§ 160A-312. Authority to operate public enterprises. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 160A‑312. Authority to operate public enterprises.

(a)        A city shall have authority to acquire, construct,establish, enlarge, improve, maintain, own, operate, and contract for theoperation of any or all of the public enterprises as defined in this Article tofurnish services to the city and its citizens. Subject to Part 2 of thisArticle, a city may acquire, construct, establish, enlarge, improve, maintain,own, and operate any public enterprise outside its corporate limits, withinreasonable limitations, but in no case shall a city be held liable for damagesto those outside the corporate limits for failure to furnish any publicenterprise service.

(b)        A city shall have full authority to protect and regulate anypublic enterprise system belonging to or operated by it by adequate andreasonable rules. The rules shall be adopted by ordinance, shall apply to thepublic enterprise system both within and outside the corporate limits of thecity, and may be enforced with the remedies available under any provision oflaw.

(c)        A city may operate that part of a gas system involving thepurchase and/or lease of natural gas fields, natural gas reserves and naturalgas supplies and the surveying, drilling or any other activities related to theexploration for natural gas, in a partnership or joint venture arrangement withnatural gas utilities and private enterprise. (1971, c. 698, s. 1; 1973, c. 426, s. 51; 1975, c.821, s. 5; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1247, s. 29; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 836, s.1.)