Client Alert
Mecklenburg County's Green Permit Rebate Program Provides Incentives for Green Building
May 14, 2008
As predicted in a client alert a few months ago, local governments in North Carolina are now beginning to implement incentive programs for development projects that use sustainable design principles and merit Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ("LEED") or Green Globes certification, based on 2007 legislation allowing them to do so. One recently initiated program is Mecklenburg County's Green Permit Rebate Program.
Mecklenburg County's Land Use and Environmental Services Agency has now implemented its "Green Permit Rebate Program" to encourage developers to design their projects to meet and exceed the "green" certification standards accepted under the new state legislation. Under the Program, development projects nearing substantial completion must apply prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy in order to qualify for rebates of up to 25% of the building permit fee to a maximum of $100,000 according to the following scale:
- 10% rebate to a maximum of $50,000 for LEED Certified or One Green Globe;
- 15% rebate to a maximum of $60,000 for LEED Silver or Two Green Globes;
- 20% rebate to a maximum of $75,000 for LEED Gold or Three Green Globes; or
- 25% rebate to a maximum of $100,000 for LEED Platinum or Four Green Globes.
The Program is set to run through June 30, 2008, and has been funded with initial start-up funds of $1,150,000.00, according to the Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement Division’s website. Qualifying projects may reapply the following budget year if the funding for the current budget year is exhausted.
If you have questions about the Program or regarding other "green" incentives now offered or being considered throughout North Carolina, please contact Nellie Shipley (email, (919) 755-2107), David Milling (email, (704) 331-4977), one of our other real estate attorneys or a member of our Climate Change Team.
For more information on the Green Permit Rebate Program, click here, for LEED, click here, and for Green Globes, click here.
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