Increase for builders will depend on home type, size, business square footage.
Currently, about 40,365 people live in Plant City and over the past 14 years, the city has averaged a 1.3 percent growth rate and continue to attract more and more residents.
That population increase creates more demand on infrastructure needs across the city.
Monday at the regular meeting of the Plant City City Commission, commissioners unanimously approved five ordinances regarding city impact fees.
Impact fees are a mechanism that sets rates for new developments to pay for the capital costs associated with the growth they cause.
Those impact fees were for fire rescue, law enforcement, the library, parks and recreation and transportation. The impact fees will increase depending on the home type or business square footage. This will affect homebuilders and developers, especially where developments across the city continue to grow.
The additional fees for those builders will go into effect in July.
A study for the fees was updated between 2003 and 2010, according to the city. The city had an updated study completed to show changes in cost, credit and demand components.
During the Legislative Public Hearings at the meeting, Diane Reichard, city chief financial officer, presented the impact fee amending ordinances. She said the vote on the amending ordinances followed public workshops held Feb. 26 and March 11.
“I do feel like we need to increase fees to get caught up to where we should’ve been,” said City Attorney Kenneth Buchman.
Four of the ordinances were approved under “extraordinary circumstances,” with Mayor Nathan Kilton citing the length of time that had passed between impact fee increases. For example, transportation mobility fees were last increased in 2010.
“This is going to put us in a better position to make sure we’re taking care of the residents of this town,” said Commissioner and Vice-Mayor Mary Mathis.
The figures calculated in the city’s impact fee study show the level of impact-mobility fees the city could charge; however, the city commission can choose to discount the fees as a policy decision.
Plant City City Manager Bill McDaniel said Tuesday the process of updating the impact fees is necessary for the city to maintain the services the city provides.
All five ordinance amendments passed unanimously 5-0.
“Last night’s action was a very positive step for updating the impact fees and allowing the city to collect the necessary revenue for capital expenditures in the future,” he said.
In other City Commission action:
A resolution authorizing the city manager to contract with Target Inc. to replace the Plant City Police Department’s indoor shooting range was unanimously approved.
A resolution to approve an agreement for preliminary studies for the repair and replacement of Reynolds Street sewer main with Lakeland’s Killebrew Inc. was unanimously approved.
