Regulations contained in this Article shall apply uniformly jurisdiction wide.

3.1.1.

Subject to Article 18 of this Ordinance (Nonconforming Situations), no person may use, occupy, or sell any land or buildings or authorize or permit the use, occupancy, or sale of land or buildings under his control except in accordance with all of the applicable provisions of this Ordinance.

3.1.2.

For purposes of this section, the "use" or "occupancy" of a building or land relates to anything and everything that is done to, on, or in that building or land.

The provisions of the Ordinance may be applicable in newly incorporated areas until the County Board of Commissioners transfers zoning jurisdiction to the proper municipal authority.

3.3.1.

Zoning district boundaries adopted pursuant to this Ordinance shall be drawn on a map that is adopted or incorporated within a duly adopted development regulation. The Zoning Map shall be maintained for public inspection in the office of the County Clerk. The map may be in paper or a digital format approved by the County.

State Law reference— G.S. 160D-105(b)

(a)

For the purposes of this Ordinance, Bladen County is hereby divided into zoning districts whose locations and boundaries are shown on the Official Zoning Map for Bladen County, which is hereby adopted by reference and declared to be a part of this Ordinance.

(b)

This Zoning Map and all the notations, references, and all amendments thereto, and other information shown thereon are hereby made a part of this Ordinance the same as if such information set forth on the map were all fully described and set out herein.

(c)

The Zoning Officer or his representative shall be responsible for the maintenance and revision of the Official Zoning Map. Upon notification by the Board of Commissioners that a zoning change has been made, the Zoning Officer shall make the necessary changes on the Official Zoning Map within seven (7) calendar days of notification.

3.3.2.

Identification of Official Zoning Map. The Zoning Map shall be identified by the signature of the Chairman and attested by the County Clerk and bearing the seal of the County under the following words: "This is to certify that this is the Official Zoning Map of the Zoning Ordinance, Bladen County, North Carolina," together with the date of the adoption of this Ordinance and most recent revision date.

(a)

If, in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, changes are made in district boundaries or other items portrayed on the Zoning Map, such changes shall be entered on the official zoning map promptly after the amendment has been approved by the County Board of Commissioners, with an entry on the official zoning map denoting the date of amendment, description of amendment, and signed by the County Clerk. No amendment to this Ordinance which involves matter portrayed on the official zoning map shall become effective until after such change and entry has been made on said map.

(b)

No changes of any nature shall be made in the official zoning map or matter shown thereon except in conformity with the procedures set forth in this Ordinance and state law. Any unauthorized change of whatever kind by any person shall be considered a violation of this Ordinance.

(c)

Regardless of the existence of purported copies of the official zoning map which may from time to time be made or published, the official zoning map, which shall be located in the office of the County Clerk, shall be the final authority as to the zoning status of land and water areas, buildings, and other structures in the County.

(d)

In the event the official zoning map becomes damaged, destroyed, lost, or difficult to interpret, the County Board of Commissioners may by resolution adopt a new official zoning map which shall supersede the prior zoning map. The new official zoning map may correct drafting errors or other errors or omissions in the prior official zoning map, but no correction shall have the effect of amending the original official zoning map, or any subsequent amendment thereof. The new official zoning map shall be identified by the signature of the Chairman attested by the County Clerk, and bearing the seal of the County under the following words: "This is to certify that this Official Zoning Map supersedes and replaces the Official Zoning Map adopted (date of adoption of map being replaced), as part of the Zoning Ordinance, Bladen County, North Carolina."

(e)

Unless the prior official zoning map has been lost, or has been totally destroyed, the prior map or any significant parts thereof remaining, shall be preserved together with all available records pertaining to its adoption or amendment. In the case of GIS data, each version of the zoning map produced shall be archived.

3.3.3.

Incorporation by Reference. Development regulations adopted pursuant to this Ordinance may incorporate by reference the most recently adopted versions of flood insurance rate maps, watershed boundary maps, or other maps officially adopted or promulgated by state and federal agencies.

(a)

When zoning district boundaries are based on these maps, the County's zoning district boundaries are automatically amended to remain consistent with changes in the officially promulgated state or federal maps, provided a copy of the currently effective version of any incorporated map shall be maintained for public inspection.

State Law reference— G.S. 160D-105(b)

3.4.1.

In the event that any question arises concerning the application of regulations, performance standards, definitions, development criteria, or any other provision of the Zoning Ordinance, the Zoning Officer shall be responsible for interpretation and shall look to the Ordinance for guidance.

3.4.2.

Responsibility for interpretation by the Zoning Administrator shall be limited to standards, regulations and requirements of the Zoning Ordinance, but shall not be construed to include interpretation of any technical codes adopted by reference in the Zoning Ordinance, and shall not be construed as overriding the responsibilities given to any commission, board, building inspector, or County officials named in other sections or articles of the Zoning Ordinance.

3.4.3.

Interpretations of the Zoning Ordinance may be appealed to the Board of Adjustment.

Zoning Map Interpretation. Where uncertainty exists with respect to the boundaries of any districts shown on the Zoning Map, the following rules shall apply:

3.5.1.

Use of Property Lines. Where district boundaries are indicated as approximately following street lines, alley lines, and lot lines, such lines shall be construed to be such boundaries. Where streets, highways, railroads, water courses, and similar areas with width are indicated as the district boundary, the actual district boundary line shall be the centerline of such area.

3.5.2.

Use of the Scale. In unsubdivided property or where a zone boundary divides a lot, the location of such boundary, unless the same is indicated by dimensions shall be determined by use of the scale appearing on the map.

3.5.3.

Vacated or Abandoned Streets. Where any street or alley is hereafter officially vacated or abandoned, the zoning regulations applicable to each parcel of abutting property shall apply to the centerline of such abandoned street or alley.

3.5.4.

Split Zoned Parcels. If a district boundary divides a parcel, the requirement for the district in which the greater portion of the parcel lies shall be extended to the remainder of the parcel, provided that such extension shall not include any part of such parcel which lies more than one hundred and fifty (150) feet beyond the existing district boundary, and further provided that the remaining parcel shall not be less than the minimum required lot area for the district in which it is located. Following adoption of this Ordinance, split zoning of parcels will not be permitted.

3.5.5.

Flood Hazard Boundaries. Interpretations of the location of floodway and floodplain boundary lines shall be made by the Zoning Administrator.

3.5.6.

Board of Adjustment. In case any further uncertainty exists, the Board of Adjustment shall interpret the intent of the map as to location of such boundaries.

It is the intention of the Board of Commissioners that this Ordinance implement the planning policies adopted by the board for the County, as reflected in the Bladen County Comprehensive Land Use Plan and other planning documents.

State Law reference— G.S. 160D-701

It is not intended by this ordinance to interfere with or annul any easements, covenants or other agreements between parties except in cases where such agreements require a use or location prohibited by this ordinance. Where this ordinance imposes a greater restriction on a building, use, or lot, the provisions of this ordinance shall govern.

Bladen County hereby adopts by reference the North Carolina State Building Code with appendices. This shall serve as the basis for regulation of building construction and repair. This Ordinance is not intended to conflict with or supersede the North Carolina State Building Code regulations.

No building shall be erected on a lot which does not abut a street or have access to a street, provided that in a business district or in a planned project in a residential district, a building may be erected adjoining a parking area or other dedicated open space which has access to a street used in common with other lots.

No yard or lot existing at the time of passage of this Ordinance shall be reduced in size or area below the minimum requirements set forth herein. Yards or lots created after the effective date of this Ordinance shall meet at least these minimum requirements.

The minimum yards or other open spaces required by this Ordinance for each and every building shall not be encroached upon or considered as meeting the yard and open space requirements of any other building.

Where there is already a primary structure on a lot, an additional structure may be added provided that the lot is large enough to accommodate the minimum lot size of the zoning district for each principal building and all required setbacks can be met. The two (2) dwellings must be at least 100 feet apart. For example: If the property is located in a RA district with public water provided the minimum square feet is 25,000 (0.57 acre) for one principal building, then the lot must be at least 50,000 square feet (1.14 acres) to have two principal buildings. If the minimum lot size is 30,000 square feet (0.69 acre) where there is no public water, then the lot must be at least 60,000 square feet (1.38 acres). There shall be no more than two primary dwellings per lot. For any additional primary structures, the lot must be subdivided (surveyed out).

Where the owner of a lot at the time of the adoption of this Ordinance or his successor in title thereto does not own sufficient land to enable him to conform to the dimensional requirements of this Ordinance, such lot may be used as a building site in the district in which it is located; provided, that the lot width and lot area are not more than twenty (20) percent below the minimum specified in this Ordinance. In any case where the lot area and lot width are more than twenty (20) percent below the minimum specified in this Ordinance or other dimensional requirements cannot be met, the Board of Adjustment may approve, as a special exception, such dimensions as shall conform as closely as possible to the required dimensions.

If two (2) or more adjoining and vacant lots of record are in a single ownership at any time after the adoption of this Ordinance and such lots individually have less frontage or area than the minimum requirements of the district in which such a single lot or several lots are located, the lands involved shall be considered to be an undivided parcel for the purposes of this Ordinance, and no portion of said parcel shall be used which does not meet lot width and area requirements established by this Ordinance, nor shall any division of the parcel be made which leaves remaining any lot with width or area below the requirements stated in this Ordinance.

In addition to the requirements of this Ordinance, all effluents and emissions into the air or surface or groundwater from new development permitted by this Ordinance including any land-disturbing activity must be in conformity with all applicable Federal, State, and County Health and Environmental Quality regulations. Land development must also comply with all other applicable regulations, which also include flood plain, and water shed regulations. All applicable Health Department regulations shall apply.

Construction of curb cuts for purposes of ingress or egress to property abutting a public right-of-way shall be approved by the public authority in the County which has jurisdiction over the maintenance of public streets and the North Carolina Department of Transportation where said curbs affect access to State Highways. Provision for all access work done on highway right-of-way is subject to approval by the Department of Transportation.

No private sign, structure, or other items shall project beyond an imaginary line drawn ten (10) feet from and parallel to the outer edge of the public right-of-way. Any projection into a public right-of-way, new or existing, shall be removed.

The height limitations contained in the schedule of district regulations do not apply to spire, belfries, cupolas, antennas, water tanks, ventilators, chimneys, mechanical equipment penthouses, or other appurtenances usually required to be placed above the roof level and not intended for human occupancy. (See Section 9.2.3.)

There shall be no planting, structure, fence, or other obstruction to visibility on any corner lot between two (2) feet or ten (10) feet above the level of the center line of the street in a triangular area bounded by the street right-of-way line on such corner lots and a base line joining points along right-of-way lines twenty-five (25) feet from the intersection right-of-way corner.

Except as may be required in Article 14, Wireless Communications, the following shall apply.

3.20.1.

Roof top mounted equipment shall not be visible from public rights-of-way or adjacent residential property. Equipment shall be screened by parapet walls or continuous mechanical screens that are compatible with and complementary to the overall building design. Where complete screening is not technically feasible due to differences in grade elevations, then the parapet or screens shall be at least as tall as the tallest piece of equipment.

3.20.2.

Ground mounted utilities and equipment, including outdoor service, storage, loading, and mechanical areas shall be located on non-character defining facades and shall be screened by garden walls, fences, or solid vegetation so they are not visible from public rights-of-way or adjacent residential properties.

3.20.3.

Noise-generating equipment shall be located so as to mitigate the impact on adjacent properties and public rights-of-way. Equipment that generates more than 60 decibels shall not be located next to a residential development or must incorporate mufflers or other noise-reducing equipment.

3.20.4.

Fencing. Solid fencing shall not be used to obscure the building facade from streets and travel ways. Where used, solid fencing shall be located behind the building line of the primary facade(s). Chain link fencing is not permitted where it will be visible from streets and travel ways unless it is completely hidden by a permanently maintained vegetative cover. Single-family residential is excluded from this requirement.

Cross reference— See also Article 10, Part 3, Landscaping and Screening

This Ordinance shall not set forward a minimum square footage of any structure subject to regulation under the North Carolina Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings.

State Law reference— G.S. 160A-381; S.L. 2019-174

A record of all decisions, permits, minutes, and other documents described in this Ordinance shall be kept on file as provided in the latest editions of the Municipal Records Retention and Disposition Schedule issued by the NC Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and Records. Specific standards describing the documents required by this Ordinance include Standard-5 Building Inspections Records and Standard-13 Planning and Zoning Records.

State Law reference— G.S. 121-5 (c) and 132-8