§ 160A-452. Powers and duties of commission. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 160A‑452.  Powersand duties of commission.

The commission, upon its appointment, shall make careful study of thevisual problems and needs of the municipality or county within its area ofzoning jurisdiction, and shall make any plans and carry out any programs thatwill, in accordance with the powers herein granted, enhance and improve thevisual quality and aesthetic characteristics of the municipality or county. Tothis end, the governing board may confer upon the appearance commission thefollowing powers and duties:

(1)        To initiate, promote and assist in the implementation ofprograms of general community beautification in the municipality or county;

(2)        To seek to coordinate the activities of individuals,agencies and organizations, public and private, whose plans, activities andprograms bear upon the appearance of the municipality or county;

(3)        To provide leadership and guidance in matters of area orcommunity design and appearance to individuals, and to public and privateorganizations, and agencies;

(4)        To make studies of the visual characteristics and problemsof the municipality or county, including surveys and inventories of anappropriate nature, and to recommend standards and policies of design for theentire area, any portion or neighborhood thereof, or any project to beundertaken;

(5)        To prepare both general and specific plans for the improvedappearance of the municipality or county. These plans may include the entirearea or any part thereof, and may include private as well as public property.The plans shall set forth desirable standards and goals for the aestheticenhancement of the municipality or county or any part thereof within its areaof planning and zoning jurisdiction, including public ways and areas, openspaces, and public and private buildings and projects;

(6)        To participate, in any way deemed appropriate by thegoverning body of the municipality or county and specified in the ordinanceestablishing the commission, in the implementation of its plans. To this end,the governing body may include in the ordinance the following powers:

a.         To request from the proper officials of any public agency orbody, including agencies of the State and its political subdivisions, its plansfor public buildings, facilities, or projects to be located within themunicipality or its area of planning and zoning jurisdiction of the city orcounty.

b.         To review these plans and to make recommendations regardingtheir aesthetic suitability to the appropriate agency, or to the municipal orcounty planning or governing board. All plans shall be reviewed by thecommission in a prompt and expeditious manner, and all recommendations of thecommission with regard to any public project shall be made in writing. Copiesof the recommendations shall be transmitted promptly to the planning orgoverning body of the city or county, and to the appropriate agency.

c.         To formulate and recommend to the appropriate municipalplanning or governing board the adoption or amendment of  ordinances (includingthe zoning ordinance, subdivision regulations, and other local ordinancesregulating the use of property) that will, in the opinion of the commission,serve to enhance the appearance of the municipality and its surrounding areas.

d.         To direct the attention of city or county officials toneeded enforcement of any ordinance that may in any way affect the appearanceof the city or county.

e.         To seek voluntary adherence to the standards and policies ofits plans.

f.          To enter, in the performance of its official duties and atreasonable times, upon private lands and make examinations or surveys.

g.         To promote public interest in and an understanding of its recommendations, studies, and plans, and to that end to prepare, publish anddistribute to the public such studies and reports as will, in the opinion ofthe commission, advance the cause of improved municipal or county appearance.

h.         To conduct public meetings and hearings, giving reasonablenotice to the public thereof. (1971, c. 896, s. 6; c. 1058.)