The Link Between Impact Fees And Growth

The city of Tuscon, Arizona is considering adding new impact fees to cover the cost of municipal services, but the new fees might stymie growth and encourage sprawl.

1 minute read

April 16, 2007, 2:00 PM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"Should Burger King pay for a police car?"

That's what leaders in Tucson are asking as they consider raising fees.

"Impact fees in Tucson already cover some of the cost of new city services, including roads, water and public safety."

"However if the costs are too high, fees could stymie growth, said Rob Caylor, owner of Robert Caylor Construction Co. and a member of the city's Small Business Commission. Businesses might go elsewhere, like north to fast-growing Pinal County or to undeveloped rural areas."

"Caylor, who specializes in urban infill developments, said he recently built a Subway sandwich restaurant in Tucson, and his government fees totaled well over $10,000. He built the exact same building in Thatcher, 130 miles northeast of Tucson, and paid just $105 in fees."

Sunday, April 15, 2007 in Arizona Daily Star

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing

The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

5 hours ago - Strong Towns

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

6 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Green Skid Row mural satirizing city limit sign in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents

The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.

7 hours ago - Los Angeles Public Press