Post Falls considers future of impact fees

POST FALLS — Post Falls officials are considering how impact fees currently operate within the city and whether to potentially implement a city center fee zone in the future. 

During the City Council meeting Tuesday night, councilors learned that approximately 7,800 non-residents work in Post Falls. One of the questions in the analysis is who is using “multimodal” facilities such as trails, bike lanes, etc.    

Community development director Bob Seale said he was originally very hopeful that the city might be able to see reduced fees in the downtown area. 

There’s still potential for that outcome, but as the city and Welsh Comer move through Phase One of the study, that has become a less likely recommendation that the study could make. 

“My hopes are kind of subsiding a little bit as we go through this,” Seale said. 

City officials are confident in the current impact fee analysis, but Seale noted that a different methodology may prove to be a more favorable perspective for the city in the long run. 

Melissa Cleveland from Welsh Comer said the study uses comparison with data from other cities to see how “they slice up the pie.” 

The study is considering how best to encourage infill in underutilized areas with lower rates when possible, to encourage development. 

Mayor Ron Jacobson noted that there isn’t really a golden standard for impact fees, but he supports a city fee zone and expressed interest in the final results from the study and how they compare with current numbers.

“If you’re looking to redevelop and regentrify some of the areas downtown, I would wholeheartedly support a zone like that where it would be reduced,” Jacobson said. 

Westlund seconded excitement for the possibility of fee zones, especially if they scale up in cost for services as you leave the city center. 

With the addition of ordinances for tiny homes and cottage homes on the city books, Westlund wants to concentrate on making sure impact fees don’t disincentive starter homes in the city limits. 

In November, the study will concentrate on police, parks and transportation. 

The study is also considering how Post Falls escalates fees annually. 

    The impact fee study for Post Falls is looking potentially introducing a city center fee zone with reduced fees. The zone would be determined using traffic analysis zone data.