Mount Holly City Council on Aug. 11 adopted an amendment to sections of the subdivision and land development ordinance (case TA258) to clarify street-lighting requirements and who pays installation costs.

Planning staff described the change as a housekeeping update to reflect long-standing practice: developers must bury utility lines in new subdivisions, install decorative street lights where required, and pay construction and abnormal or decorative "adder" fees before the city will assume the lighting contract. The city will pay the electricity bill only after accepting lighting for maintenance. Staff said the ordinance update makes explicit that any relocations or modifications after installation are at the expense of the developer or homeowners association, not the city.

"This is something that's been the standard practice for the city for the last 30 years where decorative street lights are to be funded by the developer. The city will only pay the power bill once it's accepted for maintenance," planning staff Mr. Beal said. Staff cited prior ice-storms and the city's earlier allowance of wooden poles with overhead power in older subdivisions as background for the clarification.

Councilmember Hough moved to approve the ordinance change; Councilmember Craig seconded. The motion passed.

Staff said the update includes redline clarifications recommended by multiple departments and aims to prevent attempts by developers to shift decorative lighting costs onto HOAs or the city. No subsidies for developers were authorized by the ordinance change, according to staff comments.