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3 <br /> RES-2025-036 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> RESOLUTION OPPOSING SENATE BILL 205 <br /> WHEREAS, Senate Bill 205 introduced during the 2025 session of North Carolina General <br /> Assembly has been amended in a manner that changes many aspects of local planning and <br /> zoning authority and dramatically impacts the ability of local governments to act in ways that <br /> reflect the will of their communities; and <br /> WHEREAS, Chapter 160D of the North Carolina General Statutes provides comprehensive <br /> planning and zoning authority to local governments and would be significantly eroded by the <br /> passage of Senate Bill 205, which would diminish the input and will of local communities; and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County has been supportive of removing regulatory barriers to private land <br /> development in order to encourage comprehensive and reasonable development, while at the <br /> same time maintaining that there is a reasonable compromise to virtually all land development <br /> situations; and <br /> WHEREAS, Senate Bill 205 would limit local authority to establish reasonable planning and <br /> zoning regulation based on individual property conditions; and <br /> WHEREAS, Senate Bill 205 would remove local discretion to make fact-based long-term <br /> sustainable decisions and would impose heightened quasi-judicial standards and evidentiary <br /> fact finding for common planning and zoning decisions thereby limiting community input and <br /> feedback on important local land use decisions; and <br /> WHEREAS, Senate Bill 205 would increase the risk of lawsuits against local governments across <br /> the state, subjecting local governments to damages, costs, and attorney fees for reasonable <br /> decisions based on local circumstances that could be unreasonably challenged; and <br /> WHEREAS Senate Bill 205 would remove the ability of local communities and local officials to <br /> pursue their unique visions for their communities, which are critical to attracting new residents, <br /> new businesses, and maintaining the local quality of life; and <br /> WHEREAS, Orange County strongly believes local governments are best suited to represent <br /> their communities on local matters; <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Orange County Board of Commissioners urges the <br /> North Carolina General Assembly to leave planning and zoning decisions to locally elected <br /> boards and their local communities and that the General Assembly immediately table and <br /> dispose of Senate Bill 205 and any similar bills threatening to limit local land use planning and <br /> zoning authority. <br /> Adopted this the 8t" day of July, 2025. <br /> Jamezetta Bedford, Chair <br /> Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />