Henry County considering doubling impact fees on new homes

Henry County is considering more than doubling impact fees on new homes, raising them from around $3,500 per structure to just over $8,000.

The Henry County Commission held a public hearing Tuesday on the proposal, which officials say would help fund infrastructure improvements, parks and recreation and public safety. Impact fees are levied by governments, most often on new developments, to pay the cost of public services.

Past funds have been used to buy vehicles for public safety, build playgrounds at Sandy Ridge Park and pay for the design of the intersection of Jodeco and Oak Grove roads, said Toussaint Kirk, Henry County’s planning and economic development director.

Kirk said the proposed increase will cost new homeowners $267 annually on a 30-year mortgage, compared to $118 under the current fee structure. The increase applies only to new construction and not existing properties, he said.

Henry, the second-fastest growing county in metro Atlanta, has been seeking ways to raise public funds to pay for the impacts to its infrastructure. A specific area of concern has been its roads, as truck traffic from the county’s booming distribution center industry has led to the need for street widenings and more frequent repaving.

A second public hearing on the proposal is set for July 23.

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