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Consider public testimony regarding the Land Use Assumptions and Capital Improvements Plan related to roadway impact fees.
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On January 11, 2018, the Round Rock City Council approved a contract with Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc. to evaluate, develop and create an implementation plan for Roadway Impact Fees.
According to the 2017 Transportation Master Plan, over $1 billion in new roadway capacity is needed to accommodate future growth in the City of Round Rock. Impact Fees are a mechanism for funding the public infrastructure necessitated by new development. Impact fees are meant to recover the incremental cost of the impact of each new unit of development. In the case of Roadway Impact Fees, the infrastructure need is the increased capacity on arterial and collector roadways that serve the overall transportation system.
The purpose of the 2018 Roadway Impact Fee Study is to identify the fee per unit of new development necessary to fund these improvements in accordance with the enabling legislation, Chapter 395 of the Texas Local Government Code.
The 2018 Roadway Impact Fee Study determined the maximum impact fee per unit of new development chargeable in accordance with the enabling legislation, Chapter 395 of the Texas Local Government Code. The actual fee amount ultimately assessed is at the discretion of the Round Rock City Council, so long as it does not exceed the maximum assessable fee allowed by law. The study looks at a period of 10 years to project new growth and corresponding capacity needs, as required by state law. The study and corresponding maximum fees must be restudied at least every five years. However, the study can be updated at any time to accommodate significant changes in any of the key variables of the impact fee equation.
On January 9, 2019, the Capital Improvements Advisory Committee (CIAC) reviewed the Land Use Assumptions and Roadway Impact Fees CIP used in calculating the maximum fee, and the Committee’s findings have been provided for consideration by the City Council.
The City of Round Rock has had a type of impact fee allowed by Chapter 395 and previous legislation since 1989 for water and wastewater projects. The basic methodology and premise for determining and implementing these type of fees is the same. Water and wastewater impact fees have allowed growth to pay for growth in the Utility Fund. Roadway Impact Fees are another tool the City Council can use to build roadway capacity to accommodate new development.
Council has previously reviewed and adopted this portion of the Roadway Impact Study; however, the public hearing process has been re-started to allow more time for consideration.
Information related to the entire 2018 Roadway Impact Fee Study and the process to date is located at https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/departments/transportation/roadway-impact-fee-information/.