Aberdeen board authorizes letters opposing state bills that limit local zoning powers

Town staff and commissioners on March 24 discussed recent state legislation and unanimously authorized the town to oppose two bills that staff said would curb local zoning authority.

Town staff (speaker 2) briefed the board on Senate Bill 382, summarizing it as a provision that would sharply limit municipalities’ ability to downzone property without the property owner’s consent and said the provision was included in a larger act with little local consultation. Staff described the measure as retroactive in some applications and said multiple towns and counties had expressed concern after the language was discovered in a larger legislative package. The manager told commissioners municipal leaders have pursued local bills to opt certain jurisdictions out of the statewide change, and recommended the town join a joint memo from Moore County municipalities opposing SB382.

A commissioner moved to authorize the attached letter opposing SB382 and to authorize the town manager to send a separate letter opposing SB166. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Board members framed the action as part of a coordinated municipal response to preserve extraterritorial jurisdiction and local land‑use tools; commissioners asked staff to proceed with the letters to the county delegation and to pursue additional coordination as needed.

Next steps: staff (manager’s office) will transmit the authorized opposition letter(s) to the Town’s state delegation and coordinate with other municipalities and the county on joint approaches.