Megan Pillow | .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Feb. 13, 2008

Mooresville commissioners made a move Monday that will both lift the suspension of new sewer permits and assure that the town’s future sewer capacity is allocated more carefully.

At a special meeting Monday, the board voted unanimously to approve the town’s new sewer allocation policy, which outlines procedure that developers must follow in order to receive sewer allocation. The new policy is part of a multi-pronged approach by the town to deal with its future capacity needs, which have skyrocketed in recent years as a result of growth.

The town’s current 5.2 million gallons per day (mgd) capacity wastewater treatment plant is presently using about 2.9 mgd of that capacity. Almost all of the 5.2 mgd capacity has already been allocated and is projected to max out in 2010. The town’s proposed $143.5 million wastewater treatment plant, however, isn’t expected to come online until 2012.

In late November, under the direction of former Town Manager Jamie Justice, the town suspended new sewer permits until the policy was in place. At its Dec. 3 meeting, the board also approved a three-phase plan for both short-term and long-term wastewater treatment. The new sewer allocation policy was expected to be ready by Jan. 8, but was delayed until Monday.

The policy, which was presented to the board Monday by Senior Planner Craig Culberson, states that developers will now need to have construction plans approved and a town sewer permit before they can reserve sewer capacity.

It also states that the board can choose to allocate capacity to projects “in the public’s best interest” first and details conditions pertaining to the effect of allocated flow limits, annexations, the deposit required to reserve capacity, and other conditions.

After Senior Planner Craig Culberson presented the plan, Mayor Bill Thunberg asked for several “live fire” examples of how it would affect developers. Several commissioners also asked questions about how the policy was vetted with the development community.

Culberson said developers at the end-stage of the town’s approval process would have their projects looked at on a “case-by-case” basis in order to figure out how to accommodate them, given the new policy.

Commissioner Mac Herring, who moved to approve the policy, said it was a “commendable effort” and will take the process “to a higher level.”

Commissioner Rader said the policy was a “dynamic and living” one and would be reviewed yearly for accuracy.

Added Commissioner Mitch Abraham, “It’s a working policy and as things happen, we’ll adapt to it.”

Also Monday, commissioners voted 5-1 to approve the hiring of a fourth golf pro at the Mooresville Municipal Golf Course.  Commissioner Chris Carney said comparable courses did not have as many pros and voted against the motion.

Golf Course Director Charlie Roberts said the position was a necessary one in order to cover the number of man hours the course required. Hiring a pro instead of a regular full-time staffer, he said, would mean both greater dedication to the position, and the potential for more revenue.

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