Cherokee Commission Considers Impact Fee Increase

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — Cherokee County is considering an increase in impact fees as a funding mechanism to keep certain services consistent as the county grows.

An impact fee is a one-time fee charged to developers to offset costs to taxpayers related to a new development. An impact fee cannot be used to increase the level of service.

Cherokee County currently charges impact fees for both residential and commercial uses for fire and emergency services, public safety facilities, sheriff’s patrol and road improvements. Libraries and parks and recreation impact fees are only applied to residential. There currently is a 3 percent charge on total fees for administration.

Proposed changes to the county’s impact fee ordinance and fee schedule include a reduction of the administration fee to 1 percent and an increase in the residential impact fees. A single-family detached house would be $2,690.60 instead of $1,465.67; an apartment impact fee would be $2,638.20 per unit instead of $1,447.46 per unit; and a condo/townhome would be $2,622.86 instead of $1,442.52. Fees are assessed and collected at the time of the building permit.

As proposed and if approved, the updated ordinance and fee schedule would begin March 1, 2022.
The first of two public hearings was held Tuesday night with two people speaking. Tate Davis, senior policy analyst for the Council for Quality Growth, and Garrett Wiley, of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, advocated for a longer grace period and phased in fee increases.
Chairman Harry Johnston said those are things that could be considered.

The next public hearing is set for Dec. 21 at 6 p.m.

During the Dec. 7 meeting, commissioners also:

• Approved, 5-0, a resolution to the local legislative delegation regarding annexation asking the delegation and the state house and senate to adopt the recommendations made by the annexation study committee.
• Approved, 5-0, an updated resolution asking the general assembly to redraw commission district lines based on the 2020 Census.
• Approved, 5-0, a budget amendment for the probation office, requesting $122,950 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to hire additional staff.
• Approved, 5-0, a seven-year sponsorship with the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, which is expected to generate just over $360,000 for Cherokee Recreation and Parks over the seven-year term.
• Approved, 5-0, an aquatic center power study performed by Georgia Power in the amount of $24,950. The study will look at inbound power and how it is used, identify issues that can cause equipment failures and offers solutions on a panel-by-panel basis.