff recommended following CAMA's approach and including pool‑apron square footage in the town's impervious lot coverage totals so that aprons would count toward the island's 40% maximum where relevant.
Board members questioned how the standard would apply beyond the oceanfront. Staff and a committee member clarified that CAMA's 6‑foot rule applies where CAMA/AEC jurisdiction reaches (oceanfront/AEC areas); elsewhere the town's CFOD subsection can apply island‑wide but the town should calculate proposed aprons into a property's total impervious coverage. The board also confirmed that the pool basin (water) is not counted as impervious but concrete or other impervious aprons are, and that property owners retain the option to use pervious products (for example slatted decks or certain pervious concrete) to reduce impervious totals.
The ordinance revision was approved by voice vote. The staff had provided revised CFOD language in the meeting packet for the board's review; the change will be implemented through the town's CFOD subsection consistent with CAMA's guidance where applicable.
