Tonald Drump, a national real estate tycoon, is interested in developing an area in Frugal Village, NC. His proposal includes mixed-use residential and commercial development, located just outside the village’s downtown. Drump is an experienced developer and knows that adequate public … Read more

Susan is a salaried employee and does not receive overtime pay no matter how many hours she works in a given workweek. Robert is a salaried employee and is paid overtime whenever he works more than 40 hours in a … Read more

Like other local governments, the Town of Hapless has adopted a minimum housing code pursuant to G.S. 160A-443 (for more on minimum housing codes, see Tyler Mulligan’s book here).  In March of this year the town’s inspection department received numerous … Read more

Three members of a five-member city council are up for reelection. They attend multiple candidate events, including candidate forums. The Chamber of Commerce and League of Women Voters sponsor forums for candidates that are open to the public. A neighborhood … Read more

The city will soon be making a major land use regulatory decision.  There is a 15-acre site in town that is mostly vacant, but has a few modest, outdated commercial buildings.  The site fronts a major street, so more intensive … Read more

Many commentators saw the United States Supreme Court’s June decision in Shelby County, Ala., v. Holder, ___ US ___, 133 SCt 2612, eliminating the preclearance requirement of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, as a significant setback for African … Read more

Carolina County has been working with its largest municipality, Tar Heel Town, to  redevelop one of Tar Heel Town’s more dilapidated neighborhoods.  Many of the properties in this neighborhood are owned by absentee landlords who fail to maintain them properly.  … Read more

A county ambulance crew member calls Fiona, the county finance officer, at 9pm on Sunday night. The crew just responded to their third call of the night and he needs to refuel the ambulance. Fiona grabs a copy of the county’s budget … Read more

“Annexation” is the incorporation of new territory into an existing city. North Carolina allows three methods of annexation:  1) city-initiated (“involuntary”), 2) by petition from property-owners or residents (“voluntary”), and 3) by act of the General Assembly (“legislative”). The General … Read more

[Update: On October 23, 2013, the North Carolina Division of Public Health issued a position statement on the change to the definition of “private club” in the food and lodging laws. The statement specifies that an establishment must have a … Read more