CC - Minutes - City Council - 5/13/2014 (3)

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Prescott City Council Regular Voting Meeting May 13, 2014 Page 10 Mayor Pro Tern Lamerson said his understanding is that impact fees cannot be used to relocate existing facilities, only new growth. Jon Paladini, City Attorney, said that was generally correct, however, if the Council did not adopt police and fire fees and then went through a study, the study could contemplate relocation of a fire station. The study could attribute part of the need for a new location to future new growth. Mr. McConnell said that Council and staff will be talking about the FY15 budget on Thursday. He said staff will describe FY15 as a transitional year, where they form ideas about what to do concerning public safety funding. Councilman Lazzell said he objects to the state telling the City of Prescott how to run their business. Councilwoman Wilcox asked if Council selects Option 2 in the resolution, where they defer the imposition of an impact fee, can Council then decide not to charge an impact fee at all for police and fire after Council receives the ICMA study. Mr. Paladini said that the longer you push it out the more it is subject to challenge. Anytime during the time period that it is being deferred and not being charged it can always be eliminated. Councilman Blair said he was not going to support this. The state is overstepping their bounds. Mr. McConnell commented that with respect to the water, wastewater and water resource development fee, that is significant funding. The City needs the money to keep the capital program going. If the revenue from impact fees for new capacity is lost, the City will not be able to do projects which deal with existing deficiencies. Councilman Blair said it was unfortunate that those who do not know what Prescott is all about to force a law on the City that takes away an opportunity to enhance the community. He said that he would vote yes to support wastewater and water. Councilman Kuknyo said the decision from the state does not let the City of Prescott prepare for the future. Daniel Mattson, resident, said that Council can reduce the fee anytime they want, but adding a fee will take 18 months or more. He recommended that Council adopt this with fire and police. He thought the City had the option to get rid of it at a later date. If the City does not maintain it at this point, all the time and expense has been wasted. Len Scamardo, resident, addressed the Council. He was against the legislation in that it was a flat fee basis. When he was a builder in New York, a building permit, was based