Talking About The Future of Shelby County, Alabama
Shelby County, Alabama
Shelby County is a rapidly growing county. In the past, our means of paying for schools
and infrastructure was to increase sales and property taxes. This
usually occurred when the need was critical and no other means were
available. But there is a better method. Plan for growth,
fund the plan, and execute the plan.
On this site, you will find information about impact fees, what they are and what they are not. Impact fees provide an alternative method to fund needs generated by growth. You will see that the home rule we have, gives the county the means to act now. You will see who is opposed to impact fees and the effect they are having.
Please take your time and explore this web site to understand how impact fees work and why they need to be in our toolbox to manage growth in Shelby County.
What Impact Fees Can Accomplish For Shelby County
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Impact fees will require county planners and leaders to plan ahead for growth. Impact fees will require planners identify future needs and list them in order to collect and place impact fee funds against them.
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For example, we know that Westover will grow rapidly in the next thirty years. We know that Westover will need schools. We can predict where and when those schools will be needed. Impacts fees collected for those schools will mean that planners act sooner rather than later to identify the locations and type of school for the Westover area and to place those fees against those projects. Wouldn't it be nice that when the real estate agent tells the new home buyer that a school will be built, the agent can show it on a map.
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Impact fees will assure that the schools, fire services, police and other requirements are planned and ready to go when growth reaches that critical point where the facility is required. The planning and preparation required by impact fees can avoid the ugliness caused by uncontrolled growth.
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Impact fees will require that developers and county planners work together during the growth and development of Shelby County and avoid the overdevelopment that can destroy the very essence of Shelby County that makes Shelby County so attractive to developers. Impact fees work for the current resident, the developer and the future resident.
