Article 8.

County Property.

Part 1. Acquisition of Property.

§ 153A‑157:  Recodified as § 153A‑158.1(a) by Session Laws 1995, c.  17, s. 15(a).

 

§ 153A‑158.  Power to acquire property.

A county may acquire, by gift, grant, devise, exchange, purchase, lease, or any other lawful method, the fee or any lesser interest in real or personal property for use by the county or any department, board, commission, or agency of the county. In exercising the power of eminent domain a county shall use the procedures of Chapter 40A. (1868, c. 20, ss. 3, 8; 1879, c. 144, s. 1; Code, ss. 704, 707; Rev., ss. 1310, 1318; C.S., ss. 1291, 1297; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1981, c. 919, s. 21; 1995, c. 17, s. 14; 2011‑284, s. 106.)

 

§ 153A‑158.1.  Acquisition and improvement of school property.

(a) Acquisition by County. – A county may acquire, by any lawful method, any interest in real or personal property for use by a school administrative unit within the county. In exercising the power of eminent domain a county shall use the procedures of Chapter 40A. The county shall use its authority under this subsection to acquire property for use by a school administrative unit within the county only upon the request of the board of education of that school administrative unit and after a public hearing.

(b) Construction or Improvement by County. – A county may construct, equip, expand, improve, renovate, or otherwise make available property for use by a school administrative unit within the county. The local board of education shall be involved in the design, construction, equipping, expansion, improvement, or renovation of the property to the same extent as if the local board owned the property.

(c) Lease or Sale by Board of Education. – Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 115C‑518 and G.S. 160A‑274, a local board of education may, in connection with additions, improvements, renovations, or repairs to all or part of any of its property, lease or sell the property to the board of commissioners of the county in which the property is located for any price negotiated between the two boards.

(d) Board of Education May Contract for Construction. – Notwithstanding the provisions of G.S. 115C‑40 and G.S. 115C‑521, a local board of education may enter into contracts for the erection of school buildings upon sites owned in fee simple by one or more counties in which the local school administrative unit is located.

(e) Scope. – This section applies in every county. (1868, c. 20, ss. 3, 8; 1879, c. 144, s. 1; Code, ss. 704, 707; Rev., ss. 1310, 1318; C.S., ss. 1291, 1297; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1981, c. 919, s. 21; 1991, cc. 120, 533; 1991, c. 1001, s. 2; 1991 (Reg. Sess., 1992), c. 832, s. 1;  c. 848, s. 1; c. 865, s. 1; c. 1001, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 611, ss. 1.1, 2; c. 612, ss. 1‑3; c. 614, ss. 1‑4; c. 622, ss. 1‑3; c. 623, ss. 1‑3; c. 642, s. 3(a), (c), (d); c. 655, ss. 1‑3; 1995, c. 17, ss. 15(a), (b), 16; c. 251, ss. 1, 2; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 651, s. 1; c. 702, s. 1; c. 703, s. 1; c. 705, s. 1; c. 737, s. 1; 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 11, s. 1; 1997‑24, s. 1; 1997‑162, s. 1; 1997‑190, s. 1; 1997‑236, s. 3; 1997‑409, s. 1; 1998‑33, s. 1; 1998‑48, s. 1; 1998‑201, s. 1; 1999‑65, s. 1; 2001‑76, s. 1; 2001‑427, s. 7(a); 2003‑89, s. 1; 2003‑355, s. 1.)

 

§ 153A‑158.2.  Acquisition and improvement of community college property.

(a) Acquisition. – A county may acquire, by any lawful method, any interest in real or personal property for use by a community college within the county. In exercising the power of eminent domain for real property, a county shall use the procedures of Chapter 40A of the General Statutes.

(b) Construction; Disposition. – A county may construct, equip, expand, improve, renovate, repair, or otherwise make available property for use by a community college within the county and may lease, sell, or otherwise dispose of property for use by a community college within the county for any price and on any terms negotiated by the board of county commissioners and the board of trustees of the community college.

(c) Public Hearing. – A county may use its authority under this section to acquire an interest in real or personal property for use by a community college within the county only upon request of the board of trustees of the community college for which property is to be made available. The board of county commissioners shall hold a public hearing prior to final action. A notice of the public hearing shall be published at least once at least 10 days before the date fixed for the hearing. (1999‑115, s. 1.)

 

§§ 153A‑159 through 153A‑162.  Repealed by Session Laws 1981, c. 919, s. 20.

 

§ 153A‑163.  Acquisition of property at a judicial sale, execution sale, or sale pursuant to a power of sale; disposition of such property.

A county, city, or other unit of local government may purchase real property at a judicial sale, an execution sale, or a sale made pursuant to a power of sale, to secure a debt due the county, city, or other unit. The purchasing government may sell any property so acquired by private sale for not less than the amount of its bid or may sell or exchange the property for any amount according  to the procedures prescribed by Chapter 160A, Article 12. (1868, c. 20, s. 8; 1879, c. 144, s. 1; Code, s. 707; Rev., s. 1318; C.S., s. 1297; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

 

§ 153A‑164.  Joint buildings.

Two or more counties, cities, other units of local government (including local boards of education), or any combination of such governments may jointly acquire or construct public buildings to house offices, departments, bureaus, agencies, or facilities of each government. The governments may acquire any land necessary for a joint building or may use land already held by one of the governments.

In exercising the powers granted by this section, the governments shall proceed according to the procedures and provisions of Chapter 160A, Article 20, Part 1. (1965, c. 682, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

 

§ 153A‑165.  Leases.

A county may lease as lessee, with or without option to purchase, any real or personal property for any authorized public purpose. A lease of personal property with an option to purchase is subject to Chapter 143, Article 8. (1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

 

§§ 153A‑166 through 153A‑168.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

 

Part 2. Use of County Property.

§ 153A‑169.  Care and use of county property; sites of county buildings.

The board of commissioners shall supervise the maintenance, repair, and use of all county property. The board may issue orders and adopt by ordinance or resolution regulations concerning the use of county property, may designate and redesignate the location of any county department, office, or agency, and may designate and redesignate the site for any county building, including the courthouse. Before it may redesignate the site of the courthouse, the  board of commissioners shall cause notice of its intention to do so to be published once at least four weeks before the meeting at which the redesignation is made. (1868, c. 20, ss. 3, 8; Code, ss. 704, 707; Rev., ss. 1310, 1318; C.S., ss. 1291, 1297; 1925, c. 229; 1927, c. 91, ss. 11, 13; 1957, c. 909, s. 1; 1961, c. 811; 1967, c. 581, s. 1; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

 

§ 153A‑170.  Regulation of parking on county property.

A county may by ordinance regulate parking of motor vehicles on county‑owned property. Such an ordinance may be enforced pursuant to G.S. 153A‑123. In addition, the ordinance may provide that vehicles parked in violation thereof may be removed from the property by the county or an agent of the county to a storage area or garage. If a vehicle is so removed, the owner, as a condition of regaining possession of the vehicle, shall be required to pay to the county all reasonable costs incidental to the removal and storage of the vehicle and any fine or penalty due for the violation. (1961, c. 191; 1971, c. 109; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

 

§§ 153A‑171 through 153A‑175.  Reserved for future codification purposes.

 

Part 3. Disposition of County Property.

§ 153A‑176.  Disposition of property.

A county may dispose of any real or personal property belonging to it according to the procedures prescribed in Chapter 160A, Article 12. For purposes of this section references in Chapter 160A, Article 12, to the "city," the "council," or a specific city official are deemed to refer, respectively, to the county, the board of commissioners, and the county official who most nearly performs the same duties performed by the specified city official. For purposes of this section, references in G.S. 160A‑266(c) to "one or more city officials" are deemed to refer to one or more county officials designated by the board of county commissioners. (1868, c. 20, ss. 3, 8; Code, ss. 704, 707; Rev., ss. 1310, 1318; C.S., ss. 1291, 1297; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1983, c. 130, s. 2.)

 

§ 153A‑177.  Reconveyance of property donated to a local government.

If real or personal property is conveyed without consideration to a county, city, or other unit of local government to be used for a specific purpose set out in the instrument of conveyance and the governing body of the county, city, or other unit of local government determines that the property will not be used for that purpose, the county, city, or other unit of local government may reconvey the property without consideration to the grantor or his heirs, assigns, or nominees. Before it may make a reconveyance, the county, city, or other unit of local government shall publish once a week for two weeks notice of its intention to do so. (1937, c. 441; 1973, c. 822, s. 1.)

 

§ 153A‑178.  Disposition of county property for a State psychiatric hospital.

When the Secretary of Health and Human Services selects a county for the location of a new State psychiatric hospital as authorized by law, the county selected for the location of the new State psychiatric hospital is authorized under the general law to acquire real and personal property and convey it to the State under G.S. 160A‑274 or other applicable law for use as a psychiatric hospital. The county may acquire the property by eminent domain, and the power under this section is supplementary to any other power the county may have to take property by eminent domain. (2003‑314, s. 3.2.)

 

§§ 153A‑179 through 153A‑184.  Reserved for future codification purposes.