GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2003
SESSION 2003
SESSION LAW 2003-282
HOUSE BILL 542
AN ACT TO ALLOW THE TOWNS OF CASWELL BEACH, OAK ISLAND, OCEAN ISLE BEACH, AND SUNSET BEACH AND THE VILLAGE OF BALD HEAD ISLAND TO EXERCISE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN FOR THE PURPOSES OF ENGAGING IN BEACH EROSION CONTROL, FLOOD AND HURRICANE PROTECTION WORKS, AND PUBLIC BEACH ACCESS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 40A-3(bl) reads as rewritten:
(bl) Local Public Condemnors - Modified Provision for Certain Localities. For the public use or benefit, the governing body of each municipality or county shall possess the power of eminent domain and may acquire by purchase, gift or condemnation any property or interest therein, either inside or outside its boundaries, for the following purposes.
(1) Opening, widening, extending, or improving roads, streets, alleys, and sidewalks. The authority contained in this subsection is in addition to the authority to acquire rights-of-way for streets, sidewalks and highways under Article 9 of Chapter 136. The provisions of this subdivision (1) shall not apply to counties.
(2) Establishing, extending, enlarging, or improving any of the public enterprises listed in G.S. 160A-311 for cities, or G.S. 153A-274 for counties.
(3) Establishing, enlarging, or improving parks, playgrounds, and other recreational facilities.
(4) Establishing, extending, enlarging, or improving storm sewer and drainage systems and works, or sewer and septic tank lines and systems.
(5) Establishing, enlarging, or improving hospital facilities, cemeteries, or library facilities.
(6) Constructing, enlarging, or improving city halls, fire stations, office buildings, courthouse jails and other buildings for use by any department, board, commission or agency.
(7) Establishing drainage programs and programs to prevent obstructions to the natural flow of streams, creeks and natural water channels or improving drainage facilities. The authority contained in this subdivision is in addition to any authority contained in Chapter 156.
(8) Acquiring designated historic properties, designated as such before October 1, 1989, or acquiring a designated landmark designated as such on or after October 1, 1989, for which an application has been made for a certificate of appropriateness for demolition, in pursuance of the purposes of G.S. 160A-399.3, Chapter 160A, Article 19, Part 3B, effective until October 1, 1989, or G.S. 160A-400.14, whichever is appropriate.
(9) Opening, widening, extending, or improving public wharves.
(10) Engaging in or participating with other governmental entities in acquiring, constructing, reconstructing, extending, or otherwise building or improving beach erosion control or flood and hurricane protection works, including, but not limited to, the acquisition of any property that may be required as a source for beach renourishment.
(11) Establishing access for the public to public trust beaches and appurtenant parking areas.
The board of education of any municipality or county or a combined board may exercise the power of eminent domain under this Chapter for purposes authorized by G.S. Chapter 115C.
The power of eminent domain shall be exercised by local public condemnors under the procedures of Article 3 of this chapter.
This subsection applies only to Carteret and Dare Counties, the Towns of Atlantic Beach, Carolina Beach, Caswell Beach, Emerald Isle, Holden Beach, Indian Beach, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Kure Beach, Nags Head, North Topsail Beach, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Sunset Beach, Surf City, Topsail Beach, and Wrightsville Beach, and the Village of Bald Head Island. This subsection, excluding subdivision (11) of this subsection, applies to the Town of Duck.
SECTION 2. G.S. 40A-42(a)(2) reads as rewritten:
(2) [Modified Provision for Certain Localities]. When a local public condemnor is acquiring property by condemnation for a purpose set out in G.S. 40A-3(bl)(1), (4), (7), (10), or (11), or when a city is acquiring property for a purpose set out in G.S. 160A-311(1), (2), (3), (4), (6), or (7), or when a county is acquiring property for a purpose set out in G.S. 153A-274(1), (2) or (3), or when a local board of education or any combination of local boards of education is acquiring property for any purpose set forth in G.S. 115C-517, or when a condemnor is acquiring property by condemnation as authorized by G.S. 40A-3(c)(8), (9), (10), (12), or (13), title to the property and the right to immediate possession shall vest pursuant to this subsection. Unless an action for injunctive relief has been initiated, title to the property specified in the complaint, together with the right to immediate possession thereof, shall vest in the condemnor upon the filing of the complaint and the making of the deposit in accordance with G.S. 40A-41.
This subdivision applies only to Carteret and Dare Counties, the Towns of Atlantic Beach, Carolina Beach, Caswell Beach, Duck, Emerald Isle, Holden Beach, Indian Beach, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Kure Beach, Nags Head, North Topsail Beach, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Sunset Beach, Surf City, Topsail Beach, and Wrightsville Beach, and the Village of Bald Head Island.
SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law.