Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
La Marque council hears first reading of impact-fee increase; builders express concern
Summary
La Marque — City staff presented a proposed amendment to La Marque’s impact-fee ordinance (O-2025-0005) on March 10, 2025, proposing an increase in the water-and-sewer impact fee from $3,770 to $8,448.70.
La Marque — City staff presented a proposed amendment to La Marque’s impact-fee ordinance (O-2025-0005) on March 10, 2025, proposing an increase in the water-and-sewer impact fee from $3,770 to $8,448.70. The council held a first reading, heard public and council concern about housing affordability and builder retention, and directed staff to return with revised numbers at the next meeting.
The impact fee study presented to council included a land-use-assumptions analysis and a capital improvements plan identifying utilities the city must install to serve vacant tracts of land. The presenter told the council the recommended fee — $8,448.70 — is based on those assumptions and the capital improvements plan.
“You are governed by the law or by the city ordinances and the fees in effect at that time,” the city attorney reminded the council during discussion of how the new fee would apply to in-progress permits. Staff also explained that impact fees are assessed by meter size; the $8,448.70 figure is based on a 3/4‑inch meter equivalent. The current impact-fee total shown in the city’s fee schedule is $3,770 ($2,190 for water and $1,580 for sewer).
Council members and staff raised concerns about the size of the increase and reported builders had told staff they were reconsidering projects because of higher fees. “We are getting reports from developers that builders are—some of them are pulling out of the city, because of impact fees,” a council member said.
Council agreed not to adopt the recommended figure at this meeting. The item completed first reading and the council asked staff to bring back the item at the next meeting with a lower or alternate fee schedule and to provide data on permit activity by area (original La Marque footprint vs. west-side subdivisions) so council could weigh affordability and development goals.
What this means: If the council eventually adopts a new fee, statutes and city practice mean permit applications and plans submitted before the ordinance takes effect will generally be governed by the fee in effect at the time of submission; new applications submitted after the ordinance’s effective date would pay the new fee.
Sources: Presentation and Q&A at the La Marque City Council meeting on March 10, 2025; transcript comments by the impact-fee presenter and the city attorney.
