North Carolina counties are required to revalue properties regularly to ensure a fair and equitable distribution of the property tax burden. The Orange County Tax Office recently completed its 2021 revaluation and mailed notice of new values to all property owners in March.

Property owners who feel their value is too high have the option to appeal with the Tax Office at no cost to the taxpayer. An appeal can be filed easily through the tax department’s on-line form (https://appeals.spatialest.com/nc-orange#/).

The website is a simple-to-use tool that will walk you step by step through the appeals process. Any documentation you wish to provide, such as property appraisals, can be uploaded through the page.

Comparable properties may be submitted as well. The Orange Public Comper website (https://nc-orange-citizen.comper.info/template.aspx) allows you to search for comparable properties that have recently sold in your area. Recent sales data is one piece of information the county uses to determine property values.

If you need help with the appeal, please call (919) 245-2100, option 2 or email reval@orangecountync.gov.

A formal appeal will result in your case being heard by the Orange County Board of Equalization and Review. The formal appeal time period is from May 3 until June 30. To file a formal appeal, property owners must fill out the form on the Orange County website. Once you submit the form you will be contacted by the Tax Office to set up a time for your appeal to be heard. The schedule for hearings can be seen here. 

There is no charge to taxpayers to file an appeal. Because of the pandemic, the Tax Office is closed to the public. However, in-person appointments are available on a limited basis. Call 919-245-2100, option 2 or email reval@orangecountync.gov.

Completed forms and documentation may be mailed to:
Other options are:

• Use the Drop Box Located at the Orange County Tax Office, Gateway Center (228 South Churton Street in Hillsborough)
• Scan and email to reval@orangecountync.gov
• Fax to 919-245-3091 (indicate number of pages sent)
• Schedule a virtual meeting (call 919-245-2100, option 2 or email)

The Orange County Health Department has switched to walk-in clinics for COVID vaccine distribution. No appointment or pre-registration is necessary.

Orange County Health will hold walk-in clinics every week at the Whitted Building: Monday 2-7 p.m., Wednesday 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Thursday 2-7 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. The county will also host pop-up clinics at other locations throughout the county. For a full schedule of pop-up and walk-in vaccine clinics in Orange County, visit www.orangecountync.gov/getyourshot.

If you would like to be notified when clinics are available, you can still register with Orange County at https://redcap.link/OCHDvax or by calling (919) 913-8088 seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spanish and other languages are available.

The vaccine is free, and no ID or insurance is required.

To find out when shots are available with the Orange County Health Department or other providers close to you, visit www.myspot.nc.gov and search for zip code 27278. You can register for an appointment through the website, or you can just arrive during clinic hours and receive a shot. The website will show you other vaccinators within your area and times they are available.

It's never been more easy to do your part and Get Your Shot.

Questions may be directed to covid19vaccine@orangecountync.gov.

Orange County Planning is hosting a virtual meeting Monday, May 17, from 6-8 p.m., pertaining to the continuation of coordinated efforts between Orange County and the City of Mebane on the Buckhorn Area Plan (a.k.a. Buckhorn Study). The purpose of the public outreach meeting is to:

• Continue engagement with the community as a follow-up to previous Buckhorn Area Plan Study meetings;
• Communicate that Areas “A” and “B” are to be the focus for outreach and planning coordination between Orange County and the City of Mebane; 
• Provide additional context for Outreach Focus Areas “A” and “B”; and
• Collect public comments and common questions to guide the development of a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for public and BOCC information.

Following a brief staff presentation, participants will be asked to provide comments and questions, which will be used to guide the development of an FAQ document. Participants must register for the meeting in advance, which will generate the Zoom invite with the link to join.

The Orange County BOCC will receive a report on comments and questions collected, as well as the final FAQ document, at its Business Meeting on June 1, 2021. Public input will help guide the BOCC in determining any next steps.

Additional information, including background information on the study as well as the hyperlink for registration to this meeting, can be found on the Planning Department’s website under the Current Interest Projects tab.

In January 2020, the Town of Carrboro, Town of Chapel Hill, and Orange County adopted the Greene Tract Resolution for a Path Forward. This resolution initiated the drafting of an environmental assessment in order to obtain site-specific information on environmental and cultural conditions present on the Greene Tract.

Following a Request for Proposal and bid process, SynTerra was selected to complete the Environmental Assessment. Beginning in May 2020, SynTerra reviewed background information, conducted fieldwork, and completed an environmental analysis of the Greene Tract. The final assessment was presented to the local governments in July 2020.

Due to COVID-19 and limitations in conducting community outreach, the local governments and SynTerra agreed to produce a video to present the Greene Tract Environmental Assessment to the public. This video is now available for viewing at the following link: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2127/Greene-Tract.

Comments and questions regarding the Environmental Assessment and video can be submitted at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7QB7L9M. All questions are due by May 23. Following this date, local government staff, in partnership with SynTerra, will provide additional informational materials, including a FAQ and/or second video, in order to answer questions received from the public.