Cities shed fees to bolster building
By JOHN MILLER
Associated Press
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 10:49 AM PDT
MERIDIAN — Developer Frank Varriale hoped his plans to build shops, apartments and a hotel in this sprawling Boise suburb would have become reality by now. Instead, about the only things standing on his land are knee-high wheat and corn.
But the city has taken steps to help revitalize those projects by eliminating what are commonly known as ‘’impact fees’’ — charged by municipalities nationwide to pay for the additional services that come with increased development, such as schools, sewer lines and roads.
Meridian is among a growing list of hard-hit communities across the country that are lowering or suspending impact fees. Measures have been debated in Washington state, Texas, New Mexico, New Hampshire, California and elsewhere. Florida made it easier for residential developers to challenge fees; Arizona lawmakers froze them for two years.
Cities are increasingly realizing that they need to eliminate as many deterrants to development as possible during the economic slump, and the impact fee are among them.
For more of this story, see today's Argus Observer.
