Military Influence Areas.

This bill allows North Carolina local governments to create special zones around major military bases to prevent incompatible development and protect military readiness. It requires that any new projects in these areas, which extend five miles from a base, must be coordinated with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to ensure they do not disrupt training or operations. Additionally, the law mandates that public hearings on such projects notify military commanders in advance and that site plans include measures to reduce light and noise impacts on the bases. The legislation also allocates $50,000 to fund a study on land use between military installations and local governments and explicitly states that it does not remove existing property owners' legal rights.