For additional statements about what's at stake in this decision read:
- Don Eslick (Lee Public Voice) News-Press Op Ed 2/18/15: "Say no to continued impact fee reductions"
- Commissioner Frank Mann's News-Press letter to the editor 2/13/15: "Understanding impact fees"
- For more background and more details about what's at stake for bike/ped investments, read BikeWalkLee's earlier blog post: BWL blog 1/29/15: Action Alert: BoCC votes Feb. 3rd on proposal to extend impact fee reductions
What do I need to do?
1. Write a Letter to the Editor of the News Press expressing your support for ending impact fee reductions.
2, Before Tuesday, March 3rd call, email and/or write the Commissioners to urge them to end impact fee reductions. Under the current ordinance the reductions automatically expire March 13th.
3. Speak at the March 3rd County Commission public hearing before final vote on the impact fee rates. (9:30 a.m. in County Commission Chambers)
Opportunities for Communicating with Individual Commissioners: (Write a letter, an email or call County Commissioners)
o John Manning: dist1@leegov.com, 533-2224
o Cecil Pendergrass: dist2@leegov.com, 533-2227
o Larry Kiker: dist3@leegov.com, 533-2223
o Brian Hamman: dist4@leegov.com, 533-2226
o Frank Mann: dist5@leegov.com, 533-2225 [NOTE: only commissioner who voted against the impact fee reductions.]
Letters to the editor:
News-Press:
· submit online: http://www.news-press.com/section/editor_letter
· submit by email: mailbag@news-press.com
· or any local/community paper that publishes letters to the editor
Background Links:
Dear Commissioners:
BikeWalkLee, a coalition working to complete Lee County's
streets, works for a more balanced transportation system. At the Feb. 3rd Board meeting you will be
considering whether to reestablish the 100% impact fee program, as modified by
the recommendations of the Duncan Report. BikeWalkLee urges you to take no action to extend reduced
impact fees, so that the previous impact rates automatically are reinstated
effective March 13, 2015, as called for in your March 2013 ordinance. We further urge you to adopt the
recommendations in the just released Duncan Associates Road Impact Fee Study
and School Impact Fee Study, updating the 100% rates reflecting current costs.
We commend the Board for its wisdom in ordering
verification of actual current costs via the Duncan Report updates. And, now armed with this information, there
are no policy reasons to not follow the report’s recommendations and fully fund
the necessary infrastructure.
BikeWalkLee has
steadfastly opposed the suspension or reduction in impact fees over the
past four years, opposed the Board's 80% reduction in impact fees in March
2013, urged the Board to end the reduction in Feb. 2014, and now urges the
Board to reestablish the 100% impact fee program, as modified by the required
updated fee schedules recommended in the "Duncan Reports".
As Commissioner Mann has often stated, "there is no free
lunch." The decision before you is
about equity-- who pays for the infrastructure and services. The County's policy framework is that it is
shared responsibility--developers (impact fees), taxpayers (property taxes),
sales taxes (residents and visitors), and bed taxes (visitors). New
developments create infrastructure and service costs for governments. The question is who should pay these costs: Those
who created the costs and will benefit from the services; or the existing
taxpayers through increased property taxes?
Fairness dictates that the costs be borne by those benefiting. And, good economic sense dictates that development-driven expansion of our public
infrastructure --roads, schools, parks—be fully funded.
Otherwise, we will usher in long-term
consequences of a declining reputation and the inability to attract and retain residents
and businesses, who, in an increasingly
competitive world, are looking at quality of life features.
Road impact fees are a significant source of
revenues for transportation infrastructure projects, including bike/ped improvements, both as part of roadway
projects and as stand-alone retrofit projects.
Any reduction in road impact fees has an adverse effect on funds
available for these improvements. According
to LeeDOT's 1/16/15 report to Commissioner Mann detailing the list of completed
transportation projects funded with road impact fees from 2000 to present, 38% of bike/ped facilities during this
period were funded with impact fees.
There are currently
$58 million worth of bike/ped stand-alone projects that have been approved and
prioritized by the County's Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC),
waiting to be funded. Since historically
at least 35% of all of Lee County’s transportation infrastructure dollars have
come from road impact fee revenues, any reduction in that vital revenue source
means funding for bike/ped projects will be further jeopardized.
BikeWalkLee is pleased
that in the new draft ordinance staff has
included language broadening the definition of what road impact fee
funds can be used for. This language
provides the county with more flexibility to use road impact fees for bike/ped
improvements and bus pull out lane improvements that accommodate vehicle trips
by providing alternative travel modes.
This language change begins to move the road impact fee into a more
multi-modal transportation approach, as BikeWalkLee has long advocated.
Economic prosperity comes from quality investments in community
infrastructure. We urge you to vote to
return impact fees to the full 100% rate, as modified by the Duncan Report
updates.
Sincerely,
Darla Letourneau
On behalf of BikeWalkLee
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