Development impact fees are probably not a suitable solution to the county’s roads maintenance needs, according to the consensus of Greenville County Council’s planning and development committee during its Feb. 16 meeting.
The committee was evaluating a high-level feasibility study commissioned by the county’s planning commission to look at whether impact fees could be a possible funding source to meet increasing, growth-driven demands on the county’s infrastructure.
Transportation fee not recommended
The feasibility study was performed by Maryland-based consulting firm TischlerBise, which specializes in advising local governments across the country about growth-related issues. The study found development impact fees could be useful in funding improvements for the county sheriff’s department, fire services, emergency medical services and parks and recreation but recommended against such fees to support stormwater, solid waste or transportation improvements.
The study’s recommendations were based on how South Carolina’s impact fees are structured under state law, which dictate revenue must be spent on infrastructure improvements directly related to needs driven by growth…