AN ACT to Dedicate and accept certain properties as part of the state nature and historic preserve, to remove certain lands from the state nature and historic preserve, and to delete a park from the state parks system.

Whereas, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution of North Carolina authorizes the dedication of State and local government properties as part of the State Nature and Historic Preserve upon acceptance by a law enacted by a three‑fifths vote of the members of each house of the General Assembly and provides for removal of properties from the State Nature and Historic Preserve by a law enacted by a three‑fifths vote of the members of each house of the General Assembly; and
Whereas, the General Assembly enacted the State Nature and Historic Preserve Dedication Act, Chapter 443 of the 1973 Session Laws, to prescribe the conditions and procedures under which properties may be specifically dedicated for the purposes set out in Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution of North Carolina; and
Whereas, over 6,700 acres have been added to the State Parks System since the last dedication and acceptance of properties as part of the State Nature and Historic Preserve pursuant to a petition of the Council of State dated 3 April 2001, and
Whereas, in accordance with G.S. 143‑260.8, on 6 May 2003 the Council of State voted to petition the General Assembly to enact a law pursuant to Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution of North Carolina to dedicate and accept properties added to the State Parks System and designated in the petition for inclusion as parts of the State Nature and Historic Preserve; and
Whereas, as a part of its petition of 6 May 2003 the Council of State also requested the General Assembly to remove certain properties from the State Nature and Historic Preserve; and
Whereas, G.S. 113‑44.14 provides for additions to, and deletions from, the State Parks System upon authorization by the General Assembly; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 143‑260.10 reads as rewritten:
"§ 143‑260.10.  Components of State Nature and Historic Preserve.
The following are components of the State Nature and Historic Preserve accepted by the North Carolina General Assembly pursuant to G.S. 143‑260.8:
(1)	All lands and waters within the boundaries of the following units of the State Parks System as of 6 May 2003: Baldhead Island State Natural Area, Bay Tree Lake State Park, Beech Creek Bog State Natural Area, Bullhead Mountain State Natural Area, Bushy Lake State Natural Area, Carolina Beach State Park, Cliffs of the Neuse State Park, Chowan Swamp State Natural Area, Dismal Swamp State Natural Area, Elk Knob State Natural Area, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, Fort Macon State Park, Goose Creek State Park, Gorges State Park, Hammocks Beach State Park, Hemlock Bluffs State Natural Area, Jones Lake State Park, Lake James State Park, Lake Norman State Park, Lake Waccamaw State Park, Lea Island State Natural Area, Lumber River State Park, Medoc Mountain State Park, Merchants Millpond State Park, Mitchells Millpond State Natural Area, Mount Mitchell State Park, Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, Pettigrew State Park, Pilot Mountain State Park, Raven Rock State Park, Run Hill State Natural Area, Singletary Lake State Park, Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area, and Weymouth Woods‑Sandhills Nature Preserve.
(2)	All lands and waters within the boundaries of William B. Umstead State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of Tract Number 65, containing 22.93140 acres as shown on a survey prepared by John S. Lawrence (RLS) and Bennie R. Smith (RLS), entitled "Property of The State of North Carolina William B. Umstead State Park", dated January 14, 1977 and filed in the State Property Office, which was removed from the State Nature and Historic Preserve by Chapter 450, Section 1 of the 1985 Session Laws. The tract excluded from the State Nature and Historic Preserve under this subdivision is deleted from the State Parks System in accordance with G.S. 113‑44.14. The State of North Carolina may only exchange this land for other land for the expansion of William B. Umstead State Park or sell and use the proceeds for that purpose. The State of North Carolina may not otherwise sell or exchange this land.
(3)	Repealed by Session Laws 1999‑268, s. 2.
(4)	All lands within the boundaries of Morrow Mountain State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of the following tract: That certain tract or parcel of land at Morrow Mountain State Park in Stanly County, North Albemarle Township, containing 0.303 acres, more or less, as surveyed and platted by Thomas W. Harris R.L.S., on a map dated August 27, 1988, and filed in the State Property Office, reference to which is hereby made for a more complete description.
(5)	Repealed by Session Laws 1999‑268, s. 2.
(6)	All land within the boundaries of Crowders Mountain State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of the following tracts:  The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Crowders Mountain State Park in Gaston County, Crowders Mountain Township, described in Deed Book 1939, page 800, and containing 757.28 square feet and as shown in a survey by Tanner and McConnaughey, P.A. dated July 22, 1988 and filed in the State Property Office. The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Crowders Mountain State Park in Cleveland County, Number Four Township, described in Deed Book 1286, Page 85, and containing 1.64 acres as shown on the drawing prepared by the Division of Parks and Recreation entitled "Property to Be Excepted Crowders Mountain State Park" dated 14 April 2003, and filed in the State Property Office. The tracts excluded from the State Nature and Historic Preserve under this subdivision are deleted from the State Parks System in accordance with G.S. 113‑44.14. The State of North Carolina may only exchange this land for other land for the expansion of Crowders Mountain State Park or sell this land and use the proceeds for that purpose. The State may not otherwise sell or exchange this land.
(7)	All lands owned in fee simple by the State within the boundaries of New River State Park as of 6 May 2003.
(8)	All lands and waters within the boundaries of Stone Mountain State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of the following tracts: The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Stone Mountain State Park in Wilkes County, Traphill Township, described as parcel 33‑02 in Deed Book 633‑193, and more particularly described as all of the land in this parcel lying to the west of the eastern edge of the Air Bellows Road, as shown on the National Park Service Land Status Map 33 dated March 24, 1981 and filed in the State Property Office, containing approximately 72 acres; and the portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Stone Mountain State Park in Alleghany County, Cherry Lane Township, described in Deed Book 219, Page 543, and more particularly described as all of the land in this parcel lying north of the new division line on the survey by Andrews and Hobson Surveyors dated August 15, 2000, and entitled "Property Exchange Agreement for State of North Carolina & the United States of America", and filed in the State Property Office. The tracts excluded from the State Nature and Historic Preserve under this subdivision are deleted from the State Parks System in accordance with G.S. 113‑44.14.
(9)	All lands and waters located within the boundaries of the following State Historic Sites as of 6 May 2003: Alamance Battleground, Charles B. Aycock Birthplace, Historic Bath, Bennett Place, Bentonville Battleground, Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson, C.S.S. Neuse and Governor Caswell Memorial, Charlotte Hawkins Brown Memorial, Duke Homestead, Historic Edenton, Fort Dobbs, Fort Fisher, Historic Halifax, Horne Creek Living Historical Farm, House in the Horseshoe, North Carolina Transportation Museum, James K. Polk Memorial, Reed Gold Mine, Somerset Place, Stagville, State Capitol, Town Creek Indian Mound, Tryon Palace Historic Sites & Gardens, Zebulon B. Vance Birthplace, and Thomas Wolfe Memorial.
(10),	(11) Repealed by Session Laws 2001‑217, s. 2, effective June 15, 2001.
(12)	All lands and waters located within the boundaries of Hanging Rock State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of the following tract: The portion of that tract or property at Hanging Rock State Park in Stokes County, Danbury Township, described in Deed Book 360, Page 160, for a 30‑foot wide right‑of‑way beginning approximately 183 feet south of SR 1001 and extending in a southerly direction approximately 1,479 feet to the southwest corner of the Bobby Joe Lankford tract and more particularly shown on a survey entitled, "J. Spot Taylor Heirs Survey, Danbury Township, Stokes County, N.C.", by Grinski Surveying Company, dated June 1985, and filed in the State Property Office. The tract excluded from the State Nature and Historic Preserve under this subdivision is deleted from the State Parks System in accordance with G.S. 113‑44.14.
(13)	All lands and waters located within the boundaries of South Mountains State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of the following  tracts. The tracts excluded from the State Nature and Historic Preserve under this subdivision are deleted from the State Parks System in accordance with G.S. 113‑44.14. 
a.	The portion of that tract or property at South Mountains State Park in Burke County, Lower Creek Township, described in Deed Book 862, Page 1471, required for the right‑of‑way and easements for the relocation of SR 1904 within the park and lying generally between the Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation right‑of‑way and the southern property boundary of the park, as described in the drawing entitled "Survey for State of North Carolina", dated January 28, 1999, prepared by Suttles Surveying, P.A., bearing the preparer's file name 12455.dwg and filed in the State Property Office. The State of North Carolina may only exchange this land for other land for the expansion of South Mountains State Park or sell this land and use the proceeds for that purpose. The State may not otherwise sell or exchange this land. 
b.	The portion of those certain tracts or parcels of land at South Mountains State Park in Burke County, Lower Creek Township, described in Deed Book 925, Page 1284, and Deed Book 870, Page 1729 required for the right‑of‑way and easements for the relocation of SR 1904 within the Park and shown on the drawing prepared by Suttles Surveying P.A. entitled "Survey of the Proposed Centerline of the New Road Alignment for the State of North Carolina" bearing the preparer's file name 12455D.dwg, dated 10 April 2003, and filed in the State Property Office. The State of North Carolina may only exchange this land for other land for the expansion of South Mountains State Park or sell this land and use the proceeds for that purpose. The State may not otherwise sell or exchange this land.
c.	The portions of land at South Mountains State Park that lie south of the centerline of the CCC road as shown on the drawing entitled "Land Trade between South Mountains State Park and Adjacent Game Lands along CCC Road" prepared by the Division of Parks and Recreation, dated March 15, 1999, and filed in the State Property Office and that lie within: (i) the tract or property in Burke County, Lower Fork Township, described in Deed Book 495, Page 501; (ii) the tract or property in Burke County, Lower Fork and Upper Fork Townships, described in Deed Book 715, Page 719; or, (iii) within the tracts or property in Burke County, Upper Fork Township, described in Deed Book 860, Page 341, and Deed Book 884, Page 1640. The State of North Carolina may only exchange this land for other land for the expansion of South Mountains State Park or sell this land and use the proceeds for that purpose. The State may not otherwise sell or exchange this land.
d.	The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at South Mountains State Park in Burke County, Morganton Township, described in Deed Book 28, Page 607, Deed Book 28, Page 467, and Plat Book 3, Page 78, and containing 0.33 acres as shown on the drawing prepared by Hawkins Land Surveying entitled "Subdivision for Trustees of Walker Top Baptist Church" dated 26 September 2001, and filed with the State Property Office. The State may transfer this property to the Trustees of Walker Top Baptist Church to be used for church purposes. The instrument transferring this property shall provide that the State retains a possibility of reverter and shall provide that, in the event that the Walker Top Baptist Church ceases to use the property for church purposes, the property shall revert to the State. The State may not otherwise sell or exchange the property.

(15)	All lands and waters within the boundaries of Jockey's Ridge State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of the following tracts: The portion of those certain tracts or parcels of land at Jockey's Ridge State Park in Dare County, Nags Head Township, described in Deed Book 227, Page 499, and Deed Book 227, Page 501, and containing 33,901 square feet as shown on the survey prepared by Styons Surveying Services entitled "Raw Water Well Site 13 Jockey's Ridge State Park" dated March 7, 2001, and filed in the State Property Office; the portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Jockey's Ridge State Park in Dare County, Nags Head Township, described in Deed Book 222, Page 726, and containing 42,909 square feet as shown on the survey prepared by Styons Surveying Services entitled "Raw Water Well Site 14 Jockey's Ridge State Park" dated March 7, 2001, and filed in the State Property Office; and the portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Jockey's Ridge State Park in Dare County, Nags Head Township, described in Deed Book 224, Page 790, and Deed Book 224, Page 794, and containing 34,471 square feet as shown on the survey prepared by Styons Surveying Services entitled "Raw Water Well Site 15 Jockey's Ridge State Park" dated March 7, 2001, and filed in the State Property Office.
(16)	All lands and waters located within the boundaries of Mount Jefferson State Natural Area as of 6 May 2003. With respect to the communications tower site on the top of Mount Jefferson and located on that certain tract or parcel of land at Mount Jefferson State Natural Area in Ashe County, West Jefferson Township, described in Deed Book F‑3, Page 94, the State may provide space at the communications tower site to State public safety and emergency management agencies for the placement of antennas, repeaters, and other communications devices for public communications purposes. Notwithstanding G.S. 146‑29.2, the State may lease space at the communications tower site to local governments in Ashe County for the placement of antennas, repeaters, and other communications devices for public communications purposes. State agencies and local governments that are authorized to place communications devices at the communications tower site pursuant to this subdivision may also locate at or near the communications tower site communications equipment that is necessary for the proper operation of the communications devices. The use of the communications tower site pursuant to this subdivision is authorized by the General Assembly as a purpose other than the public purposes specified in Article XIV, Section 5, of the North Carolina Constitution, Article 25B of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes, and Article 2C of Chapter 113 of the General Statutes."
(17)	All lands and waters within the Eno River State Park as of 6 May 2003 with the exception of the following tract:  The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Eno River State Park in Durham County, Durham Outside Township, described in Deed Book 435, Page 673, and Plat Book 87, Page 66, containing 11,000 square feet and being the portion of Lot No. 2 shown as the existing scenic easement hereby removed on the drawing prepared by Sear‑Brown entitled "Recombination Plat Eno Forest Subdivision" bearing the preparer's file name 00‑208‑07.dwg, and filed with State Property Office. The tract excluded from the State Nature and Historic Preserve under this subdivision is deleted from the State Parks System pursuant to G.S. 113‑44.14. The State of North Carolina may only exchange this land for other land for the expansion of Eno River State Park or sell this land and use the proceeds for that purpose. The State may not otherwise sell or exchange this land."
SECTION 2.  The following tracts of land are removed from the State Nature and Historic Preserve pursuant to Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution of North Carolina:
(1)	The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Crowders Mountain State Park in Cleveland County, Number Four Township, described in Deed Book 1286, Page 85, and containing 1.64 acres as shown on the drawing prepared by the Division of Parks and Recreation entitled "Property to be Excepted Crowders Mountain State Park" dated 14 April 2003 and filed in the State Property Office.
(2)	The portion of those certain tracts or parcels of land at South Mountains State Park in Burke County, Lower Creek Township, described in Deed Book 925, Page 1284, and Deed Book 870, Page 1729 required for the right‑of‑way and easements for the relocation of SR 1904 within the Park and shown on the drawing prepared by Suttles Surveying P.A. entitled "Survey of the Proposed Centerline of the New Road Alignment for the State of North Carolina" bearing the preparer's file name 12455D.dwg, dated 10 April 2003 and filed in the State Property Office.
(3)	The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at South Mountains State Park in Burke County, Morganton Township, described in Deed Book 28, Page 607, Deed Book 28, Page 467, and Plat Book 3, Page 78, and containing 0.33 acres as shown on the drawing prepared by Hawkins Land Surveying entitled "Subdivision for Trustees of Walker Top Baptist Church" dated 26 September 2001 and filed with the State Property Office.
(4)	The portion of that certain tract or parcel of land at Eno River State Park in Durham County, Durham Outside Township, described in Deed Book 435, Page 673, and Plat Book 87, Page 66, containing 11,000 square feet and being the portion of Lot No. 2 shown as the existing scenic easement hereby removed on the drawing prepared by Sear‑Brown entitled "Recombination Plat Eno Forest Subdivision" bearing the preparer's file name 00‑208‑07.dwg, and filed with State Property Office.
SECTION 3.  G.S. 143‑260.8(e) reads as rewritten:
"(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."
SECTION 4.  In accordance with G.S. 143‑260.8(e), the Secretary of State is directed to forward a certified copy of this act to the register of deeds of each county in which any portion of the property dedicated and accepted or removed by this act as part of the State Nature and Historic Preserve is located.
SECTION 5.  Waynesborough State Park is deleted from the State Parks System pursuant to G.S. 113-44.14.
SECTION 6.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 12th day of June, 2003.

	s/	 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

	s/	 Richard T. Morgan
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

	s/	 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved 12:55 p.m. this 19th day of June, 2003