Joint Special Council/BFPD
03/3/26 06:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Other
Doc ID: 6319
COUNCIL RESOLUTION
AGENDA MATTER:
OPEN AND CONTINUE PUBLIC HEARING TO MARCH 17, 2026 ON DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEE
NEXUS STUDY AND THE FEES RECOMMENDED IN THAT STUDY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Staff recommend opening and continuing the hearing to March 17, 2026 on the proposed development impact fees study and update under the Mitigation Fee Act (Gov. Code, § 66000 et seq.).
DISCUSSION:
The City has authority to impose development impact fees (“DIFs”) to help it fund new facilities and infrastructure to absorb the impacts of new development and ensure that new development pays its own way, without subsidy from the community and existing residents. For example, a new housing or commercial development may require the City to increase capacity in its public safety departments, its capacity to process wastewater, and provide new and improved roads and transportation infrastructure.
Under the Mitigation Fee Act (Gov. Code, § 66000 et seq.), DIFs must be supported by a nexus study that shows how these fees are connected to new development both qualitatively and quantitatively - how new development creates the need for certain additional public infrastructure, and to what extent.
The City retained an expert consultant Revenue & Cost Specialists to prepare such a nexus study, with a focus on potential infrastructure requirements and infrastructure needs stemming from the City’s General Plan Update and the proposed Barstow International Gateway project.
Procedurally, the City must adopt both the Nexus Study and the DIFs it recommends at a noticed public hearing. (Gov. Code, §§ 66016.5(a)(7), 66018, 66019.) The City originally set the hearing for February 17, 2026. After providing the required notices and additional notices to key stakeholders, however, staff received additional comments from stakeholders that required additional time for staff and the consultant to refine their recommendations to the Council, so the Council initially continued the hearing to March 3, 2026. However, discussions with stakeholders continue, so staff recommend another continuance. Specifically, staff recommend opening tonight’s hearing only for the purpose of receiving comments from members of the public who are prepared to speak, but then continuing the hearing to March 17, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact from this item.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council open and continue the hearing on the proposed development impact fees study to March 17, 2026.