HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-23-1993 - IV-A 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No.
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: March 23, 1993
SUBJECT: Resolution to Support Funding for Local Recreation and Parks
DEPARTMENT: Recreation and Parks PUBLIC HEARING YES: NO: XX
ATTACHMENT(S) : . INFORMATION CONTACT: MaryAnne Moore
ext. 2664
Resolution TELEPHONE NUMBER-
Hillsborough - 732-8181
Chapel Hill - 968-4501
Mebane - 227-2031
Durham - 688-7331
PURPOSE:
A resolution to support the modification of proposed legislation affecting
the Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Fund and to establish a Park
Fund in North Carolina.
BACKGROUND:
The Association of County Commissioners ' Adopted Legislative Goals for the
1993 and 1994 General Assembly includes "supporting legislation which
provides that a portion of the Recreation and Natural Trust Fund will be
made available to local governments for land acquisition, renovation and
development of local parks systems. "
In the 1991 session of the General Assembly, a bill was introduced that
proposed raising the excise tax on land transfers by one dollar per
thousand. The bill would have dedicated the approximately $12 .8 million
raised by the tax to the Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Fund
(RNHTF) and would have made the RNHTF available to local units of
governments and the Department of Cultural Resources. The bill was never
reported out of committee, but the tax was increased and 15% of the
revenues were dedicated to the RNHTF. The other 85% of the revenue,
however, went into the General Fund and local governments were not
included in the RNHTF.
The Legislative Study Commission on Parks and Recreation has drafted
legislation that would dedicate the 85% of the revenue that is currently
going to the General Fund to a proposed Park Fund of North Carolina.
Although the proposed draft outlines that the funds would benefit only the
development of State Parks, the Legislative Study Commission is willing to
consider making the funds available to local units of government as well
as State Parks. This modification to the proposed legislation would then
make the funds available for acquisition of land with significant natural
heritage value, for local park land acquisition, and for the development
of state parks.
2
The Orange County Recreation and Parks Advisory Council endorsed this
proposal at its March 1, 1993 meeting and now asks that the Commissioners
also support this proposal and notify the Orange County General Assembly
Members of that support.
RECOMMENDATION(S) : Adopt the resolution and authorize the Chair to sign.
AW-3-°1-2"?
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING MODIFICATION OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION
AFFECTING THE RECREATION AND NATURAL HERITAGE TRUST FUND
AND ESTABLISHING A PARK FUND IN NORTH CAROLINA
WHEREAS, the 1991 session of the General Assembly enacted a bill
that increased the excise tax on land transfers by one dollar per thousand;
and
WHEREAS, Eighty-five percent of the revenues from this increase on
excise tax went into the general fund of the State; and
WHEREAS, the Legislative Study Commission on Parks and Recreation
has drafted legislation that would dedicate the eighty-five percent of the
revenue that is currently going to the general fund to a proposed Park Fund of
North Carolina to be used for land acquisition; and
WHEREAS, local governments in North Carolina need almost one
billion dollars to meet national standards in providing land and facilities
for leisure opportunities for citizens and visitors; and
WHEREAS, funding from the Federal Land and Water Conservation
Fund, which was a major source of support for State and Local Parks Systems
for the last twenty-seven years, has decreased considerably since 1979; and
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Recreation Parks Society has requested
support for modification of the proposal developed by the Legislative Study
Commission on Parks and Recreation to divide the entire 1991 tax increase of
one dollar per thousand to be used for acquisition of land with significant
natural heritage value, local park acquisition and state parks; and
WHEREAS, the Orange County Recreation and Parks Advisory Council
has endorsed this proposal and has requested the Board of Commissioners to
also support this proposal.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR THE COUNTY OF
ORANGE DOTH RESOLVE:
1. The members of the General Assembly representing the people of
Orange County are called on to support the modification of the proposal which
has been drafted by the Legislative Study Commission on Parks and Recreation
to provide for a more equitable distribution of the funds from the 1991 tax
increase with the funding being divided as indicated above.
2 . The Clerk to the Board of Commissioners is directed to send a
copy of this Resolution to each of the members of the General Assembly
representing the people of Orange County and to the North Carolina Association
of County Commissioners.
r
This the 23rd day of March, 1993.
M ses Carey, Chairman
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' County Recreation Department
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Post Office Box 8181 * ' ----~'. North Carolina 27278
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Mary Anne Black, Directo
MEMORANDUM
TOx Moses Carey, Chairman
FROM: Keith Cook, Chairmari5�`�'
Recreation & Parks Advisory Council
DATE: March 23, 1993
RE: 1993-1998 Capital Improvements Plan; RPAC
recommendations regarding
At its March and meeting, the Recreation & Parks Advisory
Council discussed the recreation and parks departmental CIP
request and the probable Manager' s recommendations. We
discussed each project thoroughly and offer the following
attached recommendations for your consideration. We would
ask that this memorandum outlining our recommendations be
made part of the official minutes of tonight' s Public
Hearing.
Recreation & Parks Advisory Council is, of course, especially
concerned with the funding of the swimming pool project. As
your representatives to the county' s citizens, RPAC has heard
their interest in having a pool built in central Orange
County. Over 548 residents in our communities "signed up" to
support this activity center and its pool . We are speaking
for these 548 residents and the countless others who have
called, written, or spoken to us about the . issue.
RPAC recommends that the pool project remain in the CIP,
regardless of the fate of the Triangle Community Activity
Center. We recommend it be funded, at some level, to
accomplish fi ] ] ing the need expressed by so many citizens --
having a public pool in central Orange County.
xc: RPAC members
MaryAnne B. Moore
.
Offices located at 300 W. Tryon Strvet. BUb6000ugh, NC
Telephones: 919 732-8181 • 919 907'9251 • 919 688-7331 • 919 227'2031 • Fax: 919 732-4743