Woodland planning commission continues public hearing on school impact fee changes after residents question district math

The Woodland Planning Commission on Thursday continued a public hearing on Ordinance 15 79, which would amend Ordinance 14 31 and revise how school impact fees are calculated, after residents and commissioners raised questions about the school district's projections and the math behind its cost estimates.

Travis Goddard, Community Development Director for the City of Woodland, presented the methodology used by the school district and shown in the hearing packet, saying the district used a recent elementary design (Ridgefield Elementary) as a cost model, applied an estimated construction cost of about $600 per square foot, and included a land cost assumption of roughly $2,500,000 to derive a total capital cost figure used in the impact-fee formula. "My name is Travis Goddard. I'm the community development director for the city of Woodland,"…