“Water, water everywhere . . . .” Except Cleveland County, that is. And Cleveland’s attempt to increase its water supply is an ongoing effort (and battle) that I’ve been watching out of the corner of my eye for a few
NC Legal Landscapes
A Blog About North Carolina Land Use and Zoning Law
NC Legal Landscapes, published by Fox Rothschild LLP, focuses on legal issues related to land use, zoning, and development in North Carolina. The blog covers topics such as zoning litigation, land use permits, conditional use permits, and the impact of local government decisions on property development. It also addresses legislative changes affecting public hearings, virtual meeting protocols, and the regulatory environment for industries like solar energy and industrial projects. The blog provides insights into the procedural and substantive challenges faced by developers, local governments, and communities in navigating land use law and policy.
Latest from NC Legal Landscapes - Page 3
Rezoning the World’s Most Expensive Trailer Park
By Tom Terrell
Last week I caught a story on one of my many news feeds. The fact that it came out of California – and the Napa Valley – makes it even more interesting, because it shows how much Silicon Valley titans…
The Politics of Trash
By Tom Terrell
Last Friday, August 23rd, N.C. Governor Pat McCrory signed three bills into law whose passage demonstrates how solid waste has transformed from a regulated industry into a political football. Some new measures, like changes in application fees, are mundane. Other…
Protest Petitions Revisited
By Tom Terrell
It appears that my previous post (Protest Petitions Killed . . . Finally) was premature. The NC House did vote overwhelmingly to repeal G.S. 160A-385 which grants unelected citizens a unique power to control the decision-making authority of a city…
Legislative Update – Protest Petitions Killed . . . Finally
By Tom Terrell
In an unexpected move the NC House voted last Thursday to repeal the statute that allows citizens to file protest petitions which frustrate a city’s ability to rezone land except upon a favorable 75 percent majority vote. The decision saw…
Case Law Update – SCOTUS, Koontz v. St. Johns River Water District, and the Public/Private Tug-of-War
By Tom Terrell
This past week the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion in Koontz v. St. John’s Water District, a case lauded by property rights advocates as a “landmark ruling” and claimed by the permitting/planning communities to be an unreasonable shackle on…
Fixing a Screwed up City
By Tom Terrell
I live in a city that’s pretty screwed up. In many ways. But last month a cavalry rode into town with sabers drawn and bugle blaring, and our salvation may be at hand.
In land use planning there is no…
Boards of Adjustment and Chinese Pigs
By Tom Terrell
Two interesting things happened today. The first is obviously related to land use and the second is . . . obviously related to land use.
First, this morning the N.C. Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved a “PCS” (proposed committee substitute)…
A Culture of Local Government Corruption
By Tom Terrell
This past Sunday’s New York Times had a fascinating article on the culture of corruption in Spain and other southern European countries – countries which for centuries allowed local mayors and magistrates to enrich themselves through graft and bribery.
Three…
In Search of a Civil Government
By Tom Terrell
Two nights ago I attended a public hearing in Asheboro where Randolph County considered approving a new landfill next to its old landfill. Granted, landfill hearings generate their share of emotion, but civility is civility and this hearing was in…