The North Carolina General Assembly has before it an opportunity to help government do what it does best – protect the innocents and punish the perpetrators of evil.

In April of last year, Representative Ray Rapp introduced the Safe Artificial Slope Construction Bill. It would provide for the creation of a Sedimentation Control Commission to oversee development on steep slopes. The bill would require all jurisdictions to enact ordinances regulating development on grades greater than 40%.

Rapp explained, according to reporter Becky Johnson, “Buyers simply don’t know to beware . . . All they see is a million-dollar view. They are looking at the view, not at their feet.” In addition to saving the ignorant masses from their own stupidity, Rapp seeks to put the evil developers in their place. The NC Association of Realtors and the Homebuilders Association have powerful lobbies. The bill would check these interests by “forcing laissez-faire counties to start monitoring slope construction.” It doesn’t get much more American than that.

Or maybe it does. The ordinances will by state law be required to contain measures like those in Asheville’s steep slopes legislation. Developers can expect to add a little over $1000 for a geotechnical analysis; scale drawings of retaining walls, culverts, etc.; an inventory of the local habitat; etc. The Sedimentation Control Commission will be in charge of accepting sealed plans that are filed, approving them, charging fees and awarding permits, conducting inspections, and enforcing the rules. Civil penalties may not exceed $5000/violation/day, and children of persons with outstanding violations will not be allowed to apply for steep slope construction permits.