Brevard County commissioners unanimously approved an impact fee study on July 21, one which, if approved, would mean higher fees on new development to fund local government services.
The proposed rates will charge developers up to 47% more to pay for fire rescue, corrections, transportation, emergency medical services, libraries and solid waste, set at the maximum level allowed under Florida law.
Any increase above 25% will phase in over four years in equal annual steps, while smaller increases up to 25% will phase in over two years.
The combined impact fee for a single-family detached home woud rise from $4,741.56 to $6,981.93, a 47% increase. The state of Florida has a statutory cap of 50% on how much the county can raise the fees.
Once the county approves the current plan, it will need to come back before the Board of County Commissioners for a public debate and final vote.
“Once you’ve adopted the study, you have around four years to act on it, so you have some time,” said Billy Prasad, county planning and development director.
Prasad said the county’s current rates were established more than 25 years ago and said the county “meets all requirements to justify” raising impact fees well above the state’s cap.
Commissioner Thad Altman said he has historically been against raising impact fees, but the current economic climate is different, especially with the prospect of a referendum-driven constitutional amendment that could see most property taxes eliminated.
“The incredible feedback from my constituents. The single greatest input I’ve received is about the level of congestion and development. I don’t think people are anti-development,” Altman said.
“But that has been a big impact on me.”
Tyler Vazquez is the Growth and Development Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Vazquez at 321-480-0854 or tvazquez@floridatoday.com. X: @tyler_vazquez.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: County commission OKs study targeting 47 percent impact fee hike
Reporting by Tyler Vazquez, Florida Today / Florida Today
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By Tyler Vazquez, Florida Today | USA TODAY Network
