The following is a general outline and guide to obtaining a CAMA permit. All applicable permits may be applied for at the Planning Department.

In 1974, the North Carolina General Assembly passed the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), and set the stage for guiding development in the fragile and productive areas that border the State's sounds and oceanfront. Along with requiring special care by those who build and develop, the General Assembly directed the Coastal Resources Commission (CRC) to implement clear regulations that minimize the burden on the applicant.

We appreciate your cooperation with the North Carolina Coastal Management Program and your willingness to build in a way that protects the resources of our beautiful and productive coast.

1. Send the following items, by certified mail, to the adjoining property owners:
   • A letter stating that you have applied for a CAMA permit and are required to notify them of your intended project.
   • A copy of the drawing showing your project.
   • A copy of your completed application*.
2. Bring the following items to your Local CAMA Permit Officer:
   • A $100 check payable to Brunswick County.
   • The completed, signed application*.
   • The drawing showing your project.
   • Copies of the letters mailed to the adjoining property owners.
   • The certified mail receipts from the post office showing you mailed letters to adjoining property owners.
   • A copy of the property survey.

This process might take as long as 25 days from the date that we receive your complete application. An additional 25-day review period is provided by law when such time is necessary to complete the review. Under those circumstances, you will be notified of the need for an extended review period. If you have any questions about the application, your project drawing, or any other aspect of the North Carolina Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), visit the CAMA website or contact the Local Permit Officer for Brunswick County at 910-253-2025.

* CAMA requires the use of an original form (printed on card stock), which you can obtain from the CAMA office.

All project drawings must be drawn to scale (example: 1"=20') and include the following information:

• Name and project address (title box).
• Property dimensions and names of adjacent property owners.
• Dimensions and location of all existing and proposed structures, driveways, and sewage disposal system, and improvements permit, if applicable.
• Location of any adjacent water body (example: Atlantic Ocean , AIWW, Bradley Creek).
• Label any marsh or wetland areas and include wetland delineation documentation from the Army Corps Of Engineers, if applicable.

If your property is in the Estuarine Shoreline AEC, your project drawings must include the following additional information:

• The dimensions of the footprint of your structure. The footprint is your roofline extended to the ground (outside walls + roof overhang).
• All decks shall be labeled either covered or open (all elevated decks with concrete below them at ground level are considered covered, whether or not they have a roof).
• Show the mean high water contour (MHW) and an AEC line located 75 feet landward of MHW, or 575 feet, if adjacent to Outstanding Resource Waters.

If your project is in the Ocean Hazard Area, your application must include an AEC Hazard Notice, signed by the property owner, and your project drawings must include the following additional information:

• If oceanfront, show all dunes, labeling the dune crest and both landward and oceanward dune toes. Also, spot elevations on the highest portion of the dunes are required.
• A vegetation line and application setback line must be shown on the drawing. If you are not sure of the setback for your property, contact your Local Permit Officer.
• Indicate the number of floors or proposed structures (example: 2-story, single-story).

Other permits are required for development in the Coastal area. While these are not CAMA-related, check with the Local Permit Officer to determined which of these you may need.