Christ Church/FP-CS 901216 December 16, 1990 ,, , ' ~~
Mike Arthur, M. D.
Coppell Church of Christ
728 S. Coppell Rd.
Coppell, TX 75019
Mr. Gary Sieb
Director of Planning and Community Services
City of Coppell
Dear Sir:
I am writing to you for your consideration of the impact fees
being assessed against the Coppell Church of Christ. While I
esteem the concern the city has for the future of Coppell and the
resultant necessary tariffs that often must be imposed, I must
respectfully ask that you reconsider the amounts levied against
the church.
First, the interest the city officials have shown in trying to
maintain a well-rounded and goal-oriented plan for the growth of
our city is well known. Therefore, it seems the exorbitant fees
being required of the church are incompatible with that view.
Churches are well recognized as being community oriented and sta-
bilizing within a populace. Things seen in this perspective are
gen,erally ~encouraged in their development by visionary cities
like Coppell~. The newly approved fee schedules certainly cannot
be described as encouraging. Although there are many churches to
b~i:,~fo..~d, in town, only the smallest percentage of them currently
own i~n8 or a permanent place of worship. The fees currently
being_, quoted are assuredly not going to aid churches to find
roots in Coppell. While these charges may be fair and proper for
a ~.s!ness run for profit or one not particularly interested in
the,,~elfare of the town, I submit that they are neither fair nor
proper for churches since they inhibit and discourage their
estab/-ishment.
Secgndly, it seems as though these charges are very tariff-like.
While the word "tax" is one that has been avoided in connection
with these assessments, that is in essence what many of them
represent. Churches, as you are well aware, are exempt from
taxation. Why is that? It is so that their growth will not be
stifled. These charges are decidedly stifling.
Thirdly, a portion of these charges is regarded as "impact
fees." It is especially distressing that we should be burdened
with these charges since we will not be making any new impact on
the city. We already own property and a bulldinE in town and
have used it for years. We are simply movlnE from one location
to another and therefore are not oreatlnE any "impact" on the
City.
For the reasons outlined above I am askinE that you reconsider
the dollar amounts imposed on the Coppell Church of Christ as it
seeks to construct a new bulldinE more in keepinE with the .style
and Erowth of Coppell. In view of the fact that this is the
first time that a church has been considered with respect to the
new assessments, a precedent will be set with whatever decision
the city makes. I encouraEe the city and its promoters to do
the wisest thine available to them in this situation. I believe
that declslon is one that will not be constrictlnE or suppressive
to churches in our community. Therefore, I humbly request that
these surcharEes not be levied aEalnst the Coppell Church of
Christ.
Sincerely,
~lke arthur, ~. D.
cC: Mayor Wolfe
Councilman Cowman
Councilman Morton
Councilman Nelson
Councilman Robertson
Councilman Smotherman
Councilman Thomas
Councilman Weaver
Mr. Ratliff
Mr. Goram