Dear Editor,
The City Council of Kingman wants to impose impact fees from the current $1,456 to $6,108. That is five times higher in one action. This would have a detrimental effect on all business in the Kingman area. Kingman’s growth is sustainable and has not moved to the status of urban sprawl.
The City is using a study by a company from Maryland to attempt to meet the state requirements to move ahead with the impact fees. The study is flawed and technically does not meet the state requirements to impose the impact fees. The study is generic at best and does not provide the required “written report supporting rate increase-cash flow projections-over all expenses for providing water and waste water service.” All government entities are to include elements of conservation and sustainability in any evaluation study. There is none in this study. There is no mention of gray water recycling which could reduce sewer in flow and saving money.
The study did not provide any break down of cost benefit or comparison of impact fees of our surrounding cities.
The city needs to drop this current attempt to shotgun our community with excessive development fees and get the proper required studies in order and bring back manageable fess to the table. That would include needs assessment, feasibility study and a formulated strategic plan. I suggest throwing the Maryland study in the paper recycling bin.
Jack Ehrhardt
Past Planning & Economic Development Director
current Az. Lic. General Building Contractor
