- Pinal County Courthouse
FLORENCE ARIZONA (March 10, 2010) – The Board of Supervisors approved the adjustments to Development Impact Fees for the unincorporated areas of Pinal County. In October 2006, the Board of Supervisors approved the Development Fee Ordinance which is allowable under Arizona State Statutes. Pinal County began collecting the Development Impact Fees in January 2007.
Development fees were initiated to allow new development to pay for its share of the impact made on public infrastructure such as streets, parks, and public safety. The fees assist the County in maintaining an acceptable level of service for all residents during the times of rapid population growth. The fees also help to sustain and provide services to Pinal County residents.
There are seven distinct Development Impact Fee areas in Pinal County . The fees are targeted to a Capital Improvement Plan that anticipates infrastructure needs in transportation, regional parks and public safety. This is a way for new development to pay for itself without the infrastructure becoming a burden to taxpayers.
During the Wednesday, March 3, 2010 board meeting, county staff said that fees were reduced in five of the seven Development Fee Impact areas. Visit the Impact Fee Area map on the Development Services web page. The Board of Supervisors also mandated that the county reexamines the Development Fees every two years to adjust for current economic times, growth needs, and to ensure that new development pays its fair share, as well as receive a benefit.
By law, the money collected in the specific Development Fee area must be spent in that same area.
The adjustment approved by the Board of Supervisors reflects the reduction in growth in most areas of Pinal County. Unfortunately, the two Impact Fee Area’s 2 and 4 did see increases due to the need for additional public safety resources and street capital improvement plan for road construction. However, the county made structural adjustments to the fees schedule which provided substantial decreases in the development fees for commercial and medical/dental offices. The new fees will be effective on June 2, 2010.
To view the Capital Improvement Plan for New Development and Development Fee Study, Development Fee Ordinance, new fee schedule, and Impact Fee Area map visit the county website under Impact Fee Documents 2010 for a PDF copy at http://pinalcountyaz.gov/Departments/DevelopmentServices/Pages/Documents.aspx.
According to the United States Census, Pinal County was the second fastest growing county in the nation in 2008.
This SedonaEye.com article written and submitted by Joe Pyritz, Pinal County.
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