2000 AGN JAN 04 I18 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Staff Report re Traffic Impact Fees/Meadow Development Site January 4, 2000 Page 3 traffic impact methodology for each land use. Based upon the petitioner's development parameters, the base traffic impact fee has been calculated at $63,173 under this recommended approach. Credit Adjustments The petitioner submitted an inventory of projects that were completed by the current property owner or its agents. These include donation of the fire station site, construction of off -sites related to the fire station, construction of a traffic signal at Washington Street and Meadow Lane, and off-site improvements to the subject parcel in advance of development. Staff indicated that it would consider recommending credit if the petitioners could show that the improvements were granted without consideration and or were consistent with the credit authorities under the current traffic impact fee program. The petitioners have not supplied any information that would indicate that the subject donations were anything other than normal conditions of approval for previous developments. Consequently, it is staff's presumption that the parties received fair recompense for the community improvements and should not be compensated twice. While the subject improvements may benefit a population greater than the specific developments which constructed the improvements, that commonly occurs as a mitigation of effects from new development under CEQA or as a generally authorized development exaction. The traffic signal improvement installed at Washington Street and Meadow Lane might be considered a community or regional traffic improvement that would entitle the installer to partial credits toward traffic impact fees under the City's current policies. However, the traffic signal was installed well before the adoption of the City's traffic impact fee program and no evidence regarding the party responsible for the installation and/or the cost of installation was submitted. It is also conceivable that the traffic signal requirement was imposed in lieu of other improvements or conditions that might have been imposed. Consequently, in the absence of supporting evidence staff cannot recommend any credits for prior improvements. Financial Impact The proposed traffic impact fees for the subject development represent less than the estimated pro -rata share necessary to complete the scope of projects. This shortfall will need to be made up from other financing sources allocated to traffic improvement projects. This shortfall is acknowledged as necessary to retain a competitive posture in the marketplace for commercial development and to increase the volume of commercial sales taxes that accrue to the general fund.