ARIZONA DAILY STAR: Thurs., Sept. 11. 2008

SAHBA balks over new fees in Oro Valley

By Lourdes Medrano

Oro Valley's creation of new development impact fees could result in legal action against the town. In a 5-0 vote at its Sept. 3 meeting, the Town Council approved fees that would help the town pay for services that include police, parks and the public library.

Total development impact fees would amount to just under $14,000 for a new single-family house being built in Oro Valley. On such a house, builders now pay $3,467 in impact fees related to roadways. After Dec. 2, builders will pay $6,203 for fees related to library, police, general government and roadways.

The newly adopted fees didn't sit well with the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, which is considering suing the town for what it says was a failure to adhere to state law in passing the fees. SAHBA noted that Oro Valley's newly enacted development fees fail to comply with statutory requirements because it did not consider other potential offsets available to the town such as state-shared revenues, sales taxes and construction sales taxes.

FULL STORY: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/256922