Butner NC

not operate the water/sewer system; it is operated by the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority (SGWASA). They started the process which is leading to a $75 million project, partly funded by the state and partly by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), to upgrade our sewer capacity. It’s a three-to-five-year project that will start later this year. We’re expecting a significant boom when that project is complete, or even halfway through when certain sections are done. 1,500 housing units have come forward but stopped until the sewer is done.” STALLINGS AGREES THAT THE SEWER PROJECT WILL BE A BOON FOR THE TOWN. “A lot of investors are coming out of markets like Chicago, Dallas, and New York, looking at Granville County and seeing the potential and promise here. And they’re looking to get in early, instead of waiting for the water and sewer improvements being put in place,” he shares. “There are several investors on the industrial side that are looking at Butner for new industrial park developments and those are in various stages. But all of them are doubling down on the idea of getting the land under contract, the entitlements put in place, and being ready to roll once the water/sewer infrastructure project is complete.” MORE DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS Butner is preparing for new growth in many other ways. McMillen reports that the town is trying to develop a town center area along Central Avenue, its main street, and home to the Town Hall and the town gazebo, which sits across the street in Gazebo Park. It’s rethinking its zoning ordinances to allow for more commercial and mixed-use construction and it’s building a permanent performance stage at the park for future events. A plan to transform some 400 acres with multi-use buildings and shopping options, named Butner Gateway, is also in the works. “Right now, we don’t have big box stores, and shopping isn’t as available as in our neighboring towns,” says Mayor Jordon.“So, we want to build something to keep our dollars in our municipality.” “We’re also preparing ourselves to have more affordable housing and more housing, in general,” she adds. “The term affordable housing can have a 8 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 05, ISSUE 07