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Council opens study of citywide transportation impact fees; staff recommends tiered approach
Summary
Spokane Valley staff presented preliminary analysis of citywide transportation impact fees (TIFs) using an updated regional travel model and recommended focusing on Tier 1–2 projects and a multi‑zone approach rather than a single citywide rate.
City staff and the public‑works director briefed Spokane Valley council on Oct. 23 on a preliminary analysis of citywide transportation impact fees intended to charge new development for its fair share of roadway capacity projects.
Why it matters: the city already collects impact fees in parts of the jurisdiction; a citywide system would apportion costs for needed road capacity projects to new development rather than leaving the full cost to existing taxpayers.
Staff described three possible structures: (1) keep existing TIF areas and create a larger zone for the remainder of the city; (2) a single citywide TIF; and (3) divide the city into three new zones and eliminate the smaller, existing overlays. The consultant and staff recommended option 3 (three zones) for legal and administrative reasons and emphasized that any fee schedule must be based on projects the city reasonably expects to fund and construct.
The analysis used a newly updated Spokane Regional Transportation Council travel‑demand model to estimate trips and derive per‑trip fees. Staff provided two fee ranges: one that assumed all listed projects would be funded and another, narrower range limited to Tier 1 and Tier 2 projects the city is most likely to build. Staff cautioned that fees must reflect the city’s realistic capital plan because impact fees cannot lawfully be charged for improvements the city does not intend to build.
Council members asked for more localized analysis and for a land‑capacity assessment; staff said that work is underway as part of the comprehensive‑plan update and that the consultant study would be refined with the updated land‑use inputs.
Next steps: staff will return with a refined impact‑fee study tied to the city’s capital plan and land‑capacity analysis; the consultant work will be expanded only at council direction.
