A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT providing that counties and cities shall not adopt ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property without the express authorization of the general assembly.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 6 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read as follows:
"§ 153A‑145.9.  Limitations on regulating trees.
No county may adopt ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property within the county's jurisdiction without the express authorization of the General Assembly. Neither the general police powers authorized in this Article nor any other powers authorized in this Chapter or in any other general or local law, except a general or local law expressly authorizing a county to adopt ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property, shall be used by a county's governing body as the basis for adopting ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property."
SECTION 2.  Article 8 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read as follows:
"§ 160A‑205.4.  Limitations on regulating trees.
No city may adopt ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property within the city's corporate limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction without the express authorization of the General Assembly. Neither the general police powers authorized in this Article nor any other powers authorized in this Chapter or in any other general or local law, except a general or local law expressly authorizing a city to adopt ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property, shall be used by a city's governing body as the basis for adopting ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property."
SECTION 3.  Any local acts authorizing ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property and any ordinances that were adopted under that authority before the date this act becomes law shall remain in effect after this act becomes law.
SECTION 4.  Any ordinances regulating the removal of trees from private property that were adopted before the date this act becomes law without the express authorization of the General Assembly are hereby repealed.
SECTION 5.  This act is effective when it becomes law.