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Draft <br /> 4/ 28/ 99 <br /> An option remaining is to request special enabling legislation for <br /> " Recreation Facilities Fee " . Given authority to collect such a fee would <br /> result in a general tax to provide funding for park land and facilities , _ <br /> much in the manner of a general tax levy . This would be collected for <br /> a specific purpose , the acquisition and development of park land , but <br /> would be much more flexible in its use as it would not be as restricted <br /> as payment in - lieu funds having to serve the particular subdivision <br /> from which the fee was derived . For the jurisdictions to collectively <br /> agree to approach the NC General Assembly , there would probably be <br /> a need for a plan to show where the funds would be used so that each <br /> government was assured that fees collected from subdivision in their <br /> jurisdiction were returned as park investment to their jurisdictions . It <br /> is anticipated that there would be support needed from the private <br /> sector, i . e . Home Builders ' Associations , etc , for the enabling bill to <br /> pass at the General Assembly level . This option could be an overlay to <br /> the present requirements , but affordable housing issues might stymie . <br /> this effort as an add - on cost to housing without elimination of present <br /> ordinance requirements . The following options could be explored : <br /> 1 ) Maintain present recreation land use ordinance <br /> requirements and payment in lieu presently used by each <br /> jurisdiction . <br /> 2 ) Continue to rely on these requirements and payment in <br /> lieu of process , but standardize them for all jurisdictions <br /> within the County . <br /> 3 ) Continue to maintain either 1 ) or 2 ) above and create <br /> an additional tier of a " Recreation Facilities Fee " which <br /> generates additional funds to be used for the public park <br /> system throughout Orange County , <br /> 4 ) Eliminate the present recreation requirements and <br /> payment in lieu option in each Land Use Ordinance and <br /> rely on a " Recreation Facilities Fee " levied to new <br /> subdivisions to aid in the acquisition and development of <br /> all park systems throughout Orange County . <br /> It must be noted that any of the above _ methods are only an <br /> assistance to provide adequate funding to bring the park <br /> systems of Orange County to where they need to be . No one <br /> method exists in the area of subdivision growth to supplant the <br /> need for general tax funds and bond referendums as the major <br /> financing mechanism to provide adequate park land and facilities <br /> throughout Orange County . <br /> 30 <br />