Council reviews proposed one‑time public safety impact fee to fund police facilities and equipment

Council reviewed a draft proposal for a one‑time public safety impact fee on new development that would generate funds for police buildings, vehicles and equipment.

Why it matters: Council members are considering mechanisms to fund new or expanded municipal services and capital needs tied to growth without raising property taxes. A one‑time impact fee paid at permit or build time would direct new development to offset some capital costs.

Staff described an approach used by nearby municipalities: tiered one‑time fees by building square footage and type (residential, commercial, industrial). Using averages from about ten municipalities, staff proposed per‑1,000‑square‑foot charges; for a typical 3,000‑square‑foot home the fee would equate to roughly $1,000 under the sample table presented. Staff said a larger parcel such as the Strutland property could produce substantial one‑time revenue for public safety or roads if applied.

Council asked staff to reconcile the proposal with the pending neighborhood/community assessments (NCA) and other developer fees so that fee structures are consistent and to ensure the village could legally collect such fees. Council members said the fee could be turned on or off by future council action and would be used only for capital items with useful lives of five years or more.

Next steps: Staff will integrate the concept into ongoing fee discussions (including the NCA), provide legal background for authority to impose such a fee, and return with proposed language and an analysis of likely revenue and distribution of uses.