New growth in Allen helps pay for new growth.
Every new development project has a cost associated with how it impacts new and existing infrastructure in a community. Allen City Council has approved an increase in the amount new growth pays to help offset the rising costs of regional infrastructure improvements in North Texas.
It’s been fifteen years since Allen adjusted impact fees and in that time not only have the plans for land-use in Allen changed, the growth in North Texas has flourished. With this substantial growth comes the need for new and improved roadways, new water sources and expanded wastewater treatment capacity. Impact fees are assessed in these two major areas, transportation and water/wastewater, and collected during the development process to help pay for the necessary infrastructure.
As our region grows, county commissioners are focusing on major highways like US 75 and the outer loop. This means there will be fewer opportunities to partner, and thereby save the City money, on interior road projects. Restructuring the way transportation impact fees are assessed, and increasing the fees in certain areas, will help fund Allen’s roadway system to meet the growing traffic demands.
To meet the growing water/wastewater needs in the region, the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) has several projects underway. Lower Bois D’Arc Creek Reservoir and Trinity River Main Stem Pump Station and Pipeline will increase water supply, and the rehabilitation and upgrade of aging infrastructure will improve wastewater treatment and increase capacity. It is the cost of projects like these, representing over $1 billion, that have made wholesale water rates go up. In other words, it costs more for the City to buy water and deliver it to our customers. By upping the impact fees for new development, the City can offset this increase to help keep rates affordable.
The ordinance raising and restructuring the impact fees owed by developers will go into effect in accordance with State law.