Council hears detailed update on impact-fee study; square-footage method gains interest

Idaho Falls — City staff and consultant Colin Zamerell briefed the City Council on a draft update to the city’s five-year impact-fee study, outlining growth projections, capital-improvement projects that would be funded by fee revenue and two methodological choices for calculating residential fees.

Pam (city staff) explained the planned schedule: the Impact Fee Advisory Committee will review the study again; the city aims to hold a public hearing on June 26 and implement new fees on Oct. 1 if the process proceeds as planned. The city signaled it will allow extra outreach to developers and stakeholder groups before finalizing the report.

Consultant Colin Zamerell summarized the technical approach and emphasized legal requirements. "Impact fees are one-time payments that new growth pays to offset their new demand on infrastructure," he said, outlining the three nexus tests that Idaho requires: need, benefit and proportionality. Zamerell described the incremental expansion method the consultant used: calculate current level of service, identify growth-driven need from the capital-improvement plan…