IMPACT FEES
On October 10, 2024 the City Council adopted an ordinance implementing a development impact fee program.
The fees are designed to help our growing jurisdiction maintain the same level of service from these important community resources. In 1990 The Georgia Development Impact Fee Act (DIFA) was enacted into law to;
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Ensure that adequate public facilities are available to serve new growth and development.
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Promote orderly growth and development by establishing uniform standards by which municipalities and counties may require that new growth and development pay a proportionate share of the cost of new public facilities needed to serve new growth and development.
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Establish minimum standards for the adoption of development impact fee ordinances by municipalities and counties; and
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Ensure that new growth and development is required to pay no more that its proportionate share of the cost of public facilities needed to serve new growth and development and to prevent duplicate and ad hoc development exactions.
For more information on impact fees, visit the Georgia Department of Community Affairs page HERE.
All building permits submitted on October 11, 2024 or thereafter will be required to pay impact fees in addition to building permit fees, water/sewer fees and other required fees. Impact fees are collected for 1) parks and recreation and 2) road improvements. In general, a new construction, single family detached home will be required to pay $2,000 towards parks and recreation and an additional $1,000 towards road improvements. All administrative fees are included in these figures.
Only residential permits are charged the fee for parks and recreation. Commercial, industrial, institutional and other permit types will only be charged a fee for road improvements, which will vary based on the specific land use for the permit.
PERMITS REQUIRING AN IMPACT FEE
Impact fees must be paid for 1) constructing new main buildings such as a new house on a vacant lot, a gas station, etc. 2) expansions of the floor area of a main NON-RESIDENTIAL building and 3) changing the use of a main building to a use with a higher impact fee.
PERMITS NOT REQUIRED TO PAY AN IMPACT FEE
Impact fees are not collected for 1) rebuilding, remodeling or repairing a structure that does not cause an increase in the number of units, 2) replacing a housing unit with another housing unit on the same lot, 3) accessory uses, 3) mechanical, electrical, plumbing, roofing permits.
Upon submittal of a building permit application, staff will review and provide a fee assessment. IMPACT FEES MAY ONLY BE PAID BY CHECK. There are opportunities for impact fee credits and there is an appeals process as well. More information can be found at the links below.
Dates of Public Hearings on Ordinance: 5/30/24 and 7/11/24
Dates of Votes on Ordinance: 5/30/24 and 10/10/24
