AGENDA DATE: 6/1/2016
TITLE:
Title
Vehicle License Ordinance Amendments.
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Schedule a Public Hearing to Consider Proposed Vehicle License Ordinance Amendments
ITEM TYPE: Consent Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Letteri, Kamptner, Herrick, Burrell, Lamb
PRESENTER (S): N/A
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: Upon review of the County’s vehicle license ordinance, the Finance Department is recommending updates and improvements to four sections of Chapter 9 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the Albemarle County Code. These proposed revisions are intended both to improve the County’s collection practices and to bring the County Code into compliance with recent changes in state law.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Goal 4: Economic Prosperity -- Foster an environment that stimulates diversified job creation, capital investments, and tax revenues that support community goals
DISCUSSION: The proposed ordinance attached would revise four sections of Chapter 9 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) of the Albemarle County Code. Many of the proposed revisions are needed to stay current with recent changes to state law.
• Sec. 9-401 - Vehicle License -- registration deadline -- Imposes a $250 penalty on out-of-state vehicles not registered in Virginia within 30 days of residency, as enabled in Virginia Code § 46.2-662(B).
• Sec. 9-404 - Vehicle License Tax - Updates the amounts of various County vehicle licenses, in accord with the adopted County budget.
• Sec. 9-405 - Vehicle License Tax - proration -- Allows for the monthly proration of the vehicle license tax for both new and previously registered vehicles. Also deletes the rounding of the prorated vehicle license tax to the nearest dollar, and the minimum prorated vehicle license tax of $2. These proposed amendments are system driven. The current system does not have the capability of rounding the prorated license tax to the nearest dollar. The current ordinance requires manual computation and adjustment entry in the system.
• Sec. 9-406 - Vehicle License Tax - refund -- Deletes the rounding of prorated vehicle license tax to the nearest dollar, and the minimum prorated vehicle license tax of $2. These proposed amendments are also system driven. Again, the current system does not have the capability of rounding the prorated license tax to the nearest dollar. The current ordinance requires manual computation and adjustment entry in the system.
BUDGET IMPACT: While the budgetary impact of these proposed amendments is difficult to predict with any certainty, the following are staff’s best estimates of the impact of each proposal:
• $250.00 fine for out of state vehicles not registered in the County within 30 days of residency (§ 9-401) - no loss
• Update the amounts of various County vehicle licenses (§ 9-404) - $250,000 projected gain, per the adopted FY 2017 budget.
• Proration of Vehicle License tax (§ 9-405) - no loss or gain
• Rounding any refunds derived from the proration of the license tax (§ 9-406) - no loss or gain
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board schedule and advertise a public hearing for July 6, 2016 to consider the attached proposed ordinance.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Proposed Ordinance - Chapter 9 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic)