"Now is the time to encourage business growth, not shut it down with exorbitant impact fees," said Stoops. "Now is the time to encourage affordable housing, not price it out of the range of teachers, law enforcement officers and others that provide vital services in our county."
 

Stoops received loud applause from about 30 chamber members at the meeting. Several other business owners spoke out against the proposed increase in impact fees. Jim Friel, whose family owns a cannery and lumber yard, said a business that wants to expand would have to pay $120,000 in fees for a 100,000 square foot addition.
 

"I would like you to search your souls," said Friel. He asked the commissioners to do what businesses do during recessions - look at ways to cut costs.
 

Impact fees are one of the first things a business looks at when it considers moving to a community, said Karen Oertel, whose family owns the Harris Crab House. From the perspective of the business community, the proposed impact fee ordinance won't work, she said. Oertel said it's unfair to make residents of new homes pay a fire impact fee when a large number of residents make no contributions to local volunteer fire companies.
 

The county needs to operate like a growth business, said Pat DiDonato, a developer and property manager. He said, instead of hiring a consultant, the commissioner should turn to county business owners for advice on controlling costs.
 

"We think perhaps there's some spending that can be controlled," said DiDonato. He said business owners will act as watchdogs and hold governmental accountable for its spending.
 

"We have a right to know where our money is going. ... We're entitled to a voice," said DiDonato.
 

The commissioners introduced the impact fee ordinance Oct. 16. A public hearing is scheduled Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. Commissioner George O'Donnell said the commissioners will study the issue very closely before making a final decision. 
 

Under the proposed ordinance, impact fees charged for building a single-family home would increase from $2,335 to $6,854. In the first draft of the ordinance, the proposed fees would have totaled $8,684 for a single-family home. But the consultant, Tischler & Associates, scaled back the proposed fees after the commissioners said they were too high.
 

Tischler & Associates used formulas to calculate legally justified impact fees the county could charge. According to Tischler's report, impact fees are one-time payments used to fund system improvements needed to accommodate development. The fees are proportionate to the capital facility demands of new development.
 

Under the ordinance, impact fees would be paid by the builder, developer or person who applies for a building permit for new residential or non-residential construction. There would be five categories for residential construction, with the impact fee for schools ($4,730 for a single-family home or a mobile home) the highest. Other impact fees charged for building a single-family home or mobile home would be: $1,014 for fire stations and apparatus; $616 for community parks; $320 for emergency services communication; and $174 for law enforcement.
 

The county's current impact fee ordinance, in effect since 1991, is charged for schools and emergency services. The school impact fee applies to residential development ($2,280 per single-family home) countywide, but the emergency services fee ($55 per dwelling and 15 cents per square foot of floor area for non-residential construction) only applies in Kent Island and the Queenstown and Grasonville areas. 

©The Star Democrat 2001