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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: February 7, 2001 <br />Action Age A. <br />Item No. (? G <br />SUBJECT: Public School Impact Fees Report <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Tischler & Associates Report <br />(to be provided under separate cover) <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Craig Benedict, Planning Director, <br />ext 2592 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To receive a report on the calculation of maximum permissible public school impact <br />fees that consider differentiated fees based on housing type. <br />BACKGROUND: The Orange County Educational Facilities Impact Fee Ordinance was <br />adopted on June 7, 1993, and impact fees were set at $750 per newly constructed residential <br />dwelling unit (regardless of type) for both the Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro School <br />Districts. The ordinance has been amended several times since 1993 and impact fees per <br />housing unit are currently $750 for the Orange County School District and $3,000 for the Chapel <br />Hill-Carrboro School District. <br />A concern voiced at past public hearings was that different housing types (e.g. apartments vs. <br />single family homes) generated students at varying rates and that impact fees should be <br />proportional to the demand created rather than across-the-board. A technical study prepared by <br />Tischler & Associates is being finalized to determine a maximum supportable impact fee per <br />housing unit for each school district, taking into consideration different types of housing units. <br />That report will serve as the basis for an evaluation of impact fees for both the Orange County <br />and Chapel Hill-Carrboro school systems and of possible changes to the current fees. This <br />topic is scheduled for the February 26 quarterly public hearing docket. <br />Planning Director Craig Benedict will present the findings of the Tischler & Associates report at <br />the February 7 meeting. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no direct financial impact associated with the presentation of <br />this report. Adoption of higher impact fees at some point in the future could help reduce the <br />amount of funding from other sources needed for construction of school facilities.