Durham County Fees To Impact Builders, Benefit Schools

County commissioners voted 4-1 Monday night to charge developers a one-time impact fee to help pay for school construction.

Builders will pay $2,000 for single-family homes and $1,155 for other residential structures. Supporters said the impact fee was the best way to provide for the growth in the county without raising taxes.

A group made up of homebuilders and realtors who oppose the measure argue that the fees will cause a $2,500 increase in the price of a new house. Based on that increase, the group said the fees would mean 120 new homes would not be built and hundreds of jobs would be lost.

The opponents said the fees will unfairly target new homebuyers and would be passed on to consumers. The group has vowed to file a lawsuit.