Agenda - 08-05-1996 - IX-B - Laserfiche WebLink

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c 2 14 1 between reevaluations to allow for appropriate increases in property values to be reflected in the increase in 2 the tax base that occurs. She feels this fee is not a fair tax. 3 4 WAYNE PARRISH, Vice-President of Governmental Relations with the Home Builders Assoc. of 5 Durham and Orange Counties, spoke against this proposed increase in the impact fee. He feels the fee is 6 inequitable and divides citizens against each other. He feels the County Commissioners should move to a 7 funding mechanism that will generate substantial revenue with minimal impact on taxpayers. He asked the 8 Board to support an additional sales tax to be dedicated to capital construction costs. An increase of 1/2 9 cents will raise $3,000,000 for the schools. 0 1 Chair Carey noted for everyone that the County Commissioners have no authority to implement a 2 sales tax. This must be authorized by.the General Assembly. 3 4 MARY BUSHNELL, Vice-Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, said that impact fees 5 are a way to pay for a portion of the school infrastructure needs brought about by growth in the entire 6 community. She noted that Impact Fees will only generate about$850,000 per year at the present rate or 7 $4,300,000 over the next five years. Their capital construction needs during that time period will be 8 $50,474,000. The Impact Fee is a way to raise only a portion of what is needed for school construction. She 9 is in support of the County expanding its refund eligibility for affordable housing. She asked that the Impact 0 Fee be set at a level that can realistically address the infrastructure demands generated by residential 1 growth. 2 3 BEA HUGHES WERNER, member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, urged the County 4 Commissioners to vote for an increase in the Impact Fee. She noted that schools need money and they 5 need it from varied sources and she supports the proposed increase. 6 7 HARVEY GOLDSTEIN, member of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, spoke in support of 8 the proposal to increase the Impact fee. He reminded the Board that hundreds of communities across the 9 country use Impact fees on new residential units to finance infrastructure made necessary by residential 0 growth. Increasing this fee to $3,000 is one way to diversify the capital funding for the schools. He does not 1 feel that the Impact fee should become the major source of funding for new schools. He feels that there are 2' ways to justify a sliding fee based on house size. 3 4 GREG ISENHOUR, home builder, does not support this increase in the Impact fee. He feels that the 5 issue is not Impact fees but how can the community raise the necessary money to fund new schools. He 6 feels that the schools are a benefit and should be paid for by all citizens. Orange County does have a tax 7 base problem which limits revenue sources. He feels that the County needs to generate tax base properties 8 that do not generate school children. He encouraged the County Commissioners to look at the big picture. 9 With reference to affordable housing, the County regulations demand more open space and more stringent 0 guidelines for infrastructure which prevents Orange County from offering affordable housing. 1 2 NICK TENNYSON, Home Builders Association of Durham and Orange Counties, indicated he read 3 the technical report and asked about the calculated cost per student. He feels that some sort of life cycle 4 analysis of amortization of capital cost that is actually in the building would mean a lower cost than what is in 5 the report. He noted that the second highest generated rate for students in the schools is from apartment 6 dwellings. 7 8 MATTHEW BARTON spoke in support of the proposed increase in the Impact fee. He feels that 9 every property owner benefits by an increase in the Impact fee. He supports rebates for low cost housing. 0 The Sewell Elementary PTA passed a resolution asking the County Commissioners to use Impact fees as a 1 part of funding for schools. SOS supports planning and cooperation by all the governing bodies. 2 3 LINDA MEWS, taxpayer, feels this proposed increase in the Impact fee is not fair. She stated that 4 new construction does not impact the schools, children do. She suggested taxing the number of children in