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16 <br />a) The purpose of these grants should be to provide startup monies with a "sunset' <br />provision for length of funding. <br />b) A requesting agency should develop a business plan that outlines purposes for which <br />the grant is to be used, estimated budgets, and expected outcomes that can be <br />documented. <br />c) A definite amount of money should be allocated for outside agency grants before <br />requesting agencies present their proposals. <br />d) A hearing process to review applications should be established prior to development <br />of the county budget. <br />Recommendation 10: Conduct an annual review of non - taxable property to categorize, <br />identify, and value marketable properties. <br />A report from the Tax Assessor's Office (February, 1996) lists 1,207 non - taxable parcels of <br />property in the County, excluding most churches. Significant numbers of parcels are listed <br />under Orange County (71), under the North Carolina Department of Transportation (152), and <br />under the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (142). To enhance the County tax base the <br />Committee recommends that such property be reviewed annually. For example, a sample of <br />the Seven Mile Creek area reflected four County owned parcels of about 150 acres total that <br />are estimated to have a current market value as high as almost $500,000. <br />The Committee is aware that considerations such as perkability, building restrictions, and <br />access affect market value. Farm -use and Forestry-use programs can affect yields for tax <br />values. However, any parcel that currently is not on the tax rolls, which is not of use to <br />governmental agencies, and which can be converted to usable, taxable property should be <br />effected as soon as possible. <br />Recommendation 11: Consider the impact on the tax base when creating greenways, open <br />spaces, and easements. <br />Non - mandated parcels and outdated planned uses for parcels should lead to the return of these <br />lands to the tax rolls as soon as possible. Questions such as "How much property that <br />OWASA holds is mandated ?" and, "How many DOT parcels represent old project plans that <br />are no longer feasible or necessary?" should be answered. <br />Recommendation 12: Revisit the issue of non - taxable University of North Carolina <br />properties. <br />The Committee is aware that the County has taken this cause to the State Supreme Court, <br />losing its case. And, the NC Legislature has made all UNC properties tax- exempt, eliminating <br />a distinction between educational and non - educational uses. Thus, the block which UNC owns <br />on the south side of East Franklin Street that includes the old Varleys Store and the Carolina <br />Coffee Shop, brings no property tax revenue to the Town or the County. The Old Hill Estate <br />on Raleigh Road of 19 acres, recently donated for use as the Chancellor's residence, has been <br />9 <br />