North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160D. Local Planning and Development Regulation § 160D-307. Extraterritorial representation on boards

(a) Proportional Representation.--When a city elects to exercise extraterritorial powers under this Chapter, it shall provide a means of proportional representation based on population for residents of the extraterritorial area to be regulated. The population estimates for this calculation shall be updated no less frequently than after each decennial census. Representation shall be provided by appointing at least one resident of the entire extraterritorial planning and development regulation area to the planning board, board of adjustment, appearance commission, and the historic preservation commission if there are historic districts or designated landmarks in the extraterritorial area.

(b) Appointment.--Membership of joint municipal-county planning agencies or boards of adjustment may be appointed as agreed by counties and cities. The extraterritorial representatives on a city advisory board authorized by this Article shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners with jurisdiction over the area. The county shall make the appointments within 90 days following the receipt of a request from the city that the appointments be made. Once a city provides proportional representation, no power available to a city under this Chapter is ineffective in its extraterritorial area solely because county appointments have not yet been made. If there is an insufficient number of qualified residents of the extraterritorial area to meet membership requirements, the board of county commissioners may appoint as many other residents of the county as necessary to make up the requisite number. When the extraterritorial area extends into two or more counties, each board of county commissioners concerned shall appoint representatives from its portion of the area, as specified in the ordinance. If a board of county commissioners fails to make these appointments within 90 days after receiving a resolution from the city council requesting that they be made, the city council may make them.

(c) Voting Rights.--If the ordinance so provides, the outside representatives may have equal rights, privileges, and duties with the other members of the board to which they are appointed, regardless of whether the matters at issue arise within the city or within the extraterritorial area; otherwise, they shall function only with respect to matters within the extraterritorial area.