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Committee approves building-code change to allow fee‑waiver requests alongside other incentives
Summary
The Topeka City Policy and Finance Committee on June 3 approved an amendment to the city building code that lets applicants request a city fee waiver while pursuing incentives from other taxing jurisdictions and shifts approval from a home‑rule ordinance to a resolution.
The Topeka City Policy and Finance Committee voted June 3 to approve an ordinance amending chapter 14 (building code) to allow applicants to request a city fee waiver while pursuing incentives offered by other taxing jurisdictions.
Leah Bowling, economic development staff, told the committee the amendment to chapter 14, section 14-20060 I, subsection 109 would let applicants request a fee waiver while pursuing county or state incentives and would change the form of approval from adoption by home‑rule ordinance to adoption by governing‑body resolution. Bowling also explained the draft clarifies that applicants who receive city incentives that reduce or rebate the city’s ad‑valorem property tax revenue would remain ineligible for a waiver, and it includes an exemption if the Joint Economic Development Organization provides full reimbursement to the city for the value of the waiver.
"The proposed amendment would allow an applicant to request a fee waiver while also pursuing incentives from other subdivisions," Bowling said, describing examples such as Shawnee County and state programs.
Council member Dave Banks moved to approve the ordinance. The motion was seconded on the record and the committee recorded ayes; the motion passed.
Why it matters: the change aims to remove a barrier that previously prevented applicants from seeking a city fee waiver at the same time they pursued incentives from other taxing entities, while preserving a city safeguard that disqualifies applicants who receive city incentives that lower city property tax revenue. Staff said the measure also gives governing officials the ability to enforce commitments through development agreements or by requiring reimbursement where appropriate.
What’s next: staff said the new process will allow information gathered on optional community‑impact measures to be reported to the governing body when incentive applications go forward. The committee did not revise the ordinance text at the meeting; staff will proceed with the ordinance as approved for the next steps in the adoption process.
