TO: Board of County Commissioners
THROUGH: John Titkanich, Jr.; County Administrator
FROM: Chris Balter; Planning and Development Services Director
DATE: April 8, 2025
SUBJECT: Proposed Fee for Reviewing and Approving Developer’s Agreements
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BACKGROUND
Currently, the County does not charge a dedicated fee for reviewing and approving developer’s agreements. These agreements typically involve multiple county departments-such as Planning, Engineering, Utilities, Parks, and Legal-and can require significant staff time and resources. Because no specific fee is assessed, multiple County funds absorb these costs. As a result, all taxpayers, rather than only those receiving direct benefit from the development, bear the financial responsibility.
ANALYSIS
Charging a fee for reviewing and approving developer’s agreements aligns with standard cost-recovery principles and ensures that the private sector, rather than the general public, covers expenses tied to private development. Similar jurisdictions regularly employ fee schedules to offset staff hours, consultant fees, and administrative overhead. Implementing a cost-recovery mechanism would:
· Promote Equity: Assigning fees to those generating the workload upholds the principle that costs should be borne by the primary beneficiaries.
· Enhance Fiscal Responsibility: The new fee would prevent reliance on general fund revenues, preserving taxpayer dollars for broader public initiatives.
· Improve Transparency: A well-defined fee structure, communicated to developers in advance, clarifies the cost obligations and fosters smoother project planning.
Although some concerns may arise about potentially deterring development, most well-designed, reasonable fees do not discourage legitimate projects. Instead, they provide predictability and help ensure that development costs are accurately priced into the project’s overall budget.
BUDGETARY IMPA...
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