PENDLETON — Pendleton Town Council voted unanimously at its most recent meeting to establish a road impact fee for incoming development, moving to recover some of the costs resulting from growth.
Discussion of the impact fee — which included an explanation of how it works from town attorney Jeff Graham, as well as input from town manager Scott Reske — was the primary topic in the Thursday, July 8, meeting, which saw passage of three growth-related ordinances and the introduction of a thoroughfare plan.
Recommended for approval earlier in the week by Pendleton Plan Commission, the impact fee, according to a statement in the plan, represents a proactive approach from the council to “ensure quality of life and ease of travel for the current and future residents as development continues.”
The fee is a one-time payment imposed on property developers, meant to offset the financial impact new development places on public infrastructure. In Indiana, impact fees can be collected on wastewater, parks or recreation, roads and bridges, drainage and water.
The road impact fee is determined by totaling the necessary project costs and dividing by the additional daily trips. From a study provided by consulting firm Banning Engineering and reviewed by Baker Tilly, an advisory, tax and assurance firm, the calculated road impact fee is $932 per new daily trip, or $8,798 per new single family residential structure.
“This is not a new animal,” Graham told the board. “Developers are aware of these things. The only surprise would be if there was not one yet, and I understand the town has been talking about it for a while.”
He added, “Impact to the roads is caused by growth, so who should pay for that impact? Growth, the people that are coming and causing the impact. Thank goodness they’re coming. It’s not meant to be a penalty. It can’t be a penalty. It’s to reimburse the town.”
Reske said Pendleton’s estimated growth for the next 10 years more than doubles the town’s number of residents. Currently at a population of 4,500, it is expected to increase by 5,000 in 10 years. He said with current subdivisions under development, the population could grow 30% in just the next 18 months.
Along with passing the Road Impact Fee Ordinance, the council passed an amended Access Control Ordinance as well as an ordinance for a revised Right of Way Activity Permit. The former aims to control location, spacing design and operations of driveways, median openings, interchanges and street connections to roadways, while the latter aims to ensure that anyone who works within the town right-of-way restores or replaces infrastructure, such as roads, curbs and sidewalks, to an acceptable specified condition.
Both ordinances had been approved previously but needed minor, technical changes, according to Reske, on the Right of Way permit; and Pendleton Planning Director Kayla Hassett, on the access control ordinance.
“Everything has to coordinate together to get to the point where we’re at tonight,” council President Chet Babb said of plans and ordinances related to the town’s impending growth.
“This impact fee is very important for the future of this town. As (Graham) has said,
developers are aware of what we’re doing. It’s not going to run anyone out of town or keep from coming to Pendleton to build houses.
“(Developers) understand that, and the study backs it up. If you don’t do this, you won’t get people in town. That’s what it boils down to.”
The road impact fee goes into effect six months after passage, which would be Jan. 8, 2022.
Thoroughfare
introduction
Hassett and Brandon Kendera from Madison County Council of Governments (MCOG), the town’s project manager for the thoroughfare plan, unveiled the 89-page Pendleton Thoroughfare Plan draft to the council on July 8.
The Pendleton plan analyzes the town’s transportation system, updates transportation-related ordinances and establishes design standards for roadways for long-range improvements throughout the community between now and 2045.
Hassett said the thoroughfare document draft is available to the public on the town website and social media outlets. Hard copies of the document are available at town hall.
If recommended by the Plan Commission at its Aug. 4 meeting, the plan is expected to be in full effect Aug. 12, upon approval by the town council.
The planning committee plans an open house for the public from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 29, at town hall; there will be a workshop to inform the community on both the thoroughfare plan and
the current Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
“The main goal of the public workshop is to allow the public to view both documents and receive feedback of prioritization of action items,” Kendera said. “The (open house) will be a gallery-style open house where the public visit different poster boards that explain different aspects of the UDO and thoroughfare plan.
“We’re excited to showcase both documents to the public.”
Councilman Bob Jones added, “I think it’s a good step forward and is something we need to get done and look long range. We need to prepare for that. A lot of good work has been done with this. Hopefully we’ll get some public input.”
Other business
Mark Johnson, CEO of Tyler Truss Systems LLC, approached the board seeking a tax abatement to purchase the Capital Machinery Systems Inc. building located at 3207 W. Angle Road, across from the Pendleton Heights High School softball field. A truss manufacturer in the entertainment industry, which has its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Pendleton (1810 Fairfield Lane) wants to use the building to expand its business.
Pendleton fire chief Chris Nodine told the board he and his department are in the planning stages for Public Safety Day from 1 to 4 p.m.
Aug. 29, on Broadway Street in front of the fire station.
Police chief Marc Farrer informed the council Captain Randy Sidwell submitted his letter of retirement and that Friday, July 9, would be his final day. Farrer added that the new captain would be Lucas Traylor, one of four applicants within the department. Traylor has been named the department’s Most Outstanding Officer each of the past two years.
Park Director Aaron Burris announced that
34-year park employee Mike Cannon has retired.
The board approved minutes for its June 10 meeting and its June 22 special meeting.
