A. If the North Thurston School District for which the impact fee is being charged believes in good faith that none of the fee categories or fee amounts set forth in the city’s impact fee schedule accurately describe or capture the impacts of a new development on schools, the district may conduct independent fee calculations and submit such calculations to the director. The director may impose alternative fees on a specific development based on the calculations of the school district, or may impose alternative fees based on the calculations of the department. The alternative fees and the calculations shall be set forth in writing and shall be mailed to the applicant.

B. An applicant may elect to prepare and submit an independent fee calculation for the development activity for which a building permit is sought. The applicant must make the election between fees calculated under the city’s impact fee schedule and an independent fee calculation prior to issuance of the building permit for the development. If the applicant elects to prepare his/her own independent fee calculation, the applicant must submit documentation showing the basis upon which the independent calculation was made. An independent fee calculation shall use the same methodology used to establish the district’s fee schedule for the school district.

C. While there is a presumption that the calculations set forth in the city’s impact fee schedule based on school calculations are valid, the director shall consider the documentation submitted by the applicant but is not required to accept such documentation or analysis which the director reasonably deems to be inapplicable, inaccurate, incomplete, or not reliable, and may modify or deny the request, or, in the alternative, require the applicant to submit additional or different documentation for consideration. The director is authorized to adjust the impact fees on a case by case basis based on the independent fee calculation and the specific characteristics of the development. The director’s decision shall be set forth in writing and shall be mailed to the feepayer. (Ord. 1507 §7 (part), 2017).