§ 158-37. Powers of the Region.
§ 158‑37. Powers of the Region.
(a) The general powers of the Region include the following:
(1) The powers of a corporate body, including the power to sueand be sued and to adopt and use a common seal.
(2) To adopt bylaws and resolutions in accordance with thisArticle for its organization and internal management, including the power tocreate and appoint an executive and other committees and to vest authority inthe executive and other committees, as the Commission deems advisable.
(3) To employ persons as necessary and to fix their compensationwithin the limit of available funds.
(4) With the approval of the unit of local government's chiefadministrative official, to use officers, employees, agents, and facilities ofa unit of local government for purposes and upon terms agreed upon with theunit of local government.
(5) To make contracts, deeds, leases with or without option topurchase, conveyances, and other instruments, including contracts with theUnited States, the State of North Carolina, and units of local government.
(6) To acquire, lease as lessee with or without option topurchase, hold, own, and use any franchise or property or any interest in afranchise or property, within the limit of available funds.
(7) To transfer, lease as lessor with or without option topurchase, exchange, or otherwise dispose of any franchise or property or anyinterest in a franchise or property, within the limit of available funds.
(8) To surrender to the State of North Carolina any property nolonger required by the Region.
(b) The economic development powers of the Region include thefollowing, to the extent appropriate to carry out its purposes as provided inthis Article:
(1) To levy a temporary annual motor vehicle registration tax onvehicles with a tax situs within the Region, as provided in G.S. 158‑42.
(2) To acquire, construct, improve, maintain, repair, operate,or administer any component part of a public infrastructure system or facilitywithin the Region, directly or by contract with a third party.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this Article, to exercisethe powers granted to a local government for development by G.S. 158‑7.1,except the power to levy a property tax.
(4) To make grants and loans to support economic developmentprojects authorized by this Article within the Region.
(5) To promote travel and tourism, and natural resource‑basedattractions, within the Region.
(6) To contract with units of local government within the Regionto administer the issuance of permits and approvals required of businesses.
(7) To provide employee training programs to prepare workers foremployment in the Region.
(8) To gather and maintain information of an economic, abusiness, or a commercial character that would be useful to businesses withinthe Region.
(9) To prepare specific site studies to assess theappropriateness of any area within the Region for use or development by abusiness and to provide opportunities for businesses to examine sites.
(10) To exercise the powers of a regional planning commission as providedin G.S. 153A‑395 and the powers of a regional economic developmentcommission as provided in Article 2 of this Chapter, but the Region does nothave the authority to establish land‑use zoning in any county.
(11) To carry out the purposes of a consolidation and governmentalstudy commission as provided in Article 20 of Chapter 153A of the GeneralStatutes.
(12) To enter in a reasonable manner land, water, or premiseswithin the Region to make surveys, soundings, drillings, or examinations. Suchan entry shall not constitute trespass, but the Region shall be liable foractual damages resulting from such an entry.
(13) To monitor and encourage the use of utility corridorsadjacent to intrastate and interstate highways within the Region that are four‑lane,divided, limited‑access highways.
(14) To plan for and assist in the extension of natural gas withinthe Region.
(15) To assist in the placement of an information highway withinthe Region.
(16) To do all other things necessary or appropriate to carry outits purposes as provided in this Article. (1993, c. 544, s. 1; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 745, ss. 30, 31; 2005‑364,s. 1.)