[UPDATE: Additional changes were made in 2016. Those changes are summarized here: 2016 Changes to Municipal Service District (MSD) Authority] In the state budget bill, S.L. 2015-241, the legislature made a few changes to municipal service district (MSD) authority. An MSD is a defined area within a m … Read more

A local real estate developer, Al Czervik, proposes to construct a mixed-use development with residential, office, and retail space. The city council likes the development plan because it is consistent with the council’s vision for the area. Czervik, seeing incentives being offered to convince compa … Read more

A city establishes a business improvement district (BID) in its central downtown area. The central downtown area encompasses the properties located along approximately one mile of the city’s main street. It also includes the properties on adjoining and parallel streets located within a five-block ra … Read more

Kara Millonzi is a School of Government faculty member. As discussed in a previous post, a North Carolina municipality may establish a special tax district that encompasses its central downtown area to raise money to fund “downtown revitalization.” See G.S. 160A-536(a)(2). The special tax district i … Read more

UPDATE: The General Assembly changed some procedures for Municipal Service Districts after this post was written. Analysis of the changes can be found here. A city’s governing board wishes to support and promote its downtown area. It wants to install sidewalks and street lighting. It wants to renova … Read more