Commission holds first reading on impact-fee increase; staff outlines per-unit formula

The County Commission held a first reading of ordinance 3172025-0404 on an update to the county’s impact fee, also known as the adequate facilities tax.

County staff explained the existing residential baseline and the tiered per-unit calculation that the draft ordinance preserves. Under the current structure identified by staff, a single-family dwelling with 2,140 square feet of living area carries a $1,500 impact fee. For residential units larger than that threshold the draft applies a per-square-foot multiplier of 0.7; commercial and industrial fees are calculated using different multipliers (commercial: 0.3, industrial: as written in the draft). The ordinance’s last increase took effect in February 2018.

Commissioners pressed staff on how the fee is assessed for multi-unit buildings and on when revenue would be allocated. Staff clarified the fee is charged per housing unit — for example, a four‑unit apartment building would be assessed the fee per unit rather than per rooftop. Commissioners asked whether the county could divert more of any increase from the capital projects fund into the general fund to help pay anticipated employee wage increases. County staff said cost estimates for proposed raises are not yet available and recommended a separate work‑session discussion before altering revenue allocations between readings. That recommendation mirrored the budget committee’s advice to avoid making ordinance changes without clearer information about the size and timing of any pay increases.

The first reading was informational; no final vote on adoption occurred during the work session. Commissioners indicated the ordinance will return for a second reading on the regular agenda. Any amendments between readings were discussed as permissible but contingent on the commission obtaining clearer budget figures.

Details discussed at the meeting — the $1,500 baseline, the 2,140-square-foot threshold, and the 0.7 and 0.3 multipliers for residential and commercial calculations — are taken from staff remarks during the first-reading discussion.