Local News in Brief : Supervisors OK Higher Park Fees for Builders

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved significant increases in park fees assessed against the developers of new subdivisions in unincorporated areas.

The fees in the Santa Clarita Valley will jump as much as 461%, and fees in the Calabasas area will rise by 511%.

The purpose of the fees is to build new parks in fast-growing areas and to improve existing ones. A county ordinance requires that the fee schedule be adjusted annually, but the board had not increased the rates since 1982.

Under a county ordinance, builders are required to donate three acres of parkland for every 1,000 people expected to move into a development. Or, if the county allows, they can pay the equivalent in cash. Fees are based on the value of an acre of land in the area of development.

For instance, fees in the Valencia and Saugus area will jump from $44,887 per acre to $203,873 and in Calabasas from $59,444 an acre to $304,266.

Tuesday’s unanimous vote was expected because the board expressed its intent to fatten the fees in March. The board had postponed approving the new schedule for more than a year because developers had opposed large increases. The ordinance will take effect in 30 days.