NC H913

Amends Chapter 160D to allow courts to award reasonable attorneys' fees to persons who successfully sue local governments over development approval decisions

Mandates attorneys' fees when a plaintiff proves the local government intentionally violated development laws, intentionally delayed action on approvals, or acted in a flagrantly unfair or deceptive manner

Requires punitive damages up to 10 times actual damages (including lost revenue and increased costs) when a local government is found to have acted flagrantly unfair or deceptive with intent to force litigation

Protects local governments from attorneys' fee awards if they reasonably relied on court judgments, appellate court opinions, Business Court orders, or written Attorney General opinions

Effective October 1, 2025, applying to causes of action arising on or after that date