Wilson County approves 50¢ per-square-foot adequate facilities tax for new commercial development

The Wilson County Board of Commissioners voted 18–yes to adopt a countywide adequate facilities tax of 50 cents per square foot on new commercial and industrial development, with no per-project cap, during its Aug. 11 meeting at the Wilson County Courthouse.

The commission’s approved resolution (25-8-11) directs 10 cents of the fee to remain in the fund where it currently resides and places the remaining 65 cents into a separate road-improvement fund, to be spent on specific projects after review by the road board and approval by the commission. Finance Director Aaron Maynard said the split would be tracked in separate line items and that road department requests will come through the road board for public approval.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the change is intended to make developers pay a share of the costs that new commercial and industrial growth imposes on county infrastructure, especially roads. Opponents said setting the fee too high could drive large projects across county lines and reduce long-term property-tax revenue that supports recurring county needs such as employee pay and school funding.

The vote followed lengthy debate and several failed and withdrawn…