TORRANCE : Builder Fee Hike Will Aid Schools

Beginning Jan. 7, businesses will pay increased fees to Torrance to develop residential, commercial and industrial properties located within the Torrance Unified School District.

The fee increase, the first since 1990, will help the city pay for construction and repair of school facilities serving more than 70,000 students at 34 locations.

The increase will bring the cost of developing residential property from $1.53 to $1.72 per square foot, from 25 to 28 cents per square foot for commercial and industrial properties, and from 25 to 27 cents for hotel and motel development.

New construction at several school buildings is required to reduce overcrowding in the district, officials said.

School board member Gary Kuwahara said he could not assess the economic impact of the new revenues upon the district.

Owen Griffith, president of the school board, said most of the district’s schools are at least 30 years old, so the increased revenue should help “bring them up to today’s safety standards.” Repair efforts, he added, might include repairs after an earthquake, or simply ensuring that all lights are working and that required guard rails are in place.

“Safety is our prime consideration,” Griffith said.