In our opinion: 'It's not our fault. Call the state.'

Brunswick County needs to heed complaints about the North Carolina General Assembly’s usurpation of power at the expense of local government. Until local government has the tools it needs to effectively control development, ban clear cutting, end open burning and protect our precious wetlands, county residents can’t expect order to emerge from the chaos Republican aggrandizement has engineered.

The solution is simple – end control of the General Assembly by the MAGA majority that acts as advocates for special interests, including developers. Replace them with office seekers – like our own Scott Nasiff, Dennis Breen and Rick Combes – who will truly represent the views of concerned county residents and restore local decision-making to local governments.

A state legislature led by Democrats will have a long agenda that includes correcting policy in a number of areas such as development, public education and  voters’ rights. For now, we’ll focus on uncontrolled development in Brunswick County, which is affecting the quality of life and the environment in our own back yards.

Larry Widman, the BCDP’s director of research, has compiled a list of state laws enacted by the Republican-led legislature that, taken as a whole, have led us toward special interest domination at the state level at the expense of the environment, our health and local governance. They include:

• House Bill 488 (approved in 2023 after override of Governor Cooper’s veto). This law prohibits the state from updating residential building codes until 2031. The statute jeopardizes access to federal climate change and flood-mitigation funds. It also has contributed to rising homeowner insurance rates.

  
  

• The Farm Act of 2023 directs environmental regulators to remove from state protection thousands of acres of wetlands that absorb stormwater, reduce flooding, filter pollution and support wildlife and fisheries.

• Senate Bill 382 (approved in 2024), which prohibits local government from down-zoning property without the consent of each affected landowner. This law restricts local autonomy from such important Brunswick County issues as regulation of short-term rentals, flood-plain management and neighborhood planning.

• House Bill 661 (House-approved in 2025, pending consideration in the Senate) is a sweeping land-use proposal that significantly reduces local planning authority. It removes local regulatory standards, allows in some cases unregulated development, and imposes statewide rules on other projects. Among other provisions, the bill would:

  • Strip local elected officials of authority to make decisions approved by voters.

  • Establish mandatory density requirements based only on population.

  • Limit the ability of communities to shape their own development plans and long-term vision.

Several other state laws prevent local autonomy in important ways. Except in rare circumstances, it’s against state law for a local government to impose a moratorium on residential development. Except for water and sewer construction, local governments cannot require developers to pay for new roads, schools or public safety, leaving the bill for local taxpayers to assume.

Finally, local governments may only ban clear-cutting or protect heritage trees if they have specific, project-by-project approval from the General Assembly.

Restoring common-sense policies at the county and municipal levels requires more than handwringing from local officeholders frustrated by the restrictions of state politicians. Replacing our current representatives in Raleigh is an excellent start. But citizens must also elect representatives at county and municipal levels, like commissioner candidates Sara Singer and Gary Woods, who will advocate for the changes we need. They should also consider joining their counterparts in other counties, along with other state representatives, in calling for local autonomy.

So be proactive. Campaign and vote for candidates who promise to return power to your county and municipal representatives. Show the rest of our state that Brunswick County Democrats and like-minded independents are taking the lead in pushing for decision-making powers at the local level. The power of change is in your hands.