In the wake of a court decision that invalidated Alameda’s park and recreation facilities impact fee, the city’s planning staff will recommend reducing rates by roughly $3,000 per residential unit or 24 percent. The lowered fee is the result of an updated nexus study commissioned after a court determined that the city had inappropriately included in its rate calculation the cost of purchasing land that it received for free. The Alameda City Council will also consider at its meeting on July 2, 2019, making other changes to its impact fee program including the establishment of a park fee credit when a developer provides parkland in excess of the city’s requirements; fee exemptions for deed-restricted affordable housing and accessory dwelling units or ADUS; and reduced fee levels for transit-oriented development projects. Under the fee reduction proposal, the single-family rate would drop from $12,711 to $9,636 per unit while the multi-family charge would decline from $10,088 to $7,040 per unit. If adopted, the new rates go into effect in 30 days. Click HERE to view and download the agenda and associated documents. For questions or comments, contact BIA’s Lisa Vorderbrueggen at lvorderbrueggen@biabayarea.org.
