UPDATED TO: 8/18/17
The 2017 session of the North Carolina General Assembly convened for an organizational session on January 11, 2017 and began regular sessions on January 25. The session adjourned on June 30. The legislature will return in August and in the fall to consider bills vetoed by the Governor, concurrence in bills adopted, conference reports, appointments, redistricting, and other specified topics. The regular short session to address budget adjustments and bills passed by one house in 2017 will convene on May 16, 2018.
The following is a list of bills related to planning, land use regulation, environment, transportation, and similar matters addressed in 2017. Where substantially similar or identical bills were filed in both houses and only one was adopted or passed the house of introduction, only that bill is listed.
Bills (other than those affecting revenues and appropriations) had to pass the house of introduction by April 27, 2017 for further consideration in 2018.
House bills are listed first, followed by Senate bills. The last action taken in each house is indicated. For bills that have become law, a session law chapter number is included in the last column. Abbreviations used in the table are:
- "Comm. fav." indicates the bill has been reported out of a committee with a favorable recommendation, but no floor action was taken.
- "Passed" indicates the bill passed third reading in the indicated house.
- "Conf." indicates a conference committee has been appointed to reconcile differences in House and Senate versions of adopted bills.
- "Ratif." indicates final General Assembly approval, pending action by Governor
Quick links to the bill texts are provided for some bills. Clicking on the underlined Bill Numbers in the far left column will take you to the General Assembly's detailed information on that bill (including sponsors, bill history, and votes). That site also has a link for the latest text of the bill. Clicking on the underlined Session Law numbers in the far right column will take you to a copy of the bill as enacted. Copies of the texts of all bills, and a detailed legislative history for each bill, can be obtained through the General Assembly's Bill Information web site.
Bill Number | Title/Short Description | House Action | Senate Action | Session Law |
H. 3 | Amend state constitution to limit use of eminent domain to acquisitions for public purposes | Passed | ||
H. 10 | Add statutory limits on use of eminent domain | |||
H. 25 | Allow planning board to hold hearing and make final decision on zoning map amendments, with appeals to governing board, applicable only in Randolph County and its municipalities | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-19 |
H. 31 | Inclusion of property in unfunded transportation plan is not a material fact that must be disclosed in real estate transaction | Comm. fav. | ||
H. 56 | Amend environmental laws, including land use restrictions on underground storage tanks | Passed | Passed | Conf. |
H. 89 | Allow cities to transfer housing authority functions to COG | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-178 |
H. 92 | Establish blue ribbon committee on transportation infrastructure funding | Passed | ||
H. 109 | Annex specified area into Fayetteville | |||
H. 111 | Allow Winston-Salem to recover costs on publication in housing code enforcement cases | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-20 |
H. 141 | Allow cities and counties to require bonds for road maintenance prior to DOT acceptance into state system | |||
H. 158 | Allow cities and counties to use of private funds and special assessments for critical infrastructure, clarify use of subdivision performance guarantees | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-40 |
H. 173 | Amend various provisions on outdoor advertising, including: increase state permit fees; revise compensation required for billboard removal; limit zoning enforcement and appeals regarding billboard relocation; liberalize permitted vegetative clearing | |||
H. 205 | Revise definitions and requirements for newspapers publishing public notices; allow Guilford County and its municipalities to substitute electronic for published notices of hearings | Passed | Passed | Vetoed |
H. 219 | Establish transportation megaproject fund | |||
H. 232 | Provide additional Main Street funding for poor counties | |||
H. 244 | Revise public participation requirements for solid waste composting permits, set minimum 500-foot buffer from sensitive uses | Passed | ||
H. 252 | Revise provisions of building code statute, including local governments preempted from requiring inspections on one and two family dwellings beyond state requirements; limit need for architect or engineer certification if manufacturer has certified components; require annual informal internal review of inspection decisions | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-130 |
H. 261 | Allow special property tax rates for property zoned and used for residential purposes and later zoned for nonresidential use | |||
H. 264 | Limit present use value taxation for property occupied by solar farm | |||
H. 271 | Repeal plastic bags ban on Outer Banks areas | |||
H. 275 | Exempt runway and taxiway areas from stormwater utility fees | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-132 |
H. 292 | Disapprove rules on Cape Fear reclassification and water quality management plan | |||
H. 310 | Revise provisions for regulation of wireless technology; limit local regulation of small wireless facilities | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-159 |
H. 319 | Study solar facility de-commissioning requirements | Passed | ||
H. 349 | Allow Currituck County, with NCDOT agreement, to use developer funds to construct roads to connect subdivisions | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-49 |
H. 374 | Various reforms, including extension of life of septic tank permits, revise stormwater rules by local governments | Comm. fav. | ||
H. 376 | Authorize use of funds received to be used as collateral for subdivision performance guarantees | Passed | ||
H. 397 | Deannex area from Carolina Shores; allow county participation in Wilmington downtown development project | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-86 |
H. 405 | Require homebuilders who are refunded impact fees imposed without authority to reimburse homeowners who paid any portion of the fees as part of purchase price of home | |||
H. 406 | Repeal Orange County authority to impose impact fees | Passed | Passed | S.L 2017-36 |
H. 423 | Provide checkoff for income tax donations for protection of land, water, and natural resources -- Conservation Grant Fund | |||
H. 432 | Revise standards for publication of legal ads, including allowing electronic notices | |||
H. 436 | Provide for uniform system of development fees for capital improvements for water and sewer service; set three year statute of limitations for recovery of past unlawful fees | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-138 |
H. 442 | Abolish municipal extraterritorial planning and development regulation jurisdiction as of 1/1/18 | |||
H. 454 | Revise survey and map requirements for plats | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-27 |
H. 457 | Revise provisions for county subdivision performance guarantees for streets | Passed | ||
H. 467 | Clarify damages available for private nuisance actions regarding agriculture and forestry operations | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-11 |
H. 470 | Substantially revise permitting for commercial wind energy facilities | |||
H. 507 | Modify provisions on permit choice rule when development regulations are amended; modify statutory vested rights; prohibit third party rezonings; revise provisions on judicial review of quasi-judicial zoning decisions; limit estoppel defense if conditions challenged; expand recovery of attorney fees; modify subdivision performance guarantee provisions; limit permit denials where there is inadequate infrastructure; limit building inspections; limit requirements for right of way acquisition | Passed | ||
H. 509 | Allow Davidson County to allow planning board to hear and decide rezonings, with appeal to board of commissioners | Passed | Comm. fav. | |
H. 528 | Set time periods for DOT review of traffic impact analysis and decisions on driveway permits | Passed | ||
H. 530 | Modify county authority regarding condemnation of unsafe buildings | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-109 |
H. 557 | Revise mitigation program | |||
H. 561 | Authorize sanitary districts to impose impact fees for maintenance and future system expansion | |||
H. 572 | Internet publication of legal notices | |||
H. 573 | Allow cities to apply to court for receiver to rehab, demolish, or sell vacant building if owner refuses to comply with order to do so | |||
H. 574 | Revise permitting for commercial wind energy, enhance military coordination | Comm. fav. | ||
H. 578 | Modify standards for selective vegetation removal for billboards | |||
H. 579 | Revise just compensation standards for removal of billboards | Comm. fav. | ||
H. 580 | Allow additional relocation and reconstruction of billboards | Comm. fav. | ||
H. 581 | Modify regulations and fees for billboards, including defining unzoned commercial and industrial areas, delete billboard maintenance limits, revise rules for billboard removal on all roads, revise provisions on modernization and relocation of billboards and vegetation removal, limit amortization of nonconforming billboards | Failed | ||
H. 589 | Comprehensive energy reforms, including provisions for decommissioning solar facilities, moratorium on wind facility permits until 12/31/20 | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-192 |
H. 602 | Allow cities to require performance guarantees when industrial property is demolished | Comm. fav. | ||
H. 622 | Periodic inspects for housing in low-population cities | |||
H. 626 | Allow zoning regulation of large-scale poultry farms | |||
H. 632 | Amend environmental mitigation requirements | Passed | ||
H. 637 | Clarify funding for regional water and sewer infrastructure funding | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-17 |
H. 642 | Establish rebuttable presumption of proper use of land in zoning, establish clear and convincing evidence rule in quasi-judicial zoning proceedings | |||
H. 668 | Clarify that cities can enforce state laws on political signs on state roads within the city | Passed | ||
H. 687 | Amend coal ash regulations | |||
H. 718 | Study provision of water, sewer, public enterprises and fees and funding for it | Comm. fav. | ||
H. 721 | Limit purchase of coal mined by "mountain-top removal" | |||
H. 722 | Phase out hog lagoons | |||
H. 794 | Modifications for permitting efficiencies | Passed | ||
H. 905 | Reenact conservation tax credit | |||
H. 911 | Create private sector affordable housing program | |||
S. 6 | Annex specified parcels to Cornelius | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-70 |
S. 16 | Regulatory reform bill, includes provisions on stromwater rules for redevelopment projects, study of sedimentation control programs | Passed | Passed | Vetoed |
S. 35 | Add statutory limits on use of eminent domain | |||
S. 92 | Allow cities and counties to require bonds for road maintenance prior to DOT acceptance into state system | Comm. fav. | ||
S. 103 | Annex specified area into Fayetteville | |||
S. 105 | Annex specified area to Fairmont, extend Troutman ETJ, deannex area from Garner | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-76 |
S. 107 | Facilitate removal of obsolete dams | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-145 |
S. 122 | Repeal charter for Centerville | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-43 |
S. 131 | Regulatory reform for various environmental and local development regulation statutes, including: exclude landscaped walk and bikeways from "built upon" area; revise CRC rules on temporary erosion control structures update erosion rates near terminal groins; relax numerous reporting requirements; revise requirement for plan consistency statements for zoning amendments; define comprehensive plan to include UDO; revise subdivision exemptions; set various statutes of limitations for zoning enforcement actions; DEQ study riparian buffers | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-10 |
S. 156 | Modify provisions re plumbing contractors | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-15 |
S. 219 | Annex property into Indian Beach, specifies zoning for area, and declare all structures to be conforming to town zoning | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-51 |
S. 257 | Budget for 2017-19 | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-57 |
S. 260 | Wake Forest annexation | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-47 |
S. 261 | Deannex specified area from Kannapolis | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-84 |
S. 266 | Annex specified area into Durham and Walkertown | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-80 |
S. 268 | Allow city stormwater programs to include flood reduction techniques on private property | |||
S. 279 | Reduce property tax exclusion for solar energy facilities | |||
S. 289 | Deannex specified area from Sunset Beach and Kinston | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-85 |
S. 292 | Decriminalize violations of city and county ordinances | Comm. fav. | Passed | |
S. 296 | Process for road improvements near schools | |||
S. 300 | Allow inclusionary zoning in Durham city and county | |||
S. 343 | Revise standards for newspaper and electronic publication of hearing notices | Comm. fav. | Passed | |
S. 366 | Substantially revise permitting for commercial wind energy facilities | |||
S. 372 | Revise survey and map requirements for plats | |||
S. 373 | Revise provisions for county subdivision performance guarantees for streets | |||
S. 406 | Limit sweepstakes machines to four per location | |||
S. 419 | Consolidate and reorganize statutes on planning and development regulation (160D proposal) | Passed | ||
S. 434 | Amend various environmental laws, including repeal plastic bag ban on Outer Banks; local riparian buffer limits | Passed | ||
S. 435 | Revise provisions for publication of legal notices | |||
S. 460 | Clarify damages available for private nuisance actions regarding agriculture and forestry operations | |||
S. 469 | Amend environmental laws, including standards for septic tanks | Comm. fav. | Passed | |
S. 533 | Move mitigation program from DEQ to DOT, modify mitigation requirements | |||
S. 539 | Limit local government use of eminent domain to public uses, repeal ban on plastic bags on Outer Banks | |||
S. 555 | Authorize sanitary districts to impose impact fees for maintenance and future system expansion | |||
S. 557 | Establish process for municipal annexation of enclaves | |||
S. 611 | Revise mitigation program | |||
S. 615 | Revise laws affecting agriculture, including eliminate authority of counties to apply zoning to large scale hog farms, clarify agritourism exemption, clarify that only nonresidential buildings are exempt from building code | Passed | Passed | S.L. 2017-108 |
S. 642 | Provide for de novo review of board of adjustment decisions and change burden of proof to clear and convincing evidence |