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Local leaders urge state to allow impact fees and protect regional airport

Harnett County Board of Commissioners · March 31, 2026

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Summary

Residents and commissioners asked lawmakers to enable local impact fees and to protect the regional jetport with an overlay; legislators encouraged formal local bills or resolutions but cautioned about leadership resistance and potential classification as a new tax.

HARNETT COUNTY — Commissioners and residents urged state lawmakers to give counties more leeway to require developer-paid impact fees and to approve protective overlays for the regional jetport.

During public discussion, a resident said the county is bearing costs from rapid growth and asked the General Assembly to allow local referenda or impact fees for education and infrastructure. "$3,500 per lot," the resident suggested as a target figure for an impact fee on new lots, then added that even smaller amounts would help.

State lawmakers said they support taking requests in writing and will try to help with local bills, but warned that some leadership may treat broad impact-fee proposals as new taxes and resist them. A House member said leadership often classifies perceived new taxes unfavorably and urged careful wording. "If you don't send us something in writing requesting it, as legislators, we're not gonna do it for you," a representative said.

Lawmakers also urged the county to request an overlay to protect the local airport from downzoning that could prevent runway expansion. A senator present said he has drafted a local bill to exempt the airport from downzoning restrictions and urged the commissioners to pass a resolution and provide specific written language.

Commissioners asked legislators to prioritize the county's project list and to help secure technical fixes to grant awards they expect will be needed for parks and greenway projects. Lawmakers asked for formal submissions and said they would take the requests to caucus and committee for consideration.

The meeting concluded with county officials agreeing to prepare written requests for both impact fees and airport protections so legislators can consider local-bill options when session resumes.