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Traffic impact fees introduced
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Bobby Kerlik can be reached via e-mail or at 412-391-0927.
The traffic impact fee ordinance will force all future developers to pay for road improvements that additional traffic will require.
"The way we operated before, developers had no obligation for traffic impact fees," said Chairman Bob Fayfich. "We had no leverage to ask for it."
The ordinance divides the township into east and west transportation districts and sets flat fees of $1,461 and $1,672 per afternoon peak hour trips respectively, township manager Neil McFadden said.
For example, if a new development in the east is expected to generate 50 cars during an afternoon rush hour, the developer would have to pay $73,050.
The township would then use the money to make the road improvements. Supervisors have the option of waiving the fee if developers agree to make their own road improvements that are approved by the supervisors, McFadden said.
"Instead of bargaining with developers on a case by case basis for road improvements to offset traffic impacts, this sets a formal fee structure," McFadden said.
Marshall joins several other communities that have already passed similar ordinances.
Cranberry was the first community in the state in 1989 to pass a traffic fee ordinance, said Cranberry Manager Jerry Andree. Cranberry and its sister township in the eastern part of the state, Manheim, lobbied the state legislature to pass a law allowing the move.
"We needed a plan. We had to transfer the cost of road improvements to the developers. It's saying to them, 'You have to help upgrade the highways,'" Andree said. "It's good planning and more and more communities are doing it."
Plum started charging a residential unit impact fee on Oct. 26 but must complete a land use study before it can spend any of the money or start charging impact fees on commercial and industrial developments.
In the past, Marshall supervisors had debated road improvements with large developers such as the $200 million Tech 21 park, which broke ground last week. That project was approved in September 2004 after five years of planning.
"Tech 21 probably would not have been affected because the road improvements they're doing cost more than the fee," Fayfich said.
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