As of December 15, 2016, per Resolution 16-454, on and after January 1, 2020, property in the unincorporated area of the county that receives a Land Use Approval either in a public hearing or administratively, is subject to the payment of Road Impact Fees.
Land Use Approval Definition: an approval or permit issued for a new use or structure on a parcel of property in unincorporated El Paso County that generates new trips for such parcel; examples include building permits, access permits, site plans, site development plans, special use approvals and variance of use approvals.
What is The Road Impact Fee Program?
This program fairly allocates the impact of new development on roads. The Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs (HBA) and other stakeholders supported the establishment of a County-wide fee system and worked with the County to create this program. New development in unincorporated El Paso County has been subject to a County-wide Road Impact Fee since March 1, 2010.
The Road Impact Fee Program is implemented based on two documents. The Road Impact Fee Implementation Document (PDF) addresses how the program is run and serves as the “how to” document. The Road Impact Fee Study (PDF) explains how costs were determined, and which roads are eligible for potential credit.
Who pays the fee?
Property in the unincorporated area of the county that receives a Land Use Approval either in a public hearing or administratively, is subject to the payment of Road Impact Fees. After December 31, 2024, the fee is paid for new residential and non-residential uses and structures and expansions of non-residential uses and structures.
Land Use Approval: an approval, building permit or other permit issued for a new use, new structure, or expansion of an existing use or structure (not to include expansion of single-family detached homes) on a parcel of property in unincorporated El Paso County that generates new trips for such parcel; examples include but are not limited to building permits, access permits, driveway permits, site plans, site development plans, special use approvals, and variance of use approvals.
Single-Family-Detached or Multi-Family residential Final Plats submitted on or after January 1, 2025
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- The Developer may elect to pay the Road Impact Fees prior to recording the Final Plat,
- May place the entire plat into one of the two Public Improvement Districts,
- Or defer payment until the time of subsequent Land Use Approval, often at building permit.
Fees for other land uses:
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- Commercial buildings fees are triggered at Building Permit for new or expanding uses.
- School fees will likely be triggered by a stormwater permit or access permit.
What doesn’t generate new trips and does not need to pay the Road Impact Fee?
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- Window replacement, hot water heater installation, remodeling an existing home, building a deck or garage on an existing home, etc.
- Temporary Uses as defined in the El Paso County Land Development Code.
- Those permits issued to reestablish a use or rebuild a structure that was destroyed or demolished and that legally existed at the time of such destruction or demolition.
How is the Fee Calculated?
As of January 2025, the fee is $421.46 per trip. The fee may change when the Major Transportation Corridor Plan (MTCP) is updated, when unit costs are updated, or when road improvements are added or deleted from the program.
The County formed two Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) as options to defray the upfront cost of the impact fee. The PID will collect taxes that will be used to pay for a portion of the Road Impact Fee. Developers will have the option of joining a PID at the time of residential final plat. Developers may choose to pay a smaller upfront fee and enter the 10 mill PID, a larger upfront fee and enter the 5 mill PID, or may pay the full fee and not have a mill levy placed on the property (meaning that this property is not included in a public improvement district). See the table above for the fee amount paid at building permit.
Road Impact Fee Credits
Any person or entity that is subject to the fee may apply for credit for any construction of or dedication of land accepted and received by El Paso County for any Eligible Improvement based on unit costs. To create credits, prior to initiation of construction or dedication of right-of-way, the developer will enter into a credit agreement with the County. Credits may be eligible for reimbursement from funds in the Impact Fee Account. Developers shall not be eligible for impact fee credits for improvements for which they are being reimbursed by some other entity or funding source.
Credits may also be utilized, at the credit holder’s discretion, to offset future impact fees that would otherwise be due. A Credit Use Authorization Form must be filled out and signed before credits may be used at building permit time. To transfer credits, a completed and signed Credit Transfer Request Form is needed. Credits may also be sold or transferred to another entity.
How are credits obtained and used?
Credit use and obtaining credits are guided by procedures in the Road Impact Fee Implementation Document (PDF). Any entity that contributes to or builds an Eligible Improvement can apply for credit. For more information see the Implementation Document Section E – Credits and Reimbursements.
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- Before a contribution to or building an eligible improvement, a credit agreement must be signed.
- Credit is calculated by first determining the value of the Eligible Improvement constructed using those same standardized unit costs that were used to calculate the Road Improvement Fee. Credit is not given for the entire actual cost of construction.
- Credits may be used to offset future fee obligations, may be reimbursed from available fee funds, or may be transferred to another entity. A valid and signed credit use form, or credit transfer form is required for these actions.
