Gulfport council adopts fee-waiver ordinance for large projects; related tax-exemption measures debated

The Gulfport City Council on a unanimous/majority vote adopted an ordinance to expand fee waivers for large development projects, approving an amendment to Chapter 3, Article 2, Section 3-38 of the city code that waives certain building inspection and building permit fees for qualifying projects.

City administration described the change as a prospective economic development incentive that applies to projects with a total project cost of $10,000,000 or more when sited inside an established urban renewal district and to projects of $40,000,000 or more anywhere in the city. City administration official Jeff said the waiver would apply to “building inspection fees, building permit fees” and estimated the permitting fees for a very large project could amount to roughly $54,000; he added the city “doesn’t lose anything if they don’t come” because the incentive is triggered only if the project is undertaken.

The measure reflects an effort by the administration and some council members to offer predictable, codified incentives to attract large retailers and other major investments. Supporters argued that formalizing incentives would address Gulfport’s reputation as a difficult place to develop and provide certainty developers seek during site selection. Councilmember Sellers, who moved adoption, said the incentive “will turn people’s heads a little bit” and make Gulfport more competitive with neighboring jurisdictions.

Opponents expressed concern that the ordinance amounted to a “blank check.” Councilmember Holmes Hines pressed for broader policy work — she said the council needs a comprehensive set of urban…