In an era where impact fees are a means of paying for community infrastructure and services, Yavapai County is limited in its ability to use that source of funding.

In an era where impact fees are a means of paying for community infrastructure and services, Yavapai County is limited in its ability to use that source of funding.

Arizona limits counties to levying impact fees for “water, streets, parks and public safety,” according to state statute.

According to Phil Bourdon, Yavapai County Public Works director, the county has not exercised its right to charge an impact fee for parks and there are no county-funded water or sewer facilities.

On June 4, the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors approved raising road impact fees to $3,400 per new residence.

The fees were raised from $1,100 for District 3 and $1,200 for the districts on the other side of Mingus Mountain.

An impact fee is often viewed as a means of passing along the expenses of growth to developers.

If not for impact fees, expanding government services such as road construction would have to be borne by existing residents.

“New growth is causing impact on the regional road       network, and the board feels that a portion of the program should be funded by new development. If not for impact fees, we would have to rely solely on sales taxes,” Bourdon said.

The recreational fee can only be levied on homes within a mile of the recreational area designated to be served by the fee, according to Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Chip Davis.

Davis said he believes that the provision that allows charging one group of residents for a recreational area that would likely be used by many others outside the mile limit is a flawed one.

“The deal is to have developments pay for the infrastructure that it is causing the need for,” Bourdon said.