Housing and Community Development (HCD) staff and North County Fire officials presented an updated nexus study and proposed impact fee schedule on Jan. 13 to align the district’s mitigation fees with the Mitigation Fee Act and the county’s enabling ordinance.

Karen Riley Olms (HCD) introduced the item and said the update is not a new fee but an adjustment to ensure new residential and nonresidential development pays its fair share for fire protection facilities and equipment. Chief Mendoza, representing North County Fire, told the board the update "helps make sure that new development pays for its fair share toward the protection of facilities and equipment needed to serve that growth" and that without the update costs could fall on existing residents.

Blair Oz, the district’s impact‑fee consultant, summarized the nexus study (an update to a 2018 program) and said the proposed fees fall within the county’s fee cap after a cap adjustment and followed public hearing requirements. Board members had no substantive objections and the board concurred with and ratified the district’s findings and adopted the impact fees by unanimous vote (motion from Supervisor Church; second from Supervisor Daniels).

What’s next: staff will post the updated fee schedule and coordinate administering the fees for projects within the district’s boundaries.