OUTER BANKS, N.C. — This month, Senate Bill 382 passed through the North Carolina legislature after being pushed by House Republicans following Gov. Roy Cooper's veto. The bill includes disaster relief for western North Carolina but also a controversial down-zoning law that has drawn criticism from Outer Banks local governments.
The zoning provision, titled "No local government initiated down-zoning without consent of affected property owners," requires unanimous agreement from all property owners for down-zoning, which could limit local governments' ability to manage zoning requests.
State Senator Bobby Hanig stated that the law will be a topic of discussion when the legislature reconvenes in January, specifically aiming to repeal the zoning portion of SB 382. “Several members, including myself, already have language drafted to file in 2025 to work on repealing it,” he said.
Watch previous coverage: Coastal Resources Commission again seeks to restore protections for Jockey's Ridge
This month, Senate Bill 382 passed through the North Carolina legislature after being pushed by House Republicans following Gov. Roy Cooper's veto. The bill includes disaster relief for western North Carolina but also a controversial down-zoning law that has drawn criticism from Outer Banks local governments.
The zoning provision, titled "No local government initiated down-zoning without consent of affected property owners," requires unanimous agreement from all property owners for down-zoning, which could limit local governments' ability to manage zoning requests.
State Senator Bobby Hanig stated that the law will be a topic of discussion when the legislature reconvenes in January, specifically aiming to repeal the zoning portion of SB 382. “Several members, including myself, already have language drafted to file in 2025 to work on repealing it,” he said.
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Hanig also addressed ongoing discussions about environmental protections for Jockey's Ridge State Park, which have faced delays between the state Rules Review Commission and the Coastal Resources Commission. He aims to propose a bill to reinforce these protections, ensuring that the largest sand dune on the East Coast remains intact.
He explained, “We’ll just put it in statute so that the General Assembly controls what happens at Jockey's Ridge, removing any control from other agencies.” Although his proposal initially passed the Senate unanimously, it failed in the House due to added provisions that led to conflict.
“Once it went into conference, the House distanced themselves, and it died,” Hanig noted.
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Despite this setback, he remains committed to reintroducing protections for Jockey's Ridge in the upcoming session. “I’ve already drafted the new bill for January, and I’m confident it will pass since there was no opposition until funding was added at the last minute,” he said.
The fate of the zoning provisions in SB 382 and the Jockey's Ridge protections will be determined when the General Assembly reconvenes on January 8.
