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Bill Summary · SB 817

Bill Summary: SB 817 (Session 2025, North Carolina) — Annex Various Military Property/Jacksonville

Note: This summary reflects the text as filed in April 2026 and outlines the bill’s stated purpose, provisions, affected entities, and procedural/timeline aspects.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • The bill proposes to annex certain described parcels of land currently owned by the United States within and around the following military facilities:
    • Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
    • Greater Sandy Run Training Area (Camp Lejeune)
    • Marine Corps Air Station New River
    • Marine Corps Special Operations Command at Stones Bay and the New River
  • The annexation target is the City of Jacksonville, North Carolina.
  • The stated effect is to bring these specific federal properties into the city limits for purposes specified in the act, while preserving limitations on city regulatory authority over federal activities (Section 2).

2) Key Provisions and Changes

Section 1: Description of Annexed Territory

  • The bill enumerates two (and partially three) broad geographic areas to be incorporated into the City of Jacksonville:
    • Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune – Detailed boundary description includes portions along:
    • NC Highway 24
    • Camp Lejeune Railroad mainline and centerlines
    • Holcomb Boulevard, Sneads Ferry Road, and surrounding creeks (Cowhead Creek, French’s Creek)
    • New River Inlet and associated channels, Bear Creek, NC Highway 172, Starling Road, and Highway 24
    • Marine Corps Base Camp LeJeune – Greater Sandy Run Training Area – Boundary description along:
    • US Highway 17
    • NC Highway 50
    • Padgett Road, Haws Run Road, Dawsons Cabin Road, High Hill Road
    • Marine Corps Air Station New River, Marine Corps Special Operations Command at Stones Bay, and the New River – Boundary description including:
    • Southwest Creek and Rhodes Creek/Richardson Branch
    • U.S. Highway 17 and Highway 210 boundaries
    • Specific parcels identified by tax map parcel identifiers and coordinates
    • Notable monuments and locations (e.g., “Jarman,” “French,” “371 USMC,” “Paradise Eccentric,” etc.)
  • The overall effect is to add to the City of Jacksonville only those parcels "owned by the United States of America" as described, excluding other non-federal lands outside those boundaries.

Section 2: Limits on City Regulatory Authority

  • The act clarifies that annexation does not grant the City of Jacksonville additional power to regulate or influence activities of the federal government or operations occurring at Camp Lejeune, New River, Stones Bay, or related USMC facilities, beyond what state law allows.

Section 3: Effective Date and Tax Implications

  • Effective date: June 30, 2026.
  • Tax implications: To the extent allowed by state and federal law, property within the annexed territory as of January 1, 2026 would be subject to municipal property taxes for tax years beginning on or after July 1, 2026.

3) Who or What Would Be Affected

  • Jurisdiction: City of Jacksonville would gain municipal boundaries over the described federal parcels.
  • Property owners: Federal government lands (as described) would become within city limits for taxation purposes starting July 1, 2026, subject to applicable laws.
  • Federal government operations: The bill explicitly states it does not create or expand regulatory authority over federal activities or on-site operations at the included military installations.
  • Tax administration: Municipal property tax administration would apply to affected parcels beginning with the 2026-2027 tax year.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Status: Filed April 21, 2026; referred to Rules and Operations of the Senate; 1st Reading on April 22, 2026.
  • Effective date: June 30, 2026.
  • Tax implementation: Municipal taxes on annexed land would apply for taxable years beginning after July 1, 2026, consistent with the timing described in Section 3.

5) Notable Considerations

  • The bill relies on very detailed metes-and-bounds descriptions and precise coordinates, highlighting the sensitivity and specificity required for annexations involving federal property.
  • Section 2 seeks to reassure that federal sovereignty and on-base operations remain largely outside local regulatory reach, consistent with federal prerogatives.
  • The act would not automatically authorize city services beyond existing state-federal intergovernmental arrangements; implementation likely requires coordination with federal authorities and adherence to federal law governing military lands.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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