Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Impact Fees topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Douglas County transmits draft CIE to state as first step toward potential impact fees
Summary
County staff presented the draft Capital Improvements Element (CIE) and consultant Paige Hatley said the CIE lists eligible capital projects for parks, libraries, public safety and capacity-adding roads; the board was told fees must be kept in separate interest-bearing accounts and public hearings and a DCA review will follow.
Allison Duncan and consultant Paige Hatley told the Douglas County Board of Commissioners on March 2 that the county will transmit a draft Capital Improvements Element (CIE) to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs as a required step before any impact-fee ordinance or fee schedule can be considered.
"The CIE is required of all communities that collect impact fees," Paige Hatley said, calling it a project-based document that identifies long-range capital needs for parks, libraries, roads and public safety. Hatley emphasized that the CIE itself does not set fees: fee calculations and an ordinance are separate steps that follow state review.
Commissioners asked substantive questions. Commissioner Martin Rexton asked whether paving and pothole repairs qualify as eligible projects and was told state law limits impact-fee funds to capacity-adding projects such as road widenings, intersection improvements and roundabouts, not routine maintenance. Commissioners also asked whether collected fees must be held separately; Hatley and staff said state law requires impact fees to be kept in interest-bearing accounts with separate subcategories for each eligible service, and that annual reporting would summarize collections and expenditures.
Allison Duncan said the next procedural steps include a public hearing (scheduled for March 3), a transmittal resolution to the state, about a two-month review by DCA, and later board discussions and public hearings on any fee schedule or ordinance.
Why it matters: Transmission of the CIE initiates a formal review that, if followed by an adopted ordinance, would allow Douglas County to collect development impact fees to help pay for growth-related capital needs. Commissioners asked for guidance on fee ceilings, advisory committee roles and long-term committee structure.
What's next: The board will hear the public hearing on the CIE the following day; if transmitted, staff and consultants will finalize fee calculations and bring proposed fee ceilings and an ordinance back for board consideration and public hearings.
