HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-03-12 Impact Fee Discussion PointsCity of Bozeman
Economic Development Council
EDC Discussion Points for the
City Commission Impact Fee Policy Implementation Discussion
Report prepared for the December 5, 2012 EDC meeting
Impact Fees and Economic Development
A well integrated policy and regulatory environment is advantageous for both the public
and private entities who work with the regulations. The effect of the new impact fee
methodology on the adopted work plan and implementation of the City’s Economic
Development Plan should be considered in the overall impact fee implementation
discussion.
Ideally, in its’ consideration of the implementation of an impact fee policy, the
Commission should discuss the synchronization of the impact fee program with the
Commission’s established economic development goals, priorities and policy initiatives.
The Economic Development Council (EDC) discussed the issue of impact fees on
numerous occasions, hosting various experts on the issue. Through their staff liaison, the
EDC submitted the following discussion points for Commission consideration:
1. Prepare materials to educate potential investors, business owners and
entrepreneurs, on the short and long-term investor-advantages of charging impact
fees when compared to other fee recovery solutions;
2. Identify specific sectors, job creating, industry diversifying sectors with high
growth potential, for deferral of commercial impact fees, or a percentage thereof,
until the application for Certificate of Occupancy.
i. Manufacturing and fabrication (industrial production, in which raw
materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale
which may include but are not limited to textiles, outdoor goods
and products, bio-science and technology products and photonics)
ii. Bio-Science and Bio-Technology (including but not limited to
technological applications that use biological systems, living
organisms or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or
processes for specific uses)
iii. High-Technology (including but not limited to aerospace, artificial
intelligence, information technology, electrical engineering,
information systems, nanotechnology, nuclear physics, robotics
and telecommunications)
iv. Photonics (including but not limited to laser manufacturing,
advanced measuring devices, biological and chemical sensing,
medical diagnostics and therapy, display technology, and optical
computing)
v. the Outdoor industry (active outdoor recreation businesses
including but not limited to manufacturers, distributors, suppliers,
marketers, sales representatives and retailers in the industry)
3. Commit to training and educating employees that interface with investors and
developers because there is value in appreciating that the City competes locally,
regionally and nationally to attract new and retain existing business. City
attitudes, customer service, professionalism and shared values for business
attraction and retention each play a part in the business decision. Economic
development is everyone’s business.
4. Regularly compare the City’s development fee schedule against the development
fee schedules of other communities;
5. Identify specific sectors (see sector details in 2. i – iv above) for targeted impact
fee assistance.
6. Work deliberately to make raw land developable as appropriate (with respect to
subdividing and infrastructure development);