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Council approves hiring consultants to review impact and planning fees; building-fee proposals to be fast-tracked
Summary
Council voted 6–1 to hire consultants to review the city’s impact fees and planning/zoning fees and to direct staff to prepare immediate proposals on building fees affected by recent state storm-related restrictions.
The Bonita Springs City Council voted to hire consultants to update the city’s impact-fee studies and planning/zoning fee schedule and directed staff to draft an immediate proposal addressing building fees affected by state law.
Jacqueline Gibson, speaking for planning staff, told the council that impact-fee studies require a consultant under state statutory methodologies and that planning and zoning fees had not been updated since 2021. Staff recommended consultants prepare updated studies for roads and parks and provide localized data to support any fee adjustments.
Council made a motion to retain consultants for the fee studies and to allow staff to advance a separate building-fee proposal promptly. Staff noted language in Senate Bill 180 restricting increases to building fees within six months of a storm, so staff wanted to move the building-fee proposal quickly. The motion passed on roll call 6–1: Mayor Gibson and council members Corey, Follick, Fitzpatrick, Bogaz and Carr voted aye; Deputy Mayor Purdon voted no. The clerk announced "Motion carries 6 to 1."
Council instructed staff to return with the consultants’ reports and with a proposed building-fee adjustment for council consideration; staff said the building-fee proposal would be prioritized so any lawful adjustments could be implemented in a timely manner.
