Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutImpact Fee Comparison ReportDate: December 12, 2011 TO: Honorable Mayor and Town Council FROM: Tom Brymer, Town Manager /Superintendent SUBJECT: Impact Fee Discussion: Surrounding Cities Comparison Report Below is a short report on the use of impact fees by surrounding municipalities. The cities referenced have also been used as benchmarks in previous property tax comparisons. Perhaps this information will be useful to the Council as it deliberates on the possible implementation impact fees. In an article written for the International City Manager's Association (ICMA) regarding the successful implementation of an impact fee, the author states, "Despite the potential difficulty of enacting development impact fees, it is a revenue - raising method worthy of serious consideration, especially where governmental officials favor community growth and want to manage it effectively." (Townsend, 1996) In another article titled, "Best and Worst Methods for Calculating Impact Fees ", the author outlines two major approaches to establishing impact fees — an aggressive approach that provides more room for discounting but also increases the potential for litigation, and a conservative approach that sets maximum amounts at legally defensible levels. He concludes that each method may be deemed appropriate depending on the perspective and circumstances of the enacting jurisdiction. (Malizia, 2006) The following flowchart illustrates the process for estimating impact fees as described in the second article: Steps to Estimate impact Fees 1. Estimate needlimpact 4. Estimate proportionate cost by land use categories 5. Deduct credits h 2. Identify public facility costs 3. Estimate current level of service Establish benefit zones 6. Calculate net cost for land use categories A = Aggressive approach C = Conservative approach Impact Fee Comparison Summary Since impact fees have the potential to affect the Town's competitive advantage with regard to economic development, it is informative to know which cities in our surrounding area currently have impact fees in place and at what levels. This report contains comparative data on ten metroplex cities that have historically been utilized as benchmarks for the Town of Westlake. Of the 10 benchmark cities surveyed, nine utilize both water and waste water impact fees. Additionally, five of the nine also impose a roadway or transportation fee. The table below reflects both the maximum water and wastewater impact fees currently assessed for each jurisdiction as well as the roadway /transportation impact fee range (lowest to highest) where applicable. These fees are expressed in terms of Development Unit Equivalency (DUE) or Service Equivalency Unit (SUE). Each municipality surveyed utilizes a unique method for calculating the final impact fee. The water and wastewater fees cited are tiered based on the size of the water meter; for uniformity, the figures shown in the table below represent the maximum SUE fee for based on a 1" meter. Table i — Impact Fee Comparison for Surrounding Cities City Water Wastewater Roadway /Transportation Colleyville $24,908.00 $6,425.00 $461 (Jr. College) - $94,935 (Movie Theater) "Flower Mound $12,175.00 $1,598 - $14,948 $511 (single family) - $879 (Superstore) Fort Worth $1,447.89 $464.26 $382 (single family) - $71,563 (movie Theater) Grapevine $3,189.70 $1,548.09 n /a? Haslet $5,731.00 $4,945.00 n /a? Keller $1,247.49 $1,419.50 $1,619 - $2,435 North Richland Hills $1,815.29 $511.02 n /a? Roanoke $2,641.22 $987.63 n /a? Southlake $2,085.39 $1,240.47 $1,200 (single family) - $10,578 (arena) Trophy Club I n/a n/a n /a? * *Fee varies based on geography — 4 distinct service areas While Colleyville has the highest adopted rate, their current formula automatically reduces the maximum collection amount to 25% of the max rate i.e. $6,227 and $1,606 respectively for a 1" meter. Similarly, Flower Mound employs a 19 -step formula that changes the final amount drastically from the base amount referenced above; the final amount may be much higher or lower depending on a number of factors. Ignoring these two highest amounts, the average impact fee for a 1" meter for water services is approximately $2,600 and $1,588 for wastewater. 2