Agenda - 12-14-2010 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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ATTACHMENT 1 2010 ORANGE-ALAMANCE COUNTY BOUNDARY LINE REPORT Executive Summary In 1849, Alamance County was established from part of Orange County. The original instructions were to go 9 miles west of Hillsborough and create a line north and south. This line was surveyed and 13 survey monuments were set in 1849. Over the years, the line on the ground has been less certain and it has become more of a negotiated settlement of the respective tax offices. There are differences between where county officials believe the line is situated on the ground. With an increase of residential and commercial development along the Orange/Alamance line, it has become increasingly important to be able to show property owners, with certainty, in which county all or portions of their property are situated. Emergency Services, school attendance, tax, voting, police, fire, ABC, and many more county services depend on these boundary lines. The two Boards of County Commissioners have pursued a process established in North Carolina law where the location of a boundary between counties is uncertain. That process and inter-county cooperation can provide a permanent resolution of the location of the Orange- Alamance line. The Orange and Alamance Board of County Commissioners requested that the North Carolina Geodetic Survey (NCGS), an agency of the State of North Carolina, prepare a preliminary survey of the Orange/Alamance County line. The purpose of this undertaking was to research and map the original 1849 Orange-Alamance County line using modern survey methods. The State's efforts did not change the county line, but established a physical location on the ground, which may vary from the lines developed by the tax departments over the years. The NCGS team, in 2008, placed monuments in the ground to mark critical points along their surveyed line. After joint review of this relatively straight NCGS line, the county commissioners from both counties gave staff direction to allow adjustment to lessen the impact of the shift in the line to affected homeowners and businesses. Therein, a 2010 Local Bill 1362 (Session Law 2010-61) as well as, jointly established petition criteria created an opportunity for adjustment to the line for the majority of homeowners and businesses in close proximity to the line. This report outlines the findings of the petition criteria and slightly differing recommendations of staff. This report suggests that a 2011 Local Bill could be submitted next year that would include three types of boundary line proposals that would resolve 100% of the uncertainty. Both Staffs are in agreement with 91 % of the line with Orange County recommending a change in 9% of the line based on planning, emergency services, safety issues, and local bill criteria that they will be presenting on November 29th. Alamance County staff is willing to support the modifications to the criteria for this 9% in order to move this process forward. Please note however, the line is not finalized and will not be finalized until both Boards receive and consider input and make a final decision by joint adoption and incorporation into a proposed 2011 Local Bill on this matter.