Yanceyville council adopts updated zoning ordinance to comply with state planning law

The Yanceyville Town Council on May 7 unanimously approved a revised town zoning ordinance designed to bring the town’s rules into conformity with North Carolina’s updated local planning and development law. The council also adopted a Town Council Statement of Consistency that accompanies the ordinance.

Virginia Booker, the town’s planning and zoning consultant, told the council the amendments update definitions, add statutory citations to N.C.G.S. 160D and establish processes and procedures required by state law. “All amendments are text amendments, and they do not affect the zoning or setbacks of any property,” she said during the public hearing.

The town retained a version of the ordinance with changes shown in red for public review; according to the consultant, the document was available to the public and will replace older versions on the town website once posted. Booker noted the town had already revised its sign chapter last year to address outdoor advertising.

Council members closed the public hearing, then Councilman Kenneth Darnell moved to adopt the Town Council Statement of Consistency and the revised ordinance. Mayor Pro Tem Darrell McLean seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.

Why it matters: N.C.G.S. 160D reorganizes and modernizes local planning law and requires municipalities to update local ordinances and procedures. Adopting a compliant zoning ordinance clarifies procedures for rezoning, text amendments and planning board operations and reduces legal risk for the town.

What’s next: According to the consultant, the town manager will post the adopted ordinance on the town website and remove prior versions; the council did not set additional implementation steps during the meeting.