Read the full stored bill text
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1228
Short Title: Down-Zoning/Historic Districts-Mecklenburg Co. (Local)
Sponsors: Representatives Carney, T. Brown, Belk, and Lofton (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
May 7, 2026
*H1228-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO EXCLUDE TH E DESIGNATION OF HIS TORIC DISTRICTS AS 2
DOWN-ZONING IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY. 3
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4
SECTION 1. G.S. 160D-601 reads as rewritten: 5
"§ 160D-601. Procedure for adopting, amending, or repealing development regulations. 6
… 7
(d) Down-Zoning. – No amendment to zoning regulations or a zoning map that 8
down-zones property shall be initiated, enacted, or enforced without the written consent of all 9
property owners whose property is the subject of the down-zoning amendment. For purposes of 10
this section, "down-zoning" means a zoning ordinance that affects an area of land in one of the 11
following ways: 12
(1) By decreasing the development density of the land to be less dense than was 13
allowed under its previous usage. 14
(2) By reducing the permitted uses of the land that are specified in a zoning 15
ordinance or land development regulation to fewer uses than were allowed 16
under its previous usage. 17
(3) By creating any type of nonconformity on land no t in a residential zoning 18
district, including a nonconforming use, nonconforming lot, nonconforming 19
structure, nonconforming improvement, or nonconforming site element. 20
(e) Withdrawn or Denied Applications. – A development regulation or unified 21
development ordinance may not include waiting periods prohibiting a landowner, developer, or 22
applicant from refiling a denied or withdrawn application for a zoning map amendment, text 23
amendment, development application, or request for development approval. 24
(f) Historic Districts. – The designation of a historic district by zoning regulation 25
pursuant to G.S. 160D-944 shall not be deemed "down-zoning" for the purposes of this section." 26
SECTION 2.(a) This act applies only to Mecklenburg County. 27
SECTION 2.(b) This act is effective when it becomes law and applies retroactively 28
to December 11, 2024. 29