Petition

To: Chapel Hill Mayor and Town Council

From: Sarah W. David, Chapel Hill Historic District Commission Member

The Historic District Commission proposes changing the Certificate of Appropriateness application fee from $300 to $200 for stand-alone, new construction projects and $50 for all other applications. Chapel Hill’s current application fee is one of the highest in the state; fees for other cities and towns follow:

Burlington:	no charge
Hillsborough:	$10
High Point:	$50
Raleigh:	$25 for minor work; $125 for major work; $250 for additions and new construction; $500 for demolition
Wilmington:	sliding scale from $15 to $100 based on predicted cost of project
Winston-Salem:	no charge

Keeping Chapel Hill’s Certificate of Appropriateness fee in line with other municipalities will encourage homeowners to apply for COAs ahead of time and work with the Commission to protect the districts’ integrity, which ultimately protects property values and the local property tax base. Furthermore, when proposing a structure, or change to structure in Chapel Hill’s historic districts, applicants must pay for a building permit and Zoning Compliance Permit, in addition to the COA application fee. Additionally, homeowners in the districts may spend more on construction materials to maintain or alter their homes than homeowners that do not have to work with design guidelines. These expenditures contribute to the local sales tax base.

In short, homeowners in Chapel Hill’s historic districts pay additional fees and make notable contributions to the town’s tax base. With that in mind, the Commission respectfully requests that the Town Council lower the application fee from $300 to $200 for stand-alone, new construction projects and $50 for all other applications.