David Owens

David Owens joined the Institute of Government in 1989. Prior to that, he was an attorney and senior planner for the Wisconsin State Planning Office and spent 10 years with the NC Division of Coastal Management. His publications include numerous books and articles on zoning law, including the basic legal reference, Land Use Law in North Carolina, and the widely used guide for citizen boards, Introduction to Zoning. He has also written on the a variety of land use law topics (variances, special use permits, extraterritorial jurisdiction), the scope of local government authority, urban growth management, regulation of religious land uses and adult businesses, conflicts of interest, planning legislation, and various aspects of coastal management law and policy. Owens received a graduate planning degree and law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Fields of Expertise Citizen Participation and Civic Involvement City and County Planning Coastal Resources Conflicts of Interest (Land Use) Environmental Protection Historic Districts Land Use Regulation Subdivision Regulation Zoning