Senoia officials

got a broad overview Monday night of the impact of impact fees.

City leaders

have been mulling over the idea of charging impact fees on new development

to help pay for the upgrades in infrastructure that will occur in the

next few years with the new growth.

William Ross,

of Ross and Associates, helped create the first impact fees in Cherokee

County that were ruled constitutional by the Georgia Supreme Court.

In a lengthy

presentation Monday, Ross told the Senoia City Council that planning was

the key in creating a successful impact ordinance.

The city would

have to create a capital improvement element, which would show what infrastructure

needs are needed from the new growth.

Ross cautioned

that impact fees could only be charged for the new infrastructure needs,

and not anything the city already needs, but can't fund.

For example,

if the city has a deficit in park space, it can't make the new development

pay for all of its park needs. Current residents would also have to help

fund the parks, probably in the form of a property tax hike, he added.

Impact fees

can only fun system wide upgrades, such as water systems, wastewater treatment

plants, road, emergency services facilities and personnel and libraries.

Mayor Dianne

Cleveland thanked Ross for his presentation and said the city would contact

him again after there were further along in the process of drafting an

impact fee ordinance.