North Carolina passes sweeping surprise ban on 'downzoning'

North Carolina's surprise "downzoning" ban prevents local governments from tightening zoning restrictions on your property.

The Republican -controlled North Carolina Legislature overrode Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper 's veto of Senate Bill (S.B.) 382 .

S.B. 382 gives property owners perhaps the nation's strongest protections against local governments tightening zoning regulations on their land.

S.B. 382's provisions will effectively prevent local governments from doing comprehensive updates to their land use regulations.

The law's exceptionally broad definition of downzoning and its requirement that all affected property owners receive individual notice of code changes and give individual written consent is a huge procedural hurdle.

Some local government concerns can be chalked up to turf wars that come with any state preemption.

- Colorado Springs , Colorado , is advancing an update to its zoning regulations that will allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in exclusively single-family areas. The city's planning commission has recommended that new ADUs be allowed to be as large as the primary dwelling while opposing a proposal to allow two ADUs on a property. The changes are mandated by a state law passed earlier this year ..