North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160D. Local Planning and Development Regulation § 160D-601. Procedure for adopting, amending, or repealing development regulations

(a) Hearing with Published Notice.--Before adopting, amending, or repealing any ordinance or development regulation authorized by this Chapter, the governing board shall hold a legislative hearing. A notice of the hearing shall be given once a week for two successive calendar weeks in a newspaper having general circulation in the area. The notice shall be published the first time not less than 10 days nor more than 25 days before the date scheduled for the hearing. In computing such period, the day of publication is not to be included but the day of the hearing shall be included.

(b) Notice to Military Bases.--If the adoption or modification would result in changes to the zoning map or would change or affect the permitted uses of land located five miles or less from the perimeter boundary of a military base, the local government shall provide written notice of the proposed changes by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the commander of the military base not less than 10 days nor more than 25 days before the date fixed for the hearing. If the commander of the military base provides comments or analysis regarding the compatibility of the proposed development regulation or amendment with military operations at the base, the governing board of the local government shall take the comments and analysis into consideration before making a final determination on the ordinance.

(c) Ordinance Required.--A development regulation adopted pursuant to this Chapter shall be adopted by ordinance.

(d) Down-Zoning.--No amendment to zoning regulations or a zoning map that down-zones property shall be initiated nor is it enforceable without the written consent of all property owners whose property is the subject of the down-zoning amendment, unless the down-zoning amendment is initiated by the local government. For purposes of this section, “down-zoning” means a zoning ordinance that affects an area of land in one of the following ways: