Development-impact fees could plummet by 80% in Glendale

Glendale officials say a state law that takes effect in January will strain its ability to build roads, parks and libraries to accommodate growth. Sen. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, was the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 1525, which restricted how cities assess development-impact fees and what types of projects the money can fund. The measure was approved by Republican members of the West Valley delegation and opposed by the area's Democrats. Pearce has said that development-impact fees were a "tax on families trying to get homeownership" because developers passed along the fee to buyers. Homebuilders have long opposed impact fees. City officials say one-time impact fees pay for growth without burdening existing residents. Glendale hired a consultant for $150,000 to devise a revised fee schedule. The law requires each city to adopt a study of fees. In some cases, cities must eliminate the one-time impact fees, and in other cases, the fees must be modified.

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