What are school Developer Fees?
Effective January 1, 1987, Assembly Bill 2926, Section 17620 in the California Government Code, authorized school districts to levy school developer fees on new, remodels and additions for residential and commercial/industrial development projects.
- The legislation provides that no Building Permit may be issued until the school districts certify that any fees due have been paid. Education Code § 17620(b).
- School Developer Fees are a one-time fee that are not associated with and will not be added to your property taxes.
Why are these fees necessary?
- Additional development projects within the District, whether new residential, commercial/industrial construction, or reconstruction, will increase the need for reconstruction and upgrades of school facilities.
- Without the addition of new school facilities and/or reconstruction of present school facilities, any further residential and/or commercial/industrial development projects within the District will result in a significant decrease in the quality of education presently offered by the District.
- Substantial residential development and commercial/industrial development is projected within the district’s boundaries, and the enrollment it would produce will exceed the capacity of the schools within the District. As a result, conditions of overcrowding will exist and will impair the normal functioning of the district's educational programs.
What are the revenues collected for?
- School Developer Fees can only be spent on capacity-enhancing capital facilities.
How are fees calculated?
- Fees are calculated based on new or added square footage from the outside wall dimensions of assessable space.
What about ADU's?
- Accessory Dwelling Units, ADU's, have no exemption from school impact fees. ADU's fall under the same regulations as new/addition/remodeling projects. Projects 500 sq ft total or less are exempt from fees; over 500 sq ft must pay impact fees on the entire project.
Applications:
Old Adobe Unified School District Application
Petaluma City School Application
By Appointments Only
Developer Fee Applications will be processed by appointment only. Please email Mary Lou Ramirez at accountspayable@oldadobe.org to schedule an appointment.
Please have both forms completed, prior to making an appointment with two separate checks issued to Old Adobe USD, and Petaluma City Schools.
