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Utility impact fees: Practices and challenges
Author(s) -
Mantz Bryan A.,
Thomas Henry L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.5942/jawwa.2012.104.0053
Subject(s) - business , user fee , impact assessment , environmental economics , actuarial science , accounting , finance , public economics , economics , public administration , law , political science
Impact fees and other growth‐related fees have become an important part of the comprehensive financing plans of many utilities. This article explores required and recommended impact fee practices in terms of current laws and accepted standards in the areas of water, wastewater, and reclaimed water impact fee design, accounting, implementation, and use, including techniques for improving the accuracy of impact fee calculations. Strategies are presented that demonstrate the reasonableness of these fees, as is a recommendation that all utilities establish a formal procedure for applicants to submit alternative impact fee calculations. Utility managers should consider the topics discussed in this article to develop—and to have regulators approve—a comprehensive impact fee policy that shows a commitment and intent by a utility to fully comply with all impact fee laws, rules, regulations, and accepted practices.