El Mirage showing that it's 'pro-growth'

As some Valley cities fight efforts to limit what development fees they can collect from builders, El Mirage is doing the opposite. The City Council voted last month to rescind all of its impact fees, which are one-time payments developers make to cities to fund infrastructure upgrades, such as roads and police and fire stations, needed for new homes and businesses. El Mirage said its move was, in part, a response to a new state law, Senate Bill 1525, that overhauls the types of projects that cities can fund through impact fees. Some fees were outlawed when the law took effect this month, including those used to build government buildings such as city halls and courts. Parks bigger than 30 acres and libraries of more than 10,000 square feet were also banned. El Mirage leaders said their decision to scrap the fees made good business sense, showing they welcome new development and are competitive with nearby cities. "The council is pro-growth," Mayor Lana Mook said in a statement. "We feel eliminating impact fees offers the city an opportunity to attract new businesses, since many neighboring communities still have these fees in place."

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