Who we are:

• David Papineau, PE, SE: President - Board Member as of June 12, 2025

• Timothy J. Thieme, CPA: Vice President - Board Member as of June 12, 2025

• Brian Russell, Broker: Board Member as of June 12, 2025

What we do:

The City of West Lafayette established the West Lafayette Parks Impact Fees Board following the adoption of its impact fee ordinance. This board consists of three citizen members, each appointed by the City’s executive authority. To ensure a balanced and qualified membership, each appointee must meet specific professional criteria:

• Licensed real estate broker in Indiana
• Licensed engineer in Indiana
• Certified public accountant (CPA)

Members of the Parks Impact Fee Review Board cannot be part of the City’s plan commission, ensuring the board’s independence. In cases where a member faces a conflict of interest, the ordinance specifies the procedure for appointing a temporary replacement. The primary role of the Impact Fee Review Board is to hear appeals regarding the amount of an impact fee assessed, as well as to address any issues related to refunds or credits connected to impact fees. 

Board Procedures:

1. Set a reasonable time for appeal hearings.

2. Allow parties to present evidence (in person, by agent, or attorney).

3. Prohibit any pre-hearing influence attempts.

4. Decide to reverse, affirm, or modify the fee, refund, or credit—holding the same authority as the original official who made the decision.

5. Decide during or at the end of the hearing.

6. Provide the decision in writing to both the unit and the fee payer within five days.

7. Include written findings of fact supporting the decision.

Suggested Resources for the Impact Fee Review Board:

1. Copies of the Impact Fee Ordinance and related Study

2. Copies of the IC #36-7-4-1300

3. Have a working knowledge of the City’s Impact Fee Ordinance and the

4. Creation of an Appeal Formwork (model after that used by the Board of Zoning Appeals– BZA) that could include the following components:

a. The Petitioner’s Appeal Request

b. Calculated summary of the determined Impact Fee following the ordinance