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Board narrows fee increases, seeks targeted relief for small businesses and adaptive reuse
Summary
At the work session the Arlington County Board discussed alternatives to a broad, single‑year fee increase proposed in the manager’s budget, asked staff for guidance and agreed to exempt or phase certain fees (including adaptive reuse and select use permits) to reduce immediate impacts on small businesses and ongoing development activity.
Arlington County Board members spent extended time debating proposed fee increases in the development fund and a manager proposal to accelerate fee recovery into a single fiscal year. Members asked staff for more targeted, phased options and reached consensus on exempting or phasing select fees to lessen immediate impacts on small businesses, arts organizations and Columbia Pike projects.
County planning and finance staff presented two alternatives: (1) a larger phased approach spread over fiscal years 2026–27 to achieve fuller cost recovery, and (2) a targeted approach (roughly $360,000 general‑fund impact and about $600,000 to the development fund) that focused on specific pain points identified by stakeholders, including minor site plan amendments, permits for live entertainment and food delivery, and Columbia Pike‑focused fees. Staff directed board members to Attachment B (the detailed fee list).
Board members said their principal concern was the cost of time and process rather than fees alone. Ms. Cunningham said the county needs to improve permit timelines and reduce procedural friction; developers and business representatives told the board that “timeline is the biggest cost.” Several members supported preserving the newly adopted adaptive reuse fee relief for at least one more year to encourage conversions of vacant office buildings.
Ms. Coffey asked whether use‑permit fees would apply to renewals as well as new permits; staff confirmed they would apply to renewals. Several members proposed removing the county board Use Permit Type 2 fee for live entertainment and food delivery services from the targeted fee plan; that fee represented roughly $14,488 of the general‑fund impact. Board members asked staff to prepare guidance language emphasizing rapid permit processing and the county’s intent to support small businesses while moving to cost recovery over time.
Ending: The board directed staff to revise the chair’s mark to incorporate a targeted fee approach that protects small businesses and adaptive reuse, to add clarity on whether specific fees apply to renewals, and to return with sign ordinance and major/minor amendment proposals in May for further action. Members did not adopt final fee changes at the session.
