Developers’ Fees

Your story on the Coastal Transportation Corridor Specific Plan (May 23) leaves the impression that the amendments I propose would allow developers to escape payment of fees by building the roads themselves, providing transit and/or reducing trips. In fact, the existing ordinance has provided for these alternatives to fee payment since 1985; the amendments would tighten up the definitions and make it more difficult for developers to avoid their obligations to improve regional circulation, while also increasing the fees by some 250%.

Developers are not escaping a thing if they build qualifying roads and lanes instead of putting the money into a fund so the city itself can, someday, maybe, get around to building those same improvements. The existing ordinance and the proposed amendments both recognize that circulation improvements actually built do more to move traffic than a fund sitting in the bank.

RUTH GALANTER

Councilwoman, 6th District