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City Planning Department

Public Spaces

The Public Spaces Division develops, updates and administers policies, programs and plans that implement the General Plan, community plans, specific plans and other long-range planning documents, and identifies funding sources to assist in the financing of community-serving infrastructure such as mobility improvements, parks, recreation, libraries, and fire and police stations. Some of the specific programs under this section include City administration of development impact fees, reimbursement agreements, monitoring of development agreements and preparation of public facility plans and policies.

For more information, please see answers to Frequently Asked Questions.

Impact Fees

Development impact fees are assessed to implement the City’s General Plan, which contains policies related to the maintenance of an effective facilities financing program to ensure the impact of new development is mitigated through appropriate fees.

Development Impact Fee Plans

Development Impact Fee Plans (DIF Plans) are documents which identify a program of public facilities needed to serve communities comply with the General Plan and respective community plans. The City currently prepares two types of DIF Plans, each representative of a different impact fee methodology: Public Facilities Financing Plan and Impact Fee Study. DIF Plans may contain both detailed and general descriptions of planned facilities or public improvements by asset type. The DIF Plans serve as a vehicle to assess a fee that provides a valuable funding source for the City Capital Improvement Program to provide the public facilities described in both community plans and DIF Plans.

Development Impact Fee Plan Updates

Development Impact Fee Plans (DIF Plans) are updated periodically, typically in connection with community plan updates or community plan amendments. DIF Plan updates generally include four phases: initiation, analysis, review and approval.

Reports

The Public Spaces Division publishes several reports, including the Development Impact Fees Annual Report and quarterly financial summaries for each impact fee fund.

Reimbursement Agreement

The City enters into reimbursement agreements with developers or other parties for public infrastructure improvements.

Strategic Plan Priority Areas of Focus

This program focuses on the following priority areas of the Strategic Plan:

Create Homes for All of Us

Facilitates construction of homes and jobs in all communities, as well as the infrastructure needed to support them, while preserving the City's historical, cultural and natural resources.


Protect & Enrich Every Neighborhood

Ensures new development is consistent with adopted policies to protect and enrich communities.


Advance Mobility & Infrastructure

Ensures new development projects provide needed infrastructure through the direct delivery of the infrastructure or through the payment of Development Impact Fees.


Champion Sustainability

Results in development that is consistent with the City’s environmental regulations.


Foster Regional Prosperity

Facilitates new development which fosters regional prosperity.