Protect the Williamson Tract
Save the Williamson Tract is a community-driven initiative in Oak Island, NC, focused on raising awareness about the importance of preserving the Williamson Tract. Our mission is to unite local residents in grassroots advocacy, aiming to ensure that this vital natural area remains intact for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.We will gather information to better inform the Oak Island Town Council about the impact of this huge development (6000+ homes) on the quality of life in Oak Island, the cost to the taxpayers, the impact on the emergency evacuation crisis we face, and the legal arguments they can use to stop this massive development and conserve much of the Williamson Tract for future generations.
- The Williamson Tract is an environmental treasure, with Long Leaf Pines and a host of other species that deserve conservation
- Building 6000 new homes there would degrade this natural area.
- 18000 new off-island people would greatly outnumber our on-island population.
- 18000 new people equals overpopulation, which would jam emergency evacuation routes, and create a beach parking calamity.
- As an alternative, we could create a nature park, with bike/walking trails, etc., which would enhance our area and improve property values, while restraining tax increases.
Save the Williamson Tract is a community-driven initiative in Oak Island, NC, focused on raising awareness about the importance of preserving the Williamson Tract. Our mission is to unite local residents in grassroots advocacy, aiming to ensure that this vital natural area remains intact for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.We will gather information to better inform the Oak Island Town Council about the impact of this huge development (6000+ homes) on the quality of life in Oak Island, the cost to the taxpayers, the impact on the emergency evacuation crisis we face, and the legal arguments they can use to stop this massive development and conserve much of the Williamson Tract for future generations.
Protect the Williamson Tract
• The Williamson Tract is designated a Natural Heritage property by the NC Natural Heritage Program. Its preservation is a nationally significant priority. The Williamson Tract hosts several rare species of Longleaf Pine. Longleaf pine ecosystems are among the most biodiverse and ecologically important forests in North America. Development of this property will permanently degrade the environment in our area. Flooding will be more severe.
• Development of 6000+ homes there will bring about 18000 new residents to Oak Island. This influx is about equal to the combined populations of Oak Island currently, Southport, St. James, and Caswell Beach. This will have a disastrous impact on the quality of life in Oak Island and the surrounding communities. Beach traffic, parking, costs of required services, and emergency evacuation, which is already a crisis, will deteriorate. A Duke Energy study estimates it could take as long as 11 hours to evacuate in the event of a nuclear release. This problem would also apply to hurricane evacuation when sufficient advance warning is not available.
• Taxes on Oak Island citizens will be forced to pay significantly higher property and other taxes and fees for the additional services required. Both Town and Brunswick County taxes will increase. These costs will not be adequately offset by revenue generated from the development, and will be borne by the residents of Oak Island. Additional costs will be incurred for Fire, EMS, Police, Town Governance, public health, water and wastewater, etc.
• The political future of Oak Island will change, and on-island residents will lose control of the majority in the Town Council. There are legitimate differences in views between on-island, and off-island residents, and the off-island views will control the majority of the Town Council votes.
• The current Oak Island Town Council believes, based on advice from the Town Counsel, that its only options are to negotiate a new development agreement, or purchase the property. Consequently, they are engaged in negotiations for a new agreement. Those negotiations will not prevent massive development of the Tract, nor the irretrievable damage to the quality of life in Oak Island and the surrounding towns.
A PLAN TO SAVE THE WILLIAMSON TRACT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• The Williamson Tract is designated a Natural Heritage property by the NC Natural Heritage Program. Its preservation is a nationally significant priority. The Williamson Tract hosts several rare species of Longleaf Pine. Longleaf Pine ecosystems are among the most biodiverse and ecologically important forests in North America. Development of this property will permanently degrade the environment in our area. Flooding will be more severe.
• Development of 6000+ homes there will bring about 18000 new residents to Oak Island. This influx is about equal to the combined populations of Oak Island currently, Southport, St. James, and Caswell Beach. This will have a disastrous impact on the quality of life in Oak Island and the surrounding communities. Beach traffic, parking, costs of required services, and emergency evacuation, which is already a crisis, will deteriorate. A Duke Energy study estimates it could take as long as 11 hours to evacuate in the event of a nuclear release. This problem would also apply to hurricane evacuation when sufficient advance warning is not available.
• Oak Island citizens will be forced to pay significantly higher property and other taxes and fees for the additional services required. Both Town and Brunswick County taxes will increase. These costs will not be adequately offset by revenue generated from the development and will be borne by the residents of Oak Island. Additional costs will be incurred for Fire, EMS, Police, Town Governance, public health, water and wastewater, etc.
• The political future of Oak Island will change, and on-island residents will lose control of the majority in the Town Council. There are legitimate differences in views between on-island, and off-island residents, and the off-island views will in the future control the majority of the Town Council votes.
• The current Oak Island Town Council believes, based on advice from the Town Counsel, that its only options are to negotiate a new development agreement, or purchase the property. Consequently, they are engaged in negotiations for a new agreement. Those negotiations will not prevent massive development of the Tract, nor the irretrievable damage to the quality of life in Oak Island and the surrounding towns.
OVERVIEW
• The Williamson Tract in Brunswick County, North Carolina, is a 3196 acre property
with immense ecological value due to its Natural Heritage designation, Carolina
Bays, wetlands, and Longleaf Pine forests. These features combine to create a rare
and biodiverse landscape that supports unique species, maintains hydrological
processes, and provides critical ecosystem services.
Based on inventories done in 1995 by Richard LeBlond for the NC Natural Heritage
Program, the Williamson Tract is recognized as a Natural Heritage priority area,
meaning it contains rare, threatened, or endangered species, or habitats that are
ecologically significant and in need of protection. This designation underscores
its role as a conservation priority and a site of high biodiversity.
Carolina Bays are ancient, elliptical depressions formed during the Pleistocene
epoch, often filled with wetlands or grasslands. Whether large or small,
every Carolina Bay has the same compass orientation. The sandy rim that
surrounds the mucky-bottom oval is a unique feature of the Carolina Bays.
They are rare and occur mostly on East coast of the US, especially in the Carolinas
and serve as critical habitat for specialized plants and animals, including
migratory birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Their preservation maintains open water
and wetland systems that support water filtration, flood mitigation, and carbon
sequestration.
The Tract’s 1454 acres of wetlands are essential for water quality improvement,
flood control, and habitat provision. They support a wide range of aquatic and
terrestrial species, many of which are sensitive to disturbance. Wetlands also act
as nurseries for fish and shellfish, and buffer shorelines from erosion. Mercer’s
Mill Pond, adjacent to the property is a primary nursery area designated by the NC
Division of Marine Fisheries. The Willaimson Tract, as part of the Boiling Springs
Wetland Complex, is one of the largest hydrologically intact wetland complexes
in the coastal plain.
The Williamson Tract hosts several rare species of Longleaf Pine. Longleaf pine
ecosystems are among the most biodiverse and ecologically important forests in
North America. They support a complex understory of native grasses, flowering
plants, and shrubs, and are home to species such as the red-cockaded
woodpecker, gopher frogs, and numerous pollinators.
Less than 5% of the original 14 million acres of longleaf pine that once covered
eastern North Carolina exist, much of it in Brunswick County.
The combination of Carolina Bays, wetlands, and longleaf pine forests creates
a multi-habitat mosaic that supports complex ecological interactions. For
example, wetlands feed into the hydrology of the longleaf pine forests, while the
forests provide canopy cover and nesting habitat for species that rely on the bays
and wetlands. This interconnectedness enhances resilience to climate change,
storm events, and species loss.
• Developing 6000+ homes in the Williamson Tract, assuming three persons per
home would bring 18,000 new people--and that number is almost equal to the
combined populations of Southport, St. James, the current Town of Oak Island,
and Caswell Beach--so doubling the population of the entire area. This would
have a drastic impact on beach parking, traffic, costs of services, and emergency
evacuation, which is already an emerging, serious problem.
• Taxes on Oak Island citizens will be forced significantly higher to pay for the
additional services required. These costs will not be offset by revenue
generated from the development. When a new development features homes with
larger lots, weaves in "green space," and provides amenities such as a club
house or swimming pool, the physical length of roadways—averaged per home
in the developed area--will now be longer. This means that road maintenance
costs will be higher in the developed area, more streetlights will be needed
per home; underground water/wastewater systems will be longer per home
in the developed area. Fire and EMS services will need to be increased for
coverage with higher cost due to increased travel time. The increase in
costs of providing services and maintenance for the town, due to a sprawling
new development, means that tax rates must be increased. The increased tax
rates are not limited to homeowners in the developed area. The new rates will
fall on all property owners in the town. Brunswick County taxes will also increase,
in the form of higher water bills, and County property tax increases, due to the
significant infrastructure investment now planned.
• The political future of Oak Island will change, and on-island residents will lose
control of the majority in the Town Council. There will be legitimate differences
in policy views for off-island vs. on-island voters, but population rules, and
creating new voting districts will not work, as State Statutes require districts
to be of about the same population.
CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITY
Given the tract’s rarity, biodiversity, and ecological functions, it should be
considered for permanent conservation rather than large-scale development.
Protecting and conserving it would:
• Preserve irreplaceable habitats for rare and endangered species.
• Maintain critical ecosystem services like water filtration, flood control, and
carbon storage.
• Support biodiversity and ecological resilience in a region under increasing
development pressure.
• Provide opportunities for scientific study and public education.
The Williamson Tract’s identity as a Natural Heritage area with Carolina Bays,
wetlands, and longleaf pine forests makes it a priority for conservation. Its
ecological significance extends beyond local value—it represents a rare,
interconnected landscape that supports biodiversity, water quality, and climate
resilience. It has national significance. Protecting it is essential to safeguarding
North Carolina’s natural heritage for future generations.
Creating a nature park from a significant portion of the tract, will accessible
trails would increase property values in the Oak Island area.
ISSUES TO LEVERAGE
• The Williamson Tract is replete with wetlands, with forests
and bio-diverse habitats. Geographically, it is located on Middleton Road –
a two lane bridge/highway, which crosses the intracoastal waterway (ICW)
and connects to NC_211. This is only one of two evacuation routes from
the island.
The Williamson Tract development as envisioned is on a key evacuation route.
Public Safety is a major consideration, especially in terms of Evacuation Routes.
As background, our coastal area is prone to hurricanes; the Brunswick Nuclear
Energy Plant and the Sunny Point military installation are also nearby. Studies
conducted by Duke Energy show that emergency evacuation could take as long
as 11 hours. The Williamson Tract is uninhabited and located on Middleton Road,
one of only two evacuation routes from the Town of Oak Island. With an average
of more than 40,000 people in the peak summer season, and as many as 90,000
at the peak., Other towns are on the other side of that evacuation route.
This raises a key public safety issue:
The viability of emergency evacuation for multiple towns must be considered,
evaluated and corrected before any development is approved.
• The Development will impact both legally protected and unprotected
wetlands --because the construction of thousands of new homes and
related roadways will both (1) destroy habitat for wildlife, and
(2) likely require draining off water into many newly constructed and
very large storm-water pools. There is considerable literature
on how storm-water pools can negatively affect the environment.
For example, the Internet summarizes relevant literature as follows:
"Storm water ponds built to support development can harm the environment
by exporting nutrients, warming downstream waters, degrading habitats,
disrupting fish passage, and releasing greenhouse gases such as methane and
carbon dioxide." The consequence for surrounding communities may be
increased flooding and erosion. Potentially, reducing our coastal community's
resilience after storms. The State and the US Army Corps of Engineers have
invested in improving the resiliency of communities exposed to flooding. The
US Army Corps of Engineers conducts an Environmental Impact Study (EIS)
for a coastal development project as a comprehensive evaluation tool to
make informed decisions about coastal development projects while balancing
environmental, social, and economic considerations. The EIS aims to ensure
that development occurs in a responsible and sustainable manner to
safeguard the natural and cultural assets of coastal regions.
Given the size of the project, the potential flooding impacts on nearby
communities require evaluation and careful consideration
• The effects on the full scope of public services such as police, fire, schools,
parks, wastewater treatment, storm water management, and water supply
are to be considered. These effects will inevitably create pressure for tax
increases, need to be evaluated and disclosed prior to construction of such
a sizeable development in this area. These public services implicate federal
programs and funding which need to be understood and evaluated.
• Funding from private conservation organizations may be secured to fairly
compensate the land owners/developers for conserving a substantial portion of
the Williamson Tract as a public park, which would be in the best interests of all
the parties, and would help ensure any Development Agreement negotiated is
comprehensive. Concerned citizens of Oak Island propose to contact these
organizations and explore securing funds to conserve a substantial portion of
the Williamson Tract, consistent with and supporting anticipated provisions
of the planned Development Agreement.
• Political Stakeholders including surrounding towns impacted by the Williamson
Tract development, County and State Officeholders and key executives are to be
contacted to provide information and request their support for this important
conservation initiative.
• Legal actions may be available to delay and/or defeat the development. An
assessment of legal options and opportunities such as the SELC can raise the cost,
increase the time requirement for the development to proceed, and further
conservation efforts.
Organize by Creating Focused Groups
1. OKI TOWN COUNCIL . While other groups may not be officially involved,
they can support us informally. This working group would lobby the
OKI Town Council, with informal support from other interested groups.
2. LEGAL—This working group will research and explore legal pathways to stop
or limit this development. Bruce Pitt will meet with attorneys such as
Grady Richardson, recommended by Jean Toner, who has worked with St. James
on related issues to ours. The group will describe a legal strategy and
communicate our issues and perspectives to all stakeholders. Bruce will
report after the meeting with him.
3. THE PUBLIC...spreading the word/achieving more publicity. This keeps
up the pressure. This group is the cheerleader. This is crucial to support
the legal work and the persuasion of the town council and other political
officeholders, other interested parties, and the media, including perhaps
the property owners.
4. THE ENVIRONMENT. To save and conserve the environment of Oak Island
and the surrounding communities. This group can contact State and Federal
Agencies and other involved environmental organizations to gather support
and create barriers to the development.
5. THE TOWNS/MAYORS...This work group will be rallying the other towns/the
Mayors/doing petitions in various towns.... This is something that could
bolster the legal effort, also give a jolt to the property owners, show people
that something's happening. The mayors of the surrounding towns support
constraining this development, and we can provide support to them so when
they act...they will be confident.
6. RAISE FUNDS TO HELP PURCHASE THE LAND. This group will focus on
contacting potential donors, and obtaining support from the Oak Island
Town staff. One Council member stated we could obtain some support from
the Town, by naming a point of contact to work with this group to contact
potential contributors and raise money to purchase at least some of the
Tract for conservation.
1.
STRATEGY
• Make the public aware of the consequences of Williamson Tract development.
• Lobby the Oak Island Town Council and other political and policy stakeholders to influence them to conserve much of the Williamson Tract. • Strategic partnerships: collaborate with interested groups to increase our influence.
• Proffer arguments opposing this development to reviewing/permitting agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers, and State agencies such as DNR.
PARTICIPATING/SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
• Citizens for Planned Growth
• The Blue Beacons
• Tree Peace OKI
• The Towns of St. James, Caswell Beach, and Southport
• Others
ACTION PLANNING
The first step to accomplish our objectives -- Identify key
individuals/groups to lead/join each
Focus Group and to develop individual action plans.
MILESTONES
Q3 2026:
Identify responsibilities and prepare and initiate action plans.
Make contacts with political and agency officials
Q4 2026:
Create and provide documents supporting conservation of the Tract.
Support legal actions initiated
Next steps
Identify key individuals for each of the groups.
Set up a follow-up meeting, inviting all the participating groups.
Protect the Williamson Tract
Join our grassroots movement to protect the Williamson Tract in Oak Island, NC.
Protect Williamson Tract
Join Our Movement
Save the Williamson Tract is dedicated to mobilizing the residents of Oak Island, NC, to protect the priceless Williamson Tract from development. Our mission is to promote community awareness and unite efforts to conserve a substantial portion of the property, limit the scope of the development, and protect the quality of life for Oak Island residents and visitors. Together, we can ensure that natural beauty and biodiversity are preserved for future generations, better control flooding, prevent further deterioration of our ability to evacuate in an emergency, maintain balanced control of the Oak Island Town Council, control beach overcrowding, and better manage traffic.
Join us in this important cause.
Join us in this important cause.
Community-focused advocacy. Save the quality of life on Oak Island!
Support sustainable preservation efforts.
- Engage with local residents.
- Participate in preservation events.
- Stand against unwanted development.
- Promote environmental awareness.
- Help us protect our natural resources.
Community Awareness Initiatives
Join our movement to protect the Williamson Tract and engage with your neighbors.
- Sustainable Preservation Efforts
- Advocate for Nature
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Upcoming Events
- Latest News Updates
- Resources and Information
- How to Get Involved
- Stay Connected with Us
Join Our Movement to Save It
Together, we can protect the Williamson Tract for future generations.
Step 1
Our Mission and Vision
We aim to raise awareness about the importance of preserving this land.
Step 2
Get Involved
Learn how you can support our efforts and make a difference.
Step 3
Community Events
Participate in local activities to support our cause and meet others.
Step 4
Resources and Information
Access materials that detail the significance of the Williamson Tract.
Step 5
Contact Us
Reach out for more information on how you can help.
Feedback
Community voices united for preservation.
This effort is crucial to maintaining the natural heritage of Oak Island for future generations. We must protect our unique environment!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Sarah L.
It's important that we come together to save this land.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
John M.
I stand with my neighbors in this important cause. The Williamson Tract is a treasure that deserves to be protected.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Emily R.
Join Our Grassroots Movement
Upcoming events
Join our community meeting to discuss preservation efforts.
Apr 22
Community Meeting
Participate in our nature walk to explore local flora and fauna.
Apr 24
Nature Walk
Apr 25
Sustainability Workshop
Learn about sustainable practices at our upcoming workshop.
Sign our petition to support the Williamson Tract preservation.
Apr 26
Apr 27
Apr 28
Apr 29
Petition Signing
Volunteer for clean-up days at the Williamson Tract.
Volunteer Opportunities
Stay informed through our monthly newsletter and updates.
Monthly Newsletter
Attend local council meetings to voice your support.
Council Meetings
Connect with us on social media to spread the word!