|
an inter-local agreement to accommodate families for the length of time the children are in the school
<br /> system. He stated public meetings as well as meetings with staff from Alamance County, Orange County,
<br /> and the City of Mebane were held in 2009 relative to those areas where most of the change would occur
<br /> such as Ninth Street in Mebane and Mill Creek and Collington Farms Subdivisions. Option 2 Version 3
<br /> (Option 2v.3)(Map D, set forth hereafter)was developed after these meetings.This third option would
<br /> change the line in the southern part of the county to follow Cane Creek to Mebane Oaks Road and then to
<br /> the NCGS line;it would add some property to Alamance County in the Village of the Oaks Subdivision;it
<br /> would move in Collington Farms Subdivision so it does not go through the middle of houses; it would
<br /> follow the taxing arrangement line in the Ninth Street area of Mebane;and it would move all of the
<br /> developed area of Mill Creek Subdivision to Alamance County.
<br /> Mr. Benedict reviewed the positives and negatives of the three options.For Option 1,the survey work is
<br /> complete at no cost,but there would be many service changes, as more houses would move from one
<br /> service area to the other,and many lots would be split because the line would not follow lot lines.For
<br /> Option 2,most people would be satisfied with the gerrymandered line and houses are not split because the
<br /> line follows street lines,the back of properties,and natural features such as Cane Creek;but there is a cost
<br /> to the survey. In either Option 2 or Option 2v.3,in most cases 60 to 70 percent of the line is still Option 1.
<br /> In some cases,residents may be willing to pay the cost of the survey, some development owners may be
<br /> willing to pay, or the two counties may have some responsibility for payment.
<br /> Bruce Walker,Alamance County GIS Manager,reviewed the options in further detail.He stated the
<br /> current line with the tax payment arrangement causes a lot of problems for emergency services and other
<br /> services in the counties. It would cost between$400,000 to$600,000 to resurvey to formally use this line.
<br /> Option 1,the historical line, could be adopted with no cost to the taxpayer,it is the most legally defensible,
<br /> and does not deviate from the 1849 line. Alamance County would gain 150 acres and 100 homes,and 27
<br /> households with children would be affected. Option 2 follows the NCGS line 74%of the time,and
<br /> accommodates about 26%of the line in certain areas. A lot of people would be satisfied,but not everybody
<br /> would be accommodated. A resurvey would cost as much as$110,000 and the City of Mebane may be
<br /> willing to pay part of the survey that goes through the city limits. Acreage shift along this line would be
<br /> almost even between the counties. Option 2v.3 was developed after Mebane's suggestions to accommodate
<br /> more people within the city limits,and changes 39%of the NCGS line. Mebane has also discussed paying
<br /> for part of the survey of this line.Most of the changes are made in downtown Mebane,the acreage to
<br /> Alamance County increases, 88 houses would switch counties, and 25 households with children would be
<br /> affected. He noted that Wake and Franklin Counties,with a situation similar to Alamance and Orange
<br /> Counties,recently made a decision on their line to use the NCGS line and split the properties down the
<br /> middle and assess each property on both sides of the line.
<br /> Clyde Albright,Alamance County Attorney,reported that,in accordance with North Carolina General
<br /> Statute section 153A-17,only the State can change a county line. If both boards agree to have a new line
<br /> surveyed and change the line from the currently used line,then the General Assembly ratifies that. The
<br /> NCGS has located the existing line exactly as requested by both boards. He opined the location of the line
<br /> needs to be established before it can be moved or it cannot be moved with any degree of certainty. He
<br /> suggested following the steps as other counties have done by ratifying the line,thank the NCGS for
<br /> mapping it,and then if the counties want to change it,take each section at a time and logically pull off of
<br /> the existing line to create a new line. If Mebane wants to come up with a survey,they can do that if both
<br /> counties agree,but it must still pull off of an existing line. He stated the logical and defensible way to do it
<br /> is for the counties to adopt the survey, record it with both Register of Deeds' offices and the Secretary of
<br /> State's office, listen to Mebane and other citizens,and if both counties agree,then changes can be made
<br /> with resolutions to the Legislature.
<br /> CITY OF MEBANE COMMENTS—Patty Phillips,Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Mebane, stated the
<br /> City of Mebane requests that the Alamance and Orange County Commissioners select Option 2v.3,
<br /> adjusting the line to reflect past taxing and student attendance boundaries primarily in subdivision areas and
<br /> resurveying the line to create a new boundary in those specific areas. Option 2v.3 follows the NCGS 61%
<br /> of the time,and that establishes where the 1849 line is. The current line has been established,although not
<br /> recorded,and Option 2v.3,is a deviation or variance from that. Option 2v.3 would actually impact a
<br />
|