North Carolina Let Them Build Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 999

Short Title: North Carolina Let Them Build Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Bradley (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 4, 2026
*S999-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO STREAMLINE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIE W FOR HOUSING, DEFIN E 2
TIMELINES FOR STATE AGENCY DECISIONS IN RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION, 3
EXEMPT SMALL -SCALE I NFILL PROJECTS FROM EXTENDED REVIEWS, 4
ACCELERATE INFRASTRU CTURE, AND CREATE HO USING AND 5
INFRASTRUCTURE DASHBOARDS. 6
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 7
SECTION 1. G.S. 113A-10 reads as rewritten: 8
"§ 113A-10. Provisions supplemental. 9
The policies, obligations and provisions of this Article are supplementary to those set forth 10
in existing authorizations of and statutory provisions applicable to State agencies and local 11
governments. 12
(1) In those instances where a State agency is required to prepare an 13
environmental document or to comment on an environmental document under 14
provisions of federal law, no separate environmental document shall be 15
required to be prepared or published under this Article so long as the 16
environmental document or comment meets the provisions of this Article. 17
(2) In those instances where a State agency is re quired to prepare an 18
environmental document or to comment on an environmental document under 19
provisions of local law for a residential development that are (i) within 20
existing residential development zones, (ii) do not impact protected 21
environmental areas, and (iii) meet defined density and footprint thresholds, 22
no separate environmental document shall be required to be prepared or 23
published under this Chapter so long as the environmental document or 24
comment meets the provisions of this Chapter. This subsection is not intended 25
to override local zoning authority, eliminate environmental safeguards, 26
weaken water or air quality standards, and bypass public notice requirements." 27
SECTION 2. All agencies involved in the predevelopment phase, including the 28
Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Transportation, licensing boards, and 29
the Department of Public Safety, of residential construction shall provide written decisions on 30
qualifying housing projects by personal delivery, email, or first -class mail no later than 60 days 31
from receipt of the submission of the related application. An agency that fails to deliver notice 32
of determination within the 60 -day period prescribed herein shall be subject to escalation to 33
agency leadership for review. A written explanation must be provided for delays past the 34
prescribed period herein no later than 30 days past the prescribed period. This section is not 35
General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 999-First Edition
intended to override local zoning authority, eliminate environmental safeguards, weaken water 1
or air quality standards, and bypass public notice requirements. 2
SECTION 3. Article 4 of Chapter 160D of the General Statutes is amended by 3
adding a new section to read: 4
"§ 160D-403.1. Expedited review for certain classes of buildings in residential zones. 5
In all areas and districts zoned for residential use, a local government shall be exempt from 6
extended review requirements, and no amendment to zoning regulations or conditional use permit 7
shall be required, duplexes, accessory dwelling units, and small multi-family units. This section 8
is not intended to override local zoning authority, eliminate environmental safeguards, weaken 9
water or air quality standards, or bypass public notice requirements." 10
SECTION 4. The Department of Environmental Quality shall provide rules for and 11
manage processes for expedited reviews of water and sewer expansions supporting housing, child 12
chare facility construction, workforce housing tied to major employers, and broadband expansion 13
supporting new housing. This section is not intended to override local zoning authority, eliminate 14
environmental safeguards, weaken water or air quality standards, and bypass public notice 15
requirements. 16
SECTION 5. Local housing authorities shall crea te publicly available dashboards 17
that track average permit review time, agency backlog, and project approval timelines. The 18
housing authorities shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly on program 19
performance and funds allocated. 20
SECTION 6. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of 21
Environmental Quality the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in recurring funds 22
beginning with the 2026-2027 fiscal year to be used for staffing support to implement the North 23
Carolina Let Them Build Act. 24
SECTION 7. This act will become effective when it becomes law. 25