TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to conduct a nexus study as provided for in the Mitigation Fee Act to begin the process of implementing a public safety impact fee for new development in the City.
DISCUSSION
Long Beach's public safety resources are already overburdened to meet the
current needs of our City.
The City is already well below the national average of police officers per capita.
Long Beach currently has 1.9 officers per 1,000 residents, compared to the
national average of 2.5, or even Los Angeles, which has 2.4 officers per 1,000.
New commercial and residential developments increase the demands on our
police and fire services. The City must take a responsible approach to ensure
that the public safety costs are covered by the new developments.
Jurisdictions throughout, California have enacted impact fees to offset new
development impacts on public safety. Based on a March 2004 survey, there are
eleven jurisdictions in California with public safety impact fees. Others are
currently in the process of preparing "nexus" studies to support public safety
impact fees.
Impact fees are regulated by state law known as the "Mitigation Fee Act". Prior
to adopting an impact fee, a study must be prepared demonstrating a "nexus" or
reasonable connection between the fee amount and the impact the new
development will have. According to staff, this type of nexus study takes
approximately 4-6 months to prepare.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
[Timing Considerations]
FISCAL IMPACT
[Fiscal Impact]
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
[Respectfully Submitted,]