SEWER AGREEMENT POSTPONED
At its agenda briefing on Monday, the Troutman Town Council discussed a proposed wastewater treatment agreement between Statesville and Troutman and offered a few changes, but on Thursday night council member Nicholas Jaroszynski asked that the agreement be pulled from the consent agenda for further discussion before moving forward.
In the proposal, Statesville officials have agreed to honor the previous contract’s commitment to treating up to 200,000 gallons of wastewater per day for five years with a stipulation that Troutman must find other sewer resources by the end of the five-year contract period.
The only current capacity agreement, which was signed in 1998 and remains in effect, guarantees only 21,428 gallons per day.
Troutman has a sewer agreement with Mooresville already in place to increase sewer capacity up to 2 million gallons per day, but Mooresville must first complete upgrades to its wastewater treatment facilities, which will take one to two years.
Troutman must also upgrade its sewer lines between the town and the Mooresville connection, which will also take one to two years. Another sewer connection to Mooresville will also be needed at some point to handle increasing capacity.
Troutman has a plan to divert wastewater in some areas nearer to Mooresville from the Statesville line in order to free up capacity for the Wakefield development to proceed.
West Consultants engineer Benji Thomas told the council on Monday that there are a lot of moving parts in the current sewer/wastewater treatment situation.
TOWN MANAGER ON MEDICAL LEAVE
While Troutman Town Manager Ron Wyatt remains on medical leave, Mayor Teross Young and Town Council members praised Finance Director Justin Mundy and the entire staff for continuing smooth town operations.
Young asked the community to continue pray for Wyatt’s recovery and also praised the staff for their hard work on the June Party in the Park, the Independence Day Parade, and the Fireworks Celebration.
Though things had been challenging in Wyatt’s absence, Mundy said staff members have stepped up where needed in the past month.
UDO AMENDMENT DECISION DELAYED
Consideration of possible changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) regarding temporary uses and requirements for produce stands was delayed to August by council members after extensive discussion at the agenda briefing.
Mayor Young opened the public hearing on the amendment and then suspended it until next month to allow for more consideration. Those who wish to speak on it will have an opportunity at the August 14 meeting.
The proposed ordinance would define size limitations, parking regulations, types of goods sold in produce stands, and require a site plan review by the staff. The ordinance changes would also make the time period for temporary uses shorter and less frequent and require renewal of permits for additional time periods.
The current UDO allows temporary uses for 45 days up to three times per year.
Produce stands are currently permitted for six months with no limitations on how many times the permittee can reapply. The cost is $50 for each six-month period.
The current UDO also has no requirements for site plan review or noise pollution from generators that may be utilized.
The proposed ordinance changes would lower the 45-day temporary use permit to 30 days and allow permit renewal only two times per year rather than three.
Produce stand permits would be reduced to three months, with one renewal allowed per calendar year, not to exceed a total of six months per year. The permit fee would be required again for the renewal.
Any structure that a produce stand uses would also need approval from Iredell County Building Standards prior to sales beginning. A site plan showing the location of the structure, how traffic will circulate around the area, and how parking will be organized would also be required with the application.
For temporary uses that use generators, the generator must be rated at or below 65 dB at 25 feet from the source. Sound dampening enclosures can be used to meet this threshold once approved by the planning department. The Troutman Police Department would be responsible to monitor decibel violations.
Drawing heavily from the North Carolina General Statute definition of agricultural products, the amendment would define a produce stand as “a temporary non-permanent structure or space use for the retail sale of agricultural products, specifically fruits, vegetables, horticultural crops, flowers, ornamental plants, and sod, that are grown or produced by the operator.”
The stand must comply with all setbacks, seasonal or daily removal, and site plan review requirements as necessary, including all street parking rules as directed in the UDO.
Council members realized during the agenda briefing that they needed more time to reconsider Town Planner Andrew Ventresca’s proposed 300-square-foot size limitation for both temporary uses and produce stands among other aspects of the proposed ordinance changes.
The council seems to be leaning toward using a percentage of the lot size in setting temporary structure size limits and connecting parking requirements to its size.
PARTY IN THE PARK SET FOR JULY 18
Council member Felina Harris noted that July is National Parks and Recreation Month and praised the amazing job the department does in Troutman. She praised the recent opening of the long-awaited pickleball courts and basketball court, which were the result of many years of planning and hard work.
The next Party in the Park, in partnership with the Exchange Club of Troutman, will be Friday, July 18, from 6 to 9 p.m. Wagon Load a Trouble will perform country, vintage rock, and western swing.
A variety of food trucks will be on hand, and beer and wine will be available for purchase. Attendees should bring chairs or blankets for lawn seating.
Sponsors are Your Realty Pro and American Family Care Urgent Care, with Piedmont HealthCare sponsoring the kids’ zone.
The staff also reminds folks that registration for adult fall sports leagues ends on July 21. Teams are being formed for coed 5 vs 5 sand volleyball, softball, and 8 vs. 8 soccer. Softball and soccer teams will have 10 to 15 players. Softball players must provide their own bats and gloves.
Soccer and softball fees are $65 per player and $50 per for volleyball.
Contact Sean McCoy at smccoy@troutmannc.gov if questions.
OTHER ITEMS
The council approved:
♦ Changes to the town’s Schedule of Fees to raise water and sewer rates (to reflect the 2025-2026 budget) and the cost of temporary use permits ($100 for private use, $50 for nonprofits).
Water rates for in town residents will rise from $9.26 to $10.19 per 1,000 gallons (from $18.53 to $20.38 for out of town customers). Sewer rates for in town residents will rise from $13.13 to $14.44 per 1,000 gallons (from $26.26 to $28.88 for out of town customers).
♦ Selection of West Consultants as the engineering firm to oversee four utility projects: Water Capacity Improvement – Phase 1, Water Capacity Improvement – Phase 2, Water System Rehabilitation – Phase 1, AND Murdock Road Water Main Extension
♦ Setting an August 14 hearing date for a non-contiguous annexation request for 3.68 acres located on Goodman Road by Makarios Holdings, LLC and for a non-contiguous annexation request for 0.34 acres located at 126 Meadowfall Lane by Dixieland, Inc.