The James City County Board of Supervisors will further its discussion on tourism, which began during planning for this year’s budget, at its meeting Tuesday.
When the board in May passed its budget for fiscal year 2015, which began July 1, it left $256,500 in a tourism activities fund with no specific ideas on how to spend the money. The supervisors are expected to gather for a Tuesday work session to review the fund – and possibly meet with area tourism officials – to chart a course for moving forward with spending.
Acting County Administrator Doug Powell’s proposed budget increased the amount of funding earmarked for tourism by $336,000, to a total of $2.4 million. Included in the increased tourism fund was $40,000 to cover a new county-specific tourism coordinator’s salary.
Rather than moving forward in creating – and hiring for – the tourism coordinator position, the supervisors opted to roll that money into the tourism activities fund, along with money for tourism services, tourism activities and county field waivers for sporting events. The board did decide, however, to come up with an evaluation process for its future tourism investments. The evaluation process will likely involve a look at the county’s return on its investment in various attractions and events.
In addition to the tourism discussion, the board will also review a change to the county’s accessory apartments regulations at its work session.
In May, the Planning Commission recommended changes to the regulations dealing with accessory apartments on a 6-0 vote with one member absent. The proposed changes add a definition for detached accessory apartments and set out criteria for the size, location and occupancy of accessory apartments.
Detached apartments would require the property owner or an immediate family member live in either the apartment or the main home on the property. Off-street parking would continue to be required for all accessory apartments, whether attached or detached.
Attached apartments would be permitted without a special permit in two additional districts – limited residential and low-density residential – increasing the allowed area to all but the multifamily district.
Detached apartments would require special use permits, and could be permitted in all but the county’s mixed use areas – which allow commercial and residential development – and the multifamily district.
The supervisors on June 10 were scheduled to take up consideration of the proposed apartment regulation changes, but opted to continue the discussion at a work session before voting.
During its regular meeting Tuesday, the board will host a public hearing on a request to grant real estate and personal property tax exemptions to the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 957.
A state law has allowed Virginia localities to grant tax exemptions since the beginning of 2003 to nonprofit organizations that use “property for religious, charitable, patriotic, historical, benevolent, cultural, or public park and playground purposes.” Localities are required to pass an ordinance for each organization requesting exemption.
The state code requires localities to consider eight topics before granting an exception, including whether:
- The organization is exempt from federal taxes;
- The organization holds a license to serve alcohol on its property;
- Any employee or officer of the organization is compensated at a higher rate than what is reasonable for the work performed;
- Any earnings benefit any person, and a significant amount of funding comes from donations or grants;
- The organization “provides services for the common good of the public”;
- The organization tries to influence legislation, carries propaganda or participates in political campaigns;
- The loss of revenue will affect the county; and
- Any other organization activities should be considered before making a decision.
County staff examined VVA 957 and found it is exempt from federal taxes, and does not have an alcohol license, employees, real estate or political affiliations. The chapter provides services for veterans, which is for the common good, and it contributes less than $60 per year to the county’s revenue.
If the board votes to grant tax exemption to VVA 957 on Tuesday, any future property the group purchases could be granted real estate tax exemption, said Commissioner of the Revenue Richard Bradshaw.
The exemption is scheduled to be considered after a public hearing at the board’s 7 p.m. meeting Tuesday. If granted, the exemption will only apply to VVA 957’s personal property and real estate that are located in the county. If the organization owns property in other localities that it wants to be tax exempt, it would have to seek exemption from the other localities’ governments.
The full agendas for the boards’ work session and regular meeting are available online. The supervisors will gather for a 4 p.m. work session and 7 p.m. regular meeting on Tuesday in Building F at 101 Mounts Bay Road.
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