East Durham development remains stalled by a sewage capacity crisis that has now touched 104 total projects, with city staff scheduled to brief residents and property owners at a public meeting Thursday evening.
Water Management Director Don Greeley told the City Council at Monday's work session that 57 developers have contacted the city since the problem became public. Of their 104 projects, 32 can move forward fully, 64 can only proceed in part, and seven are on hold entirely.
The freeze traces to a "Letter to Industry" the city posted on its website saying no new water or sewer hookups would be approved in the affected area without special permission. Developers pushed back hard. They said the city gave little warning, and the delays are causing real financial strain.
City Manager Bo Ferguson said in March that the city planned to expedite the infrastructure upgrades as quickly as possible. Council members echoed that urgency Monday. The fix centers on the Goose Creek outfall, a sewer line whose design the city is now advancing.
The affected corridor sits in a part of East Durham that has drawn significant residential and mixed-use investment in recent years, making the capacity ceiling a direct check on the neighborhood's growth. Thursday's public meeting is the city's first formal outreach to affected residents and property owners since the issue broke in March.