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• Developers suing area towns over development fees
• Republicans visiting en masse

By Judy Wiff, Regional Editor

A regional builders association has filed lawsuits against towns in Pierce County and St. Croix County, claiming development impact fees the towns charge are illegal.

The suits ask for refunds totaling more than $600,000.

The complaints allege the town ordinances place an unequal burden for improvements on new development and have thus injured the business of association members and diminished the value of their properties.

Development impact fees are one-time charges intended to offset additional public-service costs of new development.

The St. Croix Valley Home Builders Association, based in New Richmond, is challenging the fees implemented by the town of St. Joseph in St. Croix County and the town of Oak Grove in Pierce County.

Both suits claim the impact fee ordinances violate Wisconsin law and the equal protection clauses of the U.S. and Wisconsin constitutions.

The St. Joseph suit asks that the town be ordered to repay an estimated $172,224 in fees. The Oak Grove suit asks that the town be ordered to repay about $453,000.

The association is a trade organization whose members are home builders, construction trade subcontractors, material suppliers and others engaged in residential construction.

The St. Croix County lawsuit asks the court to determine the validity of St. Joseph's impact fees ordinance, which was enacted in 2005 and amended Jan. 3, 2008.

The Pierce County lawsuit asks the court to evaluate the Oak Grove ordinance, which was adopted in April 2003 and amended Jan. 30, 2008.

The St. Joseph ordinance imposes a roadway improvement fee of $3,097 per residential equivalency unit, a public facilities fee of $1,119 per unit, and a parks and recreational improvement fee of $524 per unit.

The Oak Grove ordinance imposes a road fee of $2,590 per residential equivalency unit, a fire protection facilities fee of $380 per unit and a fire protection well fee of $220 per unit.

To adopt an impact fee ordinance, a municipality must prepare a public facilities needs assessment following requirements in state law.

According to the complaint, the towns did do assessments but didn't comply with statutory requirements. Both complaints allege the towns enacted the fees ºwithout conducting a proper inquiry into the need for such impact fees.

The association is asking the courts to declare the town ordinances invalid, unlawful and unenforceable, and to order the towns to repay fees already collected.

Contact Judy Wiff at regional@rivertowns.net or 715.426.1049.

By Debbie Griffin, RiverTown Staff

Business people and other interested community members will learn more about how the Sept. 1-4 Republican National Convention will impact the St. Croix Valley.

Cyndi Lesher, president and CEO of Northern States Power Company in Minnesota, will speak Tuesday morning at a River Falls Area Chamber of Commerce business breakfast at Kilkarney Hills Golf Club.

Lesher chairs the convention's Host Committee and will discuss what local businesses can do to take advantage of the economic impact that 45,000 delegates will have on the region.

According to an announcement for the breakfast, the convention is expected to deliver a $150-million economic boost to host cities Minneapolis and St. Paul and their surrounding areas.

Lesher will talk about what local businesses and individuals can do, how people can get involved and how St. Croix Valley can capitalize on the Republicans' visit.

Get more information in the March 27 print edition of the River Falls Journal.