Minutes 02-19-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Orange Fire Service District, the North Chatham Fire Service District and the Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District. Michael Talbert said these are the next steps for the establishment of three new fire service districts and he noted that this has nothing to do with fire protection and everything to do with fire insurance. 1.To schedule a public hearing for the April 9, 2013 regular Board meeting to consider the establishment of the three new Fire Service Districts - the South Orange Fire Service District, the North Chatham Fire Service District and the Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District; 2. To authorize staff to move forward with a five-year contract for the Town of Chapel Hill to provide fire protection for the proposed new Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District at a 15 cent tax levy per one-hundred dollar valuation of real and personal property. (Note: The standard five-year contract does contain the option to terminate with a one-year notice to the parties.); and 3. If the Town of Chapel Hill is unwilling to a support a five-year contract and a 15 cent tax levy per one-hundred dollar valuation of real and personal property, for a proposed Greater Chapel Hill Fire Service District, instruct staff to requests that the Town of Carrboro consider a five-year contract to serve the proposed new Fire Service District at a 10 cent tax levy per one-hundred dollar valuation of real and personal property. Michael Talbert reviewed the background for this item and addressed questions about the three different types of fire districts being dealt with. He said that the first is fire protection districts, which were established by the General Assembly. He noted that there are 12 districts and 10 individual rural fire departments. The second option is a fire service district, which is being considered at this meeting and is also permitted by the General Assembly. He said that the fire protection districts established in the 50's and 60's are virtually impossible to change. He said that the needs of the fire districts and the citizens are changing, and fire service districts are easier to set up and alter, once in place. He noted that the fire protection districts would not go away, but there would no longer be a protection district tax. Instead, the fire service districts would be overlaid and new taxes levied for those service districts. He said that the County is under no obligation to provide fire service at all and could do nothing at all, fund it with the general fund, or keep the districts as established in the past. He said the last option is to establish fire insurance districts, which can be part or all existing fire protection districts and are sent to the NC Department of Insurance State Fire Marshall's Office. He noted that once these are official, the ISO ratings would change. Michael Talbert then referenced the maps and reviewed information from 7-a abstract pages 2-5, which are included below: 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 the request from the Orange Grove Fire Department to construct a new fire station #2 that is strategically located in the southeastern