reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-146 - Council to organize city government.

§ 160A-146. Council to organize city government.
The council may create, change, abolish, and consolidate offices, positions, departments, boards, commissions, and agencies of the city government and generally organize and reorganize the city government in order to promote orderly and efficient administration of city affairs, subject to the following limitations:
(1) The council may not abolish any office, position, department, board, commission, or agency established and required by law;
(2) The council may not combine offices or confer certain duties on the same officer when such action is specifically forbidden by law;
(3) The council may not discontinue or assign elsewhere any functions or duties assigned by law to a particular office, position, department, or agency. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-147 - Appointment of city manager; dual office holding.

§ 160A-147. Appointment of city manager; dual office holding.
(a) In cities whose charters provide for the council-manager form of government, the council shall appoint a city manager to serve at its pleasure. The manager shall be appointed solely on the basis of the manager's executive and administrative qualifications. The manager need not be a resident of the city or State at the time of appointment. The office of city manager is hereby declared to be an office that may be held concurrently with other appointive (but not elective) offices pursuant to Article VI, Sec. 9, of the Constitution.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), a city manager may serve on a county board of education that is elected on a non-partisan basis if the following criteria are met:
(1) The population of the city by which the city manager is employed does not exceed 10,000;
(2) The city is located in two counties; and
(3) The population of the county in which the city manager resides does not exceed 40,000.
(b1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, a city manager may serve on a county board of education that is elected on a nonpartisan basis if the population of the city by which the city manager is employed does not exceed 3,000.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), a city manager may hold elective office if the following criteria are met:
(1) The population of the city by which the city manager is employed does not exceed 3,000.
(2) The city manager is an elected official of a city other than the city by which the city manager is employed.
(d) For the purposes of this section, population figures shall be according to the latest United States decennial figures issued at the time the second office is assumed. If census figures issued after the second office is assumed increase the city or county population beyond the limits of this section, the city manager may complete the term of elected office that the city manager is then serving. (1969, c. 629, s. 2; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1989, c. 49; 1997-25, s. 1; 2009-321, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-149 - Acting city manager.

§ 160A-149. Acting city manager.
By letter filed with the city clerk, the manager may designate, subject to the approval of the council, a qualified person to exercise the powers and perform the duties of manager during his temporary absence or disability. During this absence or disability, the council may revoke that designation at any time and appoint another to serve until the manager returns or his disability ceases. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-150 - Interim city manager.

§ 160A-150. Interim city manager.
When the position of city manager is vacant, the council shall designate a qualified person to exercise the powers and perform the duties of manager until the vacancy is filled. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-151 - Mayor and councilmen ineligible to serve or act as manager.

§ 160A-151. Mayor and councilmen ineligible to serve or act as manager.
Neither the mayor nor any member of the council shall be eligible for appointment as manager or acting or interim manager. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-152 - Applicability of Part.

§ 160A-152. Applicability of Part.
This Part shall apply only to those cities having the council-manager form of government. If the powers and duties of a city manager set out in any city charter shall differ materially from those set out in G.S. 160A-148, the council may by ordinance confer or impose on the manager any of the powers or duties set out in G.S. 160A-148 but not contained in the charter. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-155 - Council to provide for administration in mayor-council cities.

§ 160A-155. Council to provide for administration in mayor-council cities.
The council shall appoint, suspend, and remove the heads of all city departments, and all other city employees; provided, the council may delegate to any administrative official or department head the power to appoint, suspend, and remove city employees assigned to his department. The head of each department shall see that all laws of the State, the city charter, and the ordinances, resolutions, and regulations of the council concerning his department are faithfully executed within the city. Otherwise, the administration of the city shall be performed as provided by law or direction of the council. (1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1247, s. 16.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-156 - Acting department heads.

§ 160A-156. Acting department heads.
By letter filed with the city clerk, the head of any department may designate, subject to the approval of the council, a qualified person to exercise the powers and perform the duties of head of that department during his temporary absence or disability. During his absence or disability, the council may revoke that designation at any time and appoint another officer to serve until the department head returns or his disability ceases. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-157 - Interim department heads.

§ 160A-157. Interim department heads.
When the position of head of any department is vacant, the council may designate a qualified person to exercise the powers and perform the duties of head of the department until the vacancy is filled. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-158 - Mayor and councilmen ineligible to serve or act as heads of departments.

§ 160A-158. Mayor and councilmen ineligible to serve or act as heads of departments.
Neither the mayor nor any member of the council shall be eligible for appointment as head of any city department or as acting or interim head of a department; provided, that in cities having a population of less than 5,000 according to the most recent official federal census, the mayor and any member of the council shall be eligible for appointment by the council as department head or other employee, and may receive reasonable compensation for such employment, notwithstanding any other provision of law. (1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1247, s. 17.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-162 - Compensation.

§ 160A-162. Compensation.
(a) The council shall fix or approve the schedule of pay, expense allowances, and other compensation of all city employees, and may adopt position classification plans; any compensation or pay plan may include provisions for payments to employees on account of sickness or disability. In cities with the council-manager form of government, the manager shall be responsible for preparing position classification and pay plans for submission to the council and, after any such plans have been adopted by the council, shall administer them. In cities with the mayor-council form of government, the council shall appoint a personnel officer (or confer the duties of personnel officer on some city administrative officer); the personnel officer shall then be responsible for administering the pay plan and any position classification plan in accordance with general policies and directives adopted by the council.
(b) The council may purchase life, health, and any other forms of insurance for the benefit of all or any class of city employees and their dependents, and may provide other fringe benefits for city employees. In providing health insurance to city employees, the council shall not provide abortion coverage greater than that provided by the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees under Article 3B of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes. (1923, c. 20; 1949, c. 103; 1969, c. 845; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1247, ss. 18, 19; 2013-366, s. 2(c).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-164 - Personnel rules.

§ 160A-164. Personnel rules.
The council may adopt or provide for rules and regulations or ordinances concerning but not limited to annual leave, sick leave, special leave with full pay or with partial pay supplementing workers' compensation payments for employees injured in accidents arising out of and in the course of employment, hours of employment, holidays, working conditions, service award and incentive award programs, other personnel policies, and any other measures that promote the hiring and retention of capable, diligent, and honest career employees. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 1; 1919, cc. 136, 237; C.S., s. 2787; 1965, c. 931; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1979, c. 714, s. 2.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-164.1 - Smallpox vaccination policy (see editor's note on condition precedent).

§ 160A-164.1. Smallpox vaccination policy (see editor's note on condition precedent).
All municipalities that employ firefighters, police officers, paramedics, or other first responders shall, not later than 90 days after this section becomes law, enact a policy regarding sick leave and salary continuation for those employees for absence from work due to an adverse medical reaction resulting from the employee receiving in employment vaccination against smallpox incident to the Administration of Smallpox Countermeasures by Health Professionals, section 304 of the Homeland Security Act, Pub. L. No. 107-296 (Nov. 25, 2002) (to be codified at 42 U.S.C. § 233(p)). (2003-169, s. 5.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-164.2 - Criminal history record check of employees permitted.

§ 160A-164.2. Criminal history record check of employees permitted.
The council may adopt or provide for rules and regulations or ordinances concerning a requirement that any applicant for employment be subject to a criminal history record check of State and National Repositories of Criminal Histories conducted by the Department of Public Safety in accordance with G.S. 143B-945. The city may consider the results of these criminal history record checks in its hiring decisions. (2003-214, s. 5; 2014-100, s. 17.1(nnn).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-165 - Personnel board.

§ 160A-165. Personnel board.
The council may establish a personnel board with authority to administer tests designed to determine the merit and fitness of candidates for appointment or promotion, to conduct hearings upon the appeal of employees who have been suspended, demoted, or discharged, and hear employee grievances. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 1; 1919, cc. 136, 237; C.S., s. 2787; 1965, c. 931; 1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-166 - Participation in Social Security Act.

§ 160A-166. Participation in Social Security Act.
The council may take any action necessary to allow city employees to participate fully in benefits provided by the federal Social Security Act. (1949, c. 103; 1969, c. 845; 1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-169 - City employee political activity.

§ 160A-169. City employee political activity.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to ensure that city employees are not subjected to political or partisan coercion while performing their job duties, to ensure that employees are not restricted from political activities while off duty, and to ensure that public funds are not used for political or partisan activities.
It is not the purpose of this section to allow infringement upon the rights of employees to engage in free speech and free association. Every city employee has a civic responsibility to support good government by every available means and in every appropriate manner. Employees shall not be restricted from affiliating with civic organizations of a partisan or political nature, nor shall employees, while off duty, be restricted from attending political meetings, or advocating and supporting the principles or policies of civic or political organizations, or supporting partisan or nonpartisan candidates of their choice in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the State and the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.
(b) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
(1) "City employee" or ""employee" means any person employed by a city or any department or program thereof that is supported, in whole or in part, by city funds;
(2) "On duty" means that time period when an employee is engaged in the duties of his or her employment; and
(3) "Workplace" means any place where an employee engages in his or her job duties.
(c) No employee while on duty or in the workplace may:
(1) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or nomination for political office; or
(2) Coerce, solicit, or compel contributions for political or partisan purposes by another employee.
(d) No employee may be required as a duty or condition of employment, promotion, or tenure of office to contribute funds for political or partisan purposes.
(e) No employee may use city funds, supplies, or equipment for partisan purposes, or for political purposes except where such political uses are otherwise permitted by law.
(f) To the extent that this section conflicts with the provisions of any local act, city charter, local ordinance, resolution, or policy, this section prevails to the extent of the conflict. (1991, c. 619, s. 2; 1993, c. 298, s. 2.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-169.1 - Municipality verification of employee work authorization.

§ 160A-169.1. Municipality verification of employee work authorization.
(a) Municipalities Must Use E-Verify. – Each municipality shall register and participate in E-Verify to verify the work authorization of new employees hired to work in the United States.
(b) E-Verify Defined. – As used in this section, the term "E-Verify" means the federal E-Verify program operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, or any successor or equivalent program used to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees pursuant to federal law.
(c) Nondiscrimination. – This section shall be enforced without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or national origin. (2011-263, s. 5.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-171 - City clerk; duties.

§ 160A-171. City clerk; duties.
There shall be a city clerk who shall give notice of meetings of the council, keep a journal of the proceedings of the council, be the custodian of all city records, and shall perform any other duties that may be required by law or the council. (1917, c. 136, subch. 13, s. 1; C.S., s. 2826; 1941, c. 103; 1949, c. 14; 1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 7 - Administrative Offices. › § 160A-172 - Deputy clerk.

§ 160A-172. Deputy clerk.
The council may provide for a deputy city clerk who shall have full authority to exercise and perform any of the powers and duties of the city clerk that may be specified by the council. (1917, c. 136, subch. 13, s. 1; C.S., s. 2826; 1941, c. 103; 1949, c. 14; 1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-174 - General ordinance-making power.

§ 160A-174. General ordinance-making power.
(a) A city may by ordinance define, prohibit, regulate, or abate acts, omissions, or conditions, detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of its citizens and the peace and dignity of the city, and may define and abate nuisances.
(b) A city ordinance shall be consistent with the Constitution and laws of North Carolina and of the United States. An ordinance is not consistent with State or federal law when:
(1) The ordinance infringes a liberty guaranteed to the people by the State or federal Constitution;
(2) The ordinance makes unlawful an act, omission or condition which is expressly made lawful by State or federal law;
(3) The ordinance makes lawful an act, omission, or condition which is expressly made unlawful by State or federal law;
(4) The ordinance purports to regulate a subject that cities are expressly forbidden to regulate by State or federal law;
(5) The ordinance purports to regulate a field for which a State or federal statute clearly shows a legislative intent to provide a complete and integrated regulatory scheme to the exclusion of local regulation;
(6) The elements of an offense defined by a city ordinance are identical to the elements of an offense defined by State or federal law.
The fact that a State or federal law, standing alone, makes a given act, omission, or condition unlawful shall not preclude city ordinances requiring a higher standard of conduct or condition. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-176 - Ordinances effective on city property outside limits.

§ 160A-176. Ordinances effective on city property outside limits.
Any city ordinance may be made effective on and to property and rights-of-way belonging to the city and located outside the corporate limits. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 2; C.S., s. 2790; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1973, c. 426, s. 24.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-176.1 - Ordinances effective in Atlantic Ocean.

§ 160A-176.1. Ordinances effective in Atlantic Ocean.
(a) A city may adopt ordinances to regulate and control swimming, surfing and littering in the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to that portion of the city within its boundaries or within its extraterritorial jurisdiction; provided, however, nothing contained herein shall be construed to permit any city to prohibit altogether swimming and surfing or to make these activities unlawful.
(b) This section shall apply only to cities in the counties of Brunswick, Carteret, Currituck, Dare, Hyde, New Hanover, Onslow, and Pender. (1973, c. 539, ss. 1, 2.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-176.2 - Ordinances effective in Atlantic Ocean.

§ 160A-176.2. Ordinances effective in Atlantic Ocean.
(a) A city may adopt ordinances to regulate and control swimming, personal watercraft operation, surfing and littering in the Atlantic Ocean and other waterways adjacent to that portion of the city within its boundaries or within its extraterritorial jurisdiction; provided, however, nothing contained herein shall be construed to permit any city to prohibit altogether swimming or surfing or to make these activities unlawful.
(b) Subsection (a) of this section applies to the Towns of Atlantic Beach, Calabash, Cape Carteret, Carolina Beach, Caswell Beach, Duck, Emerald Isle, Holden Beach, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Manteo, Nags Head, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Southern Shores, Sunset Beach, Topsail Beach, and Wrightsville Beach, and the City of Southport only. (1991, c. 494, ss. 1, 2; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 801; 1993, c. 67, s. 5; c. 125, s. 2; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 625, s. 1; 1997-48, s. 1; 2002-141, s. 1; 2004-203, s. 55.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-177 - Enumeration not exclusive.

§ 160A-177. Enumeration not exclusive.
The enumeration in this Article or other portions of this Chapter of specific powers to regulate, restrict or prohibit acts, omissions, and conditions shall not be deemed to be exclusive or a limiting factor upon the general authority to adopt ordinances conferred on cities by G.S. 160A-174. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-178 - Regulation of solicitation campaigns, flea markets and itinerant merchants.

§ 160A-178. Regulation of solicitation campaigns, flea markets and itinerant merchants.
A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict or prohibit the solicitation of contributions from the public for any charitable or eleemosynary purpose, and also the business activities of itinerant merchants, salesmen, promoters, drummers, peddlers, flea market operators and flea market vendors or hawkers. These ordinances may include, but shall not be limited to, requirements that an application be made and a permit issued, that an investigation be made, that activities be reasonably limited as to time and place, that proper credentials and proof of financial stability be submitted, that not more than a stated percentage of contributions to solicitation campaigns be retained for administrative expenses, and that an adequate bond be posted to protect the public from fraud. (1963, c. 789; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1987, c. 708, s. 8.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-179 - Regulation of begging.

§ 160A-179. Regulation of begging.
A city may by ordinance prohibit or regulate begging or otherwise canvassing the public for contributions for the private benefit of the solicitor or any other person. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-181 - Regulation of places of amusement.

§ 160A-181. Regulation of places of amusement.
A city may by ordinance regulate places of amusement and entertainment, and may regulate, restrict or prohibit the operation of pool and billiard halls, dance halls, carnivals, circuses, or any itinerant show or exhibition of any kind. Places of amusement and entertainment shall include coffee houses, cocktail lounges, night clubs, beer halls, and similar establishments, but any regulations thereof shall be consistent with any permits or licenses issued by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 1; 1919, cc. 136, 237; C.S., s. 2787; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1981, c. 412, ss. 4, 5.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-182 - Abuse of animals.

§ 160A-182. Abuse of animals.
A city may by ordinance define and prohibit the abuse of animals. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 1; 1919, cc. 136, 237; C.S., s. 2787; 1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-183 - Regulation of explosive, corrosive, inflammable, or radioactive substances.

§ 160A-183. Regulation of explosive, corrosive, inflammable, or radioactive substances.
A city may by ordinance restrict, regulate or prohibit the sale, possession, storage, use, or conveyance of any explosive, corrosive, inflammable, or radioactive substances, or any weapons or instrumentalities of mass death and destruction within the city. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 1; 1919, cc. 136, 237; C.S., s. 2787; 1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-184 - Noise regulation.

§ 160A-184. Noise regulation.
A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the production or emission of noises or amplified speech, music, or other sounds that tend to annoy, disturb, or frighten its citizens. (1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1973, c. 426, s. 25.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-185 - Emission of pollutants or contaminants.

§ 160A-185. Emission of pollutants or contaminants.
A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the emission or disposal of substances or effluents that tend to pollute or contaminate land, water, or air, rendering or tending to render it injurious to human health or welfare, to animal or plant life or to property, or interfering or tending to interfere with the enjoyment of life or property. A city may by ordinance regulate the illegal disposal of solid waste, including littering on public and private property, provide for enforcement by civil penalties as well as other remedies, and provide that such regulations may be enforced by city employees specially appointed as environmental enforcement officers. Any such ordinance shall be consistent with and supplementary to State and federal laws and regulations. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 1; 1919, cc. 136, 237; C.S., s. 2787; 1949, c. 594, s. 2; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1973, c. 426, s. 26; 2001-512, s. 6.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-186 - Regulation of domestic animals.

§ 160A-186. Regulation of domestic animals.
A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the keeping, running, or going at large of any domestic animals, including dogs and cats. The ordinance may provide that animals allowed to run at large in violation of the ordinance may be seized and sold or destroyed after reasonable efforts to notify their owner. (1917, c. 136, subch. 5, s. 1; 1919, cc. 136, 237; C.S., s. 2787; 1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-187 - Possession or harboring of dangerous animals.

§ 160A-187. Possession or harboring of dangerous animals.
A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the possession or harboring within the city of animals which are dangerous to persons or property. No such ordinance shall have the effect of permitting any activity or condition with respect to a wild animal which is prohibited or more severely restricted by regulations of the Wildlife Resources Commission. (1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1977, c. 407, s. 2.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-188 - Bird sanctuaries.

§ 160A-188. Bird sanctuaries.
A city may by ordinance create and establish a bird sanctuary within the city limits. The ordinance may not protect any birds classed as a pest under Article 22A of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes and the Structural Pest Control Act of North Carolina of 1955 or the North Carolina Pesticide Law of 1971. When a bird sanctuary has been established, it shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, kill, trap, or otherwise take any protected birds within the city limits except pursuant to a permit issued by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission under G.S. 113-274(c) (1a) or under any other license or permit of the Wildlife Resources Commission specifically made valid for use in taking birds within city limits. (1951, c. 411, ss. 1, 2; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1979, c. 830, s. 3.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-189 - Firearms.

§ 160A-189. Firearms.
A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the discharge of firearms at any time or place within the city except when used in defense of person or property or pursuant to lawful directions of law-enforcement officers, and may regulate the display of firearms on the streets, sidewalks, alleys, or other public property. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit a city's authority to take action under Article 1A of Chapter 166A of the General Statutes. (1971, c. 698, s. 1; 2012-12, s. 2(zz).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-190 - Pellet guns.

§ 160A-190. Pellet guns.
A city may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or prohibit the sale, possession or use within the city of pellet guns or any other mechanism or device designed or used to project a missile by compressed air or mechanical action with less than deadly force. (1971, c. 698, s. 1.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-191 - Limitations on enactment of Sunday-closing ordinances.

§ 160A-191. Limitations on enactment of Sunday-closing ordinances.
No ordinance regulating or prohibiting business activity on Sundays shall be enacted unless the council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed ordinance. Notice of the hearing shall be published once each week for four successive weeks before the date of the hearing. The notice shall fix the date, hour and place of the public hearing, and shall contain a statement of the council's intent to consider a Sunday-closing ordinance, the purpose for such an ordinance, and one or more reasons for its enactment. No ordinance shall be held invalid for failure to observe the procedural requirements for enactment imposed by this section unless the issue is joined in an appropriate proceeding initiated within 90 days after the date of final enactment. This section shall not apply to ordinances enacted pursuant to G.S. 18B-1004(d). (1967, c. 1156, s. 1; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1973, c. 426, s. 27; 1983, c. 768, s. 22.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-193 - Abatement of public health nuisances.

§ 160A-193. Abatement of public health nuisances.
(a) A city shall have authority to summarily remove, abate, or remedy everything in the city limits, or within one mile thereof, that is dangerous or prejudicial to the public health or public safety. Pursuant to this section, the governing board of a city may order the removal of a swimming pool and its appurtenances upon a finding that the swimming pool or its appurtenances is dangerous or prejudicial to public health or safety. The expense of the action shall be paid by the person in default. If the expense is not paid, it is a lien on the land or premises where the nuisance occurred. A lien established pursuant to this subsection shall have the same priority and be collected as unpaid ad valorem taxes.
(b) The expense of the action is also a lien on any other real property owned by the person in default within the city limits or within one mile of the city limits, except for the person's primary residence. A lien established pursuant to this subsection is inferior to all prior liens and shall be collected as a money judgment. This subsection shall not apply if the person in default can show that the nuisance was created solely by the actions of another.
(c) The authority granted by this section does not authorize the application of a city ordinance banning or otherwise limiting outdoor burning to persons living within one mile of the city, unless the city provides those persons with either (i) trash and yard waste collection services or (ii) access to solid waste dropoff sites on the same basis as city residents. (1917, c. 136, subch. 7, s. 4; C.S., s. 2800; 1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1247, s. 20; 2001-448, s. 1; 2002-116, s. 3; 2014-120, s. 24(h).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-193.1 - Stream-clearing programs.

§ 160A-193.1. Stream-clearing programs.
(a) A city shall have the authority to remove natural and man-made obstructions in stream channels and in the floodway of streams that may impede the passage of water during rain events.
(b) The actions of a city to clear obstructions from a stream shall not create or increase the responsibility of the city for the clearing or maintenance of the stream, or for flooding of the stream. In addition, actions by a city to clear obstructions from a stream shall not create in the city any ownership in the stream, obligation to control the stream, or affect any otherwise existing private property right, responsibility, or entitlement regarding the stream. These provisions shall not relieve a city for negligence that might be found under otherwise applicable law.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect otherwise existing rights of the State to control or regulate streams or activities within streams. In implementing a stream-clearing program, the city shall comply with all requirements in State or federal statutes and rules. (2005-441, s. 2.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-194 - Regulating and licensing businesses, trades, etc.

§ 160A-194. Regulating and licensing businesses, trades, etc.
(a) A city may by ordinance, subject to the general law of the State, regulate and license occupations, businesses, trades, professions, and forms of amusement or entertainment and prohibit those that may be inimical to the public health, welfare, safety, order, or convenience. In licensing trades, occupations, and professions, the city may, consistent with the general law of the State, require applicants for licenses to be examined and charge a reasonable fee therefor.
(b) Nothing in this section shall authorize a city to examine or license a person holding a license issued by an occupational licensing board of this State as to the profession or trade that he has been licensed to practice or pursue by the State.
(c) Nothing in this section shall authorize a city to regulate and license a TNC service regulated under Article 10A of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes. (1971, c. 698, s. 1; 2013-413, s. 12.1(a); 2014-3, s. 12.3(c); 2014-115, s. 17; 2015-237, s. 5.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-196 - Sewage tie-ons.

§ 160A-196. Sewage tie-ons.
Cities that (in whole or in part) are adjacent to, adjoining, intersected by or bounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Roanoke, Albemarle, Currituck, or Pamlico Sound may by ordinance regulate the tie-ons to sewage systems within their corporate limits. (1985, c. 525, s. 1; 1987, c. 303.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-200.1 - Annual notice to chronic violators of public nuisance or overgrown vegetation ordinance.

§ 160A-200.1. Annual notice to chronic violators of public nuisance or overgrown vegetation ordinance.
(a) A city may notify a chronic violator of the city's public nuisance ordinance that, if the violator's property is found to be in violation of the ordinance, the city shall, without further notice in the calendar year in which notice is given, take action to remedy the violation, and the expense of the action shall become a lien upon the property and shall be collected as unpaid taxes.
(b) The notice shall be sent by registered or certified mail. When service is attempted by registered or certified mail, a copy of the notice may also be sent by regular mail. Service shall be deemed sufficient if the registered or certified mail is unclaimed or refused, but the regular mail is not returned by the post office within 10 days after the mailing. If service by regular mail is used, a copy of the notice shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises affected.
(c) A city may also give notice to a chronic violator of the city's overgrown vegetation ordinance in accordance with this section.
(d) For purposes of this section, a chronic violator is a person who owns property whereupon, in the previous calendar year, the city gave notice of violation at least three times under any provision of the public nuisance ordinance. (2009-287, s. 1; 2013-151, s. 1; 2015-246, s. 1(b).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-202 - Limitations on regulating cisterns and rain barrels.

§ 160A-202. Limitations on regulating cisterns and rain barrels.
No city ordinance may prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting the installation and maintenance of cisterns and rain barrel collection systems used to collect water for irrigation purposes. A city may regulate the installation and maintenance of those cisterns and rain barrel collection systems for the purpose of protecting the public health and safety and for the purpose of preventing them from becoming a public nuisance. (2011-394, s. 12(e).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-203 - Limitations on regulating soft drink sizes.

§ 160A-203. Limitations on regulating soft drink sizes.
No city ordinance may prohibit the sale of soft drinks above a particular size. This section does not prohibit any ordinance regulating the sanitation or other operational aspect of a device for the dispensing of soft drinks. For purposes of this section, "soft drink" shall have the meaning set forth in G.S. 105-164.3. (2013-309, s. 2.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-203.1 - Limitations on standards of care for farm animals.

§ 160A-203.1. Limitations on standards of care for farm animals.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no city ordinance may regulate standards of care for farm animals. For purposes of this section, "standards of care for farm animals" includes the following: the construction, repair, or improvement of farm animal shelter or housing; restrictions on the types of feed or medicines that may be administered to farm animals; and exercise and social interaction requirements. For purposes of this section, the term "farm animals" includes the following domesticated animals: cattle, oxen, bison, sheep, swine, goats, horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, hinnies, llamas, alpacas, lagomorphs, ratites, and poultry flocks of greater than 20 birds. (2015-192, s. 2.)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-203.2 - Limitations on regulation of catering by bona fide farms.

§ 160A-203.2. Limitations on regulation of catering by bona fide farms.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no city may require a business located on a property used for bona fide farm purposes, as provided in G.S. 160D-903(a), that provides on- and off-site catering services, to obtain a permit to provide catering services within the city. This section shall not be construed to exempt the business from any health and safety rules adopted by a local health department, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the Commission for Public Health. (2020-18, s. 5(d); 2020-74, s. 21(b).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-203.3 - Limitations on regulation of energy choice.

§ 160A-203.3. Limitations on regulation of energy choice.
(a) A city shall not adopt an ordinance that prohibits, or has the effect of prohibiting, either of the following:
(1) The connection, reconnection, modification, or expansion of an energy service based upon the type or source of energy to be delivered to an individual or any other person as the end-user of the energy service.
(2) The sale, purchase, or installation of an appliance utilized for cooking, space heating, water heating, or any other appliance included under the definition of "white goods" pursuant to G.S. 130A-290(a).
(b) As used in this section, "energy service" means the energy source that a consumer may choose to use to illuminate, heat, or cool buildings; produce hot water; operate equipment; operate appliances; or any other similar activities, where the energy source is derived from one or more of a variety of sources such as natural gas, renewable gas, hydrogen, liquified petroleum gas, renewable liquified petroleum gas, or other liquid petroleum products and that is delivered to the consumer by an entity legally authorized to provide such service or electricity that is derived from one or more sources of electric generation and is delivered to the consumer by an entity legally authorized to provide such service and the distribution of the electricity occurs according to the territorial rights established by G.S. 62-110.2, 160A-331.2, or 160A-332. For purposes of this section, the terms "renewable gas" and "renewable liquified petroleum gas" shall mean gas derived from a renewable energy resource, as that term is defined by G.S. 62-133.8(a)(8).
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to (i) limit the ability of a city to choose the energy service for property owned by the city, (ii) prohibit a city from recovering reasonable costs associated with reviewing and issuing a permit, (iii) affect the authority of a city to manage or operate a city-owned utility, including a city's authority to require persons residing within their jurisdictions to obtain energy service from a city-owned utility or a joint municipal power agency of which they are a member, or (iv) impair a contract executed pursuant to G.S. 160A-322 prior to the effective date of this section for the supply of electric service.
(d) Notwithstanding any authority granted to municipalities to adopt local ordinances, any local ordinance that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the activities described in subsection (a) of this section shall be invalid. (2023-58, s. 1(a).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-204 - Transportation impact mitigation ordinances prohibited.

§ 160A-204. Transportation impact mitigation ordinances prohibited.
No city may enact or enforce an ordinance, rule, or regulation that requires an employer to assume financial, legal, or other responsibility for the mitigation of the impact of his or her employees' commute or transportation to or from the employer's workplace, which may result in the employer being subject to a fine, fee, or other monetary, legal, or negative consequences. (2013-413, s. 10.1(a).)
2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 160A - Cities and Towns › Article 8 - Delegation and Exercise of the General Police Power. › § 160A-205 - Cities enforce ordinances within public trust areas.

§ 160A-205. Cities enforce ordinances within public trust areas.
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 113-131 or any other provision of law, a city may, by ordinance, define, prohibit, regulate, or abate acts, omissions, or conditions upon the State's ocean beaches and prevent or abate any unreasonable restriction of the public's rights to use the State's ocean beaches. In addition, a city may, in the interest of promoting the health, safety, and welfare of the public, regulate, restrict, or prohibit the placement, maintenance, location, or use of structures that are uninhabitable and without water and sewer services for more than 120 days, as determined by the city with notice provided to the owner of record of the determination by certified mail at the time of the determination, equipment, personal property, or debris upon the State's ocean beaches. A city may enforce any ordinance adopted pursuant to this section or any other provision of law upon the State's ocean beaches located within or adjacent to the city's jurisdictional boundaries to the same extent that a city may enforce ordinances within the city's jurisdictional boundaries. A city may enforce an ordinance adopted pursuant to this section by any remedy provided for in G.S. 160A-175. For purposes of this section, the term "ocean beaches" has the same meaning as in G.S. 77-20(e).
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to (i) limit the authority of the State or any State agency to regulate the State's ocean beaches as authorized by G.S. 113-131, or common law as interpreted and applied by the courts of this State; (ii) limit any other authority granted to cities by the State to regulate the State's ocean beaches; (iii) deny the existence of the authority recognized in this section prior to the date this section becomes effective; (iv) impair the right of the people of this State to the customary free use and enjoyment of the State's ocean beaches, which rights remain reserved to the people of this State as provided in G.S. 77-20(d); (v) change or modify the riparian, littoral, or other ownership rights of owners of property bounded by the Atlantic Ocean; or (vi) apply to the removal of permanent residential or commercial structures and appurtenances thereto from the State's ocean beaches, except as provided in subsection (a) of this section. (2013-384, s. 4(a); 2015-246, s. 1.5.)