Bill > S65

This bill modifies zoning regulations specifically for Buncombe County, North Carolina, by changing the rules around "down-zoning" - a legal term describing zoning changes that reduce land development potential or permitted uses. The bill allows local governments to initiate down-zoning amendments without requiring written consent from all property owners, which was previously required. Down-zoning is defined as decreasing development density or reducing permitted land uses, and the bill eliminates a provision that previously considered creating nonconformities in non-residential zoning districts as a form of down-zoning. The legislation applies exclusively to Buncombe County and its municipalities, and is retroactively effective as of December 11, 2024, which means it will reinstate zoning ordinances as they existed before a previous legislative change. By removing the requirement for unanimous property owner consent, the bill provides local governments more flexibility in managing land use and zoning regulations in Buncombe County.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S65