
The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously ruled that fees governments issue — even those imposed by a legislature — must be based on actual adverse impacts. In other words, building permit fees, for example, can’t cost more than any damage the public would face from development. "Holding building permits hostage in exchange for excessive development fees is obviously extortion," said Paul Beard, the attorney who represented the plaintiff in the Supreme Court case. "We are thrilled that the Court agreed and put a stop to a blatant attempt to skirt...