Proposed fee could hit Campus for Jewish Life Proposed fee could hit Campus for Jewish Life (April 23, 2004)

Plan to go to City Council despite subcommittee deadlock

by Don Kazak

A proposed transportation impact fee for new developments could add $534,000 to an already hefty price tag for the long-awaited Campus for Jewish Life.

The proposal, which was brought before the City Council's Finance Committee Tuesday night, is designed to fund city road and transportation improvements. However, council members questioned if the fee's effects on nonprofit developments like the Campus for Jewish Life would be overly detrimental.

"I think that's a big deal," committee chair Judy Kleinberg said. "We will be relying on nonprofits more and more to provide services, particularly for seniors."

Kleinberg said she was especially alarmed that the Campus for Jewish Life will have to pay almost $2 million in various city impact fees -- including the $534,000 transportation impact fee should it come to fruition.

The city wants to encourage nonprofits "and yet we slap the organizations doing that for us with massive fees," she said. Kleinberg also wondered why new day care centers would be exempt from the transportation fee, but not senior centers.

Organizers for the Campus for Jewish Life have already set a $100 million fund-raising target for the project, which includes classes and activities for children to senior citizens as well as assisted- and independent-living units for seniors.

As currently proposed, the transportation impact fee would levy $2,293 per evening automobile trip generated by new development, including homes and businesses. The fee is expected to generate some $9 million over the next 21 years to help pay for the city's huge wish list of $119 million in road and transportation projects.

"I'm not sure this is ready for prime time," Kleinberg said before voting against the plan. "I really want to vote for something like this."

Committee member Dena Mossar joined Kleinberg in opposition, while members Hillary Freeman and Vic Ojakian voted to send it to the council. Ojakian, however, said his support was somewhat reluctant.

Ojakian said he realizes "there is some pain involved," but added he supported the fee because the city's road and transportation needs are great and federal and state funding is becoming more uncertain. "These (federal and state) funds are going to be very hard to get over the next several years," he said.

Freeman was the plan's lone enthusiastic supporter. "Somebody, at some point, has to pay for the impact of increased traffic," Freeman said.

The city's list of transportation and road projects through the year 2025 includes an estimated $38 million for a bicycle/pedestrian tunnel under the Caltrain tracks, $38.4 million for computerized traffic signals, and $27.4 million for more shuttle bus services as the big-ticket items.

The proposed transportation impact fee will likely go to the full council in June or July after staff tweaks it a bit.

Don Kazak can be e-mailed at dkazak@paweekly.com

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