Moore County schedules SDF public hearing and notes small FY25 budget increment; grant to cover fleet vehicle replacement

Moore County staff told commissioners the county must follow state notice requirements before adopting changes to the water and wastewater System Development Fee (SDF). Staff said North Carolina changed rules in 2017 and the county updated fees in 2022; under current procedures the county must post proposed SDF changes and allow a 45-day comment period before holding a public hearing.

Staff recommended scheduling the related public hearing in accordance with that timeline and said the county would present a fuller, formal SDF presentation in May. The SDF, if adopted after notice and hearing, would set the maximum connection fees the county may charge; staff emphasized this does not include separate tap fees.

Budget staff noted the FY25 recommended budget includes only a small increment to accommodate potential SDF changes and that the figure incorporates a safety factor to avoid setting a fee so high that developers might later seek refunds. The county did not provide a final adoption in the provided segments.

Separately, staff explained a grant-funded purchase to replace a fleet vehicle and said no local match was required; the grant amount would increase the environmental health/grant expense account by the same amount.

No votes or specific dollar amounts for the SDF or the fleet purchase were recorded in the provided transcript segments; staff indicated more formal presentations and potential votes would occur in subsequent meetings.