Oswego Village Board OKs agreement for impact fee analysis

Oswego Village Board OKs agreement for impact fee analysis

Oswego Village Board members recently approved an intergovernmental agreement with four other taxing bodies to have a consultant do an analysis of the distribution of impact fees from development in the area.

The analysis will be done by consulting firm DTA, formerly known as David Taussig and Associates, which specializes in “recurring revenue and cost impacts” for land-use related issues on cities, counties and other districts, according to the firm’s website.

Oswego, along with Oswego-based School District 308, Oswego Fire Protection District, Oswego Library District and the Oswegoland Park District decided to involve a third-party contractor to “identify how best to update and redistribute impact fees” brought in by new development, Oswego Development Services Director Rod Zenner said in a report to village trustees.

The five taxing bodies will share the $36,500 cost for the impact fee distribution analysis.

Oswego village staff took the lead and issued a Request for Qualifications earlier this year. The Raleigh, North Carolina-based DTA submitted the sole bid.

The company’s qualifications were reviewed by an appointed representative from each taxing body in the group, Zenner said. DTA was unanimously approved by the review committee, he said.

“They have extensive experience in fee studies, general financial analysis projects and impact fee analysis projects,” Zenner said in his report.

He said the firm has worked with municipalities, counties and special districts in 22 different states.

Zenner said DTA’s submittal said the project would take about 26 weeks, which would mean “the report being presented in either November of December barring any setbacks.”

The five districts will share the cost of the study. The village will be responsible for 48.46% – or $17,687 – of the cost and the school district will be responsible for 38% – or $13,877 – of the cost, with the remaining amount divided among the other three districts in the group.

Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.