The time is long overdue to re-evaluate our NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION fees, and New Home Construction Impact Fees within our borders. New Home Construction Fees and New Home Construction Impact fees, will only HELP those that currently have home ownership in our city. New Home Construction fees / New Home Construction Impact Fees are only for NEW developments and NEW home construction.  With residential building being our greatest business, these fees should be looked at on a yearly basis to insure that we are charging development the "going rate".  Currently our constructions fees are way below other communities.  For example: Our impact fee that goes towards our recreational department is only $200 for every new home built in our city, while the national average is $1,400.

A new construction / impact fee structure will help our city grow at a healthy rate, and will help alleviate the cost of growth that all of us will pay for without one. I welcome change, growth and new neighbors, but not at the expense and charm of people that have made this city their home for numerous years before the building boom in our city began.  I am calling S.O.S. (safeguard our seniors) meaning, those living on a fixed income, SHOULD NOT be taxed out of the city that they have helped build with their tax dollars.  Passing on the cost of growth to them rather than collecting proper fees for development, erodes their standard of living.  Our seniors deserve more respect than passing the buck to them.  They've worked all their lives, more than paid back and may be asked to foot the bill for schools, police, fire, roads......unless growth pays for itself.  As a council member, I will explore all avenues of collecting revenue for city services before I come to the citizens for increase in tax money.

Our current government has stated numerous times that "other cities income tax is higher than what North Ridgeville charges and we should raise our taxes."

I do NOT blame developers for purchasing land, and following our laws and requirements.  I do however, blame those that can currently change those laws, requirements and fees but decide not to. Our current government make-up has not changed much during the major boom of residential growth of our city. Without a change in leadership, this problem will continue to be ignored until it is to late to take action. 

Q: What is an impact fee?
A: An impact fee is a charge on new development to pay for the construction or expansion of off-site capital improvements that are necessitated by and benefit the new development.

Q: How prevalent is the use of impact fees today?
A: According to recent national surveys, about 60 percent of all cities with over 25,000 residents and almost 40 percent of all metropolitan counties use some form of impact fees. In California and Florida, the extent of cities and counties using impact fees is at 90 and 83 percent, respectively.

Q: How do impact fees differ from taxes?
A: Impact fees are authorized through the police power; not the taxing power. They are part of the development approval process. Requiring an impact fee to provide adequate public facilities is similar to meeting site planning and zoning requirements.

Q: How much is the average impact fee?
A: Impact fees vary greatly by region and facility. Highest fees are in California and lowest are in the Midwest. In 2004, the national average road fee per single family unit was just under $1,700 and combined water and wastewater fees were about $4,000. Average park fees were about $1,200 per unit and average pubic safety (police and fire) fees were at about $500.

Q: When is an impact fee usually paid?
A: Most impact fees are paid at the time of building permit issuance. However, some fees are paid earlier at the time of subdivision or plat approval. A few are even paid later at the time of certificate of occupancy issuance. In the case of utilities, impact fees are usually paid at the time of actual connection or hookup to a water and wastewater system.

Q: Do impact fee revenues have to be spent within a certain period of time?
A: Yes, impact fee revenues should be spent within a reasonable period of time (usually six to eight years from collection) or be refunded to the fee payer.

Q: Can impact fee revenues be deposited in a general fund?
A: No, fee revenues must be earmarked and deposited in special dedicated accounts.

Q: How do impact fees benefit existing, as well as new residents?
A: Adoption of impact fees reduces pressure on local residents to raise taxes and fees. And with new development paying for its own capacity-enhancing infrastructure needs, any current funds that have been designated to pay for those projects can be shifted to the more immediate needs of existing residents, such as for facility maintenance and rehabilitation.

Q: Are impact fees a no-growth tool?
A: No. Just the opposite is true. Impact fees facilitate growth by expediting development approvals, increasing the amount of developable lands, and reducing citizen opposition to new growth.

Q: Do any builders and developers support the use of impact fees?
A: Many builders and developers are impact fee proponents because they know that impact fees add predictability to the development approval process and create a "level playing field" between them and their competitors. They also know impact fees replace less fair negotiated exactions.

Q: Who actually pays the impact fee (incidence)?
A: In the short-term, impact fees may cause a slight increase in housing costs if the local real estate market allows the builder to shift the cost forward to the buyer.  However, in the long-term  it is more than likely that the cost will be shifted backwards to landowners in the form of lower prices that may be bid for undeveloped land.