<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>At the very end of this long bill (s-382) stripping the governor and AG of power, there is added a new provision stripping away the power of local government to take zoning action which reduces the value of allowed density on a parcel without the owner’s express permission. The General Assembly passed a law about ten years ago that took away the right of ordinary citizens to petition for the rezoning of land. This law kept the right of the local government to rezone property on its own motion. This means the local government could rezone land – even downzone it – without the owner’s permission. This new bill would strip away even the local government’s right to initiate a rezoning that affects value or density without the owner’s express permission. This means that if the government rezones land or rewrites a zoning rule, the action is legal only if it expands value or increases density or development rights. It’s an up-escalator only.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I disagree with Terry Mehaffy whose message appears below. stripping government’s right to regulate land use in a way that reduces development rights is the key to zoning. Without this there is no local environmental regulation. There is no neighborhood protection. There is no land conservation. There is no historic protection.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The bill passed in a rush and on Tuesday, November 26, Gov. Cooper vetoed the bill. now will the general Assembly override the veto? Probably. I think INC needs to communicate with at least the Durham delegation about this.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> SZ Rosenthal <szrcoho@mindspring.com> <br><b>Sent:</b> Saturday, November 30, 2024 3:02 PM<br><b>To:</b> tom miller <miller.tom2022@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Fwd: Interesting read about a Senate bill and LOCAL ZONING<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Did you see this?<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>s<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal>Begin forwarded message:<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>From: </span></b><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Mary Molina <<a href="mailto:mymolina49@yahoo.com">mymolina49@yahoo.com</a>></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Subject: Interesting read about a Senate bill and LOCAL ZONING</span></b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Date: </span></b><span style='font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>November 27, 2024 at 4:56:51 PM EST</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>FYI...please share as you see fit<br><br><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=Global_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100000604&af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_"><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone</span></a><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=yahoo-quoted-begin style='margin-top:0in'><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:#383B3E'>Begin forwarded message:</span><span style='font-size:11.5pt;color:#8473FF'><br><br>On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, 3:03 PM, Mary Molina <<a href="mailto:mymolina49@yahoo.com">mymolina49@yahoo.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div id=yiv6086500500><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>From Terry Mahaffey, Apex Town Council<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>"<span style='font-family:"Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif'>🚨⚠️</span>Bad Bill Alert! <span style='font-family:"Segoe UI Emoji",sans-serif'>⚠️🚨</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Senate Bill 382 has been getting a lot of press lately as a post election partisan power grab. But did you know that tucked in this bill is ALSO a provision that seemingly strips away local zoning authority? <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The NCGA is shifting a bunch of powers from the Governor and Attorney General (offices Democrats just won) to themselves and the State Auditors Office (controlled by Republicans). It's clearly unconstitutional, and that fight is on going. But that part of the bill is not what I'm here to talk about. Instead, more in my lane, I want to draw attention to the zoning law changes that seems to have far reaching ramifications. My read is it prevents common sense zoning measures every municipality undertakes (such as not allowing tobacco or vap shops near schools). It's complicated, but let me explain.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>First, the straight forward part. Tucked in at the end of the bill is a zoning provision which does two things:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>1. It prevents towns from "down zoning" a property without the owners consent. Generally speaking, a down zoning is when a property right of some type is removed<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>2. It expands the definition of down zoning<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Now, I actually don't have much of a problem with #1 - at least under the old definition of down zoning. Apex, and most towns, I think generally don't initiate rezonings on our own for anything other than our own property.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>This, on it's own, would likely outlaw any further "neighborhood overlay districts" commonly used by NIMBYs to restrict housing. I can live with that.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The problem is with the second part. This expansion of what it means to be a down zoning, COMBINED with the prevention of towns from being able to do it without permission, potentially means that most common sense zoning and development rules can no longer be done! The simple reason is, because the definition is so broad (it talks about "creating non-conformity" or "reducing uses") even simple things like deciding to prevent tobacco stores from opening next to a school are no longer allowed.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The issue is, MOST ordinances in some way shape or form prevent or restrict the uses of stuff. That's why they are laws. They are restrictive. That's just what laws do. This says we can't do (most) laws anymore.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>So, in some sense, it does really seem like S382 prevents towns from further restricting the commercial use of land, ever again. Whatever the land use rights are today, whatever uses are allowed, whatever provisions of signs or literally any other development rule is in place, are now the absolute bottom baseline and can never be further restricted, only expanded.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>If that sounds good to you, and maybe it does, please again keep in mind the tobacco shop example. MOST land use ordinances municipalities make are in the ballpark of regulating where questionable uses go and can't go.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>It seems like we can't do that anymore."<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=240 height=252 style='width:2.5in;height:2.625in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:4F32881E-A2DF-4BCC-A97A-5B0C2CD11B76"><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=Global_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100000604&af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:9.0pt'>Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone</span></a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=240 height=252 style='width:2.5in;height:2.625in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:4F32881E-A2DF-4BCC-A97A-5B0C2CD11B76"><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Sherri Zann Rosenthal<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>c919-949-6514<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>