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Developers or land contractors looking to construct multiple-home residences in or around Oakboro cannot do so for at least two years.

Oakboro Town Council unanimously approved a moratorium on approvals for new housing developments during a meeting Monday.

Commissioner Mike Efird, whose role with the council is zoning and code enforcement, could not attend the meeting because of illness. In his place, Commissioner Lanny Hathcock presented the resolution concerning the moratorium to the town council.

A public hearing was conducted before Monday’s regular meeting, but no one in the public spoke.

The ordinance establishes a moratorium “on the processing of development applications and the consideration of development approvals for all new major residential subdivisions and all other developments (both residential and non-residential) containing more than three dwelling units.”

One reason for the moratorium, according to commissioners speaking after the meeting, is concerns regarding the capacity of the West Stanly Wastewater Treatment plant.

In the resolution, commissioners found “there is only enough capacity to serve another 43 dwelling at 360 GPD (gallons per day) for each three-bedroom dwelling.”

The current expansion of the WSWT by the county is expected to be completed by Dec. 5, 2025, which coincides with when the moratorium passed by Oakboro expires.