I am so proud to have been born and raised in Halifax County and to now be working for county government to help make our home an even better place for everyone to live, work, recreate, operate a business, raise a family, and even more.
In recent years, our county’s population is aging and declining in numbers.
Along with our municipalities, we are eager to increase our inventory of affordable and workforce housing to make space for people, create a desire for young people to return, attract more job opportunities, grow our economy, continue to nurture our tourism industry, and more. Fortunately, we have many departments working diligently each day to accomplish these goals.
Economic development is crucial to the growth of the county.
No one takes that role more seriously than Economic Development Director Cathy Scott at the helm of the Halifax County Economic Development Commission.
The mission of the HCEDC is to support the creation of new jobs and investment in Halifax County and the retention and expansion of Halifax County’s existing business and industry. HCEDC offices are housed at the Halifax County Visitors Center located at 260 Premier Boulevard in Roanoke Rapids, adjacent to our primary economic artery — Interstate 95.
The HCEDC Board of Directors is made up of citizen volunteers appointed by the Halifax County Board of Commissioners.
HCEDC provides valuable, confidential support for new and expanding business and industry development, including detailed site selection Information; assistance in securing local and state incentives, low interest loans, and grant funds to support business/industry location and expansion; community orientation services for prospective employees or those relocating to Halifax County; coordination of resources between Halifax County, state/regional partners, and municipalities in implementing economic development activities; assistance in securing the best workforce for our new and expanding business and industry; and continued service and support through the Halifax County Business Retention & Expansion Program.
HCEDC also has a non-profit arm — Halifax County Business Horizons — a private, non-profit organization with a mission to provide funding for economic development projects in all of Halifax County.
Over the past five years, Halifax Horizons has raised over $800,000 to support business and industry recruitment and expansion and tourism development.
Through private contributions from businesses and individuals and guidance from the board of directors, Halifax Horizons provides critical financial support for projects that directly impact the success of local economic development efforts.
For sustainable development to happen, we must plan for it.
An important effort of Planning and Zoning, under the direction of Planning Director Chris Rountree, is to work with a consultant and stakeholders to develop the county’s comprehensive development plan.
The CDP includes such focus areas as land use and growth management; transportation and mobility; public infrastructure and utilities; economic development; agriculture; and parks, recreation, and environment.
Halifax County will begin the process of updating our CDP this year.
Planning and zoning services are focused on properties in the county that are outside the municipalities’ limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction — an area outside a municipality’s corporate limits where the municipality still has the authority to regulate certain aspects of land use.
This department is responsible for determining the following: building setbacks, floodplain data, lot sizes, subdivision approvals, watershed data, and zoning districts.
A Certificate of Zoning Compliance Permit is required for any structures being built or enlarged and mobile home installations or replacements.
Any new business, enlargements to existing businesses, or change in business operations requires a conditional use permit.
Planning and zoning engages with two boards: the planning board and board of adjustment. The planning board has an important role in land use planning and development regulations. The board of adjustment is a quasi-judicial body that hears and decides appeals, variances, and requests for interpretation of the zoning ordinance.
The building inspections department, led by Chief Building Inspector William Flynn, provides step-by-step guidance to the citizens of Halifax County on making any improvements to real estate.
The building inspections department maintains copies of all previous permits issued by other departments prior to the issuing of their own permits. For example, well and septic tank, authorization of construction, and zoning permits are all needed before a permit from the building inspections department can be issued. All building plans are to be reviewed by a certified official of this department.
The building inspection department keeps records of both licensed and unlicensed contractors in North Carolina.
The inspectors ensure that structures in the county's unincorporated areas are built safely and according to the NC State Building Code by performing routine inspections.
The department keeps accurate records of structures from start to finish and is responsible for the issuance of the following permits: building, electrical, insulation, mechanical, mobile home set-up, and plumbing.
This department works very closely with both the environmental health and planning and zoning departments. These three departments are housed in the same office for ease of access for the public.
For development to happen, appropriate infrastructure must be in place or planned as part of the development.
Critical infrastructure includes water and wastewater management, which falls under our Public Utilities Department, led by Public Utilities Director Chris Williams.
Public utilities is an enterprise fund, meaning that the services are self-sufficient and funded through user fees rather than tax revenue.
The Halifax County Public Utilities team manages and services approximately 650 miles of water/wastewater pipe, including repairing water main breaks all days of the week — even holidays — all times of day — often late at night or early in the morning — and in all kinds of weather since storms often cause breaks.
Halifax County cannot thank these dedicated workers enough, as clean, available water is one of our most precious resources.
An estimated 2.75 million gallons per day passes through the county’s water distribution system, serving 7,800 active water accounts. As a fun visual aid, according to the US Geological Survey website, a pool that holds just a million gallons of water would be 267 feet long — almost as long as a football field — 50-feet wide, and 10-feet deep. A million gallons of water weighs 8,340,000 pounds.
The public utilities department also includes the solid waste division, which is responsible for collection and disposal of household garbage for approximately 14,500 county households and businesses.
Weekly residential trash and recycling collection is provided through a contract with Unity of the Carolinas.
Seven county-owned convenience sites are available to county residents free of charge.
The locations of the convenience sites are as follows: Airport Center, Roanoke Rapids; Crowell’s Center, Enfield; Enfield Center, Enfield; Hollister Center, Littleton; Mary Chapel Church Center, Scotland Neck; Rightmyer Center, Roanoke Rapids; and Summit Center, Littleton.
One county-owned landfill located off Highway 48 is also available to residents free of charge except for construction and demolition material disposal. There is a Solid Waste Advisory Board to provide input on this service.
Sustainable development must also include the preservation and proper management of natural resources like soil and water.
The Fishing Creek Soil and Water Conservation District, led by Conservation Manager Chelsea Ricks, and their partner, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, help local citizens of Halifax County to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and related natural resources.
The Fishing Creek SWCD was established in November 1937.
Fishing Creek SWCD has a board of supervisors that consists of three elected positions and two appointed positions.
Soil and water conservation programs include the Agriculture Cost Share Program to improve water quality on agricultural lands that reduce nonpoint source pollution, the Agricultural Water Resources Assistance Program to increase water use efficiency and water storage/availability for agricultural purposes, and the Community Conservation Assistance Program to reduce nonpoint source pollution on developed lands not directly involved with agricultural production. Soil and water also offers technical assistance and environmental education for local students.
Protecting Halifax County’s natural resources and maximizing our assets to attract new residential and commercial/industrial development are primary goals.
Proper planning ensures that the right infrastructure and resources are in place or included as part of sustainable development.
Christinia Wells
Deputy county manager, Halifax County