With Mocksville’s Southpointe Business Park operating at near capacity, Davie County leaders wanted to expand the park to include 85 additional acres nearby, but linking the two properties would require a new road and bridge.
To address the challenge, Davie leaders turned to the state’s Utility Account for help. Earlier this year, the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority approved a $450,000 request by the Town of Mocksville that will help make new parcels available for businesses and jobs.
The Utility Account of the Industrial Development Fund provides grants to local governments of Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties. It is derived from a portion of the Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) awards. Utility Account funds may be used for roads, water and sewer lines, rail spurs and other publicly-owned infrastructure. There is no maximum for Utility Account grants, but awards are made based on an expectation that job creation will occur as a result.
Terry Bralley, president of the Davie County Economic Development Commission, said the new roadway at Southpointe Business Park sets the stage for new shell buildings there and, ultimately, new employers. “Roads, water and sewer are a weakness for rural counties like ours,” Bralley said. Keeping an inventory of ready industrial properties “gets us there before the need is there, and helps us stay competitive.”