GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

HOUSE BILL 684
RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF KINSTON AND THE TOWNS OF APEX, CARY, GARNER, AND MORRISVILLE TO ADOPT ORDINANCES REGULATING REMOVAL, REPLACEMENT, AND PRESERVATION OF TREES AND SHRUBS WITHIN THE TOWNS AND THE TOWNS' EXTRATERRITORIAL PLANNING JURISDICTION.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  In order to preserve and enhance one of the most valuable natural resources of the community and to protect the safety and welfare of its citizens, a municipality may adopt ordinances to regulate the planting, removal, and preservation of trees and shrubs on public and private property within the municipality.  Any ordinance adopted pursuant to this section shall exclude property to be developed for single-family or duplex residential uses and shall exclude normal forestry activities conducted pursuant to a forestry management plan prepared or approved by a forester registered pursuant to Chapter 89B of the General Statutes.
Section 2.  Prior to adopting an ordinance authorized by Section 1 of this act, a public hearing shall be held before the municipality's governing board.  Notice of the hearing shall be given in accordance with G.S. 160A-364.
Section 3.  This act shall apply only to the City of Kinston and the Towns of Apex, Cary, Garner, and Morrisville and to the areas within those towns' extraterritorial planning jurisdiction under Article 19 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes.
Section 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 12th day of July, 2000.

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	Marc Basnight
	President Pro Tempore of the Senate

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	James B. Black
				eaker of the House of Representatives