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20 <br />Orange County currently operates apayment-in-lieu program for park funding and is one of two <br />counties in the State that has State legislative authority to collect impact fees for schools. In <br />recent years, the State legislature has been reluctant to grant this funding source to additional <br />local governments or to expand the types of public services for which impact fees maybe <br />collected. Orange County officials should endeavor to ensure that new development gays its fair <br />share of necessary infrastructure costs. <br />Historic Preservation <br />The 1991 county-wide survey of historic properties appears to have not identified all of the <br />historic sites in the county. It is recommended that a comprehensive historic resources survey be <br />completed for the planning area and that exact locations of historic resources be mapped. This is <br />especially important when the historic resource is located on a large parcel of land. Future <br />development and transportation projects should endeavor to minimize any impacts on historic <br />resources. <br />Incorporation <br />Local citizens have discussed the idea of potentially incorporating the Efland area for a number <br />of years. However, no formal action has occurred on the topic for a number of reasons, <br />including the fact that property taxes would increase if a town government were established. <br />One of the primary motives for incorporating was concern over the possibility of being annexed <br />by the City of Mebane. However, as discussed in previous sections of this plan, there may be <br />other avenues to explore if this issue is the main reason residents would like to incorporate. For <br />instance, agreements with the City of Mebane could be entered into. Agreements with the City <br />of Mebane are the preferred method of addressing citizen concerns regarding possible <br />annexation, and should be undertaken as the first priority. <br />The County should also be involved in `building community' in the planning area because of the <br />changes proposed for Efland. In areas where a town government exists, the town government is <br />normally involved in community building activities. Since the Efland area is unincorporated but <br />development at a higher intensity than typical rural areas is proposed, the county government <br />should be involved in building community. <br />If measures to address citizens concerns about potential annexation and preserving and <br />protecting the integrity of the Efland area prove inadequate, consideration should then be given <br />to establishing a task force to study annexation. Such a group could determine which, if any, <br />areas of the planning area would be eligible for incorporation under revised State laws regulating <br />new incorporations; to complete a survey of residents of any eligible areas to determine if their <br />stance on incorporation; and to explore the feasibility of any other avenues that may be taken to <br />ensure the preferences of area residents are addressed. <br />78 <br />