Property tax exemptions all begin with the question of ownership. Only certain types of property owners may qualify for a property tax exemption—governments, educational institutions, and religious congregations, to name a few. If the property is not owned by a … Read more
North Carolina statutes protect most public employee information from public access. Public employees have the right to inspect almost all of the information in the files their employers maintain about them. The statutes do, however, carve a few types of … Read more
In some scenarios, determining land use is fairly simple. The ordinance permits a donut shop, the owner establishes and operates a donut shop, and the land use is clear. But land development over time is not always straightforward, and clear … Read more
Cell tower construction is a hot zoning topic. The proliferation of connected devices has substantially increased the demand for wireless data transmission. Everyone wants good cell reception and high quality access for their mobile devices. But no one wants to … Read more
Were I a gambler, I would not have bet on this result. No, I don’t mean Duke’s glorious trouncing of the Tar Heels on Saturday night. I mean last Friday’s surprising ruling from the North Carolina Supreme Court that Lumberton’s … Read more
Betty Sue has served on the Caring County Board of Commissioners during politically turbulent times — the civil rights movement, the war in in Viet Nam, Apartheid in South Africa, women’s rights, and the right to bear arms. On these … Read more
An elected member of a North Carolina city council dies or moves away or resigns. Or a member of a board of county commissioners. Or a county school board. A vacancy is created. The statutes are clear about who picks … Read more