HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-17-1996 - 9d i
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: December 17, 1996
Action Agenda
Item No. 9—d
SUBJECT: 1997 Legislative Issues
DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N)
BUDGET AMENDMENT: (Y/1S)
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
4/10/96 Letter from Orange County ABC Board County Manager
(under separate cover) ext. 2300
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Durham 688-7331
Mebane 227-2031
PURPOSE: To identify/confum issues the Board may wish to pursue with the Orange County
legislative delegation during the 1997 Session of the North Carolina General Assembly.
BACKGROUND: During the December 7 planning retreat, the Board touched on a number of
issues that might become part of a legislative agenda for introduction in the General Assembly in
1997. Among the topics mentioned for possible introduction in 1997 were:
• authorization to impose an impact tax, rather than the current impact fee, for educational
facilities
• authorization to levy a real estate transfer tax
• inclusion of sexual preference as a protected class in the County's human rights ordinance
enabling legislation
• exemption from payment of impact fees for certain types of housing for the elderly
Staff also suggests that the Board consider seeking State authorization for a program of transfer of
development rights as part of any 1997 legislative package, as this is an objective identified by both
the Planning Board and Agricultural Districts Advisory Board. Additionally,the Orange County
ABC Board has requested that the Board of Commissioners consider supporting a proposal that
would redistribute state excise taxes related to beer,wine, and liquor. Background material on this
potential legislative issue is provided under separate cover.
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The Board of Commissioners may also identify other potential legislative issues that staff and the
Attorney might craft into a legislative agenda to be presented to the Orange County legislative
delegation. The Board may also want to discuss further the suggestion that the full Board plan to
meet with members of the County's legislative delegation in January,prior to the convening of the
1997 Session of the General Assembly. If the Board decides to proceed with that suggestion, it
would be helpful for the Board to identify several alternative meeting times (perhaps breakfast
sessions), so that staff can begin to arrange such a meeting.
RECOMMENDATION(S): As the Board decides.