Wendell News Outlet

FYI....I received the following email from Dean Naujoks at the
Neuse River Foundation.
Dean will be the guest speaker at the WCC meeting next week.

Glenn
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Hello all~

Because of increased interest in the Muddy Water Watch project, we
will be having a second orientation on DECEMBER 18, 2007 AT THE
BRIER CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER IN RALEIGH FROM 6:45-9 PM.
This orientation will give an overview of MWW, why a project like
this is needed in North Carolina, what we hope to accomplish, and
explain what you as a citizen volunteer can do to help curb
sediment pollution from construction site stormwater runoff.

The first official training will be held JANUARY 22, 2008 AT THE
BRIER CREEK COMMUNITY CENTER IN RALEIGH FROM 7-9 PM.
This will be the first of many monthly trainings that will teach
volunteers the essentials, such as North Carolina laws pertaining to
erosion and sediment control and clean water, seminars about construction
site Best Management Practices (BMP's), how to monitor construction
sites effectively, and other pertinent information.

There is a tentative orientation to be held in Durham on January 8,
2008. This has not yet been confirmed, but please check out our website,
www.muddywaterwatch.org, for updates, as well as for directions to other
orientations/trainings.

The first orientation, held on November 13, brought in 40 citizens, other
NC Riverkeepers, and state employees directly linked to stormwater p
roblems, all concerned about our waterways.  We look forward to meeting
many more of you at a future orientation or training!  In the meantime,
please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

~Britt Ritter
MWW Assistant Program Coordinator
britt@muddywaterwatch.org
www.muddywaterwatch.org
919-856-1180

In a recent article in the N&O, the Mayor of Raleigh called for doubling the impact tax on new housing so as to curb runaway growth. “Under the mayor’s proposal the impact fees leveled on a house of 2500 to 2700 square feet would increase from $1200 to $2500.” He also said “that it’s time developers paid more to offset the costs of Raleigh’s growth”. This increase in the impact fees “is meant to lessen the (financial) burden on existing homeowners, not slow the cities growth”. Now, granted, there are pro’s and con’s to this suggestion that are debatable, but the mayor’s proposal may have some application for the town of Wendell.

What if Wendell enacted an impact fee for developers just the reverse of the Raleigh mayor’s proposal?

Here’s the basis for this concept:
Housing growth in Wendell is inevitable, but the right kind of growth is imperative! For Wendell that means that the new housing being built must pay a greater share of the tax burden they create than the houses currently being built. Houses being built in the price range of $125,000 pay about $672 a year in property tax to the town. Houses that we need to be built in this town are in the $225,000 range; they would pay about $1209 a year in property taxes. The rational behind this need is: four people living in a $125,000 house, and four people living in a $225,000 house, both use about the same amount of town services. At the present time Wendell has an oversupply of lower priced homes; it now needs more expensive housing to create a greater housing diversification in the town. This in turn will generate more property tax revenues to pay for those town services.

Here’s the suggestion:
Wendell enacts an impact tax, on new construction, just the reverse of what Raleigh wants to do: less expensive, and probably smaller, houses would be charged a $2500 impact fee. More expensive, and probably larger, houses would be charged less based on a reverse sliding scale. For example, developers would be charged an impact fee based on the following scale:
Houses selling for $225,000, or more, would pay a $500 impact fee.
Houses selling for $200,000, the fee would be $1000.
Houses selling for $175,000, the fee would be $1500.
Houses selling for $150,000, the fee would be $2000.
Houses selling for $125,000, or less, would pay a $2500 impact fee.
This reverse sliding scale is based on probable selling price rather than the square footage of the house being built. The reason for this is that some smaller houses will sell for much more than some larger houses due to the superior quality, (brick siding, granite countertops, etc.) or property size/location.


Rather than elaborating on what we feel the potential benefits this type of impact fee could generate, we request the readers of this article to chime in with their thoughts. Is this concept feasible? Does it have any merit? Could it be fine-tuned so as to make it workable? Pro or con, tell us what you think! We need your input!

Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained!