§ 106-743.1. Enhanced voluntary agricultural districts.
(a) A county or a municipality may adopt an ordinance establishing an enhanced voluntary agricultural district. An ordinance adopted pursuant to this Part shall provide:
(1) For the establishment of an enhanced voluntary agricultural district that initially consists of at least the number of contiguous acres of agricultural land, and forestland and horticultural land that is part of a qualifying farm under G.S. 106-737 or the number of qualifying farms deemed appropriate by the governing board of the county or city adopting the ordinance.
(2) For the formation of the enhanced voluntary agricultural district upon the execution of a conservation agreement, as defined in G.S. 121-35, that meets the condition set forth in G.S. 106-743.2 by the landowners of the requisite acreage to sustain agriculture in the enhanced voluntary agricultural district.
(3) That the form of the agreement under subdivision (2) of this subsection be reviewed and approved by an agricultural advisory board established under G.S. 106-739, or other governing board of the county or city that adopted the ordinance.
(4) Repealed by Session Laws 2021-78, s. 1, effective July 2, 2021.
(b) The purpose of establishing an enhanced voluntary agricultural district is to allow a county or a city to provide additional benefits to farmland beyond that available in a voluntary agricultural district established under Part 2 of this Article, when the owner of the farmland agrees to the condition imposed under G.S. 106-743.2. The county or city that adopted the ordinance may take any action it deems appropriate to encourage the formation of these districts and to further their purposes and objectives.
(c) A county ordinance adopted pursuant to this Part is effective within the unincorporated areas of the county. A city ordinance adopted pursuant to this Part is effective within the corporate limits of the city. A city may amend its ordinances in accordance with G.S. 160D-903(e) with regard to agricultural districts within its planning jurisdiction.
(d) A county or city ordinance adopted pursuant to this Part may be adopted simultaneously with the creation of a voluntary agricultural district pursuant to G.S. 106-738. (2005-390, s. 5; 2021-78, s. 1; 2022-62, s. 11.)