INC NEWS - Drought puts a hold on water, sewer decision (N&O)

[John Schelp]

Durham needs to step back and have a broader
conversation about growth and severe water
shortages...

Drought puts a hold on water, sewer decision
By Matt Dees, News & Observer, 4 Dec 2007

Drought concerns prompted the City Council to delay a
decision on whether to extend water and sewer service
to a proposed subdivision near Southpoint shopping
center.

The move could herald a broader conversation about
whether the city should call a moratorium on all
development as Durham grapples with a severe water
shortage.

Even if council had approved the extension, Jordan at
Southpointe, a 228-unit subdivision, still would need
approval from the Development Review Board.

But council members weren't comfortable taking even
one step toward sanctioning a new large development
without first getting some sense of what it would mean
to rapidly depleting water supplies.

"I just can't in good conscience, knowing what we know
now, say 'Let's move forward,' " Mayor Bill Bell said.

He noted that the city's current development laws were
crafted two years ago when water was plentiful. "We
always assumed we had the resources to supply that
growth," he said.

"But we just can't forget we're operating in a
different environment than we were two years ago, or
even three months ago."

City staff will meet with developers in the next two
weeks to determine how much water the neighborhood in
South Durham would use if built. The matter is slated
to come back to council at their Dec. 17 meeting.

Council members Diane Catotti and Mike Woodard wanted
to give city staff longer to research the issue.

But a representative of Jordan at Southpointe LLC said
delays cost the company $45,000 a month, prompting the
council to try to move ahead quickly.