Fayetteville needs impact fees to pay for future development. Studies show that impact fees can potentially spur economic growth by promoting infrastructure development necessary for growth; however, impact fees should be levied based on the actual impact of any future development. Fayetteville's City Council, including Alderman Lioneld Jordan, has pushed to increase impact fees to pay for stress placed on the city's water and sewer systems. While this is sensible policy, it is insensible and unfair to charge a flat rate fee for homes of different size. Why should a small, two-bedroom home with one bathroom be forced to pay the same rate as a much larger estate?
Fees are meant to handle, among other things, an increase in plant capacity necessitated by growth. Smaller homes generally add significantly less to the plant capacity requirements than larger homes. A study presented to the City Council provides tables illustrating average household sizes and their typical usage rates.
During a City Council meeting at the end of April, Aldermen Lioneld Jordan and Bobby Ferrell said the following:
Ward 4 Alderman Lioneld Jordan said he wanted a few things deciphered for him, and Ward 3 Alderman Bobby Ferrell got nods of agreement when he said, “A lot of this is hard reading." (Northwest Arkansas Times)
Serving on the City Council is demanding work. Aldermen Jordan and Ferrell should be prepared to decipher such reports or ask for guidance when necessary. The report clearly states that, "smaller homes are assigned reduced service unit generation rates based on evidence that, on average, smaller units have smaller household size. This approach potentially mitigates housing affordability impact because smaller units are assessed a reduced impact fee."
Despite this, “[c]ommittee members also agreed by voice to a one-size-fits-all method of applying fees, such as for each house, rather than basing fees on square footage.” (Northwest Arkansas Times) This means a 1,300-square-foot home will be made to pay the same rate as a 2,300-square-foot home despite its smaller impact on the city’s water and sewer system. There is a difference of $2,758 in fees assessed between the smallest home and the largest home in the report. The City Council’s “one-size-fits-all” approach will cost many families more than an approach using an adjustable scale based on the size of the home.
A more sensible and fair approach would be to apply fees based on square footage and water usage. Additionally, the city should offer incentives to homes built to meet LEED specifications or that otherwise incorporate water-saving technologies so as to better promote a sustainable model for future growth. (Meeting such specifications during construction would increase the initial cost of the home, but homeowners would save money and water in the long run.)
Welcome to Move Fayetteville Forward, a site dedicated to open discussion of real issues facing Fayetteville. In the coming months, we'll tackle topics like transportation, sustainability, attainable housing, and more. We encourage you to participate in a constructive manner. Together, we can move Fayetteville forward.
How? Look at the Green Heart Initiative, a six-month commercial recycling pilot that partners Roll Off Service with businesses across Fayetteville. The pilot serves as a terrific example of community collaboration: Asked how he'd address Fayetteville's need for a commercial recycling program, Walt brought together local waste management consultant Aaron Stahl with Tom Smith of Roll Off Service. The group worked together with local businesses like Jammin Java, Common Grounds, and Hugo's to develop and launch the pilot within a matter of weeks.
Working together, we can move Fayetteville forward.
