Orange County NC Website
12 <br /> 5 <br /> d. in a manner to cause terror to others. <br /> Sendor, K.C. Crimea, p. 65, (1985 Inst. of Govt. ) . • <br /> III . AUTHORITY AND LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORITY FOR ADDITIONAL TOWN <br /> REGULATION OF POSSESSION AND SALE OF WEAPONS <br /> Municipalities in North Carolina are created by act of the General <br /> Assembly and have those powers which the General Assembly has given <br /> them through general or local legislation. Legislation authorizing <br /> local ordinances and the ordinances enacted thereunder must be <br /> consistent with the federal and State Constitutions. Local ordi- <br /> nances must be consistent with legislative authorization. The <br /> subject of a possible local ordinance prohibiting the possession <br /> or sale of weapons raises a number of questions regarding these <br /> principles. <br /> A. Legislative Authorization for Local Ordinance Reculatina or <br /> j • • • • • - • <br /> • ' • • • t • <br /> The North Carolina Constitution (Article VII, Sec. 1) authorizes <br /> the General Assembly to provide for local government and give it <br /> such powers and duties as it may deem advisable. The Town of <br /> Chapel Hill 's authority to regulate weapon possession and/or sale <br /> must come from some provision of the General Statutes or local act. <br /> 1. Authority from Local Act (Town Charter) . <br /> The Town Charter, Section 5.2, provides: <br /> The council may prohibit or regulate the firing of guns, <br /> pistols, crackers, gun powder, or other explosive, combustible <br /> or dangerous materials in the streets, public grounds or <br /> elsewhere within the town and govern the sale thereof. <br /> 2 . General Statute Authority for Town Ordinances. <br /> a. A number of provisions of Chapter 160A of the General <br /> Statutes authorize municipalities to regulate weapons. <br /> i. Spec-ificarly, N.C.G.S. Sec. 160A-189 provides that a <br /> municipality may by ordinance regulate, restrict, or <br /> prohibit the discharge of firearms at any time or place <br /> within its corporate limits except when used in defense <br /> of person or property or pursuant to lawful directions <br /> of law enforcement officers. Further, this section <br /> authorizes a municipality to regulate the display of <br /> firearms on the streets, sidewalks, and alleys, or other <br /> public property. <br />