Valparaiso council holds first reading of park impact-fee amendment, sends ordinance to second reading

The Valparaiso Common Council gave Ordinance No. 10 20 26 its first reading on a proposal to amend the city's park and recreation impact-fee schedule and moved the item to the next meeting for a second reading.

Mr. Thompson, introduced by the presiding official to explain the change, said the amendment would remove "condominium" as an ownership-based line item and instead charge fees according to structure type (single-family, duplex, townhome, etc.). "Essentially, what we're doing is'we're leaving single-family unit type at the very top of that, and then we're moving duplex and townhomes down where the condominium line item is," he said, describing the change as restoring the prior, structure-based approach.

Council members asked whether the amendment would materially alter the consultant's 10-year revenue projections and whether it could have regressive effects on lower-cost dwellings. Council member Hunt and others pressed staff for projections showing the expected impact if duplexes and townhomes move from a 100% to a 90% equivalency. A staff speaker and the presenter said the original projection had assumed a 100% single-family equivalency and that the mix of housing types would evolve; they committed to provide more detailed projections before the second reading.

A council motion to carry the ordinance to the next meeting for second reading passed by voice vote; no final adoption occurred tonight. The council indicated it expects additional financial detail and a closer review of how the revised fee tables would affect projected collections and specific pending developments before the ordinance returns for a second reading.