New Impact Fees in Forsyth Add Up

ATLANTA-They’re only pennies per sf but they are adding up to big chunks of change for Forsyth County’s newly installed impact fee system on building permits for residential and commercial projects, county planning officials confirm for GlobeSt.com.

Fees on residential projects began Jan. 1; fees on commercial jobs started Feb. 1. The fees are 52 cents per sf for residential; 22 cents per sf for retail and commercial; nine cents per sf for office; and five cents per sf for industrial. The county uses the money to fund the operations of parks, libraries and the public safety program, but not for capital expenditures in the Sheriff’s Department, planning department staffers tell GlobeSt.com. The county had earlier considered using some of the impact fee revenue to fund a new jail.