Trustees to study the possibility of imposing impact fees
By JACK SOWERS
The Violet Township trustees took a step at their regular meeting July 6 to begin examining the feasibility of impact fees levied against developers, a move that could potentially test the township's right under home-rule to assess them.
The resolution passed by the trustees grants permission for Operations Director William Yaple to seek cost estimates for such a study.
S. Mark White, an attorney whose firm White and Smith, LLC of Kansas City, Mo., completed and presented an impact-fee study for the city of Pickerington this spring, met with Yaple Monday.
''There hasn't been a township (in Ohio) that's gone there (assessing impact fees) yet,'' Yaple said.
''Several townships are considering them around Ohio,'' Yaple said. ''There's nothing (legally) that says we cannot (assess) them.''
Yaple expects the township to move slowly on the impact fees issue ''probably in August to approve funding for the study, at best'' in the hopes that legislative relief from potential litigation from developers -- in the form of HB 299 -- will shield Violet Township from the cost of potential lawsuits, should the township approve impact fees.
Fire station
The trustees also approved a resolution accepting a 10-year lease for a new 2,100 square-foot fire station outpost at Taylor Park Square, just north of Interstate 70 on the west side of state Route 256.
The cost of the outpost to the township -- $2,100 per month over the life of the lease -- reflects the space's estimated construction cost for the space.
''Our calls for that area have dramatically increased in that area of the township,'' Fire Chief Kenn Taylor said. ''This will help us solve the need for right now.''
The building, slated to include H.H. Gregg and Staples stores, should be ready by November for the fire department to begin preparing for occupation, Taylor said.
The station will feature two full-time firefighters-emergency medical technicians and an emergency medical services vehicle with fire-fighting capability.
Published today (July 13, 2005) in the Pickerington Times-Sun
By Council observer
