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Franklin Planning Commission recommends higher park impact fee, forwards resolution to council
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Summary
The Planning Commission voted Dec. 16 to recommend that City Council adopt a higher park impact fee: single-family permits would increase from about $11.42 to $24.90. The commission forwarded the resolution with a unanimous voice vote; council consideration is scheduled for January.
The Franklin City Planning Commission on Dec. 16 voted to recommend that City Council adopt a higher park impact fee, forwarding a resolution that would raise the single-family per-permit fee from about $11.42 to $24.90.
Chip Warner, director of Parks and Recreation, told the commission the fee is charged at the building-permit stage and may be used only for new park infrastructure, not for maintenance, staffing or day-to-day operations. "The fee is actually attached to the building permit stage," Warner said, describing the statutory limits on how the revenue may be spent.
Warner said the proposed schedule sets a single-family fee at $24.90, an apartment unit fee at $16.19 and a duplex unit fee at $16.90. He said fee revenue has been small historically but rose significantly over the last six months due to new apartment construction, and that the higher rate could generate substantially more funds for capital projects.
The presentation identified priority projects the fees could help fund, including a multi-year Scott Park expansion Warner estimated around $15,000,000, additional Greenway Trail connections, Kingsbridge-area park work and new amenities such as pickleball courts and a second dog park. Warner emphasized that impact fees are one tool among others such as bonds or redevelopment financing to fund large projects.
An unidentified commissioner framed the proposal in a statewide context, referencing the recent passage of "SB 1" and saying the legislature has pushed local governments to find funding sources other than the general fund.
Following the presentation and a brief public-comment period (no members of the public spoke), Commissioner Irene Nally moved to forward the resolution (recorded in the transcript as "PC 20 25 32") to city council for approval; Commissioner Michelle Stringer seconded. The motion passed by unanimous voice vote. Warner said a favorable recommendation would go to city council for first reading on Jan. 5 and a council vote on Jan. 21; state rules create a six-month cooling-off period after council action before the fee could take effect.
The commission recorded the recommendation; final adoption and any effective date will be set by the City Council and follow the statutory notice and waiting periods.
