The state House gave final approval this afternoon to a bill that would require the city of Durham to let Southern Durham Development link its 751 South subdivision onto the city water system.
In February, the City Council voted unanimously to deny the developer's application for a utility connection.
SB 382 won approval 66-50 on its third reading and now goes to the state Senate for its concurrence. Because it is is a rewritten version of a bill the Senate had approved in 2011, it can be confirmed there with a single vote.
Anticipating a quick Senate approval, City Manager Tom Bonfield said the City Council will hold a special meeting on the bill July 5.
Bonfield has declined discussing any action the city might take in response.
House members debated the bill for more than an hour Tuesday before approving its second reading. Today, state Rep. Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, used a legislative procedure to prevent further debate.
Durham Rep. Paul Luebke, who tried unsuccessfully to remove the bill's section affecting Durham during Tuesday's debate, called Moore's move "completely inappropriate" and "reprehensible."
Luebke had said Wednesday morning that he planned to reiterate his argument that "this is a bill on behalf of private interest, this is a private interest that didn't agree with the city council decision."
Blocking debate before the final vote, he said, "is very, very wrong and, members (of the House), I hope it never happens again."
