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Perhaps it was only appropriate that the first business item on Monday night’s Clemmons Village Council agenda dealt with amending the stormwater cost-share budget because of growing interest in the program.

That set the tone for a meeting that was dominated by more stormwater-related issues, including approving a 50-50 private property cost-share project for 3225 Turnstone Court and receiving a quarterly stormwater report from Emily Harrison, stormwater technician II.

First, Ann Stroud, finance director, presented a budget amendment to increase the village’s capacity to fund more cost-share projects for the rest of the fiscal year. It was a $70,000 increase, from $30,000 to $100,000.

“There’s has been a lot of interest in the cost-share program, and basically, this approves what you said you were going to spend, which is kind of a net of $100,000,” Stroud told the council.

Funding for the program comes primarily from the Stormwater Utility based on equitable cost-sharing measures which allocate responsibility to users of the stormwater management system. The property’s contribution to runoff is defined by impervious coverage per developed tract of land. Both commercial and non-commercial developments are charged a fee and includes for-profit and not-for-profit property owners. 

Following the cost-share budget amendment in Monday night’s meeting, the council approved the 50-50 cost-share draining project on Turnstone Court, accepting the low bid of $7,500 from RCJ Contracting with the homeowner and the village responsible for paying $3,750 each.

Harrison later gave the quarterly stormwater report that covered the months from July through September with 21 total projects, including 15 structure repairs and five minor culvert replacements. Also, three permits were issued. 

In public outreach, visits were made at Morgan Elementary to fifth-graders and at Clemmons Elementary to pre-K students with a lot of “hands-on demonstrations.”

Harrison said she also represented the village at the APWA-NC Stormwater Management Conference in September in Wilmington, where she did a presentation on the Clemmons cost-share program.

“They were very interested in what we are doing because they’re starting to think the same kind of way,” she said. “They were very impressed with how our program is set up.”

Council member Mary Cameron asked Harrison how many municipalities have such a program, and she responded she was aware of Charlotte having one but didn’t know about others.

Also in Monday night’s meeting, the council approved a Minimum Housing and Unsafe Building Code (Chapter 150 of the Village Code of Ordinance) violation regarding the property at 2911 Parkhurst Drive.

Amy Flyte, assistant village manager, said that this was the first known housing case to reach this level of enforcement, adding that Jeff Vaughn, code enforcement officer, has been working with the property owner since June to achieve compliance.

“The property does not have power or water/sewer connection,” Flyte said. “Tonight we are at the step to consider ordering to have the repairs to be completed within 60 days and closing the home until the repairs are made. Further, occupying a home that has been ordered closed is a misdemeanor.”