Mebane, NC Environmental Rules: Stormwater Management (2026)

Mebane adopted its stormwater program under Article VII of Chapter 6, the Phase II Post Construction Stormwater Management ordinance, citing authority from G.S. 143-214.7, Session Law 2006-246 and G.S. ch. 160A §§ 174, 185 in Sec. 6-192. Sec. 6-195(a) applies the article to all development and redevelopment, including site plan and subdivision applications, within both the city's corporate limits and its extraterritorial jurisdiction, unless a project qualifies for an exemption. The main exemption in Sec. 6-195(b)(1) covers development that cumulatively disturbs less than one acre and is not part of a larger common plan of development or sale; redevelopment that does not increase built-upon area and provides equal or better stormwater control is also exempt, and activities exempt from federal Clean Water Act Section 404 permitting, mainly ongoing farming and forestry, are exempt as well.

Sec. 6-195(c) makes noncompliance a bar to building at all: no development or redevelopment may occur except in compliance with the article or under a valid exemption, and no project for which the article requires a permit may proceed except within that permit's provisions, conditions and limitations. The stormwater administrator enforces the article: Sec. 6-271 designates the administrator, any designee, or an authorized city agent as the enforcing official, and Sec. 6-272 provides remedies including withholding a certificate of occupancy, disapproving further permits, stop-work orders, and civil penalties up to the full amount the city itself faces for violating its own Phase II Stormwater permit, on top of misdemeanor criminal penalties.

Sec. 6-273 lets any person file a written complaint with the administrator, who must investigate and, after finding a violation, issue a written notice with a correction deadline before pursuing those remedies.