[Ord. No. 110204 §1, 11-2-2004]
This Chapter shall be known as the Growth Improvement Fee System.
[Ord. No. 110204 §2, 11-2-2004]
A. 
The Board of Aldermen ("Board") of the City of Peculiar hereby finds and declares that:
1. 
The City is experiencing rapid population growth. It is anticipated that such rapid population growth will continue and will result in a doubling of the population of the City.
2. 
The City is experiencing and will continue to experience a corresponding increase in the demand on the City's capital infrastructure systems through increased volumes of traffic utilizing the City's street network, increased sewer discharge, increased stormwater runoff, increased water usage and other demands on public facilities and services.
3. 
The Board finds that it is appropriate for new development in the City to pay for its fair share of public services and facilities and capital infrastructure improvements that are needed to serve that new development.
4. 
New growth and development in the City has resulted and will continue to result in increased usage, burden and demand on the existing capital infrastructure systems and the need for construction of new capital infrastructure to add capacity and to complete those infrastructure networks that are planned to support new development in the City.
5. 
The City assumes the responsibility for and is committed to raising funds for the design and construction of capital infrastructure improvements that are necessary to serve the population of the City through all legally available revenue sources.
6. 
To the extent that new development will place additional demand upon the City's capital infrastructure systems, that demand should be met by shifting the responsibility for financing such facilities from the general public to the development creating the demand.
7. 
The imposition of growth improvement fees will help ensure that new development bears a proportionate share of the cost of capital infrastructure improvements that are necessary to accommodate new development throughout the City.
8. 
The Board finds that, based upon sound planning and engineering principles, it is appropriate for the City to create "service areas" for the purpose of ensuring that capital infrastructure improvements are planned within a reasonable distance from, and benefits are provided to, the property from which growth improvement fees are paid and that a reasonable relationship exists between the fee payer and the benefits derived from the improvements that are funded by such fees.
9. 
The capital infrastructure improvements that are necessary to accommodate new development in a particular service area have a rational nexus and reasonable relationship and provide benefit to new development within each service area when new development generates demands upon the capital infrastructure that serves such service area.
[Ord. No. 110204 §3, 11-2-2004]
A. 
It is the intent of this Chapter to establish and implement a growth improvement fee system, for which fees are payable prior to the time that new development generates new demands on the City's capital infrastructure systems, in an amount reasonably related to the demands that are generated by new development and the cost of constructing new public improvements that are needed to serve the new development.
B. 
It is the intent of this Chapter that, by establishment of this system of calculating and imposing growth improvement fees, new development in a particular service area will pay its pro rata share of reasonably anticipated costs of capital infrastructure improvements that are required to serve such new development and that the fees paid with respect to each new development are roughly proportionate, both in nature and extent, to the demand that such new development will place on the City's infrastructure systems.
C. 
It is the intent of this Chapter to establish an appeal procedure to allow for an individualized determination that the growth improvement fees imposed on each new development are roughly proportionate to the demand that the new development will place on capital infrastructure.
D. 
It is the intent of this Section that the capital infrastructure improvements which are financed through the growth improvement fee system established hereby be based, when applicable, upon the City's Comprehensive Plan and Capital Improvement Program.
E. 
This Chapter shall not be construed to authorize imposition of improvement fees for improvements that are attributable to or needed to serve existing development.
F. 
This Chapter is enacted pursuant to the City's general Police powers and the authority granted to the City pursuant to Chapter 89, RSMo., to plan for growth and development of the City and enact zoning and subdivision regulations to provide for the coordinated development of the City, facilitate the adequate provision of public services and facilities in the City and impose development exactions that are reasonably related to the impacts on public services and facilities caused by new development in the City.
G. 
It is the intent of this Section to establish a system of user's fees, as "user's fees" are interpreted in Missouri case law, that will be used to pay for the cost of providing capital infrastructure improvements, the demand for which is generated by new development. The amount of the user's fee to be paid by new development is calculated to be proportionate to the demand for capital infrastructure improvements that are necessitated by each such new development in each service area. This Chapter is specifically designed so as not to establish a "tax" or "fee" as such terms are used in Article X, Section 22 of the Missouri Constitution, but rather as a mechanism to equitably shift the burden of the cost of new capital infrastructure improvements from the existing general public to new development that will generate the need for capital infrastructure improvements that will be constructed with funds derived from this system of improvement fees. The funds collected from imposition of this system of user's fees are to be used to offset the cost of constructing capital infrastructure improvements for new development. The funds collected pursuant to this Chapter may not be paid into the City's general fund to defray customary governmental expenditures. In addition, the system is designed so that the user's fees:
1. 
Are paid upon the approval of designated development applications and not periodically;
2. 
Are not billed to all or almost all City residents, but rather are charged to new development only;
3. 
Are directly proportional in amount to capacity of capital infrastructure improvements provided; and
4. 
Are based on services and improvements that the City is providing for the fees collected; and
5. 
Are for services and improvements that have not been historically provided exclusively by monies derived from taxes.
[Ord. No. 110204 §4, 11-2-2004]
Words and terms not defined elsewhere in this Chapter shall have the following definitions:
APPLICANT
A person who submits an application for a building permit, final plat or other development application that triggers the obligation to pay an improvement fee pursuant to the requirements of this Chapter.
APPLICATION
An application for a building permit, final plat or other development application that triggers the obligation to pay an improvement fee pursuant to the requirements of this Chapter.
BOARD
The Board of Aldermen of the City of Peculiar, Missouri.
CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
Any and all of the following, including the acquisition of land and construction easements, construction, improvements, equipping and installing of the same and which facilities are identified in the capital improvements plan to be financed by the imposition of an improvement fee:
1. 
Street network improvements;
2. 
Sanitary sewers and wastewater treatment facilities;
3. 
Water treatment and distribution facilities;
4. 
Stormwater controls and flood control facilities and improvements;
5. 
Police and fire facilities;
6. 
Solid waste facilities;
7. 
Parks and recreation facilities; and
8. 
Other capital public facilities and services, the costs of which may be substantially attributed to new development.
CHAPTER
This Chapter of the City Code.
CITY ADMINISTRATOR
The Peculiar City Administrator or his/her designee.
DEVELOPER
Any person or entity that seeks to subdivide, develop or improve land for the purpose of constructing new structures on such land that results in an increased demand for capital infrastructure improvements.
DEVELOPMENT
All structures and improvements intended to be constructed by a developer or the developer's successors in interest in land.
DWELLING UNIT
A room or suite of rooms arranged, intended or designed as a place of residence for one (1) person or one (1) family in any structure.
EFFECTIVE DATE
November 2, 2004.
FEE ADMINISTRATOR
The City Administrator or his/her designee.
FEE RATE
The dollar amount of improvement fee to be paid for each service unit. The fee rate shall be specified in each ordinance that imposes an improvement fee and which is incorporated into this Chapter.
FINAL PLAT
The approval of a final subdivision plat or a minor plat, whichever may be applicable to the development, pursuant to the City Code.
GROSS FLOOR AREA
The sum of the gross horizontal areas of the several floors of a building measured in square feet, including the basement floor, measured from the exterior faces of the exterior walls or from the centerline of walls separating two (2) buildings. The total floor area of a building shall also include elevator shafts and stairways at each floor, floor space used for mechanical equipment, penthouses, interior balconies and mezzanines, enclosed porches and floor area devoted to accessory uses. The total floor area shall not include areas or space devoted to off-street parking or loading, uncovered porches, terraces and loading docks.
IMPROVEMENT FEE
Any charge, fee or assessment levied as a condition of issuance of a building permit or development approval pursuant to this Chapter.
LAND USE TYPE
The general land use category of each structure in a development, as more specifically defined for each road improvement fee imposed pursuant to this Chapter.
ORDINANCE
Ordinance number _________________ which imposes and implements the growth improvement fee system and all subsequent ordinances which impose a specific improvement fee pursuant to this growth improvement fee system or which amend Ordinance number _________________.
SERVICE AREA
A defined geographic area with clearly defined boundaries that serves as the basis for imposing improvement fees upon new development within that geographic area and as a limitation on the area in which the fees collected may be spent on capital infrastructure improvements that will serve that new development.
SERVICE UNIT
The unit of measurement that is assigned to each building or buildings for which an application is filed and shall be used to calculate the improvement fees due by multiplying the service units by the fee rate for each improvement fee.
STREET NETWORK
All permanent improvements and appurtenances to streets and roads to be owned and operated by or on behalf of the public and which includes, but is not limited to, arterial and collector streets, bridges, overpasses, highways, interchanges and intersections and all signage related to these improvements.
[Ord. No. 110204 §5, 11-2-2004]
A. 
Applicability.
1. 
This Chapter shall be applicable to each application which results in an increase in demand for capital infrastructure improvements in the City. Any applicant who, after the effective date of this Chapter, submits an application is hereby required to pay all improvement fees in the manner and amounts set forth in this Chapter.
2. 
Payment of all improvement fees required by this Chapter shall be made prior to the issuance of any permit or approval for which an application has been filed. Unless otherwise provided in this Chapter, no application for which improvement fees are due shall be issued unless all applicable improvement fees have been paid pursuant to this Chapter. It shall be unlawful to occupy a building unless all applicable improvement fees for that building have been paid. Failure of any party to comply with the requirements of this Chapter shall constitute grounds for withholding applications, building permits, certificates of occupancy or any other appropriate approvals necessary to continue development. Any application that is erroneously issued prior to the payment of all improvements fees due pursuant to this Chapter may be revoked by the City.
3. 
Following the lapse or expiration of an application, all applicable improvement fees shall be calculated and imposed at the time a new application is filed.
B. 
Calculation of Improvement Fees.
1. 
For each category of capital infrastructure improvements for which an improvement fee is established, the City shall, by ordinance, designate the applicable service units and the applicable fee rate for each service unit. The fee rate shall be determined by dividing:
a. 
That portion of the total cost of the capital infrastructure improvements which are attributable to the demand for such improvements generated by new development that is anticipated to occur within each service area by
b. 
The total projected service units associated with that category of capital infrastructure improvements.
2. 
The improvement fee per service unit shall be established within each service area and shall be set forth in an ordinance and made a part of this Chapter. The formula that shall be used to calculate each improvement fee for each application shall be:
Number of Service Units x Fee Rate = Total Improvement Fee due.
3. 
The total improvement fees due shall be reduced by all applicable credits as set forth in this Section.
C. 
Assessment and Collection.
1. 
Following an application, the Fee Administrator shall calculate the improvement fees due and such amount shall be transmitted in writing to the applicant. The improvement fees due shall be calculated by:
a. 
Determining the applicable improvement fees and designated service areas for such improvement fees;
b. 
Verifying:
(1) 
The number and type of residential dwelling units and/or
(2) 
The gross floor area and type of non-residential development for which an application is sought;
(3) 
Determining the number of service units generated by the new development and the applicable improvement fee per service unit; and
(a) 
Multiplying the improvement fee per service unit by:
(i) 
The appropriate number of residential dwelling units, and
(ii) 
The gross floor area of non-residential development.
2. 
If the application proposes a mix of uses, the Fee Administrator shall separately calculate the improvement fees due for each type of development.
3. 
Following imposition of all improvement fees pursuant to this Chapter, the amount of the improvement fees cannot be increased unless such improvement fees are modified pursuant to the appeal process of this Chapter or the applicant proposes to change or modify the approved development by the submission of a new application.
D. 
Non-Binding Estimate. Prior to submitting an application, an applicant may request a non-binding improvement fees estimate from the City and the City shall calculate such estimate on the development potential of such site based on data and specifications provided by the applicant. The estimate shall not be binding on the City or the applicant, but is designed to provide the applicant with an estimate of the total improvement fees that would be due for the anticipated development. Actual improvement fees due shall be calculated in accordance with this Section when an application is filed.
E. 
Credits.
1. 
Applicability and process. Any claim for a credit from the required improvement fees shall be made no later than the time the application is filed. Any claim for a credit that is not made at the time of application shall be deemed waived by the applicant. All credits against improvement fees shall be granted based on this Chapter and additional standards set forth in administrative guidelines that are adopted by the City and shall be subject to the following limitations:
a. 
No credit shall be granted for the dedication or construction of site-specific improvements that are required to be built to serve new development.
b. 
No credit shall exceed the total amount of improvement fee due. In no event will the City reimburse an applicant when the amount of the credits exceeds the improvement fees due, unless otherwise agreed by the City in writing.
c. 
No credit shall be granted for area-related facilities that are not identified by the City's capital improvement plans for the category of facility for which the improvement fee is imposed.
2. 
Reimbursement credit by agreement. A developer may elect to construct or install capital infrastructure improvements. If the developer elects to make such improvements, the developer must enter into an agreement with the City prior to the date of final plat approval which provides for the amount of the credit and all other arrangements between the City and developer.
3. 
Public entities. A full credit from all applicable improvement fees shall be granted to all public governmental bodies for structures that are used for governmental purposes.
4. 
Reconstruction. A credit from all applicable improvement fees shall be granted for any application that proposes to rebuild an involuntarily damaged or destroyed building, provided that such rebuilding does not result in any additional demands on applicable capital infrastructure improvements for which an improvement fee is imposed. To the extent that such application creates additional demands on capital infrastructure improvements for which an improvement fee is imposed, the Fee Administrator shall calculate and impose applicable improvement fees for such increased demand.
5. 
Change in occupancy. A credit from all applicable improvement fees shall be granted for all applications that are required for a change of existing uses within an existing building. To the extent that such application creates additional demands on capital infrastructure improvements for which an improvement fee is imposed, the Fee Administrator shall calculate and impose applicable improvement fees for such increased demand.
6. 
Change in use. A partial credit from all applicable improvement fees shall be granted for each application that proposes a change in use of an existing structure and the credit shall be granted only for the demand on capital infrastructure improvements that was generated by the development prior to the change in use of the property.
7. 
Transfer of property. In the event that a building is transferred to a person that would not be eligible for a credit under this Chapter within a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance of the application for which improvement fees have been paid, the transferee shall be required to pay the improvement fees imposed by this Chapter.
8. 
Other credits. In its sole discretion, the City may authorize alternative credits or offset agreements upon petition by an applicant in accordance with administrative guidelines that the City may adopt.
F. 
Delayed Payments and Installment Payments.
1. 
Shell buildings. For all non-residential structures that are shell buildings constructed for the purpose of speculative development ("shell buildings"), payment of the improvement fees due for such structure may be delayed and become due and payable at the time that a certificate of occupancy for a tenant finish building permit is issued if the impacts caused by such building on the City's capital infrastructure which are funded through a particular improvement fee will not occur until occupancy of the building.
2. 
Installment payments. For non-residential structures other than shell buildings, the applicable improvement fees may be paid over a period of five (5) years in accordance with the following:
a. 
Application for installment payments shall be made to the Fee Administrator in writing prior to the time that all applicable improvement fees are due and payable on a form provided by the City.
b. 
Upon submission of the application for installment payments, the applicant shall pay twenty percent (20%) of the total improvement fees due.
c. 
Financial assurance shall be provided which shall assure payment of the remaining outstanding improvement fees.
d. 
A payment in the amount of twenty percent (20%) of the total improvement fees shall be due and payable by 12:00 P.M. on each of the first (1st) four (4) anniversary dates until all improvement fees, plus interest, are paid. The anniversary date shall be one (1) year from the date that a complete application was submitted. If the anniversary date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday as recognized by the City, the anniversary date shall be considered the first (1st) business day after the actual anniversary date.
e. 
After the second (2nd) and subsequent periodic payments, the financial assurance provided to the City may be reduced to reflect the total outstanding amount of the improvement fees due, but in no event will the financial assurance fall below the total amount of the outstanding improvement fees that remain due, plus interest.
f. 
If periodic payments, with interest, are not made and financial assurance is not provided in accordance with this Chapter, the full amount of all outstanding improvement fees shall be immediately due and payable.
g. 
Financial assurance shall be made in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit from a bank with sufficient financial capability as determined by the Fee Administrator or a bond issued by a company rated A+ or better by A.M. Best and licensed to do business in the State of Missouri or a cash deposit. The form of all proposed financial assurance shall be acceptable to the City Attorney.
h. 
Interest shall be calculated annually on the outstanding balance of all applicable improvement fees. The interest shall be calculated at the rate earned on the City's pooled cash in accordance with the City's investment policy for the prior fiscal year.
i. 
There will be no prepayment penalty in the event that an applicant desires to prepay any portion or all of the outstanding improvement fees.
G. 
Additional and Supplemental Funding Source. The improvement fees established by this Chapter are to provide an additional and supplemental funding source for capital infrastructure improvements necessitated by new development and is additional and supplemental to, and not in substitution of, other requirements imposed by the City on development or the approval of plats or the issuance of building permits or certificates of occupancy. Improvement fees are intended to be consistent with and further the policies of the City by which the City seeks to ensure that provision of public facilities are concurrent with the impacts of new development. A property owner may be required to pay, pursuant to City ordinances, for other public facilities in addition to the improvement fees as specified in this Chapter. All applicants who are required to pay improvement fees shall otherwise comply with the City Code and all applicable ordinances of the City. This Chapter shall not affect, in any manner, the permissible use of property, density of development, design or any other aspect of the development of land or the provision of public improvements subject to the City's zoning and subdivision regulations. All provisions of the City's zoning and subdivision regulations shall remain in full force and effect without limitation with respect to all such development that is required to pay a fee pursuant to this Chapter.
[Ord. No. 110204 §6, 11-2-2004; Ord. No. 080409A §1, 8-4-2009]
A. 
Transfer of Funds to the Finance Department. All collected improvement fees shall be transferred to the Finance Department for placement in the appropriate improvement fee fund account which has been established pursuant to this Section.
B. 
Improvement Fee Fund Accounts.
1. 
The Director of Finance shall establish separate improvement fee fund accounts for each separate improvement fee and each separate service area for each improvement fee authorized by this Chapter. Any funds not immediately necessary for expenditure shall be invested in interest-bearing accounts. All interest earned shall be retained in the applicable fee fund account.
2. 
Funds withdrawn from the applicable fund account must be used solely in accordance with the provisions of Subsection (C) of this Section.
3. 
The Director of Finance shall maintain records for each such account, whereby improvement fees collected can be segregated by account. The records shall show the source and disbursement of all revenues which shall account for all monies received and which shall ensure that the disbursement of funds from each account shall be used solely and exclusively for the provision of projects specified for the particular improvement area and service area for each improvement fee in which the fee is collected.
4. 
Funds shall be expended from each fee fund account in the order in which they are collected.
5. 
The Board may from time to time reallocate collected funds from the Road Improvement Fee Fund and Sanitary Sewer and Wastewater Treatment Facilities Fee Fund accounts. No other improvement fee fund accounts may be reallocated other than the above-referenced fee fund accounts without amending this Chapter. Said fee funds shall not be reallocated from one service area to another.
C. 
Use of Funds Collected.
1. 
The funds collected by reason of this Chapter shall be used exclusively for the purpose of acquiring, equipping and/or making capital infrastructure improvements identified for each improvement fee in each service area. The funds collected may be used as a pledge against bonds, revenue certificates and other obligations of indebtedness that are used to pay for the capital infrastructure improvements identified for each improvement fee in each service area. Improvement fees may be used to pay for the costs of improving, upgrading or expanding existing capital infrastructure improvements in order to meet the need for new capacity generated by new development.
2. 
In the event that bonds or similar debt instruments are issued for advanced provision of capital infrastructure improvements for which improvement fees may be expended, the applicable improvement fee funds may be used to pay debt service on such bonds or similar debt instruments to the extent that the facilities provided are of the type described in Subsection (C)(1) of this Section.
3. 
The funds collected shall not be used for maintenance, operations, repairs or resurfacing.
D. 
Intergovernmental Agreements. In the event that a service area which requires capital infrastructure improvements to serve new development lies both inside and outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the City, the requirements of this Chapter may be extended to unincorporated portions of Cass County if the City executes an intergovernmental agreement with the County providing for the imposition of such improvement fees by the County and payments to the City of the funds collected. In the event of such agreement, the funds so collected shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
E. 
Refunds.
1. 
Upon application of the property owner, the City may refund the portion of any improvement fee that has been on deposit for ten (10) years and that remains unexpended in accordance with this Chapter.
2. 
The refund shall travel with the land and may be claimed by the owner of the property at the time the refund is due. The property owner must petition the City for the refund within six (6) months following the end of the ten (10) year period by filing such petition with the City Clerk. The time for filing a refund petition shall run from the end of the ten (10) year period. The City Clerk shall promptly transmit such petition to the Fee Administrator for action in accordance with this Section.
3. 
The petition for a refund must contain the following information:
a. 
A notarized sworn statement that the petitioner seeking the refund is the current owner of the property; and
b. 
A copy of the dated receipt issued for payment of the improvement fee or other written proof of payment of the improvement fee.
4. 
Improvement fees collected pursuant to this Chapter shall be considered expended if, within ten (10) years from the date of payment, the total expenditures for public facilities necessary to serve new development in that service area meets or exceeds the total fees collected for such facilities in that service area during such period.
5. 
Within one (1) month from the date of receipt of a petition for the refund, the Fee Administrator shall advise the petitioner of the status of the refund request. If the petition for refund meets all of the requirements of this Section, the City shall issue the refund within one (1) month from the date of receipt of the petition for refund.
6. 
Petitioner may appeal the determination of the Fee Administrator regarding a refund as provided in this Chapter.
F. 
Annual Report. The City Administrator shall annually, within one (1) month after each anniversary of the effective date, provide a written report to the City Board which contains:
1. 
The total annual improvement fees collected pursuant to this Chapter by improvement fee and service area for each improvement fee;
2. 
An annual accounting of the expenditure of all improvement fees collected pursuant to this Chapter;
3. 
A summary of any issues or concerns arising from the administration of this Chapter and a recommendation regarding any proposed amendments or modifications to this Chapter;
4. 
A recommendation regarding any proposed adjustments to the rates used to calculate the improvement fees;
5. 
A summary of the result of each appeal of the improvement fees pursuant to this Chapter; and
6. 
Any other information that is relevant to the administration of this Chapter.
G. 
Annual Review and Modifications. The City Administrator shall annually, in conjunction with the annual report, review the development potential of service areas and propose such modifications as are deemed necessary as a result of one (1) or more of the following, as applicable:
1. 
Development occurring in the prior year;
2. 
Public facilities actually constructed;
3. 
Changing or increasing facility needs;
4. 
Inflation;
5. 
Revised cost estimated for public facilities;
6. 
Changes in the availability of other funding sources applicable to public facility projects; and
7. 
Such other factors as may be relevant.
Modification to the fee rates or other elements of an existing improvement fee shall occur by ordinance of the Board which amends this Chapter.
H. 
Administrative Guidelines. The Board may adopt written administrative guidelines to provide clarification, interpretation and notice of internal procedures regarding implementation of this Chapter. The City Administrator may propose additional administrative guidelines and amendments to existing guidelines as necessary for the effective administration of this Chapter and such changes or new guidelines shall become effective upon approval by the Board.
[Ord. No. 110204 §7, 11-2-2004]
A. 
Appeal to the City Administrator.
1. 
An applicant who owes an improvement fee under this Chapter may file a notice of appeal with the City Clerk within thirty (30) days following the determination of the applicability of improvement fees. If an appellant fails to appeal the assessment of improvement fees within thirty (30) days as set forth in this Subsection, the assessment of the improvement fees shall be final and no appeal shall be heard. If the appellant pays improvement fees without protest, the appellant waives the right to appeal the assessment of improvement fees. Building permit and other applications may continue to be processed while the appeal is pending, provided that the notice of appeal is accompanied by a bond, cash deposit or other surety in a form satisfactory to the City Attorney and in an amount equal to the original determination of the improvement fees due.
2. 
Within ten (10) days after the notice of appeal is filed or by such date as shall be agreed upon in writing between the applicant and the Fee Administrator, the applicant shall submit to the Fee Administrator those studies, calculations and other documentation appropriate to the determination of the applicable improvement fees or the determination of a refund.
3. 
An applicant may appeal the following decisions to the City Administrator:
a. 
The land use classification of non-residential development;
b. 
The number of service units generated by the development;
c. 
A credit determination.
4. 
The burden of proof shall be on the appellant to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that, with respect to the basis for the appeal:
a. 
The land use classification is incorrect;
b. 
The number of service units is incorrect;
c. 
The credit determination is incorrect.
5. 
Within thirty (30) days after filing of the notice of appeal, the City Administrator shall render a final decision in writing to the appellant regarding assessment, calculation and collection of the improvement fees.
B. 
Appeal to the City Council.
1. 
An appeal under this Subsection may be heard only if the appellant has received a final decision from the City Administrator as described above.
2. 
If improvement fees are due and payable under the terms of this Chapter and an appellant desires to process an application after appeal is taken from the final decision of the City Administrator, the appellant is required to pay the improvement fees under protest. If the improvement fees are paid under protest, an appeal from a final decision of the City Administrator shall not delay processing of the plat and shall not delay any other permit, license or approval issued by the City.
3. 
An appellant may appeal the final decision of the City Administrator by filing a notice of appeal with the City Clerk within fifteen (15) days following issuance of the final written decision of the City Administrator. If an appellant fails to appeal the final decision of the City Administrator within fifteen (15) days as set forth in this Subsection, the assessment of the improvement fees shall be final and no appeal shall be heard.
4. 
The notice of appeal shall specify the grounds for the appeal and no argument shall be heard by the Board that is not set forth in the notice of appeal. The notice of appeal shall be forwarded to the Board along with a recommendation from the City Administrator, but such recommendations shall be advisory and not binding upon the Board. An appellant may appeal to the City Council the same issues listed in Subsection (A)(3) of this Section and the City Council shall apply the same standards set forth in Subsection (A)(4) of this Section. The appellant may submit to the Board copies of all materials appropriate to the determination of the improvement fees.
5. 
Within seven (7) days after the Board's final decision, the City Clerk shall send written notice of the Board's decision to the appellant.
C. 
Calculation of Days. The number of days specified in this Section shall include weekend days and holidays. The last day of the period shall be included in the computation, unless it is a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday and if it is, the period runs until the end of the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday. A half-holiday shall be considered as other days and not as a holiday. "Legal holiday" includes any day designated as a holiday by the Congress of the United States, Missouri legislature or the Board.
[Ord. No. 110204 §8, 11-2-2004; Ord. No. 122804C §1, 12-28-2004; Ord. No. 122804D §1, 12-28-2004; Ord. No. 110706C §1, 11-9-2006]
A. 
Additional Findings.
1. 
The Board has considered the matter of financing new street network improvements, the need for which is necessitated by new development which generated new traffic in the City. The Board hereby finds and declares that a road improvement fee imposed upon new development to finance street network improvements in each service area, the need for which is reasonably related to new development, furthers the public health, safety and welfare of the City. Therefore, the Board deems it advisable to adopt road improvement fees.
2. 
The Board finds that road improvement fees should be imposed at different rates based on the type of development. For the purpose of encouraging new commercial and industrial development in the City, the Board finds that commercial and industrial development should be charged a lower fee rate per service unit.
3. 
Data and calculations supporting the road improvement fees calculation are as follows:
a. 
For purposes of imposing road improvement fees, the City shall be divided into two (2) service areas: the west service area and the east service area, as illustrated on the road improvement fee service area map which is incorporated herein by reference.
b. 
The Board finds that average P.M. peak hour trips is the most accurate and effective method to calculate the demand that new development places on the street network and will therefore be the service unit for calculating road improvement fees. Based on data and calculations for projected street network improvements to serve new development and the total number of vehicle trips anticipated to be generated by such new development, the maximum fee rate that can be charged by the City per trip is approximately one thousand three hundred sixty-five dollars ($1,365.00) in the west service area and approximately one thousand four dollars ($1,004.00) in the east service area.
4. 
The Board finds that, based on plat applications and other recent proposals for residential development, the City will experience rapid growth in new residential development and a corresponding increase in traffic volumes generated by such new residential growth.
5. 
The Board finds that the rapid population growth will result in a corresponding increase in commercial and industrial development in the City. This commercial and industrial growth will generate increased traffic volumes on the City's Street Network. The Board further finds that it is appropriate for commercial and industrial development to bear its proportionate share of the cost of new road improvements that are necessary to accommodate the increased traffic that is generated by such development.
B. 
Applicability And Assessment. Road improvement fees shall be imposed upon all new development that generates increased traffic on the street network. The application at which road improvement fees shall be calculated and charged is an application for a building permit.
C. 
Service Area. The road improvement fee shall be imposed in two (2) service areas as set forth on the road improvement fee service area map which is incorporated herein by reference.
D. 
Fee Calculation. Road improvement fees shall be calculated and imposed based on the following:
1. 
The service unit shall be one (1) P.M. peak hour trip.
2. 
The fee rate per service unit shall be:
a. 
Residential development — one thousand dollars ($1,000.00).
b. 
Industrial development — eight hundred dollars ($800.00).
c. 
(Reserved for commercial development)
3. 
Service units shall be assigned to residential and non-residential development by the Fee Administrator using the "trip generation table" which is incorporated into this Chapter by reference. The trip generation table is based on data contained in Trip Generation, 7th Edition (2003) published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. The Fee Administrator may amend the data on the trip generation table from time to time, as deemed appropriate by the Fee Administrator, to reflect the actual traffic demand created by new development and such amended table shall be dated and incorporated into this Chapter.
4. 
In the event that an applicant proposes a land use that is not listed on the trip generation table, the Fee Administrator shall assign trip generation data from the most appropriate land use category as listed in the most recent version of Trip Generation.
5. 
The Fee Administrator shall determine the applicable service units for residential development by multiplying the number of dwelling units by the trip generation rate for the specified land use type.
6. 
The Fee Administrator shall determine the applicable service units for non-residential development by dividing the total gross floor area of the building, measured in square feet, by one thousand (1,000) and then multiplying that number by the trip generation rate for the specified land use type. The number of rooms shall be used to calculate the service units for motels.
E. 
Phase-In Credits.
1. 
Residential development.
a. 
2004. Each application for residential development which is submitted on or before December 31, 2004, shall receive a seventy-five percent (75%) credit from all applicable road improvement fees.
b. 
2005. Each application for residential development which is submitted after December 31, 2004, and on or before December 31, 2005, shall receive a twenty-five percent (25%) credit from all applicable road improvement fees.
2. 
Industrial development.
a. 
2005. Each application for industrial development which is submitted on or before December 31, 2005 shall receive a seventy-five percent (75%) credit from all applicable road improvement fees.
b. 
2006. Each application for industrial development which is submitted after December 31, 2005 and on or before December 31, 2006 shall receive a sixty percent (60%) credit from all applicable road improvement fees.
3. 
Each application for commercial development which is submitted after December 31, 2006 and on or before December 31, 2007 shall receive a fifty percent (50%) credit from all applicable road improvement fees.