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Oak Ridge council approves ordinance change to allow legal notices on Guilford County website
Summary
Council adopted a text amendment authorizing electronic legal advertising and authorized staff to execute a contract with Guilford County, citing expected cost savings. A resident raised concerns about statutory notice certification; the town attorney clarified the contested language comes from state statute rather than the local amendment.
The Town of Oak Ridge Council voted Nov. 6 to amend the development ordinance to authorize electronic legal advertising and to allow the town to execute a contract with Guilford County to publish required notices on the county website.
Town Attorney Michael Thomas told council the amendment “simply amends the ordinances so the town is saying it will use electronic advertising, as one of the authorized forms of legal advertising,” and that adopting the amendment is a preliminary step to executing the contract with Guilford County. The town manager said the change will reduce costs because the town will not have to pay for advertising in the News & Record for notices covered by statute.
During the public hearing, resident Frank Carroll raised concerns about a different provision—mail notice and the certification of mailing to property owners within 500 feet of a rezoning—that he said had allowed an owner to miss notice in a prior case. Attorney Thomas and staff clarified that the referenced certification language is part of state statute (Chapter 160D) and is not new language in the town’s amendment; the local amendment only adds electronic advertising as an authorized method.
After the hearing and brief council discussion, Councilmember Stone moved to approve the text amendment (to section 30‑35) to include electronic notices as authorized by law; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Council members noted the amendment does not preclude using printed forms of notice and provides an additional, less-costly channel for required legal advertising.
Ending: Council adopted the amendment and authorized staff to proceed toward contracting with Guilford County for publication of legally required notices.
