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Certified Sites
North Carolina offers various certification programs to ensure sites are ready for immediate development.
Explore Certified Sites in North Carolina
Since 2001, North Carolina has offered an official Certified Sites program to provide a statewide inventory of industrial sites that have undergone a rigorous prequalification process to ensure they are “shovel ready” for immediate development and meet a consistent set of standards.
The Certified Sites program reduces the risks associated with development by providing detailed information about a site’s price and availability, utilities, access, environmental concerns, potential development costs, and more. Sites are periodically re-certified to ensure accurate and reliable data.
About Certified Sites
To obtain the Certified Sites designation, communities must undergo a stringent review process to demonstrate they have addressed 31 prerequisites, including:
- Business/industrial use designation.
- Phase I environment audits.
- Geo-technical studies.
- Topographical analysis and maps.
- Aerial photography.
- Availability of public utilities.
- Industrial power quality.
- Engineered site development plans.
- Detailed analysis of development cost.
- Complete information on pricing.
All documentation for the Steering Committee to review must be submitted three weeks before the meeting. The Certified Sites Steering Committee generally meets on the fourth Wednesday of every other month of the year, starting in February.
For more information about the Certified Sites Program, contact:
Will Best
North Carolina Certified Sites Director
North Carolina Department of Commerce
(984) 365-0298
wbest@commerce.nc.gov
Other Certification Programs
FAQs
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What is a certified site?
A certified site is an industrial property that has completed a comprehensive pre-development evaluation, confirming it’s ready for development. Through the certification process, potential buyers and developers gain access to verified information about the site’s availability, pricing, utility infrastructure, transportation access, environmental status, and estimated development costs. This upfront due diligence reduces project risks and accelerates timelines by eliminating many of the uncertainties typically associated with site selection. Sites undergo periodic recertification to maintain current, accurate data.
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How do I find available certified sites in North Carolina?
Finding available certified sites in North Carolina is easy with the EDPNC. Search our comprehensive database of available properties on our site selection website. Our interactive search tools allow you to filter by property size, building specifications, transportation access, utility infrastructure, and proximity to workforce and suppliers.
Contact our team to learn more about site options and schedule a site visit.
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