WESTMINSTER : School Board Votes 4-1 for 4% Fee Hikes

The Westminster School District has approved a 4% increase in residential, commercial and industrial development fees.

The board approved the increase on a 4-1 vote without comment at its regular meeting last week. Trustees Sheryl Neugebauer, Ron Morgan, Kathy Stirling Iverson and Nancy Blumenthal voted in favor of the increase. Margie Rice opposed it.

Under the new schedule, designed to adjust for inflation, residential development fees will increase from $1.65 to $1.72 per square foot. Fees for commercial and industrial development will increase from 27 cents to 28 cents, said George Acton, director of financial services.

Districts charge the fees to help provide classrooms and other school facilities for the students whose families move into the developed areas.

The district receives 61% of those charges. The rest goes to the Huntington Beach Union School District. Last year, Westminster School District collected about $47,000 in developer fees.