Are North Carolina cities and counties making more use of conditional zoning? Are the approval rates for variances and special use permits going up or down in North Carolina? Are form-based codes and standards only something we read about, or … Read more

Once we make it through the pandemic, many employees will be returning to work for the first time in a very long while. To prepare for this return, organizations may want to review and update their dress codes and/or grooming … Read more

This week brought a lot of news about the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Roy Cooper issued a modified stay-at-home order, which takes effect at 5:00 p.m. today. The FDA took the first step toward authorizing use of a COVID-19 vaccine. My … Read more

North Carolina is experiencing increasing numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations at a particularly challenging time: right as families are preparing to celebrate winter holidays, college students are returning home, and the weather is cooling and making outdoor gatherings less … Read more

How should the pandemic affect property tax values for 2021?  The answer depends on (1) whether the property is personal or real and (2) whether the county is conducting a real property reappraisal in 2021.  Read on for the details.

A town recently constructed a recreational center that offers an indoor pool, exercise equipment, and fitness classes. Several town residents have asked the town council to limit use of the facility to town residents and their invited guests. The residents … Read more

[Update (12/14/2020): On December 10, 2020, the North Carolina Department of Justice issued an informal opinion letter that differs from the opinion that I reach in this blog post. In the post, I conclude that cities and counties probably lack … Read more

The social justice protests that erupted in many areas of the country this summer focused mostly on law enforcement.  But systemic bias can infect any area of government, even the seemingly objective world of property tax administration.  For proof, check … Read more

[For a fuller discussion, with statutory citations, click] North Carolina’s election laws provide two different ways for losing candidates to challenge an election—one way for most elections and one way for top state offices. For the great majority of elective … Read more

To relieve downward economic pressures on land development resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the North Carolina General Assembly has extended the term of most development approvals three times: on May 4, 2020, on September 4, 2020, and on March 11, … Read more

Chapter 160D is the updated statutory authority for development regulations like zoning and subdivision in North Carolina. This new chapter of the North Carolina General Statutes consolidates the city- and county-enabling statutes for development regulations (previously under Chapters 153A and … Read more

To understand the Superior Court judge’s rational for striking down the city of Wilmington’s whole-house lodging ordinance (Sec. 18-329), it is helpful to review the law that served as the basis for the decision.  As discussed in this previous blog … Read more

Philemona has just started a job as a Human Resources Director in Charterville.  She has years of expertise, but she is new to North Carolina. At the end of her first day, the manager asks whether she has any questions. … Read more

How does elder abuse show up in your community? How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected how that abuse happens or how local professionals respond to it? A new opportunity to address these concerns is opening up September 9th. The intent … Read more

It is never too soon to start thinking about recovery, even in the midst of the pandemic. As communities look toward recovery, leaders are wrestling with how to establish a legally permissible aid program to assist small businesses with reopening. … Read more

On March 31, 2020, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 124, which, among other things, prohibited certain collection practices by local government utilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the utility-related provisions of Executive Order 124, as amended by Executive … Read more

Just like everything else in 2020, the North Carolina General Assembly is adapting to changing circumstances rapidly and adjusting legislative plans fairly often. At the moment, it appears that they wrapped up business for the summer and plan to return … Read more

North Carolina law requires all persons to comply with communicable disease control measures prescribed by the Commission for Public Health, an administrative rule-making body. G.S. 130A-144(f). If a person fails to comply with required control measures, public health officials may … Read more

In the most recent legislative session, the General Assembly amended the state’s emergency management act to impose new publication requirements on county and city state of emergency declarations (S.L. 2020-83, Sec. 11.7).  Prior to enactment of HB593 which amended GS … Read more

  Chapter 160D became fully effective statewide on July 1, 2021. Chapter 160D was enacted in July 2019 with a delayed effective date of January 1, 2021. The date was delayed in order to give cities and counties time to … Read more