MANATEE COUNTY, FL (February 23, 2024) - The Manatee Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has approved a motion to the increase the assessment of impact fees a total of 50 percent over the next four years—the maximum increase supported by Florida Statute.
Those fees represent the one-time charge collected when new construction is completed in unincorporated areas of Manatee County. Manatee County collects impact fees for the expansion of transportation, parks and natural resources, law enforcement and public safety and library infrastructure projects necessitated by new growth. Impact fees are restricted to funding growth-related capital improvements and may not be used to replace infrastructure, maintenance or operations.
Demand for County infrastructure capacity is increased with construction, so impact fees ensure that new development contributes to the capital costs incurred by the County to maintain adopted Levels of Service to accommodate population and job growth.
“We should be able to go full steam ahead on this,” said District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, who made the motion to direct Development Services staff and the County Attorney to begin the process to increase the impact-fee collection by 12.5% annually over the next four years. The motion came after commissioners were presented with a consultant report addressing the impact fee schedule.
The final vote was 6-0.
Watch What is an Impact Fee Video