Bonney Lake to Consider Reducing Traffic Impact Fees to Boost Local Tax Base

In an effort to boost the local tax base, Bonney Lake might consider lowering the traffic impact fees it charges new developers. Typically, developers pay these fees to the city to ease the street and traffic impacts their projects create.

The council will meet and vote on the ordinance tomorrow evening at

According to a recent article by the Tacoma News Tribune, Bonney Lake's traffic impact fees are among the highest in the state, charging $3,995 for each evening rush hour trip the development would create. Councilmembers hope the motion will spur local growth, which has slowed in the bad economy.

Under the city's new proposal, developers of projects with little traffic impact, such as a single-family home, wouldn’t have to pay at all. It would also temporarily reduce the traffic-impact fee rates for most projects by 25 percent.

The council will also consider extending a rebate program offered to retail businesses that offsets their traffic impact fees if the business generates enough sales tax annually for three years.