Eric Johnson7 days ago2 minHow often is enough? When should you update your feesAs a fee consultant, the question that I get asked most often is, “How often should we be updating our fees?” Once I dispose of the...
Scott ThorpeAug 16, 20212 minThe Effect of Time on Saved MoneyI’m going to keep this short, but I think it’s powerful. It’s about what happens to your saved money over time. I was recently contacted...
Scott ThorpeDec 16, 20205 minRCS Impact Fees are Battle TestedThe last thing I ever needed to hear from one of my clients was “We are being sued over our impact fees”. Never fun. But that is just...
Scott ThorpeJun 21, 20203 minAccessory Dwelling Unit Impact Fee CalculationIn July of 2017, I wrote my first RCS article about Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in which I merely identified the differing types of...
Rick KermerMay 11, 20206 minDevelopment’s Winners and LosersThere are four players in the development game: developers, contractors, landowners and residents. Each plays a critical role, and each...
Scott ThorpeDec 8, 20193 minThe Five Findings for Development Impact FeesMost every municipal finance officer is aware of the five findings (in Government Code §66000) required to adopt development impact...
-Aug 12, 20192 minDo Development Fees Affect Home Sales?At about every other Council or town-hall meeting I attend there is the question about whether development fees (planning fees, permit...
Scott ThorpeJul 15, 20194 minDetermining Development Impact Fee Land-Use CategoriesThe land-use database inventory is the spine of any Development Impact Fee (henceforth DIF) calculation effort. It is a data table that...
Rick KermerMay 12, 20193 minFraming the Case for FeesAs the typical reader of the RCS blog articles, you are a technically skilled government finance professional and can make a strong...
Scott ThorpeMar 17, 20194 minCirculation Infrastructure NexusIn my early years of calculating development impact fees (henceforth DIFs) I had to experiment with different nexus factors for...
Scott ThorpeJul 13, 20185 minThirty Years of Impact Fee ExperienceThis last January 16th I watched with no small amount of pride while the Chino City Council adopted an updated set of development impact...
Scott ThorpeNov 13, 20173 minMandatory Approval of Accessory Dwelling UnitsIn July I wrote about the State Legislature requiring easier paths to increasing residential Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction...
Scott ThorpeJul 7, 20173 minAccessory Dwelling UnitsMany of you have been wrestling with integrating the recently passed State legislation (AB 2299 and SB 1069) that requires most cities to...
Scott ThorpeApr 16, 20174 minTwo Not-So-Scary DIF Collection RequirementsI often get asked about two Development Impact Fee “problems.” The first is the “five-year requirement” and the second is the difficulty...
Scott ThorpeNov 13, 20164 minDevelopment Impact Fees for Mature CitiesA little over two years ago I got a call from Chu Thai, the Management Services Director with the City of Monterey Park. He called to...
Scott ThorpeJun 12, 20163 minPolice Level of ServicePolice management staff often discuss Levels of Service (LOS) staffing in terms of “officers per 1,000 residents.” Since it is often a...
Scott ThorpeJan 17, 20164 minDevelopment Impact Fee Calculation – DemystifiedThe calculation of Development Impact Fees (DIFs) sounds very technical and it can be, but the process is not insurmountable. First off...
Scott ThorpeMay 10, 20154 minIt’s all about the Lane MilesI have undertaken a great number of development impact fee studies in the Southern California area and as a result I read a lot of...
Scott ThorpeJan 23, 20153 minThe Need for an Infrastructure CzarI suppose I should have paid greater attention in my Organizational Development classes during my BPA and MPA experiences, but frankly I...
Scott ThorpeAug 18, 20144 minYet Another Looming Financial DisasterLast November I wrote the above titled topic about municipal asset replacement programs for the RCS monthly newsletter, and here is an...