Background

The Pierce County Council, in Resolution R2001-43s, requested that the Department of Public Works and Utilities work with Planning and Land Services to develop a traffic impact fee (TIF) program and related regulations. On October 3, 2006, the Council passed Ordinance 2006-60s, which authorizes the County to charge traffic impact fees for land development actions. The companion Ordinance 2006-61s, which revises the site-specific roadway requirements for land developers, was also passed by Council on October 3, 2006. The effective date of both ordinances is January 1, 2007.

On this page:

• What are Impact Fees?
• Traffic Impact Fee Documents
• Traffic Impact Fee Calculator
• Contacts for More Information
  

Impact fees are charges on new development to pay for capital improvements (such as parks, schools, roads, etc.) that are needed due to the new development.

Traffic impact fees are collected to improve the transportation system to accommodate the higher travel demand added by new development.

The Revised Code of Washington (RCW 82.02.050) defines traffic impact fee programs as intended to:

• ensure that adequate facilities are available to serve new growth;
• establish standards by which new growth and development pay a proportionate share of the cost of new facilities needed to serve new growth and development;
• and ensure that impact fees are imposed through established procedures and criteria so that specific developments do not pay arbitrary fees or duplicative fees for the same impact.

Documents require the Adobe Acrobat reader.

• TIF Ordinance and Rate Study Final.pdf (1.24 MB)
  This file contains Ordinance 2006-60s and associated exhibits including the TIF Rate Study. The Rate Study (Exhibit B) is the core technical document of the TIF program and describes each step of the process that was used to arrive at the fees.
  
  
• TIF Rate Study Maps
  These files contain the 11x17 color maps that are part of the Rate Study.
  
  Map 2-1 Roads with Deficient Segments (607 KB)
  Map 2-2 Road Improvements needed by 2025 (788 KB)
  Map 2-3 Intersection Improvements needed by 2025 (874 KB)
  Map 3-1 Transportation Service Areas (1.4 MB)
  
  
• Unsignalized Intersections-2006-60s Final Exhibit Table 2-8.pdf (49 KB)
  This file contains Table 2-8 of the Rate Study. This 11x17 table provides detailed data pertaining to the unsignalized intersections that are proposed for improvement as part of the TIF program.
  
  
• Road Project List-2006-60s Final Exhibit Table D-1.pdf (106 KB)
  This file contains Table D-1 of the Rate Study. This 11x17 table lists all roadway improvements that are part of the TIF program, along with cost estimates and expected revenue sources.
  
  
• 17B Development Revisions Final.pdf (105 KB)
  This file contains Ordinance 2006-61s and associated revisions to Chapter 17B.30 of the Pierce County Code, which currently deals with Road Construction Standards. Both the Ordinance language and revisions to the Chapter 17B are contained in the file. Specifically, the revisions to Chapter 17B.30 address the requirements of land developers to improve offsite public roads, the requirements for a Traffic Impact Analysis, and provisions for road connectivity within and around a development.
  
  
• TIF Bulletins
  These files contain bulletins that are available at the Pierce County Planning and Land Services Development Center to aid in providing customers with an overview of the Traffic Impact Fee Program for various types of projects.
  
  A guide to traffic impact fees for single-family residential applications (153 KB)
  A guide to traffic impact fees for residential plats (2,659 KB)
  A guide to traffic impact fees for commercial applications (3,116 KB)
  
  
• Forms
  These files contain forms that are used in the administration of the Traffic Impact Fee Program. Hard copies of these forms are available at the Pierce County Planning and Land Services Development Center.
  
  Traffic Impact Fee Payment Under Protest Form (35 KB)
  Request for Refund Form (9 KB)
  Appeal of a Determination of an Administrative Official or the Responsible County Official Form (13 KB)
  

The TIF Calculator can be used to estimate the amount of traffic impact fees that will be required for various projects. This calculator has been provided for estimating purposes only. Actual TIF fee amounts will be calculated by Pierce County.

• TIF Calculator in MS Excel (946 KB)

For more information on a specific project, please contact your assigned Development Review Engineer.

All general questions regarding traffic impact fees may be directed to:

Rory Grindley, P.E./PTOE (Rory.Grindley@co.pierce.wa.us)
Pierce County Public Works and Utilities
Associate County Traffic Engineer
(253) 798-2275

Mitch Brells, P.E. (Mitch.Brells@co.pierce.wa.us)
Pierce County Planning and Land Services
Development Engineering Supervisor
(253) 798-3755