Costa Mesa is considering a traffic impact fee of $231 for each new average daily vehicle trip generated by new development. The documents read do not show the October 29 vote result.
What the city is deciding
Staff recommend accepting the annual development impact fee report and adopting a resolution continuing the citywide traffic fee. Development impact fees are payments developers make toward public facilities related to their projects. The annual report covers park, drainage, traffic and fire system fees.
Where and who it affects
The proposed traffic fee applies citywide to all new commercial, industrial and residential developments. Developers pay it. The money funds transportation improvements within Costa Mesa related to the additional traffic generated by development.
What it could mean for your property
The proposed $231 rate applies to each new average daily vehicle trip counted for a project. The documents read do not establish a total fee for any particular property.
The staff report calls the fee unchanged from the prior year, but a line in the draft resolution mentions a 2022 rate of $235, so the documents read do not settle whether the rate moved.
Staff propose a small cut in the automobile trips counted because of the city’s Active Transportation Plan. They also propose a further small cut for developments providing improvements beyond typical requirements. Examples include a multipurpose trail, upgraded bicycle facilities or enhanced pedestrian improvements near the project.
Up to one tenth of traffic fee money could go toward coordinating traffic signals. The draft places no limit on the amount allocated to active transportation projects.
Questions to ask before you buy or build
- How many new daily vehicle trips would the project generate?
- Would the project qualify for either proposed trip reduction?
- What total traffic impact fee would apply to the project?
What happens next
The hearing and vote are scheduled for October 29, 2026. The council may reject all or part of the annual report or modify the committee recommendation. An updated Traffic Impact Fee Nexus Study is planned for presentation to the council in early 2027.