MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Anyone planning to build a single family home in Martinsburg now has to show proof they’ve paid an impact fee to the county first.
The fee, which went into effect Nov. 1, tacks on $5,500 on each new single family home developed in the county, with smaller amounts assessed to new multi-family or mobile home units.
Martinsburg City Manager Andy Blake said it was a public policy decision by the Berkeley County Commission that the city is required to follow.
“Pursuant to their ordinance, in order to get a building permit now from the City of Martinsburg, applicants have to show proof of payment of the impact fee from the commission,” Blake said last week on WEPM’s Panhandle Live.
The impact fees are set to bring in funds for capital improvements and Blake said he hopes some of that money will stay in the city.
“Now when we did learn about this in the last couple of months we have made requests that some of the capital plans from parks and schools, we’ve asked for those capital plans to include at least some items in the city,” Blake said.
Martinsburg Mayor Kevin Knowles said previously on Panhandle Live the city was not part of the original conversation with the county but was eventually included.
“Martinsburg is part of the county but they’re not part of us,” he said. “Those conversations — at first there was no conversation because we were all under the under the idea that the city was not going to be included so we weren’t part of any of the discussions or conversations on how the money would be split up. Since then over the last couple of weeks, it’s been brought to their attention legally, that their legal counsel is giving them direction that the city needs to be included.”
According to the county’s ordinance, a single family newly developed home would bring in impact fees divided among the five service areas:
Public School Facilities would receive $1,095
Administrative Services would receive $1,012
Fire and Rescue Services would receive $1,300
Law Enforcement Facilities and Services would receive $372
Parks and Recreation would receive $1,721