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2012 – 2022 Clyde Land Use Plan
Town of Clyde, NC
Adopted by the Clyde Board of Aldermen on October 10, 2012
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The 2012 – 2022 Clyde Land Use Plan is the result of a multi-year effort by the Town of
Clyde’s elected officials, appointed board and committee members, staff and citizens
working in partnership with other local and state government agencies, community
organizations, business owners, schools, and many others.
Town of Clyde Board of Aldermen
Jerry Walker, Mayor
Carroll Mease, Mayor Pro Tem
Gary Cochran, Aldermen
James Mashburn, Aldermen
Jim Trantham, Aldermen
Town of Clyde Planning Board
Howell Brown, Jr., Chair
Scott Cook
Diane Fore
Ryan Jacobson
Eddie Lail
Joseph Sellars
Dinah Smith
Mandy Williamson
Town of Clyde Land Use Plan Committee
Scott Cook, Chair
Howell Brown, Jr.
Gary Cochran
Joy Garland
Chris Hnatin
Linda Marquis
James Mashburn
Alan Trantham
Town of Clyde Staff
Joy Garland, Town Administrator
Sheila Kirkpatrick, Town Clerk
Joy Lindsey, Assistant Town Clerk
Charlie Palmer, Maintenance Superintendent
Other Contributors
Sara Queen Brown, Chair, Clyde Historic Preservation Commission
Chris Hnatin, Former Town Planner (N∙Focus)
Gerald Green, AICP, Former Town Planner (N∙Focus)
Technical assistance provided by: The North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Community Planning Western Regional Office Karen Smith, AICP, Chief Planner*
Virginia Faust, AICP, Senior Planner
Kristy Carter, AICP, Community Development Planner
Ron Hancock, AICP, Community Development Planner
Glen Locascio, Business and Technology Applications Analyst* *2012 – 2022 Clyde Land Use Plan Project Leads
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 1
Purpose of the Land Use Plan ........................................................................................................................ 1
Land Use Plan Development Process ............................................................................................................. 2
OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................................. 2
Location/Planning Area ................................................................................................................................. 2
Community History/Historical Context .......................................................................................................... 3
Public Involvement ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Land Use Plan Vision Statement .................................................................................................................... 5
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
DATA SOURCES ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................................. 7
Town of Clyde Population .............................................................................................................................. 7
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and Study Area Populations ............................................................................. 10
Population Growth Rates ............................................................................................................................. 12
Municipal Proportion of County Population ................................................................................................ 13
Population Density ....................................................................................................................................... 14
Elements of Population Change ................................................................................................................... 15
Town of Clyde Population Projections ......................................................................................................... 18
2010 Census Results ..................................................................................................................................... 21
Study Area Population Projections ............................................................................................................... 22
Median Age .................................................................................................................................................. 22
Age Distribution ........................................................................................................................................... 23
Race and Ethnicity........................................................................................................................................ 24
Households................................................................................................................................................... 25
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 27
TRANSPORTATION ................................................................................................................................................. 28
Roads and Bridges ....................................................................................................................................... 28
Bicycle Facilities ........................................................................................................................................... 34
Pedestrian Facilities ..................................................................................................................................... 36
Public Transit ............................................................................................................................................... 38
Railroad Transportation ............................................................................................................................... 39
WATER SUPPLY AND WASTEWATER DISPOSAL SYSTEMS ............................................................................................... 39
Water Supply Systems.................................................................................................................................. 40
Wastewater Disposal Systems ..................................................................................................................... 44
Water and Sewer System Planning, Financing and Administration ............................................................. 45
OTHER PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES .................................................................................................................... 49
Town of Clyde Facilities and Properties ....................................................................................................... 50
Schools ......................................................................................................................................................... 51
Other Public Facilities and Properties .......................................................................................................... 53
Flood Buyout Properties ............................................................................................................................... 53
Government Services ................................................................................................................................... 54
GOALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND STRATEGIES .......................................................................................................... 57
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 62
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WATER RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................................. 62
Watersheds and River Basins ...................................................................................................................... 62
Water Quality.............................................................................................................................................. 62
Water Quality Management and Regulations ............................................................................................ 65
Water Quality Protection Plans and Programs ........................................................................................... 71
Wetlands ..................................................................................................................................................... 72
Drought and Water Quality ........................................................................................................................ 73
FLOOD PRONE AREAS ........................................................................................................................................... 75
Flood Hazard Areas ..................................................................................................................................... 75
Floodplain Management ............................................................................................................................. 77
Flooding History .......................................................................................................................................... 81
STEEP SLOPES AND MOUNTAIN RIDGES .................................................................................................................... 88
Slope Categories.......................................................................................................................................... 88
Development on Slopes ............................................................................................................................... 88
Steep Slope and Mountain Ridge Protection Regulations ........................................................................... 89
Other Steep Slope and Mountain Ridge Protection Resources and Efforts ................................................. 90
GOALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND STRATEGIES ......................................................................................................... 93
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................... 95
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION ................................................................................................................................ 95
Setting ......................................................................................................................................................... 95
Character .................................................................................................................................................... 96
Community Appearance .............................................................................................................................. 97
Business Area Redevelopment Planning Grant ........................................................................................... 99
Carolina Boulevard Improvements ............................................................................................................ 101
Downtown Buyout Properties ................................................................................................................... 102
Downtown Planning .................................................................................................................................. 102
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................................. 104
County Economic Tier Rankings ................................................................................................................ 105
Income ...................................................................................................................................................... 106
Poverty ...................................................................................................................................................... 106
Employment .............................................................................................................................................. 107
Unemployment ......................................................................................................................................... 111
Existing Businesses .................................................................................................................................... 113
Tourism ..................................................................................................................................................... 114
Economic Development Resources and Plans ........................................................................................... 114
GOALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND STRATEGIES ....................................................................................................... 117
COMMUNITY CHARACTER .................................................................................................................................... 120
Community Appearance ............................................................................................................................ 120
Historic Resources and Preservation ......................................................................................................... 120
Cultural Amenities and Resources ............................................................................................................. 122
Rural/Agricultural Character ..................................................................................................................... 123
The Pigeon River........................................................................................................................................ 129
Community Events .................................................................................................................................... 129
Community Facilities ................................................................................................................................. 130
QUALITY OF LIFE ................................................................................................................................................ 131
Community Health .................................................................................................................................... 131
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Local Foods ................................................................................................................................................ 133
Housing ...................................................................................................................................................... 134
GOALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................ 144
EXISTING LAND USE ............................................................................................................................................. 149
Existing Land Use ....................................................................................................................................... 149
Summary of Existing Land Use Findings..................................................................................................... 150
DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS AND TRENDS ................................................................................................................... 151
Previous Land Use Plans ............................................................................................................................ 152
Development in the Clyde Area .................................................................................................................. 154
Current Land Use Pattern and Prior Land Use Plans ....................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
FUTURE LAND USE .............................................................................................................................................. 159
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 159
Public Input ................................................................................................................................................ 160
Guiding Principles for Future Land Use ...................................................................................................... 160
Future Land Use Categories and Map ........................................................................................................ 161
Using the Future Land Use Categories and Map ....................................................................................... 165
GOALS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................ 166
Lists of Maps, Tables and Figures
Figure 1: Town of Clyde Population, 1890 – 2010 ................................................................................. 8
Figure 2: Town of Clyde Population Growth Rate, 1890 – 2010 ........................................................... 9
Table 1: 2009 Population Estimates Compared to 2010 Census Results ............................................ 10
Table 2: Town of Clyde’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction 2010 Population Estimates1 ............................. 11
Table 3: Population Growth: Municipal, County and State, 1960 to 2010 ......................................... 12
Table 4: Incorporated and Unincorporated Area Populations in Haywood County, 1980 - 2010 ...... 13
Figure 3: 2010 Haywood County Incorporated and Unincorporated Area Populations ..................... 14
Table 5: Population Density (Persons per Square Mile): Municipal and County, 1990-2000 ............. 14
Table 6: Components of Population Growth in Selected Counties and State, 1980 to 19901 ............ 15
Table 7: Components of Population Growth in Selected Counties and State, 1990 to 20001 ............ 15
Table 8: Population Growth in Selected Counties, 2000 to 2010 ....................................................... 16
Table 9: In-migration1: Municipal and County, 1980-2000 ................................................................. 17
Table 10: Town of Clyde Annexation History, 1980-2011 ................................................................... 17
Table 11: 2009 Estimated Population: Town of Clyde and Haywood County ..................................... 18
Table 12: Town of Clyde Population Projections, 2010 – 2030 (Method 1)........................................ 18
Table 13: Town of Clyde Projected Population Growth, 2010 – 2030 (Method 1) ............................. 19
Table 14: Town of Clyde Population Projections, 2010 – 2030 (Method 2)........................................ 19
Table 15: Town of Clyde Projected Growth, 2010 – 2030 (Method 2) ............................................... 19
Table 16: Summary of Method 1 and Method 2 Population Projections for the Town of Clyde ....... 20
Table 17: Comparison of Method 1 and Method 2 Population Projections for the Town of Clyde ... 20
Figure 4: Comparison of Population Projections for the Town of Clyde, 2010 – 2030* ...................... 21
Table 18: Population Projections: Town of Clyde, Clyde Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and Land Use
Plan Study Area, 2010 – 2030............................................................................................................... 22
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Table 19: Median Age, 1980-2010 Haywood County, Haywood County and North Carolina ............ 23
Table 20: Projected Median Age: Haywood County and North Carolina, 2020 & 2030 ..................... 23
Table 21: Town of Clyde Age Distribution, 1990, 2000 and 2010 (Combined Age Cohorts) .............. 24
Table 22: Racial Composition of Population (Percent), 2000 and 2010 ............................................. 24
Table 23: Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity of Population (Percent), 2000 and 2010 ................................ 25
Table 24: Number of Households: Municipal, County and State, 1980 – 2010 ................................... 25
Table 25: Persons per Households (Average Household Size): Municipal, County and State, 1980 –
2010 ..................................................................................................................................................... 26
Table 26: Deficient Bridges in Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area ......................................................... 32
Table 27: Clyde Water System Improvement Projects Proposed in the Wastewater System Master
Plan and Preliminary Engineering Report ............................................................................................ 41
Table 28: Preliminary Cost Estimates for Recommended Capital Improvement Projects in the Clyde
Stormwater Management Master Plan ............................................................................................... 68
Figure 5: Riverine Floodplain Illustration ............................................................................................ 76
Table 29: Flood Hazard Areas in the Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area ............................................... 77
Table 30: Largest Recorded Floods on the Pigeon River in Clyde ....................................................... 81
Table 31: Town of Clyde Flood Remediation Actions Recommended by the 2006 Flood Damage
Reduction Planning Report .................................................................................................................. 83
Table 32: Estimated Construction Costs for Recommended Flood Damage Reduction Projects (2009)
............................................................................................................................................................. 85
Table 33: Distribution of Slope Categories within the Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area .................... 88
Figure 6: Example of Best Management Practices for Building Placement on Slopes ....................... 89
Table 34: 2006-2010 Income Estimates ............................................................................................ 106
Table 35: 2006-2010 Estimated Poverty Rates ................................................................................. 107
Table 36: 2006-2010 Labor Force Estimates ..................................................................................... 107
Table 37: 2000 Labor Force ............................................................................................................... 108
Table 38: 2006-2010 Place of Work Relative to Place of Residence Estimates ................................ 108
Table 39: 2006-2010 Commute to Work Methods Estimates .......................................................... 109
Table 40: 2000 Commute to Work Methods .................................................................................... 109
Table 41: 2006-2010 Civilian Labor Force by Industry Estimates ..................................................... 110
Table 42: 2000 Civilian Labor Force by Industry ............................................................................... 111
Table 43: 2006-2010 Unemployment Rate Estimates ...................................................................... 112
Table 44: 2006-2010 Unemployment Rate Estimates by Level of Educational Attainment (Population
25 to 64 Years of Age) ........................................................................................................................ 112
Table 45: Examples of Economic Development Organizations Working in Western North Carolina115
Table 46: Town of Clyde Housing Characteristics, 1980 - 2010 ........................................................ 135
Table 47: Number of Housing Units per Structure in Clyde (2006-2010 Estimates) ........................ 135
Figure 7: Owner Occupied Housing Units as Percentage of Occupied Housing Units ...................... 136
Table 48: Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing Units (1980-2000 Census) ........................... 137
Table 49: Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing Units (2000 Census Figures and 2006-2010
American Community Survey Estimates ) .......................................................................................... 137
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Table 50: Median Gross Rent for Renter-Occupied Housing Units in North Carolina, Haywood
County and Municipalities (1980 – 2010) .......................................................................................... 138
Table 51: Estimated Gross Rent for Renter-Occupied Housing Units – Town of Clyde (2006-2010
Estimates) ........................................................................................................................................... 139
Table 52: Town of Clyde - Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (2006-2010 Estimates)
............................................................................................................................................................ 139
Table 53: 2011 Fair Market Rents for Rental Housing Units in Haywood County............................. 140
Table 54: 2011 Rental Housing Costs Relative to Wages for Haywood County and North Carolina 140
Table 55: Age of Housing in Clyde (2006-2010 Estimates) ................................................................ 141
Table 56: Lack of Complete Kitchen or Plumbing Facilities in Occupied Housing Units, Town of Clyde
and Haywood County (2006-2010 Estimates) .................................................................................... 141
Table 57: Occupants per Room in Occupied Housing Units, Town of Clyde and Haywood County
(2006-2010 Estimates) ....................................................................................................................... 142
Table 58: Town of Clyde Population 65 Years of Age and Older, 1980 - 2010 .................................. 142
Table 59: One Person Households Age 65 and Older, 1980 – 2010 .................................................. 143
Table 60: Existing Land Use Categories – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area ...................................... 150
Table 61: Existing Land Uses – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area, Town Limits, and Extraterritorial
Jurisdiction .......................................................................................................................................... 151
Table 62: Residential Land Uses – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area, Town Limits, and Extraterritorial
Jurisdiction .......................................................................................................................................... 151
Table 63: Current Zoning – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area ............................................................ 157
Table 64: Parcel Sizes by Zoning District and Location – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area, Town
Limits, and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction .............................................................................................. 158
Table 65: Average Parcel Sizes in Residential Zoning Districts in Clyde’s Zoning Jurisdiction.......... 158
Table 66: Future Land Use – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area .......................................................... 161
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element One: Introduction and Overview | 1
Element One: Introduction and Overview
Introduction
The Town of Clyde previously completed at least two land use plans, a Land Use Survey and
Development Plan in 1964 and a Land Development Plan Update in 1975-76. Between 1976 and
2008, the Town enacted a variety of land development regulations and policies and has completed
some topic-specific plans; however it did not update its prior land use plan or develop a new one. In
effect, the other plans, ordinances and policies became the Town’s de facto land use plan.
In 2008, the Town of Clyde Board of Aldermen decided to undertake a comprehensive land use
planning project. The Board appropriated funds for the project in its fiscal year 2008-2009 budget.
In the fall of 2008, the Board appointed a 7-member Land Use Plan Committee comprised of
members of the Town’s Board of Aldermen, Planning Board and staff. It also enlisted the services of
the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Community Assistance (now the Division
of Community Planning), to help the Town prepare its first land use plan in more than 30 years.
Purpose of the Land Use Plan
In general, a land use plan is a document that expresses a community’s long-range vision for its
future growth and development and recommends actions for achieving the vision.
The 2012 – 2022 Clyde Land Use Plan (also referred to herein as the “CLUP,” the “Land Use Plan” or
the “Plan”) is intended to serve as a guide for future planning and decision-making related to capital
improvements budgeting, development activities, downtown revitalization, the protection of
sensitive natural areas and more for the next 10 years. It contains information on existing
conditions, trends, issues and planning activities related to growth and development in areas such
as land use, water and sewer infrastructure, transportation, economic development, the
environment and natural resources and community facilities. It establishes growth and
development goals for the community based upon a vision statement developed by the Town of
Clyde and the community as well as analysis and discussion of the information described above. The
Plan also recommends strategies and actions that the Town of Clyde (and others) could take to
implement the established goals.
The CLUP is not an ordinance that the Town of Clyde must enforce. Rather, it establishes policies
that will provide the Town with a basis for decision-making and problem-solving. For example, as
the Town considers amendments to its Zoning Ordinance text and/or map, it would refer to the
Land Use Plan for guidance regarding how such changes will fit with or further the community’s
vision and goals. Town leaders may look to the Plan’s long-range recommendations related to
infrastructure and community facilities, for example, as they consider and budget for future capital
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
2 | Element One: Introduction and Overview
improvements. The Plan should be useful to citizens, developers and others looking to invest in the
Study Area because it explains the Town of Clyde’s intentions regarding land use management in the
future.
The value of the CLUP as a planning and decision-making tool will depend on its implementation and
use. The recommendations are intended to be somewhat flexible. Some may be implemented in
ways that are not specified in the Plan while for others, the implementing strategy is to conduct
further study. The Plan should be reviewed routinely to be sure that it is still relevant to what the
community wants to achieve. The Town of Clyde may find that it needs to alter the Plan from time
to time to meet changing conditions in or needs of the community. The Town should also consider
conducting a full update of the Plan before the end of its 10-year lifespan.
Land Use Plan Development Process
The 2012-2022 Clyde Land Use Plan evolved through a multi-faceted planning process between
November of 2008 and May of 2012. The Clyde Land Use Plan Committee (the “LUPC” or the
“Committee”) held regular meetings with North Carolina Division of Community Planning (NC DCP)
staff to discuss existing conditions, trends and issues, to plan community input processes and review
their results, to identify key land use and development issues and to develop the Plan’s vision
statement, goals, recommendations and action strategies. At times, the Committee had guests
attend meetings to address particular topics, such as the Town’s water and sewer systems,
downtown revitalization, economic development and the Haywood Community College Campus
Master Plan.
The Committee voted on April 23, 2012 to recommend a draft of the CLUP to the Clyde Planning
Board and Board of Aldermen. It presented the draft CLUP at joint meeting of the two boards on
May 3, 2012. The Planning Board reviewed the draft CLUP at its June 5, 2012 and August 7, 2012
meetings and voted on August 7, 2012 to send a favorable recommendation on the CLUP to the
Board of Aldermen. The Board of Aldermen held a public hearing on the CLUP on October 9, 2012,
and voted unanimously to approve it on October 10, 2012.
Overview
Location/Planning Area
The Town of Clyde is located near the center of Haywood County, North Carolina; approximately 6
miles northeast of the Town of Waynesville (the county seat) and approximately 3.5 miles west of
the Town of Canton (see Map 1, Vicinity Map). It is one of four incorporated towns in Haywood
County.
Clyde is bisected from east to west by Interstate 40 (I-40), U.S. Highway 19/23, the Pigeon River and
a Norfolk Southern railroad line. U.S. Highway 74 is located to the west of the town and connects
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element One: Introduction and Overview | 3
U.S. Highway 19/23 with I-40. Both I-40 and U.S. Highway 19/23 provide easy access to Asheville,
the largest city in Western North Carolina, which is approximately 25 miles northeast of Clyde.
Early in the development of the Land Use Plan, the LUPC determined that the Plan should focus on a
Study Area containing the area within both the Town of Clyde’s corporate limits and its
extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The extent of the CLUP Study Area (the “Study Area”) is shown on
Map 2, Study Area). The Study Area encompasses an area of approximately 5.5 square miles (3,514
acres) and has an estimated population of 3,700.1
Community History/Historical Context
Haywood County, previously part of Buncombe County, was established in 1808. An area known as
the Lower Pigeon Township (now Clyde Township) in Haywood County was formed in 1877 from
parts of three townships, Pigeon, Beaverdam, and Waynesville, that had been part of Buncombe
County.
The Town of Clyde was incorporated by an act of the North Carolina General Assembly in 1889. The
town’s initial corporate limits formed a circle with a one-half mile radius centered on the former
railroad depot. Clyde’s charter established a Board of Aldermen comprised of a mayor and three
aldermen. It authorized the Town to abate nuisances and to adopt, “…all by-laws, rules and
regulations necessary for the good government of said town….” In 1986, the Town amended its
charter to add one additional seat on the Board of Aldermen.
Anyone familiar with small towns in Western North Carolina knows that each usually has a good
story or two. In Clyde, all one has to do is ask about the origin of the town’s name. One person
might say it was named after a man who moved to the area from a place along the River Clyde in
Scotland. The river and mountains in the area reminded him of home so he began to call it Clyde.
Another might tell you that there was a foreman named Clyde who had supervised railroad
construction in the area. Railroad workers could be heard calling out, “Clyde, have you seen my
hammer?” or “Hey, Clyde, can I take a break?” People along the railroad heard Clyde’s name so
often that they began referring to the town as Clyde. It would not be surprising to hear a third story
that connects the town’s name with the old steel truss bridge that used to span the Pigeon River.
Some will tell you that the iron for the bridge came from Clyde Iron Works. People grew
accustomed to seeing the name “Clyde” stamped on the bridge and the name stuck. No one really
knows for sure which, if any, of the stories is true. However, good tales often have a grain of truth
running through them. Each of Clyde’s naming stories has a grain of truth that speaks to the town’s
history. Settlers from overseas, the shaping influence of the railroad and the ever-present Pigeon
River flowing through, and occasionally flooding, the middle of town are all markers of Clyde’s
history.
Cherokee Indians were early inhabitants of the Clyde area. Their settlements were destroyed and
their people were displaced when General Griffith Rutherford led a Patriot militia in an expedition in
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
4 | Element One: Introduction and Overview
1776, which became known as the Rutherford Trace, to decimate the Cherokee for their alliance
with the British.
Clyde’s European-American settlement history picks up where the Rutherford Trace expedition
ends. Jacob Shook was in the militia regiment that took part in the expedition. He and others that
had probably traveled through Pigeon River Valley during the expedition later returned between the
late 1700s and early 1800s and were the Clyde area’s first white settlers. Shook’s legacy is one that
is still alive in Clyde today. The house Jacob Shook built for his son, now known as the Shook-
Smathers House, is a museum and is recognized by Preservation North Carolina as the oldest
standing frame house west of the Blue Ridge. It is also known for its connection to Bishop Francis
Asbury, the first Methodist Bishop consecrated in America, who conducted worship services in the
Shook home. Jacob Shook gave land next to his home to be used for church camp meetings and also
land upon which the Louisa Chapel United Methodist Church and Pleasant Hill Cemetery were later
established.
Following Shook and other early settlers was the next wave of settlement that arrived with the
construction of the Southern Railroad line. With the railroad, completed in 1883, came increased
commercial activity, including a livestock yard first owned by the railroad company, and later owned
by local citizens. The railroad was an avenue to transport crops and livestock which were the staples
of Clyde’s agricultural economy. It has been reported that the Southern Railroad in Clyde was once
the largest shipper of livestock on the eastern seaboard.
Once the railroad was complete, Clyde began to look more like a town with a main street corridor
that was hemmed in to the south by the railroad and by the north by the Pigeon River. Commercial
activity in the early 1900s included a meal and flour mill, liveries, a pharmacy, grocery and other
retail stores, hotels, boarding houses and more. A boarding school known as the Haywood Institute
(previously Pigeon Valley Academy) operated in the area until 1927. The area also grew as a resort
for summer tourists. Clyde is still home to the Skyland Camp for Girls, which began hosting campers
from across the country in 1917. The Clyde Public School, built in the mid to late 1800s, served area
students until Clyde High School opened in 1918 for elementary and high school students.
As industrial operations expanded in nearby Asheville and the neighboring towns of Waynesville and
Canton through the late 1950s and early 1960s, Clyde transitioned from an agricultural community
to a bedroom community for workers employed by Champion Paper (now Evergreen Packaging) in
Canton, the former Dayco plant in Waynesville and General Dynamics in Waynesville, among others.
Haywood Community College (previously Haywood Industrial Education Center), one of Haywood
County’s largest institutions, opened in the Study Area in 1965.
Just as the railroad on the south side of downtown changed the nature of Clyde, the Pigeon River on
the north side was, and continues to be, just as influential. The earliest recorded flood to hit the
Clyde area, which remains on record its largest flood, occurred in 1876. In August of 1940, twenty
homes were lost when the Pigeon River flooded the former US Highways 19 and 23 (now Broad
Street). The flood also washed away the old steel truss bridge used to cross the river. A 1949 flood
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element One: Introduction and Overview | 5
was not nearly as damaging but was still a significant event for the town. In 2004, remnants of
Hurricanes Frances and Ivan brought Clyde’s most devastating floods, causing substantial
destruction in downtown Clyde and other parts of the Study Area.
Among Clyde’s more prominent historical markers are the Shook-Smathers House, the “Big Gun”
veterans’ memorial on the town square, the former Haywood Institute, Louisa Chapel and the much
loved Clyde High School (now Central Haywood High School). Combined with the history of its
people, the railroad and the river, these artifacts link today’s residents to the town’s rich past.
Public Involvement
To have a plan that truly represents the community as a whole, it is important to involve the public
in the planning process. The Land Use Plan Committee planned and conducted two formal public
involvement efforts in 2009 to inform its work on the CLUP: the Town of Clyde 2009 Community
Survey (or Community Survey) and a community planning meeting consisting of a visioning exercise.
The LUPC, several Town staff and the Clyde Historic Commission Chair also took part in a visioning
exercise prior to the community planning meeting. The public hearing held by the Board of
Aldermen presented another opportunity for the public to comment on the CLUP.
The Community Survey was conducted in April and May of 2009. It was made available in paper
form at the Clyde Town Hall and various other public locations in the Study Area. The Town also
made an electronic version of the survey available on its website. The survey asked people what
they liked about Clyde and what they wanted to see happen regarding growth and development in
the future. Anyone was welcome to complete the survey and 306 were returned. The CLUP refers
to survey results in various sections. The survey results are summarized in a separate document
that the LUPC reviewed on June 23, 2009.
Clyde held a community planning meeting for the CLUP on the evening of October 20, 2009, at the
Clyde Central United Methodist Church. A NC DCP staff member led meeting attendees through a
process to develop a shared vision for the future of the Study Area. At its November 16, 2009
meeting, the LUPC reviewed notes from, discussed and completed the visioning exercise from the
community planning meeting. In December of 2009, the LUPC began developing the CLUP’s vision
statement.
Land Use Plan Vision Statement
A vision statement expresses a community’s desired future. The LUPC developed a vision statement
for the Clyde Land Use Plan using recurring themes that emerged from the Community Survey
results, the visioning exercises, existing and anticipated local and regional planning efforts and
Committee work. The vision statement reads as follows:
The Town of Clyde is striving to be a sustainable, attractive and affordable
community for its current and future residents by building on and improving its small
mountain town opportunities, including those provided by its downtown area, its
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
6 | Element One: Introduction and Overview
proximity to Haywood Community College and the MedWest - Haywood Regional
Medical Center, its heritage and historical assets, and its people. It is embracing its
location on the Pigeon River by providing recreational opportunities, open space and
environmental protection that will contribute to revitalizing the community. As it
works to implement its future plans, the Town will continue to provide, maintain,
and enhance the services that contribute to the high quality of life valued by Clyde
residents.
The vision statement is the backbone that supports the goals, recommendations and action
strategies presented in the Land Use Plan.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |7
Element Two: Community Profile
Introduction
In order for a community to plan for its future, it is helpful to look at what has occurred in its past.
The Community Profile examines demographic trends for the Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area such
as population size, composition, distribution, density and growth, as well as socioeconomic and
other characteristics. It also considers the causes of such trends, whether such trends might change
and what impact such trends could have on the Clyde area in the future.
For comparison purposes, the Community Profile uses demographic information for the State of
North Carolina, Haywood County, towns within Haywood County and, in some cases, data for
counties adjacent to Haywood County
For purposes of this Land Use Plan, the term “municipality” refers to incorporated cities and towns.
Data Sources
The United States Census (“U.S. Census” or “Census”) Bureau released 2010 Census population
totals and data on some other demographic characteristics for the State of North Carolina on March
2, 2011. The Clyde Land Use Plan uses 2010 Census data, if available. As additional and more
detailed 2010 Census data is released over the next year or so, tables and figures in this Community
Profile (and elsewhere in the Land Use Plan, if applicable) should be updated.
The Land Use Plan also relies on a variety of other sources of demographic data, such as earlier
Census results, the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, and the North Carolina Office of
State Budget and Management (including the Demographic and Economic Analysis Section and the
State Data Center).
Population Characteristics
Town of Clyde Population
A change in the size of a community’s population can directly impact a local government. For
example, population growth or decline may affect the provision of public services, alter
development patterns, lead to an increase or decrease in state-shared revenues, determine
eligibility for grants and other programs and resources, and so forth.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
8 | Element Two: Community Profile
Based on U.S. Census figures, the Town of Clyde had a population of 90 in 1890. Each U.S. Census
between 1890 and 2000 shows positive growth for the Town of Clyde (see Figure 1). The 1900
Census showed a significant (171.1 percent) increase as the population grew to 244 people in
Clyde’s first decade as a town (see Figure 2). The Town’s population grew by 41 percent the
following decade and then the rate of growth decreased to 5.5 percent between 1910 and 1920.
The growth rate accelerated again between 1920 and 1930 by 26.2 percent, raising the population
to 458. From then until 1980, the population grew each decade at rates between 12 and 24
percent. By the 1970 Census, the town’s population had reached 814.
Population growth continued, but the rate of growth dropped to 3.3 percent between 1980 and
1990 and then increased to more than 20 percent according to the 1990 and 2000 Censuses. By the
2000 Census, the Town of Clyde’s population had reached 1,324, which is an increase of 1,234
people (1,371 percent) over the 1890 population. According to the 2010 Census, Clyde’s population
decreased during the prior decade by 7.6 percent to 1,223. This is the first decline in population
reported for Clyde by a decennial Census in the town’s history.
Figure 1: Town of Clyde Population, 1890 – 2010
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau; N.C. Office of State Budget and Management; and Log Into North Carolina (LINC) website (http://data.osbm.state.nc.us/pls/linc/dyn_linc_main.show).
90
244
344 363
458 516
598
680
814
1,008 1,041
1,324
1,223
0
200
400
600
800
1,000
1,200
1,400
1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Po
pu
lati
on
Decade
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |9
Figure 2: Town of Clyde Population Growth Rate, 1890 – 2010
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau; North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management; and Log Into North Carolina (LINC) website (http://data.osbm.state.nc.us/pls/linc/dyn_linc_main.show)
Prior to the release of the 2010 Census data, the NC DCP staff reviewed 2009 municipal population
estimates from the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (NC OSBM) and the US
Census (see Table 1). The NC OSMB estimates are used for purposes of distributing state-shared
revenues. The agency’s 2009 estimates, released in September of 2010, showed the Town of Clyde
had a 2009 population of 1,401; an increase of 77 people (5.82%) over the 2000 Census population.2
However, the Census estimate for the 2009 population of Clyde was 1,2863, a decrease of 38 people
(-2.87%) from the year 2000. The 2009 Census population estimate for Clyde indicated a declining
population trend that 2010 Census data confirmed.
Both the 2009 NC OSBM and the 2009 Census population estimates for Clyde exceeded the actual
population reported by the 2010 Census. Of the two, the 2009 Census estimate was closest to the
actual 2010 population of Clyde. As shown in Table 1, the 2010 population was 63 people (almost 5
percent) less than the 2009 Census estimate whereas it was 178 people (almost 13 percent) less
than the 2009 NC OSBM population estimate.
171.1%
41.0%
5.5%
26.2% 12.7% 15.9% 13.7% 19.7% 23.8%
3.3%
27.2%
-7.63% -20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
140%
160%
180%
Po
pu
lati
on
Gro
wth
(P
erc
en
t)
Decade
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
10 | Element Two: Community Profile
Table 1: 2009 Population Estimates Compared to 2010 Census Results Difference: 2010
Census Population Minus 2009 NC OSBM
Population
Difference: 2010 Census Population Minus 2009 Census
2009 NC OSBM
Population Estimate
2009 Census
Population Estimate
2010 Census
Population Number Percent Number Percent
Clyde 1,401 1,286 1,223 -178 -12.7% -63 -4.9%
Canton 4,097 3,855 4,227 130 3.2% 372 9.6%
Maggie Valley 1,602 906 1,150 -452 -28.2% 244 26.9%
Waynesville 10,144 10,191 9,869 -275 -2.7% -322 -3.2%
Unincorporated Area
40,784 40,871 42,567 1,783 4.4% 1,696 4.1%
Haywood County 58,028 57,109 59,036 1,008 1.7% 1,927 3.4%
North Carolina 9,382,609 9,380,884 9,535,483 152,874 1.6% 154,599 1.6%
Source(s): NC Office of State Budget and Management and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Town of Clyde government leaders and staff have stated that the 2004 floods were the main cause
of the loss of population between 2000 and 2010. The floods damaged approximately 60 homes
and displaced even more residents. While some relocated to other housing within the Town, others
moved elsewhere. Mountain Projects, in partnership with the Town of Clyde, Haywood County, the
United States Department of Agriculture, church groups and other nonprofit and governmental
agencies, with funding from a Community Development Block Grant and other sources, developed
the Barefoot Ridge subdivision in Clyde to provide permanent, affordable housing outside of the
flood hazard area for residents who could not return to homes flooded in 2004. A number of homes
in the Barefoot Ridge subdivision were still under construction at the time of the 2010 Census.
Therefore, if those who would eventually reside in the homes were not already living somewhere
else in Clyde, they were not included as part of the town’s 2010 Census population.
According to the State Demographer, the next round of county and municipal population estimates
will use the 2010 Census data as the new base and municipal boundaries as of July 2, 2010.4 The NC
OSBM typically releases new population estimates every fall.
Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and Study Area Populations
As stated previously, the 2020 Land Use Plan Study Area encompasses land within Clyde and its
extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The Census Bureau does not use ETJ boundaries for collecting data.
Therefore, to estimate the Study Area’s overall population size, the approximate population of the
ETJ must be determined.
For the CLUP Study Area, rough calculations of the ETJ population were made based on the
approximate number of dwelling units in the ETJ in early 2010 (based on Haywood County
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |11
Geographic Information System information), dwelling unit vacancy rates from the 2000 Census and
average household sizes, also from the 2000 Census.
The 2000 Census average household sizes for Clyde and Haywood County are similar, at 2.33 and 2.3
respectively. However, the 2000 Census shows a significant difference between the dwelling unit
vacancy rates of Clyde, at 9.9 percent, and Haywood County as a whole, at 19.9 percent. Clyde has
consistently had one of the lowest housing vacancy rates of all of the towns in Haywood County (see
the housing subsection section in Element 6 for statistics), whereas the Town of Maggie Valley
typically has a very high vacancy rate due, in large part, to the number of seasonally occupied homes
there. The Maggie Valley figures as well as seasonal and other vacant homes throughout Haywood
County impact the county’s vacancy rate.
Homes in Clyde’s ETJ are located in the unincorporated portion of Haywood County; therefore, the
Haywood County vacancy rate could be applicable to the ETJ. However, development patterns in
the ETJ are influenced somewhat by the Town of Clyde (through its land development regulations,
for example) and some ETJ dwellers have access to public water and sewage treatment services
through the Junaluska Sanitary District that are similar to services provided by the Town of Clyde to
its residents. For these reasons, the Town of Clyde’s vacancy rate could also be applicable to the ETJ
(or parts thereof).
Two 2010 population estimates were made for the ETJ using the 2000 Census data (Table 2). One
uses the Clyde dwelling unit vacancy rate and average household size while the other uses the
Haywood County figures. The estimate based on Clyde data is the higher of the two, exceeding the
estimate based on Haywood County data by 277 people. As indicated above, the county’s much
higher vacancy rate is what creates the difference.
The January 2010 ETJ population estimate based on Clyde’s 2000 Census data is 1.7 times the NC
OSBM’s 2009 population estimate of the town alone.
Table 2: Town of Clyde’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction 2010 Population Estimates1
Estimated Number of Dwelling Units in
Clyde ETJ (January 2010)2
Dwelling Unit Vacancy Rate (2000 Census)
Average Household Size (2000
Census)
Estimated Clyde ETJ Population (January
2010)
Clyde Data 1,140 9.9% 2.33 2,393
Haywood County Data 1,140 19.9% 2.3 2,116
Difference 0 -10.0% 0.03 277
Source(s): Haywood County Geographic Information System; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census Notes: 1. Estimates prepared by the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office. 2. Figure is probably lower than the actual number because multiple manufactured homes on a lot were counted as one.
To provide an approximate population figure for the entire Land Use Plan Study Area, the ETJ
population estimate based on Clyde’s 2000 Census data (2,393) was added to the NC OSBM July
2009 population estimate for the town (1,401). The result is an estimated January 2010 Study Area
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
12 | Element Two: Community Profile
population of 3,794. Adding the same ETJ population estimate to the 2010 Census population of
Clyde (1,223) yields an estimated Study Area population of 3,616 (a difference of 178 people
compared to the other estimate).
Population Growth Rates
Table 3 shows the population and population changes for the four towns within Haywood County,
Haywood County as a whole and all of North Carolina over the past fifty years. Between 1960 and
1990, the Town of Clyde was the fastest growing municipality in Haywood County.
The population growth rate declined in all of the municipalities in Haywood County between 1980
and 1990, as it did for the county itself and, to a lesser extent, the state. With a growth rate of 3.3
percent between 1980 and 1990, Clyde was the only municipality in the county to have a positive
growth rate for the decade.
Table 3: Population Growth: Municipal, County and State, 1960 to 2010
Clyde Canton
Maggie Valley1
Waynesville Haywood
County North
Carolina
1960 Population 680 5,068 No data 6,159 39,711 4,556,155
1970 Population 814 5,158 No data 6,488 41,710 5,084,411
% Change 1960 to 1970
19.70% 1.80% --- 5.30% 5.00% 11.60%
1980 Population 1,008 4,631 202 6,765 46,495 5,881,766
% Change 1970 to 1980
23.80% -10.20% --- 4.30% 11.50% 15.70%
1990 Population 1,041 3,790 185 6,758 46,942 6,628,637
% Change 1980 to 1990
3.30% -18.20% -8.40% -0.10% 1.00% 12.70%
2000 Population 1,324 4,029 607 9,232 54,033 8,049,313
% Change 1990 to 2000
27.20% 6.30% 228.10% 36.60% 15.10% 21.40%
2010 Population 1,223 4,227 1,150 9,869 59,036 9,535,483
% Change 2000 to 2010
-7.60% 4.90% 89.50% 6.90% 9.30% 18.50%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau; North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management; and Log Into North Carolina (LINC) website (http://data.osbm.state.nc.us/pls/linc/dyn_linc_main.show). Note(s):
1. Maggie Valley incorporated in 1974. The NC Office of State Budget and Management estimates population for areas that incorporate between Census years based on data from the previous Census but does not do so for Census years earlier than the Census immediately preceding incorporation. Therefore, the 1960 and 1970 population figures for Maggie Valley are not available.
Haywood County and the municipalities in it grew at a significant rate between 1990 and 2000.
Clyde, however, was no longer the fastest growing town. Maggie Valley experienced a very large
increase in population and had the highest growth rate between 1990 and 2000 (228.2 percent).
Waynesville had the second highest growth rate (36.6 percent), followed by Clyde (27.2 percent),
and then Canton (6.3 percent). Haywood County grew by 15.1 percent during that period.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |13
With the exception of Clyde, the populations of the state, Haywood County and its municipalities
continued to grow between 2000 and 2010, but at a decreasing rate. The county grew by 9.3
percent during that time. Among the municipalities, Maggie Valley grew considerably more than
the others with a rate of 89.5 percent. Waynesville had the next highest municipal growth rate at
6.9 percent, followed by Canton at 4.9 percent. Clyde, on the other hand, experienced a 7.6 percent
decline in population.
Municipal Proportion of County Population
As Haywood County’s overall population has grown, the proportion of its population comprised by
municipalities has changed in various ways. Table 4 shows the composition of the county’s
population in terms of incorporated and unincorporated areas between 1980 and 2010. The
unincorporated area has a larger population than the combined population of all of the towns
within the county. During each decade since 1980 (the first decennial Census year in which all of the
current Haywood County towns existed), the population of the unincorporated area has grown. The
unincorporated area population has occupied between 72 and 75 percent of the overall county
population over the past 30 years and currently stands, as of the 2010 Census, at 72.1 percent.
While Clyde’s share of the county population has changed very little since 1980 (ranging from 2.1 to
2.5 percent), it declined for the first time between 2000 and 2010 (see Table 4). Maggie Valley was
the only town that grew in proportion to the county population between 2000 and 2010 and its
growth since 1990 has brought it very close to occupying the same percentage of the county
population as Clyde. Figure 3 shows the 2010 incorporated and unincorporated populations of the
towns and unincorporated area in proportion to the overall Haywood County population.
Table 4: Incorporated and Unincorporated Area Populations in Haywood County, 1980 - 2010
1980 Population
Percent of 1980
County Population
1990 Population
Percent of 1990
County Population
2000 Population
Percent of 2000
County Population
2010 Population
Percent of 2010
County Population
Clyde 1,008 2.2% 1,041 2.2% 1,324 2.5% 1,223 2.1%
Canton 4,631 10.0% 3,790 8.1% 4,029 7.5% 4,227 7.2%
Maggie Valley 202 0.4% 185 0.4% 607 1.1% 1,150 1.9%
Waynesville 6,765 14.5% 6,758 14.4% 9,232 17.1% 9,869 16.7%
Unincorporated Area
33,889 72.9% 35,168 74.9% 38,841 71.9% 42,567 72.1%
Haywood County 46,495 100.0% 46,942 100.0% 54,033 100.0% 59,036 100.0%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau; NC Office of State Budget and Management; and Log Into North Carolina (LINC) website.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
14 | Element Two: Community Profile
Figure 3: 2010 Haywood County Incorporated and Unincorporated Area Populations
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau; NC Office of State Budget and Management; and Log Into North Carolina (LINC) website.
Population Density
Although the population of Clyde is relatively small compared to the overall population of Haywood
County and most of the towns therein, its population density (persons per square mile) was the
highest according to the 1990 and 2000 Censuses.
In 2000, the Town of Clyde’s population of 1,324 was distributed over less than one (0.84) square
mile of land area, resulting in a population density of 1,579 persons per square mile. Of all of the
municipalities in Haywood County, in 2000 the Town of Clyde had the smallest land area, the second
smallest population, and the highest population density (see Table 5). In 1990, it had the second
smallest land area, the second smallest population, and the highest population density.
According to Census figures, the land area of the Town of Clyde did not change between 1990 and
2000, however its population, and, therefore, its population density, increased. The Town actually
added land during that period through a 1997 annexation of 0.371 acres. However, the addition did
not change the Town’s overall land area enough to affect its population density.
Table 5: Population Density (Persons per Square Mile): Municipal and County, 1990-2000
1990 2000
Population Land Area (Sq. Mi.)
Population Density
Population Land Area (Sq. Mi.)
Population Density
Clyde 1,041 0.84 1,239.3 1,324 0.84 1,579.2
Canton 3,790 3.54 1,070.6 4,029 3.82 1,054.6
Maggie Valley 185 0.75 246.7 607 1.63 372.8
Waynesville 6,758 5.78 1,169.5 9,232 7.75 1,191.8
Haywood County 46,942 553.89 84.7 54,033 553.66 97.6
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau; N.C. Office of State Budget and Management; Log Into North Carolina (LINC) website (http://data.osbm.state.nc.us/pls/link/dyn_linc_main.show); and N.C. Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office calculations.
Clyde 2.1%
Canton 7.2% Maggie Valley
1.9%
Waynesville 16.7%
Unincorporated Area
72.1%
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |15
Elements of Population Change
Changes in a community’s population often result from natural increase (the difference between the
number of births and deaths) and net migration (the difference between the number of people
moving in and moving out). Another factor that can lead to a change in population is a
municipality’s annexation activity.
Natural Increase and Net Migration
The State of North Carolina provides information on natural increase and net migration for counties
but not for municipalities. Table 6 and Table 7 show such data for Haywood County, the counties in
North Carolina that surround it and the State of North Carolina between 1980 and 2000.
Table 6: Components of Population Growth in Selected Counties and State, 1980 to 19901
County 1980
Population 1990
Population Growth
% Growth
Births Deaths Natural Growth
Net Migration
Migration as % of Growth
Buncombe 160,897 174,357 13,460 7.7 21,217 17,031 4,186 9,695 69.8
Haywood 46,495 46,948 447 1.0 5,165 4,790 375 72 16.1
Henderson 58,617 69,747 11,130 19.0 7,659 7,016 643 10,066 93.9
Jackson 25,811 26,835 1,024 4.0 2,914 2,111 803 232 22.4
Madison 16,827 16,953 126 0.7 1,840 1,735 105 21 16.7
Swain 10,283 11,268 985 9.6 1,772 1,332 440 545 55.3
Transylvania 23,417 25,520 2,103 9.0 2,836 2,095 741 1,362 64.8
North Carolina
5,880,095 6,632,448 752,353 12.8 901,708 527,545 374,163 378,190 50.3
Source(s): N.C. State Data Center, State Demographics Unit (www.demog.state.nc.us). Notes: 1. Corrections to 1990 Census population figures issued by the Census Bureau are included; however growth, births, deaths and other statistics have not been changed by the State Data Center.
Table 7: Components of Population Growth in Selected Counties and State, 1990 to 20001
County 1990
Population 2000
Population Growth
% Growth
Births Deaths Natural Growth
Net Migration
Migration as % of Growth
Buncombe 174,357 206,330 31,973 18.3 23,473 20,219 3,254 28,719 89.8
Haywood 46,948 54,033 7,085 15.1 5,424 5,768 -344 7,429 104.9
Henderson 69,747 89,173 19,426 27.9 8,816 9,604 -788 20,214 104.1
Jackson 26,835 33,121 6,286 23.4 3,198 2,663 535 5,751 91.5
Madison 16,953 19,635 2,682 15.8 2,075 2,014 61 2,621 97.7
Swain 11,268 12,968 1,700 15.1 1,700 1,416 284 1,416 83.3
Transylvania 25,520 29,334 3,814 14.9 2,863 2,926 -63 3,877 101.7
North Carolina 6,632,448 8,046,813 1,416,865 21.3 1,054,045 638,171 415,874 1,000,991 70.6
Source(s): N.C. State Data Center, State Demographics unit (www.demog.state.nc.us). Notes: 1. Includes corrections to 2000 Census figures issued by the Census Bureau and subsequent adjustments to other statistics by the State Data Center.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
16 | Element Two: Community Profile
Between 1980 and 1990, most of Haywood County’s growth came from natural increase (almost
84%). Of the seven counties listed in Table 6, four had more than 50 percent of their growth from
net migration while Haywood County had the lowest percentage of growth (16.1 percent) due to net
migration.
In all seven of the counties profiled in Table 7 above, more than 80 percent of their growth between
1990 and 2000 came from net migration. Net migration contributed to more than 70 percent of
North Carolina’s growth during that time. Haywood County had the highest percentage of growth
from net migration at 104.9 percent due to a higher number of deaths compared to births and a
substantial increase in the number of people moving to the area. Data regarding how natural
increase and net migration have directly affected Clyde’s population is not readily available;
however the jump in Haywood County’s net migration rate between 1990 and 2000 surely had an
impact on the population of the Study Area.
Data is not yet available regarding natural increase and net migration for North Carolina counties
between 2000 and 2010. The populations of all seven of the counties highlighted in this section
continued to grow, but at a declining rate (see Table 8). One might expect that growth from net
migration continued to outpace growth from natural increase in a majority of the seven counties,
particularly for the first half of the decade, due to the significant amount of lot creation and new
home construction that was happening in western North Carolina.
Table 8: Population Growth in Selected Counties, 2000 to 2010
County 2000
Population 2010
Population Growth % Growth
Buncombe 206,330 238,318 31,988 15.5
Haywood 54,033 59,036 5,003 9.3
Henderson 89,173 106,740 17,567 19.7
Jackson 33,121 40,271 7,150 21.6
Madison 19,635 20,764 1,129 5.7
Swain 12,968 13,981 1,013 7.8
Transylvania 29,334 33,090 3,756 12.8
North Carolina 8,046,813 9,535,483 1,488,670 18.5
Source(s): N.C. State Data Center, State Demographics unit (www.demog.state.nc.us) and U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census (http://factfinder2.census.gov/main.html)
The Census Bureau collects data at the municipal level on in-migration, which is one component of
net migration. In-migration refers to the number of people (five years or older) who lived outside of
a given county five years prior to a Census. As shown in Table 9, in-migration declined in Clyde
between 1980 and 2000.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |17
Table 9: In-migration1: Municipal and County, 1980-2000
1980 1990 2000
Clyde 192 191 174
Canton 532 573 527
Maggie Valley 68 66 178
Waynesville 1,028 1,052 1,650
Haywood County 6,010 6,417 8,819
Source(s): N.C. State Data Center, Log Into North Carolina (LINC), http://linc.state.nc.us/
It is possible that net migration decreased in Clyde between 2000 and 2010 because of an increase
in out-migration due to the 2004 floods and the potential for a continued decline in in-migration
given the trend in the previous three decades. The Census Bureau has not yet released migration
figures for the 2010 Census.
Annexation
Since its incorporation, the Town of Clyde has expanded its town limits and in some cases, its
population, through annexation. Clyde originally contained approximately 502.65 acres (0.78 square
miles). The town is now approximately 552.55 acres (0.86 square miles), having added almost 50
acres through annexation.
Since 1980, the Town of Clyde annexed land that added almost 40 acres (28 acres of which are in
the Barefoot Ridge subdivision) and 15 permanent residents to the corporate limits. The Barefoot
Ridge annexation comprises more than half of all of the land annexed by the Town since its
incorporation. At the time of the Barefoot Ridge annexation, there were no permanent residents
added to the town because homes had not yet been built in the subdivision. Table 10 summarizes
the Town of Clyde’s annexation activity since 1980.
Table 10: Town of Clyde Annexation History, 1980-2011 Year Annexation
Effective Acres Annexed
Permanent Residents Added
1981 6 10
1986 0.84 2
1997 0.371 1
2005 28 0
2007 1.5 0
2008 3 2
Totals 39.711 15
Source(s): Town of Clyde – Boundary and Annexation Survey data submitted to the U.S. Census; NC Department of the Secretary of State, Division of Certification and Filing, Land Records Management Section; and U.S. Census Bureau.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
18 | Element Two: Community Profile
Town of Clyde Population Projections
Projecting the size of a community’s future population is challenging because there are so many
factors that influence population growth and decline, including annexation activity, economic
conditions and natural disasters, for example. The projections presented in this Land Use Plan are
intended to provide a general idea of what could happen in the future for planning purposes.
The State Demographer in the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management provides
both population estimates and projections for counties but only provides population estimates for
cities and towns. Beginning in late 2011 or early 2012, however, the State Demographer will begin
producing municipal population projections. In the meantime, the North Carolina Department of
Commerce, Division of Community Planning, prepared population projections for the Town of Clyde
using several methods suggested by the State Demographer. It is important to note that the
following population projections were developed prior to the release of 2010 Census data.
Population Projections – Method 1 (Constant Share)
Method 1, referred to as a constant share projection technique, uses the State’s 2009 population
estimates for Clyde and Haywood County (see Table 11) and State projections for Haywood County’s
population through 2030 (see Table 12) to project the Town of Clyde’s population during the same
period. It assumes that Clyde’s population is a constant proportion of the county population. In
2009, Clyde’s estimated population was 2.41 percent of the estimated county population therefore
it serves as the constant used to project Clyde’s population through 2030 using Method 1 (see Table
13).
Table 11: 2009 Estimated Population: Town of Clyde and Haywood County
Community July 2009 Estimated
Population
Clyde 1,401
Haywood County 58,028
Clyde Population as Percentage of Haywood County Population 2.41%
Source(s): NC Office of State Budget and Management, updated 09/16/10.
Table 12: Town of Clyde Population Projections, 2010 – 2030 (Method 1)
Year Haywood County
Projected Population Town of Clyde Projected
Population
2010 58,354 1,406
2015 60,331 1,454
2020 62,304 1,502
2025 64,281 1,549
2030 66,256 1,597
Source(s): NC Office of State Budget and Management and calculations by the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |19
The projections resulting from Method 1 (see Table 12, above, and Table 13, below) show that Clyde
will grow by 96 people (6.8 percent) to reach a population of 1,502 by 2020. It will grow by another
95 people (6.3 percent) to a population of 1,579 by 2030. Overall, Method 1 results show that Clyde
is projected to grow by 191 people (13.6 percent) by 2030.
Table 13: Town of Clyde Projected Population Growth, 2010 – 2030 (Method 1) Projected Population by Decade Growth 2010-2020 Growth 2020-2030 Growth 2010-2030
2010 2020 2030 Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
1,406 1,502 1,597 96 6.8% 95 6.3% 191 13.6%
Source(s): NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office.
Population Projections – Method 2 (Arithmetic)
Method 2 is known as an arithmetic projection technique. It uses the town’s population growth
over a period of time (excluding growth due to annexation) to calculate the average number of
people added per year. Population is then projected by adding that same average number of people
per year for each year up to a point in the future. This method assumes a steady rate of growth.
According to the State Demographer5, the Town of Clyde’s non-annexation population growth
between April 2000 and July 2009 was 56 people. Therefore, in 9.25 years, Clyde’s population grew
by an average of 6 people per year. Table 14 shows the resulting population, in 5-year increments, if
6 people are added to the 2009 population estimate (from the NC OSBM – see Table 11) through
2030. In 2020, the projected population is 1,467 and by 2030, it is 1,527. Table 15 shows that,
under Method 2, Clyde is expected to grow by 60 people per decade between 2010 and 2030,
increasing by a total of 8.5 percent.
Table 14: Town of Clyde Population Projections, 2010 – 2030 (Method 2)
Year Town of Clyde Projected
Population
2010 1,407
2015 1,437
2020 1,467
2025 1,497
2030 1,527
Source(s): NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office
Table 15: Town of Clyde Projected Growth, 2010 – 2030 (Method 2) Population Projection by Decade Growth 2010-2020 Growth 2020-2030 Growth 2010-2030
2010 2020 2030 Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
1,407 1,467 1,527 60 4.2% 60 4.1% 120 8.5%
Source(s): NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
20 | Element Two: Community Profile
Comparison of Method 1 and Method 2 Population Projections
The population of Clyde is projected to grow at a much faster rate under Method 1 compared to
Method 2 (see Table 16).
Table 16: Summary of Method 1 and Method 2 Population Projections for the Town of Clyde
Projected Population by Decade
Growth 2010-2020
Growth 2020-2030
Growth 2010-2030
Projection Method
2010 2020 2030 Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
1 1,406 1,502 1,597 96 6.8% 95 6.3% 191 13.6%
2 1,407 1,467 1,527 60 4.2% 60 4.1% 120 8.5%
Source(s): NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office
As shown in Table 17, the Method 1 and Method 2 projections of Clyde’s 2020 population differ by
35 people (a 2.4 percent difference in the growth rate). For 2030, they differ by 70 people (a 4.6
percent difference in the growth rate). Haywood County’s rate of growth, as projected by the State
Demographer, is the main determinant of Clyde’s more accelerated rate of growth in Method 1.
Method 2 relies on Clyde’s own recent growth estimates. The Method 1 and Method 2 projections,
and the average of the two projections, are plotted in Figure 4.
Table 17: Comparison of Method 1 and Method 2 Population Projections for the Town of Clyde
Year Method 1 Projected
Population
Method 2 Projected
Population
Difference (Method 1 minus Method 2)
Percent Difference
Average
2010 1,406 1,407 -1 <0.1% 1,407
2015 1,454 1,437 17 1.2% 1,446
2020 1,502 1,467 35 2.4% 1,485
2025 1,549 1,497 52 3.5% 1,523
2030 1,597 1,527 70 4.6% 1,562
Source(s): NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |21
Figure 4: Comparison of Population Projections for the Town of Clyde, 2010 – 2030*
Source(s): NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office *Note: Projections were made prior to the release of 2010 Census data.
The population projections suggest that by 2020, the Town of Clyde could gain between 60 and 96
people, growing by 4.2 to 6.8 percent. Between 2010 and 2030, the town may add between 120
and 191 people if, as suggested by the projections, the growth rate is between 8.5 and 13.6 percent.
2010 Census Results
As noted earlier in this section, the 2010 Census total population figure for Clyde was lower than the
2009 population estimates provided by both the NC OSBM and the U.S. Census. The opposite was
true for Haywood County as a whole. The NC OSBM and the Census estimates of the 2009
population for the county were lower than the population recorded by the 2010 Census (shown
previously in Table 4). These differences will certainly have implications on the population
projections for both Haywood County and for Clyde. Following the release of the initial 2010 Census
results in March of 2011, it was too early for the State Demographer to predict how such results
would affect the State’s long term projections for Haywood County but she thought they might be
somewhat higher than the projections her office made based on the 2009 population estimate
because that estimate was low. For Clyde, the 2009 estimate was higher than the actual population
and the State Demographer though the trend data would probably cause the population projections
to be lower.6
The State Demographer’s next sets of population estimates and projections (to be released in late
2011 and early 2012, respectively) will be based on the 2010 Census data. Once such figures
1,324
1,406
1,454
1,502
1,549
1,597
1,324
1,407
1,437 1,467 1,497
1,527
1,324
1,407
1,446 1,485
1,523 1,562
1,000
1,200
1,400
1,600
1,800
2000 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
Po
pu
lati
on
Year
Method 1Method 2Average
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
22 | Element Two: Community Profile
become available, this section of the CLUP (and other relevant sections) should be reviewed and
revised accordingly.
Study Area Population Projections
For the long-range planning purposes of the Land Use Plan, rough projections of the population of
the overall Study Area have been made. The uncertainties that accompanied the preparation of
estimates of the ETJ population earlier in this section are likely compounded by using such estimates
to project future population size.
Two methods were used to project the future population for the Town of Clyde and each used
different rates of growth. Given that the State Demographer expects the next NC OSBM population
estimate and projections for the town to be lower due to the 2010 Census results, the lower
projections and growth rates for Clyde from Method 2 (Table 15) along with the ETJ population
estimate based on Clyde’s 2000 vacancy rate and average household size (Table 2) were used to
generate 2010, 2020 and 2030 population projections for the Town of Clyde, its ETJ and the Study
Area as a whole, as shown in Table 18. The projections assume that the size of the town and the
size of the ETJ remain constant. In each decade, the Study Area’s projected population is 1.7 times
that of the town.
The population projections for the Land Use Plan Study Area should be reviewed and revised as
needed once additional information is available from the 2010 Census and the State Demographer.
Table 18: Population Projections: Town of Clyde, Clyde Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and Land Use Plan Study Area, 2010 – 2030
Area Projected Population by Decade
2010 2020 2030
Town of Clyde 1,407 1,467 1,527
Clyde ETJ 2,393 2,496 2,597
Land Use Plan Study Area 3,800 3,963 4,124
Source(s): Haywood County Geographic Information System; NC Office of State Budget and Management; U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census; NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office.
Median Age
Median age is the age at which half of the population is older and half is younger. Clyde’s median
age has gone up and down since 1980. According to the 2010 Census, the median age of Clyde
residents was 38.3. This is 3.3 years older than the median age in 1980; 2.3 years younger than the
median age in 1990 and 0.5 year older than the median age in 2000 (see Table 19). In 2010, Clyde’s
population had the lowest median age compared to the other towns in Haywood County and to the
county population as a whole. It was almost 1 year older than the median age of North Carolina
residents in 2010.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |23
Table 19: Median Age, 1980-2010 Haywood County, Haywood County and North Carolina
1980 1990 2000 2010
Clyde 35.0 40.6 37.8 38.3
Canton 41.6 47.3 43.3 40.9
Maggie Valley 37.5 53.9 49.0 53.3
Waynesville 37.1 42.0 44.0 46.7
Haywood County 34.4 39.8 42.3 45.6
North Carolina 29.6 33.2 35.3 37.4
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 1970, 1980, 1990 and 2000 Censuses
The state’s median age rose with each decennial Census since 1980. The North Carolina State Data
Center projects that it will continue to rise, as shown in Table 20. Haywood County’s median age
steadily increased during the same period, is projected to continue to rise to 48.25 by 2020 and will
decline very slightly to 48.23 by 2030 (see Table 20). The State Data Center’s projections for median
age are updated over time. For example, in 2006, it projected Haywood County’s median age would
be 51.3 in 2020, almost 5 years older than the current projection for 2020.7
Because changes in Clyde’s median age did not consistently follow those of Haywood County
between 1980 and 2010 and because there are no median age projections available at the municipal
level, it is difficult to say how it will trend in the future. However, if in-migration (discussed
previously), particularly of older adults, continues to influence population growth in Haywood
County, it is likely that it, combined with the aging of baby boomers, will cause the median age of
Clyde and the rest of the Study Area to increase.
Table 20: Projected Median Age: Haywood County and North Carolina, 2020 & 2030 2020 2030
Haywood County 46.33 45.16
State of North Carolina 38.48 38.89
Source(s): North Carolina State Data Center (http://www.osbm.state.nc.us/demog/prsage.html)
Age Distribution
Table 21 provides a generalized look at Clyde’s age distribution in 1990, 2000 and 2010 and also
illustrates how the age categories have changed over the past 20 years.
The number of children and teenagers increased by 89 (almost 37 percent) between 1990 and 2010
and together comprised more than one quarter (25.6 percent) of the town’s total population (up 2.4
percent from 1990). The 20 to 64 age group grew by 109 (18.7 percent) between 1990 and 2010. It
remained at close to the same proportion (56.6 percent) of the total population in 2010 as it did in
1990 (56 percent). The 65 and older segment of Clyde’s population grew in numbers between 1990
and 2000, but comprised a smaller percentage of the total population in 2000 compared with 1990.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
24 | Element Two: Community Profile
By 2010, the age group was smaller than it was in 1990 by 16 people (a 7.4 percent decrease over 20
years) and was also smaller in proportion to the total population.
Table 21: Town of Clyde Age Distribution, 1990, 2000 and 2010 (Combined Age Cohorts)
Age 1990
Population
Percent of Total 1990 Population
2000 Population
Percent of Total 2000 Population
2010 Population
Percent of Total 2010 Population
Numerical Change
1990-2010
Percent Change
1990-2010
Under 20 241 23.2% 339 25.6% 330 27.0% 89 36.9%
20-64 583 56.0% 747 56.4% 692 56.6% 109 18.7%
65+ 217 20.8% 238 18.0% 201 16.4% -16 -7.4%
Totals 1,041 100.0% 1,324 100.0% 1,223 100.0% 182 17.5%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 1990, 2000 and 2010 Censuses
Race and Ethnicity
Race
The racial composition of the population of the towns in Haywood County, the county itself and the
state are compared in Table 22. Table 22 only shows data for 2000 and 2010 because the Census
Bureau changed the way it collected data on race in 2000. For example, respondents could identify
themselves as being of more than one race beginning in 2000.
Between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of North Carolina’s population that was of a race other
than white or African American (such as American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander, and others) grew,
while the white population declined. The African American population declined slightly. These
trends are generally reflected, although to a lesser degree, in the populations of Haywood County
and the municipalities therein.
While the racial composition of Clyde did not change drastically between 2000 and 2010, its greatest
change was the increase in populations other than white and African American.
Table 22: Racial Composition of Population (Percent), 2000 and 2010
One Race
Two or More Races
White African American Other
2000 2010 2000 2010 2000 2010 2000 2010
Clyde 94.9% 94.8% 2.5% 2.0% 1.8% 2.6% 0.8% 0.7%
Canton 96.1% 93.6% 1.6% 1.8% 1.6% 2.9% 0.7% 1.7%
Maggie Valley 96.4% 92.6% 1.3% 0.6% 1.6% 5.8% 0.8% 1.0%
Waynesville 94.4% 92.4% 3.3% 2.4% 1.6% 4.0% 0.7% 1.3%
Haywood County 96.8% 95.5% 1.3% 1.1% 1.1% 2.3% 0.7% 1.1%
North Carolina 72.1% 68.5% 21.6% 21.5% 4.9% 7.9% 1.3% 2.2%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census and 2010 Census.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Two: Community Profile |25
Ethnicity
As defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, “Hispanic or Latino,” refers to “a
person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or
origin regardless of race.”8 Federal agencies that collect and present data, such as the U.S. Census
Bureau, must use at least two ethnicities: “Hispanic or Latino” and “Not Hispanic or Latino.”
Ethnicity data for the municipalities within Haywood County, Haywood County and North Carolina is
presented in Table 23.
Table 23: Hispanic or Latino Ethnicity of Population (Percent), 2000 and 2010
2000 2010
Clyde 1.9% 3.0%
Canton 2.4% 5.0%
Maggie Valley 0.2% 5.3%
Waynesville 2.0% 5.7%
Haywood County 1.4% 3.4%
North Carolina 4.7% 8.4%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census and 2010 Census.
The Hispanic or Latino populations in all of the jurisdictions listed in Table 23 grew as a percentage
of the overall populations between 2000 and 2010. Clyde had smallest percentage of Hispanic or
Latino persons in the county as well as the lowest rate of increase between 2000 and 2010.
Households
Between 1980 and 2000, the number of households in Clyde grew with each decennial census (see
Table 24). Given the decline in Clyde’s total population between 2000 and 2010, one would expect
that the number of households declined as well. It did, but by only 1 household (or -0.2 percent)
according to the 2010 Census.
Table 24: Number of Households: Municipal, County and State, 1980 – 2010
1980 1990
% Change 1980 - 1990
2000 % Change
1990 - 2000 2010
% Change 2000 - 2010
Clyde 362 431 19.1% 547 26.9% 546 -0.2%
Canton 1,870 1,715 -8.3% 1,819 6.1% 1,791 -1.5%
Maggie Valley 96 89 -7.3% 297 233.7% 551 85.5%
Waynesville 2,600 2,898 11.5% 4,106 41.7% 4,426 7.8%
Haywood County 16,965 19,211 13.2% 23,100 20.2% 25,563 10.7%
North Carolina 2,045,714 2,517,026 23.0% 3,132,013 24.4% 3,745,155 19.6%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 Censuses.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
26 | Element Two: Community Profile
The average household size declined somewhat significantly in each of the municipalities in
Haywood County, Haywood County itself and the State of North Carolina between 1980 and 1990
(see Table 25). Canton and Clyde saw slight increases in the number of persons per household
between 1990 and 2000 while the rest of the jurisdictions experienced declines. Clyde’s average
household size declined again between 2000 and 2010, as it did in Waynesville, Haywood County
and North Carolina.
Table 25: Persons per Households (Average Household Size): Municipal, County and State, 1980 – 2010
1980 1990 2000 2010
Clyde 2.43 2.30 2.33 2.24
Canton 2.44 2.15 2.17 2.32
Maggie Valley 2.85 2.08 2.04 2.09
Waynesville 2.54 2.27 2.16 2.11
Haywood County (All) 2.70 2.40 2.30 2.28
North Carolina 2.78 2.54 2.49 2.28
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 Censuses.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure |27
Element Three: Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
Introduction
A primary function of local government is to provide services to its residents. In North Carolina, the
only service a city or town must provide (on its own or through a contract with another entity) is
building code enforcement. However, many cities and towns, including Clyde, perform other
functions and provide a variety of services, such as maintaining roads, making drinking water
available, disposing of sewage, picking up trash, offering parks and recreation facilities, and
providing police protection.
The availability of funding, demographic trends, the age and condition of facilities, the way land is
used or developed, state and federal projects, and other outside influences, for example, are among
the many factors that determine the type and level of services a local government provides to its
citizens. As Clyde knows all too well, unforeseen circumstances, such as natural disasters, can also
significantly impact public facilities, services, and infrastructure.
The Town of Clyde currently provides the services listed below, either directly or through
agreements and/or contracts with other entities:
Drinking water supply (by agreement with the Town of Canton)
Wastewater disposal (by agreement with Junaluska Sanitary District and others)
Police protection
Street maintenance and lighting
Garbage collection
Leaves, brush, and junk collection
Business privilege licensing
Planning and zoning administration
Stormwater management
Flood damage prevention (through Haywood County)
Erosion and sedimentation control (through Haywood County)
Building inspections (through Haywood County)
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Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure
The existing public infrastructure, facilities, and services in the Clyde area, as well future plans for
such, are reviewed in more detail below.
Transportation
This section provides an overview of the components of the existing transportation system in the
Clyde area and summarizes relevant transportation planning efforts for various modes, including
vehicular, bicycle, pedestrian, public transit, and rail facilities and services.
There are inherent connections between land use and transportation planning. Land use decisions
may result in an increase in usage of certain segments or components of a transportation system.
For example, the construction of a school is likely to increase the traffic volume on roads in its
vicinity (as was the case with Clyde Elementary School), and may require the addition of turn lanes,
the widening of road shoulders, etc. Transportation system investments can also drive land use
decisions. Plans for a new highway may require zoning map amendments to accommodate the
businesses and other uses that may be attracted to the area, thereby changing the development
pattern. The interconnectedness of land use and transportation decisions demands that planning
efforts be coordinated.
The transportation recommendations found at the end of this element are intended to support the
development patterns envisioned by the Land Use Plan as well as other Plan goals.
Roads and Bridges
The Study Area has excellent access via major highways. Carolina Boulevard (US Highway 19/23 or
US 19/23) is a major artery that bisects the Study Area from east to west. This five-lane road, which
passes through the heart of the downtown area, benefits the town but also presents some
challenges (as discussed elsewhere in this Plan).
Interstate 40 (I-40) runs through the northern portion of the Study Area, almost parallel to Carolina
Boulevard. It splits from US Highway 74 (US 74) at exit 27 and heads northeast to the border of
North Carolina and Tennessee at the interchange with US 19/23. US 74 (the beginning of the Great
Smoky Mountains Expressway) joins US 19/23 southwest of the Clyde town limits. Clyde is located
less than 7 miles (road distance) from downtown Waynesville, the Haywood County seat. Asheville,
Western North Carolina’s largest city, is within a 30-minute drive of Clyde.
There are approximately 11 bridges on public (federal, state and town) roads. Two of the bridges
cross the Pigeon River. One is on US 74, between I-40 and US 19/23. It crosses Hyder Mountain
Road and Old Clyde Road/Broad Street well above grade. The other bridge that crosses the Pigeon
River is on Charles Street in downtown Clyde. The bridge on Charles Street provides the only
connection across the Pigeon River for a large section of the northern portion of the Study Area.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure |29
According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the Town of Clyde
maintains approximately 8.37 miles of roads. The Town only maintains roads within its corporate
limits. Other roads within the Study Area are either state-maintained or private.
State Funding for Municipal Streets
Each year, the State of North Carolina allocates funds to eligible, qualified incorporated
municipalities for road construction, maintenance, repair, and other improvements, for the
planning, construction, and maintenance of bikeways (within public road rights-of-way) and
sidewalks (along public roads). The funding for such allocations comes from the State Highway Fund
and the State Highway Trust Fund under North Carolina General Statutes 136-41.1 through 136-41.4
(known as the Powell Bill). The Powell Bill provides a municipality with the option of accepting all of
the allocated funds or having some or all of the funds reprogrammed for an approved project in the
State Transportation Improvement Program that is either within the municipality or within the
municipality’s metropolitan or rural planning organization area if the allocation would, in itself or
with existing programmed project funding, fund one full phase of a project.
For 2010, Clyde’s allocation of Powell Bill funds totaled $40,301.73.9 The Town uses the funds to
maintain roads and sidewalks within the corporate limits of Clyde. The funds do not fully cover the
maintenance costs; therefore the Town has to prioritize improvement projects for existing facilities
and has not been able to use the funds for planning or constructing new facilities such as bikeways
or additional sidewalks.
Traffic Counts
Each year, NCDOT provides Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) counts for many of the state-
maintained roads in counties and urbanized areas. The AADT counts for some roads are conducted
every other year.
Between 2001 and 2010, according to the AADT data, traffic counts did not change in 4 locations,
they decreased in 12 and they increased in 14. The most significant decrease in daily traffic
occurred on Main Street, in the downtown area, where the AADT declined by 31.6 percent, from
3,800 to 2,600 vehicles per day. The decrease is likely due to a combination of factors including the
opening of Clyde Elementary School in April of 2000 and the conversion of the segment of Charles
Street between Carolina Boulevard and Broad Street into a one-way street that allows only south to
north travel. As noted elsewhere in this plan, Charles Street is the only local road that crosses the
Pigeon River within the Study Area. Residents on the north side of the river must use the bridge on
Charles Street to access downtown Clyde, Clyde Elementary School, Carolina Boulevard, I-40, etc.
During the morning commute time on school days, traffic backs up along Broad Street as vehicles
wait to enter and exit the Clyde Elementary School parking lot. Traffic back-ups make it difficult for
those traveling south across the river on Charles Street to make left turns onto Broad Street and
then right turns onto Main Street to get to Carolina Boulevard. Before the one-way portion of
Charles Street was established, drivers from the north end of Charles Street could continue across
Broad Street on Charles Street to Carolina Boulevard. Now they turn right on Broad Street and then
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
30 |
Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure
take a left on Morgan Street to get to Carolina Boulevard and other destinations. Drivers traveling
on Carolina Boulevard that need to access the bridge at Charles Street also tend to make use of
Morgan Street rather than Main Street.
Chambers Mountain Road and a portion of Carolina Boulevard, east of its intersection with Pleasant
Hill Road, had daily traffic counts that decreased by more than 20 percent between 2001 and 2010.
During the same period, the most notable increases in daily traffic occurred on: Lee Road, east of its
intersection with Jones Cove Road (63.6 percent); Carolina Boulevard, between Jones Cove Road
and the western ETJ boundary (53.8 percent) and Jones Cove Road, near Haywood Community
College (51.9 percent). An increase in student enrollment and programs offered at Haywood
Community College, combined with new residential, commercial, and medical office development
near Clyde’s western ETJ boundary, have likely contributed to the increases in daily traffic on the
western end of Carolina Boulevard and on Jones Cove Road.
Planned Future Road and Bridge Projects
The Study Area is located in Division 14 of the NCDOT Division of Highways. The Division 14
Engineer’s office in Sylva (Jackson County) serves 10 of the westernmost counties in the state.
Division 14 is divided into 3 districts. Clyde falls in District 2, which is comprised of Haywood,
Jackson and Swain Counties. The District 2 Engineer’s office is located in the Whittier community in
Jackson County.
The Study Area is also part of the planning jurisdiction of the French Broad River Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO is comprised of local governments, including the Town of
Clyde, within a defined urbanized area that includes Buncombe County, Henderson County and part
of Haywood County. The MPO works with the NCDOT on long-range planning for transportation
system improvements in the region. Such planning encompasses all modes of transportation
including highways, bicycle and pedestrian facilities and public transit. The Land of Sky Regional
Council provides staff assistance to the MPO.
The MPO adopted a Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) in late 2007 and the NCDOT adopted
it in January of 2008. It is a 30-year plan that that identifies future transportation needs. The CTP
does not recommend any road improvement projects in the Study Area.
The NCDOT requires that the MPO develop and prioritize a list of projects for possible inclusion in
the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The MPO’s 2011-2017 Priority Needs List
contains no road or bridge projects for the Study Area.
The MPO is required by the state and federal governments to prepare other transportation planning
documents as well. Such plans are incorporated into the STIP. Other than pavement rehabilitation
work on I-40, there are no road or bridge projects proposed for the Study Area in the 2009 - 2015
STIP.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure |31
Carolina Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Plan
In 2008, NCDOT installed a sidewalk and new traffic signal poles along Carolina Boulevard using
“Small Urban” project money that passed through Division 14 to District 2. The Town of Clyde
initiated discussions with the NCDOT in 2010 about improving the appearance of Carolina Boulevard
and providing on-street parking. The project is proposed to run from Smathers Street to Pleasant
Hill Road. When resurfacing Carolina Boulevard in 2010, the NCDOT, at the request of the Town of
Clyde, changed the pavement markings to establish 10 on-street parking spaces.
Town leaders want to enhance the streetscape along Carolina Boulevard with bump-outs,
landscaping, sidewalk extensions and other design elements when funding is available. The Town
would also like to provide additional on-street parking spaces. To illustrate its intentions, the Town
worked with the consulting firm N∙Focus to develop the Carolina Boulevard Streetscape Plan. The
Plan consists of a series of drawings showing how planted medians and other landscaping, turn-
lanes, additional parking spaces, and more could be accommodated within the existing Carolina
Boulevard right-of-way.
The draft 2012 – 2018 STIP includes in its Division Managed Construction Program list a non-system
project described as “Carolina Avenue – Town of Clyde.” Construction on the project is scheduled
for fiscal year (FY) 2012 and has a cost of $80,000. According to NCDOT and Town officials, the
project is a proposed sidewalk extension on the south side of Carolina Boulevard from Smathers
Street west for approximately one-eighth of a mile.
Prior to the development of the Carolina Boulevard Streetscape Plan, the LUPC discussed the
possibility of converting Carolina Boulevard to a boulevard-style road, particularly near downtown.
The NCDOT has shown more interest in the past decade in boulevards, which are typically four-lane
divided highways that have two travel lanes on each side of a median. The streetscape plan for
Carolina Boulevard reflects such a change in the road design.
Thickety Road Relocation
A planned project that is not included in the STIP is the relocation of part of Thickety Road. As part
of a proposed project to create a debris relief area along the Pigeon River (including a town park), a
section on the western end of Thickety Road is proposed to be moved. This is intended to improve
safety on the road, which was damaged by floods in 2004. Funding for the project was provided by
the 2005 Hurricane Recovery Act. The NCDOT supports the proposed relocation and will be
approving its design but will not otherwise be involved in the pre-construction or construction
phases of the project. Construction is scheduled to begin sometime in 2012.
Other Road and Bridge Issues and Needs
In addition to the road improvement projects addressed in the plans mentioned above, the LUPC
discussed some additional needs, as outlined below.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
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Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure
Road Issues
The LUPC identified some issues with existing roads that may need to be addressed in the future.
They include: the narrowness of Morgan Street (which has experienced an increase in traffic);
having only one road that crosses the Pigeon River; and turning problems, such as issues with
making left turns onto Carolina Boulevard from roads on its north, turning left onto Mulberry Street
from the square, and turning either way from Broad Street onto Morgan Street.
The Committee also discussed the temporary traffic back-ups created by vehicles entering and
exiting the Clyde Elementary School property. In 2011, the NCDOT Division of Transportation
Mobility and Safety, Traffic Management Unit, Municipal and School Transportation Assistance
(MSTA) program worked with Clyde Elementary School on school traffic safety issues. The MSTA
created a new design for the school’s parking area to allow for a 1,300 foot long vehicle queue on
the school’s property. The MSTA also recommended some changes for the loading and unloading of
students to and from vehicles. The school made the suggested changes and began operating
according to the new plan and loading procedures in December of 2011.
Bridge Repairs
Bridge improvements will need to be considered in the future. The NCDOT inspects bridges at least
once every two years and rates their sufficiency. The sufficiency rating is used to determine a
bridge’s eligibility and priority for replacement or rehabilitation. The NCDOT replaces or
rehabilitates the highest priority deficient bridges when funding is available.
A bridge’s sufficiency rating is based on a variety of factors related to its structural condition and
safety, level of performance, importance for public use and national security, and more. Having a
structurally deficient or functionally obsolete classification does not necessarily mean that a bridge
is unsafe. Depending on the bridge, it may mean, for example, that additional efforts (and funding)
may be needed to maintain functionality. The CTP identifies three deficient bridges in the Study
Area (see Table 26).
Table 26: Deficient Bridges in Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area Bridge
Number Road/Location
Structurally Deficient
Functionally Obsolete
73 US 74 at US 19/23 Yes No
95 US 74 / Southern Railroad Yes No
321 SR 1820 Clyde Loop Road No Yes
Source(s): French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization Comprehensive Transportation Plan, 2007.
The 2009 - 2015 STIP and the 2012 - 2018 Draft STIP do not include projects to replace the three
deficient bridges within the Study Area. Given the NCDOT’s biennial inspection schedule and the
time that has passed since the CTP was completed, it is likely that NCDOT will identify additional
deficient bridges in the Study Area. In early 2012, for example, NCDOT notified the Town of Clyde of
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its intent to replace Bridge Number 165 on Secondary Road 1513 (Hyder Mountain Road). The
bridge crosses Chambers Branch and, according to the NCDOT, it is safe to drive on but must be
replaced to meet state and federal criteria. Work is scheduled to begin in 2012.
Private Road Standards
Until August of 2011, the Town of Clyde’s Subdivision Ordinance, which applies to the Town of Clyde
and its ETJ, required that parcels had to adjoin a public street in order to be subdivided and that new
roads built within subdivisions had to meet Town standards. The Town uses the subdivision road
standards established by the NCDOT (State standards) for acceptance into the state road system.
State standards require that roads be paved to certain specifications, have rights-of-way and
travelways of certain widths, meet curve radii and slope requirements, etc. The Town requires a 40-
foot right-of-way for subdivision streets, which is less than the 45-foot right-of-way width required
by State standards.
The Town introduced private road standards to its Subdivision Ordinance (and added references to
them in its Zoning Ordinance) in 2011. The standards allow the Town’s Planning Board to approve
subdivisions on existing private roads and to require upgrades to such roads in certain cases, if
deemed necessary. The Planning Board may also approve subdivisions containing new roads that do
not meet State standards. If permitted, upgrades to existing private roads and new private roads
must meet construction standards specified in the Subdivision Ordinance.
Access Management
Traffic congestion often occurs along major transportation corridors where numerous driveways
connect to highways. Automobiles turning into and out of such driveways, in addition to those
making turns at road intersections, reduce the flow of traffic and increase the chances of accidents.
As more development occurs along such corridors, traffic conditions may deteriorate without some
type of intervention.
Access management consists of a comprehensive set of planning, regulatory, and design strategies
that can be applied to roads and surrounding land to help traffic move more efficiently while
improving traffic safety. Often it involves managing vehicle access points to and from land adjoining
roadways through intersection and interchange spacing, traffic signal spacing, driveway spacing,
turning lanes, medians, roundabouts, and other road design techniques. According to the United
States Department of Transportation, Federal Highways Administration (FHWA), good access
management can help increase or maintain road capacity (thereby reducing the need for widening),
reduce crashes and shorten travel times.10
Some access management strategies, such as state road design standards and the issuance of
driveway permits on state highways and secondary roads, are implemented by the NCDOT. Those
that a local government might pursue include standards for property access such: as limiting ingress
and egress points; providing spacing, width, radii, and/or requirements for driveways; promoting
shared driveways; allowing for interconnected parking lots and service roads; minimizing left turns
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from driveways along highways; etc. If the Town of Clyde determines in the future that access
management tools are needed, it should work with the NCDOT to ensure that the Town’s plans
would not duplicate, be counter to, or otherwise interfere with state and federal requirements.
Property owners along roadways sometimes have concerns about the impacts that certain access
management techniques may have on their businesses and other land uses, their ability to enter and
leave their property, etc. The FHWA recommends involving the public and business community in
access management planning. It also stresses the importance of designing access management
strategies that maintain property values while allowing traffic to flow safely and efficiently.
Bicycle Facilities
There are currently no facilities in the Study Area that are specifically designated for riding bicycles.
Cyclists share the roads in and around Clyde with motorized vehicles and pedestrians.
The Town of Clyde does not have its own bicycle plan; however the French Broad River MPO’s CTP
proposes several bicycle projects for the Study Area (see below). The Town also participated in the
development of a comprehensive bicycle plan for Haywood County (discussed below).
French Broad MPO Comprehensive Transportation Plan
The CTP for the French Broad River MPO area recommends the following bicycle projects in the
Study Area:
Project B1: Poison Cove Rd (SR 1818)/Charles Street - Ratcliff Cove Road (SR 1818) to Pigeon
River. The proposed project would improve Poison Cove Road and Charles Street between
Ratcliff Cove Road and the Pigeon River in downtown Clyde to make it safer for bicycle
travel. Improvements might include widening shoulders, adding signage, etc. The project
would also provide a bicycle route between Waynesville and downtown Clyde and connect
to the future Pigeon River Greenway (CTP Bicycle Project B8).
Project B2: Old Clyde Road (SR 1523) – NC 209 to Charles Street (Clyde). The proposed
project would improve Old Clyde Road between NC 209 and Charles Street in Clyde to make
it safer for bicycling and to provide a bicycle route between northern Waynesville and
downtown Clyde as well as the future Pigeon River Greenway (CTP Bicycle Project B8). The
CTP recommends it be coordinated with highway project B24, which calls for improvements
to a section of Old Clyde Road that lies outside of the Land Use Plan Study Area.
Project B8: Pigeon River Greenway – NC 215/Existing Greenway to Clyde. The proposed
project would extend a greenway along the Pigeon River from an existing greenway in
Canton on the Pigeon River and NC 215 through downtown Clyde as proposed in the 2007
Haywood County Comprehensive System-wide Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
According to the CTP, the project is intended to “…to provide off-road connectivity between
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Canton and Clyde, to promote bicycling in the area and to promote a healthy lifestyle and
recreational opportunities.”11
Haywood County Comprehensive Bicycle Plan
In 2011, Bicycle Haywood NC and the Haywood County Recreation and Parks Department began
preparing a comprehensive bicycle plan for the county. Funding for the project was provided
through grants from the French Broad MPO, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina,
and others, as well as through contributions from businesses and individuals. The purpose of the
plan is to help improve cycling opportunities and safety in Haywood County. The plan also
addresses how cycling can benefit the county as a whole such as by improving the health and fitness
of riders, providing an alternative mode of transportation for a variety of trips (lower cost, less
pollution, etc.), and aiding in tourism development and economic development efforts. Local
governments within the county (including Clyde), Healthy Haywood, and other entities were
involved in the planning effort.
The Haywood County Comprehensive Bicycle Plan (also referred to as the Bicycle Plan) establishes a
number of goals and objectives that address topics including: the physical infrastructure for
bicycling; support facilities and programs; information, education and outreach for residents and
visitors; policy changes; and economic development. The Haywood County Board of Commissioners
adopted the plan in November of 2011. The Clyde Board of Aldermen has endorsed the plan.
The Bicycle Plan suggests that Clyde could become the bicycling hub of Haywood County given its
central location, amenities such as parks and parking, as well as its proximity recreational bicycle
routes that include Old Clyde Road, Thickety Road, Hyder Mountain Road, and Main Street / Poison
Cove Road. It notes that the Town is already the site of an annual bicycle rodeo for children to
promote bicycle safety.
The Bicycle Plan discusses the concept of “Park-n-Pedal” lots, which are similar to park and ride lots
for public transit and ridesharing, and indicates that establishing one in Clyde or near Lake Junaluska
could benefit commuters and others who would ride bicycles to certain destinations if the trips were
shorter or if there were not gaps in the infrastructure for bicycle transportation, for example. Since
the Bicycle Plan’s adoption, there has been some discussion regarding the designation of a Park-n-
Pedal lot in Clyde on County-owned property on Glance Street.
Some of the transportation corridors and intersections that the Bicycle Plan identifies as being in
need of improvements for bicyclists are located within or adjacent to the CLUP Study Area. They
include:
Old Clyde Road / Broad Street Corridor. Install shoulders for 7 miles from NC 209 to NC 215
in Canton and install Share the Road signage and/or pavement markings through downtown
Clyde until pavement re-striping can be done for travel lanes and bike lanes. Old Clyde Road
and Broad Street through Clyde form a segment of the proposed Haywood Hub, a
conceptual bicycle transportation corridor recommended by the Bicycle Plan to connect
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Waynesville, Lake Junaluska, Clyde, and Canton and to link downtowns, parks, schools,
medical and other facilities, services, and areas.
Jones Cove Road & Hospital Drive Intersection. Increase visibility of the presence of
bicyclists by installing Share the Road and wayfinding signs identifying access to Haywood
Community College, MedWest Haywood, and Tuscola High School.
Broad Street & Charles Street. Re-stripe Broad Street for bicycle lanes as identified in the
corridor recommendations. Increase visibility of the presence of bicyclists with Share the
Road and wayfinding signs related to access to bicycle routes. Pursue funding to move
utility poles out of the sight triangle.
US 23/74 & NC 209 Interchange. Improve visibility for bicyclists, install bicycle lanes, and
eliminate merging conflicts as part of NCDOT project R-4047 to widen NC 209 from the
interchange to Old Clyde Road.
The Bicycle Plan includes ten Action Steps for implementing its recommendations. Haywood County
has already completed Action Step 1, which was to adopt the Bicycle Plan. Haywood County, the
municipalities within the county, the MPO and RPOs, BicycleHaywoodNC, the NCDOT, Healthy
Haywood, the chambers of commerce and tourism development agencies, the school system,
Haywood Community College, law enforcement agencies, the public, and other partners will all be
involved in carrying out the other Action Steps. A timeline and other implementation details have
not yet been determined.
Land of Sky Regional Council Regional Bicycle Plan
Haywood County is one of seven counties involved in the development of a regional bicycle plan by
the Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC). The Regional Bicycle Plan is intended to help guide future
transportation planning and investments. Through a grant from the NCDOT, the LOSRC will develop
the plan in cooperation with the French Broad River MPO, the Land of Sky Rural Planning
Organization (RPO), and the Southwestern RPO. The Town of Clyde is represented on the project’s
steering committee. The LOSRC intends to complete the plan by the middle of 2013.
Pedestrian Facilities
The Town of Clyde maintains sidewalks on public roads within the town limits, including those
constructed by the NCDOT along Carolina Boulevard. The current sidewalk network includes
portions of Carolina Boulevard, Main Street, Broad Street, and Maple Street.
Some of the distinguishing features of Clyde, including the Norfolk Southern railroad track, the
Pigeon River, and Carolina Boulevard, each of which bisect the Study Area, present some of the
most substantial barriers for pedestrians. The Norfolk Southern railroad creates challenges in that it
limits pedestrian (and other transportation) connections between areas to its north and south. As
noted previously, Charles Street is the only road in the Study Area that links land on the north and
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south sides of the Pigeon River. While a sizeable stretch of the south side of Carolina Boulevard has
a sidewalk, the road is a five-lane highway with few pedestrian crossing areas.
The LUPC recognized that additional sidewalks are needed to link neighborhoods to each other and
to other destinations such as the downtown business district, schools, parks, churches, and other
facilities. Interconnections between existing non-residential uses are also needed. In addition to
providing a convenient, alternative means of travel within the Clyde area, the Town wants to protect
and improve the safety of those who walk, such as by minimizing conflicts between automobiles and
pedestrians. Town leaders also recognize and want to make it easier for interested citizens to
realize the health benefits associated with walking and running.
Sidewalk Connectivity Ordinance
In 2011, the Clyde Planning Board developed a proposed Sidewalk Connectivity Ordinance that
would require the installation of sidewalks when new and redevelopment projects are constructed
on certain roads. The Ordinance is intended to add to and improve the town’s sidewalk network.
The Town’s Board of Aldermen had not yet taken action on the proposed ordinance as of the time of
publication of this Land Use Plan.
Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan
When the Town began work on the Land Use Plan, it did not have a pedestrian or sidewalk plan. In
2011, however, Clyde was selected to receive a Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant from the
NCDOT to fund a Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan. The NCDOT has agreed to provide $18,000 and
the Town proposed a match of $4,500, to fund the total project cost of $22,500. After receiving
notice of the grant award, the Town learned that no local match would be required. The NCDOT has
selected a consulting firm to develop the Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan. The Town expects work
on the plan to begin in January of 2012.
The proposed Comprehensive Pedestrian Plan will help the Town identify locations where
pedestrian trips originate as well as existing and proposed destinations that do and could attract
foot traffic. Such information will help the Town develop an integrated plan that addresses
pedestrian infrastructure, public safety, and other related needs and establishes funding priorities.
Greenways and Other Trails
Within the Study Area, there are currently walking paths and trails available for public use on
County-owned property on Glance Street, at Clyde Elementary School, and at Haywood Community
College. However, sidewalks, trails and other walkways linking these facilities with each other and
with other sites are limited or non-existent.
As noted above in the discussion of bicycle facilities planning, the Haywood County Comprehensive
System-wide Parks and Recreation Master Plan (“Parks and Recreation Master Plan”) recommends
the development of a 4-mile greenway along the Pigeon River between Canton and Clyde to serve
pedestrians and bicyclists. It cites the existence of flood-prone properties along the river that were
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acquired by Haywood County and the Town of Clyde through a federal buyout program as one of
the reasons for locating a greenway in this location. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan
recommends that Haywood County, Canton, and Clyde work together to jointly fund and develop
the greenway and notes that a Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) grant had been
awarded to the three local governments to purchase other flood-prone properties along the Pigeon
River. As explained in the Environment and Natural Resources Element of the CLUP, the CWMTF
funds were to be used for the acquisition of property and easements to establish a riparian buffer
along the Pigeon River. Some, but not all, of the parcels and/or easements proposed to be
purchased were acquired.
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan makes recommendations related to specific segments of what
could eventually be a county-wide greenway system. However, there is currently not a
comprehensive greenways master plan for Haywood County. One of the recommendations of the
Parks and Recreation Master Plan is for Haywood County and the municipalities within it to jointly
fund and develop such a master plan for greenways.
Public Transit
Haywood Public Transit (“HPT”), a division of Mountain Projects, Inc. (a Community Action Agency),
operates a limited on-demand (by request) transportation service on weekdays, except holidays,
that serves the elderly, the disabled, and the general public in Haywood County. Riders make
reservations and pay fares based on their trips. It also offers a fixed route, paratransit service. HPT
makes some out-of-county trips to Sylva and Asheville.
HPT also provides transportation services for other programs operated by Mountain Projects, Inc.,
such as Head Start, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Services, and to other human services agencies
in the county including the Haywood County Department of Social Services and Southwestern Child
Development.
There is a designated HPT bus stop located within the Study Area. It is on Carolina Boulevard, near
the Clyde Town Hall. Observations by Town officials and other LUPC members indicate that it is
rarely, if ever, used. Mountain Projects is planning to construct a new transit facility in the Study
Area on Jones Cove Road, adjacent to Haywood Community College. The facility will include an
office, parking areas for staff and visitors and a secure lot for the HPT vehicles.
According to the 2000 Census, 4,096 workers living in Haywood County commuted to jobs in
Buncombe County. That equates to 17.3 percent of the total number of workers living in Haywood
County in 2000. Approximately 17 percent of workers from Haywood County commuted to
Buncombe County in 1990. Data regarding commuting patterns to and from specific locations is not
going to be available from the 2010 Census.
In 2009, almost 32 percent of students (1,441 out of 4,532) attending Haywood Community College
commuted from outside of Haywood County.12 Given the number of commuters traveling to and
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from Haywood County for work, school, and other activities, various groups, including the Haywood
County Economic Development Commission, HPT, Mountain Projects, Inc., Haywood Community
College, the Greater Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, and the NCDOT, worked successfully
to establish a park and ride facility at Exit 33 (Newfound Road) on Interstate 40 in Canton. The
MPO’s CTP also recommended having a park and ride lot at that location. The facility occupies land
owned by the NCDOT and includes a lighted parking lot and a shelter. A grant from the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided funding for the project. The park and ride lot provides
commuters traveling between Haywood County and Buncombe County with an opportunity to use
public transit for part of the trip. Transit service between the two counties is provided, for a fee, by
HPT. The park and ride lot also provides a meeting place for commuters interested in ride sharing.
Because of its proximity to the Study Area, the park and ride facility provides a convenient
transportation option for those who travel from Clyde to Buncombe County.
Railroad Transportation
A Norfolk Southern Corporation railroad line passes through the heart of Clyde and the Land Use
Plan Study Area. The rail line segment in the Study Area is approximately 3 miles long and its
east/west route parallels the Pigeon River within the town limits (see Map 2, Study Area). There are
at least 6 at-grade railroad crossings in the Study Area, all of which have signals and gates.
Development in and around Clyde was strongly associated with the extension of the railroad to the
area. The rail line, completed in 1882 by the Western North Carolina Railroad Company, began
providing passenger, freight, and mail service to the Clyde area in 1883. A depot was constructed in
what is now downtown Clyde before the Town incorporated in 1889. According to research by
Town of Clyde staff, the depot was demolished sometime after 1950, probably in the early part of
that decade.
Freight trains still run on the Norfolk Southern line through Clyde several times a day. Southern
Railway, which operated the railroad line beginning in 1896, ended regular passenger train service
from Asheville to Clyde and other communities along the line in 1949. In the 1990s, due to growing
interest in having passenger rail service restored to Western North Carolina, the North Carolina
General Assembly asked the NCDOT to study options for doing so. The preferred option proposed
by the study was to provide service from Raleigh to Asheville via Salisbury. Further planning efforts
have been delayed due to funding limitations.
Water Supply and Wastewater Disposal Systems
Local governments in North Carolina are able to provide water and sewer services through their
statutory authority to operate and fund public enterprise services. Complying with changes to state
and federal regulations, fulfilling obligations of contracts with other water and sewer service
providers, keeping up with everyday system functions and maintenance issues, reviewing requests
for line extensions, planning for future system needs, and other tasks can be challenging, time-
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consuming, and, often, expensive for the Town of Clyde. Nevertheless, the Town has been able to
keep its water and sewer systems financially viable while providing a high level of service to
customers.
Water Supply Systems
The Land Use Plan Study Area is served by two public water systems: one owned and operated by
the Town of Clyde and the other by the Junaluska Sanitary District. Map 3, Water Service, shows the
service areas for both systems. There are also properties in the Study Area that use private,
individual wells.
Town of Clyde Water System
In 1966, the Town of Clyde entered into a 45-year contract to purchase treated water from the
Town of Canton in order to provide it to customers inside and outside of the Clyde town limits.
Clyde constructed a water distribution system and Canton extended an 8-inch water main along Old
Clyde Road to where it crosses Sally Haynes Branch in order to connect the two systems. Clyde
installed a pump station near the site where the systems merge. While the contract was in effect,
Clyde was not required to pay for capital improvements to Canton’s water system. Canton also
could not raise Clyde’s water rate without increasing, by the same percentage, the rate it charged its
own customers. One of Clyde’s obligations under the contract was to build a water tank with a
400,000 gallon capacity. The water tank, which Clyde maintains, is located off Fern Lane, east of the
Study Area.
The towns entered into a new contract for the sale and purchase of water effective July 1, 2011.
The new contract has a term of 10 years with the option of 4 additional 10-year renewal periods. In
addition to a rate increase, one of the more significant differences between the 1966 and 2011
contracts is that the newer contract does not link the rate Canton charges Clyde to the rate it
charges its own customers.
According to Clyde’s 2010 Local Water Supply Plan (LWSP) approved by and on file with the North
Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR), its system has 23 miles of
water distribution lines that serve approximately 2,775 people through 1,181 metered connections
(1,123 residential, 56 commercial, 2 institutional, and 0 industrial). The Town has added about 2
miles of water line in the past 10 years. The 2011 Wastewater System Master Plan and Preliminary
Engineering Report for the Town of Clyde (“Wastewater Master Plan”) shows that 506 of Clyde’s
residential water customers were located within the town limits and 631 were outside. The
Wastewater Master Plan also indicated that of 47 non-residential customers, 38 were inside of the
town limits. Clyde also supplies water to the Evergreen Farm subdivision area, located outside of
the Study Area, southwest of the Town’s southern ETJ boundary.
The Clyde water system uses an average of 197,000 gallons per day (gpd). Clyde’s contract with
Canton does not specify a minimum or maximum amount of water available to Clyde. Canton’s
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2010 LWSP indicates that its average daily withdrawal from the Pigeon River is 1.233 million gallons
per day (mgd) and that it has 6.8 mgd of raw water available. Such figures suggest that the water
supply from Canton is more than sufficient to accommodate the growth that is projected to occur in
Clyde over the next twenty years. However a detailed analysis may be needed if there are
substantial changes in conditions that could alter growth projections and/or create substantial
water demand.
The Town of Clyde maintains the water lines within the Town’s water service area. While the water
lines, which vary in terms of pipe size and construction material, are aging and have the potential to
be problematic, the Town has identified no significant maintenance issues at this time. According to
Town staff, some lines are at or are close to reaching capacity. Repairs and replacements of water
lines are managed by the Town of Clyde as they arise. Clyde has a Capital Improvements Plan (CIP);
however the Town has not addressed the scheduling and funding of water system maintenance and
improvements such as replacing water lines, pumps, hydrants, etc.
Although Clyde does not have a written, long-range, plan for upgrading or expanding its water
system, the CIP section of the Town’s Wastewater Master Plan proposes funding for 4 water system
improvement projects in the next 10 years (see Table 27), as well as some administrative projects
that will serve both the water and sewer systems. The preliminary engineering to extend both a
water line and a sewer line on Nelson Street was done prior to completion of the Wastewater
Master Plan. According to Town staff, both projects are combined into one in the sewer portion of
the CIP recommended by the Wastewater Master Plan (addressed later in this section).
Table 27: Clyde Water System Improvement Projects Proposed in the Wastewater System Master Plan and Preliminary Engineering Report Project No. Project Name Estimated Cost
1 Water Tank Rehabilitation $125,000
2 Water Meter Replacement $59,000
3 Water Tank Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System $40,000
4 Pump Station (Replacements) $12,000
Total $236,000
Source(s): Town of Clyde Wastewater System Master Plan and Preliminary Engineering Report, McGill Associates, P.A., 2011
Junaluska Sanitary District Water System
The Junaluska Sanitary District (JSD) operates a water distribution system that serves an
unincorporated area to the west of the Town of Clyde, including part of Clyde’s ETJ. The JSD
purchases its water from the Town of Waynesville. The JSD system serves as an emergency water
supply source for Clyde’s water system. A valve connects the JSD and Clyde water systems near the
intersection of US 19/23 and US 74.
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Haywood Community College is served by the JSD system. A utility analysis done during the
development of the Haywood Community College Campus Master Plan indicated that there is not
enough water system capacity and flow to the campus, which could pose a problem if there is a
fire.13
Available data for the JSD system does not distinguish between customers within the Clyde ETJ and
other customers. Also, the digital mapping for the JSD water system available through Haywood
County does not show all of the smaller lines. The CLUP does not provide JSD water system
information for the Study Area other than what is shown on Map 3.
Other Water Supply Sources
The Town of Clyde allows for the construction of new wells in the town limits but prohibits the use
of private wells for supplying water for gain or profit.14 However, virtually all residences, businesses,
public facilities and other institutional uses within the town limits are connected to Clyde’s water
system. Within the ETJ, there are areas and properties that do not have public water available and,
therefore, rely on individual private wells for water supply. In accordance with changes to state law,
in 2008 Haywood County implemented a well inspection and testing that includes permitting
requirements. When the program began, the County Health Department’s Environmental Health
Division estimated that wells provided water to approximately 52% of the households in the county.
Drought Response and Water Conservation
Water Shortage Response Planning
North Carolina General Statutes (N.C.G.S.) § 143-355.2 (Water Conservation Measures for Drought)
and North Carolina Administrative Code Section .0600 (Water Use During Droughts and Water
Supply Emergencies) require local governments with water systems to have a plan and procedures
in place to conserve water in the event that drought or other conditions lead to water shortages.
The NC DENR, Division of Water Resources (DWR), reviews and approves such Water Shortage
Response Plans (WSRPs). The plans must provide for tiered levels of water conservation measures
or other response actions, the restrictiveness of which depend on the severity of the water
shortage. The State requires that WSRPs be updated at least every five years. Clyde’s WSRP,
approved in 2010, is based, in part, on the plan and procedures used by its water supplier, the Town
of Canton. Clyde’s plan can be found on the DWR website:
http://www.ncwater.org/Water_Supply_Planning/Water_Shortage_Response_Plans/.
Water System Efficiency Requirements
According to N.C.G.S. § 143-355.4 (Water System Efficiency), local government water systems must
require separate meters for new in-ground irrigation systems on lots created and recorded after July
1, 2009 that are connected to the water system. The Town of Clyde enacted water tap fees for
irrigation systems at the beginning of FY 2011.
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In 2010, amendments to N.C.G.S. § 143-355.4 also established requirements that water systems
must meet in order to be eligible for water infrastructure funds from the State’s Drinking Water
Revolving Fund, the Drinking Water Reserve, or other grant or loan funds the General Assembly
provides to State agencies or nonprofit organizations for extending waterlines or expanding water
treatment capacity. To be eligible for such funding, a local government must:
Have a water rate structure sufficient to cover the full costs of maintaining, repairing, and
operating the system during both periods of normal use and reduced water use due to
implementation of water conservation measures.
Have implemented a leak detection and repair program.
Have an approved water supply plan as required by N.C.G.S. § 143-355.
Meter all water use except uses that are impractical to meter such as water used for
firefighting, flushing waterlines, etc.
Not have a water rate structure that charges residential water customers a lower per unit
water rate as usage increases.
Have evaluated the extent to which its water system could use reclaimed water to meet
future needs.
Have implemented a consumer education program on water conservation.
The Town of Clyde is in compliance with most of the water system efficiency standards enacted by
the State in 2010. It has both an approved LWSP and WSRP and, as stated above, it instituted
separate metering for irrigation in FY 2011. The Town began some significant revisions to its water
and sewer rate structure and rates beginning with FY 2011 as a result of the statutory requirements
and recommendations in its 2011 Wastewater Master Plan. Such revisions are described in the
Wastewater Disposal Systems section, below. The Town does not have a formal, written, leak
detection and repair program but it monitors the water system daily and responds when leaks are
known or suspected. It has not yet assessed the potential for using reclaimed water. It also does
not have a water conservation public education program in place; however water conservation is a
long-term goal (see below) and public education will be a significant component of the Town’s
efforts to meet it. Knowing that future grant applications for water system improvements could be
affected if the outstanding water system efficiency standards are not met, Clyde’s Board of
Aldermen has had discussions about how they might be addressed.
Water Conservation
The Town’s WSRP provides short-term management actions for periods of water shortages.
Compliance with the State’s water system efficiency standards, which include implementation of a
water conservation education program, will allow the Town to be eligible for state funding for water
system improvements. The Town of Clyde, however, views water conservation as an ongoing goal
for the Town and its citizens. Therefore, it plans to go beyond meeting minimum requirements and
develop a long-term strategy for practicing and promoting water conservation.
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Wastewater Disposal Systems
Town of Clyde Wastewater Collection System
Map 4, Sewer Service, shows the current extent of Clyde’s wastewater collection (sewer) system.
Most of the Town’s sewer lines are located within its corporate limits. The Town has operated a
sewer system since the 1920s.
At one time the system included a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) located on Hyder Mountain
Road. The Town of Clyde stopped operating its WWTP in 2000 following its decision to enter into a
contract to join an existing water treatment facility agreement between the JSD, the Town of
Waynesville and Haywood Community College. The contract allowed Clyde to connect its
wastewater collection system to one operated by the JSD and send up to 350,000 gpd of
wastewater to the Waynesville WWTP. Clyde had to construct a pump station and a 15-inch gravity
sewer line to connect to the JSD system. It also had to pay some of the costs of upgrading the JSD
system to accommodate its wastewater flow and must share in the cost of operating and
maintaining the system. Clyde must obtain permission from Waynesville in order to extend sewer
lines.
Per the Town of Clyde’s 2010 LWSP, the Town’s wastewater collection system had 665 connections.
Its average annual daily discharge to the JSD (and, therefore, to Waynesville’s WWTP) is 106,000
gpd, which is less than one-third of the amount allowed by its contract.
The Town of Clyde has not typically addressed ongoing sewer system maintenance projects, such as
replacing pipes, in its CIP. However, the Town will soon begin to do so in order to implement
recommendations in its Wastewater Master Plan (discussed later in this section).
The only sewer system expansion project that was in the planning stages as the Land Use Plan was
being developed was the extension of a line on Nelson Street (in conjunction with a water line
extension). The Board of Aldermen set aside funds in its CIP over several budget cycles for the
engineering work for the project. The Nelson Street project is addressed in the Town’s Wastewater
Master Plan; however it is shown as the lowest priority of the 18 proposed sewer system
improvement projects and is not proposed to be funded until after FY 2021-22.
The LUPC discussed where the Town of Clyde might extend its sewer system in the future. The
members suggested that the US 19/23 corridor between Clyde and Canton was a likely expansion
area for several reasons, including: (1) Canton had run a sewer line to the Midway Crossing
commercial development; (2) Clyde had recently built a water line in that area; and (3) there is
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undeveloped land along the corridor that might be suitable for residential, commercial, and mixed
use development.
Junaluska Sanitary District Wastewater Collection System
The JSD owns and operates a sewer system that serves properties in its service area, which includes
part of the western portion of Clyde’s ETJ (see Map 4, Sewer Service). According to the JSD’s 2010
LWSP, its wastewater collection system has 1,085 connections. This figure includes all connections
within the JSD’s full service area, not just those in the JSD portion of the Study Area. As noted
previously, the wastewater collected by the JSD system is sent to Waynesville’s WWTP.
Sewage from Haywood Community College is transported to the Waynesville WWTP via the JSD
wastewater collection system. Although the JSD maintains the sewer line that runs between the
campus and the JSD system, Haywood Community College owns the line and is responsible for any
costs associated with maintaining it.
Other Wastewater Disposal Options
According to the Town’s 2010 LWSP, 542 of the service connections to the Town’s water system had
associated septic systems. This figure includes water connections in both the town limits and the
ETJ. The Town of Clyde does not allow new septic tanks to be constructed within the town limits.
There are some pre-existing septic tanks in Clyde that were not required to connect to the Town’s
wastewater collection system. New buildings must connect to the system. Most of the 542 septic
tanks within the Town’s water service area are, therefore, located in the portions of Clyde’s ETJ that
are outside of the JSD’s water service area.
The 2010 LWSP for the JSD shows that there are 717 water service connections with septic systems.
However the 717 includes those in the JSD’s full service area, not just the portion of the JSD service
area within the Clyde ETJ.
Water and Sewer System Planning, Financing and Administration
Clyde Wastewater System Master Plan and Preliminary Engineering Report
In 2011, McGill Associates completed the Wastewater System Master Plan and Preliminary
Engineering Report for the Town of Clyde. The Wastewater Master Plan includes: an assessment of
the physical condition of Clyde’s sewer system and issues related to infiltration and inflow; an
evaluation of the Town’s future wastewater treatment options; recommendations for projects to
maintain, improve, and extend the wastewater collection system over a 20-year period; a CIP with
sewer system, water system, and related administrative projects to be programmed over a 10-year
period; and a financing strategy for the CIP projects. The Clyde Board of Aldermen approved the
Wastewater Master Plan in June of 2011.
Clyde Wastewater Collection System Improvements
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The Wastewater Master Plan recommends and prioritizes 18 projects that are intended to improve
the operation and maintenance of the sewer system and provide the infrastructure that will enable
the Town to meet projected future wastewater collection needs for the next 20 years. McGill
Associates described the sewer system as being in fair condition and found that upgrades are
needed as a result of the system’s age, materials used in its components, the proximity of lines to
sources of inflow and infiltration (such as streams and drainage ways), and other factors.
Of the 18 projects recommended in the Wastewater Master Plan, 17 propose improvements to the
existing wastewater collection system, including replacing or rehabilitating components such as
pipes and manholes, installing additional manholes and relocating sewer line sections. The 18th
project calls for extending a sewer line to serve properties along part of Nelson Street and planning
for the possibility of providing sewer service to the Stoney Brook and Redfield Drive neighborhoods.
It is the only sewer line extension project proposed in the Master Plan. The total estimated cost of
implementing all of the projects is almost $3.5 million based on preliminary estimates by McGill and
Associates. For each of the recommended projects, the Wastewater Master Plan provides a
description, an explanation of the need for the project, and additional information about the
estimated cost. It proposes that 7 of the recommended projects be programmed between FY 2012
and FY 2021.
Capital Improvements Plan
The Wastewater Master Plan provides a 10-year plan for capital improvements for Clyde’s sewer
system and contains several water system and related administrative projects. It also includes
$5,000 to improve the Hyder Mountain Road sewer pump station. The capital improvements plan in
the Wastewater Master Plan lists the recommended projects and the fiscal year in which they are
recommended for implementation. Over the next 10 years, Clyde will need approximately $2.9
million to fund the recommended projects.
Financial Analysis
The Wastewater Master Plan includes a financial analysis that studied the Town’s current water and
sewer rates, options for rate changes, and the projected financial impact of such changes on the
Town and its customers. Based on the financial analysis, the Wastewater Master Plan
recommended a series of changes to the water and sewer rate structures in order to increase
revenues. It also proposed a change in the water rate structure to bring the Town into compliance
with another aspect of the State’s drought legislation that requires water providers to encourage
water conservation. Full details of the proposed rate structures are contained in the Master Plan.
The increases in water and sewer revenues to be generated by the rate changes are intended to
help the Town pay for proposed capital projects and to prepare it to incur additional operating and
capital costs as well as new debt service payments associated with the CIP projects. The
Wastewater Master Plan proposes a financing strategy for the $2.9 million in CIP projects to be
implemented in the next 10 years. The strategy relies on a combination of cash payments (capital
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outlays in certain fiscal years and contributions from capital reserves) and new debt issuance (a
loan) for long-term financing of improvements. The Master Plan recommends that the Town of
Clyde review the water and sewer rate structure and the CIP financing strategy annually using
updated budget data and accounting for changes in the economic climate, in the demand for water
and sewer, etc.
Because the timing of its adoption of the Wastewater Master Plan and its adoption of the FY 2011-
12 Town budget coincided, the Clyde Board of Aldermen was able to begin implementing the
recommended changes to the water and sewer rate structure effective July 1, 2011, one year earlier
than proposed by the Wastewater Master Plan.
Additional Funding Sources for Water and Sewer System Improvements
The Town should look continue to explore all potential funding sources as it plans for future capital
projects. The Town already charges water and sewer tap fees. A similar way to generate additional
revenue to support water and sewer systems is through the use of system development charges
(also referred to as impact fees, capacity depletion fees, and capital recovery fees, for example).
Communities collect one-time system development charges from new customers and use the fees
to offset the costs of increasing the capacity of water and/or sewer systems to accommodate
additional demand due to growth. The State of North Carolina also allows utilities to use special
assessments under certain limitations.
The CIP financing strategy in the Wastewater Master Plan did not include potential grant funds.
Clyde has had some success in the past at securing grants for water and sewer projects. Many grant
programs, however, are not being funded at the same level as in the past, making those that do still
exist more competitive.
Other Administrative Matters
Water and Sewer Extension Policy
The Town of Clyde has a Water and Sewer Extension Policy that applies to line extensions, taps, and
reimbursement to developers. For line extensions, the policy addresses pre-construction plan
approval, easement acquisition, post-construction engineering certification, and the dedication of
lines for acceptance by the Town. It contains some general line size specifications for sewer
depending on the location and the amount of development to be served, subject to approval by the
Town and the State. Developers must dedicate all 6-inch and larger sewer lines to the Town. The
Town must approve the size of all proposed water lines and may require larger lines based on
expected future demand. The policy also makes the developer responsible for the cost of any
repairs, leaks, or stoppages during the first year after the Town accepts a water or sewer line.
Water and sewer tap locations must be approved by the Town and the Town installs the taps.
Developers are responsible for connecting buildings to the taps.
Under the policy, the Town will reimburse developers who install water and/or sewer lines for up to
60 percent of their costs. The Town funds such reimbursements by assessing a surcharge on future
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taps to the new lines. Although the policy states that the surcharge is $200.00 per tap, the Town
has increased its tap fees considerably since the policy was established. The time period within
which the Town must reimburse developers varies depending on the line length.
The Board of Aldermen had some discussions about updating the Water and Sewer Extension Policy
in 2010 and in 2011 to address items such as: general requirements for water and sewer line
extensions; the process for handling requests for the Town to take ownership of and other
responsibilities associated with private systems; taps and other fees; annexation of properties
needing water and/or sewer service; service commitments from water and/or sewer service
suppliers; reimbursement to developers for line extensions; and design and construction standards
for water and sewer extensions and improvements. To date, the Board has not made changes to
the Water and Sewer Extension Policy.
The Water and Sewer Extension Policy would benefit from some language clarifying whether
developers may be reimbursed for water and sewer lines of all sizes. Including more specific
information about the costs that are eligible for reimbursement may also be helpful. The Town
should remove the reference to a specific tap fee and include a general reference, instead, to its
water and sewer fee schedule. If the Town develops written construction standards for water and
sewer lines, the policy should also refer to such standards.
The policy does not require that property for which Clyde water and/or sewer line extensions have
been requested be within the Clyde town limits. It may be worthwhile for the Town to study the
costs and benefits of extending water and/or sewer only to areas inside the town limits.
Clyde Water and Sewer System Design and Construction Standards
Other than the few specifications stated in Clyde’s Water and Sewer Extension Policy (see above)
and some general provisions in its subdivision and zoning ordinances (see below), the Town does
not have a written set of minimum design and construction standards for extending, improving,
and/or connecting to the Town’s water and sewer systems. However, the Water and Sewer
Extension Policy requires engineered plans and approval by both NC DENR and the Town of Clyde.
Clyde Subdivision Ordinance Requirements
The Subdivision Regulations of the Town of Clyde, North Carolina (“Subdivision Ordinance”) contains
some requirements regarding approval of water and sewer system plans and installation as they
relate to the approval of preliminary and final subdivision plats. As indicated below, there are some
minor internal issues or inconsistencies in the Subdivision Ordinance regarding the approvals that
are required. The Subdivision Ordinance does not contain or direct applicants to specific design and
construction specifications for public water and sewer systems, probably due, at least in part, to the
Town’s planning jurisdiction being served by more than one water and sewer service provider.
Clyde’s Subdivision Ordinance requires that subdivisions be approved by the Town prior to water
and/or sewer systems being extended or connected to them. For new systems or expansions to
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existing systems that serve two or more connections, approval must be in accordance with state
statutes. One section of the Subdivision Ordinance states that plans for public water and sewer as
well as documentation of approval of such plans by the appropriate utility must be submitted with
preliminary plats. Another section requires, at the time of preliminary plat submittal, written
assurance from the developer that plans for new or expansion of existing water and/or sewer
systems have been approved by the appropriate state and/or local agency.
The Subdivision Ordinance requires that subdivisions be connected to Clyde’s water and sewer
systems where feasible. It also states that water and sewer systems may be owned and operated by
public or private entities. To obtain final plat approval, developers must install water and sewer
systems that serve more than one connection (or provide a financial guarantee of such installation)
in accordance with the required specifications of the utility provider and submit to the Town of
Clyde written approval of the same. Developers who install water and/or sewer systems prior to
final plat approval must submit written approval of such installation by the appropriate state and/or
local agencies. Those who choose to financially guarantee water and/or sewer system installation in
order to obtain final plat approval must submit written approval of plans for the systems from the
appropriate state and/or local agencies.
Clyde Zoning Ordinance Requirements
There are a few references to the provision of water and sewer services in the Zoning Ordinance of
the Town of Clyde, North Carolina ("Zoning Ordinance”). For conditional use permits, including
those for planned unit developments, the Zoning Ordinance requires that applicants provide
documentation of approval of plans for proposed water and sewer systems by the appropriate state
and local agencies. The Zoning Ordinance does not provide or direct conditional use permit
applicants to any specific standards for designing or constructing such systems except in the case of
manufactured home parks. The Ordinance states that manufactured home parks must be served by
a public water system that meets the plumbing installation requirements for manufactured homes
and parks in the North Carolina Plumbing Code. It also says that if a manufactured home park is
served by a public sewer system, the system must also meet the plumbing standards for
manufactured homes and parks in the State Plumbing Code.
Water and Sewer System Capacities for Future Development
Because the Town has approval authority for development proposals in areas where it does not
have full or direct control of water and sewer service, those who plan to develop property could find
themselves in situations in which Clyde has approved a project, yet the water or sewer system has
insufficient capacity for the project. Similar problems could arise for development that will depend
on other water and sewage disposal systems such as individual wells, small community water
systems, septic tanks, and package treatment plants. The Town may want to consider adding
language to its land development regulations to have developers address water and sewer system
capacity prior to obtaining subdivision, zoning, site plan, and similar approvals from the Town.
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Other Public Facilities and Services
Clyde has an array of public buildings, facilities and services available to the community. The Town
owns and/or manages some, while others are provided by Haywood County and other public
entities. They, along with those provided by churches, non-profit organizations, and others, help the
Town manage its daily operations and contribute to the quality of life in the Clyde area. Changes in
growth and development trends, the age of the population, and other factors can affect the need
for and the quality of public facilities and services.
As illustrated on Map 5, Community Facilities, the Study Area contains a variety of public buildings
and community facilities owned and operated by the Town of Clyde as well as other governmental
and non-governmental agencies.
Town of Clyde Facilities and Properties
Existing Facilities
The Town of Clyde currently owns and operates the buildings and facilities in the Study Area
described below. Facilities associated with water and sewer systems are addressed elsewhere. The
Town uses its CIP to schedule capital expenditures associated with its facilities.
Town Hall. The Clyde Town Hall, located on a 0.53 acre parcel at the corner of Carolina
Boulevard and Main Street, houses the Town of Clyde’s Administrative Offices and Police
Department. Town boards and committees hold meetings in the building. Meeting spaces
are also available for public use.
Maintenance Department. The Town of Clyde Maintenance Department operates from a
building on 0.2 acre on Mulberry Street, between Carolina Boulevard and Broad Street. It
uses the property to store materials, equipment, and vehicles.
Clyde Park. Clyde Park is located on almost 1 acre of rolling, partially wooded land on
Spencer Street, adjacent to the Skyland Camp for Girls. It has a large shelter with picnic
tables, uncovered picnic tables, grills, restrooms, and a parking area.
Lynn’s Park. Located on 0.35 acres at the corner of Main and Broad Streets in downtown
Clyde, Lynn’s Park offers a shelter with picnic tables, a playground, restrooms, and a parking
area (accessible from an easement off Broad Street).
Former Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Property. The property consists of 1.6 acres
located on Hyder Mountain Road, near the US 74 Connector’s bridge over the Pigeon River.
The Town closed the WWTP in 2000 and uses the property to store equipment and
materials.
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Broad Street Commercial Building. The 0.29 acre parcel on the southeast corner of Broad
Street and Charles Street contains a 2-story building that the Town currently leases to a
church.
Future Projects
Some of the public facilities projects that the Town of Clyde may undertake in the next decade
include the following:
Future Park. The Town of Clyde has plans to develop a new park near the large bend in the
Pigeon River at the town limits. It is part of a recommended flood protection project that
will establish a debris relief area between the river and Thickety Road.
Community/Senior Center. The Clyde Board of Aldermen has included a Senior Citizen
Center project in the Town’s CIP. The FY 2010-11 through 2014-15 CIP shows the project
being proposed for funding in FY 2013-14. However, the Board may need to delay the
programming date depending on its budget and other factors.
The Town also has acquired some properties near the Pigeon River through the federal and state
Hazard Mitigation Acquisition (buyout) programs following the 2004 floods. The parcels have
restrictions on their use (as described in the Environment and Natural Resources Element). The
Town has not yet developed plans for the future use of the buyout properties. See below for
additional information about buyout parcels owned by Haywood County.
Clyde Facilities Use and Special Event Policies and Procedures
The Town of Clyde does not have written policies covering the public use of its facilities such as the
Town Hall, parks, streets, buyout properties, etc. The Town accepts reservations for the covered
shed areas at its parks but does not charge a fee for such usage. At its annual retreat in 2010, the
Board of Aldermen discussed the need for a policy or guidelines on the use of Town facilities.
Procedures for reserving facilities, building access, and room set up and clean up, for example, are
just a few of the items that such a policy might cover.
The Board also talked during its 2010 retreat about establishing requirements for groups and
individuals that want to hold special events in Clyde, particularly in the downtown area. Liability and
insurance, security, parking, closing roads, permits, and others issues might be addressed in a
special events policy.
Schools
The Study Area has a variety of public and private educational facilities, as described below.
Haywood County Schools
The Haywood County Schools system operates 3 schools in the Study Area:
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Clyde Elementary School. Located on approximately 20.3 acres on Old Clyde Road, Clyde
Elementary School serves approximately 500 students in kindergarten through 5th grade that
are mainly from Clyde and the surrounding area.15 The school had 90 employees in March
of 2012. The property contains a multi-purpose athletic field and walking trail. Its
gymnasium is used by youth basketball leagues and, when needed, serves as an emergency
shelter. The school was near or at capacity when it opened in April of 2000 and a new wing
has since been added.
Central Haywood High School. Central Haywood High School occupies the former Clyde
High School on Broad Street in Clyde. It is an alternative high school with approximately 20
employees that served 104 students from throughout Haywood County during the 2009-
2010 academic year.16 The school property contains 12.2 acres divided by the Pigeon River
and Hyder Mountain Road. The buildings and grounds are at great risk of flooding as much
of the property is located in the floodway and the rest is within the 100-year floodplain. The
school has sustained flood damage in the past. The school campus includes the main
classroom building and the Haywood County Board of Education Building on the south side
of the river. The portion north of the river and Hyder Mountain Road contains a
gymnasium, a football stadium, a multi-purpose athletic field, and several other small
buildings.
Haywood Early College. Haywood Early College (HEC) opened in 2006 on the campus of
Haywood Community College. HEC provides students who are traditionally
underrepresented in colleges and universities with the opportunity to complete both a high
school diploma and an Associate degree in 5 years. The school had 137 students enrolled in
2011.17
Haywood Community College
Almost all of the approximately 110-acre Haywood Community College (HCC) campus is contained
within the Study Area. The campus adjoins the southwestern boundary of the Clyde ETJ and is
bounded on the north by US Highway 19/23 and on the west by Jones Cove Road.
Part of the North Carolina Community College System, HCC offers Certificates, Diplomas and
Associate in Applied Science degrees in a range of programs of study including Agriculture and
Natural Resources, Business, Commercial and Artistic Production, Construction, Engineering, Health
Sciences, among others. It also offers an Associate in General Education degree and college transfer
programs with Associate in the Arts, Fine Arts, and Science degrees. In addition to educational
facilities, HCC has a childcare center, an auditorium, an arboretum, a walking trail, a picnic area, a
softball field, and an outdoor volleyball court available for public use.
In 2010-11, HCC had 3,493 students enrolled in curriculum programs and 5,400 students in
continuing education and adult education programs. HCC has had a significant increase in student
enrollment in recent years that strained available instructional space. It developed a 15-year
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Campus Master Plan in 2008 to address facility improvements and expansion needs and provide for
the preservation of the natural setting and other significant features of the HCC property. The
Campus Master Plan proposes to add 8 new buildings (to the existing 22) and expand 3. Haywood
County provides HCC with funds for maintenance and for building construction and renovations.
Proceeds from a 1/4-cent sales tax approved in 2008 are also being used to fund construction
projects recommended in the Campus Master Plan.
Haywood Christian Academy
Haywood Christian Academy (HCA) is a private school that opened in Clyde in 2007. HCA offers pre-
kindergarten (pre-K) and kindergarten through 12th grade classes from two facilities in Clyde. It
holds pre-K through 6th grade classes at New Covenant Church on Lee Road. Middle and high school
students attend classes at the HCA campus on Old Clyde Road. In 2011, HCA had 111 enrolled
students and more than 20 employees. HCA uses a field at Central Haywood High School for soccer
games.
Other Public Facilities and Properties
Some of the other public facilities and properties in the Study Area include:
Clyde Post Office. The Clyde Post Office occupies 1.5 acres on Carolina Boulevard within the
Clyde town limits.
Clyde Volunteer Fire Department. The Clyde Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) was
established in 1925. The VFD’s station is situated on 0.69 acres on Carolina Boulevard inside
the Clyde town limits. Its service area includes properties both inside and outside of the
Town of Clyde.
Haywood Public Transit Facility. Mountain Projects, Inc., is building a new facility for
Haywood Public Transit (HPT) on 3.7 acres on Jones Cove Road, adjacent to HCC in the Clyde
ETJ. It will house the HPT office and a parking area for the HPT vehicles.
National Guard Armory. A National Guard Amory is located off Jones Cove Road adjacent to
HCC in Clyde’s ETJ. It serves the North Carolina Army National Guard’s 211th Military Police
Company.
North Carolina Forest Service Office. The office of the Haywood County Ranger of the North
Carolina Forest Service is located on Ed Green Road in the Clyde ETJ.
North Carolina Highway Patrol Office. The office of Troop G, District V (Haywood and
Jackson Counties), of the North Carolina Highway Patrol is located on Lee Road in Clyde’s
ETJ.
Shook Museum at the Shook-Smathers House. A 3.62-acre parcel on Morgan Street, just
within the Clyde town limits, is the site of the Shook-Smathers House. The house is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places. The Shook Museum occupies the house and the
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property also contains the museum’s visitor center and gift shop. The previous owner of the
Shook-Smathers House donated the property to the Haywood County Historical and
Genealogical Society in December of 2011. The Quality of Life and Community Character
Element contains additional information about the history of the Shook-Smathers House.
Flood Buyout Properties
As noted above and elsewhere in the Land Use Plan, there are 42 flood-prone parcels in the Study
Area that Haywood County acquired through the federal and state buyout programs following the
2004 floods. Haywood County has since transferred some of the parcels to the Town of Clyde. The
Haywood County Recreation and Parks Department oversees the management of the buyout
parcels, which are subject to significant use and building restrictions. Haywood County has not yet
developed specific plans for the buyout properties. The wide distribution of the parcels throughout
the Study Area creates some challenges for trying to link them. The variation in buyout parcel sizes
will also affect their viability for certain uses. The County has leased some of the properties to
adjacent property owners for use as gardens.
Government Services
Numerous government and other community services are available to people in the Clyde area. The
information below focuses on some of those provided by the Town of Clyde and other government
entities that are the most directly related to the elements addressed in this Land Use Plan. Services
related to providing water and sewer, road maintenance, and several others are covered elsewhere
in the Land Use Plan.
Public Safety and Emergency Services
Law Enforcement
The Clyde Police Department serves the area within the town limits of Clyde. In addition to standard
law enforcement services, the Police Department offers a service for elderly and disabled citizens
that wish to receive a daily check in call.
The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the Clyde ETJ. There
is a county-wide mutual aid agreement between the various county and municipal law enforcement
agencies. As a result, the Clyde Police Department frequently responds to calls in the ETJ.
HCC has its own Security Department that provides 24-hour, 7-day a week, public safety and security
services on the school’s campus. According to its website, the HCC Security Officers work closely
with local law enforcement agencies to enforce local, state, and federal laws on campus. They are
trained to respond to accidents and fire, medical, weather-related, and other campus emergencies
and are in communication with county emergency agencies.18
Fire Services
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The Clyde Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) is part of the Central Haywood Fire District. At one
time, it was an agency within the Town of Clyde government. The VFD receives funding from
Haywood County through a fire district tax. It serves both the Town of Clyde and its ETJ. The VFD
has an emergency warning siren that it uses to notify the community if an evacuation is necessary
due to impending floods and other emergency events. VFD personnel are trained in water rescue.
The VFD also issues burning permits, performs child safety seat inspections, and conducts other
services.
The Haywood County Fire Marshal’s Office performs fire code inspections for businesses,
institutional uses, multi-family residential uses, and hazardous facilities within the Study Area. The
Office also assists the Clyde VFD with fire investigations.
Emergency Medical Services
Haywood County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has 6 advanced life support paramedic level
ambulances, one of which is stationed at the Clyde Fire Department. EMS paramedics respond to all
emergency medical calls and other emergencies. According to the EMS web page, a comprehensive
“move-up and standby plan” is used to relocate ambulances to other areas of Haywood County to
respond to medical emergencies as quickly as possible.
The Haywood Rescue Squad, a paramedic level service comprised of volunteers, provides back-up
support to the Haywood County EMS. It provides a variety of emergency response and rescue
services and also operates a county-wide, non-emergency, medical transportation service.
Emergency Management
Haywood County Emergency Management coordinates all types of disaster planning, preparation,
response, and recovery for the entire county. The Town of Clyde is one of the many local
governments, agencies, etc., that are involved in disaster management and hazard mitigation in
Haywood County.
911 Communications and Property Addressing
Haywood County’s 911 Communications Center provides 24-hour emergency dispatch services for
Clyde and the rest of the Study Area. The County is also responsible for providing permanent
physical addresses for all properties in the Study Area to aid in emergency dispatch and response
efforts.
Solid Waste Management
The Town of Clyde contracts with a private solid waste service to provide weekly residential trash
and recyclables collection services within the town limits. The Town charges residential property
owners a garbage collection fee whether they use the solid waste services or not. Clyde ETJ
property owners and tenants hire private haulers. Area residents may also bring trash to the White
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Oak Landfill in Waynesville and recyclables to the County’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) west of
the Clyde ETJ.
Haywood County will close its solid waste transfer station, which is located just outside of the Study
Area (near the MRF), at the end of FY 2011-12. The closing will impact the Town of Clyde because
its solid waste hauler will have to transport trash to the White Oak Landfill, which will add to the
company’s transportation costs. The Town will be planning for the changes in the County’s solid
waste operations when its contract with its current hauler expires in June of 2013.
The Town of Clyde also picks up junk and brush from residences and businesses within the town
limits. The Town will pick up one dump truck load of junk and/or brush per customer per year for
free, but imposes a fee if it has to haul any additional loads in the same year.
Public Library
There is not a branch of the Haywood County Public Library located in the Study Area. Therefore,
residents use the main library in Waynesville and a branch in Canton. The Town of Clyde is not
aware of whether the County has considered having a branch in Clyde.
Other Town of Clyde Services
In addition to operating public water and wastewater collection systems, performing road
maintenance, and providing police protection, the Town of Clyde provides streetlights, it maintains
its parks and other property, and it administers the Town Code of Ordinances and several additional
ordinances affecting land development including zoning, subdivision, and stormwater management
regulations. The Town also issues business privilege licenses within the town limits, maintains a
Town website, and publishes a Town newsletter. Haywood County administers flood damage
prevention and erosion and sedimentation regulations for Clyde and also manages building
inspections for the Town.
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Element Three: Public Facilities,
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Goals, Recommendations, and Strategies
1. Goal: Develop and maintain an efficient, multi-modal transportation system that serves the needs of residents, the traveling public and businesses.
1.1. Recommendation: Improve US 19/23 (Carolina Boulevard) through Clyde in a manner
that complements plans for revitalizing the downtown area.
Strategies:
a. Work through the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization to add a
project to its Comprehensive Transportation Plan/Long Range Transportation Plan
and the North Carolina Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, to
convert US 19/23 (Carolina Boulevard) through Clyde to a boulevard-style road.
b. Work with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to control the
number of new driveway entrances on US 19/23 (Carolina Boulevard) by using
access management strategies such as frontage roads.
c. Seek and find additional funding opportunities for ongoing street improvement
projects contained within the Carolina Boulevard Streetscape Improvement Plan.
1.2. Recommendation: Improve connectivity between points of interest and destinations
within and near Clyde such as downtown, community facilities, schools, Haywood
Community College, churches, parks, medical facilities, businesses, etc.
Strategies:
a. Use sidewalks, walking trails, and bicycle routes to link facilities used by the public.
b. Encourage developers to provide for connections to be made between new,
existing, and proposed projects.
c. Investigate options for providing a new road to connect (across the railroad tracks)
Broad Street and Carolina Boulevard to serve the area between Mulberry Street and
the eastern ETJ boundary. Such a road, if located near Clyde Elementary School,
could provide an additional means of access for Clyde Elementary School, for
example.
d. Identify transportation facilities needing safety improvements and make
recommendations for funding.
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Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure
1.3. Recommendation: Develop plans to provide pedestrian and bicycle facilities in Clyde.
Strategies:
a. Develop pedestrian and bicycle plans to help identify and assess existing facilities
and needs, recommend improvements to existing facilities, propose new facilities,
and suggest ways to link such facilities to each other and to other destinations.
b. Seek funding assistance to prepare pedestrian and bicycle plans from the North
Carolina Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Grant
Initiative, a matching grant, cost reimbursement program that can help
communities pay for certain specified expenses associated with such plans,
including the services of consultants.
c. Involve BicycleHaywoodNC in planning for bicycle facilities in and around Clyde.
BicycleHaywoodNC is an advocacy and advisory group that partners with local
governments to works ensure safety, education, community awareness, and
legislation related to bicycling.
d. Look for other opportunities for implementing bicycle and pedestrian plans, such as
through the Safe Routes to School program.
1.4. Recommendation: Provide and promote options for alternate transportation modes in
Clyde.
Strategies:
a. Develop a greenway along the Pigeon River.
b. Link downtown sidewalks with other existing and future pedestrian facilities.
c. Require developers to build “complete streets” that accommodate vehicles,
pedestrians, bicyclists, etc.
d. Promote Haywood County Transit as a transportation option available to residents.
e. Increase awareness of the park-and-ride lot located at exit 33 (Newfound Road) on
Interstate 40 in Haywood County.
f. Install bicycle racks and encourage businesses, churches, schools, and other public
facilities to do the same.
g. Build awareness in the community about the benefits of multi-modal
transportation systems.
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Element Three: Public Facilities,
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2. Goal: Continue to provide public water and sewer services in an efficient and cost-effective manner that will meet the current, future, and emergency needs of Clyde.
2.1. Recommendation: Plan for the future of the Town’s water and sewer systems.
Strategies:
a. Prepare and/or update comprehensive water and sewer system master plans.
b. Include water and sewer line replacement projects in the Town’s Capital
Improvements Plan.
c. Consider establishing water and sewer system development charges to help
recover the costs of upgrading system capacities to address additional demand.
d. Continually monitor the availability of outside funding resources for water and
sewer projects.
2.2. Recommendation: Ensure the availability of an adequate public water supply to serve
Clyde.
Strategies:
a. Renew the 2011 water contract with the Town of Canton before it expires in 2021.
b. Formalize the agreement with the Junaluska Sanitary District regarding the provision
of water during emergencies.
2.3. Recommendation: Ensure the availability of an adequate public sewage disposal system
to serve Clyde.
Strategies:
a. Continue to seek cost-effective options and/or interlocal agreements with other
providers for public sewage disposal.
2.4. Recommendation: Prepare for the impacts of drought conditions on water supplies.
Strategies:
a. Publicize Clyde’s Water Shortage Response Plan.
b. Develop a long-term drought management / water conservation plan for Clyde.
c. Inform the public about the importance of water conservation and how property
owners can assist the Town in meeting its water conservation goals.
d. Explore the legal authority, options available, etc., for providing incentives for water
conservation, such as changing the water and sewer rate structures so those who
conserve water pay less.
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Element Three: Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure
2.5. Recommendation: Institute and/or update Town policies, procedures, and standards
regarding public water and sewer systems.
Strategies:
a. Update the Town of Clyde’s water and sewer line extension policy to require that
properties for which water and/or sewer line extensions have been requested be
located within the Clyde corporate limits.
b. Require those requesting water and/or sewer line extensions or service to provide
a written commitment from the system operator/service provider to ensure that
adequate system capacity is available to provide the service.
c. Provide and/or update design and construction standards for water and sewer
lines, including those in the water and sewer line extension policy, and ensure that
such standards are consistent throughout Town ordinances, policies, etc.
3. Goal: To provide high quality, accessible, well-maintained public facilities and services in an efficient and economical manner.
3.1. Recommendation: Formalize processes and procedures regarding the use of Town-
owned land, buildings, and other facilities by the public.
Strategies:
a. Develop a Town facility use policy.
b. Develop a special event policy, particularly for downtown.
3.2. Recommendation: Develop a consistent set of policies and standards regarding the
construction and maintenance of public improvements such as streets, sidewalks,
walking trails, bicycle paths, etc.
Strategies:
a. Develop a standards and specifications manual for public improvements.
b. Ensure that standards for public improvements are consistent throughout Town
ordinances, policies, etc.
3.3. Recommendation: Develop a plan to address future uses of flood buyout properties.
Strategies:
a. Develop and maintain an inventory of the flood buyout properties in the Clyde area
which includes information about current uses on the properties.
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b. Study how the flood buyout properties owned by Clyde can be integrated into the
Town’s future plans for downtown, economic development, public facilities, flood
control, etc.
c. Encourage Haywood County to work with the Town of Clyde on plans for future uses
of County-owned flood buyout properties located in the Clyde area.
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62 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
Introduction
Physical geography plays a major role in shaping a community’s land use pattern. Land, water, air,
ecosystems, environmental processes, and other natural features underlie, support and impact the
social, economic, cultural, and other development activities in and around the Clyde Land Use Plan
Study Area.
Water Resources
As an essential resource for human, animal, and plant life, agriculture, business operations,
recreation, transportation, and more, the quality and availability of water are vital to the existence
and health of communities. Land use can have a direct impact on water resources and vice versa.
Watersheds and River Basins
All land is part of a watershed, which is the area which drains (both above and below ground) to a
body of water. Watersheds from smaller rivers, streams and lakes are interconnected and make up
the larger watersheds of major rivers known as river basins.
The Pigeon River sub-basin is part of the French Broad River basin, one of 17 major basins in North
Carolina. Within the sub-basin lies the Headwaters Pigeon River watershed, a 168 square-mile
drainage area in the southeastern portion of Haywood County which contains the Town of Clyde and
its ETJ.19
The Pigeon River is a significant natural feature in the Study Area. It flows west from Canton, bisects
the Town of Clyde, turns to the northwest in Clyde’s ETJ, and eventually joins the French Broad River
in eastern Tennessee. The length of the Pigeon River in the Clyde town limits is 1.1 miles and its
length within the Study Area is 2.2 miles.
Water Quality
Surface Water Classifications
The North Carolina Division of Water Quality (DWQ) has classified all surface freshwaters (rivers,
lakes, etc.) in order to protect their best uses based on their quality (for drinking, swimming, and/or
fishing, for example).20 All bear a primary state classification and some have one or more
supplemental classifications. Some of the classifications affect how surrounding land is used, such
as by requiring stream buffers and limiting development density and/or impervious surfaces. For
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |63
more information on the DWQ classifications, go to:
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ps/csu/classifications.
The only DWQ primary stream classification within the Study Area is “C,” the minimum classification
applied to freshwaters to protect them for secondary recreation (boating, wading, and other
activities that involve occasional, incidental human body contact with water, fishing, aquatic life,
and wildlife). Local governments are not required to adopt land use regulations to protect Class C
streams.
As directed by North Carolina’s Water Supply Watershed Protection Act, enacted in 1989, the State’s
Environmental Management Commission adopted minimum standards to protect surface waters
used as drinking water sources and classified water supply watersheds across the state based on the
standards. Local governments with land use jurisdiction within water supply watersheds must adopt
and implement water supply watershed protection ordinances, maps, and management plans.
There are no State-designated water supply watershed areas within the Town of Clyde or the
Town’s ETJ; therefore the Town is not required to adopt water supply watershed protection
regulations.21
Groundwater
Groundwater is water that seeps underground into aquifers (areas between sand, clay, and/or rock
where water can pool) which feeds springs and can be accessed via drilling for wells. Like surface
water, it can become polluted if the water that ends up in aquifers travels through contaminated
soil.
Within the area served by Clyde’s water system there are approximately 2 dwellings that use private
wells. The Clyde ETJ contains a number of homes and businesses that do not have access to either
the Clyde or the Junaluska Sanitary District water systems and are, therefore, reliant on private wells
for water.
Water Quality Issues
As noted above, the quality of the water needed to support various uses and functions varies.
Water quality is affected by a variety of factors; however degradation by pollutants is a primary
concern. Water pollution is often classified based on whether it originates from “point” sources or
“nonpoint” sources.
Point Source Pollution
Point source pollution is discharge that enters a water body at a specific, identifiable location such
as through a pipe or a ditch. Most point source pollution comes from effluent from municipal or
industrial wastewater treatment plants. It can also come from package treatment plants (smaller
wastewater treatment systems that may serve uses such as residential developments, businesses
and schools, for example) as well as stormwater collection systems. Such discharges can deplete
the oxygen level of water bodies that is needed to sustain aquatic life. Point source pollution is
regulated by both the federal and state government.22
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Clyde is located downstream of Evergreen Packaging, (formerly known as Blue Ridge Paper
Products, Inc., and, previously, Champion International Paper), a paper mill in Canton which
discharges water used in its manufacturing processes into the Pigeon River. In reference to the
mill’s impact on the water quality of the Pigeon River, the French Broad River Basinwide Water
Quality Plan notes:
Historically, this discharger was a major polluter but over time has greatly improved
performance. The current permit, issued on May 26, 2010, contains variances for both
color and temperature. The limits for both temperature and color were tightened. The
permit also requires future reduction to the color limit, as well as, increased monitoring
for turbidity, hardness, and dioxins. This permit is being challenged in court by Cocke
County, Tennessee and several environmental groups.23
The DWQ’s use support rating for segments of the Pigeon River from Canton through Clyde and its
ETJ is “impaired for biological integrity,”24 one of a variety of indicators used to assess water quality.
Biological monitoring involves analyzing the health, species, diversity, and habitat of living organisms
in water bodies.25 The State has a benthic macroivertebrate (or “benthos”) ambient monitoring site
on the Pigeon River in Clyde. The monitoring site is approximately five and one-half miles
downstream from where the mill in Canton discharges its wastewater.26
The North Carolina Wildlife Commission’s 2005 North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan notes that
although discharges from the Canton mill during the 20th century negatively affected various
priority aquatic species, “Improvements in waste water treatment that began in the early 1990’s
have improved habitat conditions and prospects for recovery of many native species appear to be
good.”27
Nonpoint Source Pollution
Nonpoint source pollution is the discharge of contaminants that are not released from a specific
point. It often results from stormwater that travels across land, picks up pollutants, and eventually
deposits them into water bodies. The pollutants can include eroded soils from construction sites
and agricultural lands, grease, oil, and other toxic substances from impervious surfaces (such as
streets, parking lots, and rooftops), pesticides and fertilizers from yards and farmland, human and
animal waste, and chemicals from the air. Such pollutants can impact water bodies and the
organisms that rely on them in various ways. For example, excess nutrients in the form of chemical
fertilizers and/or human or animal waste can accelerate algae growth which uses oxygen that would
otherwise be available to aquatic life. Sedimentation of streams can block sunlight needed by
aquatic plants and deplete oxygen needed by fish and other animals living in streams. Due to its
diffuse nature, nonpoint sources of pollution can be more difficult to identify and to regulate.28
Nonpoint source pollution, particularly sedimentation from development and agriculture, has been
a significant source of habitat degradation and other water quality concerns in the French Broad
River basin, including portions of the Pigeon River sub-basin.29 According to the Haywood
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |65
Waterways Association’s Watershed Action Plan for the Pigeon River, sediment from nonpoint
sources is the primary pollutant affecting the Pigeon River watershed.30
In its recommendations for the Pigeon River sub-basin, the French Broad River Basinwide Water
Quality Plan notes that buffers can help protect water quality.31 A riparian buffer is a vegetated area
that adjoins water bodies. Riparian buffers naturally help reduce the impacts of nonpoint source
pollution on streams by filtering pollutants from stormwater runoff. They can also help reduce the
velocity of stormwater, stabilize streambanks, and provide habitats that support aquatic life.
Water Quality Management and Regulations
Wastewater Discharge Permitting
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (the Clean Water Act) prohibits the discharge of point
source pollutants into surface waters without a permit. The United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) oversees the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) wastewater
permitting program that was established to control such discharges. In North Carolina, the DWQ
administers the NPDES Wastewater Permitting and Compliance Program on behalf of the EPA.
Industrial, municipal and other facilities that discharge directly to surface waters must obtain NPDES
wastewater permits. NPDES permits are not required for individual homes that are connected to
municipal sewer systems, have septic tanks or do not otherwise have surface water discharges.
According to the DWQ, NPDES permits are categorized as general (for some specified statewide
discharge activities including non-contact cooling, fish farm packaging and sand dredging) or
individual (for activities not covered by general permits, such as wastewater treatment plants).
Individual permits are further classified as major or minor. Major permits are issued for discharges
from wastewater treatments systems that have a design flow greater than 1.0 million gallons per
day (MGD) or that have a pretreatment program. The Study Area contains no individual major,
individual or minor or general NPDES-permitted wastewater discharge sites.
Erosion and Sedimentation Control
The Town of Clyde does not have its own erosion and sedimentation control program or ordinance,
therefore the NC DENR, Division of Land Resources, Land Quality Section, is responsible for
administering the State’s program within the town limits. Anyone conducting an activity that
disturbs one acre or more of land (some exemptions apply) must file an erosion and sedimentation
control plan with the North Carolina Sedimentation Control Commission.
A local government may operate its own erosion and sediment control program if it adopts a local
erosion and sediment control ordinance that complies with State standards and if the State’s
Sedimentation Control Commission delegates such authority. Because the Town of Clyde has not
established a local program, land within the town limits is subject to the State’s program.
Haywood County administers its own local erosion and sedimentation control program. The
County’s Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance applies to land-disturbing activities on half an acre
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66 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
or more. The Ordinance applies to lands outside of incorporated areas; therefore property in
Clyde’s ETJ is subject to it. According to Section 154.05(C) of the County Ordinance, the County may
administer it within incorporated areas of a municipality upon adoption of a resolution by the
municipality’s governing board and approval by the Haywood County Board of Commissioners.
The Town of Clyde’s Subdivision Ordinance requires that when subdivision plans propose a land
disturbing activity of one acre or more, the applicant must provide, at the time of preliminary plat
submittal, proof that an erosion and sedimentation control plan has been approved by the state
agency having jurisdiction. The Subdivision Ordinance applies in both the town limits and the ETJ.
However, subdivisions in the ETJ must meet the standards of the County’s Erosion and Sediment
Control Ordinance.
The Land Use Plan Committee discussed some of the advantages and disadvantages of local erosion
and sedimentation control programs. Although there was interest in having the Town of Clyde
consider establishing a local program, the costs associated with doing so were a concern,
particularly if they could not be covered fully by erosion and sedimentation control permit fees.
Stormwater Management
Stormwater runoff is excess water generated by rain or melting snow that is not absorbed into the
ground but rather flows over the ground and impervious surfaces to natural or engineered drainage
ways. Stormwater, along with the sediment, chemicals, and other pollutants it may convey, often
flows directly into water bodies and can be a source of non-point source pollution. Some
stormwater in more urban areas runs into engineered stormwater drainage systems (storm sewers)
and may or may not be treated before being released into surface waters.
In addition to its potential to impact water quality, stormwater runoff can have other detrimental
effects on communities, such as causing flooding problems when the amount of runoff exceeds the
capacity of drainage systems. Stormwater can carry debris that blocks drainage ways. The quantity
and velocity of stormwater runoff can cause soils to erode.
Stormwater Discharge Permitting
One of the components of the federal NPDES program is stormwater management. The DWQ is
responsible for implementing the NPDES Stormwater Program in North Carolina. The program
regulates stormwater discharges from certain municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s),
construction activities, and industrial activities to prevent pollution of surface waters.
The Town of Clyde is subject to Phase II of the NPDES Stormwater Program which requires that
construction activities disturbing one acre or more, small MS4s in urbanized areas, and designated
MS4s outside of urbanized areas obtain NPDES permits for stormwater discharges. Phase II also
requires that the Town of Clyde implement the following minimum control measures:
Public Education and Outreach
Public Involvement / Participation
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Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination
Construction Site Runoff Control
Post-construction Stormwater Management
Pollution Prevention / Good Housekeeping
The Town of Clyde is allowed to discharge stormwater from its MS4 in accordance with DWQ Permit
Number NCS000475, which is effective from November 11, 2011 through November 10, 2016.
Stormwater Permitting in Unincorporated Areas
The North Carolina General Assembly, through Session Law 2006-246 (adopted in 2007), expanded
the coverage of the NPDES Phase II Stormwater Program requirements for post-construction runoff
control beyond the corporate limits of cities and towns with MS4 permits. The DWQ now issues
stormwater permits for development in unincorporated areas that fall within urbanizing areas and
in “municipal spheres of influence” encompassing Phase II cities and towns. As a result, the Clyde
ETJ is subject to the same Phase II requirements as the Town of Clyde.
Stormwater Management Master Plan
The Town of Clyde was required to develop a stormwater management plan to comply with NPDES
Phase II requirements. McGill Associates completed Clyde’s Stormwater Management Master Plan
(Stormwater Master Plan or Master Plan) in 2008. The Master Plan addresses the development of a
stormwater ordinance, contains an inventory of stormwater outfalls and illicit discharges, provides
an analysis of culvert capacities, and includes a capital improvements plan.
Regarding stormwater management infrastructure, the Master Plan recommends both general and
more specific improvements. Recommended general stormwater system improvements included:
Using natural systems whenever possible to treat stormwater runoff but installing
underground water quality treatment structures in areas with large discharges where
natural treatment systems will not fit.
Installing a modern stormwater collection and conveyance system to move untreated
runoff to water quality treatment devices.
Planning stormwater management improvements to coincide with and/or complement
other infrastructure improvements.
Requiring 30-foot riparian buffers along perennial streams in Clyde and its ETJ to protect
water quality and slow floodwaters and stormwater runoff.
Replacing specified culverts with more hydraulically efficient, environmentally friendly,
and lower maintenance bottomless culverts.
Conducting more detailed watershed modeling and master planning to aid in flood
management, flood preparedness and response, ecosystem restoration, and more.
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Incorporating water quality structures and best management practices (BMPs) for
managing stormwater along a proposed Pigeon River greenway corridor.
The Stormwater Master Plan also recommended specific capital improvement projects involving
repairs to Clyde’s existing stormwater conveyance system in four target areas:
Stormwater runoff management for Pine Crest Way and Spencer Street adjacent to the
Spencer Street Park;
Stream stabilization and floodplain management for what the Plan refers to as the Clyde
Fire Station Branch (an unnamed tributary);
Stream stabilization and floodplain management for Conner Mill Branch; and
Nuisance flooding remediation on Glance Street Branch near the Glance Street and Levi
Street intersection.
The costs of the recommended capital improvement projects, as estimated in the Master Plan, are
shown in Table 28, below. The Master Plan examined four options for managing the Glance Street
Branch flooding issues; therefore the range within which the estimates for the options fell is shown.
Table 28: Preliminary Cost Estimates for Recommended Capital Improvement Projects in the Clyde Stormwater Management Master Plan
Project Estimated Cost
(2008)
Spencer Street Improvements $74,000
Fire Station Branch Improvements $312,000
Conner Mill Branch Improvements $469,000
Glance Street Branch Improvements $60,000 - $215,000
Source: Town of Clyde Stormwater Master Plan, November 2008
Since the completion of the Master Plan, the Town has obtained grant funds to pay for several of
the projects. The Spencer Street improvements were done for $72,500. The Town also completed a
project for the Fire Station Branch. Due to a change in its scope, the actual project cost was
$261,000.
Stormwater Ordinance
As part of its efforts to implement the minimum control measures required by the NPDES Phase II
Stormwater Program, the Town of Clyde adopted a Stormwater Ordinance in 2007. The Ordinance,
which applies to property within the Clyde town limits and ETJ, affects development and
redevelopment activities including, but not limited to, applications for site plans, subdivisions, and
grading. Activities that are exempt from the ordinance include those that cumulatively disturb less
than one acre and are not part of a larger common plan of development or sale; those that are
exempt from the Federal Clean Water Act Section 404 permit requirements; those issued a
Certificate of Building Code Compliance; those having valid building permits; and those included on
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |69
approved preliminary subdivision plans. Stormwater permit applicants have to meet design
standards that minimize the water quality impacts of proposed development.
For guidance on meeting Clyde’s design standards for stormwater management, the Stormwater
Ordinance directs users to the NC DENR, DWQ’s Stormwater Best Management Practices Design
Manual which can be found at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/ws/su/bmp-manual.
McGill Associates assists the Town with administering the Ordinance by reviewing stormwater
permit applications. As of October 2011, 3 permits had been issued by the Town (one of which had
since been voided) and 1 permit application was undergoing review. There are active permits for
the Dollar General store on Carolina Boulevard and a transit facility near Haywood Community
College. The pending permit is for a residential project being developed on Carolina Boulevard. The
voided permit was for an earlier design of that project.
Other Stormwater Management Efforts and Resources
Public Education
Clyde has taken steps to make the community more aware of the impacts of stormwater runoff and
what can be done to help mitigate them. The Town has devoted a page on its website to
stormwater information. It is also part of the WNC Stormwater Partnership, a group comprised of
Phase II communities that work through the Land of Sky Regional Council, with assistance from the
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, on coordinating stormwater education and
management efforts in the region.
Elimination of Illicit Discharges
To comply with NPDES Phase II requirements, the Town of Clyde must identify and eliminate illicit
stormwater discharges to keep pollutants from entering waterways. Illicit discharges are those
comprised of anything other than stormwater (unless they are from a permitted industrial source).
The Stormwater Master Plan identified and mapped 10 potential illicit discharges within the Town of
Clyde as part of an inventory of stormwater discharge points (outfalls), which included storm sewer
pipes, culverts and swales that release stormwater runoff to water bodies. The potential illicit
discharges were comprised mainly of old pipes of various types and sizes that did not appear to be
stormwater outfalls and that had dry weather flows and/or other characteristics associated with
illicit discharges, such as color, odor, suds, oil, etc.32 The Town of Clyde performed smoke testing for
its stormwater system in 2010 and found that several of the identified illicit discharges were no
longer present.
Article 7 of the Clyde Stormwater Ordinance focuses on illicit discharges. It prohibits the discharge
of certain substances (unless an NPDES permit has been granted) to “…any stormwater conveyance,
the waters of the State or upon the land in manner and amount that the substance is likely to reach
a stormwater conveyance or the waters of the State.” It also prohibits illicit connections to the
Town’s stormwater conveyance system. The Stormwater Ordinance allows for penalties to be
assessed for violations.
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70 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
Low Impact Development
Low Impact Development (LID) is a land development approach that relies on site planning and
design to preserve and protect natural resources and systems from negative impacts of stormwater
runoff. Using LID principles and techniques, development and redevelopment projects can be
designed with elements that function like natural hydrologic systems in the way they manage and
treat stormwater. Such elements often capture stormwater on a development site, filter it and
allow it to soak into the ground where it can recharge groundwater.
There are numerous LID site design techniques and BMPs. Some include minimizing impervious
surfaces, maintaining natural drainage ways and existing vegetation and using bioretention systems
(such as rain gardens and green roofs) that rely on plants and soils to remove pollutants from
stormwater. BMPs that might be used in LID projects are included in the NC DENR, DWQ’s
Stormwater Best Management Practices Design Manual, referenced previously. LID strategies work
well with conservation-based development practices.
There are several examples of alternative stormwater BMPs in Haywood County. Bethel Elementary
School has a bioretention demonstration project which uses rain gardens, constructed wetlands.
and other BMPs to capture and treat runoff from parking lots and buildings. HCC Natural Resources
Management LID program students have established LID demonstration sites on the campus.
There are a number of resources available for the Town of Clyde and others who are interested in
learning more about LID, including, but not limited to, the following:
Low Impact Development: A Guidebook for North Carolina. Published in 2009 by North
Carolina State University, the Guidebook provides technical and policy guidance on LID
to local governments and those involved in land development. It is available on the
Internet at:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/agecon/WECO/lid/documents/NC_LID_Guidebook.pdf.
Haywood Waterways Association, Inc. The Haywood Waterways Association (HWA) is
knowledgeable about LID and its water quality benefits. The HWA helped develop a
successful grant application to the Clean Water Management Trust Fund for the Bethel
Elementary School Innovative Stormwater Controls Project and was involved in many
aspects of the project including education and outreach. For its Haywood County
Growth Readiness Roundtable project, the HWA engaged the services of facilitators
from the Watershed Education for Communities and Officials Program (see below).
Watershed Education for Communities and Officials (WECO) Program. North Carolina
Cooperative Extension, based in North Carolina State University’s Department of
Agricultural and Resource Economics, created the WECO program to help communities
develop their capacity and build partnerships to manage natural resource issues. It
provides training, facilitation, and other assistance to communities interested in topics
such as LID. Go to http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/agecon/WECO/ for more
information.
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |71
Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP). The Haywood Soil and Water
Conservation District offers the CCAP to provide funds to homeowners, businesses,
schools, churches, and other civic and community groups that want to install
stormwater BMPs. The CCAP may reimburse up to 75% of the costs of qualifying
projects.
Water Quality Protection Plans and Programs
There are a variety of water quality plans and programs in place and/or being implemented within
the French Broad River Basin and the Pigeon River sub-basin. A sampling of some of the programs is
provided below.
The French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan
The 2011 French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan discusses the Pigeon River’s water
quality issues but has no specific recommendations for the Clyde area of the Pigeon River sub-basin.
General recommendations for the French Broad River Basin as a whole include, but are not limited
to:
Increasing stormwater management and education;
Encouraging LID;
Increasing inspections of sites that have the potential for erosion;
Increasing education about erosion control;
Improving maintenance of wastewater collection systems;
Preserving agricultural land through easements;
Supporting additional funding for programs that assist farmers that may lose income or
the development value of land due to water quality protection efforts;
Implementing additional agricultural BMPs to control erosion and to prevent surface
water contamination from animal waste and pesticides; and
Prioritizing lands to be purchased for conservation according to their value for habitat
and water quality protection.33
Watershed Action Plan, Pigeon River Watershed
The HWA published the Watershed Action Plan, Options for Improving Our Water Quality, Pigeon
River Watershed, Haywood County, North Carolina, in 2002. The Plan describes options for
addressing surface water quality issues within the Pigeon River watershed. It focuses mainly on
stream sedimentation and its sources. According to the Plan, the leading causes of sedimentation in
the Upper Pigeon River Watershed, which includes the Clyde area, are: eroding stream banks (45%);
roads (30%); eroding pastures (12%); and other sources (13%).
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The Plan recommends 17 strategies that could be carried out under existing authorities to improve
water quality. The strategies range from continuing existing and expanding public awareness
programs and encouraging development of greenways along riparian corridors to encouraging
donation of conservation easements and providing incentives for watershed protection. The Plan
includes an addendum with specific action plans to implement each of the strategies.34
The Pigeon River Fund
The Pigeon River Fund, established as part of the issuance of a Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC) license to Carolina Power and Light (now Progress Energy) in 1994, provides
grants for projects in the Pigeon River and French Broad River basins to improve surface water
quality, fish and wildlife habitat and fishery management; to expand public use and access to
waterways; and to inform the public about how to protect water resources.35
Of the more than $3 million in grants awarded through 2010 to fund projects in Haywood,
Buncombe, and Madison County, approximately $1.8 million has been directed to Haywood County
for public education efforts, stream restoration projects, and measures to reduce erosion and
sedimentation, such as through BMPs, farmland preservation, and the acquisition of conservation
easements.36
The Clean Water Management Trust Fund
The Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF), established by the North Carolina General
Assembly in 1996, provides grants to local governments, state agencies, and non-profits engaged in
conservation activities for projects that improve impaired waters or protect clean waters. Projects
funded by the CWMTF include land acquisitions, capital improvements to wastewater and
stormwater infrastructure, and stream restorations.37
In 2008, the Town of Clyde entered into an agreement with Haywood County and the Town of
Canton to apply for a grant from the CWMTF for a riparian buffer project along the Pigeon River.
Information about the grant and project’s status is provided in the Floodplain Management section
of this Element.
Wetlands
As defined by the Clean Water Act (for regulatory purposes), wetlands are “… areas that are
inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support,
and that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted for
life in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar
areas."
Wetlands have characteristics that naturally help protect water quality. They store water, filter it,
and release it slowly. This can help reduce the velocity and intensity of stormwater runoff that
might otherwise lead to erosion and sedimentation of streams. They also help filter pollutants from
stormwater. They absorb flood waters, which can reduce flood heights. Water draining through
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wetlands recharges groundwater. Wetlands also provide habitat for wildlife, fish, and plants.
Artificial wetlands can be designed and constructed to function like natural wetlands and may be
used to manage and treat stormwater.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service monitors the status of wetlands in terms of their extent
and type. The agency created the National Wetlands Inventory, which includes wetlands mapping,
as an information source. It identifies several water bodies as wetlands in the Land Use Plan Study
Area. The Pigeon River is shown as a rivervine wetland and several small ponds are classified as
freshwater pond wetlands.
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act addresses discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of
the United States, including wetlands. A permit is required in order to deposit dredged or fill
material in water bodies and wetlands unless otherwise exempted from Section 404. Activities with
potentially significant adverse impacts require an individual permit from the United States Army
Corps of Engineers. Discharge activities expected to have minimal adverse impacts on water bodies
require a general permit. The review process for a general permit is minimal and many activities can
proceed as long as they meet the general permit conditions. Applicants for individual and general
permits have to demonstrate that they will minimize or avoid impacts to wetlands.
Drought and Water Quality
A drought is prolonged period of dryness in which there is less rainfall than would normally be
expected. There are different types of drought, such as hydrological (deficiencies in surface and/or
ground water levels), agricultural (insufficient soil moisture to grow certain crops at particular
times), and meteorological (lower than normal precipitation for an extended period of time).38
Droughts may have a variety of environmental, economic, and other effects on communities. For
example, a prolonged lack of rainfall may limit public drinking water supplies (from surface water
and groundwater sources) and fire suppression capabilities; reduce the productivity of farms; cause
a decline in water quality, which can affect aquatic ecosystems and other wildlife; impact fishing and
other recreational uses of water bodies; reduce electrical power generation and other industrial
processes; increase the risk of wildfires; and many more.
Federal and state agencies monitor and respond to drought conditions. The North Carolina Drought
Management Advisory Council (NC DMAC), which operates under the NC DENR, assesses local
drought conditions and issues drought advisories for each county. According to N.C.G.S. § 143-355.1
(e), such drought advisories may specify areas of the state where drought conditions may be
expected, areas that are currently experiencing drought conditions, and the level of severity of
drought conditions. The NC DMAC also provides information on North Carolina’s drought conditions
to the National Drought Mitigation Center for the U.S. Drought Monitor, to various state agencies
and commissions, and to the public.39
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The NC DMAC maintains a website, http://www.ncdrought.org/, where it publishes the U.S. Drought
Monitor map that shows the areas that are experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions and
their levels of intensity. The map and associated data are updated weekly.
Article 38 of the North Carolina General Statutes (Water Resources) and Section .0600 of the North
Carolina Administrative Code (Water Use During Droughts and Water Supply Emergencies) require
local governments with public water systems, such as Clyde, to have a plan and procedures in place
to conserve water in the event that drought or other conditions lead to water shortages. The NC
DENR, Division of Water Resources (DWR), is responsible for reviewing and approving such Water
Shortage Response Plans (WSRPs). The plans must provide for tiered levels of water conservation
measures or other response actions, the restrictiveness of which depend on the severity of the
water shortage. They must describe how the water provider documents changes in water supply
and demand, measures the impact of water conservation measures, etc. Water providers must also
include plans to inform the public about preparing for drought conditions and the need for water
conservation. The State requires that WSRPs be updated at least every five years. The DWR
maintains a website for WSRPs that includes general information, instructions for uploading plans,
and copies of plans, including Clyde’s most recent one, at
http://www.ncwater.org/Water_Supply_Planning/Water_Shortage_Response_Plans/.
Droughts can impact water quality as well as quantity. Reduced streamflows can increase water
temperature, turbidity, and pollutant concentrations, for example. The level of dissolved oxygen
(DO), which is needed by fish and other aquatic life, is naturally lower in warmer months but can
decrease even further during drought conditions.40
The 2011 French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan references a specific impact of the 2007-
2008 drought on water quality near the Study Area. Approximately 8,000 fish died in the Pigeon
River below Canton in September of 2007. The Plan states, “The fish kill event was attributed to low
flow, low DO and high water temperatures brought on by ongoing drought conditions.”41
In 2010, many North Carolina counties, including Haywood, suffered from a lack of rainfall. The NC
DMAC classified Haywood County as having Moderate Drought conditions in July of 2010. Such a
designation requires water providers to implement local water use restrictions, make efforts to
inform and educate the public about water conservation, and take other precautions. In response,
the Town of Clyde, in conjunction with its water supplier, the Town of Canton, began implementing
Stage 1 Voluntary Water Conservation Procedures in August of 2010 because of the potential for a
water shortage. Such procedures include encouraging water users to reduce water consumption
and improve water use efficiency, which the towns did through a public service announcement.
Information about state statutes regarding drought, conservation, water rates, etc., can be found in
the Infrastructure Element.
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Flood Prone Areas
Clyde’s location in a valley along the Pigeon River, the topography of the area, and the alterations
that have been made to its landscape make portions of the town and its ETJ quite vulnerable to
flooding. Most Clyde area residents are well-aware that flooding events can seriously impact public
safety, the local economy, government operations and budgets, the community’s social fabric, the
well-being of citizens, and much more. While flooding can pose many challenges, flood prone areas
are also important natural resources that have functions and characteristics that benefit
communities. The Town of Clyde plays an important role in finding an appropriate balance between
mitigating flood impacts and protecting floodplains as natural resources.
Flood Hazard Areas
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) operated by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) makes federally-backed flood insurance coverage available in participating
communities. The NFIP is responsible for identifying and mapping flood hazard areas and publishes
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) to identify flood prone areas for flood insurance and floodplain
management purposes.
The NFIP defines a floodplain as, “Any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from
any source.”42 In Western North Carolina, floodplains are generally low lying areas located along
watercourses. One of their primary functions is to carry and store water when river or stream
channels overflow. Over the course of history, human settlements often located in or near
floodplains due to their fertile soils, level topography, proximity to water sources and transportation
routes, etc. Because floodplains tend to be environmentally sensitive areas (such as wetlands,
wildlife habitats, etc.), land use conflicts may occur.
A 100-year floodplain has a 1 percent or greater annual chance of flooding. The NFIP and State of
North Carolina use the 100-year flood (or base flood) as the minimum level of flooding that
participating communities must address through floodplain management regulations. The NFIP
refers to the 100-year floodplain as the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). SFHAs are delineated on
FIRMs and are divided into two regulatory areas, the floodway and the flood fringe. The NFIP notes
that SFHAs may not reflect all of the areas where flooding problems occur in a community.
A floodway is defined by the NFIP as, “The channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent
land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively
increasing the water surface elevation more than a designated height.”43 Floodways can be
especially dangerous during flood events because they tend to have deeper and faster-moving
waters compared to other floodplain areas. Obstructions in floodways, such as debris, structures or
fill material can affect the floodwater carrying capacity of rivers and streams. Such encroachments
may increase flood levels and velocities as well as divert floodwaters to other areas.
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The flood fringe refers to the portion of the 100-year floodplain that lies outside of the floodway.
Floodwaters in flood fringe areas tend to be shallower and of a lower velocity compared to the
floodway. A 500-year floodplain has a 0.2 percent annual chance of flooding. FIRMs depict 500-
year floodplains to show areas that have some risk of flooding during more extreme flood events.
The NFIP does not require that communities regulate 500-year floodplains.
Figure 5 illustrates the components of a typical floodplain found along rivers, creeks and streams.
Figure 5: Riverine Floodplain Illustration
Source(s): North Carolina Floodplain Management: 2008 Quick Guide, NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management, Floodplain Management Branch
Map 6, Floodplain Areas, shows the areas along the Pigeon River and its tributaries that are within
designated floodways, 100-year floodplains (or flood fringe because they exclude the floodway) and
500-year floodplains. The floodways, 100-year floodplains, and 500-year floodplains are together
referred to herein as flood hazard areas.
Approximately 13 percent (409.3 acres) of the 3,117 acres in the Study Area are within a flood
hazard area. Flood hazard areas comprise approximately 42 percent (202.1 acres) of the 478 acres
of land within the Town of Clyde and almost 8 percent (207.2 acres) of the 2,639 acres in the ETJ.
As shown in Table 29, almost half of the land in flood hazard areas in the Study Area is located in the
Clyde town limits while slightly more than half falls within the ETJ. A majority (91.1 acres or 59.3
percent) of the land in the Study Area that is classified as floodway is found within the ETJ. The
Clyde town limits contain a higher percentage of 100-year floodplain lands (112.6 acres or 59
percent) compared to the ETJ (78.1 acres or 41 percent). The reverse is true for the 500-year
floodplain.
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Table 29: Flood Hazard Areas in the Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area
Area
Acres in Floodway Acres in 100-Year
Floodplain (Excluding Floodway)
Acres in 500-Year Floodplain
Acres in All Flood Hazard Areas
Clyde Town Limits 62.5 112.6 27.0 202.1
Clyde ETJ 91.1 78.1 38.0 207.2
Study Area (Town Limits + ETJ)
153.6 190.7 65.0 409.3
Source(s): Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Haywood County, effective April 2012.
Floodplain Management
Floodplain management is a comprehensive, continuous program that integrates efforts to minimize
the impacts of flooding (on public safety, property, etc.) with those that protect floodplains as
natural resources. These dual objectives can be achieved through a variety of measures and tools.
The ways in which land is used in flood prone areas can support or interfere with the ability of
floodplains to store flood waters and perform other necessary functions. Therefore, land use
management is an important component of a sound floodplain management program. Other
components typically include mitigation projects, emergency preparedness and flood warning
systems, flood hazard prevention regulations, and public education. An effective floodplain
management program involves the cooperative efforts of a number of partners including local,
state, and federal government agencies, the private sector, and individuals.
In addition to helping minimize the impacts of flooding events, floodplain management activities can
have other community benefits such as preserving open space and natural areas, making land
available for small-scale agricultural activities, providing opportunities for recreation, and creating
community gathering spaces, for example.
Flood Damage Prevention
The Town of Clyde’s floodplain management program has regulatory and non-regulatory
components and is integrated with federal, state, and county programs. Some of the more
significant elements are described below.
National Flood Insurance Program
The NFIP was established to reduce losses of life and property from floods and to address the costs
of flood disaster relief. In communities that choose to participate in the NFIP, owners and renters of
property in floodplains are eligible for federally-backed flood insurance coverage. Participating
communities must adopt and enforce regulations for floodplain development that meet or exceed
NFIP standards. Such regulations are intended to minimize the risk of damages and losses from
floods. Flood insurance premiums for new buildings are based on flood risk, which is determined by
the elevation of the lowest floor of the structure relative to the base flood (the 100-year flood)
elevation. 44
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The NFIP encourages communities to enact regulations that exceed minimum federal and state
standards. It also requires communities to consider additional flood protection measures that are
found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (see 44 CFR § 60.22, Planning Considerations for
Floodprone Areas).”45
Local governments in North Carolina are required to participate in the NFIP in order to be eligible for
state disaster assistance funds for flood damage.46 The Town of Clyde has participated since 1983.
North Carolina Floodplain Management Regulations
In 2000, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Flood Act of 2000 (Session Law 2000-150).
The Act substantially revised the State’s floodplain regulations found in N.C.G.S. Article 21, Part 6, §
143-215. 51 - 61. The regulations, as revised, are intended to:
Minimize the extent of floods by preventing obstructions that inhibit water flow and
increase flood height and damage.
Prevent and minimize loss of life, injuries, property damage, and other losses in flood
hazard areas.
Promote the public health, safety, and welfare of citizens of North Carolina in flood
hazard areas.47
The statutes allow local governments to adopt flood hazard prevention ordinances (FHPOs) that
regulate and require permits for uses in 100-year floodplains. Some land uses are permitted in
floodplains without FHPO permits including, but not limited to, most forms of agriculture, forestry,
outdoor recreation, parking and loading areas, and open space. Prohibited uses in the 100-year
floodplain include new solid waste disposal facilities, hazardous waste management facilities,
salvage yards, and chemical storage facilities unless a variance is granted under N.C.G.S. §
143-215.54A(b) for uses that serve a critical community need, for which there are no other feasible
locations to site such uses, and which meet certain design criteria.
The State regulations contain minimum requirements for FHPOs that supplement the NFIP
standards. FHPOs must prohibit the uses mentioned above and require that chemical or fuel
storage tanks/structures incidental to allowed uses be elevated or watertight and resistant to other
flooding effects. The statutes also allow local governments to acquire existing structures in 100-year
floodplains through purchase, exchange, or condemnation, if necessary to prevent damage from
flooding.
The North Carolina Division of Emergency Management (NC DEM) provides communities with
floodplain management assistance through its Floodplain Management Branch and its Floodplain
Mapping Program. The Floodplain Management Branch provides model flood damage prevention
ordinances that meet the minimum NFIP and state standards. The model ordinances as well as the
instructions for communities intending to use them encourage communities to evaluate and adopt
more restrictive standards.
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The North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program
In 2000, the State of North Carolina, in partnership with the FEMA, began the North Carolina
Floodplain Mapping Program (NC FMP) to re-map floodplains and update FIRMs for all counties.
The new maps are provided in digital form. The NC FMP provided a preliminary Flood Insurance
Study (FIS) and preliminary digital FIRMs to Haywood County in early 2008. The Haywood County
FIRMs include the Town of Clyde and its ETJ, as well as the other municipalities in the county. After
a public review process, the NC FMP revised the preliminary FIS and FIRMs. The new FIRMs have an
effective date of April 3, 2012, however FEMA directed Haywood County to begin using the base
flood elevations and floodway data from the preliminary FIS and FIRMs as of October 3, 2011.48 The
preliminary FIRMs were used for floodplain mapping and analysis for this Land Use Plan.
Haywood County Flood Hazard Development Ordinance
For many years the Town of Clyde had its own regulations for development in floodplains. In 2005,
the Town adopted Haywood County’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (or FDPO). Per a joint
resolution adopted in 2005, the County administered the FDPO within both the Clyde town limits
and its ETJ.
The County revised its FDPO to coincide with the new FIRMs and to comply with the North Carolina
Flood Act of 2000. The County adopted the revised ordinance, now called the Flood Hazard
Development Ordinance (FHDO), the new FIRMs, and the 2008 FIS on February 6, 2012. The FHDO
took effect on February 7, 2012. The Town of Clyde adopted the FHDO, as well, with an effective
date of May 1, 2012. On March 19, 2012, the Haywood County Board of Commissioners approved a
joint resolution with the Town of Clyde regarding the County’s administration of the FHDO in Clyde.
Haywood County’s FHDO is based on the minimum FEMA standards required for communities to
participate in the NFIP as well as applicable state standards. The ordinance prohibits
encroachments in floodways unless a registered professional engineer certifies that they will not
raise flood levels during base flood events. Manufactured homes are allowed in the floodway if they
are located within pre-existing manufactured home parks or subdivisions and if they meet anchoring
and elevation standards. In the flood fringe, new structures or those being substantially improved
must be elevated, except that non-residential buildings may be flood-proofed instead. In some
cases, the ordinance exceeds federal and/or state requirements, including a 1-foot increase in the
required base floor elevation and more stringent standards for recreational vehicles.49
Town of Clyde Hazard Mitigation Plan
Floodplain management is one component of hazard mitigation planning, which is intended to help
communities reduce their vulnerability to and minimize the impacts of all types of natural hazards
(floods, wildfires, winter storms, earthquakes, landslides, tornadoes, etc.) that can have disastrous
consequences. Like those for floodplain management, hazard mitigation measures may be
structural (such as building codes and practices) or non-structural (such as land use planning and
regulations, emergency preparedness planning, public education, and more).
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The state and federal governments require that local governments adopt hazard mitigation plans in
order to qualify for hazard mitigation grant funding. The North Carolina General Assembly added
the requirement to the emergency management statutes in 2001.50
The Haywood County Emergency Management Department is the lead local agency in coordinating
the efforts of county and municipal officials, local law enforcement and emergency responders,
state and federal agencies, human services providers, and others to plan for, respond to, and
recover from emergencies such as natural disasters. In addition to developing and regularly revising
disaster management plans for Haywood County, the Emergency Management Department has
been involved in the development of municipal and county hazard mitigation plans.
Clyde adopted its first Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2005. The Plan identified flooding as the Town’s
main concern. In addition to recommending that the Town update and continue to enforce existing
floodplain management policies, the Plan contained specific flood mitigation policy
recommendations, some of which are summarized below:
Coordinate with the Army Corps of Engineers, the Town of Canton, and what is now
Evergreen Packaging, to mitigate problems created by existing private dams used to prevent
flooding on commercial/industrial sites in Canton.
Initiate measures to prevent flood losses by managing new development through floodplain
regulation, stormwater and erosion control regulations, and design elements.
Consider revisiting existing policies regarding the allowable percentage of work that can be
done to existing structures before they must be brought into compliance with flood
regulations.
Produce additional information and educational materials for the public regarding floodplain
development requirements, the risks associated with floodplain development, and steps for
avoiding and addressing flooding problems.
Continue projects that encourage removing structures from floodplains and leaving the
areas as open space.
Work with Haywood County and the other municipalities to develop a comprehensive flood
forecasting, tracking, and warning system to notify residents and emergency management
personnel of flooding problems.
Continue to work with local businesses in floodplains to prevent building expansions that
could negatively affect water flow.
Clyde is currently involved in a project to develop a new, multi-county, hazard mitigation plan.
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Other Floodplain Management Efforts and Tools
Public Information
As recommended by its 2005 Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Town of Clyde has made an information
packet on flooding available at the Town Hall.
Emergency Warning Systems
The Clyde Volunteer Fire Department has a siren that serves as an emergency warning device. It is
used to alert the community of emergencies that require evacuation. During severe weather
events, the Fire Department will sound the siren if the Pigeon River is close to overflowing its banks.
Haywood County has an emergency notification system which allows it to automatically call
residences, places of business, etc., and play a recorded message.
Flooding History
The 1983 FIS for Clyde and the 2008 FIS for Haywood County recount the most significant flooding
events that are known to have occurred on the Pigeon River in Clyde since 1876. These floods are
summarized in Table 30. Prior to the completion of the CLUP, the NC DCP was unable to determine
why the 2004 floods in Clyde, discussed below, were not mentioned as significant events in the 2008
FIS. They are, therefore, not included in Table 30.
Table 30: Largest Recorded Floods on the Pigeon River in Clyde
Rank Date Estimated Discharge
(cfs)
Elevation (feet)
Estimated Recurrence
Interval (years)
Impacts
1 08/30/1940 31,600 2,593.0 120 Steel truss bridge over Pigeon River washed out. Damage to infrastructure. 20 homes flooded. Water depth on US 19/23 exceeded 4 feet.
2 06/15/1876 25,700 2,590.5 60 No information available.
3 08/13/1940 25,100 2,590.2 50 Low-lying residential area flooded. Water depth on US 19/23 up to 4 feet.
4 06/16/1949 19,500 2,587.7 25 Water on US 19/23 blocked traffic. 33 basements flooded. 16 cabins at Thomson’s Tourist Court flooded. Water depth in Pines Grocery reached 16 inches.
Source(s): The 1983 Clyde FIood Insurance Study and the 2008 Preliminary Haywood County Flood Insurance Study.
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Mulberry Street flooding.
Source: Town of Clyde, September 2004.
Pigeon River flooding at Charles Street bridge.
Source: Town of Clyde, September 2004.
Justice Mobile Home Park flooding.
Source: Town of Clyde, September 2004.
The Floods of 2004
Remnants of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan passed over western North Carolina in September of 2004,
bringing heavy rains that caused serious flooding problems and landslides. The Town of Clyde was
one of the communities most severely impacted, enduring two major back-to-back flood events.
The 2004 flooding in the Clyde area caused significant
damage to and loss of homes, businesses, public facilities,
roads and other infrastructure, farms and cropland, the
natural environment, and personal property and
equipment. In Clyde, as in other affected areas, the floods
disrupted and changed people’s lives, the economy,
government
operations and
budgets, and more.
The community’s
response to the floods has also shown its resilience.
Official information on how the 2004 floods compared with
the previous 4 largest floods in Clyde was not available when
the CLUP was prepared. However, those that experienced
and/or responded to the floods have indicated that the 2004
floods were certainly among the largest to impact the area.
2004 Flood Damage
While there is not one definitive source of information on the number of homes and other buildings
damaged during the 2004 flood events, figures provided by various government agencies and other
reports provide some insight into the extent of the floods’ impacts.
The Haywood County Planning Department reports that it issued 144 flood permits in the Study
Area for 2004 hurricane damage repairs (136 from
Hurricane Ivan and 8 from Hurricane Francis). The
Planning Department does not know how many
structures were torn down or left unrepaired.
The Mountaineer, a Haywood County newspaper,
reported on September 12, 2005, that Clyde had lost 117
houses and 16 manufactured homes in the 2004 floods.51
A 2006 report by Carter-Burgess states, “At least 60
residences experienced severe flooding; many received
damages beyond repair.”52
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Broad Street following the 2004 floods.
Source: Town of Clyde, September 2004.
2004 Flood Response and Recovery Efforts
The Town of Clyde, Haywood County, emergency services personnel, area churches, human services
agencies, citizens, state and federal agencies, legislators, and many others responded to Clyde’s
immediate needs during and after the 2004 floods and
aided the community in its long-term recovery efforts.
Some of the funding sources, programs and planning
efforts that helped Clyde recover from the 2004 floods
and better prepare itself for future flood events are
described below.
The Hurricane Recovery Act of 2005
In response to the devastating effects of Hurricanes
Frances and Ivan in western North Carolina as well as
the damage caused elsewhere by four other hurricanes
in the state in 2004, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted Session Law 2005-1 (Senate Bill
7), known as The Hurricane Recovery Act of 2005 (or Hurricane Recovery Act). The Hurricane
Recovery Act appropriated funding for a variety of disaster relief programs and activities in the
affected counties.
Section 7 of the Hurricane Recovery Act directed the NC DENR to study the causes of the flooding
that occurred in Clyde and several other communities in western North Carolina and to recommend
actions to prevent or mitigate the impacts of future floods. The Act provided funding to conduct
such studies and to implement their recommendations.53 In 2006, Carter-Burgess, in cooperation
with the NC DENR, completed the Flood Damage Reduction Planning Report, Town of Canton, Town
of Clyde Pigeon River Watershed (or the Carter-Burgess report).
The Carter-Burgess report recommended that an estimated $2.8 million in 2005 Hurricane Recovery
Act funds be provided to the Town of Clyde for 3 flood remediation and mitigation projects. The
recommended projects are outlined in Table 31.
Table 31: Town of Clyde Flood Remediation Actions Recommended by the 2006 Flood Damage Reduction Planning Report
Recommended Actions Estimated Funds
Required
1. Removal of an abandoned bridge that obstructed the floodway $350,000
2. Construction of off-channel flood storage in the floodway (Phase 1 – Feasibility Study; Phase 2 – Design and Construction; Phase 3 – Maintenance)
$2,000,000
3. Completion of a town-wide stormwater master plan and correction of existing stormwater problems
$450,000
Total Estimated Cost $2,800,000
Source(s): North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management and the 2006 Flood Damage Reduction Planning Report, Town of Canton, Town of Clyde Pigeon River Watershed by Carter-Burgess.
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Since the 2004 floods, the Town of Clyde has been working to study and implement actions
recommended by the Carter-Burgess report, as follows:
Action 1 – Abandoned Bridge Removal
The removal of the abandoned bridge, which previously spanned the Pigeon River, connecting Main
Street and Spencer Street, occurred in 2009.
Abandoned bridge prior to removal.
Source: Town of Clyde, September 2004. Former abandoned bridge site.
Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
Action 2 – Off Channel Flood Storage
The Carter-Burgess report recommended off-channel flood storage to provide an area for flood
waters to flow and be temporarily stored to relieve downstream flooding problems.
HDR Engineering Inc. of the Carolinas (HDR) conducted a feasibility study for Clyde for an off channel
flood storage area. HDR’s 2009 Report of Recommendations, Town of Clyde Off Channel Floodwater
Storage (or the HDR Report) evaluated three alternative measures for reducing flood damage in
Clyde: (1) adding off channel flood storage to reduce peak discharges; (2) improving the hydraulics
of the river channel and floodplain to reduce water surface elevations; and (3) flood-proofing
existing structures.
HDR evaluated possible off channel flood storage sites, however the costs of constructing the
facilities were very high compared to the flood reduction benefits; therefore it did not recommend
this alternative. It did recommend that the Town implement two hydraulics improvement projects
at the large bend in the Pigeon River: (1) improving the south overbank area; and (2) providing a
debris relief area (a proposed Town park). Map 7, Flood Mitigation, shows the general locations of
both projects. Brief descriptions of the expected benefits of the projects are provided in the
sidebar.
Preliminary construction cost estimates for the two projects are provided in Table 32. The estimates
exclude property acquisition costs. The debris relief area estimate includes development of a park.
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |85
Table 32: Estimated Construction Costs for Recommended Flood Damage Reduction Projects (2009)
Recommended Improvements Cost Estimates
South Overbank Improvements $610,000
Debris Relief Area $1,600,000
Total $2,210,000
Source(s): 2009 HDR report.
The Town of Clyde has pursued both of the hydraulics
projects recommended by the HDR report. As of October
of 2011, the Town had purchased the subject properties
and was securing the necessary permits to begin
construction. Information about the related project to
relocate a portion of Thickety Road can be found in the
Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element.
Regarding flood-proofing, the third flood damage
reduction method it evaluated, HDR did not conduct
detailed assessments of each individual structure that is
subject to flooding. However, it provided estimates for
planning purposes of approximately $6 million to elevate
residential structures and $2 million to dry flood-proof
commercial structures.54
Action 3 - Stormwater Master Plan and Correction of Existing Stormwater Problems
The Carter-Burgess report identified several areas where
stormwater drainage was causing problems. The report
recommended some projects to correct such problems
including infrastructure improvements in the Town’s park
on Spencer Street, so that stormwater from heavy rains
would not damage adjacent private property, and stream
channel and box culvert improvements on property
beside the Clyde Fire Station, to relieve stormwater
backups and stabilize stream banks.
As noted previously, McGill and Associates completed
the Town of Clyde Stormwater Master Plan in November
of 2008. It recommended several capital improvement
projects to address stormwater issues, including
infrastructure improvements for the Spencer Street park
Recommended Hydraulics
Improvements for Clyde
(From HDR Engineering’s Report
of Recommendations, Town of
Clyde Off Channel Floodwater
Storage, 2009)
South Overbank Improvements
HDR’s analysis found that while improving the south overbank would not reduce flooding in an event greater than a 25-year flood, it would provide benefits to the Town of Clyde including lowering flood water elevations in the area adjacent to and upstream of the improvements, reducing flooding frequency of Broad Street, providing habitat and water quality benefits due to an expected increase in the frequency of overbank flooding, and providing open space for use by area residents.
Debris Relief Area
In flood events affecting Clyde, debris tends to accumulate at an upstream bend in the Pigeon River and builds to a point where it causes flooding on Broad Street. The debris relief area project proposed relocating Thickety Road and lowering some of the right overbank at the bend. The river channel’s hydraulics would be improved, thereby reducing flood levels upstream, whether there are debris blockages or not, during 25-year flood events. The project would provide habitat and water quality benefits through the expected increase in overbank flooding. This, in turn, should reduce erosion of the left channel bank. The Town could use the overbank area as a park. The relocation of Thickety Road would improve its safety.
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86 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
Buyout lot being used for a garden.
Source: NC DCP, June 2010.
and the Clyde Fire Station areas. The status of such projects can be found in the Stormwater Master
Plan section of this Element.
Hazard Mitigation Acquisition Program
The NC DEM administers FEMA- and State-funded programs to acquire properties that are at-risk of
being impacted by natural hazards such as flooding (also known as “buyout” programs).
Participation in a buyout program is voluntary.
Following the 2004 floods, the NC DEM ran a buyout program in the Clyde area with funding from
the Hurricane Recovery Act. The State purchased 61 parcels through the program and transferred
them to Haywood County. The Haywood County Recreation and Parks Department oversees the
management of the buyout parcels. Of the 61 parcels, 42 are located in the Study Area, as shown
on Map 7, Flood Mitigation. Haywood County has since conveyed some of the properties in the
Study Area to the Town of Clyde.
Properties acquired through the buyout program are subject to restrictions. Land uses are limited
to those that are: compatible with open space, recreational or wetlands management purposes
(such as outdoor recreation parks); nature preserves; cultivation; grazing; camping (subject to
emergency evacuation notice requirements); temporary storage of wheeled vehicles that can be
easily moved (excluding mobile homes); unimproved, permeable parking lots, and buffer zones.
Structures are limited to public facilities that are open on all sides and that are associated with a
designated open space or recreational use, a public restroom, or some other structure that is
compatible with allowed land uses and complies with State-approved floodplain management
standards. The properties are no longer eligible for State or Federal disaster assistance. They may
only be conveyed, with State approval, to other public or non-profit entities established to enhance
or promote the allowable land uses.
Many of the buyout lots are currently leased by adjoining property owners for use as gardens.
Leases are $1 per year for non-commercial uses and $100 per acre per year for commercial uses. At
least one community garden is being planned for buyout
property. Other parcels may be used for nature education
and river access. The former Haywood Community
College property on Glance Street (now owned by
Haywood County) may eventually be a park.
Clean Water Management Trust Fund Grant
In 2008, the North Carolina Clean Water Management
Trust Fund (CWMTF) provided a grant of up to $1 million
to Haywood County and the Towns of Canton and Clyde
for a riparian buffer project along the Pigeon River. The
funds were to be used by the County to acquire property and/or conservation easements in the 3
jurisdictions.
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |87
According to the grant application, the funds would “augment coordinated acquisition efforts to: (a)
restore hurricane-damaged lands of the Pigeon River Floodplain; and (b) prevent future floodplain
development detrimental to the water quality of the Pigeon River within the French Broad River
Basin.”55 The original grant request was for almost $2 million and the total project cost estimate
exceeded $8.5 million.
At the time of the grant award, there were 4 properties within the Study Area in public ownership
and those entities were to convey permanent conservation easements to the State. The Town of
Clyde owns three of the parcels and Haywood County Schools owns the other. Clyde planned to use
CWMTF grant funds to purchase a conservation easement on another one of the project parcels and
assign an easement to the State. Haywood County was to convey conservation easements to the
State on some of the flood buyout properties it had acquired.
The riparian buffer project encountered some difficulties related to property and easement
acquisition. Some property owners were not interested in selling land or a conservation easement
at all while others thought the offered price was too low. A number did not respond to inquiries
about acquisition. The CWMTF extended the grant contract deadline by one year (to January 31,
2011), however the grantees continued to encounter problems with acquiring land and/or
easements.
Through the project, Haywood County, the Town of Canton, and the Town of Clyde were together
able secure fee simple ownership of 3 privately-owned parcels and conservation easements on 10
privately-owned parcels using the CWMTF grant. Nine of the 13 parcels are in the Clyde Land Use
Plan Study Area. Of the parcels in the Study Area, 3 are in fee simple ownership and 6 have
conservation easements. Such parcels are shown on Map 7, Flood Mitigation. All of the easements
on properties owned by the Town of Clyde and Haywood County have also been secured.
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88 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
Steep Slopes and Mountain Ridges
Map 8, Slope, shows the variations in topography within and adjacent to the Study Area. The
elevations range from approximately 2,500 feet near the intersection of the Pigeon River and the
northwestern boundary of the Study Area to approximately 2,970 feet along the southeastern
boundary; a 470 foot difference.
Slope refers to the vertical change in the elevation of the land surface as determined over a given
horizontal distance. Slope may be described as an angle (in degrees, for example), as a ratio (also
known as rise over run) or as a percentage (rise over run multiplied by 100).
Slope Categories
The Slope Map divides the Study Area into 3 slope categories, 0 to 25 percent, 25 to 40 percent, and
40 to 100 percent. Table 33, shows the distribution of these slope categories within the Study Area.
The periphery of the Study Area contains more of the land with relatively steeper slopes. The
terrain in the Clyde area is much less rugged compared to that in the rest of Haywood County.
However, the steeper parts of the Study Area present some challenges for development.
Table 33: Distribution of Slope Categories within the Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area
Slope Category Percent of Acreage in the
Town of Clyde Percent of Acreage in the
Clyde ETJ Percent of Acreage in the
Entire Study Area
0 - 25% 80% 72.9% 74%
25 - 40% 16.5% 21.7% 20.9%
40 - 100% 3.5% 5.4% 5.1%
Source(s): NC DCP
Development on Slopes
Development (particularly residential) in western North Carolina had become, until recently, an
economic driver that benefitted the region in many ways. Such development also led to growing
concerns about the impacts of steep slope development. Slope development and land disturbances
as well as naturally occurring events and conditions on slopes can result in erosion, stormwater
issues, landslides, more rapid spread of wildfires, and other impacts that can affect public health
and safety, the environment, the economy and more. The Town of Clyde’s 2005 Hazard Mitigation
Plan ranks landslides as having a high likelihood of occurrence due to steep slopes, new
development, and past history.
The North Carolina Geological Survey (NCGS) maintains a slope movement/slope movement
deposits database which contains data mainly for Western North Carolina. According to NCGS
analyses comparing landslide frequency and slope, the frequency of slope failure tends to increase
for slopes exceeding 40 percent (22 degrees).56 As shown on the Slope Map, there are some areas
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |89
in both the Town of Clyde and its ETJ that have slopes exceeding 40 percent. These areas together
comprise approximately 5.1 percent of the Study Area (see Table 33).
The Land of Sky Regional Council’s Mountain Ridge and Steep Slope Protection Strategies report (see
below) recommends that geotechnical analyses be required for proposed developments on slopes
greater than 40 percent or in identified landslide hazard areas.57 The 40 percent slope threshold is a
general rule of thumb that some communities are using as they consider regulating slope
development.
Figure 6 is an image published in the Mountain Ridge and Steep Slope Protection Strategies report
that shows how development can be done in a manner that is sensitive to slope suitability.
Steep Slope and Mountain Ridge Protection Regulations
The North Carolina General
Assembly adopted regulations in
1983 to regulate the height of
buildings on designated protected
mountain ridges (see below).
However, there are currently no
state statutes that specifically
address development on steep
slopes. In the absence of such
regulations, some cities and
counties in western North
Carolina have adopted their own
steep slope regulations under
state statutes related to planning
and general police powers.
Mountain Ridge Protection Act
In 1983, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Article 14 of the North Carolina General
Statutes, known as the Mountain Ridge Protection Act. The Act gave local governments in the
mountains of western North Carolina the choice to either enact local ordinances to regulate the
height of tall buildings and structures (as defined by the Act) on designated protected ridges or to
enforce the state statute. According to the Act, protected mountain ridges are those with
elevations of 3,000 feet or more and that have elevations that are 500 feet or more above the
elevation of adjacent valley floors.
Haywood County chose to adopt a local ordinance to achieve the goals of the Mountain Ridge
Protection Act. Its Mountain Ridge Protection Ordinance applies in the unincorporated areas of the
Figure 6: Example of Best Management Practices for Building Placement on Slopes
Source(s): Design Workshop, Inc. (Asheville Office) and Mountain Ridge and Steep Slope Protection Strategies, Land of Sky Regional Council.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
90 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
county, including municipal extraterritorial jurisdictions. There are no designated protected
mountain ridges within the Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area, therefore neither the Mountain Ridge
Protection Act nor the County’s related ordinance are applicable.
Haywood County Slope Ordinance
Haywood County adopted regulations for artificial slope construction and repair in 2007. Its Slope
Ordinance (Chapter 158 of the Haywood County Code) regulates land-disturbing activity that will (or
does) create or change a slope. The Slope Ordinance applies to private property in Haywood County
that is located outside of municipal and extraterritorial jurisdiction limits; therefore it does not apply
within the Study Area.
Slope Development Standards and the Town of Clyde
Given that there are currently no state regulations regarding slope development and that Haywood
County’s Slope Ordinance does not apply to the Town of Clyde or its ETJ, the Town has no slope
development standards at this time.
The Town’s Planning Board has discussed regulating development on steep slopes. Land Use Plan
Committee members identified cut banks next to roads as being of particular concern for the Clyde
area. Public safety is also a concern. If the Town is interested in managing slope development in
the future, it has the option of requesting that Haywood County administer its ordinance within the
town and the ETJ. The Town could also consider adding standards to its subdivision and/or zoning
ordinances.
Other Steep Slope and Mountain Ridge Protection Resources and Efforts
Some of the existing information sources and technical resources regarding slope development
impacts and their management that may be useful to the Town of Clyde are provided below. This
section also describes the status of programs and other efforts in the state and region that relate to
steep slope and mountain ridge protection.
Mountain Ridge and Steep Slope Protection Strategies Report
In 2008, the Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC) published a report titled, Mountain Ridge and
Steep Slope Protection Strategies (or MRSSPS report). The report resulted from work initiated by the
LOSRC in response to local government concerns about the issues and impacts of an increasing
amount of development occurring on steeper slopes and ridges. The LOSRC appointed a Mountain
Ridge and Steep Slope Protection Advisory Committee which learned about the issues related to
development on steep slopes and recommended strategies to promote safer and more sustainable
development. The report focuses on the issues of public safety, public health, water quality and
quantity, the loss of forestland, natural areas, and wildlife habitat, the role of land conservation, and
the economic impacts of both development and protection programs. The information contained in
the MRSSPS report is very useful for communities that are interested in learning about a range of
slope development issues and are looking for tools and resources for addressing them.
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |91
Landslide Hazard Mapping Program
The 2005 Hurricane Recovery Act included language that established and funded North Carolina’s
former Landslide Hazard Mapping Program (LHMP). The Hurricane Recovery Act designated
nineteen counties for such mapping, including Haywood County.
The landslide hazard maps, prepared by the North Carolina Geological Survey (NCGS)]]]], provide
information about the locations of landslide-prone areas. They are not regulatory in and of
themselves. Rather, they serve as guides for local government officials, emergency management
personnel, property owners, developers, and others who want or need to know what areas are at a
higher risk of landslides.
Following the expiration of Hurricane Recovery Act funding in 2009, the General Assembly
appropriated other funds to continue the LHMP. However, State budget constraints led to cuts in
funding for the NCGS in 2010. The General Assembly did not fund the LHMP for fiscal year 2011-12.
Between 2005 and the first half of 2011, the NCGS completed mapping for Macon, Watauga,
Buncombe, and Henderson Counties, and had begun work in Jackson County. The elimination of the
LHMP in 2011 meant that Haywood County would not receive NCGS landslide hazard mapping
services. However, the Haywood County Board of Commissioners and the Haywood Waterways
Association (HWA) began looking for alternate funding sources for the preparation of landslide
hazard maps. In November of 2011, the Pigeon River Fund awarded the HWA $80,000 to help fund
the first year of landslide hazard mapping for Haywood County. However, the Pigeon River Fund
grant was contingent on the HWA securing another grant. The HWA did not receive the second
grant but it is planning to raise the approximately $50,000 that is needed to maintain the Pigeon
River Fund grant and support the proposed landslide hazard mapping project.
Proposed State Legislation Regarding Slope Development
Mountain area legislators have proposed several bills in the past few years to establish minimum
standards for safe slope development however such bills have not yet received sufficient support for
passage by the North Carolina General Assembly.
Mountain Resources Commission
In 2009, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted Session Law 2009-485, Senate Bill 968,
known as the Mountain Resources Planning Act. The purpose of the Act is to “encourage quality
growth and development while preserving the natural resources, open spaces, and farmland of the
mountain region of Western North Carolina.”58 The Act established the Mountain Resources
Commission (MRC), a non-regulatory body whose work focuses, in part, on identifying mountain
resources issues and recommending policies and programs to legislative and administrative entities
at all levels of government to address their use, protection, and enhancement.59
In August of 2011, the MRC adopted recommendations for steep slope and mountain ridge
protection. The recommendations include: (1) asking the General Assembly to reinstate funding for
the Landslide Hazard Mapping Program and accelerate the number of counties to be mapped each
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92 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
year subject to available funding; (2) encouraging those who develop or otherwise disturb land on
slopes greater than 40 percent or in identified landslide hazard areas to conduct geotechnical
analyses in order to avoid hazardous areas; (3) making digital landslide hazard map information
readily accessible and increasing public awareness of its availability; (4) developing a resource
manual for western North Carolina communities seeking guidance on how to manage development
on steep slopes and mountain ridges; and (5) developing and providing comprehensive, consistent,
affordable education programs and materials regarding landslide hazards, best management
practices, and other issues associated with development on steep slopes and ridge tops.60
Town of Clyde Hazard Mitigation Plan
Clyde’s 2005 Hazard Mitigation Plan contains specific mitigation policies for landslides and erosion,
including:
Requiring developers, through a recommended Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control
Ordinance, to stabilize disturbed property, including hillsides, associated with development
projects.
Working with NCDOT to identify existing roads in areas with a history of landslides and
developing formal plans to realign them to avoid unnecessary soil erosion and stormwater
runoff that contribute to landslides.
With NCDOT, identifying existing roads with insufficient stormwater controls and upgrading
the existing stormwater system to avoid unnecessary runoff onto property.
Developing a comprehensive educational policy, including information brochures and other
forms of communication, to inform residents of the dangers of landslides in the area and
how they can reduce their risk of being impacted by them.
The Town of Clyde has made an information packet on landslides available at its Town Hall.
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Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources |93
Goals, Recommendations, and Strategies
1. Goal: Protect water quality.
1.1. Recommendation: Minimize pollution of waterways from point and non-point sources.
Strategies:
a. Continue to have Haywood County enforce its Erosion and Sedimentation Control
Ordinance in Clyde’s town limits.
b. Continue to implement recommendations of the Clyde Stormwater Management
Master Plan.
c. Incorporate Low Impact Development concepts into land use regulations to
minimize the impacts of development on waterways.
d. Maintain natural areas for stream buffers, wildlife corridors, compatible
recreation activities, etc.
e. Encourage developers to set aside environmentally sensitive areas as open
space/natural areas in new projects. For example, provide incentives such as
density bonuses to developers that use conservation subdivision design.
f. Provide developers with information regarding environmentally sensitive
development concepts.
2. Goal: Manage development in flood hazard areas.
2.1. Recommendation: Minimize the impacts of flooding on people and property in the Clyde
area.1
Strategies:
a. Continue to have Haywood County administer the minimum flood damage
prevention regulations in the Clyde town limits through the Haywood County
Flood Hazard Development Ordinance.
1 In developing preliminary recommendations related to floodplain management, the NC DCP staff proposed that the Town
of Clyde consider some of the additional measures suggested by the NFIP and consider exceeding some of the minimum
state and federal flood damage prevention requirements. However, the Land Use Plan Committee indicated that because
the Town was now subject to the Haywood County Flood Hazard Development Ordinance, the County would probably not
want to administer additional requirements in Clyde. The NC DCP staff suggested that the Town could look at
incorporating additional requirements in other Town regulations, such as its Zoning Ordinance, however the Committee
decided not to include such a recommendation in the Clyde Land Use Plan.
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94 | Element Four: Environment and Natural Resources
b. Update the Town of Clyde’s 2005 Hazard Mitigation Plan in conjunction with a
multi-jurisdictional regional effort to be led by Haywood County.
c. Work with downtown property owners to encourage them to flood-proof
existing buildings.
d. Educate those who live and/or own or lease property in the 100-year floodplain
of the risks associated with living, building, operating a business, etc., in flood-
prone areas.
e. Encourage property owners to set-aside flood-prone areas as open space
through the Town’s land development regulations, incentives, etc.
f. Continue to implement the 2009 Report of Recommendations, Town of Clyde Off
Channel Floodwater Storage study.
3. Goal: Manage development on steep slopes.
3.1. Recommendation: Gain a better understanding of slope movement in the Clyde area and
the potential impacts of steep slope development.
Strategies:
a. Review the North Carolina Geological Survey’s landslide information website,
http://www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/Landslide_Info/Landslides_main.htm.
b. Review the Mountain Ridge and Steep Slope Protection Strategies report published
in 2008 by Land of Sky Regional Council.
ftp://landofskygis.org/MountainRidgeSteepSlope/LandofSky-MRSSPS-final-
report.pdf
c. Conduct an analysis of the topography and geology in the Clyde area and use as a
basis for policy decisions and additional studies.
3.2. Recommendation: Adopt regulations to manage development on steep slopes.
Strategies:
a. Monitor the status of proposed state legislation that could mandate local
government regulation of development on steep slopes in western North Carolina.
Create or modify local regulations, if needed.
b. Review regulations adopted by other communities, including Haywood County, for
applicability in Clyde.
c. Develop local standards for steep slope development or ask Haywood County to
administer its Slope Ordinance in the Clyde town limits.
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Element Five: Downtown Revitalization and
Economic Development |95
Element Five: Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development
Introduction
Although respondents to the Town of Clyde 2009 Community Survey (or Community Survey) did not
name business development or downtown revitalization as the most important factors in planning
for Clyde’s future, many found them to be very important (56 percent and 44 percent, respectively)
or somewhat important (38 percent and 45 percent, respectively). The written responses to the
Community Survey contained numerous comments on both topics. Participants in the visioning
exercises in 2009 pictured Clyde as having more small businesses and a healthy downtown in the
future.
Historically and currently, Clyde’s downtown and its economy have been closely linked. With a
better understanding of the markets that are and could be served by downtown and deliberate
planning, the Town, business owners, and others could build upon earlier revitalization work and
help the downtown contribute even more to the economy and the quality of life of area residents.
Of course, there is much more to Clyde’s economy than its downtown. A concerted effort to
establish an economic development program that includes the entire town and to help define
Clyde’s role in the regional economy could be beneficial.
Downtown Revitalization
Setting
The construction of the railroad line and the former depot in Clyde in the 1880s helped establish
what would become the town center. According to the Town’s website:
The town limits were a perfect circle with the center of town being the knot hole in
the depot door. Since the knot hole long ago disappeared with the depot, the center
of town is located near where the 50 mm anti-aircraft gun is located on the town
square.61
The nature of downtown Clyde has changed over the years, from being the center of livestock sales
and distribution for counties west of Asheville, for example, to becoming the home of small
businesses, government, educational and civic facilities, churches, and residential uses. However, it
continues to be the heart of the community.
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96 | Element Five: Downtown Revitalization and
Economic Development
Main Street in Clyde.
Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
For purposes of the Land Use Plan only, Clyde’s downtown has been defined as the area south of the
Pigeon River that is within approximately ¼-mile of the intersection of Main Street and the railroad
tracks. The ¼-mile standard is an average distance that is generally considered as walkable by most
pedestrians. The area contains approximately 52 acres.
Downtown Clyde has a variety of land uses including retail and wholesale businesses, personal
services, a restaurant, at least one bank, various offices, government facilities, civic organization
buildings, a park, churches, a school, a daycare center, and single-family and multi-family dwellings.
At least one building, the old Bank of Clyde, contains both
residential and non-residential uses. The residential
portion provides supportive housing for up to 6 disabled
people. The center of downtown Clyde has some of the
town’s older multi-story buildings and a public gathering
space known as the “square.” The downtown area is host
to various community events and celebrations. It has also
suffered great losses due to flooding.
As stated elsewhere in this Land Use Plan, some of
downtown Clyde’s most distinguishing features, namely
the railroad track, Carolina Boulevard, and the Pigeon River, are physical barriers that impact not
only access and transportation, but that could also affect the town center’s potential for growth.
Norfolk Southern Railroad Track. The track limits all modes of travel between the northern
and southern portions of downtown when trains and railroad service vehicles pass through
Clyde.
Carolina Boulevard (US 19/23). As a five-lane highway with few pedestrian crossing areas
and limited sidewalks, Carolina Boulevard creates a significant separation between the
north and south sides of downtown. It can also be an obstacle to those who might want to
travel between the two sections on foot, in a wheelchair, etc.
Pigeon River. Portions of downtown Clyde are within the 100-year and 500-year floodplains
of the Pigeon River. Some downtown parcels were subject to the buyout programs
following the 2004 floods, therefore their future use is limited (see the Environment and
Natural Resources Element for more information). Unless they want to go miles out of their
way, residents and others that need to travel between the north and south sides of the river
must pass through downtown Clyde to use the bridge on Charles Street. While the Pigeon
River presents challenges for downtown, it also offers some opportunities, such as for
recreation and economic development.
Character
Many of the properties and buildings in the downtown area are owned by people living in and
around Clyde and Haywood County. Quite a few are owned by the government, churches, and non-
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Element Five: Downtown Revitalization and
Economic Development |97
Central Haywood High School.
Source: NC DCP, April 2011.
profits, making them exempt for property tax collection purposes. The downtown contains some
vacant buildings and there are also vacant lots interspersed between buildings.
The square, which is bordered by the railroad right-of-way, Main Street, Mulberry Street, and the
buildings in between, is comprised of a plaza and adjoining parking area that were rehabilitated with
grant funds following the 2004 floods. It is the site of an anti-aircraft gun (known locally as the “big
gun”) that serves as a memorial for Clyde area veterans. Part of the parking area in the square is
public right-of-way while other portions of the square are
privately owned. The Town maintains the area. An
easement agreement allowed the Town to relocate the big
gun from its former to its current site. The Town has been
able to use the square for public events; however there is
not a formal mechanism for others to do so.
Central Haywood High School has one of the most
prominent buildings in the downtown area. The original
school building, completed in 1918, was replaced by the
current structure in 1941. The school’s Art Deco style is
unique in comparison to other downtown Clyde buildings. Its location in the floodway and 100-year
floodplain of the Pigeon River makes it very susceptible to flood damage.
In spite of the challenges that Carolina Boulevard presents, the Town of Clyde has made some
improvements that make at least a portion of it more of a focal point for the community. The Town
lined the north side of the road through the center of town with trees that bloom in the spring and
provide greenery that somewhat softens the appearance of the road in the summer and fall. In the
winter, the Town strings white lights in the trees, creating a beautiful and welcoming entrance to
the downtown area.
Community Appearance
The Community Survey results showed that 98 percent of respondents thought that community
appearance was either very (69 percent) or somewhat (29 percent) important in planning for Clyde’s
future. The survey did not distinguish between the appearance of downtown Clyde and the rest of
the Study Area. Written comments tended to be general in nature, as well. A number addressed
the need to remove storm debris, damaged buildings and portions thereof, abandoned homes and
buildings, and junk. There were also a few comments about maintaining and improving landscaping
and sidewalks.
The visioning exercise conducted at the 2009 community planning meeting also generated some
ideas related to community appearance, including: (1) beautification of US Highway 19/23;(2) river
and road clean-up; (3) design compatibility between new and historic buildings; and (4) renovation
of existing buildings (new store fronts, for example).
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98 | Element Five: Downtown Revitalization and
Economic Development
There are some tools available to North Carolina cities and towns to address community appearance
and building safety issues within and outside of downtowns. Some examples are listed below.
Appearance Commissions
Under N.C.G.S., Article 19, Part 7, local governments may, through an ordinance, establish
appearance commissions to study visual problems and needs in areas within their zoning jurisdiction
and to create and implement plans and programs to “enhance and improve the visual quality and
aesthetic characteristics” of the community. An appearance commission might, for example, initiate
a community beautification program, prepare and help the governing board implement appearance
plans for specific areas and/or the entire community, review and make appearance-related
recommendations on plans for public buildings, facilities or projects, recommend ordinances or
amendments thereto that are intended to enhance the community’s appearance, and bring
ordinance enforcement issues affecting community appearance to the attention of local officials.
Nuisance Regulations
The Town of Clyde’s Code of Ordinances contains some regulations regarding public nuisances. For
example it regulates the accumulation of junk on lots within the town limits.
Design Standards
North Carolina’s zoning statutes provides some broad authority for communities to regulate
development and where it is located, both within the community and on property. Communities
may regulate the appearance of development through design standards. They may also choose a
less regulatory approach by encouraging developers to follow a recommended set of guidelines.
Some common design standards address building height, mass and form, construction materials
(particularly for building facades), signage, lighting, and other site features.
Some communities use design standards in particular areas of the community, such as in historic
districts, downtowns, entry corridors, etc. or for certain categories of uses, such as commercial.
Other communities have decided to focus less on separating different types of uses and to
concentrate more on how to make new and existing development more compatible through the use
of design standards. Community preferences play a significant role in whether design standards are
needed and, if so, what they should govern.
The Town of Clyde’s Zoning Ordinance contains minimal design standards that focus on minimum
building setbacks and maximum building height.
Landscaping and Buffering Standards
The Town of Clyde’s Zoning Ordinance requires buffers for certain uses allowed by right. For
example, the C-1 Central Business District requires a 50-foot buffer strip along each property line
adjoining a residential district. For uses requiring conditional use permits, the Town’s Board of
Adjustment may require buffering if it would mitigate potential negative impacts of the proposed
development. The Zoning Ordinance does not address landscaping at this time; however the Town
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has begun looking at ways to incorporate additional landscaping and buffering standards into its
land development regulations.
North Carolina Rehabilitation Code / Existing Building Code
In 2010, North Carolina enacted a new building code, known as the Rehabilitation Code, which
addressed repairs, renovations, alterations, reconstruction, occupancy changes, and additions to
existing buildings. The Rehabilitation Code was intended to make it easier for builders and
developers to upgrade existing buildings, to provide more flexibility for rehabilitating historic
buildings, and to encourage reinvestment in existing buildings and neighborhoods, while ensuring
that buildings were safe. In early 2012, the North Carolina Department of Insurance was in the
process of transitioning from the Rehabilitation Code to a new Existing Building Code.
Non-residential Building Maintenance Regulations
In 2007, the North Carolina General Assembly adopted N.C.G.S. § 160A-439, which gave cities and
towns specific authority to adopt ordinances establishing minimum standards of maintenance,
sanitation, and safety for nonresidential buildings and structures within their corporate limits. The
statutes allows cities and towns to establish minimum nonresidential standards that address
conditions that are “dangerous and injurious to public health, safety, and welfare and identify
circumstances under which a public necessity exists for the repair, closing, or demolition of such
buildings and structures.”
Condemnation of Dangerous Buildings
Chapter 150, Section 150.20, Inspection of Dangerous Buildings or Structures, in the Town of Clyde’s
Code of Ordinances authorizes the Board of Aldermen to have a county building inspector survey
buildings that have been reported to be dangerous (due to fire, poor wall condition, defective
construction, decay, or other reasons, or because they could endanger the lives of those passing by
or living in the vicinity) and report the results to the Board of Aldermen. The Board of Aldermen
may then condemn such buildings. The Code does not cite the state statute that gives the Town
authority to condemn unsafe buildings however N.C.G.S. § 160A-426 is the likely source.
Business Area Redevelopment Planning Grant
The Town of Clyde received a Business Area Redevelopment Planning Grant, funded by the
Hurricane Recovery Act of 2005 and administered through the North Carolina Rural Economic
Development Center (the Rural Center), to support redevelopment and revitalization of the
downtown business area. The Town hired Martin-McGill, Inc., to help it identify ways to encourage
the revitalization of downtown businesses in order to aid Clyde’s economic recovery following the
2004 floods. The Town formed a Business Area Redevelopment Committee (BARC) to help guide the
project.
Martin-McGill produced a Business Area Redevelopment Plan (or Redevelopment Plan) that focused
on 23 properties in one block adjoining Main and Mulberry Streets, between Broad Street and
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Downtown streetscape improvements.
Source: NC DCP, July 2010.
Downtown streetscape and façade
improvements. Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
Carolina Boulevard. The 2004 floods damaged some buildings and infrastructure in the
redevelopment area. When the Redevelopment Plan was completed, 12 of 15 properties that had
housed businesses and/or civic uses before the floods had such uses in operation again, while 3 had
businesses (including 1 residential rental property) that did not reopen. The remaining properties
were vacant lots, including 3 owned by the Town of Clyde. FEMA funding helped the Town restore
its Maintenance Department to operation.
The Redevelopment Plan proposed 2 priority projects: (1) streetscaping and open space
development and (2) a façade improvement program. The projects were intended to encourage
residents and visitors to visit the downtown area by making it more attractive and pedestrian
friendly. They were also designed to encourage further investment in the redevelopment area. The
BARC helped oversee project implementation.
Streetscape and Open Space Development
The streetscape and open space development project
recommended by the Redevelopment Plan had two components.
The streetscape plan proposed sidewalk improvements, street
lighting, street trees, landscaping, burying utility lines, and
upgrading the parking area on Depot Street. The open space
development project proposed that the Town develop a park with a
playground, restroom facilities, and a picnic shelter in the Study
Area. The Town completed both the streetscape project and Lynn’s
Park in 2008.
Façade Improvement Program
The façade improvement program proposed by the Business
Area Redevelopment Plan was intended to improve the
appearance of downtown through the development of
building façade standards and the establishment of a fund to
assist building owners with certain improvements.
The Town operated the façade improvement program until
late 2008 (when the Rural Center grant funding ended), with
the intent of promoting economic redevelopment and
encouraging investment in downtown. Owners of buildings
in the downtown redevelopment area could apply for funds
to reimburse expenses associated with completing exterior
repairs and improvements that private insurance and other flood recovery programs did not cover.
Eligible projects included building façade renovations such as structural repairs, painting, replacing
signs, windows and doors, repairing or installing new awnings, and landscaping. Projects had to
comply with Rural Center guidelines, state and local ordinances, be consistent with the
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Ribbon cutting for downtown revitalization.
Source: Town of Clyde, August 2008.
Redevelopment Plan, and be approved by the BARC. One of the previous downtown building
owners, Mountain Youth Resources, used the program to improve the old Bank of Clyde building.
According to Town staff, some business owners were reluctant to apply to the façade improvement
program because they were uncertain about their future and they did not have the funds and/or
were not ready to spend money on building improvements, even if they would be reimbursed later.
Clyde adopted façade design guidelines in 2007. The guidelines were intended to ensure that new
development, redevelopment, and building renovation projects in the downtown area would be
compatible with Clyde’s small town character and would preserve the integrity of its original
buildings. The Town also planned to use the guidelines in reviewing façade improvement program
applications. The Town did not repeal the façade design guidelines when the associated Rural
Center grant funding expired, however it has not used the guidelines since then.
Business Area Redevelopment Planning Grant Impacts
Town leaders and staff believe that the improvements made in downtown Clyde through the
Business Area Redevelopment Planning Grant have made the area more appealing to the public and
business interests and have also helped attract more events, such as car shows, that draw people
downtown. They have observed that some businesses
now stay open later on nights when events are being held
due to increased foot traffic.
The Town did not disband the BARC when the
Redevelopment Plan projects were completed and the
grant funding ended; however the group has not been
assigned any other projects since that time. The Town
could activate the BARC to aid in implementing Land Use
Plan recommendations related to downtown Clyde and to
provide input on other downtown matters.
Carolina Boulevard Improvements
Several transportation enhancement projects on Carolina Boulevard are impacting downtown Clyde.
NCDOT Small Urban Funds provided a new sidewalk section and new traffic signal poles on Carolina
Boulevard in 2008. During a resurfacing project in 2010, the NCDOT (at Clyde’s request) changed
pavement markings on Carolina Boulevard to create 10 on-street parking spaces near the Town Hall.
The Town of Clyde has been working with the NCDOT to improve the appearance of Carolina
Boulevard and to extend sidewalks and provide more on-street parking along it. The Town has
delayed installation of proposed landscaping and other design elements of the project due to a lack
of funding.
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There have also been discussions about converting Carolina Boulevard to a boulevard style road
with 4 travel lanes and a center median. The proposed project includes the segment that passes
through downtown. Please see the Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element for more
information.
Downtown Buyout Properties
Flood buyout properties comprise a significant portion of the vacant land in the downtown area.
Their scattered locations and use limitations present some challenges and opportunities for
planning. Because the Town of Clyde and Haywood County each own some of the properties, they
will determine how the land is used, for example. The buyout parcels also provide permanent
pockets of open space in the downtown area.
The Land Use Plan Committee had several discussions about Clyde having a downtown farmers
market. Such a use might be permitted on buyout property if it complies with the deed restrictions
and zoning. For example, although the parcels cannot be paved, other surfaces that are pervious
may be allowed.
Some of the buyout properties along the Pigeon River may have the potential to be used as part of a
greenway, some other type of outdoor recreation area, a community garden, and/or other public
spaces that could attract people to downtown.
Downtown Planning
Prior to the Business Area Redevelopment Plan, Clyde did not have any plans specific to the
downtown area. The Redevelopment Plan was a strategic plan that focused on identifying projects
that the Town could complete in the short-term with grant funds. Its scope was intentionally
limited. The Land Use Plan contains recommendations for downtown that will help Clyde
implement a vision for the heart of the community but it, too, can only do so much. The Town also
needs a plan that focuses specifically on the downtown area.
Future Land Use – Town Center
The Land Use Element addresses downtown Clyde as part of a broader vision for the Study Area. It
establishes a Town Center future land use category that is intended to guide the development and
redevelopment of downtown Clyde in ways that respect its past and make it economically viable for
the future. Its description in the Land Use Element states:
The Town Center will continue to function and grow as the economic, social, cultural,
and governmental hub of Clyde in spite of challenges posed by physical barriers and
Mother Nature.
General design considerations for the Town Center category include: uses and building designs that
are in keeping with the desired small town character of downtown; compatible mixed uses;
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appropriate infill development; connectivity with surrounding neighborhoods and community
spaces for special events, among others. The development considerations will guide some of the
Town’s future efforts to make enhancements and manage land uses such as through capital
improvement projects and/or amendments to land use regulations.
The Town Center category description also states, “The area is proposed to be the subject of a more
detailed planning process.” This reflects the Town’s desire to develop a downtown plan in addition
to implementing the Land Use Plan’s more general recommendations for the area. Such a plan
might address in more detail elements such as those contained in the Land Use Plan but may also
establish a more specific vision for downtown and assess the area’s strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats. It may look at the existing building stock (size, condition, etc.), parking,
public spaces, business and wayfinding signage, lighting, design, landscaping, historic preservation,
and public safety, for example. The downtown plan might also include a retail market analysis that
examines the region and customers that downtown (and, perhaps, other Clyde area) businesses
serve and identifies gaps that current or new businesses might be able to fill. It may help establish
the role of downtown in the economic development of Clyde, Haywood County, and the region. The
plan may consider and make recommendations on programs for attracting new businesses and
special events to downtown, supporting new and existing downtown businesses, marketing and
public relations, developing partnerships and others as determined by the Town.
Ordinances and Amendments
In order to implement some of the Land Use Plan recommendations for downtown, such as allowing
for mixed uses, Clyde will need to revise its Zoning Ordinance and, possibly, other land development
policies and regulations. Having a plan for the downtown area will help provide a basis for
ordinance amendments that can help maintain and enhance the character of the area. Such
planning can also help the community find a balance between regulations and policies intended to
help it achieve its vision and those that encourage the types of development and activities it wants.
Parking
Downtown Clyde has a variety of parking options, from the parking lot on the square and other lots
associated with businesses, public facilities, churches, and apartments, to the on-street parking
spaces on Mulberry Street, Main Street, and Carolina Boulevard. Downtown parking was not
identified as a significant issue by citizens that participated in the Community Survey and the
community planning meeting for the Land Use Plan. If development intensifies in the downtown,
however, the Town may need to give some consideration to how the area can best accommodate
additional parking needs. A downtown plan could study and address parking in more detail, if
needed.
Downtown Planning and Revitalization Resources
As it begins to implement the Land Use Plan, the Town will need to consider who to involve in future
downtown planning efforts and in what manner. Funding will also be needed. There are a variety of
resources available that may be helpful as Clyde proceeds with such work, including:
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The North Carolina Small Town Main Street (STMS) Program. The STMS Program, operated
by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Office of Urban Development, provides
two years of technical assistance to selected communities to help them revitalize their
downtowns. Towns with populations under 7,500 are eligible to apply. The STMS Program
uses the Main Street Four Point Approach to downtown revitalization developed by the
National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center. It emphasizes
organization, economic restructuring, promotions, and design. Historic preservation is also
an important element of the STMS Program. STMS staff members also provide limited
assistance to small towns that are not part of the program.
The North Carolina Downtown Development Association (NC DDA). The NC DDA is a non-
profit membership organization that provides information, training, technical assistance,
and other support to communities and individuals interested in downtown revitalization.
The DDA website includes a Downtown Tools section where a variety of resources are being
collected and made available at no charge.
Finding ways to fund revitalization projects and other improvements in downtowns can be
challenging for local governments. The Town of Clyde has discussed using its Capital Improvements
Plan (or CIP) to program and set aside funds for downtown improvements. For example, the Board
of Aldermen has proposed to include in its CIP a project to replace the trees that line a portion of
Carolina Boulevard in the downtown area. As described previously, the Town made streetscape
improvements and developed a small park in the downtown area through a Rural Center grant
program for which it was eligible due to the damage the Town suffered from the 2004 floods.
There are a number of sources of funding, financing, and other means of paying for revitalization
projects, such as historic tax credits, local tax incentives and credits, revolving loan funds, etc. One
example of a funding source that Clyde may want to investigate in the future is a Municipal Service
District (MSD). N.C.G.S. § 160A, Chapter 23, Municipal Service Districts, allows towns and cities to
establish special districts in order to finance, provide, or maintain certain services, facilities, or
functions within the districts that are either not provided to the rest of the town or that are
provided at a higher level than is available elsewhere in the town. The statute specifies what can be
funded through an MSD and downtown revitalization projects (as defined in the statute) are eligible.
Establishing an MSD allows a town to impose additional property taxes in that area to fund such
projects. They can also incur debt to finance MSD projects.
A future downtown plan should address funding methods and sources for downtown improvement
projects in more detail.
Economic Development
“Economic development” may have different meanings to different people; however it generally
refers to the plans and processes associated with the investment of resources (human, financial,
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natural, and more) to generate new and expansions to existing businesses that produce and provide
goods and services which, in turn, create jobs, raise personal income levels and standards of living,
increase the tax base, attract other businesses and additional investment, and so on.
Jonathan Q. Morgan, who is on the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School
of Government, wrote in The Economic Development Handbook, 2009:
Economic development can help expand and balance a tax base so that a jurisdiction
will have the resources it needs to provide high quality public services at a
reasonable cost to its residents. Balancing the tax base among the various land
uses—residential, commercial, and industrial—is especially important for the many
“bedroom” communities that exist in North Carolina. These communities rely on
local tax bases comprised mostly of residential property. The problem is that
residential development does not typically generate sufficient tax revenues to pay
for the public services it requires. By contrast, commercial and industrial
development projects usually pay for themselves and produce net tax revenues in
excess of the costs for needed public services.62
It can be challenging for small towns to concentrate on business creation and retention, workforce
development, and other economic development program elements in addition to providing services
to citizens. Clyde is fortunate to be involved in and served by several entities at the county and
regional levels that focus on economic development. However, the Town needs to be able to
strategically plan for and effectively communicate about its economic future. Such planning may
help the Town identify actions that it can take and tools it can use, as well as those that will require
partnerships with others.
Clyde’s Land Use Plan is not intended to provide an economic development plan for the Study Area.
Rather it includes basic information about the economy, refers to some resources, and encourages
the Town of Clyde to consider developing a more specific plan to outline where it wants to focus its
economic development efforts.
Please note that while employment and other some other economic data is available from the 2000
Census, comparable data from the 2010 Census was not available when the Land Use Plan was being
written. Therefore, the 2006-2010 American Community Survey (ACS), which is produced by the U.S.
Census Bureau, was used as the source for more current economic data.
County Economic Tier Rankings
Each year, the North Carolina Department of Commerce ranks the economic well-being of counties
based on data including the county’s unemployment rate, median household income, population
growth and assessed property value per capita, among others. The 40 most economically distressed
counties in the state are classified as Tier 1. The next 40 are in Tier 2 and the rest in Tier 3. For
2007, 2008, and 2009, Haywood County was in Tier 3. Its ranking dropped to Tier 2 in 2010 and has
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remained at that level through 2012. The State uses the Tier system in some business incentive
programs to encourage investment in more distressed areas. While the Tier system applies at the
county level, municipalities within a given county are often considered to be in the same Tier,
regardless of whether they are more or less distressed.
Income
Table 34 summarizes some of the more recent income estimates that are available for Clyde, other
Haywood County municipalities, Haywood County and the State of North Carolina.
Table 34: 2006-2010 Income Estimates
Per Capita
Income ($)
Median Family Income
($)
Median Household
Income ($)
Canton 19,761 48,839 37,059
Clyde 21,566 42,197 37,143
Maggie Valley 40,803 55,357 52,933
Waynesville 22,305 42,124 32,746
Haywood County 24,233 51,596 41,377
North Carolina 24,745 56,153 45,570
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Per capita income is the mean (average) income per person in a community. It is calculated by
dividing the total income for all people 15 years and older in an area by the area’s total population
(including those under 15).
A household includes all the people who occupy a housing unit regardless of whether they are
related to the householder. Household income is the total amount of income received in a given
year by all members of a household that are 15 or more years old. Family income is the total
amount of income of all persons in a household that are 15 or more years old and are related to the
householder. In the case of median household and median family incomes for a given area, half of
the households (or families) have higher incomes than the median and half have lower incomes.
Median income estimates include households and families that have no income.
Clyde’s per capita income, median family income, and median household income estimates are all
lower than the Haywood County and North Carolina figures. Of the municipalities in Haywood
County, Clyde has the second lowest estimated per capita income (Canton’s is lower) and median
family income (Waynesville’s is lower). Clyde’s median household income is the second highest of
the municipalities (Maggie Valley’s is higher).
Poverty
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The poverty rate refers to the percentage of individuals or families whose incomes are below
established monetary thresholds. The Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds vary by family size and
composition. For individuals living alone or with nonrelatives and for two-person families, the
poverty thresholds vary by age. Poverty thresholds do not vary based on where people live. The
Census Bureau adjusts them each year based on changes in the cost of living.
The 2006-2010 ACS shows that the estimated poverty rates for both individuals and families in Clyde
were the second highest of the municipalities in Haywood County (see Table 35). Only Waynesville
had higher rates. Clyde’s rates were also higher than those for Haywood County and North Carolina.
Table 35: 2006-2010 Estimated Poverty Rates
Individuals (%) Families (%)
Canton 12.4 11.1
Clyde 19.5 16.8
Maggie Valley 3.1 0.8
Waynesville 21.7 17.2
Haywood County 12.3 8.3
North Carolina 15.5 11.4 Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Employment
A community’s labor force consists of people (both civilians and active duty members of the United
States Armed Forces) who are eligible and able to work, whether they are employed (full-time or
part-time), unemployed, or actively seeking employment.
The 2006-2010 ACS estimates that Clyde has a labor force of 499 people. Of those 499 people (all
civilians), an estimated 480 (59.1 percent) are employed and 19 (2.3 percent) are unemployed. The
percentage of the civilian labor force in the Town of Clyde that is unemployed is lower than that of
both Haywood County (3.7 percent) and the State of North Carolina (5.6 percent). Table 36 shows
the ACS labor force estimates for 2010 for Clyde, Haywood County and North Carolina. Table 37
contains the labor force information from the 2000 Census for the same areas.
Table 36: 2006-2010 Labor Force Estimates
Town of Clyde Haywood County North Carolina
No. % No. % No. %
Persons ≥ 16 years old 812 -- 48,214 -- 7,287,107 --
In Labor Force 499 61.5% 28,171 58.4% 4,725,801 64.9%
Civilian Labor Force 499 61.5% 28,103 58.3% 4,640,229 63.7%
Employed 480 59.1% 26,295 54.5% 4,234,087 58.1%
Unemployed 19 2.3% 1,808 3.7% 406,142 5.6%
Armed Forces 0 0.0% 68 0.1% 85,572 1.2%
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
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Table 37: 2000 Labor Force
Town of Clyde Haywood County North Carolina
No. % No. % No. %
Persons ≥ 16 years old 980 100.0% 44,172 100.0% 6,290,618 100.0%
In Labor Force 575 58.7% 25,258 57.2% 4,130,579 65.7%
Civilian Labor Force 575 58.7% 25,252 57.2% 4,039,732 64.2%
Employed 546 55.7% 24,101 54.6% 3,824,741 60.8%
Unemployed 29 3.0% 1,151 2.6% 214,991 3.4%
Armed Forces 0 0.0% 6 0.0% 90,847 1.4%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3
Because labor force statistics are based on the employment status of residents of an area,
regardless of whether they work in that area, they do not provide a complete picture of the types of
employers or employment available in a community or the impact of economic growth or decline on
the area. The Town of Clyde sees itself as a bedroom community whose residents tend to work
elsewhere and current statistics support that view. Table 38 shows that an estimated 85.5 percent
of the civilian labor force living in Clyde works elsewhere. This is a much greater percentage than
that of Haywood County as a whole (64.9 percent) and is considerably higher than the state level
estimate of 48.6 percent.
Table 38: 2006-2010 Place of Work Relative to Place of Residence Estimates Place of Residence
Town of Clyde Haywood County North Carolina
No. % No. % No. %
Workers ≥ 16 years old residing in a place
475 100.0% 8,278 100.0% 2,504,823 100.0%
Working in place of residence 69 14.5% 2,902 35.1% 1,286,822 51.4%
Working outside place of residence
406 85.5% 5,376 64.9% 1,218,001 48.6%
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Table 39 shows how Clyde’s labor force traveled to work, based on the 2006-2010 ACS. Of note is
that 7.8 percent of the labor force works at home. The number of home-based workers in Clyde has
almost doubled since 2000 (see Table 40). This segment has grown faster in Clyde than at the
county or state levels and is currently almost twice that of people working at home statewide. The
Town may want to look more closely at the growth in telecommuting and home-based businesses
and what it may mean to Clyde’s economy, its land use patterns and policies, etc.
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Table 39: 2006-2010 Commute to Work Methods Estimates
Town of Clyde Haywood County North Carolina
No. % No. % No. %
Workers ≥ 16 years old 475 100.0% 25,726 100.0% 4,205,946 100.0%
Car, truck, or van -- drove alone
370 77.9% 20,992 81.6% 3,385,870 80.5%
Car, truck, or van -- carpooled
64 13.5% 2,712 10.5% 481,125 11.4%
Public transportation (excluding taxicab)
0 0.0% 79 0.3% 42,731 1.0%
Walked 4 0.8% 375 1.5% 75,342 1.8%
Other means 0 0.0% 286 1.1% 55,090 1.3%
Worked at home 37 7.8% 1,282 5.0% 165,788 3.9%
Mean travel time to work (minutes)
21.3 -- 22.3 -- 23.4 --
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Table 40: 2000 Commute to Work Methods
Town of Clyde Haywood County North Carolina
No. % No. % No. %
Workers ≥ 16 years old 534 100.0% 23,721 100.0% 3,837,773 100.0%
Car, truck, or van -- drove alone
440 82.4% 19,280 81.3% 3,046,666 79.4%
Car, truck, or van -- carpooled
66 12.4% 3,239 13.7% 538,264 14.0%
Public transportation (excluding taxicab)
0 0.0% 121 0.5% 34,803 0.9%
Walked 4 0.7% 318 1.3% 74,147 1.9%
Other means 4 0.7% 114 0.5% 40,942 1.1%
Worked at home 20 3.7% 649 2.7% 102,951 2.7%
Mean travel time to work (minutes)
21.6 -- 22.7 -- 24.0 --
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3
Clyde residents are employed in a variety of industries, as shown in Table 41. Almost one-quarter
(22.7 percent) of employed Clyde residents are working in the educational services and health care
and social assistance sectors. The next most prevalent industry, employing 16.5 percent of Clyde
residents, encompasses the arts, entertainment, and recreation sectors, as well as accommodation
and food services. The construction industry is third, employing 14 percent of Clyde’s labor force.
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Table 41 shows that Clyde, Haywood County, and North Carolina have similar percentages of people
employed in the educational services and health care and social assistance industry classification
(between 22.5 and 22.7 percent). However, for Haywood County, the retail and the manufacturing
industry categories have the next highest numbers of employees, followed by the arts,
entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services industry. For the state as a
whole, manufacturing employs the second highest number of people, followed by retail trade, and
then the industry category containing professional, scientific, and management, and administrative
and waste management services.
Table 41: 2006-2010 Civilian Labor Force by Industry Estimates Town of Clyde Haywood County North Carolina
Industry No. % No. % No. %
Civilian employed population ≥ 16 years old
480 -- 26,295 -- 4,234,087 --
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining
0 0.0% 191 0.7% 61,011 1.4%
Construction 67 14.0% 3,041 11.6% 349,220 8.2%
Manufacturing 66 13.8% 3,416 13.0% 568,153 13.4%
Wholesale trade 19 4.0% 771 2.9% 128,111 3.0%
Retail trade 64 13.3% 3,525 13.4% 489,411 11.6%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities
0 0.0% 1,207 4.6% 186,796 4.4%
Information 3 0.6% 374 1.4% 82,087 1.9%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing
21 4.4% 1,531 5.8% 278,182 6.6%
Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services
39 8.1% 1,518 5.8% 388,417 9.2%
Educational services, and health care and social assistance
109 22.7% 5,904 22.5% 956,181 22.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services
79 16.5% 2,466 9.4% 362,590 8.6%
Other services, except public administration
13 2.7% 1,488 5.7% 202,053 4.8%
Public administration 0 0.0% 863 3.3% 181,875 4.3%
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
The top 3 industries in terms of employment for both North Carolina and Haywood County
(education services, and health care and social assistance; manufacturing; and retail trade) together
employed 48 percent of the state’s labor force and 49 percent of the county’s labor force. As noted
previously, Clyde’s top 3 industry sectors for employment did not include manufacturing or retail
trade; however they employed 50 percent of the town’s labor force.
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Table 42: 2000 Civilian Labor Force by Industry Town of Clyde Haywood County North Carolina
Industry No. % No. % No. %
Civilian employed population ≥ 16 years old
546 100.0% 24,101 100.0% 3,824,741 100.0%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining
5 0.9% 535 2.2% 61,185 1.6%
Construction 48 8.8% 2,487 10.3% 312,038 8.2%
Manufacturing 100 18.3% 3,991 16.6% 755,252 19.7%
Wholesale trade 12 2.2% 562 2.3% 131,330 3.4%
Retail trade 84 15.4% 3,038 12.6% 439,868 11.5%
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities
20 3.7% 836 3.5% 176,412 4.6%
Information 8 1.5% 289 1.2% 89,797 2.3%
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing
27 4.9% 974 4.0% 231,222 6.0%
Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services
32 5.9% 1,342 5.6% 296,075 7.7%
Educational services, and health care and social assistance
105 19.2% 5,105 21.2% 733,440 19.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services
72 13.2% 2,295 9.5% 265,585 6.9%
Other services, except public administration
22 4.0% 1,653 6.9% 176,908 4.6%
Public administration 11 2.0% 994 4.1% 155,629 4.1%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 3
Unemployment
The unemployment rate for an area consists of the percentage of the civilian labor force that is
unemployed. The 2006-2010 ACS estimates that the unemployment rate for the Town of Clyde was
3.8 percent (see Table 43). Clyde had the second lowest unemployment rate of the municipalities
within Haywood County. Clyde’s rate was approximately 40 percent less than Haywood County’s
estimate and almost 60 percent less than the estimate for the state.
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Table 43: 2006-2010 Unemployment Rate Estimates Unemployment Rate
Town of Canton 5.9%
Town of Clyde 3.8%
Town of Maggie Valley 2.7%
Town of Waynesville 4.3%
Haywood County 6.4%
State of North Carolina 8.8%
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
While there are probably multiple reasons for Clyde’s unemployment rate being relatively low
compared to the other municipal, county, and state rates shown in Table 43, one consideration may
be the relatively higher education levels of its population. Table 44 shows estimated unemployment
rates associated with various levels of educational attainment. In Clyde, Waynesville, Haywood
County, and North Carolina, the unemployment rates are highest among those who have not
completed high school, followed by high school graduates who have not attended college or
community college. While the unemployment rate in these jurisdictions is lowest for those with a
bachelor’s degree or higher, Clyde is shown as having virtually no unemployment among residents
with such degrees.
Table 44: 2006-2010 Unemployment Rate Estimates by Level of Educational Attainment (Population 25 to 64 Years of Age)
Less than High School Graduate
High School Graduate (includes
Equivalency)
Some College or Associate’s
Degree
Bachelor’s Degree or Higher
Town of Canton 0.0% 7.5% 0.0% 8.3%
Town of Clyde 7.4% 7.4% 3.8% 0.0%
Town of Maggie Valley 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 5.3%
Town of Waynesville 12.3% 10.9% 7.2% 4.8%
Haywood County 10.7% 6.2% 4.3% 3.4%
State of North Carolina 12.1% 8.0% 6.4% 3.5%
Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey
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Sherrill’s Pioneer Restaurant. Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
Although educational attainment may play a role in the employment status of Clyde residents, the
employment status does not seem to correlate with income levels and poverty rates. While a higher
percentage of Clyde residents are employed relative to residents of Haywood County and the towns
therein (with the exception of Maggie Valley), Table 34 and Table 35 show that Clyde had the
second to lowest per capita and median family incomes and the second highest individual and family
poverty rates.
Existing Businesses
Statistics on the number and types of businesses, the number of people they employ, etc., are not
readily available at the municipal level for small communities such as Clyde. Although it is possible
to retrieve some business and industry data by zip code, the Clyde zip code area is so much larger
than the Study Area that the data may not adequately represent conditions in the Town of Clyde
and its ETJ.
Of Haywood County’s 25 largest employers in 2011, there was one within the Study Area: Haywood
Community College (250-499 employees).63 Haywood Regional Medical Center (now MedWest
Haywood), located just outside the Study Area, is the 3rd largest (more than 1,000 employees).
Haywood County Schools is the largest employer in the county (more than 1,000). Given that Clyde
Elementary School and Central Haywood High School are located within Clyde, one would expect the
county school system to be one of the largest employers in the Study Area. Combined, the two
schools have a total of approximately 110 employees. The US Postal Service is the 23rd largest
employer countywide (50-99 employees). Based on observations by Land Use Plan Committee
members and other sources, the US Postal Service, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Haywood
Christian Academy, HomeTrust Bank, the Town of Clyde, Haywood Appliance, the E-Z Stop and the
office of Dr. John Highsmith, DDS, are probably some of the larger employers in the Study Area, in
addition to the entities mentioned previously.
The Study Area contains an array of businesses, many of
which involve retail sales and/or services including, but not
limited to: an appliance store, convenience stores with
gasoline pumps, used car sales, a small grocer, a
restaurant, a military surplus store, florists, a nursery,
website design services, a meat processer, automobile
service and repair, medical and dental offices, counseling
services, hair salons, building and construction-related
businesses and services, real estate sales, financial
institutions, a dance studio, cemeteries, a summer camp,
and childcare centers. Most are small, independent businesses. A Dollar General store to be
constructed on Carolina Boulevard will be the only national chain establishment in the Study Area.
If Clyde develops a community-wide economic development plan, it may want to consider
conducting a retail market analysis for the entire town and/or Study Area to help it determine
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whether additional types of businesses are needed or if existing businesses have the potential to
draw additional customers. The section on downtown Clyde (in this CLUP Element) also proposed
such a market study. It could be done as part of one for the broader community.
Tourism
Not long after the completion of the railroad line through Clyde, the town became known, in part,
for its beauty and its health benefits. It soon began attracting summer residents and short-term
visitors. Accommodations included boarding houses and approximately 8 hotels (according to the
1916 Pictorial Story of Haywood County).64 One of the more prominent hotels, the Yankee Hipps,
was sold in 1916 to the founder of the Skyland Camp for Girls, which opened in 1917.
Results from the2009 Community Survey and the community planning meeting as well as feedback
from the Land Use Plan Committee members indicate that Clyde area residents are not very
interested in having tourism be a significant element of the local economy. Of the factors ranked by
Community Survey respondents, tourism was the least important in planning for Clyde’s future.
Although focusing on developing the tourism component of the economy is not a priority in Clyde,
there are some existing businesses, events, and attractions in the community that serve visitors
(Skyland Camp for Girls, the Shook Museum, and car shows, for example) or that probably benefit
from travelers on their way to and from other destinations (gas stations and convenience stores, for
example).
Economic Development Resources and Plans
If Clyde decides to develop a more formal economic development plan and implementation
program, it will have the benefit of a number of agencies, efforts, plans, and other resources from
which to draw.
Economic Development Resources
The Town of Clyde is part of several local economic development organizations, as follows.
Haywood County Economic Development Commission. The Town of Clyde has a
representative on the Haywood County Economic Development Commission (EDC). The
EDC’s mission is to “…foster a healthy and prosperous economy and quality of life for our
community through the development of capital investment, job creation and
entrepreneurial opportunities while supporting existing business and industry.”65 The focus
of the EDC has changed over the years from recruiting large industries to recruiting small
and medium sized industries and commercial development. It also concentrates on working
with existing businesses on retention and expansion.
Greater Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. The Greater Haywood County Chamber
of Commerce is a membership-based business organization that represents the interests of
local businesses and provides resources that contribute to its members’ success as well as
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the economic vitality and quality of life of Haywood County. The Town of Clyde is a
member. In 2010, the Chamber began the Blue Ridge Breakaway, an annual cycling event
that serves as a fundraiser for the Chamber. It offers 4 bicycle routes ranging from 25.8
miles to 105 miles. The two longer routes pass through the Study Area, including downtown
Clyde. Lynn’s Park is a rest area. The 2011 event drew approximately 355 riders, 262 of
which traveled though Clyde.
Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. The Haywood County Tourism
Development Authority (TDA) helps promote the county as a tourist destination. A 4
percent occupancy tax funds the TDA’s operations, services, and publications, including two
visitor centers, a toll-free tourist information hotline, a visitor’s guide, commercials, and
other means of advertising. The TDA provides funding to the Haywood County and Maggie
Valley chambers of commerce as well as to local events and festivals. A member of Clyde’s
Board of Aldermen serves on the TDA board of directors.
There are a variety of entities working on economic development in Western North Carolina that
may also be resources for Clyde and its business community. Table 45 contains examples of such
organizations.
Table 45: Examples of Economic Development Organizations Working in Western North Carolina
Organization Purpose
AdvantageWest Economic Development Group
An economic development commission for 23 Western North Carolina counties that markets the region to businesses interested in relocating, adding a new facility, or expanding an existing facility in the area. It promotes the region’s potential for filmmaking and tourism and for green business. It also encourages and supports entrepreneurship through programs such as its Certified Entrepreneurial Community (CEC®) Program which helps communities become “entrepreneur
ready.” Haywood County was the first CEC®. http://www.advantagewest.com/
HandMade in America Small Towns Program
A program that helps small towns in Western North Carolina revitalize their physical and civic infrastructure though a community-driven, asset-based approach. It helps communities develop and find financial and other resources to implement community projects, build leadership capacity, and develop partnerships. It also has a peer mentoring program through which towns
can learn from one another. http://www.handmadeinamerica.org/economic-development/small-town-revitalization
North Carolina Small Town Economic Prosperity (NC STEP) Program
A program of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center (Rural Center) that helps help small towns (under 7,500 in population) revive their economies. The program includes coaching, leadership training, a community-wide planning process to develop an economic development strategy, and grants for implementation.
http://www.ncruralcenter.org/community-programs/small-towns.html Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) at Western Carolina University
Part of a statewide program operated by the University of North Carolina in partnership with the United States Small Business Administration. The SBTDC is a resource for businesses that offers services including: Business and Management Advice; Financial Analysis; Financing Assistance; Marketing Assistance; Research; Strategy and Organizational Development and Implementation;
and Leadership and Employee Performance. http://www.sbtdc.org/offices/wcu/
Small Business Center (SBC) at Haywood Community College
Part of a network of 58 such centers in North Carolina that support the development of new businesses and the growth of existing businesses. The SBC provides new and existing small businesses with free counseling services, business seminars, and access to its resource libraries. Currently, the SBC provides technical assistance to businesses applying to the Rural Center’s
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Microenterprise Loan Program. http://www.haywood.edu/small_business_center
Southwestern North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission
The Southwestern Commission, a council of government serving Region A, North Carolina’s 7 westernmost counties. The Southwestern Commission assists local governments with community and economic development, transportation planning, land and water conservation, and other
functions. It also works with them on regional projects. http://www.regiona.org/
Because there are many other existing economic development programs and resources, including
some operated by the state and federal governments, they cannot all be described in this Land Use
Plan. If the Town of Clyde chooses to prepare an economic development plan in the future, it will
probably want to review a more thorough inventory of available programs.
Existing Economic Development Plans
There are several existing plans that are relevant to economic development in the Study Area. Two
are highlighted below.
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
The Southwestern North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission (Southwestern
Commission) periodically completes a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for
the Southwestern North Carolina Economic Development District (EDD), which coincides with
Region A. The 2011 CEDS identifies the EDD’s economic development assets and liabilities. Some of
the assets matched several identified by Clyde leaders and residents as the Land Use Plan was
developed, such as: a high quality of life; the beauty of the area; recreational opportunities; access
to good health care; and an excellent community college system. Identified liabilities for the EDD
that are likely to similarly affect the Clyde area include: lack of access to capital; lack of multimodal
transportation systems; undercapitalization of local cultural and entertainment options; an
affordable housing shortage; and the vulnerability of I-40 to rock slides.
The CEDS contains goals and objectives to address economic development issues. It emphasizes
retention and expansion of existing employers and training a skilled workforce. It also promotes the
preservation and wiser use of the region’s natural resources.
The 2011 CEDS identified national industry clusters that are growing in the EDD and that have a high
or increasing concentration in the region compared the rest of the country, including:
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Technologies; Information Technology and Instruments;
Communication Services and Software; and Recreation and Tourism.
The CEDS also found the following other business clusters to be important to the region: Hospitals,
Labs and Specialized Medical Services; Business Support Services; Arts, Crafts and Design-Related;
and Retirement-Related.
Haywood County Comprehensive Bicycle Plan
The Haywood County Comprehensive Bicycle Plan, described in more detail in the Public Facilities,
Services, and Infrastructure Element, indicates that cyclists and the presence of cycling
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infrastructure, support facilities, and programs can generate economic development benefits for
Haywood County. It also mentions Clyde’s potential to become the bicycling hub of the county
thanks to the town’s central location, parks (with restrooms), parking, and proximity to recreational
bicycle routes. Events such as the annual bicycle rodeo in Clyde and the relatively new Blue Ridge
Breakaway further suggest that the town may be well-suited for cycling and the associated business
it could generate.
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Goals, Recommendations, and Strategies
1. Goal: Continue to revitalize the downtown area as the business, civic, cultural, and mixed-use residential hub of the community.
1.1. Recommendation: Organize and plan for the future of downtown Clyde.
Strategies:
a. Establish a working group that includes downtown stakeholders to focus on
downtown matters. The group may be a subcommittee of one that may be
established for Clyde’s overall economic development (see Strategy 2.1.a. in this
Element), a Board of Aldermen or Planning Board subcommittee, or a new group.
b. Seek educational opportunities, technical assistance, and resources for
downtown planning and revitalization.
c. Complete a downtown master plan to establish a vision and identity for the area
and to guide future public and private investments in infrastructure,
development, and other improvements.
d. Create and maintain an inventory of vacant buildings and properties that might
be of interest to individuals wanting to locate businesses downtown.
1.2. Recommendation: Allow a complementary mix of uses in the downtown area.
Strategies:
a. Develop one or more zoning districts and/or overlay districts for application in
the downtown area that will help define the area’s desired character.
b. Encourage small businesses to locate downtown.
c. Permit residential and commercial uses to occupy the same building as well as
the same lot (if in separate buildings, for example), subject to meeting certain
standards.
d. Encourage compatible infill development for vacant or underutilized properties.
e. Encourage the adaptive reuse of vacant or underutilized buildings.
f. Provide additional public spaces, such as on flood buyout properties.
g. Identify a location in the downtown area for a farmers market / tailgate market
and work with other departments, agencies, and organizations to develop the
area as needed for the market.
h. Allow for shared parking, on-street parking, and other innovative parking
strategies.
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1.3. Recommendation: Maintain and enhance the appearance and character of downtown
Clyde.
Strategies:
a. Develop one or more zoning districts and/or overlay districts for application in
the downtown area that will help define the area’s desired character. [Same as
Strategy 1.2.a. in this Element.]
b. Continue to refine and implement plans for streetscape improvements on US
19/23 (Carolina Boulevard).
c. Work through the French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization to add
a project to its Comprehensive Transportation Plan/Long Range Transportation
Plan and the North Carolina Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, to
convert US 19/23 (Carolina Boulevard) through Clyde to a boulevard-style road.
[Same as Strategy 1.1.a. in the Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure
Element.]
d. Review the appearance and effectiveness of existing signage (wayfinding) and
lighting.
e. Encourage property owners to maintain buildings and land.
f. Consider whether the Town should establish a Municipal Service District for
downtown Clyde to provide funds for downtown revitalization (in accordance
with N.C.G.S. § 160A, Chapter 23).
2. Goal: Help Clyde’s economy grow.
2.1. Recommendation: Organize and develop an overall economic development program for
Clyde.
Strategies:
a. Establish a committee to focus on economic development in Clyde. The
committee could be a subcommittee of the Board of Aldermen or the Planning
Board, or it could be a new group. It may also have subcommittees, such as one
devoted to the downtown area (see Strategy 1.1.a. in this Element).
b. Complete a retail market analysis to better understand Clyde’s current business
environment and economic assets, to identify opportunities for expanding and
diversifying the Town’s economy, and to recommend actions to make the most
of the opportunities that best serve the interests of the community.
c. Continue to support and participate in the work of county-wide and regional
economic development organizations including the Haywood County Economic
Development Commission, the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, the
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AdvantageWest Economic Development Group, the Haywood County Tourism
Development Authority, and others.
d. Learn about the resources and assistance that may be available to the Town
and/or its businesses from the Small Business Center at Haywood Community
College.
e. Encourage the development of new and the retention and growth of existing
businesses and services in Clyde, particularly those related to the medical field,
small and/or independent businesses, and businesses that serve the needs of
local residents and those who work, go to school, or attend church in, or
otherwise visit, Clyde. For example, by linking businesses with resources,
providing incentives or grants, participating in or establishing a revolving loan
fund, etc.
f. Consider applying for the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center’s
North Carolina Small Towns Economic Prosperity (NC STEP) program, which
provides economic development support to small towns through coaching,
training, planning, and grants.
g. Revitalize downtown (see Goal 1 in this Element).
h. Promote/market the Clyde area to prospective businesses.
i. Link Clyde with county-wide promotional activities such as the “Buy Haywood”
and the “Why Haywood?” campaigns.
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Element Six: Community Character and Quality Of Life
Community Character
Throughout the development of the Land Use Plan, a recurring theme was the importance of Clyde’s
small town character to the community. The Pigeon River, railroad, buildings, businesses, public
spaces, agricultural areas, and other physical assets help establish its character. Other less tangible,
but equally important, elements such as the people and their history, values, and sense of
community, for example, also contribute to the small-town feeling that makes Clyde special to those
who call it home.
Community Appearance
The way a community looks and feels contributes to its character and its appeal to residents and
visitors. Appearance can be a source of pride in communities. It may make the difference if a
developer or business owner is thinking about investing in an area.
The Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development Element summarizes the public input
identified from the Community Survey and the community planning meeting as it relates to
community appearance, beautification, and design. It also reviews some of the tools available to
North Carolina cities and towns interested in addressing appearance and building safety issues
throughout the community (not just downtown). Some of the recommendations in that Element
regarding downtown revitalization overlap with and/or complement those within this Element.
Historic Resources and Preservation
The Town of Clyde will celebrate the 125th anniversary of its incorporation in 2014. Clyde is proud of
its history and has taken steps to preserve and promote it, as described below.
Clyde Historic Commission
The Town of Clyde has a 5-member Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), appointed by the Board
of Aldermen, which is charged with performing the duties of regulating historic landmarks and
historic districts. The Commission meets on a quarterly basis.
Members of the HPC are writing about Clyde’s history and compiling very detailed scrap books
about the Town. Of particular note are those that document the 2004 floods that impacted the
Clyde area. The scrap books are housed in a room at the Clyde Town Hall that has been dedicated
to preserving the town’s history.
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Shook-Smathers House.
Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
National Register of Historic Places
The United States Congress established the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 to ensure
that listed properties are given consideration in the planning of federal projects or projects by state
and local governments or the private sector if they are licensed or partially funded through the
federal government. The program was also intended to encourage state and local governments as
well as the private sector to undertake historic preservation initiatives. Being listed on the National
Register indicates that a building, structure, site, district, or object is worthy of preservation due to
its significance in terms of American history, architecture, archeology, and/or culture. The listing
does not impose any requirements on private owners of designated properties when they use
private resources to improve or maintain such properties. If they use federal funding or licensing to
improve a property or use the National Register designation to obtain a grant or tax credit, they are
required to follow federal preservation standards.66
The Shook-Smathers House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are no other
historic buildings, sites, or districts in the Study Area that have been placed on the National Register.
Local Historic Landmarks and Districts
The Town of Clyde has not designated any local historic landmarks or districts. In order to make
such local designations, the Town of Clyde’s Board of Aldermen would need to adopt an ordinance
(or amend the Clyde Zoning Ordinance) as authorized by N.C.G.S. Article 19, Part 3C, Historic
Districts and Landmarks. The HPC would then have the ability to recommend that the Board of
Aldermen make such local designations. Haywood County does not have a local program to
designate historic landmarks or districts. Local governments that have established their own
programs may designate places listed on the National Register as a local historic landmarks or
districts; however there is no requirement to do so.
Shook-Smathers House
The Shook-Smathers House on Morgan Street in Clyde was listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 2008. It is a 2½ story wood frame built by Jacob Shook between 1795 and 1820. Levi
Smathers bought the Shook home in 1850 and his family added to and significantly remodeled it in
the 1890s. Preservation North Carolina considers the
Shook-Smathers House to be the oldest, standing frame
house west of the Blue Ridge.
In addition to being recognized for its age and wood frame
construction, the house is also known for its association
with the establishment of the Methodist Church in
Haywood County. Francis Asbury, the first Methodist
Bishop consecrated in the United States, spent a night in the
Shook home in 1810. The third floor of the Shook-Smathers
House consists of a chapel that Jacob Shook is said to have built as a place for early settlers of the
area to worship.
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“Clyde High School” Quilt Square.
Source: NC DCP, April 2011.
The Shook-Smathers House is now the home of the Shook Museum. The property also contains a
visitor center and gift shop. Occasionally the Shook Museum hosts events such as Civil War
reenactments. In December of 2011, the Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society
acquired the Shook-Smathers House and property through a donation from its prior owner, a
descendant of Jacob Shook.
Quilt Trail
The Town of Clyde is proud to be the home of some of the quilt blocks that have been installed on
buildings in Haywood County as part of the Haywood County Arts Council’s Quilt Trails project. The
colorful quilt blocks add visual interest to their surroundings while communicating some of the
history of the community. The Arts Council publishes stories about the quilt locations and the quilt
pattern themes and symbolism for those interested in learning more about the sites on the quilt
trail. The Haywood County project is modeled after similar
projects in other counties in Western North Carolina. The
quilt blocks in the region draw interest from area residents
as well as visitors specifically interested in following the
self-guided trails. As of March of 2012, Clyde had 6 quilt
blocks, the most of any community in the county. The
quilt blocks, which are installed on the Shook-Smathers
House, Lil’s, the former Haywood Institute, Louisa Chapel,
Central Haywood High School (the former Clyde High
School), and the former Bank of Clyde building, all help tell
the story of Clyde’s history. Descriptions of the quilt squares in Clyde as well as a map showing their
locations can be found at http://www.haywoodquilttrails.org/.
Other Historic Features and Events
There are many other aspects of Clyde and events that occurred in the community that are
significant to its history. A number of them, such as the construction of the railroad and the
devastating floods in the recent and more distant past are covered in other elements of this Land
Use Plan.
Cultural Amenities and Resources
Haywood County and the surrounding region offer a broad array of fine arts, crafts, music, dance,
theater, cultural heritage, and other educational and entertainment opportunities that are
accessible to Study Area residents.
Some of the cultural amenities and resources that are located in or could support the Study Area
include those listed below.
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Thickety Road Area.
Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
Haywood Community College (HCC)
HCC’s contributions to the community extend well beyond the academic and other programs it
offers students. As indicated in the Public Facilities, Services and Infrastructure Element, HCC makes
its facilities available for use by the community. The auditorium, for example, is used for community
theater productions and music and dance recitals. HCC also hosts a variety of cultural programs
including an annual event to celebrate the heritage of the area through music and demonstrations.
Among HCC’s programs of study are professional crafts curricula in clay, fiber, jewelry, and wood.
Angie’s Dance Academy
This plan would be remiss in its discussion of cultural amenities in the Study Area if it did not
mention Angie’s Dance Academy. The Academy has been providing dance instruction and other
activities to the region since it opened in Clyde in 1991. Within its 15,000 square foot facility on
Glance Street, the Academy has 5 dance studios and operates a retail store selling dance wear and
supplies. The Academy holds annual dance recitals in the HCC Auditorium.
Haywood County Arts Council
The Haywood County Arts Council, based in Waynesville, works to involve the community in the arts
by promoting art and artists, providing opportunities for new cultural experiences, and preserving
the artistic heritage of the mountains.67 It does so through a variety of programs, events, and
activities such as the Junior Appalachian Musicians program, the Arts in the Schools program, a
Sunday Concert Series, the Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival, and more. The Arts Council holds
some events at the HCC Auditorium. It also provides grants to support local arts programs and
regional artists.
Rural/Agricultural Character
When thinking about Clyde, non-residents may envision downtown or Carolina Boulevard.
However, a majority of the Study Area is comprised of lower density development, agricultural land,
and undeveloped areas. The Land Use Element shows that
49 percent of the existing land use in the Study Area is
classified as Open Land and another 3 percent is considered
Undeveloped.
When answering the Community Survey question regarding
the types of development that should be encouraged in the
Clyde area in the future, 39 percent of respondents said
that Farming and/or Forestry Operations should be strongly
encouraged and 52 percent said it should be encouraged. A
few written comments from survey participants referenced
farms and agriculture, particularly as they contribute to maintaining Clyde as a small town and
bedroom community. Others suggested having farmers markets.
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The lower density, agricultural, and undeveloped areas contribute to Clyde’s rural feel. Farm land
may also provide economic, environmental stewardship, and other benefits. If the community
wants to maintain its rural character and preserve productive agricultural land, there are many tools
and resources available to help it do so, some of which are described below.
Infrastructure Extensions
The availability of public water and sewage disposal systems may increase the development
potential of property and make it more suitable for higher density development. The Town of Clyde
has the ability to manage extensions of its water and sewer systems to guide the location and
density of development.
Development Incentives
Communities can use incentives to encourage more intensive or certain types of development in
some areas, which may help reduce development pressure on more rural areas. A density bonus,
for example, is an incentive that allows developers more units per acre or greater lot coverage than
would otherwise be allowed, provided certain criteria are met. A density bonus option could be
made available in certain zoning districts.
Conservation Easements
A conservation easement is a voluntary legal tool through which a landowner agrees to preserve all
or a portion of property and limit development of it, while retaining ownership and the right to
continue to use it in accordance with specified terms. A landowner, by written agreement, grants
(through sale or donation) a conservation easement to an easement holder such as a government
entity, land trust, or other conservation organization. The easement holder is responsible for
monitoring the property to ensure that the terms of the agreement are fulfilled in perpetuity and
may also be granted certain rights regarding the use of the property. Present and future owners are
subject to the terms of the easement. Landowners who donate conservation easements may be
eligible for certain tax benefits and/or credits. Conservation easements may be used to preserve
farmland, open space, riparian buffers, and other natural areas and features.
Conservation Subdivisions
Conservation subdivisions are developments in which a substantial amount of the property in the
overall project is set aside permanently as open space and the homes (and/or other buildings or
structures, such as in mixed use developments) are clustered on the remaining property. The design
of a conservation subdivision gives primary consideration to the land and significant natural
features, environmentally sensitive areas, views, and other unique attributes of the site that should
be preserved. Some conservation subdivisions include land actively being used for agricultural
activities. The areas identified for preservation form the framework into which the roads, other
infrastructure, lots, and building sites fit. Typically, the overall allowed density (units per acre) of
residential conservation subdivisions is the same or greater than what would otherwise be allowed
in a zoning district because of clustering and smaller lot sizes. Some communities offer density
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bonuses for developers who choose to build a
conservation subdivision instead of a more
conventional subdivision. The Town of Clyde would
need to amend its zoning and subdivision ordinances
in order to allow the development of conservation
subdivisions.
Farmland Preservation
In order for counties to receive state funds for
farmland preservation and agricultural development,
they must create agricultural economic development
and farmland protection plans. Haywood County was
one of the first in the state to develop its plan. The
Haywood County Farmland Protection Plan, completed
in 2008, provides a substantial amount of information
on the state of agriculture in the county. It discusses
the county’s farming history and current agricultural
activities, the impact of agricultural production on the
county, challenges facing the agricultural industry,
existing farmland conservation efforts, and agricultural
protection tools and opportunities to sustain and
enhance agriculture in the county.
In 2007, according to the Haywood County Farmland
Protection Plan:
Agriculture was Haywood County’s 3rd largest
industry;
More than 80 percent of the county’s prime
farmlands had been lost;
Haywood County had more full-time farmers
than 20 years prior; and
Haywood County’s Voluntary Agricultural
District program had more landowners
enrolled than any other program in North
Carolina.68
Prime Farmland
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
defines prime farmland as, “Land that has the best
Importance of Farmland Preservation in North Carolina
(Excerpts from the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund 2009 Annual Report)
Economic
Agribusiness is the number one industry in North Carolina, which generates more than $70 billion annually, and plays an integral part in the economic status of the state.
The ability to purchase and consume products that are produced on local farms gives consumers the advantage of fresh food at a more reasonable cost and also supports the local economy. Active agricultural land also creates a range of job opportunities, from farming to food processing and packaging.
Environmental
Farm and forestlands help protect the environment, wildlife, and also provide clean air and water. Soils and forests filter out contaminants, reducing the risk of flooding, and serving as a recharge area for water.
These lands also house large amounts of carbon dioxide, thus helping to maintain the homeostatic nature of the environment and reducing the threat of drastic climate change.
Cultural Heritage
Working farmlands and rural scenery are a deeply-rooted aspect of North Carolina’s history. This cultural heritage is what makes the state so appealing to both its residents and visitors.
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Thickety Road Area.
Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and
oilseed crops and that is available for these uses. It has the combination of soil properties, growing
season, and moisture supply needed to produce sustained high yields of crops in an economic
manner if it is treated and managed according to acceptable farming methods.”69
Prime farmlands tend to have soils with low to moderate slopes, that drain well, and that are not
highly erodible. They require minimal inputs of energy and economic resources in order to produce
crops. The USDA values such land because of its potential to help the country meet its short and
long-term needs for agricultural products.
In Haywood County, prime farmlands tend to be located
in river and stream valleys. The characteristics that make
them ideal for farming also tend to make them attractive
for development activities. Map 9, Farm Uses, depicts
the prime farmlands in the Study Area, as identified by
the USDA. The County’s Farmland Preservation Plan
recommends protecting prime farmlands as well as
designated farmlands of state and of local importance
because of how limited a resource such land is in
Haywood County. It identifies communities that should
be focus areas for active farmland preservation efforts because they have the most productive soils
and are already centers of agricultural activity. Although the Clyde area is not specifically included
on the list of focus areas, it has farmland that is worthy of conservation and that can contribute to
the County’s farmland preservation goals.
Farmland Preservation Tools and Resources
There are many tools and resources available to help communities and landowners preserve
farmland and support agricultural activities. Several are described below. Please refer to the
Haywood County Farmland Preservation Plan for a more comprehensive review of existing farmland
conservation efforts and agricultural protection tools.
Voluntary Agricultural Districts
N.C.G.S. Article 61, Agricultural Development and Preservation of Farmland, gives local governments
the authority to enact certain programs to encourage farmland preservation and to help grow,
develop, and sustain family farming in the state. One program allows local governments to adopt
farmland preservation ordinances that establish Voluntary Agricultural District (VAD) programs.
VAD programs are intended to raise awareness of agriculture and its contributions to the
community and to protect farms from nuisance suits and other issues that may arise from
encroaching development.
Haywood County enacted a Farmland Preservation Ordinance in 1994 to establish VADs. The
ordinance applies to the unincorporated areas of the county (including municipal ETJs). Farmland
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must meet certain requirements to be part of a VAD. The landowner enters into a revocable
conservation agreement with the County that prohibits non-farm use or development on the
property for 10 years (except for the creation of up to 3 lots). A VAD landowner is eligible for
certain benefits such as waivers of water and sewer assessments, signs publicizing the VAD status of
the property, and eligibility for farmland preservation funds.
In 2007, the County added Enhanced Voluntary Agricultural Districts (EVADs) to its program. The
main differences between the VAD and EVAD programs are that the 10-year conservation
agreement is not revocable and is automatically renewed every 3 years, the landowner may receive
up to 25 percent of gross sales from the sale of nonfarm products and still qualify as a bona fide
farm, and the property is eligible to receive a higher percentage of funds under agricultural cost
share programs.
When the Haywood County Farmland Preservation Ordinance first took effect, State law did not
authorize cities and towns to have their own VAD programs. However, a town and a county could
mutually agree to have the county administer its program within the town limits. In 2005, cities and
towns gained the authority to have local programs.
A 2011 map from the Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD) shows the VADs and
EVADs within Haywood County, including parcels in both the Clyde corporate limits and its ETJ. The
HSWCD was not aware that some of the parcels in the Clyde area fell within the town limits. The
Town of Clyde had not enacted a local VAD program and the Town and Haywood County had no
agreement to enable the County to administer its program within the town limits. Map 9, Farm
Uses, shows the lands in the Study Area that were shown on the HSWCD’s 2011 VAD/EVAD map.
Based on the HSWCD information, the Study Area has a total of 92.8 acres in a VAD (58.9 acres in
the ETJ and 33.9 acres in the Clyde town limits). All of the land within the Study Area that is shown
as being in a VAD is also being taxed for its present use value by the County (see below). Map 9
shows that not all VAD land is considered prime farmland by the USDA.
Currently, the parcels inside the Clyde town limits should not technically be considered as enrolled
in a VAD/EVAD program. If Clyde wants properties within its town limits to have access to a
VAD/EVAD program, it could adopt a farmland preservation ordinance (and appoint an agricultural
advisory committee to administer the VAD/EVAD program) or it could request that Haywood County
consider applying its ordinance within the town limits. Because Haywood County has an established
program and has already been working with some of the farms in Clyde, the Town and landowners
would probably best be served if the County program could be extended (formally) into the Clyde
town limits.
Present Use Value Taxation
North Carolina’s tax laws allow counties to assess certain agricultural, horticultural, and forest lands
at their present use value as farmland rather than their market value for future use (residential,
commercial, etc.). Landowners must apply to the county in order for present use value taxation to
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apply. Map 9, Farm Uses shows the 54 parcels within the Study Area that are subject to present use
value taxation by Haywood County.
Land Use Regulations and Agriculture
Counties must exempt bona fide farms from zoning regulations; however cities and towns are
permitted to regulate farms. The Town of Clyde’s Zoning Ordinance exempts bona fide farms in its
town limits and ETJ from regulation except that non-farm uses of the property are subject to
regulation.
Per N.C.G.S. § 160A-383.3, cities and towns may provide flexibility in their land use regulations for
farming operations located within city or county VADs/EVADs. For example, a community’s zoning
ordinance may allow farms to have on-farm sales, pick-your-own operations, agritourism, and other
activities incidental to farming (as defined in N.C.G.S. § 106-581.1).
Some communities have provided additional protection for agricultural uses through their
subdivision regulations. For example, subdivision developers might be required to provide a
vegetative buffer of a certain width between proposed subdivisions and existing agricultural uses.
Some ordinances require that notice be provided on a subdivision plat if a VAD/EVAD is within a
certain distance of the subdivision.
Future Land Use
The Land Use Element proposes a Rural Residential/Agricultural future land use designation for
parts of the Study Area, mainly those located in the Clyde ETJ, where public water and/or sewer is
unavailable and unlikely to be extended in the future. The category encompasses areas that have
prime farmland, land in VADs, and/or land taxed at its present use value. It also contains lands with
slopes greater than 40 percent and other undeveloped land located in the 100-year floodplain. The
Rural Residential/Agricultural category is intended to highlight the parts of the Study Area that the
Town of Clyde would like see retain their rural character.
The Rural Residential/Agricultural future land use designation itself will not ensure that such areas
will continue to have low density residential, agricultural, open space, and conservation uses. The
Town would need to consider what other tools, such as some of those discussed above, and
partners would help it implement its goals.
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Pigeon River in Clyde.
Source: NC DCP, April 2009.
The Pigeon River
One of the most defining features of Clyde and the Study Area is the Pigeon River. Most of the other
elements in this Land Use Plan make references to it, not only because of its significant physical
presence but also because of how it serves and impacts the area. The Pigeon River has been both a
blessing and a curse. The Town of Clyde probably would not have been established without it, yet it
is one of the town’s greatest threats.
The Pigeon River was a frequent subject in the Community
Survey’s written comments, which ranged from the need
to clear the river and river banks of debris and trash to the
desire to see a greenway and parks along the river.
Community visioning exercise participants contributed
ideas about how areas along the river could be used to
develop a riverwalk, greenways, trails, and parks.
In spite of the flood risks and other challenges presented
by the Pigeon River (discussed in other Elements), the river and its floodplain are natural resources
that provide important environmental services. The river also has the potential to provide other
benefits to the community. The Community Survey and visioning exercise results suggest that the
public recognizes the recreational opportunities the river corridor presents. The organizers of the
Blue Ridge Breakaway (discussed in the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development
Element) have incorporated the Pigeon River and its crossing in downtown Clyde into several of the
event’s bicycle routes. If Clyde develops as the bicycling hub of Haywood County, as envisioned in
the Haywood County Comprehensive Bicycle Plan, perhaps the Pigeon River will be a focal point.
The community will need to find ways to overcome challenges, such as economic conditions, the
threat of flooding, and limited access to some properties, if it wants to attract investment to help
revitalize areas along the Pigeon River. It must also consider the benefits and costs associated with
future development activities and how they may impact the natural functions of the river, the
recreation opportunities presented by the river, and public safety concerns, among other factors.
If people consider the Pigeon River as a community asset, they may generate some new ideas
regarding how the river can be incorporated into parks, recreation, and open space planning, how it
might support community events and activities, and/or how it might play a role in business
development and downtown revitalization. They may also be more inclined to participate in efforts
to protect it.
Community Events
Community events in Clyde are yet another reflection of its small town character. Currently, the
Town of Clyde and a Veterans’ group host an annual Veteran’s Day Celebration on the Town Square.
Clyde Elementary School began holding an annual 5K and Family Fun Run in 2011. Clyde is also the
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site of an annual bicycle rodeo that promotes bicycle safety to children. A local car club sponsors a
car show on the Town Square on a couple of Saturday nights per month during the spring and fall.
During the development of this Land Use Plan, the Town officials and staff indicated that the Town
does not have a formal organizational structure or procedures for coordinating and executing
community and other special events. Town staff members and some volunteers handle most of the
responsibilities associated with such events, particularly those organized by the Town or that
require town services. The Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element addresses and
includes recommendations for the Town of Clyde regarding the development of policies and
procedures for special events.
Although there are not many events held in Clyde each year, it could benefit from having a new or
existing committee that can provide oversight to help avoid potential scheduling conflicts, to
recommend policies and procedures for special events, etc., to the Board of Aldermen, to ensure
that the proper procedures are followed and permits (if any) are obtained or issued, and to take on
some of the work that town staff members currently perform.
Community Facilities
Existing Facilities
The Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element provides an inventory of the public and
community facilities located in the Study Area. Many of the facilities are available for community
use for meetings, special events, and other activities including Clyde’s town square, the town hall,
Lynn’s Park, Clyde Park, Clyde Elementary School, Central Haywood High School, Haywood
Community College, the Shook Museum, and area churches.
The Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element also addresses and includes
recommendations regarding the Town of Clyde’s need to develop policies and procedures for the
use of its facilities by the public. Haywood County Schools facilities may be used by the community
provided such use does not conflict with school use, state and local laws, or the care and
maintenance of the facilities. The Haywood County Board of Education has a written policy on the
use and care of school facilities. It addresses the facilities that may be used, the requirements
associated with doing so, whether school staff must be on site, usage fees, and the procedures for
obtaining approval for use. Use of the other facilities listed above is governed by the policies and
procedures of each particular institution.
Community Facility Needs
In response to the Community Survey question regarding the importance of certain factors in
planning for Clyde’s future, 61 percent of respondents assigned both “Activities/Services for the
Elderly” and “Activities/Services for Youth” the highest rating of “Very Important.” The survey also
asked what types of development should be encouraged in the Clyde area. Respondents rated both
public facilities and a community center in the top 5 types that should be “Strongly Encouraged.” A
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number of written comments from survey participants also stressed the need for some type of
community / senior / recreation center, additional public spaces such as parks and recreation areas,
and an amphitheater. Visioning exercise participants also foresaw a community / senior center as
part of Clyde’s future
As described briefly in the Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element, the Town of Clyde is
in the early stages of planning for two public facilities projects that should help address some of the
identified needs: (1) a new park as part of a flood protection project off Thickety Road and (2) a
community / senior center.
Quality of Life
The aspects that comprise a community’s character often contribute to the quality of life of its
residents. Community input and discussions among Clyde elected officials, staff, and volunteer
board members helped identify additional factors and features of the Study Area that, if retained
and enhanced, will continue to improve the lives of residents, business owners, and others who
spend time there.
Community Health
In its early days, Clyde became known, in part, as a place for those seeking to improve their health.
While only a few vestiges of its past as a summer respite remain, the Clyde area has become a
center for the provision of healthcare services in Haywood County and the region.
As described below, Study Area residents are interested in both their own health and that of the
community. They appreciate what Clyde has to offer in terms of parks and recreation but are also
interested in having more opportunities for physical activity. Clyde’s elected and appointed officials
as well as staff have expressed interest in finding ways to make fresh, local foods more readily
available, such as through the establishment of a farmers’ market. Such endeavors could provide
community health and economic benefits.
Healthcare Facilities
Community Survey results showed that 80 percent of respondents rated Haywood Regional Medical
Center (now MedWest Haywood) as “Very Important” in terms of planning for Clyde’s future,
making it the third highest-rated factor out of 21 listed on the questionnaire (behind Public Safety at
84 percent and Water Service at 82 percent). Participants in the visioning exercise thought that
Clyde would continue to attract and retain state of the art, modern, medical facilities. The
community input suggests that the Town find ways to help citizens maintain and improve their
health and well-being and also to encourage the development and retention of quality healthcare
facilities.
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Existing Facilities and Services
Having MedWest Haywood, a not-for-profit public hospital, situated just beyond the Study Area’s
western boundary on Hospital Drive, provides Clyde area residents with easy access to medical care.
MedWest’s facilities and services include, but are not limited to: a 189-bed hospital; an emergency
department; an urgent care center; home healthcare; a health, fitness, and rehabilitation center;
and several physicians’ groups (general practice and specialists).
In addition to those mentioned above, there are some medical offices with multiple physicians near
the Study Area, including Midway Medical Center, a family physicians’ practice on Carolina
Boulevard, east of the Study Area, and Mountain Medical Center (recently acquired by MedWest),
which has internal medicine physicians and several specialists, on Doctor’s Drive, west of the
MedWest Haywood campus. There are also a number of smaller medical practices, several dentists
and dental groups, a dialysis center, counseling services, and other healthcare providers in and near
the Study Area.
Future Facilities and Services
As indicated in the Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development Element, the 2011
Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), prepared by the Southwestern Commission
for Region A, indicated that Pharmaceuticals and Medical Technologies was one of several national
industry clusters that are growing in the region. The CEDS also noted importance of the Hospital,
Labs and Specialized Medical Services business cluster to the region.
Some of the healthcare service providers located in and near the Study Area operate their primary
and/or other offices elsewhere. This suggests that there may be opportunities for Clyde to draw
other branch medical offices.
HCC may also play a role in attracting additional healthcare facilities to the Clyde area in the future.
In 2012, it offered programs of study in some healthcare related fields including: Healthcare
Business Informatics; Medical Assisting; Medical Office Administration; Nursing and Therapeutic
Massage. MedWest has taken part in HCC’s job fairs.
With an asset such as MedWest Haywood so close to Clyde, finding ways to encourage the
development of additional medical facilities in the Study Area could support the healthcare needs of
residents while contributing to the economy and, for properties within the town limits, Clyde’s tax
base. The availability of reasonably-priced land with appropriate infrastructure, a trained
workforce, a customer base, the proximity of suppliers and related businesses, the quality of life an
area offers, and numerous other factors play into business and industry location and expansion
decisions. If the Town of Clyde is interested in actively trying to attract additional healthcare-related
businesses, it should consider working in partnership with local, regional, and/or state economic
development organizations and others to study the potential for healthcare businesses to locate in
the area and, if appropriate, to develop a strategy to market the area to such businesses.
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Parks and Recreation
Almost one-half (46 percent) of respondents to the Community Survey placed parks and recreation
in the middle of their rankings of the factors important in planning for Clyde’s future. Similarly, 52
percent placed them in the middle of the scale on the question of what types of development
should be encouraged in Clyde in the future. Despite the average ratings of parks and recreation in
the formal survey questions, numerous respondents submitted written comments expressing
support for additional parks, outdoor and indoor recreational areas, facilities, and activities,
sidewalks, walking and bicycling paths and trails, greenways, and open space. A number of
respondents referred specifically to the health and fitness benefits of recreation and suggested that
recreation and fitness opportunities should be available for people of all ages.
Visioning exercise participants pictured Clyde as having a walking trail or greenway along the Pigeon
River and other walking and bicycling paths and routes throughout the community in the future.
Some cited the health benefits of walking, bicycling, and other physical activities in their comments.
The Public Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure Element reviews the existing, mainly public, parks
and recreation facilities within the Study Area. It also refers to some of the existing plans that
address parks and recreation needs and discusses facilities that may be provided in the future
(subject to the availability of funding).
The Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center, located less than one-half mile west of the Study
Area, is noteworthy due to its proximity to Clyde. It is a 54,000 square foot facility, situated on the
MedWest Haywood campus, that is open to people of all ages and offers professional staff, fitness
equipment, lap and water therapy pools, group fitness classes, wellness programs, rehabilitation
services, and many other activities and resources.
Local Foods
At several points in the Clyde Land Use Plan development process, the Land Use Planning
Committee discussed the potential suitability of some of the land in the downtown area, including
buyout properties, for a farmers’ or tailgate market. The Committee also discussed the
development of community gardens on flood buyout property. Some of the buyout parcels near
downtown were already being leased by adjoining property owners for garden space. According to
the Haywood County Recreation Department, a local organization will use at least one of the buyout
properties for a community garden. Several written comments from the Community Survey
supported the farmers’ market and community garden ideas. As the Committee worked to refine
the Land Use Plan’s vision and goals, it saw an obvious link between community health and access to
fresh, locally grown, food.
There are several existing farmers’ markets in Haywood County:
Canton Tailgate Market in Canton (parking lot next to Municipal Building);
Haywood's Historic Farmers Market in Waynesville;
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Waynesville Tailgate Market in Waynesville; and
Haywood Regional Medical Center Tailgate Market at the Haywood Regional Health &
Fitness Center near Clyde.
None of the above markets operate seven days a week or year-round, therefore there may be an
opportunity to have a viable market in Clyde, as well.
There are a number of resources available to assist communities interested in developing and
promoting farmers’ markets such as: Haywood County Cooperative Extension; the Appalachian
Sustainable Agriculture Project; the Mountain Market Tailgate Association; the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Marketing Division; the Center for
Environmental Farming Systems; the USDA, and others.
Locally produced food is also becoming more available through other sources in Haywood County.
The Buy Haywood Market Development Project, managed by the Haywood County Economic
Development Commission, was created to help local farmers promote their products to consumers.
Buy Haywood has helped farmers market their products to grocery stores, which, in turn use a
“Haywood County – North Carolina Mountain Grown” logo to denote locally grown products. Buy
Haywood also promotes local farms that sell products on site.
Housing
Having access to housing that is affordable, livable, and safe is fundamental to one’s quality of life.
Clyde has a variety of housing types in different price ranges. It also has an adequate supply of
housing units given its population and expected future growth. However, some residents may not
find sufficient options at a cost they can afford. Other residents, as they age, may need a different
type of housing than they currently occupy. They, too, may have limited options in the future.
Housing Units
The number of housing units in Clyde grew from 425 in 1980 to 619 in 2010, a 45.6 percent increase
over 30 years. Table 46 shows that the number of units more than doubled between 1990 and
2000. However, the rate of growth in housing units slowed considerably to only 2 percent between
2000 and 2010, reflecting (and slightly lagging behind) the decline in the size of the Town’s
population between 2000 and 2010 (see Community Profile).
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Table 46: Town of Clyde Housing Characteristics, 1980 - 2010
1980 1990
Percent Change 1980-1990
2000
Percent Change 1990-2000
2010
Percent Change 2000-2010
Percent Change 1980-2010
Housing Units 425 475 11.8% 607 27.8% 619 2.0% 45.6%
Occupied Housing Units 380 431 13.4% 547 26.9% 546 -0.2% 43.7%
Owner Occupied 240 303 26.3% 347 14.5% 334 -3.7% 39.2%
Renter Occupied 140 128 -8.6% 200 56.3% 212 6.0% 51.4%
Vacant Housing Units 45 44 -2.2% 60 36.4% 73 21.7% 62.2%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau
Most of the housing units in Clyde are single-family dwellings. The 2006-2010 American Community
Survey (ACS) estimates that there were approximately 381 single-family dwellings (both detached
and attached units), excluding mobile homes, in the Town of Clyde (see Table 47). Such single-
family dwellings comprised approximately 67.8 percent of the estimated 562 dwelling units in Clyde.
An estimated 81 mobile homes comprise 14.4 percent of Clyde’s dwellings. The total number of
single-family dwelling units increases to 462 or 82.2 percent of all housing units if mobile homes are
included.
According to the ACS, approximately 100 (17.7 percent) of the housing units in Clyde are in multi-
family structures. Most of the multi-family structures contain fewer than 10 units.
Table 47: Number of Housing Units per Structure in Clyde (2006-2010 Estimates)
Estimate Percent
Total units 562 100.0%
1-unit, detached 362 64.4%
1-unit, attached 19 3.4%
2 units 27 4.8%
3 or 4 units 10 1.8%
5 to 9 units 47 8.4%
10 to 19 units 4 0.7%
20 or more units 12 2.1%
Mobile home 81 14.4%
Source(s): 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Home Ownership
Since 1980, the trends in owner occupancy of housing units have varied in Haywood County
depending on location. As shown in Figure 7, owner occupancy has remained above 72 percent for
the county as a whole, reaching a peak of 77.4 percent in 2000. Clyde’s owner occupancy rate rose
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from 62.2 percent in 1980 to a peak of 70.3 percent in 1990. It has dropped ever since (though less
dramatically in the past 10 years), and went below the 1980 rate to 61.2 percent as of the 2010
Census. With the exception of Maggie Valley, Haywood County and the towns within it saw their
owner occupancy rates drop between 2000 and 2010.
Figure 7: Owner Occupied Housing Units as Percentage of Occupied Housing Units
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Values
Between 1980 and 2000, Haywood County’s median home value for owner occupied homes was
lower than that of North Carolina as a whole. Of the municipalities within the county, Clyde had the
second lowest median home values during the same period (see Table 48). Median home value
figures from the 2010 Census are not available.
Table 48 shows that median home values for the state, Haywood County, and the towns within the
county increased between 1980 and 2000. The degree to which they grew varied, however.
Between 1980 and 1990, Clyde and Canton (which had the lowest median home values of the
communities within Haywood County at that time), had higher rates of increase in values compared
to Waynesville and Maggie Valley. Their rates were below those of Haywood County and the state,
however.
63.2% 70.3%
63.4% 61.2%
72.4% 70.5%
70.5% 68.2%
56.1%
81.5%
70.7% 74.4%
62.2% 61.9%
65.4%
57.7%
72.0%
77.1% 77.4%
74.1%
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%
1980 1990 2000 2010
Pe
rce
nt
Year
Clyde
Canton
Maggie Valley
Waynesville
Haywood County
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Table 48: Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing Units (1980-2000 Census)
1980 1990
% Change 1980-90
2000 % Change 1990-2000
% Change 1980-2000
Clyde $34,000 $55,500 63.2% $86,600 56.0% 154.7%
Canton $29,500 $48,400 64.1% $75,300 55.6% 155.3%
Maggie Valley $48,300 $65,000 34.6% $101,700 56.5% 110.6%
Waynesville $35,200 $56,700 61.1% $93,400 64.7% 165.3%
Haywood County $33,800 $59,100 74.9% $99,100 67.7% 193.2%
North Carolina $36,000 $65,300 81.4% $108,300 65.8% 200.8%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau
Between 1990 and 2000, median home values in North Carolina, Haywood County, and the towns in
within the county (except for Waynesville) continued to rise but at a lower rate than in the prior
decade. Clyde, Canton, and Maggie Valley had similar median home value growth rates (between
55.5 and 56.5 percent), all of which were lower than those of Waynesville, the county, and the state.
Between 1980 and 2000, median housing values doubled in North Carolina and almost doubled in
Haywood County. Clyde’s median home values grew one and one-half times during that period.
The 2006-2010 ACS estimates for median value of owner-occupied homes are provided in Table 49.
Such estimates are not directly comparable to decennial Census figures; however the 2000 Census
values are included for reference.
Table 49: Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing Units (2000 Census Figures and 2006-2010 American Community Survey Estimates )
2000 Census
2006-2010 Estimates
Estimated % Change 2000-2010
Clyde $86,600 $141,400 63.3%
Canton $75,300 $141,700 88.2%
Maggie Valley $101,700 $220,700 117.0%
Waynesville $93,400 $146,200 56.5%
Haywood County $99,100 $158,200 59.6%
North Carolina $108,300 $149,100 37.7%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Clyde had the lowest median value for owner-occupied homes in Haywood County according to the
2006-2010 ACS estimates, yet the value increased at a higher rate than values in Waynesville and
Haywood County between the releases of the 2000 Census data and the 2006-2010 ACS.
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Cost of Rental Housing
Median gross rent refers to the monthly rental payment plus the estimated average cost of utilities
and fuel if they are paid for by the renter in addition to the rent.
Table 50 compares median gross rents for Haywood County, the municipalities within the county,
and the state over the past 30 years. The table uses decennial census figures for 1980, 1990, and
2000. Because comparable figures from the 2010 Census are not available, the table includes 2006-
2010 ACS estimates for information purposes.
In 1980 and 1990, Haywood County had lower median gross rents than North Carolina as a whole.
However, the rents in Clyde were higher than the state figures in those years. In 2000, Clyde’s
median gross rent continued to exceed that of Haywood County but the statewide rent was higher.
The 2006-2010 ACS estimates show that the median gross rent in Clyde was increasing at a much
lower rate relative to Haywood County and the state. As a result, Clyde has the lowest estimated
median gross rent (between 2006 and 2010) of the communities shown in Table 50.
Table 50: Median Gross Rent for Renter-Occupied Housing Units in North Carolina, Haywood County and Municipalities (1980 – 2010)
1980 1990
% Change 1980-1990
2000 % Change 1990-2000
Estimate 2006-2010
% Change 2000 - 2010
Clyde $192 $333 73.4% $474 42.3% $556 17.3%
Canton $147 $272 85.0% $375 37.9% $700 86.7%
Maggie Valley $229 $275 20.1% $531 93.1% $754 42.0%
Waynesville $172 $287 66.9% $432 50.5% $626 44.9%
Haywood County $177 $305 72.3% $455 49.2% $685 50.5%
North Carolina $205 $382 86.3% $548 43.5% $718 31.0%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau; U.S. Census Bureau, 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Table 51 breaks down the 2006-2010 ACS gross rent estimates for Clyde to show how many rental
housing units had rent payments at various amounts. Clyde has a higher percentage (38.9) of rental
units in the $500 to $749 rent category compared to the other categories. Approximately two-thirds
(67 percent) of the rental units in Clyde have gross rents below $750.
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Table 51: Estimated Gross Rent for Renter-Occupied Housing Units – Town of Clyde (2006-2010 Estimates)
Estimated Number of Rental Units
Estimated Percent of Rental Units
Occupied units with rent payments 167 100.0%
Less than $200 0 0.0%
$200 to $299 3 1.8%
$300 to $499 44 26.3%
$500 to $749 65 38.9%
$750 to $999 48 28.7%
$1,000 to $1,499 7 4.2%
$1,500 or more 0 0.0%
Source(s): 2006-2010 American Community Survey
According to the United States Office of Housing and Community Development (HUD), housing is
considered affordable if the occupant(s) is/are spending no more than 30 percent of gross income
on gross housing costs.70 Households are considered cost burdened if they spend more than 30
percent of their income on housing. Those spending more than 50 percent of their income on
housing are considered to be severely cost burdened. Approximately 42.5 percent of households
renting housing units in Clyde are spending 30 percent or more of their income on gross rent, as
shown in Table 52.
Table 52: Town of Clyde - Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (2006-2010 Estimates)
Percent of Household Income Estimated Number of
Rental Units Estimated Percent of
Rental Units
Occupied units with rent payments 167 100.0%
Less than 15.0% 25 15.0%
15.0 to 19.9% 25 15.0%
20.0 to 24.9% 17 10.2%
25.0 to 29.9% 29 17.4%
30.0 to 34.9% 0 0.0%
35.0% percent 71 42.5%
Source(s): U.S. Census, 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Annually, HUD determines for each state, metropolitan area, and county in the nation the Fair
Market Rent (FMR) for rental housing ranging from efficiencies to 4-bedroom units. The FMR is the
40th percentile of gross rents for typical, non-substandard, rental units in an area. For federal fiscal
year (FFY) 2011, the FMRs for units of various sizes in Haywood County are shown in Table 53.
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Table 53: 2011 Fair Market Rents for Rental Housing Units in Haywood County Efficiency 1 Bedroom 2 Bedroom 3 Bedroom 4 Bedroom
Fair Market Rent $515 $516 $644 $834 $1,079
Source(s): US Office of Housing and Urban Development
Each year, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) releases a report titled Out of Reach
which assesses the cost burden renters face given their wages and market rents in their areas. FFY
2011 data for Haywood County and North Carolina are summarized in Table 53.
Table 54: 2011 Rental Housing Costs Relative to Wages for Haywood County and North Carolina
Haywood County North Carolina
Estimated Mean Renter Wage $9.57 per hour $11.52 per hour
Rent Affordable at Mean Renter Wage $498 per month $599 per month
Fair Market Rent for 2-Bedroom Unit $644 per month $718 per month
Wage Needed to Afford 2-Bedroom Fair Market Rent Unit $12.38 per hour $13.81 per hour
Gap Between Estimated Mean Renter Wage and Wage Needed to Afford 2-Bedroom Fair Market Rent Unit
$2.81 per hour $2.29 per hour
Full-time Jobs at Mean Renter Wage Needed to Afford 2 Bedroom Fair Market Rent Unit
1.3 1.2
Source(s): National Low Income Housing Coalition, Out of Reach 2011, June 2011.
For those that are earning the federal and state minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour, the cost
burden for rental housing is even higher. In Haywood County for 2011, the gap between minimum
wage and the wage needed to afford a 2 bedroom FMR unit was $5.13. The number of minimum
wage jobs needed to afford a 2-bedroom FMR unit in 2011 in Haywood County was 1.7.
The imbalance between income levels and rental housing costs found in Clyde and Haywood County
is a common problem across the United States. The Preface to the Out of Reach 2011 report states:
The data in Out of Reach reveal that the shortage of affordable rental housing is a
national problem, affecting urban, suburban, and rural areas alike. While rents are
often lower in rural areas, correspondingly lower incomes and a shortage of rural
rental supply means that rural renters often face overcrowding and a lack of high
quality choices in addition to unaffordable housing costs.71
Age and Condition of Housing
According to the 2006-2010 ACS, almost one-half (48.4 percent) of the 562 housing structures
estimated to be within the Town of Clyde have been built since 1980 (see Table 55). More than one-
quarter (28.5 percent) of Clyde’s current housing stock was built in a single decade: the 1980s.
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Table 55: Age of Housing in Clyde (2006-2010 Estimates)
Construction Period Estimated Number of
Housing Structures Percent of Housing
Structures
Since 2000 44 7.8%
1990 to 1999 68 12.1%
1980 to 1989 160 28.5%
1970 to 1979 60 10.7%
1960 to 1969 81 14.4%
1950 to 1959 31 5.5%
1940 to 1949 47 8.4%
1939 or earlier 71 12.6%
Total 562 100.0%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2006-2010.
While the age of housing structures and units can provide some idea of the condition of an area’s
housing stock, there are some other indicators, such as the lack of complete kitchen and/or
plumbing facilities and overcrowding.
Incomplete kitchen or plumbing facilities do not appear to be significant issues in Clyde or in Haywood County, as shown in Table 56.
Table 56: Lack of Complete Kitchen or Plumbing Facilities in Occupied Housing Units, Town of Clyde and Haywood County (2006-2010 Estimates)
Clyde Haywood County
Estimated Number of Occupied
Units
Percent of Occupied
Units
Estimated Number of Occupied
Units
Percent of Occupied
Units
Occupied housing units 454 100.0% 26,445 100.0%
Lacking complete plumbing facilities 0 0.0% 107 0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen facilities 0 0.0% 93 0.4%
Source(s): U.S. Census, 2006-2010 American Community Survey
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an overcrowded housing unit has more than 1 person per
room. HUD considers having more than 1.5 persons per room to be an aspect of a severe housing
problem. Neither Clyde nor Haywood County appears to have overcrowded housing conditions
according to Table 57.
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Table 57: Occupants per Room in Occupied Housing Units, Town of Clyde and Haywood County (2006-2010 Estimates) Clyde Haywood County
Estimated Number of Occupied
Units
Percent of Occupied
Units
Estimated Number of Occupied
Units
Percent of Occupied
Units
Occupied housing units 454 100.0% 26,445 100.0%
1.00 or less occupants per room 448 98.7% 26,225 99.2%
1.01 to 1.50 occupants per room 6 1.3% 206 0.8%
1.51 or more occupants per room 0 0.0% 14 0.1%
Source(s): U.S. Census, 2006-2010 American Community Survey
Senior Housing
The size of Clyde’s population that is age 65 years and older grew considerably between 1980 and
1990. It grew again, but at a much slower rate, between 1990 and 2000, and then declined between
2000 and 2010 (see Table 58).
In proportion to the town’s population, the 65 years and older age group grew then declined
between 1980 and 2010. During that 30-year period, it comprised just over 20 percent of Clyde’s
population at its peak in 1990 and dropped to its lowest point, 16.4 percent, in 2010.
Table 58: Town of Clyde Population 65 Years of Age and Older, 1980 - 2010
1980 1990
Percent Change
1980-1990 2000
Percent Change
1990-2000 2010
Percent Change
2000-2010
65+ Population 171 217 26.9% 238 9.7% 201 -15.5%
Total Population 1,008 1,041 3.3% 1,324 27.2% 1,223 -7.6%
65+ as Percentage of Total Population
17.0% 20.8% -- 18.0% -- 16.4% --
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau
Clyde had fewer persons aged 65 or older in 2010 compared to 2000 and that age group grew
smaller in proportion to the overall town population between 1990 and 2010. However, the
number of one person households in Clyde in which the householder was 65 or more years of age
grew at varying rates between 1980 and 2010 (see Table 59). Between 2000 and 2010, the number
of such households grew 23.2 percent to 69. Such 69 households comprised almost 40% percent of
the 174 one person households in Clyde and 12.6 percent of all of the 546 households in Clyde.
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Table 59: One Person Households Age 65 and Older, 1980 – 2010
1980 1990 % Change 1980-1990
2000 % Change 1990-2000
2010 % Change 2000-2010
Town of Clyde 35 48 37.1% 56 16.7% 69 23.2%
Haywood County 1,433 2,368 65.2% 2,837 19.8% 3,339 17.7%
North Carolina 156,940 230,016 46.6% 270,141 17.4% 341,864 26.6%
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau
The data suggest that the Clyde area may need additional housing options and/or units in the future
that can accommodate senior citizens, particularly those capable of living alone. However, the
decline in the town’s overall population over the past decade may not create much demand for
additional housing. Existing homes may, therefore, continue to serve the aging population,
particularly if they can be adapted to meet senior citizen needs.
Changes in the types and/or levels of community services, such as transportation, may also be
needed to allow older residents to continue to live at home. The Town of Clyde currently offers a
service to check on elderly and/or disabled persons in the community. The police department will
call on a daily basis those elderly and/or disabled persons who register with the Town to receive the
service.
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Goals, Recommendations, and Strategies
1. Goal: Maintain and enhance Clyde’s small-town character and sense of community.
1.1. Recommendation: Encourage development that enhances the community in terms of its
purpose, location, scale, design, etc.
Strategies:
a. Create or improve design, landscaping, signage, and other development
standards that support and implement the Town’s vision and goals. [Same as
Strategy 1.5.c. in this Element.]
b. Create incentives to encourage development that meets the goals identified in
this Land Use Plan and that is compatible with the character of the Town of
Clyde.
1.2. Recommendation: Preserve, protect and enhance the Town’s historic assets.
Strategies:
a. Continue to support the work of the Town’s Historic Preservation Commission.
b. Encourage preservation, restoration, and use of historically and/or
architecturally significant structures.
c. Find ways to protect the Shook House and other historic, architecturally, and/ or
culturally significant structures and properties from incompatible development.
d. Protect the immediate vicinity of historical structures through a designation of
local historic properties, local historic landmarks, and/or historic districts or
other protections, such as overlay districts with design guidelines for
development on nearby properties.
1.3. Recommendation: Preserve the character of rural areas.
Strategies:
a. Amend zoning, subdivision and other land use ordinances to allow for
conservation-based residential development. Such development could be
allowed on a voluntary basis with options and/or incentives if used. It could also
be mandatory in certain areas.
b. Provide incentives to encourage well-designed, higher density, and mixed-use
development in areas with existing or planned services. [Same as Strategy 1.2.c.
in the Land Use Element.]
c. Consider entering into a memorandum of understanding with Haywood County
to have Haywood County administer its Farmland Preservation Ordinance within
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the Clyde town limits in order to provide farm owners who are eligible and
choose to participate with the same program benefits as those participating in
the Haywood County program.
d. Help raise awareness of Haywood County’s Farmland Preservation Ordinance
among owners of farmland in Clyde’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and town limits.
e. Continue to allow agricultural uses in the Clyde Zoning Ordinance.
f. Consider amending the Clyde Zoning Ordinance to provide flexibility for farming
operations located within VADs/EVADs, as allowed by N.C.G.S. § 160A-383.3.
g. Permit farmers' markets / tailgate markets in the downtown area to provide local
farmers with a location to sell their products.
h. Conduct soil quality assessments and create plans for conservation and
agricultural development based upon the findings.
1.4. Recommendation: Treat the Pigeon River as a community asset.
Strategies:
a. Continue to work to secure easements for riparian buffers for the Pigeon River
Buffer Project.
b. Develop the park along the Pigeon River proposed as part of the Pigeon River
Buffer Project.
c. Study how the rear areas of buildings and lots near or adjoining the Pigeon River
can be used to support future facilities or activities on or along it.
d. Consider developing, perhaps in partnership with other local governments in the
region, a Pigeon River corridor plan.
1.5. Recommendation: Continue to engage in and support community beautification efforts.
Strategies:
a. Seek funding to implement the Carolina Boulevard Streetscape Improvement
Plan.
b. Create and implement plans to enhance the gateways/entrances to Clyde.
c. Create or improve design, landscaping, signage, and other development
standards that support and implement the Town’s vision and goals. [Same as
Strategy 1.1.a. in this Element.]
d. Consider whether establishing a nonresidential building maintenance ordinance
would be beneficial for Clyde (see N.C.G.S. § 160A-439).
e. Consider whether to establish a Community Appearance Commission, as allowed
by N.C.G.S. § 160A-451, to study appearance issues in Clyde and make
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recommendations regarding enhancing and improving the visual quality and
aesthetic characteristics of the community.
f. Consider establishing design guidelines and/or architectural review committees.
1.6. Recommendation: Support existing and provide additional community gathering places
that offer social, cultural, and/or entertainment experiences for people of all ages.
Strategies:
a. Fund and complete a community center per the Town’s Capital Improvement
Program.
b. Establish an organizational structure to manage the community center facilities
and programming.
c. Organize a committee (or use an existing board or committee) to schedule, plan,
promote, and/or implement community festivals and other events.
d. Develop community facilities at the proposed town park on Thickety Road (in
accordance with flood buyout program standards).
e. Provide additional public spaces.
1.7. Recommendation: Continue to engage and build relationships with community partners
and resources, such as non-profit organizations, churches, civic groups, neighborhoods,
etc., to help implement the Town’s plans and projects while strengthening Clyde’s sense
of community.
Strategies:
a. Establish a volunteer pool.
b. Strive to inform and involve all populations and age groups in project and event
planning and implementation.
c. Identify ways to keep all citizens informed about community activities.
2. Goal: Quality, affordable housing choices for all.
2.1. Recommendation: Provide for a range of housing choices (price, type, quality, density,
rent/own, availability, etc.).
Strategies:
a. Examine demographic trends to assess future housing needs in the Clyde area.
b. Examine current housing inventory and conditions within the town (type,
vacancy, occupancy, etc.).
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c. Review zoning, subdivision, and other land use ordinances to determine if
barriers exist to providing for the housing needs of the community. Make
adjustments, if needed, compatible with Clyde’s vision and goals for the future.
d. Develop incentives to encourage the development of housing that will meet
future needs as well as the community’s goals.
e. Explore the concept of aging in place and how it may relate to Clyde’s vision and
goals.
3. Goal: Build a healthy community that supports and strengthens the well-being of residents.
3.1. Recommendation: Expand fitness and recreational opportunities (public and private) for
people of all ages and abilities.
Strategies:
a. Plan for additional parks and recreational facilities in cooperation with Haywood
County and the Haywood County Comprehensive System-wide Parks and
Recreation Master Plan.
b. Create a more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly community (see also the
recommendations and strategies under Goal 1 in the Public Facilities, Services,
and Infrastructure Element).
c. Create greater connectivity between parks and recreational facilities, while
improving accessibility by multiple modes of transportation (see also the
recommendations and strategies under Goal 1 in the Public Facilities, Services,
and Infrastructure Element).
d. Promote the parks, recreation, sports, and other fitness facilities and activities
available in and near Clyde.
3.2. Recommendation: Encourage the development of additional medical facilities in the
Clyde area.
Strategies:
a. Work with MedWest Haywood and Haywood Community College in the
promotion of Clyde as a location for medical facilities.
b. Identify areas suitable for the development of medical facilities and zone the
property for this use.
c. Work with private developers to develop medical facilities.
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3.3. Recommendation: Provide opportunities for residents to obtain fresh, locally-produced,
foods.
Strategies:
a. Develop a farmers’ market / tailgate market downtown.
b. Organize community gardens on flood buyout properties.
c. Establish a presence in the “Buy Haywood” local food program.
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Element Seven: Land Use
Existing Land Use
Land uses in the 2012-2022 Clyde Land Use Plan (or CLUP) Study Area are quite varied. Within
approximately 5.5 square miles (3,514 acres) one can find a mix of residential uses ranging from
single-family homes (including manufactured homes) to multi-family structures. There are
educational, cultural, recreational, and other community facilities and services, as well as numerous
churches and other religious institutions. Other non-residential uses include, for example: medical,
dental and veterinary offices; gasoline and automobile service stations; a commercial nursery; a
dance school; a summer camp; a florist; a realty company; an insurance office; a restaurant;
childcare centers; a meat processor; hair salons; a photography studio; and a counseling center.
There are also some small retail establishments selling everything from appliances to military
surplus items. As noted previously, a Dollar General store to be constructed on Carolina Boulevard
will be the only national chain establishment in the Study Area.
There is still a significant amount of land in the Study Area that is not fully developed. Some sizeable
parcels are used for agriculture, horticulture, or forestry while others have very low density
residential or other development.
Existing Land Use
Tax data from the Haywood County Geographic Information System (GIS), personal knowledge of
Land Use Plan Committee members, and site visits by NC DCP staff provided the information used to
identify the current, primary use of land parcels in the Study Area. Five generalized categories were
then used to classify the identified existing land uses as shown in Table 60. Map 10, Existing Land
Use, depicts the existing land uses in the Study Area.
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Table 60: Existing Land Use Categories – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area
Category Description
Residential Land primarily used for housing and developed at a density of 1 unit per less than 10 acres. For purposes of describing existing land uses in the Study Area, the Residential category is further divided into three classifications: single-family dwellings (excluding manufactured housing), multi-family dwellings, and manufactured housing (including manufactured home parks).
Commercial Land primarily used for offices, retail businesses, personal services, eating and drinking establishments, lodging, entertainment, and related uses. For purposes of the Land Use Plan, the category includes land used for private camps and cemeteries.
Open Land Land primarily used for parks, recreational uses, protected or preserved areas (such as those in conservation easements or set aside as common areas), and similar uses. Lands used for agriculture, horticulture, or forestry production (which includes those parcels taxed by Haywood County at the present use value for agricultural, horticultural, and forest land as well as land within Haywood County Voluntary Agricultural Districts) are also classified as Open Land. This category also includes land developed for residential purposes at a density of 1 unit per 10 or more acres, except that if a parcel contains a manufactured home park, it is classified in the Residential subcategory for manufactured housing.
Social/Cultural Land owned and/or used for public facilities, such as the town hall, the fire department, the highway patrol station, the post office, and the armory. The category also includes public and private schools, including Haywood Community College, health care facilities (other than medical offices), churches and other religious institutions, historic and cultural facilities, and other similar uses.
Undeveloped Land that is vacant, mainly in a natural state, not in active use, developed very little in relation to the size of the parcel, not in permanent conservation, or otherwise unclassifiable. It may include land where construction activity was in progress at the time of the land use inventory. For purposes of the Land Use Plan, it includes parcels that were subject to the flood buyout program following the 2004 floods.
Summary of Existing Land Use Findings
The predominant existing land use within the Study Area is Open Land at 49 percent (see Table 61).
While it occupies the second highest proportion of land within the town limits (30 percent), Open
Land comprises the highest percentage of acreage in the ETJ (52 percent). Some Open Land parcels
are used for agriculture, horticulture, or forestry production. However, it appears that much of the
Open Land in the Study Area includes very low density residential development. As indicated in the
existing land use category descriptions, properties containing residential uses are classified as Open
Land if the residential density is equal to or less than 1 unit per 10 or more acres.
Residential is the second most prevalent existing land use in the Study Area (38 percent) and it
occupies the highest percentage (42 percent) of land in Clyde’s town limits.
Most of the land in the Study Area currently classified as Commercial (14 percent) is found within
the Clyde town limits. The amount of land in Social/Cultural uses is approximately the same in both
the town limits and in the ETJ (6 percent).
Only 3 percent of the land in the Study Area is in the Undeveloped category.
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Table 61: Existing Land Uses – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area, Town Limits, and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
Study Area Town Limits ETJ
Land Use Acres Percent Acres Percent Acres Percent
Commercial 116 4% 67 14% 49 2%
Open Land 1,518 49% 143 30% 1,375 52%
Residential 1,200 38% 200 42% 1,000 38%
Social/Cultural 187 6% 28 6% 159 6%
Undeveloped 96 3% 40 8% 56 2%
Totals 3,117 100% 478 100% 2,639 100% Source(s): Haywood County Geographic Information System and NC DCP. Note: Because the acreage figures are based on parcel information from county tax records, they do not include area within road rights-of-way or waterways such as the Pigeon River. Therefore, the acreage figures shown for the Study Area, the town limits, and the ETJ are smaller than their actual sizes.
Table 62: Residential Land Uses – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area, Town Limits, and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
Study Area Town Limits ETJ
Residential Land Uses
Acres Percent of Residential Land Use
Percent of Study
Area Acres
Percent of Residential Land Use
Percent of Town
Limits Acres
Percent of Residential Land Use
Percent of ETJ
Single-family Dwellings
1,057 88% 34% 167 84% 35% 890 89% 34%
Multi-family Dwellings
23 2% <1% 10 5% 2% 13 1% <1%
Manufactured Housing
120 10% 4% 23 11% 5% 97 10% 4%
Totals 1,200 100% 38% 200 100% 42% 1,000 100% 38% Source(s): Haywood County Geographic Information System and NC DCP. Note: Because the acreage figures are based on parcel information from county tax records, they do not include area within road rights-of-way or waterways such as the Pigeon River. Therefore, the acreage figures shown for the Study Area, the town limits, and the ETJ are smaller than their actual sizes.
Development Patterns and Trends
Development patterns and the way land is used in a community emerge and evolve based on
numerous factors such as an area’s geography, physical features, natural resources, human activity,
infrastructure, economic conditions, public and private investment, proximity to employment
centers, and many others. Government programs and policies, such as those regarding the
extension of water and sewer lines, annexation, subdivision of land, zoning, and other land use and
environmental regulations, may encourage, guide, manage, and/or limit development, thereby
affecting land use patterns.
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Development in the Clyde Area
Building construction information can illustrate where and how much a community has developed
over a period of time. The Haywood County tax records include the year buildings, of all types, were
constructed. Map 11, Year Built, contains a series of maps showing how many buildings had been
constructed in the Study Area as of a certain year based on the Haywood County data. The maps
show how development progressed between 1900 and 2008.
Comparing the map series on Map 11 with other maps in the CLUP, such as Map 3 (Water Service),
Map 4 (Sewer Service), Map 6 (Floodplain Areas), Map 8 (Slope), and Map 9 (Farm Uses), helps
illustrate the influence that factors such as topography, the presence of infrastructure (roads, the
railroad, public water and sewer lines, etc.), and floodplains, for example, have on development
patterns.
Previous Land Use Plans
The Town of Clyde previously completed at least two land use plans, a Land Use Survey and
Development Plan in 1964 (the 1964 Plan) and a Land Development Plan Update in 1975-76 (the
1975-76 Plan). Both plans include existing, as well as future, land use maps.
Existing land use maps from the prior plans show that residential was the predominant land use in
the Clyde area. With a few exceptions, commercial uses were concentrated in the downtown area
and along Carolina Boulevard within the town limits.
The 1964 Plan proposed that the Clyde area would mainly be comprised of Medium Density
Residential uses, with pockets of Heavy Density Residential at the north and south ends of Main
Street. A Central Business District was designated between Charles and Mulberry Streets. A
Highway Service Business category was proposed along the south side of Carolina Boulevard,
between Smathers Street and Pleasant Hill Drive. An area on the northwest side of the intersection
of US 74 and US 19/23 was designated as Tourist Service Business. There were no areas designated
for public or industrial uses.
The 1964 future land use map also included a “Sketch Thoroughfare Plan” that showed proposed
transportation improvements to improve traffic flow. The most significant proposed projects
included a new bridge across the Pigeon River at Mulberry Street and a loop road in south Clyde.
The proposed bridge was intended to allow people from in and around all parts of Clyde to have
better access to downtown businesses. The loop road, which was to run from Charles Street
northeast to Carolina Boulevard, was proposed in anticipation of projected residential growth in the
southern area of Clyde.
While working on the 2012-2022 Clyde Land Use Plan, local leaders and the public expressed the
desire for Clyde to remain primarily as a residential community. Those contributing to the 1964 Plan
had a similar mindset:
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As can be seen from the plan, we wish to maintain a residential community. Clyde is
now serving in this capacity and serving very well. Therefore, it is only logical to
promote this asset in the future rather than attempt to develop along unfamiliar
lines. In addition, most of us have chosen Clyde as a home; thus we have a vested
interest in maintaining a residential community. We feel that south Clyde has the
greatest potential for residential development.
By designating a large land area along Carolina Boulevard as commercial, the Town hoped to
prevent the “unwise establishment of businesses in residential neighborhoods.”
The 1964 Plan text mentions property that was reserved for industry, due to the availability of
community facilities, among other assets. However, as noted previously, the future land use map
did not include an industrial category.
The 1964 Plan also expressed the recognition among town leaders that the area’s beauty provided
an opportunity to attract tourists. They had some interest in promoting tourism, but in a very
limited sense:
The particular tourism here would not be the active type as found in Maggie Valley
or Cherokee, with their large recreation attractions. The tourism promotion in Clyde
should be of the passive type – summer homes and mountain cottages, vacation
farms and ranches, and similar facilities.
In order to learn how the citizens felt about the idea of tourism and to study the matter further, the
Town, according to the 1964 Plan, planned to establish a committee.
Eleven years after the publication of the 1964 Plan, the 1975-76 Plan indicated that the desire for
Clyde to remain a predominantly residential community was still strong. Development had
generally occurred in accordance with the 1964 Plan. In preparing the 1975-76 Plan, the Town
found that most of the development since 1964 was mainly residential and was occurring on the
western side of the planning area. The 1964 Plan had anticipated the southern part of Clyde would
attract the most development.
The areas proposed as Heavy Density Residential in the 1964 Plan on the north and south ends of
Main Street had not developed as such; however some higher density residential uses had
developed on the western end of Broad Street in the town limits and in the western part of the
1975-76 planning area. The 1975-76 Plan noted that there had not been much infill development as
new residential development tended to occur along major roads.
There was more commercial development in the Clyde area in 1975, particularly beyond the
downtown area, than the 1964 Plan had anticipated. Some of the commercial growth was along
Carolina Boulevard, west of downtown Clyde, but businesses also developed along Glance and Bea
Streets in the town limits as well as in growing residential areas.
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The future land use map in the 1975-76 Plan designated most of the land in Clyde and its
surrounding area as Residential, with no density specified. Because the Town expected most
commercial development to occur along US 19/23, it added some land to a Commercial category
along the highway to the east and west of Clyde, as well as on the north side of Carolina Boulevard
within Clyde. The growth in residential development in some parts of Clyde indicated there may be
a need for more small businesses there in the future. Therefore, the 1975-76 Plan designated
several Neighborhood Business areas.
The Town added an Industrial classification to the future land use map in the 1975-76 Plan and
applied it only to an existing industrial landfill in the northeastern section of the planning area. The
Tourist Service Use area shown in the 1964 Plan was replaced in the 1975-76 Plan with a Residential
designation because residential uses were developing there and there had been no demand for
tourism-related uses.
Another significant difference between the future land use maps in the older plans is the addition of
a Public, Semi-Public and Institutional category. The category reflected the construction of
additional public facilities in the Clyde area, including Haywood Technical Institute (now Haywood
Community College), a North Carolina Highway Patrol station, a new post office, a park, and a
sewage treatment facility. The 1975-76 Plan also designated the floodway of the Pigeon River, the
site of the then-proposed armory (next to Haywood Technical Institute), a proposed County park
site (behind the school gymnasium at Hyder Mountain Road and North Main Street), as well as
several existing cemeteries, as Public, Semi-Public and Institutional. The 1975-76 Plan anticipated
the addition of public and semi-public uses with new recreational opportunities due to the growth
of population in the Clyde area.
Interstate 40 was completed north of Clyde in the years between publication of the 1964 Plan and
the 1975-76 Plan. According to the 1975-76 Plan, a new bridge was constructed across the Pigeon
River at Main Street, rather than at Mulberry Street as recommended in the 1964 Plan, in part due
to the location of the elementary school’s location (at that time) at West Broad and Main Streets.
Because growth was occurring more on the western side of Clyde, the 1975-76 Plan recommended
making improvements to existing roads and building a connecting road in southern Clyde, rather
than constructing a new loop road, as recommended in the 1964 Plan. The improvements were
intended to allow travelers to access Carolina Boulevard without having to go through the central
business district.
Current Land Use Pattern and Prior Land Use Plans
Given that the Town of Clyde’s previous land use plan was completed more than 30 years ago, what
can the community learn by comparing today’s land use pattern in the Study Area with the future
land use anticipated by the 1975-76 Plan?
As indicated previously, the 1975-76 future land use map had four land use categories: Residential;
Commercial; Public, Semi-Public and Institutional; and Industrial. It projected that most of the
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planning area (which, for the 1975-76 Plan, included the Clyde town limits and lands within one mile
of the town limits), would contain residential land uses, however no density was specified. Today,
residential land uses comprise the largest land area; however there is a substantial amount of land
in the Study Area that is developed at a very low residential density. Many of the low density
residential areas are classified as Open Land in the Existing Land Use Map (Map 10), so the
residential land use pattern looks more irregular than what was planned due to the differences in
the land use categories. Also, the 1975-76 Plan did not really address the future of agricultural land
uses other than to classify the properties as Residential on the future land use map and state
elsewhere that, “Agricultural and forest land should remain intact until it is needed for urban
development.” Agricultural uses are classified as Open Land on the Existing Land Use Map (Map 10)
in the 2012-2022 CLUP.
The location of commercial uses in the Clyde area has generally conformed to the 1975-76 Plan,
particularly downtown and along Carolina Boulevard. The pattern of commercial development
appears to have been strongly influenced by the zoning regulations the Town of Clyde updated,
enacted, and enforced, following adoption of the 1975-76 Plan.
The 1975-76 Plan’s future land use map and the Existing Land Use Map in the 2012-2022 CLUP are
somewhat similar in their depiction of public, institutional, cultural and similar uses, although the
category names are different. The former designates such uses as Public, Semi-Public and
Institutional while the latter designates them as Social/Cultural. The 1975-76 future land use map
included cemeteries in the Public, Semi-Public and Institutional category, while Map 10 in this Land
Use Plan designates two private cemeteries as Commercial. The 1975-76 map also showed the
Pigeon River and its floodway in the Public, Semi-Public and Institutional category. The 1975-76 Plan
had recommended that the Town adopt a floodplain ordinance or add a floodway district to its
zoning ordinance once the Tennessee Valley Authority delineated the Pigeon River’s floodway. Map
10 does not assign a land use classification to the Pigeon River and labels the land use for adjoining
parcels, even those in the floodway, based on their actual present use. There are a greater number
of properties identified as Social/Cultural on Map 10 because there are more public facilities today
and because churches were included in the category.
The 1975-76 future land use map designated one parcel as Industrial. That parcel is treated as Open
Land on Map 10, which contains no industrial classification.
Land Use Regulations
There are a variety of tools available to communities through the North Carolina General Statutes to
help them protect the health, safety, and welfare of citizens, establish minimum standards for and
mitigate the impacts of development, and guide future growth. Such regulations also influence land
use patterns.
Two types of regulatory authority that cities and towns can use to manage growth and development
are the general police powers and planning and development regulatory authority.
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General Police Power Ordinances
The authority for cities and towns to adopt police power ordinances is stated in N.C.G.S. Chapter
160A, Article 8 (Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power). N.C.G.S. § 160A-174(a)
provides general authority for cities to enact ordinances to regulate activities that may be
detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of citizens and the “peace and dignity” of the city, as
well as to define and abate nuisances.
Article 8 also contains sections that provide specific authority for regulating certain activities ranging
from flea markets and outdoor advertising, for example, to noise, solid waste, junked and
abandoned vehicles, and abatement of public health nuisances. The authority for cities to require
businesses to be licensed is also addressed in Article 8.
A city can rely on the general authority and/or the specific authority provided in Article 8 in enacting
police power ordinances, although, local governments often follow the guidelines of both the
general and relevant specific authorities.
Police power ordinances are, generally, single purpose ordinances that apply a certain set of
standards to a community as a whole. The Town of Clyde’s Code of Ordinances contains police
power ordinances that relate to land use matters and impacts, such as a nuisance ordinance that
addresses noise, and regulations for pool rooms, arcades, junkyards, and adult establishments,
among others.
Other Planning and Development Ordinances
N.C.G.S. Chapter 160A, Article 19 (Planning and Regulation of Development), provides the authority
for cities and towns to adopt a variety of regulations and programs regarding planning and
development. It allows them to enact ordinances addressing zoning, subdivision of land, floodplain
management, erosion and sedimentation control, stormwater management, mountain ridge
protection, designation of historic districts and landmarks, building inspections, wireless
communication towers, minimum housing standards, forestry activities, and development
agreements. It also allows them to conduct planning and community development activities,
acquire open space, and create community appearance commissions, for example. Article 19
authorizes and provides the requirements for a municipality to establish an ETJ. It also allows a
municipality to apply regulations it adopts under Article 19 to its ETJ.
Some of the regulations mentioned above have been addressed elsewhere in the CLUP. Because of
its relevance to the entire Study Area, this Element focuses on the Town of Clyde’s Zoning
Ordinance.
Town of Clyde Zoning Ordinance
Zoning regulations take various forms. Many traditional ordinances sought to segregate uses into
different districts (industrial, commercial, residential, etc.). Other types of zoning allow for a
broader range of uses within districts but impose limitations on the amount and intensity of such
development depending on the district. Some zoning is very flexible in terms of the uses allowed
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but controls the impacts (physical, visual, etc.) of such uses through standards. North Carolina’s
zoning laws have been amended, over time, to authorize a variety of options that allow
communities to introduce more flexibility in their ordinances.
The Town of Clyde’s 1964 Land Use Survey and Land Development Plan states that, at the time, the
Town’s Planning Board was preparing a zoning ordinance and had developed and forwarded a
subdivision ordinance to the Town’s governing board for consideration. According to its 1975-76
Land Development Plan Update, the Town adopted a zoning ordinance in 1965 and was in the
process of updating it at the time the 1975-76 Plan was adopted. In the years since, the Town has
made a number of minor and more significant amendments to its Zoning Ordinance for a variety of
reasons, such as adding uses that were not contemplated when the ordinance was first developed.
Clyde’s Zoning Ordinance is more traditional in nature. It establishes seven zoning districts, of which
three are residential, two are commercial, one is office and institutional, and one, which is not
currently in use, is industrial. In addition to regulating the uses allowed in each zoning district, the
ordinance contains standards for lot sizes, setbacks, building heights, street frontage, and density of
development. Many of the uses permitted by right have few, if any, other site specific standards
that must be met. Some uses, such as manufactured home parks, planned unit developments, and
wireless communication facilities, are subjected to a higher level of review and additional
requirements. The regulations for signs are fairly substantial. There is no differentiation between
the three residential zoning districts in terms of minimum lot sizes, lot width, and front and rear
setbacks. Mixed use development (which is recommended by this Land Use Plan) would be difficult,
if not impossible, to construct under the current zoning regulations.
Map 12, Zoning, shows the current zoning in the Study Area. Table 63 shows the results of an
analysis of Clyde’s Zoning Map.
Table 63: Current Zoning – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area
Clyde Zoning District Number of
Parcels Acres
Percent of Study Area
R-1 Medium Density Residential 1,547 2,532 81%
R-1A Medium Density Residential (Restricted) 382 239 8%
R-2 High Density Residential 104 81 3%
C-1 Central Business 88 31 1%
C-2 Highway Commercial 68 67 2%
O&I Office and Institutional 32 167 5%
Totals 2,221 3,117 100%
Source(s): Haywood County Geographic Information System and the NC DCP.
Table 64 shows that the average size of all parcels in the Study Area, regardless of their zoning
(residential, commercial, etc.), is 1.4 acres. The average parcel size in the town limits of Clyde is 0.6
acres and in the Town’s ETJ, it is 1.8 acres.
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Table 64: Parcel Sizes by Zoning District and Location – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area, Town Limits, and Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
Study Area Town Limits ETJ
Clyde Zoning District
Average (Acres)
Largest (Acres)
Smallest (Acres)
Average (Acres)
Largest (Acres)
Smallest (Acres)
Average (Acres)
Largest (Acres)
Smallest (Acres)
R-1 1.5 115.5 0.1 0.6 14.0 0.1 2.0 115.5 0.1
R-1A 0.5 10.3 0.1 0.5 1.4 0.1 0.5 10.3 0.1
R-2 0.5 8.9 0.1 0.2 2.7 0.1 0.7 8.9 0.1
C-1 0.4 3.2 0.1 0.4 3.2 0.1 0.3 1.9 0.1
C-2 1.0 4.3 0.1 0.9 3.4 0.1 1.1 4.3 0.1
O&I 5.2 57.5 0.1 2.8 9.0 0.2 6.3 57.5 0.1
All Districts
1.4 115.5 0.1 0.6 14.0 0.1 1.8 115.5 0.1
Source(s): Haywood County Geographic Information System and the NC DCP. Note: The above figures may be lower than expected because of parcels split by zoning and ETJ boundaries.
Clyde’s Zoning Ordinance requires a minimum of 8,000 square feet (0.18 acres) for lots with access
to public water and public sewer in each of its residential zoning districts (R-1, R-1A, and R-2). The
minimum lot size increases depending on the availability of public water and sewer; to 10,000
square feet (0.23 acres) if public water but no public sewer is available and to 20,000 square feet
(0.46 acres) if neither public water nor public sewer is available. The Town also requires that the lot
size be increased by 3,000 additional square feet for each additional dwelling unit beyond the first,
provided public water and sewer is present, or by 10,000 additional square feet for each additional
dwelling unit when only public water or public sewer is present or if neither public water nor public
sewer is available.
The average parcel sizes in each of Clyde’s residential zoning districts (from Table 64) are shown
again in Table 65, below, along with the average parcel sizes for all residential zoning districts
combined.
Table 65: Average Parcel Sizes in Residential Zoning Districts in Clyde’s Zoning Jurisdiction
Overall
Study Area Town Limits ETJ
Clyde Zoning District Average (Acres)
Average (Acres)
Average (Acres)
R-1 1.5 0.6 2.0
R-1A 0.5 0.5 0.5
R-2 0.5 0.2 0.7
All Residential Districts 1.4 0.6 1.8
Source(s): NC DCP
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As one might expect, the average size of all residentially-zoned lots within the town limits (0.6 acres)
is lower than that in the ETJ (1.8 acres). In all three residential zoning districts, the average lot sizes
for the Study Area as whole exceed the minimum lot sizes required for parcels without access to
both public water and public sewer. Only the average lot size for the R-2 zoning districts within the
town limits (0.2 acres or 8,712 square feet) is less than 10,000 square feet. Table 65 shows that all
of the residential districts, regardless of their location, have lots that are smaller than the 8,000
square foot minimum lot size. Despite the uniformity of the lot area standards among the three
types of residential zoning districts, lot sizes in the residential zoning districts vary widely depending
on location (in the town limits or in the ETJ). This is due, in part, to the availability of public utilities,
particularly the limited access to public sewer in parts of the ETJ.
The Town has indicated that administering the Zoning Ordinance presents some challenges for staff,
Town boards, and the public. For example, interpretation issues arise at times because of terms
whose definitions are inadequate, out of date, or nonexistent. Uses that one might expect to find in
certain districts are not included. There are also a variety of internal inconsistencies that have
developed in the ordinance over time (section numbering and cross-reference issues, different
names for the same use listed in multiple zoning districts, uses listed as permitted by right and as
conditional uses within the same district, etc.). Updates are also needed to address relevant
changes to N.C.G.S. Article 19, particularly those enacted between 2005 and the present.
A zoning ordinance can be a very useful tool for implementing a land use plan. The Clyde Zoning
Ordinance’s age and administration issues, among other factors, suggest that it has been in need of
a comprehensive review and update for some time. Once the Town adopts the Land Use Plan, it will
have a set of goals and recommendations that can be used as a starting point for preparing a new
version of the Zoning Ordinance that will be more relevant to the Town’s vision and better suited to
helping the Town realize its goals.
Future Land Use
Introduction
Land use planning attempts to balance economic, environmental, social, cultural, and numerous
other conditions, needs, desires, and values.
As it developed the CLUP, the Town examined a variety of factors. The maps and data related to
existing conditions, trends, development opportunities, and constraints were fundamental. The
community provided essential input via the Community Survey and visioning sessions. Contributions
from the Land Use Plan Committee; other Town boards, committees and staff; Haywood County and
federal government staffs; and individuals from other agencies and organizations helped bring all of
the elements of the CLUP together.
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Public Input
Community Survey
The Community Survey results reflect that respondents were interested in having Clyde maintain its
small town character. Most of those who made comments in the survey about particular land uses
seemed to prefer that chain stores, large retailers, and industrial uses be discouraged and that a
variety of residential uses as well as small, local, independent businesses and others that cater more
to local people be encouraged such as: a drug store, restaurants, a coffee shop, an ice cream shop,
grocery store, other retail stores (clothing, shoes, hardware, etc.), personal services, gas stations,
health care, recreation, entertainment, parks and playgrounds, greenways/walkways,
community/senior center, community gathering space, farms, and gardens. There were several
survey respondents who were interested in having industrial uses that would bring jobs to the area.
Some respondents were interested in seeing something occupy the former WalMart store space
located near (but outside of) the Study Area. Manufactured housing drew some comments,
particularly in terms of their appearance.
Visioning Exercises
Those who took part in the visioning exercises provided numerous ideas and comments related to
land use in the Clyde area. Many echoed those obtained through the Community Survey.
Participants wanted to have a more vibrant downtown with a variety of additional businesses,
activities, and special events. The public also stressed the need for greenways, biking and walking
trails, and parks. Other topics of interest were: finding uses for the vacant flood buyout properties;
expanding educational opportunities; providing affordable housing; opening a senior/community
center; having a sustainable community; preserving the area’s history; allowing mixed-use
development; implementing design standards to ensure the compatibility of new and older
development; and encouraging the development of medical facilities, among others.
Guiding Principles for Future Land Use
The Town of Clyde’s goals for managing future land use and development in the Study Area focus on
the following principles:
Protecting existing residential neighborhoods from incompatible development while
allowing for infilling with additional residential units.
Encouraging mixed-use development projects that offer a variety of housing types,
businesses, services, and other activities in a manner that efficiently uses infrastructure and
at a scale that is pedestrian-oriented.
Supporting new retail, service, and other commercial business development and helping to
strengthen and grow existing businesses.
Revitalizing and invigorating the downtown area as the heart of the community
economically, socially, and culturally.
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Recognizing and protecting lands used for agriculture, horticulture, and forestry for their
economic, open space, and other values.
Conserving and managing open spaces, natural resources, and environmentally sensitive
areas.
Protecting and enhancing environmental quality.
Maintaining the quality of public and community services.
Preserving historic and cultural resources.
Putting greater emphasis on site and building design.
Making neighborhoods and community facilities more accessible by multiple modes of
transportation.
Future Land Use Categories and Map
The Future Land Use Map (Map 13) is intended to depict the general pattern of land use that the
Town of Clyde would like to begin to emerge over the next ten years in the Study Area as this Land
Use Plan is implemented. It attempts to meld the historic development pattern of Clyde with the
Town’s vision for the future.
Six generalized future land use categories have been developed for the Clyde area and are shown on
the Future Land Use Map. They are: Town Center; General Residential; Rural Residential /
Agricultural; Mixed Use; Institutional; and Conservation. Table 66: Future Land Use – Clyde Land
Use Plan Study Area illustrates how much land is proposed in each of the future land use categories
shown on the Future Land Use Map as well as the proportion of the Study Area devoted to each
category.
Table 66: Future Land Use – Clyde Land Use Plan Study Area
Land Use Category Acres Percent of Study Area
Conservation 155 4%
General Residential 1,345 38%
Institutional 129 4%
Mixed Use 188 5%
Rural Residential / Agricultural 1,645 47%
Town Center 52 2%
Totals 3,514 100%
Source(s): NC DCP Note: The acreage figures include area within road rights-of-way or waterways such as the Pigeon River. Therefore, the numbers in this table are not directly comparable to those for the Existing Land Use Map.
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The future land use categories are described below. Each category description includes a brief
summary of its intent, land development considerations, and examples of uses that might be
appropriate.
Town Center
The Town Center category focuses on the heart of downtown Clyde. This core area is characterized
by a variety of small retail businesses and services, a restaurant, offices, public facilities and spaces,
government uses and residential dwellings. The area reflects its history as the center of Clyde with a
compact, grid-based development pattern, attached and detached buildings, higher density
residential uses, a pedestrian orientation, etc. The presence of the Pigeon River and its floodplain,
the Southern Railroad line and US 19/23 (Carolina Boulevard) significantly impact the area.
The Town Center will continue to function and grow as the economic, social, cultural, and
governmental hub of Clyde in spite of challenges posed by physical barriers and Mother Nature. The
area is proposed to be the subject of a more detailed planning process.
Development considerations include: having land uses and the design of buildings and spaces that
are in keeping with the existing and desired small town character of the downtown; appropriate
infill development and redevelopment; mixing uses in the Town Center in general and within
buildings themselves; public safety (lighting, crosswalks, limitations on new residential development
in the floodplain to minimize the number of additional people living there, etc.); walkability;
connectivity with surrounding neighborhoods; community spaces for special events; economic
vitality; traffic management; streetscape/landscaping; and working with the Pigeon River, the flood
buyout parcels, US 19/23, the railroad line, etc.
Examples of uses include: governmental and civic uses; arts, cultural, and entertainment
establishments; offices; small-scale retail and service uses; restaurants; institutional and educational
uses; parks and community gardens; a tailgate market; live-work units; and other residential uses
(infill/redevelopment, with limitations in the 100-year floodplain).
General Residential
General Residential areas are generally located within the Clyde corporate limits and in the ETJ
where public utilities are provided. They include traditional neighborhoods that developed around
downtown as well as more suburban subdivision development in the outer part of the town limits
and the ETJ. Housing currently varies from single-family homes on lots ranging from 0.1 to 12 acres
in size to multi-family developments. Sidewalks are generally lacking. Neighborhoods are intended
to contain a variety of housing options that support the needs of the community and complement
the small town character of Clyde. Housing is the principal function of these areas, but small-scale
business and service uses may be permitted to support local residents.
Development considerations include: preservation and enhancement of existing neighborhoods;
availability of adequate infrastructure; public safety (e.g. limitations on new residential
development in the floodplain to minimize the number of additional people living there);
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environmental impacts (steep slopes, floodplain, other natural features, loss of agricultural land,
scenic views, stormwater management, tree protection/vegetation, etc.); compatible infill
development and redevelopment; development standards; walkability (sidewalks and trails); traffic
management; connectivity between neighborhoods and to the Town Center; affordability; matching
housing demand with supply; open space preservation; provision of neighborhood recreation
opportunities, etc.
To encourage developers to build housing that meets the goals of the community, the Town of Clyde
could consider whether to offer incentives, such as density bonuses.
Examples of uses include: medium to higher density residential development; home occupations;
neighborhood parks and recreation facilities; public, educational, institutional and civic uses
compatible in scale and character with neighborhood; and, perhaps, small-scale retail business and
service uses that support area residents and that are compatible with the neighborhood.
Rural Residential / Agricultural
Rural Residential/Agricultural areas include land located in more rural areas beyond the town limits
where access to existing or planned public water and sewer services is limited or non-existent.
Larger lots are required to accommodate wells and/or septic systems for residential development.
These areas also include land that is or has been used for agricultural purposes (prime or important
farmland, land taxed at present use value, etc.), land with slopes greater than 40 percent, and other
undeveloped land located in the 100-year floodplain.
Development considerations include: availability of infrastructure to support growth; preservation
of environmentally sensitive areas and natural resources; flood storage and water quality
protection; preservation of open space; protection of agricultural resources; and provision of
recreational opportunities, among others.
Examples of uses include: low density residential development, agriculture, including
agribusinesses; parks and recreation facilities; conservation areas; camps; campground;, home
occupations (including those in accessory buildings); and other uses compatible with and
complementary to rural areas.
Maximum residential density in Rural Residential/Agricultural areas shall be determined by zoning
and subdivision standards. Conservation subdivision design is recommended for residential
developments in order to preserve open space, steep slopes, floodprone land, agricultural
resources, scenic views and the rural character of the area while allowing flexibility in lot sizes and
the siting of homes (clustering, for example).
Mixed Use
Mixed Use areas are intended to accommodate more than one type of land use (retail and service
businesses, offices, residential, public, educational and institutional facilities, recreation, etc.) in a
compact, intensive development pattern that relies on design standards to ensure compatibility
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Element Seven: Land Use |165
among uses. Mixed use developments can help expand the housing choices available in a
community, decrease the need for short distance automobile trips, and reduce sprawl, sign clutter,
and the need for numerous curb cuts. More detailed planning studies will be needed for these
areas.
Development considerations include: access management; interconnectivity among uses; design
standards to address the appearance of new development along US 19/23, a primary transportation
corridor that is a gateway to the community; compatibility with surrounding areas; the availability of
adequate infrastructure; walkability; protection of environmentally sensitive areas; stormwater
management; housing affordability; open space preservation; and provision of neighborhood
recreation opportunities, among others.
Examples of uses include: retail businesses and services; restaurants; offices; public, educational;
and institutional uses; single-family and multi-family residential; live-work units; independent and
assisted living facilities; continuing care retirement communities; parks and recreation facilities; arts,
cultural, and entertainment facilities; community centers; hotels; etc.
Institutional
Institutional areas are suitable for uses and activities related to education, healthcare, government,
civic groups, community service providers, etc.
Development considerations include: access management; interconnectivity among uses; design
standards to address the appearance of new development along US 19/23, a primary transportation
corridor that is a gateway to the community; compatibility with surrounding areas; the availability of
adequate infrastructure; walkability; protection of environmentally sensitive areas; stormwater
management; open space preservation; and provision of neighborhood recreation opportunities,
among others.
Examples of uses include: schools (K-12, community colleges, colleges and universities, etc.);
libraries; post offices; hospitals and other healthcare facilities and associated services; independent
and assisted living facilities; continuing care retirement communities; nursing homes; local, state,
and federal government uses (excluding correctional facilities); churches and other places of
worship; religious campuses and retreat facilities; conference centers; daycare centers (child and
adult); private, non-profit organizations and services; civic groups; community centers; senior
centers; parks and recreational facilities; camps, etc.
Conservation
The Conservation category is used for areas where parks, recreation areas, or conservation areas
either exist or may be sited or preserved in the future. Such areas are intended to meet the
recreation needs of the community, provide open space and natural resource protection, reduce
stormwater runoff, and enhance the Town’s appearance.
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166 | Element Seven: Land Use
Development considerations include: the desirability of the land for recreation or conservation
use; how the property fits into the future recreation, conservation and other plans of Clyde and/or
Haywood County; preservation of environmentally sensitive areas and natural resources; flood
storage and water quality protection; and preservation of open space, among others.
Examples of uses include: active outdoor recreation areas such as ball fields, tennis, or basketball
courts, swimming pools, playgrounds, dog parks, golf courses, and other areas for recreational
sports and games; passive outdoor recreation areas such as trails for walking and/or bicycling and
areas for picnicking, camping, fishing, etc.; and open space and lands intended to be left in a natural
state with little to no development, such as floodways, flood buyout parcels, stream (riparian)
buffers, ridgetops and very steep slopes, significant wetlands, nature preserves, forest reserves,
wildlife management areas, etc.
Using the Future Land Use Categories and Map
Unlike a zoning map, the Future Land Use Map (Map 13) is not regulatory in and of itself. It is a
generalized representation of what the land use pattern could be if the Land Use Plan’s goals are
realized.
The recommended future land use categories and map provide general planning guidance. The
category descriptions and map boundaries are intentionally broad, so that the Town has some
flexibility in determining how to translate them into zoning regulations and other policies. The
Town will need to consider how other goals, recommendations, and strategies in this Land Use Plan
relate to and impact implementation of the future land use recommendations.
The Town will use the future land use categories and map when considering amendments to the
Clyde Zoning Ordinance text and map, for making other land use permitting decisions, in planning
for capital projects, such as investments in public utility systems, etc. In doing so, the Town must
also consider the other goals, recommendations, and strategies as all components of the Land Use
Plan are interdependent.
The Future Land Use Map and land use categories are not intended to be static. Future economic
conditions, natural hazards, business and government decisions, and changes in leadership, among
numerous other issues, can impact land use planning. The Town should expect that it will need to
amend the Future Land Use Map and, possibly, the future land use categories, from time to time. It
is also recommended that the Town update the Land Use Plan every five to ten years.
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Element Seven: Land Use |167
Goals, Recommendations, and Strategies
1. Goal: Provide a land use mix and pattern that provides appropriate locations for people to live, work, shop, go to school, attend church, recreate, etc., while creating a more sustainable community.
1.1. Recommendation: Use the Land Use Plan and Future Land Use Map to guide land use
decisions, infrastructure investments, etc.
2. Goal: Efficiently use public infrastructure by focusing development in certain areas, as shown on the Future Land Use Map.2.1 Recommendation: Direct development to areas
that are or will soon be served by public infrastructure.
Strategies:
a. Develop utility policies to guide growth.
b. Encourage infill development on vacant land and redevelopment of properties
served by public utilities (downtown and along parts of Carolina Boulevard, for
example).
c. Conduct an analysis of existing infrastructure (sewer and water lines, sidewalks,
etc.) and identify needs based on these results.
2.2 Recommendation: Provide for more compact, higher density development where public
services and other amenities exist.
Strategies:
a. Amend the text of the Clyde Zoning Ordinance to create a greater differentiation
between residential districts in terms of their allowable development densities
and to allow mixed-use developments.
b. Amend Clyde’s official zoning map in accordance with the Land Use Plan and any
proposed Zoning Ordinance text amendments.
c. Provide incentives to encourage well-designed, higher density, and mixed-use
development in areas with existing or planned services.
d. Identify areas, neighborhoods, or nodes within the Clyde area that need site
specific planning and create small area plans for them.
3. Goal: Improve Clyde’s ability to manage future growth and development.
3.1. Recommendation: Ensure that Clyde has the regulations, incentives, other tools, and
funding to implement this Land Use Plan.
Strategies:
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
168 | Element Seven: Land Use
a. Review existing land development regulations to determine their sufficiency for
implementing this Land Use Plan and recommend revisions, new ordinances,
etc., as necessary.
b. Revise existing land development ordinances, as needed, to address changes in
the North Carolina General Statutes, improve internal consistency, refine
application and review procedures, build in more flexibility or control, etc.
c. Consider whether to merge Clyde’s land development ordinances into a unified
development ordinance.
d. Continue to fund a planner position.
e. Communicate regularly with Haywood County regarding the ordinances it
administers for Clyde.
f. Offer training opportunities to the Clyde Planning Board, Board of Adjustment,
and Historic Commission.
g. Establish a Town of Clyde Geographic Information System to assist in
interdepartmental communication and documentation, conducting land
development assessment and analysis, and establishing and maintaining general
inventories.
3.2. Recommendation: Study the relevance of the Town’s current extraterritorial jurisdiction
(ETJ) boundary to its land use planning goals.
Strategies:
a. Consider adjusting the ETJ boundary to follow existing property lines and define
an area that is strategically beneficial to the Town’s growth and development.
b. Study whether or not to relinquish part of the Town’s ETJ.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Endnotes |169
Endnotes
Endnotes
1 Average of estimates prepared by the NC Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional
Office. See the Land Use Element of the 2012-2022 Clyde Land Use Plan for more information. http://www.smokymountainnews.com/issues/08_06/08_23_06/fr_rutherford_trace.html http://www.shookhistory.org/main_site/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1 History for the Town of Clyde, Town of Clyde Website, http://townofclyde.com/html/about_clyde.html 2 NC Office of State Budget and Management
(http://www.osbm.state.nc.us/ncosbm/facts_and_figures/socioeconomic_data/population_estimates/demog/muncert09a.html). 3 U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (http://factfinder.census.gov)
4 Email from Jennifer Song, State Demographer, N.C. Office of State Budget and Management, to Karen Smith, Chief
Planner, N.C. Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office, dated March 3, 2011. 5 Per email correspondence between the State Demographer and NC Division of Community Planning, Western Regional
Office staff in February of 2011. 6 Email from Jennifer Song, State Demographer, N.C. Office of State Budget and Management, to Karen Smith, Chief
Planner, N.C. Department of Commerce, Division of Community Planning, Western Regional Office, dated March 3, 2011. 7 North Carolina State Data Center, printed table from ____.
8 U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Brief, “Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin, March 2001.
9 2010 North Carolina State Street-Aid Allocations to Municipalities (October 1, 2010) and 2010 North Carolina State
Street-Aid Adjusted Allocations to Municipalities (March 24, 2011) published by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Powell Bill Program. 10
United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highways Administration, http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/access_mgmt/ 11
French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization Comprehensive Transportation Plan, 2007. 12
Haywood Community College website (http://www.haywood.edu/rie/who_are_our_students). 13
Presentation to the Clyde Land Use Plan Committee by Debbie Trull, Haywood Community College Director of Administrative Services, 3/16/09. 14
Town of Clyde Code of Ordinances, Title V, Chapter 50, Section 50.08, Private Water Supply Regulated, June 2010. 15
Haywood County Schools website - http://www.haywood.k12.nc.us/.... 16
Ibid 17
Haywood Early College website - http://www.hec.haywood.k12.nc.us/?page_id=2 18
http://www.haywood.edu/UserFiles/file/pdf/Security.pdf 19
French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan, April, 2011 (Draft) http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/pb/documents/FrenchBroadRiverBasinPlanApril212011.pdf ; NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality 20
Cite source – DWQ…. 21
Cite a source? 22
Water Quality – We All Play a Part, NCDENR DWQ, July 2002, http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=63b16396-6138-4695-b4aa-323c55eed6e1&groupId=38364 23
French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan, April, 2011 (Draft), NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/pb/documents/FrenchBroadRiverBasinPlanApril212011.pdf 24
Same as above. 25
Haywood Waterways Association, A WATERSHED ACTION PLAN - OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING OUR WATER QUALITY - Pigeon River Watershed - Haywood County, North Carolina, March 7, 2002 26
French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan, April, 2011 (Draft), NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality, http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/pb/documents/FrenchBroadRiverBasinPlanApril212011.pdf
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
170 | Endnotes
Endnotes – continued
27 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. 2005. North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan. Raleigh, NC.
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Plan/documents/WAP_complete.pdf 28
NCDENR DWQ, July 2002. Water Quality – We All Play a Part, Raleigh, NC. http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=63b16396-6138-4695-b4aa-323c55eed6e1&groupId=38364 29
NC Wildlife Resources Commission….(same as above) 30
Haywood Waterways Association, A WATERSHED ACTION PLAN - OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING OUR WATER QUALITY - Pigeon River Watershed - Haywood County, North Carolina, March 7, 2002 31
French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan, April, 2011 Draft - Approved and endorsed by the Environmental Management Commission in July, 2011 http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/pb/documents/FrenchBroadRiverBasinPlanApril212011.pdf, NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality. 32
Clyde Stormwater Master Plan, 2008, McGill Engineering (see page 3-12). 33
French Broad River Basinwide Water Quality Plan, April, 2011 Draft - Approved and endorsed by the Environmental Management Commission in July, 2011 http://h2o.enr.state.nc.us/pb/documents/FrenchBroadRiverBasinPlanApril212011.pdf, NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Water Quality 34
A Watershed Action Plan – Options for Improving Our Water Quality - Pigeon River Watershed - Haywood County, North Carolina (insert author, date, web address) 35
License Establishing the Pigeon River Fund, http://www.pigeonriverfund.org/License_Statement.html and the Pigeon River Fund Mission Statement, http://www.pigeonriverfund.org/Grants.html. 36
Pigeon River Fund website, http://www.pigeonriverfund.org/ 37
CWMTF site (insert web address) 38
North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council, http://www.ncdrought.org 39
Same as above. 40
National Drought Mitigation Center, http://www.drought.unl.edu/risk/environment.htm, and the 2011 French Broad River Basinwide Plan 41
2011 French Broad Basinwide Plan…. 42
National Flood Insurance Program (insert document name) 43
National Flood Insurance Program (insert document name) 44
http://149.168.212.15./mitigation/Library/NFIP/NFIP_Unit7.pdf 45
http://149.168.212.15./mitigation/Library/NFIP/NFIP_Unit7.pdf 46
N.C.G.S. § 166-6A(b)(2)a.4. 47
N.C.G.S. § 143-215.51. 48
Letter from FEMA…. 49
Haywood County Flood Hazard Development Ordinance, 2012. 50
N.C.G.S. § 166A-6A(b)(2)a.3. 51
The Mountaineer…. 52
Flood Damage Reduction Planning Report, Town of Canton, Town of Clyde Pigeon River Watershed, 2006, by Carter-Burgess. 53
North Carolina Session Law 2005-1/Senate Bill 7, The Hurricane Recovery Act of 2005, http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl?Session=2005&BillID=S7. 54
HDR Report, pp. 15-16 55
North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund Contract for Haywood County – Pigeon River Buffer Project (2006A-014) 56
Presentation by Rick Wooten to the Mountain Resources Commission, 9/17/10…. 57
MRSSPS Report…. 58
N.C.G.S. § 153-B-1(c) 59
N.C.G.S. § 153-B-3(b) 60
Insert reference to August 2011 meeting of the MRC…. 61
History for the Town of Clyde, Town of Clyde website, http://www.townofclyde.com/node/4. 62
Economic Development Handbook, Third Edition, edited and revised by Jonathan Q. Morgan, NCEDA and School of Government, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2009.
Town of Clyde 2012-2022 Land Use Plan
Endnotes |171
Endnotes – continued
63 Top 25 Employers by NC County (2011 3
rd Quarter), North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment
Security.http://www.ncesc.com/ 64
1916 Pictorial History of Haywood County… 65
Haywood County Economic Development Commission website, http://www.haywoodedc.org. 66
National Register Fact Sheet 1, North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, Available online at http://www.hpo.ncdcr.gov/whatis.htm. 67
Haywood County Arts Council Quilt Trails Website, http://www.haywoodquilttrails.org/. 68
Haywood County Farmland Protection Plan, Haywood County Soil and Water Conservation District et al; 2008. 69
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. National Soil Survey Handbook, title 430-VI. Available online at http://soils.usda.gov/technical/handbook/. 70
http://www.huduser.org/portal/glossary/glossary_a.html 71
Out of Reach 2011, National Low Income Housing Coalition, June 2011.