The Paso Robles school board was set to consider adopting a resolution to increase its statutory fees imposed on new residential and commercial/industrial development projects in its meeting last night.
The development fees were recommended to be raised to the new maximum set by the state allocation board in January: $5.17 per square foot for residential (an increase of 38 cents), and $0.84 per square foot for commercial (an increase of 6 cents). Developer impact fees are levied from projected enrollment increases from new developments, and funds are spent on school modernization, additional buildings, and other improvements to infrastructure.
The board, however, voted to table the item until further information was presented. The board still received public comments on the planned hearing, and discussed the item, but no actions were taken by the board.
The board then clarified the discrepancy between a previously projected decrease in enrollment, and the need for increasing impact fees to accommodate for new students. Superintendent Curt Dubost and assistant superintendent Brad Pawlowski clarified that the study for developer impact fees only looks at the square footage of development, and not other factors that may predict enrollment. Dr. Dubost also said that state funds may be unavailable to the school if they do not raise impact fees to their maximum.
The board voted to table the item at the start of the meeting, and any board member can ask for it to be brought back on any future agenda.
