How much power does local government truly have? It’s a fair question.
The truth is that local government is a creature of the legislature, and while that group isn’t fond of doling out personal freedom, it is more than willing to dole out power.
Lest you think I had a bit too much eggnog during the holidays, consider the following: Jackson County now regulates the color of homes on hills. County officials even regulate how many trees must be planted between your home and the view of people down in the valley.
Yes, county officials can prevent you from painting your house white, if they so desire. It seems absurd, but they’ve enacted a host of restrictive ordinances that require 10-acre minimum lot sizes. They are more aggressive on lots with a slope. Imagine a slope in western North Carolina.
The beauty of this is that Jackson County officials wanted to slow development. Now, thanks to the economy and their restrictive rules, they will be facing shortfalls of their own doing.
Not to be outdone, Chatham County officials are on the rampage against property owners as well. Their proposed development ordinances don’t restrict development within 100 feet of most roads or even 500 feet. No, they will restrict development a staggering 1,500 feet from each side of the road.
If you are unfortunate enough to hold property along such roads, you will be forced to pay taxes on property you might as well be forbidden from developing. The rationale is even stranger: It’s to protect the view of people traveling along the roads.
In Sanford, the city has banned the raising of chickens. Residents can keep their ducks, guinea hens, and even peacocks, but chickens have been outlawed. Sanford also prevents personal signs from being displayed on property if they are more than six square feet in size.
The way the ordinance is written, if such a sign exists on your property and is buried under
10 feet of dirt, the sign still would be illegal. The city would have the right to set foot on your property and assess a $100 fine per day if a neighbor complains.
Meanwhile, cities such as Wilmington, Pinehurst, Sunset Beach, and many others still practice forced annexation. Current law allows cities to annex homes without the residents’ request or approval. Fayetteville recently annexed about 40,000 folks, making Fayetteville one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. If municipalities can’t get folks to move inside the city limits, local officials annex them anyway and reap new tax revenues.
Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker, however, takes the prize for the most bizarre logic in city government. After going way over budget on the city’s new convention center, having record numbers of police resignations, and recently fining a restaurant more than $40,000 for improperly pruning trees, Meeker wants federal money.
To put things in perspective, federal money is also taxpayer money, but the mayor seems to miss that point. He would “very much like the federal funds to come directly to local governments, whether it be cities, counties, whatever,” Meeker said during a recent news conference. “That way the funds can be expended more quickly,” he said.
Since when have local government officials had any problem spending money quickly?
But 2009 holds great promise. A difficult economy and diminished revenues, while troubling, also tend to make local government leaner, more efficient, and focused on core functions, such as law enforcement and fire protection. Actually, it’s during healthy economic times that local officials act like kids in a candy store without their parents being present.
Otherwise, I remain optimistic.
Chad Adams is vice president for development of the John Locke Foundation, director of the Center for Local Innovation, and former vice chairman of the Lee County Board of Commissioners.