A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to improve efficiency of CONSTRUCTION permitting by REMOVING REDUNDANCIES in reviews and approvals by state and local agencies, improve accountability and transparency of reviewing AGENCIES, and makE north carolina a national leader in permitting efficiency, which will encourage investors to choose north carolina to create jobs.
Whereas, the construction industry represents 10% of the overall North Carolina economy; and
Whereas, expediting the permitting process will expedite the commencement of construction projects, which in turn can increase the speed of job creation in the construction industry as well as in other industries such as commercial, retail, and manufacturing when employment facilities are completed; and
Whereas, eliminating redundant steps in the permit approval process will reduce costs and maximize efficiency; and
Whereas, many businesses that invest in North Carolina do so based on the value of doing business in the State and often after comparing North Carolina's competitiveness with other states in which they may do business; and
Whereas, it is the design professionals, duly licensed by North Carolina boards of licensure, who have responsible charge over the design and the overall responsibility for design of permit plan preparation, while the permit review agency has authority to review for compliance of standards set forth by its agency or others authorized to set standards; and
Whereas, maximizing efficiency assists in increasing the affordability of homes; and
Whereas, the General Assembly continues to seek ways to reduce burdens on North Carolina businesses to make our State the most business friendly in the country while still maintaining adequate and reasonable review of applications for construction to ensure protection of the people's interests, health, and welfare and to ensure protection of the environment; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  Article 6 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read as follows:
"§ 153A‑145.7.  General requirements for issuing permits.
The following shall apply to construction permits issued by a county, related to site construction and land use permits:
(1)	All standards or requirements for the issuance of a construction permit shall be included in a written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance adopted or authorized by the governing body, and the written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance shall be available for public inspection. A county may deny a complete construction permit application only if the permittee fails to meet the standards or requirements established by the county as prescribed in this subdivision. If the county denies a complete permit application, the county shall notify the permittee of the areas of noncompliance with specific notation regarding which written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance was deficient.
(2)	A county shall not require a permittee to reserve land, dedicate rights‑of‑way, adhere to planning or land use conditions, or make accommodations for future construction activities, including the installation of future infrastructure, unless the requirement is included in a written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance authorized or adopted by the governing body. A written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance may include formal land use maps, capital improvement plans, or fiscally constrained road improvements established by the county or Department of Transportation.
(3)	The governing body shall adopt a written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance establishing or authorizing county departments to establish a schedule that shall be used by county departments in reviewing permit applications, including the maximum number of days in which a county department shall have to approve or deny a complete permit application. The schedule may allow for extenuating circumstances which make adherence impractical, as determined by the county, but these schedule exceptions should be noted in the reporting as defined in subdivision (4) of this section. The schedule shall be made available for public inspection and shall be published on the county's Web site, if one is available. If the governing body authorizes county departments to establish a schedule as provided in this subdivision, the governing body shall approve the schedule before it is implemented for use by the public.
(4)	Each county department responsible for reviewing construction permit applications shall, on a quarterly basis, submit to the governing body a report detailing the department's compliance with the schedule established under subdivision (3) of this section, including the number of permit application reviews that were completed within the time periods specified in the schedule, the number completed prior to the expiration of the time periods, and the number completed after the expiration of the time periods. The department's report shall be made available for public inspection and shall be published on the county's Web site, if one is available. The county may present the data in the format of its choosing provided it is in compliance with this section.
(5)	A written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance shall not require a construction permit be reviewed only after another agency or department, including a State agency or department, has conducted its own review of the same or another permit application related to the same project. Written policies, standards, procedures, or ordinances adopted by the county shall require that construction permits issued by the county shall be reviewed concurrently with other permits related to the same project. The requirement for departments or agencies to review concurrently does not apply if the project is proposed to be constructed in phases which make a concurrent review impractical, or if the permittee requests non‑concurrent reviews.
(6)	If the county uses an online construction permit application review and approval program, where feasible, every department or agency of the county and State agencies authorized to review and approve permit applications shall use the online program. The county shall, where feasible, make its online program accessible to outside local and State agencies, and those agencies shall use the online program to review and approve permit applications submitted to those agencies. To ensure technology security, the county shall utilize a Web‑based program or portal, or provide a secure login option, if an outside agency will have access to and utilize the county review and approval program.
(7)	Where feasible, a county shall make its online permit review and approval program accessible by municipalities in the county to facilitate concurrent review and approval of permit applications.
(8)	A county may establish a fee to cover the cost of creating an online permit application review and approval program, but the fee shall not be more than the anticipated first two years' actual cost of establishing and implementing the online program, including maintenance, upgrades, security features, and software licensing fees, and the total cost of the program shall be evenly distributed to all permit applicants, based on an estimated number of expected annual applicants for that county.
(9)	A county shall not require a permittee to construct off‑site infrastructure improvements, including improvements related to utilities or traffic, unless the improvements are roughly proportionate to the impact of the permittee's development.
(10)	A fee in lieu of payments related to off‑site improvements authorized by law shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the roughly proportionate impact of the permittee's development, unless otherwise agreed to by the permitee. The estimated actual costs shall be calculated by a licensed professional engineer."
SECTION 1.(b)  Article 8 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read as follows:
"§ 160A‑205.3.  General requirements for issuing permits.
The following shall apply to construction permits issued by a city, related to site construction and land use permits, but not to include permits or approvals related to subdivision of land or zoning of land: 
(1)	All standards or requirements for the issuance of a construction permit shall be included in a written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance adopted or authorized by the governing body, and the written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance shall be available for public inspection. A city may deny a complete construction permit application only if the application fails to meet the standards or requirements established by the city as prescribed in this subdivision. If the city denies a complete permit application, the city shall notify the permittee of the areas of noncompliance with specific notation regarding which written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance was deficient. 
(2)	A city shall not require a permittee to reserve land, dedicate rights‑of‑way, adhere to planning or land use conditions, or make accommodations for future construction activities, including the installation of future infrastructure, unless the requirement is included in a written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance authorized or adopted by the governing body. A written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance may include formal land use maps, capital improvement plans, or fiscally constrained road improvements established by the Department of Transportation.
(3)	The governing body shall adopt a written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance establishing or authorizing city departments to establish a schedule that shall be used by city departments in reviewing permit applications, including the maximum number of days in which a city department shall have to approve or deny a complete permit application. The schedule may allow for extenuating circumstances which make adherence impractical, as determined by the city, but these schedule exceptions should be noted in the reporting as defined in subdivision (4) of this section. The schedule shall be made available for public inspection and shall be published on the city's Web site, if one is available. If the governing body authorizes city departments to establish a schedule as provided in this subdivision, the governing body shall approve the schedule before it is implemented for use by the public.
(4)	Each city department responsible for issuing construction permits shall, on a quarterly basis, submit to the governing body a report detailing the department's compliance with the schedule established under subdivision (3) of this section, including the number of permit application reviews that were completed within the time periods specified in the schedule, the number completed prior to the expiration of the time periods, and the number completed after the expiration of the time periods. The department's report shall be published in the same manner as city written policies, standards, procedures, or ordinances and shall be published on the city's Web site, if one is available. The city may present the data in the format of its choosing provided it is in compliance with this section.
(5)	A written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance shall not require a permit be reviewed only after another agency or department, including a State agency or department, has conducted its own review of the same or another permit related to the same project. Written policies, standards, procedures, or ordinances adopted by the city shall require that permits issued by the city shall be reviewed concurrently with other permits related to the same project. The requirement for departments or agencies to review concurrently does not apply if the project is proposed to be completed in phases which make a concurrent review impractical, or if the permittee requests nonconcurrent reviews.
(6)	If the city uses an online permit review and approval program, where feasible, every department or agency of the city authorized to review and approve permit applications shall use the online program. The city shall, where feasible, make its online program accessible to outside local and State agencies, and those agencies shall use the online program to review and approve permits. To ensure technology security, the city shall utilize a Web‑based program or portal, or provide a secure login option, if an outside agency will have access to and utilize the city review and approval program.
(7)	Where feasible, a city shall make its online permit review and approval program accessible by the county in which the city is located to facilitate concurrent review and approval of permit applications.
(8)	A city may establish a fee to cover the cost of creating an online permit review and approval program, but the fee shall not be more than the anticipated first two years' actual cost of establishing and implementing the online program, including maintenance, upgrades, security features, and software licensing fees, and the total cost of the program shall be evenly distributed to all permit applicants, based on an estimated number of expected annual applicants for that city.
(9)	A city shall not require a permittee to construct off‑site infrastructure improvements, including improvements related to utilities or traffic, unless the improvements are roughly proportionate to the impact of the permittee's development.
(10)	A fee in lieu of payments related to off‑site improvements authorized by law shall not exceed twenty percent (20%) of the roughly proportionate impact of the permittee's development unless otherwise agreed to by the permittee. The estimated actual costs shall be calculated by a licensed professional engineer."
SECTION 2.  Chapter 136 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"Article 3C.
"Delegation of Permitting Authority.
"§ 136‑166.50.  Short title.
This Article shall be known as and may be cited as the "Local Government Permitting Act of 2017."
"§ 136‑166.51.  Purpose; scope.
(a)	The purpose of this Article is to delegate to certain municipalities the authority to issue construction permits and approvals associated with State‑maintained roads located within the municipality and the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The authority delegated under this subsection includes the authority to approve plats, issue driveway permits, and inspect and approve construction activities and encroachment within the Department's rights‑of‑way. All municipalities with a population of 50,000 or more are hereby granted the permitting authority provided for in this Article unless the municipality specifically declines the delegation. A municipality may, by making a request of the Department Division Engineer, decline delegated authority for certain roads or infrastructure and other elements as provided in this section, but that request does not decline delegated authority for all State‑maintained roads.
(b)	The authority of a municipality to review and approve construction permit applications for State‑maintained roads in its municipal boundary and the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction exists only to the extent explicitly provided in this Article or otherwise granted by the Board.
(c)	Nothing in this Article modifies the Department's responsibility to perform typical maintenance activities on State‑maintained roads and bridges, or modifies bonding requirements.
(d)	Nothing in this Article shall modify the process for review of erosion and sediment control plans or stormwater plans, including authorities of the Department of Environmental Quality or any delegated authority for the same under Chapter 113 of the General Statutes.
(e)	A municipality may request the Department review permit applications, construction activities and encroachments, or inspections, for certain specific State‑maintained roads, certain types of State‑maintained roads, bridges, or provide technical services, which may be outside of the municipality's expertise. The manner by which the services requested by the municipality are provided to the municipality by the Department shall be consistent with current practices or in a manner mutually agreeable to the municipality and the Department Division Engineer.
(f)	A municipality may request a modification of a Department standard or policy by submitting the request to the Department Division Engineer. The modification request must include the basis of the request and a detailed description of how the modification will not adversely impact safety, road maintenance, or traffic flow to the State‑maintained road network.
(g)	A municipality may, as part of its delegated review function, approve a minor site‑specific deviation from a Department standard or policy if, in the opinion of the municipality, the modification will not adversely impact safety, road maintenance, or traffic flow to the State‑maintained road network and is necessitated by a minor site‑specific condition. When a municipality approves a minor deviation from the Department standard or policy, the municipality shall notify the Department through a process established by the Department Division Engineer and the municipality. The municipality is not required to obtain the Department's approval of the minor deviation but may seek the Department's approval or guidance related to the deviation from the Department's standard or policy.
(h)	Delegation of authority to municipalities to issue construction permits and approvals associated with State‑maintained roads located within the municipality and the municipality's  extraterritorial jurisdiction shall not apply to any of the following:
(1)	Interstate highways, including ramps and interchanges.
(2)	State‑maintained roads which have high traffic volumes. For the purpose of this Article, a road with high traffic volumes are those sections of road with annual average daily traffic (AADT) of 50,000 as presented in the Department's most current AADT volume maps.
(3)	Sections of State‑maintained roads located within 2,000 feet of an interstate interchange as measured from the limits of the right‑of‑way of the interstate.
(4)	Sections of State‑maintained controlled access roads. For the purpose of this Article, controlled access roads which will be excluded from delegated authority will be those considered "full control of access" or "limited control of access" as defined by the Board.
"§ 136‑166.52.  Application for delegation.
(a)	A municipality that does not otherwise qualify for the delegation of authority provided for under the Article may request that the Board grant the authority. The municipality shall develop a review program for its jurisdiction and submit its program to the Board for review and approval.
(b)	The Board shall review each program submitted by a municipality and within 90 days of receipt of the application shall notify the municipality whether it has been (i) approved, (ii) approved with modifications, or (iii) disapproved. The Board shall only approve an application upon determining the municipality's review staff has adequate experience and technical expertise related to the review of transportation design and construction activities.
"§ 136‑166.53.  Department's authority.
(a)	The Department shall establish review guidelines that a local government shall follow in its review. These guidelines shall be consistent with existing permitting standards, including those followed by the Department, and of a technical nature. The Department shall not establish different technical standards for different municipalities. The standards must be similar to those established for other State‑maintained roads.
(b)	If the Department determines a municipality is failing to adequately administer or enforce a local program, it shall notify the municipality in writing and shall specify the deficiencies of administration and enforcement. If the municipality does not take corrective action within 60 days of receipt of notification, the Department shall assume administration and enforcement of the program until the municipality demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Department the ability to resume administration and enforcement of the program.
(c)	The Department shall retain the authority to review and approve construction permits for construction activities within State‑maintained road rights‑of‑way for activities conducted by local, State, or federal governments. The review is limited to technical elements only and the Department may not request modifications to reviewed plans based on conflicting policies established by a municipality that has been delegated authority to approve local programs.
"§ 136‑166.54.  Local authority.
(a)	Municipalities with delegated authority under this Article may do all of the following:
(1)	Adopt written policies, standards, procedures, or ordinances and regulations necessary to establish and enforce transportation review programs established in accordance with this Article. A written policy, standard, procedure, or ordinance shall at least meet, but may not exceed, the minimum requirements established by the Department for State‑maintained roads.
(2)	Create or designate agencies or subdivisions to administer and enforce the programs.
(3)	Collect from the Department the amounts necessary to administer and enforce this program, not to exceed the actual costs to the municipality, taking into account fees collected by the municipality pursuant to G.S. 136‑166.55.
(b)	A municipality shall approve a plan only after determining that it complies with all applicable federal, State, and local regulations and shall condition approval of a construction plan upon the applicant's compliance with federal and State laws, regulations, and rules. A municipality shall disapprove a plan if implementation of the plan would result in a violation of federal and State laws, regulations, rules, and standards.
(c)	The municipality shall take into consideration adherence to regional plans developed and approved by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) or Rural Transportation Planning Organizations (RPOs) as well as local ordinances and standards. The transportation‑related elements of a construction plan may be submitted in a manner prescribed by the local government. Separate sets of construction plans which are distinct to the transportation system are not required unless prescribed by the municipality.
(d)	For projects related to transportation or activities or encroachments within the Department's rights‑of‑way, a municipality shall review each construction permit application submitted and within 30 days of receipt thereof shall notify the person submitting the application that the application has been (i) approved, (ii) approved with modifications, or (iii) disapproved.
"§ 136‑166.55.  Fees.
An ordinance adopted by a municipality may establish a fee for the review of a transportation‑related or right‑of‑way impacting construction plan and related activities, except as limited by provisions of G.S. 160A‑296. However, if the local government already performs reviews of the same construction plans under this Article, it may not establish an additional fee for review of a construction activity impacting a State‑maintained road or its right‑of‑way."
SECTION 3.(a)  Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article to read:
"Article 82.
"Transparency and Efficiency in State and Local Permitting; Fees.
"§ 143‑765.  Transparency.
State agencies that have the authority to review and approve construction permits shall maintain published records that present a summary of adherence to their published review schedules with data on frequency of reviews that were not performed within the established time lines, as well as those reviews performed ahead of schedule. Agencies shall also publish summary data that present the number of reviews and submittals for each project. This data shall be published on the agency's public Web site.
"§ 143‑766.  Efficiency.
State and local government agencies that have the authority to review and approve construction permits shall make accommodations to incorporate and facilitate access by staff of other agencies, departments, or local governments so that all entities can utilize the system concurrently and collaboratively. For municipalities that have separate local governments with separate areas of responsibility, such as a county review of stormwater permits and a city with review authority of site plans, but both are reviewing the same construction project, the municipalities shall coordinate their review processes so that submittals and reviews are done through the same system and process. If reviews are performed through an online system, where feasible, all review agencies and departments shall review using the same online system or portal. To ensure technology security, the agency or municipal government which hosts the online review system shall utilize a Web‑based program or portal, or provide a secure login option, if an outside agency will have access to and utilize the online review and approval program.
"§ 143‑767.  Fees.
State agencies which incur costs associated with the creation or adoption of an online permitting system may establish a fee or increase an existing fee for the review, but the new or additional fee shall not be more than the anticipated actual cost associated with implementation including maintenance, upgrades, security features, and software licensing fees distributed equally among all permit applicants over the course of two years. The fee, or increased fee, shall be in effect only for the first 24 months following the initiation of the online permitting process. State agencies shall estimate the anticipated number of permit applications for the program's first 24 months based on the number of applicants from the previous 12 months."
SECTION 3.(b)  State agencies which review construction documents and have permit authority shall develop and implement an online system for submittal, review, and approval by 2020.
SECTION 4.  This act becomes effective October 1, 2017, and applies to applications filed on or after that date.