Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-64
Section 10503-A - Grant of power(a) The governing body of each municipality other than a county, in accordance with the conditions and procedures set forth in this act, may enact, amend and repeal impact fee ordinances and, thereafter, may establish, at the time of municipal approval of any new development or subdivision, the amount of an impact fee for any of the offsite public transportation capital improvements authorized by this act as a condition precedent to final plat approval under the municipality's subdivision and land development ordinance. Every ordinance adopted pursuant to this act shall include, but not be limited to, provisions for the following:(1) The conditions and standards for the determination and imposition of impact fees consistent with the provisions of this act.(2) The agency, body or office within the municipality which shall administer the collection, disbursement and accounting of impact fees.(3) The time, method and procedure for the payment of impact fees.(4) The procedure for issuance of any credit against or reimbursement of impact fees which an applicant may be entitled to receive consistent with the provisions of this act.(5) Exemptions or credits which the municipality may choose to adopt. In this regard the municipality shall have the power to:(i) Provide a credit of up to 100% of the applicable impact fees for all new development and growth which constitutes affordable housing to low- and moderate-income persons.(ii) Provide a credit of up to 100% of the applicable impact fees for growth which are determined by the municipality to serve an overriding public interest.(iii) Exempt de minimus applications from impact fee requirements. If such a policy is adopted, the definition of de minimus shall be contained in the ordinance.(b) No municipality shall have the power to require as a condition for approval of a land development or subdivision application the construction, dedication or payment of any offsite improvements or capital expenditures of any nature whatsoever or impose any contribution in lieu thereof, exaction fee, or any connection, tapping or similar fee except as may be specifically authorized under this act.(c) No municipality may levy an impact fee prior to the enactment of a municipal impact fee ordinance adopted in accordance with the procedures set forth in this act, except as may be specifically authorized by the provisions of this act. A transportation impact fee shall be imposed by a municipality within a service area or areas only where such fees have been determined and imposed pursuant to the standards, provisions and procedures set forth herein.(d) Impact fees may be used for those costs incurred for improvements designated in the transportation capital improvement program which are attributable to new development, including the acquisition of land and rights-of-way; engineering, legal and planning costs; and all other costs which are directly related to road improvements within the service area or areas, including debt service. Impact fees shall not be imposed or used for costs associated with any of the following: (1) Construction, acquisition or expansion of municipal facilities other than capital improvements identified in the transportation capital improvements plan required by this act.(2) Repair, operation or maintenance of existing or new capital improvements.(3) Upgrading, updating, expanding or replacing existing capital improvements to serve existing developments in order to meet stricter safety, efficiency, environmental or regulatory standards not attributable to new development.(4) Upgrading, updating, expanding or replacing existing capital improvements to remedy deficiencies in service to existing development or fund deficiencies in existing municipal capital improvements resulting from a lack of adequate municipal funding over the years for maintenance or capital construction costs.(5) Preparing and developing the land use assumptions, roadway sufficiency analysis and transportation capital improvement plan, except that impact fees may be used for no more than a proportionate amount of the cost of professional consultants incurred in preparing a roadway sufficiency analysis of infrastructure within a specified transportation service area, such allowable proportion to be calculated by dividing the total costs of all road improvements in the adopted transportation capital improvement program within the transportation service area attributable to projected future development within the service area, as defined in section 504-A(e)(1)(iii), by the total costs of all road improvements in the adopted transportation capital improvement program within the specific transportation service area, as defined insection 504-A.(e) Nothing in this act shall be deemed to alter or affect a municipality's existing power to require an applicant for municipal approval of any new development or subdivision from paying for the installation of onsite improvements as provided for in a municipality's subdivision and land development ordinance as authorized by this act.(f) No municipality may delay or deny any application for building permit, certificate-of-occupancy, development or any other approval or permit required for construction, land development, subdivision or occupancy for the reason that any project of an approved capital improvement program has not been completed.(g) A municipality which has enacted an impact fee ordinance on or before June 1, 1990, may for a period not to exceed one year from the effective date of this article, adopt an impact fee ordinance to conform with the standards and procedures set forth in this article. Where a fee previously imposed pursuant to an ordinance in effect on June 1, 1990, for transportation improvements authorized by this article is greater than the recalculated fee due under the newly adopted ordinance, the individual who paid the fee is entitled to a refund of the difference. If the recalculated fee is greater than the previously paid fee, there shall be no additional charge.(h) The powers provided by this section may be exercised by two or more municipalities, other than counties, which have adopted a joint municipal comprehensive plan pursuant to Article XI through a joint municipal authority, subject to the conditions and procedures set forth in this Article.1968, July 31, P.L. 805, No. 247, art. V-A, § 503-A, added 1990, Dec. 19, P.L. 1343, No. 209, § 1, imd. effective. Amended 2000, June 23, P.L. 495, No. 68, § 12, effective in 60 days.