GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

SESSION LAW 1999-242
HOUSE BILL 900

AN ACT ALLOWING GATES COUNTY TO IMPOSE FEES FOR FIRE PROTECTION SERVICES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Article 11 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 153A-236.1. County fire protection fees.
(a)	The board of county commissioners of a county may by ordinance impose a fee on owners of real property, and on owners of manufactured or mobile homes, that benefit from the availability and use of fire protection services within the county.  The county shall establish a schedule of fees for different classes of property. The fee established for each class of property shall be proportional to: (i) the estimated cost of providing fire protection services to that class of property and (ii) the relative benefit of the availability and use of fire protection services given differences in the market value of each class of property.  The schedule of fees shall include the following classes of property and the fee on each class of property shall not exceed the following maximums:
(1)	A single-family dwelling having a fair market value under fifty thousand dollars ($50,000); and appurtenant structures, plus up to five acres of surrounding land.  The fee on this class of property may not exceed forty dollars ($40.00) per site per year.
(2)	A single-family dwelling having a fair market value equal to or greater than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000); and appurtenant structures, plus up to five acres of surrounding land.  The fee on this class of property may not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) per site per year.
(3)	A multiple-family dwelling.  The fee on this class of property may not exceed sixty dollars ($60.00) per building per year.
(4)	A commercial facility.  The fee on this class of property may not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per site per year.
(b)	A county may adopt an ordinance providing that any fee imposed under subsection (a) of this section may be billed with property taxes, may be payable in the same manner as property taxes, and, in the case of nonpayment, may be collected in any manner by which delinquent personal or real property taxes can be collected.  If an ordinance states that delinquent fees can be collected in the same manner as delinquent real property taxes, the fees are a lien on the real property described on the bill that includes the fee."
Section 2.  This act applies to Gates County only.
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 1st day of July, 1999.

s/	Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate

s/	James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives