Newton City Council adopts ordinance revisions to comply with new state planning law

The Newton City Council on June 15 unanimously approved revisions to multiple city ordinance chapters to implement the requirements of the new state planning statute, Chapter 160D. The changes follow a public hearing and a staff summary of mandated updates.

Planning Director Randy Williams told the council that NCGS 160D consolidates several planning enabling statutes and that every jurisdiction must update its zoning, subdivision and other development regulations to comply. Williams said staff identified at least 64 mandatory changes across 12 ordinance sections, including changes to conditional/special-use permit terminology, expanded notice requirements, revised consistency statements for zoning amendments, and new definitions. He also said the statute requires jurisdictions to have an up-to-date comprehensive plan to enforce development regulations; Newton’s last comprehensive plan was adopted more than 20 years ago.

City Attorney John Cilley said legal and planning staff have worked for months on the revisions and that the listed changes are mandatory. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 25, received no public comment, and unanimously recommended approval to the council. After the June 15 hearing drew no speakers, Mayor Pro Tem John Stiver moved and Council Member Jerry Hodge seconded a motion to adopt the ordinance revisions; the council voted unanimously to revise the noted chapters (ordinances on file in the office of the city clerk).

The revisions cited by staff range from terminology updates and new definitions to expanded conflict-of-interest and notification provisions, changes to how historic preservation guidance is treated, and altered procedures for quasi-judicial hearings before the Board of Adjustment. Williams told the council some locally adopted practices (such as phased-development vesting plans) will need explicit review to align with the new state requirements.

Council action at the June 15 meeting updates the City of Newton Ordinance chapters specified by staff so the city may lawfully administer zoning and development reviews under the reorganized state law. The city clerk’s office will retain the adopted ordinances and related materials; staff signaled the need for a comprehensive-plan update in the near term to reflect policy choices under the new statutory framework.