Moratorium passes as Council revisits trouble spots

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

Moore County Metro Council on Monday, April 20, gave final approval to the county’s data center moratorium and its adoption of Jackson Law, then turned back to the problems that keep hanging around: zoning enforcement, the Retreat at Whiskey Creek, a steep jail renovation bid, and water loss still stuck at troubling levels.

A stronger zoning tool

One of the night’s longest discussions centered on whether the county needs a more formal cease-and-desist process when a project appears to violate local rules or pose risks to roads, public safety, or the environment. County officials can send letters, cite ordinance language, and warn that a property owner is out of compliance, but stopping the work is a different matter.

Council members and Bill Rieder, the county attorney, spent several minutes on what such a tool would actually do. Rieder said the county already can notify someone that a project is in violation and warn that legal action could follow, but any move to force compliance through the courts would still require council approval.

By the end of the discussion, the council voted to move forward with creating a cease-and-desist mechanism, though the details of how it would be issued and enforced still need to be worked out.

Those in favor were Jimmy Hammond, Gerald Burnett, Dexter Golden, Arvis Bobo, Robert Bracewell, Greg Guinn, John Taylor, and Peggy Sue Blackburn.

Sunny Rae Moorehead, Douglas Carson, and Shane Taylor were nays.

Houston Lindsey, Marty Cashion, Bradley Dye, and Amy Cashion were absent.

Retreat questions keep coming back

The Retreat at Whiskey Creek came up again, this time over the same question that has lingered for months: What exactly counts toward the size limit for the tiny homes there.

Officials said the old R-3 language tied to the development caps a structure at 799 square feet, but the ordinance does not clearly say whether that means only heated and cooled living space or the broader footprint, including porches and similar features. It sounds like a wording fight, but it has real consequences.

If the language stays muddy, the Board of Zoning Appeals could keep getting dragged back into the same dispute. Monday’s discussion did not settle the question. It showed why the issue keeps returning.

Some argued that open porches should not be counted the same as an enclosed living area. Others warned that if the county loosens the language too much, the project could drift well past what local officials thought they were approving in the first place.

The argument is no longer just about porches. It is about whether the county’s own ordinance says what the county thinks it says.

Phase 2 of the Retreat also remains on hold. County officials said the development still must meet the county’s completion benchmark for Phase 1 before the next phase can move ahead, and they said Phase 2 would need a 30-foot-wide access road and bridge to comply with subdivision rules.

Spencer Haithcote, a site manager for the project, told the council that engineers are working on those plans, that utilities are still being completed, and that erosion-control measures have been stepped up following TDEC comments. The council’s answer did not change: Phase 2 is not ready.

Other zoning and old business

In other zoning business, the council approved three rezoning requests on first reading. One drew questions about traffic and access near Hilltop Circle, but all three passed.

In other old business, the council approved surplusing a 2010 Explorer and an International bus and gave final approval to the Atmos Energy franchise agreement.

Members also approved adding two handicap parking spaces and a loading and unloading zone on the lower side of the Square at the event center, between the Moon Pie General Store and Southern Spirit General Store.

The proposal followed discussion about access problems for people using wheelchairs and for workers on that side of the Square who have struggled to find usable space. Officials said the area is already loosely marked in a way people ignore, and the change is meant to make those spaces clear and enforceable.

Pool and jail costs draw scrutiny

The council also agreed to use capital project funds to repair or replace a failed swimming pool pump motor. Officials said the cost could fall between $5,000 and $15,000, depending on whether the pump itself also needs to be replaced. The vote was not unanimous, and the discussion included a blunt reminder that the pool does not pay for itself.

Robert Bracewell and Greg Guinn voted no on the spending, while Peggy Sue Blackburn, Shane Taylor, Douglas Carson, John Taylor, Sunny Rae Moorehead, Arvis Bobo, Dester Golden, Gerald Burnett, and Jimmy Hammon voted yes.

A much larger price tag drew even more skepticism at the jail. Officials said only one bid was received for the jail renovation project, with the base bid for kitchen work, intake modifications, roof work, and sprinkler repair coming in at roughly $1.12 million. An alternate tied to female housing would push the total to about $1.23 million.

Council members openly questioned both the cost and the fact that only one bid came in. Project officials said the price reflects the realities of working inside an active jail, including security restrictions, background checks, tight work areas, and commercial-grade kitchen equipment. Still, the price clearly gave council members pause.

Water loss still looms

The county’s water loss remains one of the ugliest numbers on its books. District 5 council member Greg Guinn, who sits on the Metro Moore Utility Department board, said the system is still losing about 45%. That is better than the worst stretch, when the figure climbed past 60%, but it is still far too high. County officials said the new meter installation is not yet finished, that fiber work has damaged some lines, and that the county is now also looking into whether billing or software problems could be part of the gap, because tank levels do not seem to match the scale of the reported losses.

The budget committee also set its next meeting for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, to discuss the Moore County Schools and Highway Department budgets.