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Matthews board registers opposition to state land‑use bills as state senator briefs board on local measures
Summary
The board read a letter opposing House Bill 765 and House Bill 661 — measures the town says would curtail local land‑use controls — while State Senator Woodson Bradley, present at the meeting, said she is seeking to exempt Mecklenburg County from some down‑zoning provisions and is working with colleagues on amendments.
Mayor John Higdon read a letter into the record on April 28 urging state lawmakers to oppose two recently introduced House bills — HB 765 and HB 661 — that the town says would limit local land‑use authority and restrict local street and infrastructure standards.
The letter cited provisions that would eliminate conditional zoning or voluntary zoning conditions, mandate minimum densities in residential districts and limit municipal authority to adopt street design and construction standards that exceed NCDOT requirements. The letter warned the town that lowering local standards could shift long‑term maintenance costs to the municipality and said the town objected to provisions that could expose local officials to legal penalties for routine land‑use decisions.
State Senator Woodson Bradley, who addressed the board earlier in the meeting, told commissioners she filed a bill to exempt Mecklenburg County (including Matthews and Mint Hill) from what she described as overreach in proposed down‑zoning bills and said she is working with colleagues and municipal advocates to amend House proposals to better protect local control. Bradley said she met with the League of Municipalities and planned further meetings in Raleigh to press for revisions that reflect municipal and neighborhood concerns.
Why this matters: The bills, as drafted, would restrict options available to local governments for negotiating development conditions and for adopting higher local infrastructure standards; town officials and some local developers have argued those changes would reduce local flexibility and shift costs.
Next steps: The mayor and staff will continue coordination with legislative delegations and municipal associations; staff asked commissioners to share input and urged residents to contact their state representatives.
