Columbia County |
Code of Ordinances |
Chapter 56. IMPACT FEES |
Article I. COMPREHENSIVE IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE |
Division 8. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
§ 56-142. Economic recovery and incentive program.
(a)
The board hereby establishes the economic recovery and incentive program to provide for suspension of collection of the county's emergency medical services, fire protection, correctional facilities and roads impact fees, commencing on January 1, 2009, in order to allow time for the national, state and local economy to recover and to stimulate local development, preserve jobs in the construction industry and expand the county's tax base.
(b)
During the suspension period, the county shall not collect the emergency medical services impact fees imposed pursuant to section 56-24, the fire protection impact fees imposed pursuant to section 56-44, the correctional facilities impact fees imposed pursuant to section 54-64 or the roads impact fees imposed pursuant to section 56-84 herein.
(c)
The provisions of this article relating to expenditure of existing impact fee funds and annual reporting requirements shall remain in effect during the suspension period.
(d)
Any impact fees collected by the county between January 1, 2009, and April 1, 2009, shall be refunded to the record owner of the applicable capital facilities impact construction on the date of issuance of the refund.
(e)
By June 1 of each year during the suspension period, the county manager shall provide a report to the board relating to the status of construction activity within the county since the effective date of this program. Such report shall include the number and type of permits issued, the amount of impact fee revenues lost as a result of the suspension, a summary of pending development projects, an overview of the national, state and local economy and impacts on the county's budget and an update on the capital improvement plans.
(f)
By September 1 of each year during the suspension period, the county manager shall provide an additional report to the board, updating the data provided in the June report, providing recommendations for whether the suspension period should be extended and delineating the process for reimplementing the emergency medical services, fire protection, correctional facilities and roads impact fees at the end of the suspension period, including possible review of the impact fee studies pursuant to section 56-150 and providing for the 90-day notice period required by section 8.13 herein.
(g)
Collection of the emergency medical services, fire protection, correctional facilities and roads impact fees shall resume upon the board's adoption of an amendment to this article reimposing impact fees, and upon expiration of the notice period required by section 8.13.
(Ord. No. 2007-40, § 8.02, 10-18-2007; Ord. No. 2011-16, § 10, 7-21-2011)