The Hamlet Zoning Board has finalized a list of incentives for new home development, and along with that, some procedures for building inspections.
As part of the “22 by ‘22” goal, the town would provide three months of free water, sewer, and trash and recycling pickup, along with at-cost water and sewer connections, plus the possibility of reduced or suspended permit fees. The resolution leaves it up to the builder to hire a home inspector, and language added Wednesday requires the inspector to provide a copy of a valid license to be kept on file.
Board President Dave Kesvormas says Hamlet is already getting closer to his 22-home goal, and he continues to hear from developers. “There’s a lot of excitement, I can say, and interest from their perspective,” Kesvormas said. “I think the only thing that I’ve heard any of them say bad is that everybody’s concerned about lumber pricing right now.”
The lots along the west side of Jefferson Street, in particular, are proving attractive. A building permit for another nearly-1,200-square foot home was approved by the zoning board Wednesday.
“22 by ‘22” is somewhat loosely defined. Hamlet is offering the incentive through the end of next year, and the town is counting commercial square footage toward its goal. The resolution does not offer incentives for remodeling projects, but Kesvormas says he’d be willing to discuss it on a case-by-case basis.
“I think the incentive is we’ve got some new houses on the table, and I want to encourage more because there are still several empty lots in town that can be built on, absolutely,” he added.
Resident Lee Nagai urged town officials to highlight Hamlet’s location in an Opportunity Zone when promoting the town to potential developers. The federal program offers tax incentives for investment in low-income communities.
