California County Slashes Development Fees

Amador County, east of Sacramento County, apparently caught an epiphany of economic development this week. The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to eliminate 100% of the County Facilities Fees of $7,757 and $3,300 of the $4,300 Parks and Recreation fees for all applications received from June 1, 2008 through October 31, 2008.

According to Priscella Moranga, Deputy Board Clerk, this fee holiday will be limited to the first 30 applications, and no more than two applications from any applicant will qualify for the fee reduction.

The intended purpose of the Board’s action appears to be to encourage and facilitate residential growth in this county of approximately 50,000. Applications for commercial projects will only receive a deferral for the Facilities fees; there are no Parks and Rec fees levied on commercial properties. Normally paid upon application for a building permit, they will be deferred until building completion and occupancy.

County officials said that while several other California counties had instituted fee deferral programs, Amador County is the first county in the state to eliminate fees for a specified time period.

This writer hopes that other California jurisdictions recognize the wisdom of the County of Amador’s Board of Supervisors. The fee reductions are temporary, they are limited in number and scope, and address an economy that may be in recovery. Financing both residential and commercial project should be easier with a reduced burden, and the decision may spark builders to supply needed product that could not otherwise pencil or be financed.

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