A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to expand the definition of downtown revitalization in the municipal service district law.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 160A‑536(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	Downtown Revitalization Defined. – As used in this section "downtown revitalization projects" include by way of illustration but not limitation public buildings, restrooms, docks, visitor centers, and tourism facilities, improvements to water mains, sanitary sewer mains, storm sewer mains, electric power distribution lines, gas mains, street lighting, streets and sidewalks, including rights‑of‑way and easements therefor, the construction of pedestrian malls, bicycle paths, overhead pedestrian walkways, sidewalk canopies, and parking facilities both on‑street and off‑street, and other improvements intended to relieve traffic congestion in the central city, improve pedestrian and vehicular access thereto, reduce the incidence of crime therein, and generally to further the public health, safety, welfare, and convenience by promoting the economic health of the central city or downtown area. In addition, a downtown revitalization project may, in order to revitalize a downtown area and further the public health, safety, welfare, and convenience, include the provision of city services or functions in addition to or to a greater extent than those provided or maintained for the entire city. A downtown revitalization project may also include promotion and developmental activities (such as sponsoring festivals and markets in the downtown area, promoting business investment in the downtown area, helping to coordinate public and private actions in the downtown area, and developing and issuing publications on the downtown area) designed to improve the economic well‑being of the downtown area and further the public health, safety, welfare, and convenience. Exercise of the authority granted by this Article to undertake downtown revitalization projects financed by a service district shall not prejudice the city's authority to undertake urban renewal projects in the same area."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.