The city of Lincolnton stands resolved against a controversial piece of legislation gaining traction in Raleigh. Senate Bill 205, proposed by Senator Steve Jarvis, has undergone significant reform since passing the NC Senate. Originally a bill intended to exempt certain private swimming pools from local health board regulations, the NC House Committee on Regulatory Reform made significant changes since receiving it that appeared to many as an aggressive “power grab” by Raleigh.
The bill’s new wording is very similar to House Bill 765, a prior piece of legislation considered in the NC House of Representatives. Sponsored by Representative Jeff Zenger and called the Save the American Dream Act, HB 765 was a sweeping reform focused on “eas(ing) the housing affordability crisis by streamlining local development rules and imposing state-level clarity and uniformity.” as stated in the purpose section of the bill. However, it accomplished this by stripping local governments of authority. As expected, HB 765 was met with intense pushback from small-town governments and was stalled in the House.
However, it seems as if the bill’s supporters in the House are not quite done with it yet. When SB 205 was assigned to the House Committee on Regulatory Reform the committee, co-chaired by Jeff Zenger, passed a Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS) which effectively amended the bill and modeled it after HB 765. Automatic approvals, accessory dwelling units, restrictions on local control, extended vested rights, property owner civil suit allowances, are all aspects of HB 765 that are now present in SB 205.
The changes are supported by the NC Chamber of Commerce, going so far as calling it a “key vote.” NC Realtors and the North Carolina Home Builders Association also support the legislation, and have undertaken lobbying efforts to help persuade representatives.
As expected, local governments are now passionately opposing the bill as it moves into the House of Representatives for discussion. Many local leaders are shocked at the transformation the legislation undertook, with Lincolnton’s Councilman Kevin Demney saying, “I don’t like the..backhanded way they’re doing this.” The council unanimously approved a resolution opposing SB 205. City Attorney John Friguglietti, Jr. said, “It is a way for us as a city to say, ‘Hey, we’re not in favor of this. We want to keep it local.’” Mayor Hatley ended discussion and then stated that he would “go on record as being opposed to it also.”
You can read the full bill in its current standing here: https://webservices.ncleg.gov/ViewBillDocument/2025/6322/0/S205-PCS45414-RI-22
