Commissioners press to finalize UDO, evaluate stormwater staffing and pursue regional water strategies

Johnston County commissioners moved to consolidate and finalize the county’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and to evaluate staffing for land‑use services—especially stormwater enforcement—during preparation of the FY27 budget. Several commissioners said the UDO is largely agreed upon and should be finalized; others asked staff to assess whether new stormwater regulations will require additional inspectors or engineering support.

Commissioners asked the manager and planning staff to include a staffing review for land‑use services in the FY27 budget process and to evaluate the potential fiscal and housing‑affordability impacts of stormwater ordinance changes. One commissioner urged a study to test whether discretionary elements could achieve the same water‑quality goals with less development cost impact.

On water and wastewater, the board discussed aggressively pursuing phased regionalization to build affordable, resilient capacity while acknowledging towns and other jurisdictions may resist ceding control. Commissioners noted state grant practices sometimes favor many small plants over larger regional systems and said the county should be mindful of grant incentives. Short‑term tasks include finalizing the Clayton Sewer Service Agreement (2026) and considering a governmental affairs consultant to evaluate alternatives and funding options.

Staff directions: finalize UDO implementation steps; include a land‑use staffing and stormwater-impact analysis in FY27 budget development; continue discussions on phased regionalization and pursue grant and intergovernmental coordination.