Signed by Governor Josh Stein

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that amends various regulations regarding municipal administration and the construction or redevelopment of residential property in North Carolina.

Highlights:

• Requires a court to apply traditional de novo review to the interpretation of State rules and regulations in conducting its review of a final decision (Sec. 1).

• Exempts an ordinance regulating on-premises advertising signs that was lawfully adopted by a local government (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits land use regulations that restrict the display of the North Carolina or United States flags (Sec. 3).

• Amends the definition of “manufactured home” to match the definition provided in federal law (Sec. 5).

• Establishes a temporary exemption for electrical work performed solely for a permitted international wholesale trade show in an exhibition hall (Sec. 6).

• Establishes licensing exemptions for individuals performing certain tasks of cosmetic arts or massage and bodywork therapy (Sec. 7-8).

• Limits regulations that local governments may adopt or enforce regarding glazing or ground-floor facade requirements on commercial or mixed-use buildings (Sec. 9).

• Extends annual reporting requirements for businesses owned by deployed members of the armed forces (Sec. 12-14).

• Amends the Private Road and Bridge Program standards for repair and replacement after disaster, requiring standards to be based on recognized structural design and safety standards (Sec. 17).

• Authorizes independent contractors to make a contribution to a portable benefit account and establishes regulations and applicability for such accounts (Sec. 17).

• Increases the civil liability owed to a water supplier for tampering with a water pipe (Sec. 18).

• Increases fines for reckless littering (Sec. 19).

• Prohibits telephone solicitors from misrepresenting the origin of a call, and prohibits telephone carriers from providing the numbers of subscribers to an entity in violation (Sec. 20).

• Authorizes municipalities and counties to use third-party vendors for criminal background checks until December 1, 2026 (Sec. 21).

• Authorizes additional providers of firearm safety and training courses (Sec. 23).

• Prohibits the construction of a new school building in Brunswick County that is within one mile of an existing sport shooting range (Sec. 24).

• Exempts rural recreational and heritage event facilities from nuisance lawsuits, including venues that host motorized and off-road vehicle events, and horse and farm animal events (Sec. 25).

• Authorizes non-contracted “emergency suppliers” to provide liquefied petroleum gas to consumers during a qualifying emergency (Sec. 26).

• Requires the state to determine the level of risk of a discharge from a noncommercial underground storage tank within five years of learning of the discharge (Sec. 27).

• Reduces commercial leaking petroleum underground storage tank cleanup fees from $498 to $420 per tank (Sec. 28).

• Establishes recognition of combined treatment and disposal capacity between facilities served by both the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (Sec. 29).

• Requires compliance review for large on-site wastewater systems - defines as those with a design daily flow of 25,000 gallons or more - constructed pursuant to an engineered option permit (Sec. 29).

• Amends and recodifies procurement processes for Guaranteed Energy Savings Contracts (Sec. 30-33).

• Amends application procedures and deadlines for mining permits (Sec. 34).

• Exempts Small or Large Type 1 or Type 2 compost facilities from financial assurance requirements (Sec. 35).

• Amends the definition of “offshore waters” to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America (Sec. 36).

• Amends the month in which Arbor Week takes place from March to November (Sec. 37).

• Requires DEQ to approve any state-authorized prefabricated permeable block panel system for use as a new stormwater technology (Sec. 39).

• Extends site-specific vesting periods (Sec. 41).

• Requires a local government zoning regulation to allow the siting of residential structures, including multifamily housing structures and mixed-use structures, in all areas undergoing redevelopment that are zoned for nonagricultural commercial, business, or light industrial use (Sec. 43).

• Requires a local government to allow the development of at least one accessory dwelling unit which conforms to residential and fire prevention codes for each single-family detached dwelling in an area zoned for residential use (Sec. 44).

• Limits the restrictions that local governments may place on accessory dwelling units in permitting them under this section, including rental restrictions, minimum parking requirements, excess fees, and maximum unit sizes under 800 sq. ft. (Sec. 44).

• Amends regulations on spray foam insulation (Sec. 45).

• Amends requirements under the Energy Rating Index Compliance Alternative (Sec. 46).

• Exempts individuals who install certain water and sewer line connections serving mobile homes from requirements for plumbing licenses (Sec. 47).

• Authorizes trade permits to support foundation construction on at-risk buildings (Sec. 48).

• Requires transparency of all fees that may be assessed for an applicant’s proposed development project (Sec. 49).

• Authorizes temporary rulemaking authority for the Residential Code Council (Sec. 50).

• Expands alternate inspection methods for components or elements to include home power installations (Sec. 51).

• Authorizes landlords of mobile home parks sited prior to 1989 to bill tenants for master-metered water service (Sec. 52).

• Specifies that this act takes effect upon passage except as otherwise provided (Sec. 53).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that amends various regulations regarding municipal administration and the construction or redevelopment of residential property in North Carolina.

Highlights:

• Requires a court to apply traditional de novo review to the interpretation of State rules and regulations in conducting its review of a final decision (Sec. 1).

• Exempts an ordinance regulating on-premises advertising signs that was lawfully adopted by a local government (Sec. 2).

• Prohibits land use regulations that restrict the display of the North Carolina or United States flags (Sec. 3).

• Amends the definition of “manufactured home” to match the definition provided in federal law (Sec. 5).

• Establishes a temporary exemption for electrical work performed solely for a permitted international wholesale trade show in an exhibition hall (Sec. 6).

• Establishes licensing exemptions for individuals performing certain tasks of cosmetic arts or massage and bodywork therapy (Sec. 7-8).

• Limits regulations that local governments may adopt or enforce regarding glazing or ground-floor facade requirements on commercial or mixed-use buildings (Sec. 9).

• Extends annual reporting requirements for businesses owned by deployed members of the armed forces (Sec. 12-14).

• Amends the Private Road and Bridge Program standards for repair and replacement after disaster, requiring standards to be based on recognized structural design and safety standards (Sec. 17).

• Authorizes independent contractors to make a contribution to a portable benefit account and establishes regulations and applicability for such accounts (Sec. 17).

• Increases the civil liability owed to a water supplier for tampering with a water pipe (Sec. 18).

• Increases fines for reckless littering (Sec. 19).

• Prohibits telephone solicitors from misrepresenting the origin of a call, and prohibits telephone carriers from providing the numbers of subscribers to an entity in violation (Sec. 20).

• Authorizes municipalities and counties to use third-party vendors for criminal background checks until December 1, 2026 (Sec. 21).

• Authorizes additional providers of firearm safety and training courses (Sec. 23).

• Prohibits the construction of a new school building in Brunswick County that is within one mile of an existing sport shooting range (Sec. 24).

• Exempts rural recreational and heritage event facilities from nuisance lawsuits, including venues that host motorized and off-road vehicle events, and horse and farm animal events (Sec. 25).

• Authorizes non-contracted “emergency suppliers” to provide liquefied petroleum gas to consumers during a qualifying emergency (Sec. 26).

• Requires the state to determine the level of risk of a discharge from a noncommercial underground storage tank within five years of learning of the discharge (Sec. 27).

• Reduces commercial leaking petroleum underground storage tank cleanup fees from $498 to $420 per tank (Sec. 28).

• Establishes recognition of combined treatment and disposal capacity between facilities served by both the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (Sec. 29).

• Requires compliance review for large on-site wastewater systems - defines as those with a design daily flow of 25,000 gallons or more - constructed pursuant to an engineered option permit (Sec. 29).

• Amends and recodifies procurement processes for Guaranteed Energy Savings Contracts (Sec. 30-33).

• Amends application procedures and deadlines for mining permits (Sec. 34).

• Exempts Small or Large Type 1 or Type 2 compost facilities from financial assurance requirements (Sec. 35).

• Amends the definition of “offshore waters” to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America (Sec. 36).

• Amends the month in which Arbor Week takes place from March to November (Sec. 37).

• Requires DEQ to approve any state-authorized prefabricated permeable block panel system for use as a new stormwater technology (Sec. 39).

• Extends site-specific vesting periods (Sec. 41).

• Requires a local government zoning regulation to allow the siting of residential structures, including multifamily housing structures and mixed-use structures, in all areas undergoing redevelopment that are zoned for nonagricultural commercial, business, or light industrial use (Sec. 43).

• Requires a local government to allow the development of at least one accessory dwelling unit which conforms to residential and fire prevention codes for each single-family detached dwelling in an area zoned for residential use (Sec. 44).

• Limits the restrictions that local governments may place on accessory dwelling units in permitting them under this section, including rental restrictions, minimum parking requirements, excess fees, and maximum unit sizes under 800 sq. ft. (Sec. 44).

• Amends regulations on spray foam insulation (Sec. 45).

• Amends requirements under the Energy Rating Index Compliance Alternative (Sec. 46).

• Exempts individuals who install certain water and sewer line connections serving mobile homes from requirements for plumbing licenses (Sec. 47).

• Authorizes trade permits to support foundation construction on at-risk buildings (Sec. 48).

• Requires transparency of all fees that may be assessed for an applicant’s proposed development project (Sec. 49).

• Authorizes temporary rulemaking authority for the Residential Code Council (Sec. 50).

• Expands alternate inspection methods for components or elements to include home power installations (Sec. 51).

• Authorizes landlords of mobile home parks sited prior to 1989 to bill tenants for master-metered water service (Sec. 52).

• Specifies that this act takes effect upon passage except as otherwise provided (Sec. 53).

Full Bill Text