Fayette County is ready to

submit its plan for impact fees to help pay for a new jail and fire stations

to state agencies for their approval.

County commissioners last week

approved the latest revised fee structure and agreed to send the paperwork

to the state Department of Community Affairs and Atlanta Regional Commission

in hopes of beginning fee collections early next year.

Impact fees are charged to

developers for each new home or business to help pay the costs of new

government services and facilities made necessary by growth.

Commissioners approved charging

the fees in principle last May, but with the proviso that all of Fayette's

cities must agree to charge the fees within their borders for the jail.

After numerous meetings and revisions to the original plan, all the cities

agreed to the latest iteration, and the commissioners' action last week

allows staff to prepare the paperwork for state approval.

Fees for fire services will

be charged only within the county's fire tax district, so agreements with

Fayetteville, Tyrone and Peachtree City were not needed for those fees.

Under the latest plan, developers

will pay $869.78 for each new home built in Fayette to help pay for the

jail, and will pay $600.57 for each new home in the fire district to pay

for about $16.7 million in new equipment and stations for the Department

of Fire and Emergency Services.

But the fees will be discounted

slightly in early years of the program because developers will receive

a credit against future property taxes the homes will pay. For instance,

in the first year, the jail impact fee will actually be $794.12 per home,

sliding up each year for 20 years to reach $869.78.

For the jail, developers also

will pay fees for each new retail business built: $14,232.69 for businesses

over 50,000 square feet, $9,488.46 for businesses from 10,000 to 50,000

square feet, and $4,331.56 for those under 10,000 square feet. For industrial

and other institutional type buildings, developers will pay $2,609.33.

For fire services, fees charged

for new businesses and industries are divided into 10 categories ranging

from $873.56 for unclassified establishments to $7,206.90 for manufacturing

facilities.

Last week's action fulfills

a campaign promise for commissioners Greg Dunn and Linda Wells, elected

in 1998. Commissioner Harold Bost joined the two in pushing for impact

fees early in their terms.

Commissioners Glen Gosa and

Herb Frady voted against the proposal in each step of the process, saying

there are better ways to pay for the county's needs.

Proponents are hopeful that

state approval will allow collection of the impact fees to begin early

in 2001.