Thurston County proposes to raise Transportation Impact Service fees for new development

By The JOLT Staff

The Thurston County Board of Commissioners strategies to raise the present Transportation Influence Charge.

On Tue., July 13, at its normal meeting, the board held a community hearing on the Traffic Impression Expenses Fee Plan for the Application Calendar year 2021. Normally, an affect charge is a a single-time charge to assistance a government fund prices to construct amenities such as schools, roadways, and parks to serve new developments. Simply just place, these costs utilize a “growth pays for growth” technique.

The Transportation Impression Price is for new development only and only in unincorporated sections of the county. The payment is not new it is an update of the price plan set up in 2012.

In a presentation, Matt Unzelman, Thurston County Job Engineer, explained that funds from the transportation impact fee are used for the development of street widening, signal, roundabouts, switch lanes, and other urban enhancements. Over-all, Unzelman shared that they have a complete of 38 projects in the county which span more than a 20 year period. The full value for these new developments is at $243 million.

To illustrate the amount, Unzelman claimed that a dwelling builder will pay out a $3,050 impression cost for an normal solitary household house. These fees may perhaps also change dependent on the locale of the assets.

In addition, the employees also delivered a advice for the charge of accessory dwelling units (ADU). They propose that for ADUs, the county must reduce the impression fee by up to 50 %. See Transportation Affect Cost Fee Timetable.

The employees also programs for the county to offer you a very low-profits housing exemption by lessening the affect payment by up to 80 % of the proposed rate. Reduced-earnings means that it should really be available for citizens that that are earning 80 p.c or considerably less of the area median income . If a home-owner qualifies as low-income, they will pay all around $600 for a single loved ones property.

For multi-family dwelling units, the proposed effects cost is at $2,460 for every device along city growth parts.

Unzelman also shared that aside from dwelling units, there is also proposed laws to lower the impact fee for daycare services by up to 80 % less than Property Bill 1331.

The County has yet to problem a final decision on the proposed resolution.