Wake Forest, known for its quaint charm and ever-expanding residential areas, is once again at the intersection of growth and urban planning. The Town of Wake Forest is poised to hold a public hearing on proposed impact fees for parks and recreation as part of its initiative to keep up with the community's development.
The 2024 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update, aptly dubbed Play It Forward Wake Forest, proposes adjusting the current recreation impact fees that developers pay to offset the cost of infrastructure improvements needed due to new development. The consultant firm Benesch has conducted a study suggesting that an increase is justified. The town, operating under local legislation granted in 1989, has adjusted these fees in the past, but with new developments continuing to sprout, the current fee system is due for another evaluation and potential upgrade.
Impact fees are not a new concept for Wake Forest, with the last fee schedule update in 2018, and they have been instrumental in the creation and upgrading of amenities like Flaherty Park Field and future park spaces. The improvements are tangible, financed by fees that help ensure that growing neighborhoods come with the parks and recreation facilities families crave.
Detailed findings of the Benesch study were presented to the Board of Commissioners (BOC) on September 3 and to the Planning Board the following day. The BOC, during its work session, reached a consensus to progressively implement the Parks & Rec impact fees on an annual basis, starting at 70% of the calculated fee in 2025, and eventually reaching 90% by 2027. This step-by-step increase is touted to ensure a balanced financial approach while addressing the imminent capital needs brought on by growth.
For those who want to join the discussion or observe the civic process, the public hearing is scheduled for tonight at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall Board Chambers. Citizens intending to speak must complete the required "Board of Commissioners – Sign Up to Speak Form" by 3 p.m., as mentioned in the official announcement. The town will make a final decision—whether to approve or adjust the fee recommendations—during the October 15, 2024, BOC meeting.
