INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
25/08/08 10:32 Filed in: Environment
Increase impact fees on resort developments to help fund the needed infrastructure improvements in roads and sewage systems the these projects will require.
Increase impact fees on resort developments to help fund the needed infrastructure improvements in roads and sewage systems the these projects will require. The County of Kauai impact fees are too low, lagging way behind other resort areas in the United States. We must move forward quickly on funding and building infrastructure improvements needed to deal with explosion of new resort/vacation unit developments in the areas of traffic infrastructure, water and sewage treatment.
Form a public/private consortium to promote traffic mitigation strategies, including road improvements and transportation alternatives. Use Charlier Koloa/Poipu Transporation Plan as one planning resource.
Funding mechanisms for infrastructure funding :
1) Increasing impact fees on development projects to levels comparable with other resort areas in the United States. Increased timeshare property taxes, resort property taxes, and property taxes on second-homes. This is justified by the fact that tourists use up a disproportionate percentage of County resources ñ water, sewage services, solid waste generation.
2) TIF - tax-increment financing (not available to the county yet). This is where a portion of the increased property taxes generated by new resort developments are earmarked for infrastructure improvements in the new projectís community. County officials may not be keen for this because it takes away some of there spending discretion.
3) Community Facilities District funding (just approved for Kauai County recently). Under this mechanism the county may also issue and sell bonds to raise funds for the special improvements. The bonds may be secured by the properties in the district and/or the special taxes. The developer passes this cost onto the owners of units in the project (it gets built into the cost of the property). A concern is that the CFD needs to be structured in a way that local residents do not have to pay higher taxes to fund the implementation of the plan.
Form a public/private consortium to promote traffic mitigation strategies, including road improvements and transportation alternatives. Use Charlier Koloa/Poipu Transporation Plan as one planning resource.
Funding mechanisms for infrastructure funding :
1) Increasing impact fees on development projects to levels comparable with other resort areas in the United States. Increased timeshare property taxes, resort property taxes, and property taxes on second-homes. This is justified by the fact that tourists use up a disproportionate percentage of County resources ñ water, sewage services, solid waste generation.
2) TIF - tax-increment financing (not available to the county yet). This is where a portion of the increased property taxes generated by new resort developments are earmarked for infrastructure improvements in the new projectís community. County officials may not be keen for this because it takes away some of there spending discretion.
3) Community Facilities District funding (just approved for Kauai County recently). Under this mechanism the county may also issue and sell bonds to raise funds for the special improvements. The bonds may be secured by the properties in the district and/or the special taxes. The developer passes this cost onto the owners of units in the project (it gets built into the cost of the property). A concern is that the CFD needs to be structured in a way that local residents do not have to pay higher taxes to fund the implementation of the plan.
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