Giles County planning commission to consider developer fee schedule, updates to subdivision standards

Commissioners discussed a proposed update to the county’s subdivision standards and a fee schedule that would require developers to cover the cost of county attorney review and any outside engineering review.

One commissioner, who circulated proposed language in prior months, said the fee schedule is intended to stop developers from being subsidized by taxpayers for the cost of legal and technical review. "I want them to pay basically pay for our county attorney fees. And if we need to get it reviewed by a civil engineer, they should be paying for that fee too," the commissioner said.

Several commissioners cautioned that state law limits what the commission can change and that any proposed changes would need careful drafting. The chair advised the commission to review the circulated proposal and suggested members and staff take time over the coming weeks to submit comments.

The commission agreed to place the fee-schedule proposal and related subdivision-standard changes on the next meeting agenda for fuller discussion and possible action. Commissioners also discussed the procedural steps required if the county later wished to pursue impact fees, including growth and population thresholds required by state rules.