Agenda - 11-13-2012 - 3 - Laserfiche WebLink

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FA BACKGROUND: On September 13, 2011 the Board was presented options for changing fire districts to improve insurance ratings for the 1,156 properties located outside of six (6) road miles from the closest fire station located in their fire insurance district. A County Attorney's memorandum dated September 1, 2011 provided a legal opinion for fire protection tax districts, with the available options listed below: 1. Realign Fire Insurance District boundaries without changing Fire Tax Districts 2. Change existing Fire Protection Districts, which would also change the Fire Tax District. 3. Establish one or more Fire Service Districts to replace or overlay existing Fire Protection Districts which could also change Fire Tax Districts. On March 13, 2012 the Board approved a request from the Orange Grove Fire Department to construct a new fire station #2 that is strategically located in the southeastern part of the Cane Creek Fire District. This newly constructed fire station is providing insurance district coverage for an estimated 400 property owners that were more than six (6) road miles from the Orange Grove Station. The Orange Grove Fire Department is in the planning stages for a new fire station #3 to be strategically located in the western part of the Cane Creek fire district. That new fire station #3 will provide insurance district coverage for an estimated 250 property owners currently more than six (6) road miles from the Orange Grove Station. The Emergency Services Workgroup has discussed all available options for the 1,156 properties located outside of (6) six road miles from the closest fire station located in their fire insurance district. With the new fire stations in the Cane Creek Fire District, over 600 property owners will be provided insurance district coverage and will be located less than six (6) road miles from the nearest Orange Grove Station. The Emergency Services Workgroup is recommending the creation of (3) three New Fire Service Districts to overlay and replace (3) existing Fire Protection Districts. With input from the State Fire Marshal's office, the proposal is to modify existing fire insurance districts and create Fire Service Districts that are exactly the same as the fire insurance districts. The three (3) Fire Services Districts are proposed to be the South Orange Fire Service District, North Chatham Fire Service District and Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District. South Orange Fire Service District Attachment A is a map of the existing South Orange Fire Insurance District. Due to the Town of Chapel Hill annexations, the South Orange Fire Insurance District has been split. The Town of Carrboro provides fire protection in the South Orange Fire Insurance District and now has to travel through the Town of Chapel Hill to respond to a fire call off Mt. Carmel Church Road. Attachment B shows a detail map of the area and Chapel Hill Fire Station # 5 that is less than one (1) mile from the area outlined in gray. The Town of Chapel Hill is better positioned and willing to provide fire protections for this area in gray. The Town staff is prepared to make that recommendation to the Chapel Hill Town Council. This issue has also been discussed with the Town Manager for the Town of Carrboro. The Town Manager is prepared to recommend to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen that the Town provide fire protection to the proposed new Fire Insurance District (see Attachment C) if the tax rate is adjusted to be revenue neutral for the Town. The area in gray on Attachment B