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Washington County commissioners approve zoning updates to align with states Chapter 160D
Summary
The Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved updated local ordinances to conform with North Carolinas Chapter 160D after a public hearing and presentations from planning staff; the board also handled routine business and set follow-up steps for implementation.
Chair William R. "Bill" Sexton and the Washington County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved updates to local zoning and land-use ordinances on Monday intended to bring county regulations into compliance with the states new Chapter 160D land-use law.
Planning Board Chair David Clifton and Allen Pittman, the countys Planning & Inspection Director, presented the changes during a public hearing, saying the revisions primarily delete references to outdated "special exceptions" and adjust administrative language so county rules conform with G.S. 160D. "The deadline for getting these approved is July 1, 2021," Pittman told the board, and he said the Planning Board focused changes to match the statute. Chair Sexton noted, "it looked like the only changes made were related to 160D," and the board closed the hearing after the presentation.
The ordinance edits detailed in staff materials include revised language on special use permits, changes to how nonconforming lots are treated and explicit dimensional requirements for lots recorded before certain dates (setbacks for lot-size ranges were specified in staff materials). Planning staff also explained permit-choice provisions: if a local regulation changes after an application is filed, applicants generally may elect which version of the rule applies; that choice can extend to related permits for 18 months, though applicants who delay an application six months may be required to comply with new rules. Pittman cited G.S. 143-755 and G.S. 160D-108(b) in describing the statutory framework.
After brief discussion, Commissioner Ann Keyes moved to approve a Statement of Consistency for the updated ordinances; Commissioner Julius Walker seconded and the roll-call vote was unanimous.
Votes at a glance: the board approved the Consent Agenda (motion by Commissioner Julius Walker, seconded by Commissioner Carol Phelps), opened and closed the public hearing on the 160D ordinance updates (motions by Commissioners Tracey Johnson and Ann Keyes, respectively), and approved the Statement of Consistency (motion by Ann Keyes). All recorded votes that evening were unanimous.
Why it matters: Chapter 160D reorganizes and modernizes North Carolinas local land-use statutes; counties must update ordinances so that local processes, variances and permit choices align with state law. Washington County staff said the edits are largely procedural and meant to preserve current development standards while ensuring the countys code complies with the state deadline.
The board took no additional policy votes on fees or substantive rezoning changes at the meeting; staff will proceed with replacing statutory references and publishing the revised ordinance text as required.
