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Transportation projects drive the largest share of Astoria's SDC model, staff say
Summary
Consultants told the council the transportation project list is the biggest driver of SDCs — roughly $81 million in projects with about $21 million SDC‑eligible — and cited Irving Avenue extension and signal synchronization as examples of capacity projects those fees would help fund.
City staff and consultants told councilors that transportation projects form the largest portion of the city's SDC‑eligible project list and therefore drive the highest SDC component. Guillerducci said the transportation project list totals roughly $81 million with about $21 million identified as SDC‑eligible capacity costs.
Staff cited specific projects that would increase capacity, including an Irving Avenue extension and signal synchronization at key intersections to improve throughput. "For transportation, it's all about the size of the project list," the consultant said, explaining that a large project list produces a higher per‑trip charge when divided by projected growth in peak‑hour trips.
Council members asked whether the transportation portion of the SDC is tied to whether a developer actually uses a particular improvement; staff replied that the charge is citywide and is assessed as a proportionate share of the entire project list rather than on a per‑improvement usage basis. The council discussed how SDC funds could leverage matching grants for large projects rather than fully fund $80M plans from SDCs alone.
