City hires firm to rewrite traffic impact fee law

Kenneth Ma

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- The city hired a West Los Angeles consulting firm to

help prepare a new traffic impact fee ordinance to clarify the city’s

role in matching developers’ fees.

In April, the city discovered it had failed to put aside $1.32 million of

matching funds as required by the current law, said a city staff report.

The money, which will be included in next year’s budget, will be used for

roads, bridges and traffic signals among other things.

No transportation projects were delayed or canceled because the ordinance

was not followed, said Bob Beardsley, the city’s director of public

works.

The City Council last week unanimously selected Hamilton, Rabinovitz and

Alschulter Inc. to help prepare the new ordinance, which will update a

1990 law that expires in August. The city has set aside $37,500 for the

consultant’s services.

Under the existing ordinance, developers with projects in the city that

affect traffic in surrounding neighborhoods are charged a fee to help pay

for improvements such as extra turn lanes at intersections and additional

lanes to widen streets.

The 1990 law also requires the city to annually set aside annual funds

that equal the amount developers pay.

“Times change and you need to make sure your ordinance is in line with

current projects that will bring traffic impacts,” said Councilwoman

Shirley Dettloff.

The report states that a new ordinance is expected to be presented to the

council in September. If approved, the new law will be enacted 60 days

later.