Impact of new fees debated

A long way to go. Despite roughly three years of planning, much remains to be tweaked in Kootenai County's plan for impact-fee funded projects to help accommodate new growth.

A long way to go.

Despite roughly three years of planning, much remains to be tweaked in Kootenai County's plan for impact-fee funded projects to help accommodate new growth.

So decided the county Planning and Zoning Commission at a public hearing Thursday night, when it recommended approval for a Comprehensive Plan amendment that would incorporate new capital improvement projects, or CIPs, funded by impact fees.

The six-member group voted unanimously for the recommendation so the measure could continue on to a hearing in front of the county commissioners, who would have the authority to address the many issues raised before the Planning Commission Thursday night.

"The county commissioners can give direction more formerly for all the entities to work together," said commission member Steve Syrcle.

Member Jody Bieze agreed that denying the proposal would only further delay the measure that has already dragged for so long.

"It seems like we're re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic. We know we're going to hit the iceberg, but we're doing nothing but re-arranging the chairs," she said. "We need to move this to the commissioners to get them talking."

Thursday's vote was a longtime coming since last April, when the county commissioners chose not to approve the amendment and instead asked taxing districts to update their CIPs.

Although only a scant crowd turned out to the Planning Commission hearing, all were potential stake holders if impact fees were approved.

And nearly all had concerns.

Collin Coles, senior planner for the City of Post Falls, praised the intent of impact fees, which would fund improvements to accommodate inflated service demand due to population growth.

Coles also agreed there is a need for some improvements that taxing districts like fire and highway districts have proposed, which include new fire stations and highway projects.

But he questioned whether some requested items like guns for the Sheriff's Department fulfill the requisite life span for CIPs.

"Most of us look at capital items as bricks and mortar," he said.

He added that even after taxing districts were asked to retool their proposed CIPs last year, the new proposals are convoluted and lack uniformity.

This is a concern to cities like Post Falls, which would be collecting impact fees on the taxing districts' behalf, he said.

"Common sense to me is if I ask you to collect money for me, you've got to know what it's for so you can explain it to the public," he said.

Post Falls Mayor Clay Larkin worried about Post Falls employees who already face antagonism from residents over the city's impact fees.

Adding county impact fees to the pile could exacerbate such problems, Larkin said.

"I'm not going to want my employees to be verbally battered by someone who refuses to pay Kootenai County impact fees," Larkin said.

He added that the four larger cities are upset that the county commissioners haven't made efforts to coordinate with them about impact fees and hear their concerns.

The cities' attitude after CIP hearings last year, Larkin said, was "the county can implement them (impact fees), but they can't expect us to collect them."

Bill Johnson, former president of the North Idaho Building Contractors Association, pointed out that some taxing districts still haven't updated their CIPs since they were instructed to last year.

"The issue NIBCA had a year ago is that most plans didn't comply with Idaho state statutes," he said. "They all went back, and most did a pretty good job. But we still feel there is work that needs to be done."

The county commissioners will hold a hearing on both the Comprehensive Plan amendment and an impact fee ordinance. Afterward, individual cities will hold their own hearings and determine if they will collect the fees.

The Planning commissioners agreed on Thursday to attach a stipulation to their recommendation that county staff make a presentation to the county commissioners on possible roadblocks, including lack of coordination with municipalities.

"The commissioners need to understand that working with the cities affects every part of this plan all the way down," said commission member Judy Morbeck.