Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

PICKERINGTON


City Council OKs new impact fees for development



Money to help ease cost of police, roads, parks that stem from growing population


By Kirk D . Richards THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH




The price of progress just got pricier in Pickerington.
The City Council approved so-called impact fees last night that could add $3,470 to the cost of a new home and as much as $2.49 per square foot of a commercial building, depending on its size and use. The vote was 5-1. The fees take effect in 30 days.
The council supported the plan as a way for new residents and businesses to help pay for extra police protection, road maintenance and parks and recreation facilities that come with a rising population. The fees, the maximum recommended by a consultant based on population and business-development projections, can be used for only those kinds of improvements.
Councilman Doug Parker voted against the ordinance and asked that his name be taken off as a sponsor. Councilman Michael Sabatino, who had supported the measure in procedural votes, was absent last night because of a family emergency.
Councilman William Wright expressed concern about the plan, suggesting that it could keep businesses from building in Pickerington. Wright has said that other communities are going in the opposite direction, offering incentives for businesses to set up shop.
Last night, he said that the city needs to monitor whether businesses will locate in neighboring Canal Winchester and Violet Township instead.
Parker said he supports impact fees for homes but not for businesses. However, attorneys for the city said state law doesn?’t allow selective application of the fees.
Parker said he thinks the city should have waited for the release of a community-services study that will compare the taxes paid by businesses and homeowners with the cost of the services they receive.
Calls to 911 ''don?’t, for the most part, go to businesses,?’?’ Parker said after the meeting. ''It?’s people at home needing help.?’?’
Parker also has suggested that his colleagues consider a special taxing district in which some of the money generated could go directly to the city?’s overcrowded schools.
Although a consultant has said that a judge might allow some impact fees to go to schools, it has not been tested in a court in Ohio.
The consultant, lawyer Mark White, cited such a case upheld by the Florida Supreme Court.
Some have asked that the township come on board.
However, Terry Dunlap, chairman of the Violet Township Board of Trustees, has said that lawyers have told him the township cannot assess impact fees, even though it is a home-rule township with broader authority.
Delaware implemented impact fees in 2001 and used some of the money to buy parkland, expand a police locker room, add parking-lot spaces and build bike paths.
krichards@dispatch.com

By Town Crier

going up $$$$$

Pickerington increases the cost of development

By CARL BURNETT JR.
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
cburnett@nncogannett.com

PICKERINGTON - The next time a builder brings in a plan to build an new home in Pickerington, the cost will go up a few thousand dollars to help pay for the infrastructure needed to support it.

The new impact fee structure was approved by Pickerington City Council on Tuesday.

For a new single-family dwelling, the impact fee will total $3,470. For commercial buildings, the fee will be based on square footage and varies by the size of the building.

''The goal isn't to restrict residential growth or commercial growth, but to make sure that residential growth pays for the services it uses,'' said Mayor David Shaver during a break in the meeting. ''With all the growth we were experiencing, we were facing an imminent financial crisis and that's why we needed the impact fees.''

Shaver said that for every dollar the city was getting in new revenue from residential growth, it was spending $1.50 in services like expanded street building and repairs and police services.

''This is the way we felt we could get back some of that money,'' Shaver said.

Councilman Doug Parker was the only council member to vote against the impact fees.

''The schools are going to get nothing from this, and they are hit the hardest by the growth,'' Parker said during a break in the meeting. Last year, they voted against establishing a community authority which would have raised about $35 million split between the city and schools. These fees will be lucky if they raise $9 million. These people (the Pickerington Council members) are making a big mistake. Whenever you tax business, it is a bad move.''

However, Councilman Ted Hackworth said he supported the impact fees that had been developed by the city over the last year.

''It's been a long process that started back in 2004,'' Hackworth said. ''I think we all would have preferred not to include commercial buildings, but we had to. That way we are placing impact fees on all new buildings.''

It would have a better chance of surviving any legal challenge with all new growth having impact fees placed on it, Hackworth said.

Hackworth said there are some exceptions that can be used if some industrial or commercial building is being planned and they want to build in Pickerington.

''We are also going to revue the fee structure every July to see if changes need to be made to make sure the impact fees are matching the cost of growth in the city,'' Hackworth said.

Hackworth said that if 150 homes are built a year, the new fees should generate an additional $500,000.

''It should pay for the cost of the growth,'' Hackworth said.

No one from the public spoke for or against the impact fee at Tuesday's meeting.

The fees will be effective in one month from Tuesday.


Originally published September 21, 2005

More...

Article published Sep 21, 2005
Pickerington increases the cost of development

By CARL BURNETT JR.
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
cburnett@nncogannett.com
PICKERINGTON - The next time a builder brings in a plan to build an new home in Pickerington, the cost will go up a few thousand dollars to help pay for the infrastructure needed to support it.
The new impact fee structure was approved by Pickerington City Council on Tuesday.
For a new single-family dwelling, the impact fee will total $3,470. For commercial buildings, the fee will be based on square footage and varies by the size of the building.
''The goal isn't to restrict residential growth or commercial growth, but to make sure that residential growth pays for the services it uses,'' said Mayor David Shaver during a break in the meeting. ''With all the growth we were experiencing, we were facing an imminent financial crisis and that's why we needed the impact fees.''
Shaver said that for every dollar the city was getting in new revenue from residential growth, it was spending $1.50 in services like expanded street building and repairs and police services.
''This is the way we felt we could get back some of that money,'' Shaver said.
Councilman Doug Parker was the only council member to vote against the impact fees.
''The schools are going to get nothing from this, and they are hit the hardest by the growth,'' Parker said during a break in the meeting. Last year, they voted against establishing a community authority which would have raised about $35 million split between the city and schools. These fees will be lucky if they raise $9 million. These people (the Pickerington Council members) are making a big mistake. Whenever you tax business, it is a bad move.''
However, Councilman Ted Hackworth said he supported the impact fees that had been developed by the city over the last year.
''It's been a long process that started back in 2004,'' Hackworth said. ''I think we all would have preferred not to include commercial buildings, but we had to. That way we are placing impact fees on all new buildings.''
It would have a better chance of surviving any legal challenge with all new growth having impact fees placed on it, Hackworth said.
Hackworth said there are some exceptions that can be used if some industrial or commercial building is being planned and they want to build in Pickerington.
''We are also going to revue the fee structure every July to see if changes need to be made to make sure the impact fees are matching the cost of growth in the city,'' Hackworth said.
Hackworth said that if 150 homes are built a year, the new fees should generate an additional $500,000.
''It should pay for the cost of the growth,'' Hackworth said.
No one from the public spoke for or against the impact fee at Tuesday's meeting.
The fees will be effective in one month from Tuesday.


By Town Crier