Business Meeting

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Eighteen people spoke and the revaluation dominated. The board moved the revenue neutral rate report up the agenda so everyone present could hear it. Staff explained the revaluation was mandatory: the county's sales assessment ratio fell to 0.8197 in 2022, below the 0.85 threshold, and to 0.6445 by 2024. The revenue neutral calculation takes the FY2024-25 levy of $203.2 million, adjusts it for 2.52 percent natural growth to $208.3 million, and divides by the new base. Revenue neutral rates were also published for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro district tax, which falls from 19.80 to 14.62 cents, and for each fire district. The informal appeal deadline was 30 April.

Speakers described what the new values mean at home. A resident of Chestnut Oaks said her neighbourhood's values jumped from $169,000 to $299,000 while watershed rules limit what owners can do with the land, and that investors call constantly. A 93-year-old widow said she fears her home is becoming unaffordable. A man who built a one-bedroom house for $105,000 and paid it off in twelve years said it is now assessed at $430,000. A woman whose family has held land in the county since the 1800s said its value tripled though nothing has ever been built on it, and she wants to pass it to her son. A Duke employee asked for a pause, saying her employer has laid off three people with more expected and that values could fall sharply. Two speakers praised the tax office staff while asking the board to be spending neutral as well as revenue neutral.

Earlier, two people from the food bank at Mt. Zion AME Church in Hillsborough said they had been warned their food supply may become less steady and asked how to apply for county funding. A resident of northern Orange County said the county has only enough productive farmland to feed 30 percent of its population, against a rule of thumb of an acre per person.

The crisis diversion facility site is a five-acre parcel near UNC Hospital, already zoned for hospital use under the developer's approved master plan with Hillsborough, bought from Capkov Ventures for $1,350,000 with $25,000 earnest money and a close by 30 June, extendable twice by 30 days at $10,000 each. The capital plan carries $2,047,155 for design and $22,952,845 for construction. The construction manager contract with Gilbane passed 5-1, the only divided vote of the night; the dissenting commissioner had questioned the extension fees.

The board also agreed to move the school adequate public facilities enrolment projection to a methodology used by Carolina Demography.

How the votes went

Every vote was unanimous except the Gilbane construction manager contract and budget amendment, which passed 5-1.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

18 members of the public spoke.

1. A volunteer with the food bank at Mt. Zion AME Church in Hillsborough said the food supply may become less steady and asked the county to help fill the gap for the seniors who rely on it.
2. A pastor at Mt. Zion AME Church said the food bank is run by volunteers and asked how to apply for county funding.
3. A resident of northern Orange County said farmers need about an acre per person and the county has only enough productive farmland to feed 30 percent of its population.
4. A resident of Chestnut Oaks said values there jumped from $169,000 to $299,000 while watershed rules limit what owners can do, and investors call constantly.
5. A senior citizen in a Habitat-built townhome community in Hillsborough said her affordability rests on a fixed income and the new taxes will break it.
6. The president of Homeowners United of Orange County, a Habitat homeowner in Efland, questioned how Habitat homes are being revalued given their income requirements.
7. A Duke University employee asked for a pause on the revaluation, saying her employer has laid off three people with more expected and values could fall sharply.
8. A 93-year-old widow on a fixed income said she fears the home she and her late husband owned will become unaffordable.
9. A homeowner whose value rose sharply in 2017 said a further 50 percent increase would price her out.
10. A resident whose family has held Orange County land since the 1800s said its value tripled though nothing has ever been built on it, and asked the board to reconsider.
11. A resident of 40 years said the method of taxation is punitive to long-term residents and asked that it be reconsidered.
12. A retired Carrboro homeowner said her assessment rose 40 percent and that she has appealed because the comparable sales used were not comparable.
13. A resident said the new values are arbitrary and that property owners cannot absorb further increases.
14. A Carrboro resident said people who worked their whole lives and invested in the community are being pushed out.
15. A resident said she has never questioned her taxes before this year, and asked the board to be careful about what it funds since it cannot postpone the revaluation or tier the tax.
16. A homeowner said the real value of her house has not changed and that using market value benefits investors and people with money.
17. A homeowner said the one-bedroom house he built for $105,000 and paid off in twelve years is now assessed at $430,000, and asked that the assessments be reviewed.
18. A resident praised the tax office staff and asked the board to be spending neutral as well as revenue neutral, spending on what is needed rather than wanted.

Eighteen speakers. Fifteen addressed the 2025 revaluation, most describing what the new value does to a fixed income or to family land. Two spoke for a church food bank facing an unsteady supply, and one on the county's farmland capacity.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.