Chatham County’s land fee questioned | savannahnow.com

Chatham County is improperly levying its land disturbing fee, which is charged to mitigate potential soil erosion or other environmental issues, according to The Landings Club.

For months the county and club have been at odds over a portion of a land disturbing permit fee the club was assessed in renovating one of its exclusive golf courses.

The $19,500 at issue is part of a total of $28,180 in permit fees the club had to pay to replace asphalt with concrete on a golf cart path at its Oakridge Golf Course, designed by golf course architect Arthur Hill in the 1980s.

Paying the fee isn’t necessarily the issue for the club, a private membership-owned organization nestled between marshland on Skidaway Island. In fact, it paid similar fees in the past when it performed renovations on the rest of its six courses, dating back to 2001, said Chris Steigelman, director of golf maintenance.

This summer’s total renovation project at Oakridge, including irrigation work, cost the club $1.1 million. Replacing the 6.5-mile asphalt path with more stable concrete amounted to about $900,000.

Instead, the matter is one of principle to the club.

But it also raises larger questions about the power local governments have in setting fees for land disturbance, which primarily have been aimed at inspecting new residential developments. Little to no oversight of local government fees is provided, even though the state mandates the regulations.

Mike Vaquer, a lobbyist representing the club, told county commissioners in an Aug. 20 letter that the county has misrepresented its authority to levy land disturbing fees.

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