The Mooresville Board of Commissioners on Oct. 20 approved first reading of a proposed erosion and sediment control ordinance (Chapter 27) that would move local enforcement of construction-period erosion control from Iredell County to the town and adopt standards stricter than the state model in several areas.

Ashton Walker, engineering services manager, told the board the change would create a single local permitting process for development-related permits and give the town faster response times, more frequent field inspections and enforcement authority. The town must receive a delegation of authority from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) before it may assume the local program; staff said they expect to attend the sedimentation control commission meeting on Nov. 20 and, if delegated, could begin program takeover on Jan. 1, 2026.

Walker described several ways the town ordinance would be stricter than the state minimum: a disturbance threshold requiring an erosion control plan at 0.5 acre (applied communitywide), a requirement for a performance guarantee at plan approval, a standard limiting uncovered acreage at any one time to 20 acres without town engineer approval, and a design basis using a 25-year storm rather than the state minimum 10-year storm for key measures. Sediment basins would be required to have greater surface area and volume to capture higher-intensity events, and the town would have the ability to issue notices of violation, fines up to the state statutory maximums, stop-work orders and to make claims on performance guarantees if necessary.

Walker said the town does not plan to take over existing permits currently held by Iredell County; the town's plan is to issue permits for new projects starting after the effective takeover date and to work with the county on a transition plan and training.

Commissioner West moved to approve the ordinance first reading; Commissioner Keriker seconded, and the board voted in favor by voice vote. The second reading and possible adoption is scheduled for Nov. 3; official delegation by DEQ is pending.