How Moore County, NC is Managing Growth While Keeping Service Strong

Balancing Small-Town Charm with Booming Growth 

Tucked into the rolling Sandhills of North Carolina, Moore County blends small-town character with world-class destinations like Pinehurst and Southern Pines. Known for its historic villages, towering longleaf pines, and U.S. Open golf courses, the county is a magnet for visitors and new residents alike.

Today, Moore County is home to more than 110,000 residents, with projections showing the population will exceed 147,000 by 2040. Signs of expansion are everywhere—new single-family neighborhoods taking shape, large-scale developments breaking ground, and major projects like Amazon’s upcoming hub on the horizon. In 2024 alone, the Building Department issued nearly 1,000 private residential permits - a clear reflection of the county’s rapid development, but also a reminder of the growing workload pressure on staff.

The Challenge of Rising Development

As Moore County’s growth accelerated, so did the steady flow of inquiries from builders, homeowners, and residents - often asking the same questions again and again. Before Acta, staff spent valuable time tracking down answers, searching for the right forms, and manually attaching documents to each response. The pressure to reply quickly sometimes came at the expense of consistency and quality, leading to unnecessary back-and-forth’s with applicants and, in some cases, delays in processing.

The team needed a way to:

• Respond quickly without sacrificing accuracy
  
  
• Keep messaging consistent across all staff members
  
  
• Reduce the time spent on repetitive inquiries so they could focus on higher-value work

Moore County partnered with Acta to embed a pre-approved, department-specific knowledge base directly into the tools staff already used every day. With the Acta Smart Response System and Acta Operations Manual, staff could instantly access ready-to-send responses with documents attached, ensure every message reflected department-specific policies, and streamline communication without switching between multiple systems. Because Acta integrates seamlessly with Outlook and the county’s permitting tools, adoption was quick, with no steep learning curve, no extra logins, and no disruption to daily workflows.

Since launching in May, staff have already used Acta 1,325 times, saving an estimated 400 staff hours. Inquiries that once took minutes now take seconds to answer, every resident receives the same clear and accurate information, and less time spent on repetitive questions means more focus on inspections, application processing, and planning for future growth. The result is faster responses, consistent messaging, and improved public trust—proof that small changes in workflow can deliver big results for busy departments.

How Using Acta Helped Moore County Save 400 Staff Hours

Moore County partnered with Acta to embed a pre-approved, department-specific knowledge base directly into the tools staff already used every day. Through the Acta Smart Response System and Acta Operations Manual, staff could instantly:

• Access ready-to-send responses, complete with the right attachments
  
  
• Ensure every email reflected department-approved language and policies
  
  
• Streamline communication without switching between multiple systems

Because Acta integrates seamlessly with Outlook and the county’s permitting tools, adoption was quick, with no need for a steep learning curve, extra logins, or disruptions to daily workflows. 

Since launching in May, staff have used Acta 1,325 times, saving an estimated 400 staff hours. This efficiency has transformed daily operations - cutting average response times from 30 minutes to just one, ensuring every resident receives clear and accurate information, and freeing staff time to focus on higher-priority projects. The result is a department recognized for fast, consistent communication that the public can trust, demonstrating how small, strategic workflow changes can create a big impact.

Looking Into the Future

As Moore County continues to grow, its Building Department is better equipped to keep pace, without overburdening staff or compromising service quality. By turning repetitive communication into a streamlined, reliable process, Acta has helped Moore County maintain its trusted responsiveness while navigating the demand of rapid development.

Moore County’s story shows what’s possible when local governments pair committed teams with the right tools: a community that can grow without losing its character, and a reliable department that serves with both speed and accuracy.