AN ACT TO amend the laws governing voluntary agricultural districts to enhance public participation and the development of alternatives for land use decisions impacting lands in such districts.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 106‑740 reads as rewritten:

§ 106‑740.  Public hearings on condemnation of farmland.

An ordinance adopted under this Part or Part 3 of this Article may shall provide that no State or local public agency or governmental unit may formally initiate any action to condemn any interest in qualifying farmland within a voluntary agricultural district under this Part or an enhanced voluntary agricultural district under Part 3 of this Article until such agency has requested the local agricultural advisory board established under G.S. 106‑739 to hold a public hearing on the proposed condemnation.condemnation that conforms to the following requirements:

(1)        Following a public hearing held pursuant to this section, the board shall prepare and submit written findings and a recommendation to the decision‑making body of the agency proposing acquisition.

(2)        The board designated to hold the hearing shall have 30 45 days after receiving a request under this section to hold the public hearing and submit its findings and recommendations to the agency.

(3)        The agency may shall not formally initiate a condemnation action while the proposed condemnation is properly before the advisory board within these time limitations.until 120 days after the date the local agricultural advisory board submits its findings and recommendations to the agency.

SECTION 2.  This act is effective October 1, 2025, and applies to condemnation actions initiated by any State or local public agency or governmental unit on or after that date.