reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NC Gen Stat § 160D-304 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 3 - Boards and Organizational Arrangements.|§ 160D-304 - Appearance commission.

 160D-304. Appearance commission.(a) Composition. - Each local government may create a special commission, to be known as the appearance commission. The commission shall consist of not less than seven nor more than 15 members, to be appointed by the governing board for terms not to exceed four years, as the governing board may by ordinance provide. All members shall be residents of the local government's area of planning and development regulation jurisdiction at the time of appointment. Where possible, appointments shall be made in such a manner as to maintain on the commission at all times a majority of members who have had special training or experience in a design field, such as architecture, landscape design, horticulture, city planning, or a related field. Members of the commission may be reimbursed for actual expenses incidental to the performance of their duties within the limits of any funds available to the commission but shall serve without pay unless otherwise provided in the ordinance establishing the commission. Membership of the commission is an office that may be held concurrently with any other elective or appointive office pursuant to Section 9 of Article VI of the North Carolina Constitution.(b) Joint Commissions. - Local governments may establish a joint appearance commission. If a joint commission is established, it shall have the same composition as specified by this section, and the local governments involved shall determine the residence requirements for members of the joint commission.(c) Duties. - The community appearance commission shall have the duties specified in G.S. 160D-960.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-305 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 3 - Boards and Organizational Arrangements.|§ 160D-305 - Housing appeals board.

 160D-305. Housing appeals board.(a) Composition. - The governing board may by ordinance provide for the creation and organization of a housing appeals board. Instead of establishing a housing appeals board, a local government may designate the board of adjustment as its housing appeals board. The housing appeals board, if created, shall consist of five members to serve for three-year staggered terms.(b) Duties. - The housing appeals board shall have the duties specified in G.S. 160D-1208.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-306 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 3 - Boards and Organizational Arrangements.|§ 160D-306 - Other advisory boards.

 160D-306. Other advisory boards.A local government may by ordinance establish additional advisory boards as deemed appropriate. The ordinance establishing such boards shall specify the composition and duties of such boards.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-307 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 3 - Boards and Organizational Arrangements.|§ 160D-307 - Extraterritorial representation on boards.

 160D-307. Extraterritorial representation on boards.(a) Proportional Representation. - When a city elects to exercise extraterritorial powers under this Chapter, it shall provide a means of proportional representation based on population for residents of the extraterritorial area to be regulated. The population estimates for this calculation shall be updated no less frequently than after each decennial census. Representation shall be provided by appointing at least one resident of the entire extraterritorial planning and development regulation area to the planning board, board of adjustment, appearance commission, and the historic preservation commission if there are historic districts or designated landmarks in the extraterritorial area.(b) Appointment. - Membership of joint municipal-county planning agencies or boards of adjustment may be appointed as agreed by counties and cities. The extraterritorial representatives on a city advisory board authorized by this Article shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners with jurisdiction over the area. The county shall make the appointments within 90 days following the receipt of a request from the city that the appointments be made. Once a city provides proportional representation, no power available to a city under this Chapter is ineffective in its extraterritorial area solely because county appointments have not yet been made. If there is an insufficient number of qualified residents of the extraterritorial area to meet membership requirements, the board of county commissioners may appoint as many other residents of the county as necessary to make up the requisite number. When the extraterritorial area extends into two or more counties, each board of county commissioners concerned shall appoint representatives from its portion of the area, as specified in the ordinance. If a board of county commissioners fails to make these appointments within 90 days after receiving a resolution from the city council requesting that they be made, the city council may make them.(c) Voting Rights. - If the ordinance so provides, the outside representatives may have equal rights, privileges, and duties with the other members of the board to which they are appointed, regardless of whether the matters at issue arise within the city or within the extraterritorial area; otherwise, they shall function only with respect to matters within the extraterritorial area.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, ss. 8, 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-308 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 3 - Boards and Organizational Arrangements.|§ 160D-308 - Rules of procedure.

 160D-308. Rules of procedure.Rules of procedure that are consistent with the provisions of this Chapter may be adopted by the governing board for any or all boards created under this Article. In the absence of action by the governing board, each board created under this Article is authorized to adopt its own rules of procedure that are consistent with the provisions of this Chapter. A copy of any adopted rules of procedure shall be maintained by the local government clerk or such other official as designated by ordinance and posted on the local government Web site if one exists. Each board shall keep minutes of its proceedings.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-309 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 3 - Boards and Organizational Arrangements.|§ 160D-309 - Oath of office.

 160D-309. Oath of office.All members appointed to boards under this Article shall, before entering their duties, qualify by taking an oath of office as required by G.S. 153A-26 and G.S. 160A-61.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-310 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 3 - Boards and Organizational Arrangements.|§ 160D-310 - Appointments to boards.

 160D-310. Appointments to boards.Unless specified otherwise by statute or local ordinance, all appointments to boards authorized by this Chapter shall be made by the governing board of the local government. The governing board may establish reasonable procedures to solicit, review, and make appointments.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-401 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 4 - Administration, Enforcement, and Appeals.|§ 160D-401 - Application.

 160D-401. Application.(a) The provisions of this Article shall apply to all development regulations adopted pursuant to this Chapter. Local governments may apply any of the definitions and procedures authorized by this Article to any ordinance adopted under the general police power of cities and counties, Article 8 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes, and Article 6 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes, respectively, and may employ any organizational structure, board, commission, or staffing arrangement authorized by this Article to any or all aspects of those ordinances. The provisions of this Article also apply to any other local ordinance that substantially affects land use and development.(b) The provisions of this Article are supplemental to specific provisions included in other Articles of this Chapter. To the extent there is a conflict between the provisions of this Article and other Articles, the more specific provision shall control. This Article does not expand, diminish, or alter the scope of authority for development regulations authorized by this Chapter.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-502 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 5 - Planning.|§ 160D-502 - Grants, contracts, and technical assistance.

 160D-502. Grants, contracts, and technical assistance.(a) Grants and Services. - A local government may accept, receive, and disburse in furtherance of its functions any funds, grants, and services made available by the federal government and its agencies, the State government and its agencies, any local government and its agencies, and any private and civic sources. A local government may enter into and carry out contracts with the State and federal governments or any agencies thereof under which financial or other planning assistance is made available to the local government and may agree to and comply with any reasonable conditions that are imposed upon such assistance.(b) Contracts. - Any local government may enter into and carry out contracts with any other city, county, or regional council, planning agency, or private consultant under which it agrees to furnish technical planning assistance to the other local government or planning agency. Any local government may enter into and carry out contracts with any other city, county, or regional council or planning agency under which it agrees to pay the other local government for technical planning assistance.(c) Appropriations, Compensation, and Financing. - A local government is authorized to make appropriations that may be necessary to carry out activities or contracts authorized by this Article or to support and compensate members of a planning board that it may create pursuant to this Chapter and to levy taxes for these purposes as a necessary expense.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-503 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 5 - Planning.|§ 160D-503 - Coordination of planning.

 160D-503. Coordination of planning.A local government may undertake any of the planning activities authorized by this Article in coordination with other local governments, State agencies, or regional agencies created under Article 19 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes or Article 20 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-601 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 6 - Development Regulation.|§ 160D-601 - Procedure for adopting, amending, or repealing development regulations.

 160D-601. Procedure for adopting, amending, or repealing development regulations.(a) Hearing with Published Notice. - Before adopting, amending, or repealing any ordinance or development regulation authorized by this Chapter, the governing board shall hold a legislative hearing. A notice of the hearing shall be given once a week for two successive calendar weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the area. The notice shall be published the first time not less than 10 days nor more than 25 days before the date scheduled for the hearing. In computing such period, the day of publication is not to be included but the day of the hearing shall be included.(b) Notice to Military Bases. - If the adoption or modification would result in changes to the zoning map or would change or affect the permitted uses of land located five miles or less from the perimeter boundary of a military base, the local government shall provide written notice of the proposed changes by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the commander of the military base not less than 10 days nor more than 25 days before the date fixed for the hearing. If the commander of the military base provides comments or analysis regarding the compatibility of the proposed development regulation or amendment with military operations at the base, the governing board of the local government shall take the comments and analysis into consideration before making a final determination on the ordinance.(c) Ordinance Required. - A development regulation adopted pursuant to this Chapter shall be adopted by ordinance.(d) Down-Zoning. - No amendment to zoning regulations or a zoning map that down-zones property shall be initiated nor is it enforceable without the written consent of all property owners whose property is the subject of the down-zoning amendment, unless the down-zoning amendment is initiated by the local government. For purposes of this section, "down-zoning" means a zoning ordinance that affects an area of land in one of the following ways:(1) By decreasing the development density of the land to be less dense than was allowed under its previous usage.(2) By reducing the permitted uses of the land that are specified in a zoning ordinance or land development regulation to fewer uses than were allowed under its previous usage.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, ss. 12, 50(a), 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-603 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 6 - Development Regulation.|§ 160D-603 - Citizen comments.

 160D-603. Citizen comments.Subject to the limitations of this Chapter, zoning regulations may from time to time be amended, supplemented, changed, modified, or repealed. If any resident or property owner in the local government submits a written statement regarding a proposed amendment, modification, or repeal to a zoning regulation, including a text or map amendment that has been properly initiated as provided in G.S. 160D-601, to the clerk to the board at least two business days prior to the proposed vote on such change, the clerk to the board shall deliver such written statement to the governing board. If the proposed change is the subject of a quasi-judicial proceeding under G.S. 160D-705 or any other statute, the clerk shall provide only the names and addresses of the individuals providing written comment, and the provision of such names and addresses to all members of the board shall not disqualify any member of the board from voting.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, ss. 14, 50(b), 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-605 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 6 - Development Regulation.|§ 160D-605 - Governing board statement.

 160D-605. Governing board statement.(a) Plan Consistency. - When adopting or rejecting any zoning text or map amendment, the governing board shall approve a brief statement describing whether its action is consistent or inconsistent with an adopted comprehensive or land-use plan. The requirement for a plan consistency statement may also be met by a clear indication in the minutes of the governing board that at the time of action on the amendment the governing board was aware of and considered the planning board's recommendations and any relevant portions of an adopted comprehensive or land-use plan. If a zoning map amendment is adopted and the action was deemed inconsistent with the adopted plan, the zoning amendment has the effect of also amending any future land-use map in the approved plan, and no additional request or application for a plan amendment is required. A plan amendment and a zoning amendment may be considered concurrently. The plan consistency statement is not subject to judicial review. If a zoning map amendment qualifies as a "large-scale rezoning" under G.S. 160D-602(b), the governing board statement describing plan consistency may address the overall rezoning and describe how the analysis and policies in the relevant adopted plans were considered in the action taken.(b) Additional Reasonableness Statement for Rezonings. - When adopting or rejecting any petition for a zoning map amendment, a statement analyzing the reasonableness of the proposed rezoning shall be approved by the governing board. This statement of reasonableness may consider, among other factors, (i) the size, physical conditions, and other attributes of the area proposed to be rezoned, (ii) the benefits and detriments to the landowners, the neighbors, and the surrounding community, (iii) the relationship between the current actual and permissible development on the tract and adjoining areas and the development that would be permissible under the proposed amendment; (iv) why the action taken is in the public interest; and (v) any changed conditions warranting the amendment. If a zoning map amendment qualifies as a "large-scale rezoning" under G.S. 160D-602(b), the governing board statement on reasonableness may address the overall rezoning.(c) Single Statement Permissible. - The statement of reasonableness and the plan consistency statement required by this section may be approved as a single statement.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d); 2021-88, s. 1(d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-701 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 7 - Zoning Regulation.|§ 160D-701 - Purposes.

 160D-701. Purposes.Zoning regulations shall be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan and shall be designed to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare. To that end, the regulations may address, among other things, the following public purposes: to provide adequate light and air; to prevent the overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to lessen congestion in the streets; to secure safety from fire, panic, and dangers; to facilitate the efficient and adequate provision of transportation, water, sewerage, schools, parks, and other public requirements; and to promote the health, safety, morals, or general welfare of the community. The regulations shall be made with reasonable consideration, among other things, as to the character of the district and its peculiar suitability for particular uses and with a view to conserving the value of buildings and encouraging the most appropriate use of land throughout the local government's planning and development regulation jurisdiction. The regulations may not include, as a basis for denying a zoning or rezoning request from a school, the level of service of a road facility or facilities abutting the school or proximately located to the school.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-704 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 7 - Zoning Regulation.|§ 160D-704 - Incentives.

 160D-704. Incentives.(a) For the purpose of reducing the amount of energy consumption by new development, a local government may adopt ordinances to grant a density bonus, make adjustments to otherwise applicable development requirements, or provide other incentives within its planning and development regulation jurisdiction, if the person receiving the incentives agrees to construct new development or reconstruct existing development in a manner that the local government determines, based on generally recognized standards established for such purposes, makes a significant contribution to the reduction of energy consumption and increased use of sustainable design principles.(b) In order to encourage construction that uses sustainable design principles and to improve energy efficiency in buildings, a local government may charge reduced building permit fees or provide partial rebates of building permit fees for buildings that are constructed or renovated using design principles that conform to or exceed one or more of the following certifications or ratings:(1) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification or higher rating under certification standards adopted by the U.S. Green Building Council.(2) A One Globe or higher rating under the Green Globes program standards adopted by the Green Building Initiative.(3) A certification or rating by another nationally recognized certification or rating system that is equivalent or greater than those listed in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-706 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 7 - Zoning Regulation.|§ 160D-706 - Zoning conflicts with other development standards.

 160D-706. Zoning conflicts with other development standards.(a) When regulations made under authority of this Article require a greater width or size of yards or courts, or require a lower height of a building or fewer number of stories, or require a greater percentage of a lot to be left unoccupied, or impose other higher standards than are required in any other statute or local ordinance or regulation, the regulations made under authority of this Article govern. When the provisions of any other statute or local ordinance or regulation require a greater width or size of yards or courts, or require a lower height of a building or a fewer number of stories, or require a greater percentage of a lot to be left unoccupied, or impose other higher standards than are required by the regulations made under authority of this Article, the provisions of that statute or local ordinance or regulation govern.(b) When adopting regulations under this Article, a local government may not use a definition of building, dwelling, dwelling unit, bedroom, or sleeping unit that is inconsistent with any definition of those terms in another statute or in a rule adopted by a State agency, including the State Building Code Council.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, ss. 18, 50(b), 51(a), (b), (d).)
NC Gen Stat § 160D-801 (2021)
2021 North Carolina General Statutes|Chapter 160D - Local Planning and Development Regulation|Article 8 - Subdivision Regulation.|§ 160D-801 - Authority.

 160D-801. Authority.A local government may by ordinance regulate the subdivision of land within its planning and development regulation jurisdiction. In addition to final plat approval, the regulation may include provisions for review and approval of sketch plans and preliminary plats. The regulation may provide for different review procedures for different classes of subdivisions. Decisions on approval or denial of preliminary or final plats may be made only on the basis of standards explicitly set forth in the subdivision or unified development ordinance.  (2019-111, s. 2.4; 2020-3, s. 4.33(a); 2020-25, s. 51(a), (b), (d).)