Minutes - 06-25-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Commissioner Gordon distributed an analysis of different impact fee scenarios that had been previously generated by the staff. These revenue figures showed actual revenue amounts to be obtained from impact fees (based on the Tischler report). Fifty percent of the maximum supportable impact fee for the Orange County Schools (OCS} would generate $585,000 in additional revenue. For the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools (CHCCS} fifty percent would generate $249,658 less than the current impact fee would generate. She said that one way to give each system an equitable amount of revenue is to provide each system with approximately the same amount of additional revenue. If the OCS is given a fee that is 56% of the maximum supportable fee and CHCCS is provided with 75% of the maximum supportable fee, each system would gain about $700,000 in actual additional funds. She said a calculation of the actual additional revenue is the amount that should be used, rather than the figure that happened to be programmed in the CIP since the latter amount was an old projection. Chair Halkiotis said that he would not support a percentage level that would produce a lower amount from impact fees than what is presently budgeted as revenues from the impact fees. John Link said that the impact fee ordinance indicates that the fee can be set at what the County Commissioners believe is reasonable. Being reasonable includes a fee that is defendable. He asked what is the reasonable amount. Staff has recommended starting with 56% of the maximum supportable fee. He said that, for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schaals, it could be brought up to 60°~ to ensure that there is no revenue lost as explained by Commissioner Gordon. Commissioner Carey calculated the amounts for 60% - $4,407 for single-family homes and $1,979 for all other housing. He does not want either school system to lose any money that they are currently projected to receive. He said that the bottom line is that the impact fee is not going to support the costs for new schools. It is the responsibility of the County Commissioners to provide capital needs far bath school systems. He said that he would support 56% for the Orange County school system and 60% for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City school system, but no higher. In answer to a question from Commissioner Jacobs, Planning Director Craig Benedict said that the maximum supportable fee in 1996 when the present fee was set was near $11,000 or 30°~ of the maximum allowable amount. For the Orange County Schools, the $750.00 fee was approximately 10% of the maximum allowable amount. Commissioner Jacobs said that he would like to do the best we can for both school systems. He said that to the greatest extent possible he would like to bring the two school systems together, treating them as equally as we possibly can. He would start looking at haw we can da a better job in dealing with funding. He said that we need to start looking at this as one whole package. He would like to treat each system the same if possible. He supports 56% of the maximum supportable fee for both school systems. Commissioner Brown said that she would like to see the impact fees generate as much new revenue as possible for each school system. She said that impact fees do not generate the revenue that people might think. However, it is the only way we have for new development to make a contribution to the schools and to make new growth help to pay for itself. The affordable housing issue is more complex than the simplistic approach that somehow impact fees will have a detrimental impact on private developers building affordable housing in either school district. She has not seen any private development build any affordable housing in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district in many years. The non-profits have made an effort to do so in the Chapel Hill area. She thinks there is an impact on affordable housing in the Orange County School district. She supports moving the impact fees higher for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and approving the Orange County schools' recommendation. She asked Nick Didow to come up and speak specifically about what the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board has asked the Board of County Commissioners for in terms of the impact fee. Nick Didow, Chair of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School Board, said that the school board has requested that the impact fee be set at 100% of the maximum allowable amount as found in the Tischler analysis. This is $7,345 for single-family and $3,298 for all other residential units. Commissioner Jacobs asked how affordable housing was being handled by the Town of Chapel Hill. Commissioner Brown said that her understanding was that the developers actually subsidize the units for the maximum affordable price, which is $120,000. There is also funding-in-lieu that is being turned over to the housing corporation by developers.