Mitigation Fee Act: fees for improvements: timeline for expenditure.

Existing law, the Mitigation Fee Act, requires a local agency that establishes, increases, or imposes a fee as a condition of approval of a development project to, among other things, determine a reasonable relationship between the fee's use and the type of development project on which the fee is imposed. The Mitigation Fee Act also imposes additional requirements for fees imposed to provide for an improvement to be constructed to serve a development project, or which is a fee for public improvements, as specified, including that the fees be deposited in a separate capital facilities account or fund. This bill would require a local agency that requires a qualified applicant, as described, to deposit fees for improvements, as described, into an escrow account as a condition for receiving a conditional use permit or equivalent development permit to expend the fees within 5 years of the deposit. The bill would require any fees not expended within this period to be returned to the qualified applicant. By imposing new duties on local officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.