County : 3 Councils to Consider Developer Freeway Fees

Proposals to impose developer fees to help pay for new highway construction will be considered by three city councils in the county this week.

The Orange City Council tonight will study a proposal to levy fees based on a development’s location. Firms building in a zone directly surrounding the proposed freeway route would be charged $1,295 for a single-family residence, $755 for apartment units and $1.80 per square foot for all non-residential structures. Developers in the rest of the city would face fees of $920, $535 and $105, depending on distance from a planned freeway from eastern Anaheim to south Orange County.

Orange is one of eight cities proposing such fees, which Public Works Director Frank Page said would go into effect in late October if approved tonight. San Juan Capistrano will consider similar fees at public hearing tonight and San Clemente will take them up Wednesday.

The developer fee proposals being considered in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente would help pay for three proposed traffic corridors in the south county.

Anaheim, Yorba Linda, Tustin, Santa Ana and Irvine are planning to introduce similar developer fees.

Page said the Orange proposal is expected to raise about $250.2 million for the new freeway project, with the remaining cost, an estimated $265.9 million, to be paid with state and federal funds.