What do county impact fees apply to?

County impact fees are typically associated with new development, specifically aimed at residential properties, which includes new dwelling houses. These fees are imposed by local governments to help cover the costs of providing public services and infrastructure that will be necessary as a result of new construction. When a new home is built, it increases the demand for local facilities and services such as roads, schools, parks, and emergency services. Therefore, the fees collected from these new builds are intended to mitigate the financial impact on the community and ensure that adequate resources are available for the incoming population.

In contrast, while commercial properties may also be subject to various fees, the specific impact fees focus more on residential developments where the direct increase in service demand can be more easily quantified. Renovated buildings generally do not incur impact fees because the structure already exists and may not significantly change the demand for services unless a considerable expansion occurs. Public facilities themselves are not the subject of impact fees; rather, they are what the fees aim to support.