The NC House has approved SB 382 with an amendment that will
require that cities to supply water and sewer connections to any development
within an urban growth area that request the service. Although this amendment did not mention the project and applies statewide, it has been reported that the amendment was
specifically designed to help the developers of the “751 South” development, a
large development with 1,300 homes and 600,000 sq. ft. of commercial
development. This development has been opposed by environmental organizations. Durham had refused to extend water and sewer to the
development, saying that it would cost Durham
taxpayers more that the revenue would provide.
The term “urban growth area” is not well defined in the
statutes. It generally means an area that a city may, in the future, want to
annex and to server with water and sewer. But this may be well into the future,
not necessarily immediately. However, if it becomes law, it would allow any
developer with property in the urban growth area to demand immediate water and
sewer service, even if the city was not yet ready to provide it.
Because the bill had earlier passed the Senate without the
provision inserted in the House, it must go back to the Senate. We will see
what the Senate does.
1 comment:
Not surprising. The 751 South developer, like others of his ilk, think that they has some kind of right to do what they want in spite of the cost to the city, the danger of pollution to the lake, or the increased traffic.
The rest of us are expected to say "yes sir" and bend over.
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