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County pursues fees admendment

Habitat for Humanity waiver was turned down

After having to deny an impact fee waiver for Habitat for Humanity earlier this month, the county is pursuing an amendment to allow the waiver for projects that benefit the comunity.

Habitat for Humanity of Carroll County, Inc. (HFHCC) broke ground on its second home in the county tuesday. In addition to the $35,000 cost of the lot on Union Stret in Westminster, the organization also faced about $22,000 in fees from the county and city, said Marcia Weller, executive director of HFHCC.

While Westminster was able to waive the majority of its fees, the county was unable to waive an impact fee of about $7,000 because there are no provisions in the code to allow for it.

"They waived what they could," Weller said.

A few hours after the groundbreaking, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners moved forward with an ordinance to alow for the waiver. County Attorney Kimberly Millender said the earliest a public hearing could take place is after Thanksgiving.

The proposed amendment would allow the commissioners to grant the waivers for projects owned by nonprofits and those that benefit the community, Millender said.

Waivers could also be granted for affordable and workforce housing under the proposed amendment.

Ted Zaleski, budget and management director, said the ordinance ties in well with an element of the updated comprehensive plan, which addresses worforce housing.

"Solving that is a huge problem. This is one piece of trying to make some of that happen," he said.

The commissioners said that while they support the measure, they want to ensure it isn't abused. Millender said the county has tracked projects that received waivers in the past. Research is also being done to see how other counties have grnted waivers, Zaleski said.

HFHCC receives money through donations by residents and businesses, Weller said.

"To take that precious money to pay all the fees inhibits us from buying more land and building more homes," she said. Weller said the waiver would help the organization to do more in the community.

She said she understood the argument against allowing for the waiver and the need for nonprofits and community organizations to be responsible to the community.

"We want to do our part. We do that through our mission," she said. "We help the community the best way we can and use the money given to us in the best possible way."

The county will advertise the public hearing at least two weeks prior, Millender said.