Problems of Coastal Zone Planning in the 80´s

Cities are the base units in coastal planning. The U.S. Coastal Zone Management Act and the North Carolina Act required land use plans in the mid 70s and updates every five years thereafter. Planning complexity increased with each update. This sired a number of contract planners. The State pressured communities to apply for grants even when fiscal constraint was in order. Now the process must be simplified in order for cities to comply with State law. The State must now begin to produce a plan and data base for use by state agencies, counties and cities.