Manatee County Government
Manatee County takes steps to extend significant reduction of impact fees for two years
MANATEE COUNTY, FL (Jan. 26, 2011) –Manatee Board of County Commissioners yesterday took steps to extend the suspension of school-related impact fees and half of all transportation-related impact fees until July, 2013.
The Board voted 5 – 2 to hold public hearings later this year that will formally extend the impact fee reduction. Commissioners originally adopted the impact fee suspension in 2009 to spur the local economy and to reflect the decrease in construction costs. A majority of the Board agreed that the impact fee suspension has played an important part in Manatee County’s economic recovery.
If the Board approves the extension as expected, the extension would continue a policy to reduce the impact fees collected on a three-bedroom home from $15,576 to about $5,500 or about a $10,000 decrease. An impact fee is a one-time charge placed on new development to pay for new roads, parks, emergency equipment and more.
“We’ve had some success since this reduction has been in place and I suggest we keep it in place for another two years,” said County Administrator Ed Hunzeker. “No cost will be transferred to Manatee County residents, and no road will become a Level of Service ‘F’ as a result of this action.”
Later this spring, Hunzeker will present the Board with an independent study of impact fee levels that will help Commissioners determine proper impact fee levels for years to come.
Today’s action is another in a series of actions the Board has taken to jumpstart Manatee’s economy.
The Board over the past two years has approved more than $3 million worth of economic development incentive grants that will help create or retain more than 2,800 jobs over the next five years.
Manatee County Government accelerated $100 million in capital projects in 2009. Local contractors won bids for much of the work thanks to Manatee County’s local preference for certain projects.
A Jobs Now team helps expedite projects and works in tandem with local company owners to give them an idea of what to expect from Manatee County Government.
For a complete list of Manatee County’s economic development incentives, visit http://www.mymanatee.org/econ_dev