Berkeley County consultants present draft impact-fee study estimating $11,657 maximum charge per new single-family home

Ben Griffin, the consultant leading Berkeley County’s impact-fee study, told the County Commission on May 1 that the draft charges would require new development to pay a proportionate share of growth-related capital costs in the unincorporated county.

Griffin said the study projects about 35,000 additional people and roughly 14,500 new housing units in the unincorporated area over the next 10 years and converts those forecasts into demand for public facilities and equipment. “Impact fees are one-time payments for growth-related infrastructure,” Griffin said during the presentation.

The draft uses an incremental methodology for most components — county administration, fire and rescue, law enforcement and parks and recreation — meaning fees are intended to maintain existing levels of service as population grows. For elementary schools the study uses school-seat calculations and credits existing debt. Griffin said the study estimates roughly 55,000 square feet of…