GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 126
Short Title: Revise Voluntary Ag. District Laws. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Dixon and N. Jackson (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Agriculture and Environment, if favorable, Housing and Development, if
favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
February 17, 2025
*H126 -v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAWS GOVERNING VOLUN TARY AGRICULTURAL 2
DISTRICTS TO ENHANCE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND THE DEVELOPMEN T OF 3
ALTERNATIVES FOR LAN D USE DECISIONS IMPA CTING LANDS IN SUCH 4
DISTRICTS. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1. G.S. 106-740 reads as rewritten: 7
"ยง 106-740. Public hearings on condemnation of farmland. 8
An ordinance adopted under this Part or Part 3 of this Article may shall provide that no State 9
or local public agency or governmental unit may formally initiate any action to condemn any 10
interest in qualifying farmland within a voluntary agricultural district under this Part or an 11
enhanced voluntary agricultural district under Part 3 of this Article until such agency has 12
requested the local agricultural advisory board established under G.S. 106-739 to hold a public 13
hearing on the proposed condemnation.condemnation that conforms to the following 14
requirements: 15
(1) Following a public hearing held pursuant to this section, the board shall 16
prepare and submit written findings and a recommendation to the 17
decision-making body of the agency proposing acquisition. 18
(2) The board designated to hold the hearing shall have 30 45 days after receiving 19
a request under this section to hold the public hearing and submit its findings 20
and recommendations to the agency. 21
(3) The agency may shall not formally initiate a condemnation action while the 22
proposed condemnation is properly before the advisory board within these 23
time limitations.until 120 days after the date the local agricultural advisory 24
board submits its findings and recommendations to the agency." 25
SECTION 2. This act is effective October 1, 2025, and applies to condemnation 26
actions initiated by any State or local public agency or governmental unit on or after that date. 27