DATE:

December 14, 2016

TO:

City Council, City Manager’s Office

FROM:

Tom Carruthers, City Attorney
Jennifer Schneier, Assistant City Attorney

SUBJECT:

DRAFT: Greensboro 2017 Legislative Agenda

1. Body Worn Cameras. Seek amendments to Session Law 2016-88: Law Enforcement
Recordings. City Legal is now coordinating with other major cities in the state to identify
common concerns and suggestions to amend this current legislation.
2. Repair of Nonresidential Buildings and Re-Write of Planning Statutes. A newly created
Chapter 160D would reorganize city and county planning and development statutes. This
re-write is spearheaded by the NC Bar Association, along with the NC League of
Municipalities and the UNC School of Government, and it has support from local
governments across the state. One of the modifications allows a municipality to order
repairs of nonresidential buildings in designated zoning districts.
3. Environment/Jordan Lake: Greensboro is now completing a $120M upgrade to its
wastewater treatment facilities to meet its obligations to its downstream partners in the
Jordan Lake basin. Section 15A NCAC 02B .270 (10) (h) of the rule for nutrient
discharges requires the purchase of nutrient offsets in case of an exceedance, which is not
a requirement for Greensboro’s NPDES permit. Therefore, Greensboro requests the
General Assembly remove the requirement to purchase nutrient offsets for the Jordan
Lake rules.
4. Age of Juvenile Jurisdiction. Request that the age of juvenile court jurisdiction be raised
to include 16 and 17 years olds for all crimes except for A-E felonies and traffic
offenses. Request that juvenile courts receive more resources to handle the additional
load. This request is aligned with the findings of N.C. Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark
Martin, who convened an independent commission to study this issue.
5. Collection of Parking Fines Linked to Vehicle Registration. Greensboro seeks to collect
unpaid parking tickets by linking fines to the annual vehicle registration software
maintained by the DMV. Greensboro requests the authority to use such software for
collection purposes.
6. Sales Tax Redistribution. Greensboro supports maintaining an equitable level of sales
taxes and opposes a redistribution plan that reduces urban tax receipts.
7. Water Resources Capacity User Fees. Greensboro joins its sister cities in requesting an
amendment to 160A-314 to give municipalities the same rights as counties to charge fees
in anticipation of future use, expansion, or upgrades of water-sewer infrastructure.

 Although Greensboro’s fees are valid, this fix will correct the loophole created by the
recent Quality Built Homes v. Town of Carthage case which invalidated certain fees
charged by cities.

Greensboro Chamber of Commerce:
The Legislative Agenda for the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce is not finalized, but the
Chamber has identified Priority Items. The highlights are as follows:
1. Workforce Development. Create a pipeline of skilled manufacturing workers by
supporting apprenticeship programs and expanding recruiting efforts and training
programs.
2. MegaSite Infrastructure. Request that the General Assembly activate and fund the Site
Infrastructure Development Fund with $50M to promote sites such as the Megasite as
“site ready.”
3. High Point Market. Request continued funding of the High Point Market Authority and
request that $1.2 M for transportation through NCDOT and $1.75M for marketing
through NCDOC be included in the 2017-2019 budgets as recurring items.
4. Effective Water Quality Management: Request the continuation of two current studies
and the overhaul of statewide Stormwater Basin Nutrient Management Rules. This
would enable the building of multi-acre buildings in the Triad so the region can build the
manufacturing sites that the 21st century requires.
5. Aviation. Seek continuation of planned funding and a commitment to the success of
local and regional airports.
6. Transportation. Seek continued investment in transportation infrastructure to support job
growth. Seek a continuation of planned funding for the Greensboro Urban Loop to
ensure its completion in 2020.