Seven Lakes could be rolled into the moribund Northwest Moore Water District if all the stars align in a creative approach to providing both Seven Lakes and Robbins ratepayers with more, less expensive water.
Public Utilities Director Dennis Brobst sketched out the concept for the Board of Commissioners during their Tuesday, February 1 regular meeting. The Northwest Moore District was created in 2004, on the heels of the county’s successful use of the independent East Moore Water District to extend its water system to residents in the eastern end of the county. Northwest Moore residents voted to borrow up to $16 million to pay to extend water lines and other infrastructure needed to bring county water to the area surrounding water.
But, in the end, not enough homes signed up for county water to make the project viable. That leaves the county with $16 million of borrowing authority that is set to expire in May.
Brobst suggested extending the Northwest Moore Water District to include both Robbins, assuming the town council approves, and Seven Lakes, which has a large enough installed base of water customers to make the District viable. The enlarged District could then borrow the $16 million already approved and use that to build a new water treatment plant in Robbins and pay for a water line to carry water from Robbins to Seven Lakes, where it would join the county system.
The estimated cost of the water line is $3.6 million, Brobst told the Commissioners; a 1.5 million gallon per day treatment plant would likely cost $6-10 million. Brobst noted that the existing Robbins water plant had been out of service for long enough that any attempt to bring it back online would have to meet the same state standards as building a new plant. In either case, the water plant would be fed by the existing reservoir and water intake owned by the Town of Robbins.
Robbins currently purchases water from Montgomery County, and Brobst said the rate the town pays is “on the steep side.” So the town’s water customers could benefit from being rolled into the district. Seven Lakes residents would benefit by gaining a second source of water. Brobst noted that removing Seven Lakes ratepayers from the Moore County Public Utilities [MCPU] customer base could result in a rate increase for those customers who remain, principally in Pinehurst. Seven Lakes customers account for $1.3 million of MCPU revenues, he said.
Brobst told the Board that the county’s authority to borrow the $16 million bond approved in 2004 could be extended for three years, through application to the North Carolina Local Government Commission, but the timeframe to do so is tight. The Commissioners voted unanimously to instruct the county staff to begin working on the extension.
If the approval is forthcoming, Brobst said, the timeframe will also be very tight to actually build or restore the water plant in Robbins and lay the pipe to Seven Lakes. Chairman Nick Picerno asked about the possibility of drawing water from the Deep River, rather than simply from the creeks that feed the Town of Robbins’ reservoir. Brobst said it was unlikely that could be accomplished within the three year period that the bonds can be extended, but could be a longer term goal for the District.
Though Seven Lakes would be included within the expanded North Moore Water District, voters in the Seven Lakes Precinct did not cast ballots in the 2004 bond referendum that authorized the District to borrow $16 million. Brobst told The Times that the County’s bond counsel has assured him that the Commissioners have the authority to expand the district to include Seven Lakes.
Commissioners will meet with 7 Lakes Council
The Commissioners accepted an invitation from the Greater Seven Lake Community Council [GSLCC] to meet on Tuesday, March 8 at 5 pm to discuss water and zoning, zoning changes, County budget, and road standards. [Read the GSLCC's letter to the Commissioner's here.]
In a letter sent to the Board, the GSLCC’s asked that the County resolve water supply issues in Seven Lakes before approving the rezoning necessary for the development of the proposed Pine Forest Planned Unit Development. Pine Forest would occupy a 1,700 acre stretch of land located along the north side of NC Highway 211 from West Pine Middle School to West End.
The Council also asked that the county address options for “an adequate supply of good drinking water” and the long and short term effects that Pine Forest would have on the Seven Lakes Area. The County budget and how it will affect Seven Lakes will also be up for discussion, as will current road standards for new subdivisions. The GSLCC is concerned about “inferior internal roads” and asked if the County would consider requiring that new communities’ private roads meet state standards.
More Opposition to Pine Forest
Opponents of the Pine Forest the Pine Forest PUD-Hamlet rezoning petition that was presented during the January 18 Board meeting again raised concerns about the development during the public comment period at Tuesday’s meeting.
The president, vice-president and secretary of Save Our Sandhills [SOS] voiced their opposition to the environmental impact that the Pine Forest Development would have on Nick’s Creek, which rises from headwaters within the 1,700 acre tract.
Although developer MHK Ventures has assured the Board that they would place twenty-five foot buffers between the creek bank and golf courses and other developed areas to prevent contamination due to runoff, SOS Vice President Bob Stolting said that buffer will be punched full of holes as trees are cleared for shot corridors and cart and foot path crossings. Nick’s Creek is the primary water source for the Town of Carthage.
Geologist Bob Ganis reminded the Board that the developer by state law will have the right to withdraw water from Nick’s Creek if it is needed. He asked for an impact study to be conducted to better analyze the consequences of a water being withdrawn from Nick’s Creek or of a spill at the private wastewater treatment facility that will be built to serve the community.
Mollie Boggis of Whispering Pines expressed concern that her community — further down the creek than Carthage — could be harmed by water withdrawals from or pollution of Nick’s Creek. Leonard Tufts was worried that county money would ultimately wind up paying for part of the Pine Forest water and sewer infrastructure, giving the developer a “free ride from the county on tax payer money.” SOS President Joe McDonald told the Board it is possible for the county to expand its economy without cutting down more trees and developing more land.
Whispering Pines Mayor Bob Zschoche, who noted he was speaking as a private citizen, how many more golf courses would be allowed to utilize free of charge the surface and ground water of the county.
Pine Forest Public Hearing Reopened February 15
Planning Director Joey Raczkowski asked and the Board agreed to reopen the public hearing on the Pine Forest rezoning request on February 15 at 6:00 pm.
Raczkowski said, after reviewing testimony from the January 18 public hearing, there are a number of questions that the Planning Department needs to have answered before they can give staff recommendations to the Board. He noted that previous testimony from the January 18 hearing is already part of the public record and need not be repeated.
After Commissioner Larry Caddell recused himself from voting, the Board approved Raczkowski’s request in a 4-0 vote.
Pine Forest Water and Sewer Contracts Tabled
Again without the participation of Commissioner Caddell, the Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 that consideration of water and wastewater contracts for the Pine Forest PUD be tabled until the question of rezoning the property is resolved.
The two pending contracts would require the developer to: construct a one million gallon per day water re-use wastewater treatment plant at the developer’s sole expense, operate at the developer’s expense a non-potable water distribution system for irrigation; and pay the County the sum of $3 million toward the cost of providing additional water capacity in the county system.
The contracts would require the County to construct a water line extension to serve the development and guarantee a maximum of 500,000 gallons per day of potable water.
County Pledges $250,000 toward Airport Grant
After considerable debate, the Commissioners approved Tuesday night a $250,000 local match that will allow the Moore County Airport Authority to tap a State Aid to Airports Block Grant for $2.5 million. The airport will use the money for an upgrade of their runway and ramp system, which the Authority hopes to complete prior to the 2014 US Men’s and Women’s Open, which will be held back-to-back in Pinehurst.
Introducing his motion to pledge the local match, Commissioner Craig Kennedy made strong case for the strength of the airport’s management and the facility’s contribution to the county’s economy. He noted that the airport is, in fact, a county asset that belongs to all the people of Moore County.
County Manager Cary McSwain had outlined several possible sources for the money, at the request of Commissioner Tim Lea, including the possibility that the County would lend the money to the Airport.
Responding to that idea, Ron Maness, Director of the Moore County Airport said, “If you burden us with a loan and repayment schedule” he could not predict what the revenues would be to repay the loan.
Commissioner Nick Picerno agreed with Kennedy that County should pledge the $250,000 but suggested the money be taken from some source other than general fund tax dollars. That source, which went unnamed, appeared to be something the Commissioners had discussed among themselves outside the confines of Tuesday Night’s open meeting
Ultimately, the Board unanimously approved Kennedy’s motion to provide the matching funds, without designating any specific source for the money.
Other Business
In other business during the Tuesday, February 1 Board of Commissioners meeting:
• The Commissioners approved a resolution in support of the current system for the sale of alcoholic beverages in the state the local ABC boards.
• The Board approved the early payoff of nearly $1.4 million in debt, most of it involving the purchase and remodeling of the Carriage Oaks Shopping Center in Carthage, which is now home to the county’s Department of Social Services and Planning Department. Depending on interest rates, the early payoff should save the county approximately $78,000 over the next five years.
• The Board approved the rezoning of 5.8 acres of a 45.06 tract of land located at the southeast corner of Lobelia Road and McPherson Road from rural agricultural to rural business. The rezoning will allow for traditional small business enterprises.
• The Board approved text amendments to the zoning ordinance that will allow “Feed Processing” as a permitted use in the Heavy Commercial (I-2) zoning district and add silos, grain elevators, and conveyors to the list of structures exempt from the height limit requirements.
• The Commissioners called for a public hearing on Tuesday, February 15 at 6 pm to consider text amendments to the Moore County Zoning Ordinance that would add “Human Services Center” as a permitted use in the Neighborhood Business (B-1), Highway Commercial (B-2), and Office and Professional (O-P) zoning districts. The modification was prompted by a proposal to open a full service Human Services Center that would allow individuals to gain new skills, receive assistance, and re-join the workforce.
• The Board approved the Moore County Mitigation Advisory Committee [MAC] to serve as a subcommittee to the Local Emergency Planning Committee [LEPC] to maintain the goals and strategies of the 2010 Multi Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• The following roads have been approved by the Board and will be added to the North Carolina System of Secondary Roads: Islay Drive, Rosslyn Chapel Lane, Kirkcaldy Lane, North Prince Henry Way and South Prince Henry Way. The roads are located in Phase 1 of the Sinclair Subdivision near Vass.
• The Commissioners made the following appointments:
- Becky Carlson to a three year term to the Criminal Justice Partnership Advisory Board. The appointment will expire in February of 2014.
- Eli Arroyo-Allen to a three year term to the Local Emergency Planning Committee. The appointment will expire in February of 2014.
- Richard Rodda to a three year term to the Library Board of Trustees. The appointment will expire in February of 2014.
