Jurisdiction and Service Areas

To find a property on the zoning website, enter the street address, owner name or parcel identification number in the appropriate search box and click the Search button.

The map will zoom to the location, and property information will appear in the Results tab on the left. If the website returns “0 records found,” your information may be out of date.

Map color codes

The map is color-coded as follows:

• Dark gray background ― The property is within town limits. 
• Light gray background ― The property is outside town limits but within the extraterritorial jurisdiction area. See the "Services outside town limits" section of this webpage for more information.
• Colored background ― The property is outside town limits and the extraterritorial jurisdiction area.

It may be necessary to zoom out to distinguish between dark gray and light gray areas.

If a property is within town limits:

• The town oversees zoning.
• The town provides water and sewer service. For any connections to the town's water and sewer system, fees and approval are required.
• The town provides garbage collection.
• Orange County provides recycling collection.
• The town provides law enforcement.
• Orange Rural Fire Department provides fire protection.

The town has zoning jurisdiction within a limited area beyond town limits known as the extraterritorial jurisdiction area. For properties outside town limits and the extraterritorial jurisdiction area, Orange County oversees zoning.

For properties outside town limits, including those within the extraterritorial jurisdiction area:

• The town may or may not provide water and sewer service. See the "Water and sewer service area" section of this webpage for more information.
• For development projects, the town has a courtesy review agreement with Orange County and can provide recommendations.
• For any connections to the town's water and sewer system, fees are required.
• For any connections to the town's water and sewer system within a development project, the town does a full review and approval of construction plans, which may include execution of a water and sewer extension contract.
• Private companies provide garbage collection, and Orange County provides dropoff sites.
• Orange County provides recycling collection.
• Orange County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement.
• Orange Rural Fire Department provides fire protection.

The town's water and sewer service area extends beyond town limits. Once a property is found on the zoning website, do the following to determine whether it falls within the water and sewer service area:

1. Click the Layers tab.
2. Check the Water Sewer Jurisdictional Boundary box.
3. Read the service designation for the property.

Service designations

Properties may be marked with the following designations:

• Hillsborough Primary Service Area ― Town water and sewer service may be available. However, it is not available everywhere within the primary service area. The town's comprehensive sustainability plan recommends reducing this area and following the plan's recommended development area.
• Hillsborough Long-Term Service Area ― Town water and sewer service does not extend into this area, and the town is not focusing on expansion of its system into this area in the foreseeable future. 

For questions about whether town water and sewer service is available for a specific property, please complete the Water and Sewer Availability Inquiry.

Properties outside the town water and sewer service area are overseen by the Orange County Environmental Health Division, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority or the Orange-Alamance Water System.