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2 <br /> BACKGROUND: On September 13, 2011 the Board was presented options for changing fire <br /> districts to improve insurance ratings for the 1,156 properties located outside of six (6) road <br /> miles from the closest fire station located in their fire insurance district. A County Attorney's <br /> memorandum dated September 1, 2011 provided a legal opinion for fire protection tax districts, <br /> with the available options are listed below: <br /> 1. Realign Fire Insurance District boundaries without changing Fire Tax Districts. <br /> 2. Change existing Fire Protection Districts, which would also change the Fire Tax <br /> District. <br /> 3. Establish one or more Fire Service Districts to replace or overlay existing Fire <br /> Protection Districts which could also change Fire Tax Districts. <br /> On March 13, 2012 the Board approved the request from the Orange Grove Fire Department to <br /> construct a new fire station #2 that is strategically located in the southeastern part of the Cane <br /> Creek Fire District. This newly constructed fire station is providing insurance district coverage <br /> for an estimated 400 property owners that were more than six (6) road miles from the Orange <br /> Grove Station. The Orange Grove Fire Department is in the planning stages for a new fire <br /> station #3 to be strategically located in the western part of the Cane Creek fire district. That <br /> new fire station #3 will provide insurance district coverage for an estimated 250 property owners <br /> currently more than six (6) road miles from the Orange Grove Station. <br /> The Emergency Services Workgroup has discussed all available options for the 1,156 <br /> properties located outside of six (6) road miles from the closest fire station located in their fire <br /> insurance district. With the new fire stations in the Cane Creek Fire District, over 600 property <br /> owners will be provided insurance district coverage and will be located less than 6-road miles <br /> from the nearest Orange Grove Station. <br /> The Emergency Services Workgroup is recommending the creation of three (3) New Fire <br /> Service Districts to overlay and replace three (3) existing Fire Protection Districts. With input <br /> from the State Fire Marshal's office, the proposal is to modify existing fire insurance districts <br /> and create Fire Service Districts that are exactly the same as the fire insurance districts. The t <br /> three (3) Fire Services Districts are proposed to be the South Orange Fire Service District, <br /> North Chatham Fire Service District and Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District. <br /> South Orange Fire Service District <br /> Attachment 1 is a map of the existing South Orange Fire Insurance District. Due to the Town of <br /> Chapel Hill annexations, the South Orange Fire Insurance District has been split. The Town of <br /> Carrboro provides fire protection in the South Orange Fire Insurance District and now has to <br /> travel through the Town of Chapel Hill to respond to a fire call off Mt. Carmel Church Road. <br /> Attachment 2 shows a detail map of the area and Chapel Hill Fire Station #5 that is less than <br /> one (1) mile from the area outlined in gray. The Town of Chapel Hill is better positioned and <br /> willing to provide fire protections for this area in gray. The Town staff is prepared to make that <br /> recommendation to the Chapel Hill Town Council. <br /> This issue has also been discussed with the Town Manager for the Town of Carrboro. The <br /> Town Manager is prepared to recommend to the Carrboro Board of Aldermen that the Town <br /> provide fire protection to the proposed new Fire Insurance District (see Attachment 3) if the tax <br /> rate is adjusted to be revenue neutral for the Town. The area in gray on Attachment 2 <br />