WSMU_MRSV_Position Statement_19930616

POSITION STATEMENT
TOWN OF MOORESVILLE - BACK CREEK WATERSHED
JUNE 16, 1993
SUBJECT
The allowance of ten percent (10%) of the gross area of the Back
Creek Watershed (excluding that which lies in the Critical Area)
which is in the jurisdiction of the Town of Mooresville be allowed
to develop with built-upon areas of 12-70 percent.
FACTS
In February 1992 the Environmental Management Commission (EMC)
adopted water supply watershed regulations in North Carolina.
Later that year the EMC adopted maps classifying the Back Creek
Watershed as WS-II. The maximum built-upon area for non-single
family developments in this watershed is 12% . However, up to 5% of
the gross area of this watershed may be developed with built-upon
areas of 12-70% for non-residential uses. The Town is asking that
up to ten percent of the gross area of this watershed be developed
between 12-70%.
The portion of the Back Creek Watershed lying in Mooresville's
jurisdiction has an area of 2 , 088 acres. Five percent of this
watershed represents an area of 104 . 4 acres; ten percent of the
watershed represents an area of 208 . 8 acres. Of the 2 , 088 acres
total, 531 acres lie within Mooresville ' s corporate limits. The
large majority of this acreage is developed.
The Town of Mooresville has adopted in its water supply watershed
regulations that built-upon areas of 12-70% within this watershed
be limited to lots which are zoned EX-I (Exclusive Industrial) or
CU EX-I (Conditional Use - Exclusive Industrial) .
SUPPORTING STATEMENTS
The attached map graphically depicts the location of the Back Creek
Watershed in relation to its underlying zoning districts. As is
easily seen, the largest concentration of EX-I zoning in
Mooresville lies within the Back Creek Watershed. Over the course
of the last 10 years, the large majority of industrial development
to take place in Mooresville and the southern portion of Iredell
County has been in this area, particularly along properties which
are along or in close proximity to Mazeppa Road. The southern
portion of Mazeppa Road lies within this WS-II classification.
Along this road are located a number of industries. These include:
1. Beacon Sweets
2 . Mazeppa Road Industrial Park
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These industries employ a total of 200 persons and represent an
aggregate capital investment of $10, 000, 000. All have been
developed since 1988 . (Immediately to the east of Mooresville' s
jurisdiction on Panasonic Way lies the Matsushita Manufacturing
facility. It was constructed in 1990, has an employment of 450
persons, and represents a capital investment of $56 million
dollars. )
Industrial development first started being developed in the Mazeppa
Road area with the formation of the South Iredell Industrial Park
(SIIP) which lies to the north of Mazeppa Road (and outside a water
supply watershed) . The industrial park, a joint venture between
the Town of Mooresville and Iredell County, contains an area of 293
acres, nearly all of which is developed with industrial operations.
Public funds, in the amount of $3 . 0 million, were spent to provide
this area with public water and sewer, road improvements, rail
access and natural gas.
Given the lack of land available for development in the SIIP,
manufacturing concerns have looked for land elsewhere. Mooresville
has a long and rather successful history and tract record with
regard to industrial recruitment. Factors which have contributed
to Mooresville's successful tract record include (1) its proximity
to Charlotte - the Town lies 20 miles north of Charlotte, (ii) good
road access - I-77 lies a short distance west of the Town and two
exits on NC 150 and US 21 provide access to the Town, and (iii)
cheaper land prices than in neighboring Charlotte and Mecklenburg
County.
Realizing that Mooresville has quite a bit to offer, the Town has
actively looked for quality industrial development to locate in the
area. The Town has an Economic Development organization which was
formed in 1984 and which has a full-time staff of 3 persons.
Given the preference that manufacturers have had in locating in the
Mazeppa Road area, the Town of Mooresville has taken a number of
steps in the past to encourage further industrial development to
take place there. In 1990 the Town adopted a ten year future land
use plan which promotes industrial development as the predominant
use of land along Mazeppa Road and other areas in the northeast
quadrant of the community. Industrial development along NC 801
(which also lies in the Back Creek WS-II watershed) is also called
for in the Land Use Plan. Though some areas of low-density
residential development are found in this portion of the community,
most are located much closer to the older, developed portions of
the Town and lie far away from newer industrial areas.
In 1989-90 the Town also worked with the North Carolina Department
of Transportation (NCDOT) in updating the Town' s Thoroughfare Plan.
Given the anticipated growth in manufacturing employment in
northeast Mooresville, especially in the Mazeppa Road area, NCDOT
planners projected the need to develop a road linking the Mazeppa
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Road/NC 115 intersection with US 21. The Town of Mooresville
adopted the Thoroughfare Plan as part of its 1990 Land Development
Plan.
Thus, the Town has had an active history in promoting industrial
development in northeast Mooresville, especially along the Mazeppa
Road and NC 801 corridors. The placing of a WS-II classification
on this watershed will serve as a deterrent in attracting further
industrial development to this area. Even if the high density
option is chosen by the Town, maximum built upon areas are limited
to 30 percent. In practical terms, this will virtually preclude
most manufacturers from even considering locating in Mooresville.
A survey of industrial developments located in the Mazeppa Road
area shows an average built-upon area of 80 percent.
As mentioned, other industrial areas are located immediately east
of the Town along Mazeppa Road. The Town of Mooresville has a long
and active record of annexing land into the Town. Since 1980 86
separate annexations have taken place involving at total of 953
acres. The possibility of further annexation of land on the south
side of Mazeppa Road is a strong possibility. Vacant as well as
developed land will in all likelihood be annexed. Even though
these areas may be annexed into the Town, such annexations into the
Back Creek watershed will not affect the gross amount of land which
can be developed with built-upon areas of 12-70 percent given that
the annexations will take place after July 1, 1993 .
CONCLUSION
Given Mooresville's long and successful record in attracting
industrial development, the concentration of such development on
Mazeppa Road, the $3 . 0 million in water, sewer, gas and road
improvements in the area which have been made to attract such
development, and the fact that the Back Creek Watershed has been
classified as WS-II, the Town is asking that 10 percent of the Back
Creek watershed be allowed to develop with built-upon areas of 12-
70 percent.
0111.B
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