Recreation board objects to proposal to reallocate park impact fees; votes to draft memo to commissioners

Board members discussed county park impact fees Feb. 5 and voted to draft a memo to the County Commissioners opposing proposed changes that would shift impact-fee revenue toward schools and roads and away from parks.

Phil reviewed the current residential impact-fee structure and recent collections: the board packet showed the breakdown at $3,375 for schools, $450 for roads and $675 for parks, totaling $4,500 per residential unit under the cited schedule. Staff noted park impact-fee receipts have dropped with reduced development activity; park impact fee collections fell to roughly $103,500 through December of the cited year compared with roughly $480,000 in FY2005.

Board members argued that lower projected park project needs in the CIP partly reflect deferrals and that dropping park allocation now could set a precedent making it difficult to restore funding later. "The fact that we're not able to spend the money does not mean there's not a need," a board member said during the discussion. Another board member said roads tend to be more expensive and suggested revisiting road charges rather than reducing park allocations.

Motion and vote: A board member moved to develop a memo for the County Commissioners asking them not to change the percentages in the impact-fee ordinance for parks; another board member seconded and the board approved the motion. Staff offered to draft the memo for board review and approval before submission.

Context and next steps: Staff advised the commissioners are considering impact-fee ordinance changes in upcoming budget work sessions; the board asked staff to prepare a draft memo reflecting parks’ unmet needs, deferred CIP projects and the potential long-term consequences of reallocating park impact fees.