It's going to be a challenge to figure out who pays for what. But the founder of Crawford Homes Inc., one of the oldest building companies in Clay County, was clearly opposed to impact fees. J.D. Crawford said builders fill a need created by growth, but they do not cause growth. We don't call the people down here. We just build for them when they get here.
Growth pays for itself.
Others at the meeting expressed concern for small, local companies that don't have the financial resources available to them that the larger, national firms do. It wouldn't be fair to expect them all to pay the same amount in impact fees, they said. I'm concerned about the small guy vs. the big guy. McGovern said he hopes to have a plan adopted by November to provide future revenue for roadway improvements. Impact fees is only one idea being explored, he said, adding that the ultimate solution probably will be a combination of different revenue sources.