Scope of Work
Study of the Development Impact Fee Report
The Town’s Development Impact Fee Report from 2001-05 had fees concentrated on schools and open space. The 2015 Update found that school enrollment was flat and there were no capacity issues within the system that would justify a fee. Likewise, the Town had added a significant amount of open space since the initial study and had achieved its goal of providing 15% of the Town’s area as protected open space. As a result the School and Open Space fee categories had no associated fee. The need for an updated Police Station resulted in the addition of Police Facilities fee being added. Given that the Mason & Associates Updated Report is ten (10) years old, the Town is seeking a comprehensive study of the report to address the following:
• Identify the current state of public services and infrastructure in the Town.
• Identify the capital needs and costs associated with anticipated growth.
• Review annual projections of population, employment, housing, commercial, industrial, and other nonresidential square footage data for at least 10 years.
• Study the demand factors that generate the need for new capital facilities. Evaluate existing levels of service.
Update of the Development Impact Fee Report
The updated report must explicitly demonstrate that the methodology used to calculate the impact fees is in accordance Rhode Island General Laws Chapter 45-22.4. The updated Impact Fee Report should utilize the findings from the study and, at a minimum, include the following:
• Executive summary.
• Detailed description of methodologies used during the study.
• Detailed description of all public services/infrastructure, their cost factor, and the rationale behind the cost/impact fee calculation.
o The needs assessment should accurately reflecting the cost of the increased need for police, fire, roads, public schools, libraries, recreation land and facilities, open space, utilities, and other public facilities as defined in the Rhode Island Development Impact Fee Act.
• Detailed schedule of all proposed fees for each category of public facilities.
o A defensible fee schedule should be produced for each of the applicable public facilities as defined in the State statute.
• Other information which explains and justifies the recommended fee schedule.
