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Article 15 — Development Impact Fees, Chapter 15-2 — PUBLIC SAFETY DEVELOPMENT IMPACT FEES

current as of 2025-12-16verified current · checked 2026-08-24Officialofficial source ↗6 sections · full chapter

§ 15-2-1

Imposition of Public Safety Development Impact Fee

(a)Any person, who, after the effective date of this Article, seeks to develop land within the City of Gainesville, Georgia, by applying for a building permit, is hereby required to pay a public safety development impact fee in the manner and amount set forth in this Article.

(b)No new building permit for any activity requiring payment of a development impact fee pursuant to Section 15-2-2 of this Article shall be issued unless and until the public safety development impact fee hereby required has been paid.

§ 15-2-2

Computation of the Amount of Public Safety Development

Impact Fee At the option of the applicant, the amount of the public safety development impact fee may be determined by adding together the applicable police facility impact fee and the applicable fire protection facility impact fee from the following schedules.

Type and Unit of Development (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

NAICS

Code Police Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Fire Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

RESIDENTIAL

Per dwelling N/A $375.00 $685.00 INDUSTRIAL AND RELATED Construction company 23 $410.37 $749.60 Data processing 5182 $467.00 $853.04 General freight trucking 4841 $187.50 $342.49 Industrial, light -- $134.37 $245.45 Industrial, heavy -- $67.12 $122.61 Materials recovery facility 56292 $785.00 $1,433.91 Mini-warehouse -- $26.75 $48.86 Mining (acre) 21231 $8.75 $15.98 Nursery stock wholesaler (acre) 42493 $85.12 $155.49 Manufacturing 31-33 $215.00 $392.72 Petroleum bulk storage (acre) 4247 $303.00 $553.47 Research laboratory -- $467.00 $853.04 Septic tank services 562991 $441.62 $806.68 Solid waste collection 562111 $645.00 $1,178.18 Type and Unit of Development (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

NAICS

Code Police Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Fire Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Warehousing 4931 $187.50 $342.49 Wholesale trade 42 $134.37 $245.45 RETAIL TRADE AND SERVICES Amusement arcade 71312 $312.50 $570.82 Amusement park (acre) 713 $1,344.12 $2,455.22 Arena -- $672.00 $1,227.50 Art store 45392 $256.62 $468.76 Automobile, new car dealer 44111 $268.75 $490.90 Automobile, used car dealer 44112 $312.50 $570.82 Automotive repair/maintenance 8111 $516.25 $943.00 Automotive parts store 44131 $268.75 $490.90 Automobile rental and leasing 53211 $312.50 $570.82 Bank 52211 $537.50 $981.81 Baked goods store 445291 $312.50 $570.82 Bar, drinking place or tavern 7224 $386.25 $705.53 Beer, wine and liquor store 44531 $178.25 $325.59 Book store 4512 $312.50 $570.82 Bowling center 71395 $312.50 $570.82 Building materials store 4441 $80.50 $147.04 Car wash (principal use) 811192 $512.50 $936.15 Caterer 72232 $500.00 $913.32 Cemetery (acre) 81222 $10.75 $19.63 Clothing store 4481 $224.37 $409.85 Consumer lending 522291 $435.75 $795.95 Cosmetic or beauty supply store 44612 $237.12 $433.14 Day care center 6244 $336.00 $613.75 Department store 4521 $312.50 $570.82 Dry cleaning/laundry 8123 $312.50 $570.82 Electronics store 443142 $312.50 $570.82 Fitness center 71394 $312.50 $570.82 Type and Unit of Development (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

NAICS

Code Police Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Fire Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Florist 4531 $109.37 $199.78 Formal wear/ costume rental store 53222 $224.37 $409.85 Fuel dealer 45431 $280.37 $512.14 Funeral home 81221 $195.00 $356.19 Furniture or home furnishings store 442 $144.75 $264.40 Gasoline with convenience store 44711 $693.75 $1,267.23 Golf course/country club (acre) 71391 $33.62 $61.42 Hardware store 44413 $127.50 $232.89 Hobby, toy, game store 45112 $224.37 $409.85 Home improvement store 44411 $224.37 $409.85 Household appliance store 443141 $312.50 $570.82 Insurance carrier 5241 $537.50 $981.81 Janitorial service 56172 $529.37 $966.97 Jewelry store 44831 $312.50 $570.82 Landscaping services 56173 $145.00 $264.86 Linen or uniform supply 81233 $185.37 $338.61 Lodging (hotel or motel, including extended stay (per guest room) 72111 $107.50 $196.36 Lodging, bed and breakfast inn (per guest room) 721191 $53.75 $98.18 Marina 71393 $500.00 $913.32 Merchandise (general) store 4529 $312.50 $570.82 Merchandise (used) store 4533 $224.37 $409.85 Mobile food service (per vehicle) 72233 $443.75 $810.57 Movie Theater 71111 $201.62 $368.29 Museum 71211 $156.25 $285.41 Musical instrument store 45114 $224.37 $409.85 Nursery, garden, farm supply store 44420 $145.00 $264.86 Office, general -- $403.12 $736.36 Office, medical or dental -- $436.87 $798.01 Office supply store 4532 $312.50 $570.82 Type and Unit of Development (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

NAICS

Code Police Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Fire Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Optical goods store 44613 $312.50 $570.82 Paint or wallpaper store 44412 $176.62 $322.63 Personal care service 8121 $390.75 $713.75 Pet care (excludes veterinary) 81291 $462.50 $844.82 Pet/pet supply store 45391 $168.75 $310.30 Pharmacy or drug store 44611 $224.37 $409.85 Recreational vehicle dealer 44121 $224.37 $409.85 Recreational vehicle park or campground (per camp site) 7212 $9.37 $17.12 Rental center 53231 $312.50 $570.82 Restaurant 7225 $693.75 $1,267.23 Securities brokerage 52312 $462.50 $844.82 Shoe store 44821 $224.37 $409.85 Specialty food store 4452 $312.50 $570.82 Supermarket/ grocery 44511 $224.37 $409.85 Sporting goods store 45111 $224.37 $409.85 Tennis or racquet club (principal) (court) -- $32.25 $58.90 Tire store 44132 $224.37 $409.85 Tobacco/vape store 453991 $312.50 $570.82 Veterinary or animal hospital 54194 $379.62 $693.43 Video rental 53223 $265.62 $484.05 TRANSPORTATION & COMMUNICATION Ambulance services 62191 $518.75 $947.56 Courier or express delivery 4921 $318.75 $582.24 Limousine service 48532 $370.00 $675.85 Motor vehicle towing 48841 $518.75 $947.56 Newspaper publisher 51111 $267.50 $490.22 Parking lot/garage (acre) 81293 $896.25 $1,637.58 Radio/TV broadcasting 5151 $160.75 $292.26 Sound recording studio 51224 $105.00 $191.79 Taxi service 48531 $518.75 $947.56 Type and Unit of Development (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

NAICS

Code Police Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Fire Impact Fee (per 1,000 square feet except as noted)

Wireless telecommunication carrier 51721 $312.50 $570.82 INSTITUTIONAL Church/religious organization 8131 $67.12 $122.61 Civic or social organization 8134 $134.37 $245.45 Crisis center 6242 $351.50 $641.60 Hospital 622 $436.87 $798.01 Nursing home/ assisted living 623 $634.37 $1,158.77 Recreational community center -- $268.75 $490.90 School, general education 61111 $134.37 $245.45 School, business 6114 $312.50 $570.82 School, technical/trade 6115 $218.75 $399.57 School, cosmetology/barber 611511 $312.50 $570.82 School, fine arts 61161 $312.50 $570.82 Rooming or boarding house 7213 $721.25 $1,317.46

(a)If a building permit is requested for mixed uses, then the fee shall be determined through using the above schedules by apportioning the space committed to uses specified on the schedules.

(b)If the type of development activity that a building permit is applied for is not specified on the above fee schedules, the Impact Fee Administrator shall use the fee applicable to the most nearly comparable type of land use on the above fee schedules.

(1)The Impact Fee Administrator shall be guided in the selection of a comparable type by the City of Gainesville Comprehensive Plan, supporting documents of the City of Gainesville Comprehensive Plan, and this Unified Land Development Code.

If the Impact Fee Administrator determines that there is no comparable type of land use provided in the above fee schedules, then the Impact Fee Administrator shall determine the appropriate fee by considering demographic or other documentation which is available from the City of Gainesville Community and Economic Development Department, and state and regional authorities.

(c)In the case of change of use, redevelopment, or expansion or modification of an existing use which requires the issuance of a building permit, the development impact fee shall be based upon the net positive increase in the development impact fee for the new use as compared to the previous use. The Impact Fee Administrator shall be guided in this determination by the sources listed in subsection (b) above.

§ 15-2-3

Public Safety Service Area Established

There is hereby established one Public Safety Service Area which shall be the entirety of the incorporated area of the City of Gainesville.

§ 15-2-4

Public Safety Development Impact Fee Trust Funds

Established

(a)There is hereby established one Police Facility Development Impact Fee Trust Fund and one Fire Protection Facility Development Impact Fee Trust Fund, which shall be an interest bearing account, for the Public Safety Service Area established in Section 15-2-3 of this Chapter.

(b)All public safety development impact fees collected shall be promptly deposited in the appropriate Public Safety Development Impact Fee Trust Funds, i.e., the Police Facility Development Impact Fee Trust Fund and the Fire Protection Facility Development Impact Fee Trust Fund and maintained there, including interest thereon, until withdrawn pursuant to this Article.

(c)Funds withdrawn from these accounts must be used in accordance with the provisions of Section 15-2-5 of this Chapter.

§ 15-2-5

Use of Funds

(a)Funds deposited in the Police Facility Development Impact Fee Trust Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of acquiring, equipping, and/or making capital improvements to police protection facilities under the jurisdiction of the City of Gainesville, Hall County, or the State of Georgia, and related expenses as permitted by the Georgia Development Impact Fee Act, and shall not be used for maintenance or operations.

(b)Funds deposited in the Fire Protection Facility Development Impact Fee Trust Fund shall be used solely for the purpose of acquiring, equipping, and/or making capital improvements to fire protection facilities under the jurisdiction of the City of Gainesville, Hall County, or the State of Georgia, and related expenses as permitted by the Georgia Development Impact Fee Act, and shall not be used for maintenance or operations.

(c)In the event that bonds or similar debt instruments are issued for advanced provision of capital facilities for which public safety development impact fees may be expended, development impact fees may be used to pay debt service on such bonds or similar debt instruments to the extent that the facilities provided are of the type described in subsection (a) and (b) above.

(d)In the event a developer enters into an agreement with the City to construct, fund or contribute system improvements such that the amount of the credit created by such construction, funding or contribution is in excess of the development impact fee otherwise due, the developer shall be reimbursed for such excess construction funding or contribution from development impact fees paid by other development located in the service area which is benefited by such improvements.

(e)Funds may be used to provide refunds as described in Section 15-1-12 of this Article.

(f)Funds shall be considered expended on a first in, first out basis.

§ 15-2-6

Credits

Public safety land and/or capital improvements may be offered by the applicant as total or partial payment of the required development impact fee. The applicant must request a public safety development impact fee credit. If the Impact Fee Administrator accepts such an offer, the credit shall be determined and provided in the manner described in Section 15-1-14 of this Article.

IMPACT FEES