Board adopts annual impact fee report, directs circulation of draft nexus study and further review

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted the Fiscal Year 2023–24 Annual Impact Fee Report and directed staff to circulate a draft nexus study for public review and to pursue follow‑up work on traffic fees, Community Service Areas (CSAs) and other development charges.

Dulce Alonso, the county analyst presenting the report, said the document fulfills California Government Code requirements to disclose fee fund balances, transfers and projects associated with each impact fee fund. The report lists balances for county fire, law enforcement, detention, habitat, road equipment, parks and recreation, drainage, traffic, library, general government and information technology impact fees as of June 30, 2024.

Alonso told the board the county has an updated draft nexus study prepared by a consultant (reported in the packet) but that the contract needs extension to complete hearings and final adoption work. The consultant used newer growth projections and the county will circulate the draft so supervisors and the public can review the proposed fee structure and assumptions.

Board members asked staff to return with more detail on several topics: verification of fund balances, outstanding interfund loans (the report notes a Quail Hollow CSA interfund loan with an outstanding balance listed), the level of service assumptions behind fees and whether regional bodies such as the Council of Governments (COG) will revisit traffic impact fees.

Supervisors also directed staff to coordinate with county counsel and the consultant to produce a public draft for comment and return within the next three months with recommendations. The adoption of the annual report was approved on a recorded roll‑call vote.