County eyes change in development fees

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Pinal County plans to update its development fees, which pay for costs of infrastructure, like roads, parkland and public safety.

Currently, the law only permits fees to be used for construction, acquisition or expansion of public facilities that are necessary public services.

“Necessary public service” means any of the following categories of facilities that have a life expectancy of three or more years and that are owned and operated on behalf of the county: water facilities, wastewater facilities, street facilities, public safety facilities, and parks and recreational facilities.

Additionally, a necessary public service includes any facility that was financed before June 1, 2016, and meets the following requirements:

  1. Development fees were pledged to repay debt service obligations related to the construction of the facility.
  2. After Aug. 1, 2018, any development fees collected are used solely for the payment of principal and interest on the portion of the bonds, notes or other debt service obligations issued before June 1, 2016, to finance construction of the facility.

The Board of Supervisors will have a public hearing on the matter at the Aug. 26 meeting, which starts at 9:30 a.m. in Florence. The fee changes are expected to be on the supervisors’ regular meeting agenda for approval or disapproval Sept. 30.

For residents, some development fees would go down while others may rise.

Schedule of Parks and Recreational Facilities Development Fees
Schedule of Street Facilities Development-Fees – West-SFSA

Arizona counties may no longer assess development fees to residential developers based on size of unit or number of bedrooms;  therefore, proposed fees for residential development will be assessed per dwelling unit, based on the type of unit. Nonresidential development fees will be assessed per 1,000 square feet of floor area, based on the type of development.

Pinal County may adopt fees that are less than the amounts proposed.

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