Stafford County is currently considering a change to its current Transportation Impact Fee of $2,999. FAAR is concerned that the exorbitant fee will further impact housing affordability in the County and place an undue burden on purchasers of new home construction.
The County’s Impact Fee Study includes a recommendation of a maximum transportation impact fee of $17,126.40 per residential dwelling unit in the area designated North and $13,516.64 in the area designated South. This fee will impact every new home built in the County and will be directly passed along to consumers in the form of higher housing costs. According to recently closed home sales, the median price of a newly built home in Stafford County is already more than $780,000 and these exorbitant fees will only push that price higher.
In addition, the cost estimates for potential future road improvements provided in the study often run into the tens or, even hundreds, of millions of dollars, begging the question of actual viability as a project. FAAR is concerned about the fairness of placing the burden of these huge projects so heavily on purchasers of new construction.
Considering the significant burden these fees will place on home purchasers, FAAR encourages the Board of Supervisors to reject the onerously high transportation impact fees that are being proposed. Click the link below to read the full letter to the Board of Supervisors.