NK Planning Commission forwards favorable recommendations for CIP, land development fee increases

New Kent’s Planning Commission has favored a $1.9 million Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and land development fee increases, forwarding both recommendations to county supervisors.

With no one from the public electing to speak during public hearings on either topic at Monday evening’s meeting, commissioners voted 8-0-1 on each to recommend favorable action by supervisors.

County administrator Rodney Hathaway told commissioners that three modifications had been made to the CIP since the commission’s January meeting. New Kent County Airport reflects a new project titled “Disadvantage Business Enterprise Study”, which added $12,000 to the CIP (with most of the dollars supported by state and federal funding.) Total funding of New Kent High School’s “One-to-One Learning Initiative” has been reduced (funds were transferred from the CIP to the school’s operating budget), and the public utility fund added a project to support a feasibility study that will cost approximately $300,000.

Major projects that will be used by CIP dollars include vehicle replacement ($390,000), $213,000 for the fire department including $118,000 to re-chassis an ambulance, $85,000 for technology upgrade, and $81,190 for computer replacement. Among projects for the school system are $285,000 to replace buses and $125,000 to resurface the floor in the middle school gymnasium.

Cash reserves account for $1,352,465 in funding for the CIP. Other funding sources include transfer from the debt service fund ($100,000), federal grants ($245,300), proffer allocations ($174,895), and state grants ($78,530).

Commissioners recommended favorable action on increases to three areas of land development fees. Hathaway said the proposed increases are in the areas of land disturbance permit renewal fee for single families ($35 to $50), land disturbance permit renewal fee for commercial, mixed use, or industrial ($35 to $150), and RPA signs ($7.50 to $10).

Commissioner Jack Chalmers commented on the increases, inquiring about the reasoning for the rise in fees.

“This sounds not like a fee, but also a penalty,” said Chalmers.

Hathaway responded, saying the fees are to offset costs incurred by the county.

“We want to encourage development in the county,” the county administrator said. “We don’t want someone to start development and then have a site that is just sitting there.”

In an unrelated matter, commissioners will get a look at a revised floodplain ordinance. Building official Clarence Jackson advised the commission that new state regulations call for revisions to the ordinance and recommended the county adopt the changes.

Failure to adopt the new ordinance could result in loss of floodplain insurance for the county and could lead to loss of funding. Commissioners expect to hold a public hearing on the issue in April.