Report Prepared by: Kim Espinosa, Planning Manager, Development Services Department
Title
SUBJECT: Public Hearing - Repeal of Regional Transportation Impact Fee Ordinance
REPORT IN BRIEF
The City Council will consider the repeal of the Regional Transportation Impact Fee Ordinance (Merced Municipal Code Chapter 17.64).
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion introducing Ordinance No. 2487, an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Merced, California, Repealing Chapter 17.64 of the Merced Municipal Code relating to the Regional Transportation Impact Fees.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to modifications as conditioned by Council; or,
3. Deny the request; or,
4. Refer back to staff for reconsideration of specific items (specific items to be addressed in City Council motion); or,
5. Continue to a future City Council meeting (date and time to be specified in City Council motion).
AUTHORITY
Chapter 17.64 of the Merced Municipal Code authorizes the City's collection of the Regional Transportation Impact Fees.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Not applicable.
DISCUSSION
The City of Merced adopted the Regional Transportation Impact Fee (RTIF) in May 2005, per Ordinance #2194, and amended the RTIF in June 2008, per Ordinance #2310. From August 2005 until August 2016, the City collected the fee on all new development projects (residential, commercial, and industrial) in the City in order to raise additional revenues to pay for regional transportation improvements.
Starting in January 2012, other jurisdictions in Merced County began suspending collection of the RTIF on some or all new developments. Other cities, although still collecting the RTIF on selected projects, exempted major commercial projects from paying the fee based on a variety of stated reasons.
From 2005 to 2016, the City of Merced collected over $5.1 million in RTIF fees. That represented 41 percent of the $12.2 million total collected o...
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