GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 2
HOUSE BILL 126
Committee Substitute Favorable 4/10/25
Short Title: Revise Voluntary Ag. District Laws. (Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:
February 17, 2025
*H126 -v-2*
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 and rezoning 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 farmland, or rezone such land, within a voluntary agricultural 11
district under this Part or an enhanced voluntary agricultural district under Part 3 of this Article 12
until such agency has requested the local agricultural advisory board established under 13
G.S. 106-739 to hold a public hearing on the proposed condemnation.condemnation or rezoning 14
that conforms to the following 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 or rezoning action 22
while the proposed condemnation is properly before the advisory board within 23
these time limitations.until 120 days after the date the local agricultural 24
advisory board submits its findings and recommendations to the agency." 25
SECTION 2. This act is effective October 1, 2025, and applies to condemnation or 26
rezoning actions initiated by any State or local public agency or governmental unit on or after 27
that date. 28