Planning & Development

The Planning and Development Department is responsible for the following primary functions:

Permitting and Inspections— The Department issues permits and provides inspections for development activities within the Town. Permits maintain compliance with the North Carolina Building Code, the Town’s Zoning and Stormwater Ordinances and other local regulations, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA).

Long-Range Planning—The Department conducts studies and makes recommendations to manage to long-term growth and sustainability of the Town. The Town updated many of its ordinances into a Unified Development Ordinance, which was the second phase of the FOCUS Nags Head Project. The first part of this project was an update to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, which was adopted in 2017. The Town is also engaged in resiliency planning in collaboration with state and regional partners.

Zoning Administration—Departmental staff administer current planning activities such as reviewing site plans, subdivision plats, petitions for variances and appeals, updating the official zoning map, and interpreting the Zoning Ordinance and other Town Codes. Staff also provide recommendations to the Planning Board and Board of Commissioners concerning re-zonings, text amendments, site plan and special use requests.

Code Enforcement– Staff enforces violations of the Town Code and other State and Federal regulations for which the Town has been delegated responsibility.

Septic Health/Environmental Planning—As much of the Town is served by on-site wastewater (septic) systems, the Town is very concerned about the long-term maintenance and viability of these systems as their impact to the environment. The Town has a program to encourage property owners to regularly inspect and pump their systems and replace them if necessary. The Septic Health Program provides free services to property owners and monetary incentives to properly maintain their systems.

Planning Board

View the Planning Board’s agendas and minutes.