143-260.8. Procedures.

(a) Within the meaning of this section:

(1) "Local governing body" means, as the case may be, the board of commissioners of a county, the city council (or equivalent legislative body) of a city, or the board of aldermen or board of commissioners (or equivalent legislative body) of a town.

(2) "Local government" means a county, city or town.

(3) "Properties" include any properties or interest in properties acquired by purchase or gift.

(b) The Council of State may petition the General Assembly to enact a law pursuant to Article XIV, Sec. 5 of the North Carolina Constitution, accepting any properties owned by the State of North Carolina (or proposed for gift to or purchase by the State) and designated in the petition for inclusion in the State Nature and Historic Preserve.

(c) The governing body of any local government, or any combination of two or more such bodies may petition the General Assembly to enact a law pursuant to Article XIV, Sec. 5 of the North Carolina Constitution, accepting any properties owned by the local government (or proposed for gift to or purchase by the local government) and designated in the petition for inclusion in the State Nature and Historic Preserve.

(d) The petition referred to in subsections (a) and (b) of this section shall identify the properties sought to be included in the Preserve. The General Assembly may then enact a law to accept the designated properties in the Preserve and enactment of the law by the General Assembly shall constitute the special dedication and acceptance of the designated properties in the State Nature and Historic Preserve contemplated by Article XIV, Sec. 5 of the North Carolina Constitution.

(e) In order to provide accessible information to the public concerning the State Nature and Historic Preserve, every law accepting or removing properties in the Preserve shall be codified in the General Statutes. A certified copy of every law accepting or removing properties in the Preserve shall be transmitted by the Secretary of State to the register of deeds in each county wherein these properties, or any part of them, are located, for filing and indexing in the grantor index.

(f) This Article shall constitute an exclusive procedure only for placing properties in the State Nature and Historic Preserve, and shall not preclude the dedication of properties by other means for purposes identical or similar to those enumerated by Article XIV, Sec. 5 of the North Carolina Constitution.

(g) It is the intent of this Article to complement any applicable provisions of federal and State law and regulations relating to dedication or acceptance of properties for purposes similar to those enumerated by Article XIV, Sec. 5 of the North Carolina Constitution. The Council of State is hereby authorized to adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Article, including rules and regulations consistent with this Article to comport with applicable federal and State law and regulations. A copy of this Article, and of any rules affecting properties owned by local governments shall be filed by the Council of State with the chairman of the local governing body of every county, city and town within 30 days after ratification.