Bill > HB656

This bill amends Georgia's development impact fee law to expand the definition of "public facilities" and adjust the timeline for fee refunds. Specifically, the bill adds a new provision that allows development impact fees to be collected for public facilities that are created through agreements between developers and governmental entities, which was not previously included. The bill extends the period from six to ten years that local governments have to encumber (commit) or begin construction on impact fees before being required to issue a refund to the original fee payer. The definition of "proportionate share" is also slightly modified to clarify that it refers to the portion of system improvement costs reasonably related to the service demands caused by a specific project. Public facilities covered by this law include water and wastewater systems, roads, storm-water management, parks, public safety facilities, libraries, and now explicitly includes facilities developed through developer-government agreements. The changes aim to provide more flexibility for local governments in managing development impact fees and clarify the conditions under which fees can be collected and potentially refunded.

Government Affairs

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70855