BUSD approves Level 2 developer fees

The Bonsall Unified School District (BUSD) has been declared eligible for Level 2 fees, and on May 12 the BUSD board voted 4-0 with Timothy Coen absent to approve Level 2 fees.

The California Education Code authorizes school districts to collect developer fees if a supporting document justifies that fee. Any school district may levy Level 1 fees on residential and commercial development, and if the State Allocation Board determines that a district is eligible for Level 2 fees, that higher fee can be applied to residential development.

"We have to come up with the cost of the buildings to house the kids who come out of the houses," said BUSD superintendent Justin Cunningham.

The Bonsall district had been collecting Level 1 fees of $3.36 per square foot for residential development and $0.54 per square foot for commercial development. The adoption of Level 2 fees changes the residential development fee to $4.80 per square foot.

Although Level 2 fees cannot be levied upon commercial development, the state periodically allows for an increase in the maximum fee and the BUSD action also increased the fee for commercial development to the new maximum of $0.56 per square foot. The maximum Level 1 fee for residential development was increased to $3.48 per square foot.