Madison Area Builders Association

Government Issues

Land Use

The Madison Area Builders Association's position on land use:
Growth should occur in a manner that ensures the highest and best use for an adequate supply of developable land in a manner which promotes diversity and affordability of housing, and the dream of homeownership, while preserving the local quality of life.

MABA's Land Use Goals:

Maintain a quality of life with growth by providing for people's needs and giving them a choice of where they want to live.
To ensure an adequate supply of developable land to meet the housing needs created by growth.
Ensure quality housing in Dane County in the most affordable manner possible.
Develop positive incentives to promote housing development within planned growth areas.
Promote homeownership.

Impact Fees

Background

Impact fees are a fairly recent phenomenon in Wisconsin; these fees can significantly impact housing affordability.

Impact fees are fees charged by a municipality to a developer or builder in order to generate revenue for funding capital improvements. In the Spring of 1994, Wisconsin state statute section 66.55 was created by the state legislature to specify the process for implementing impact fees. The statute also includes language that details how municipalities must identify the correlation between the service provided and the amount charged. State statute section 66.55 is quite clear in defining the types of capital improvements for which municipalities can charge impact fees. The Wisconsin Builders Association and the Madison Area Builders Association supported the enactment of this statute.

MABA Impact Fee Statement:

The Madison Area Builders Association (MABA) is committed to be a proactive force in the area of impact fees and, where appropriate, work to lower or eliminate proposed or enacted impact fees throughout the jurisdictions in which MABA members do business.