Walton County commissioners voted Tuesday to raise the single-family residential impact fee to the maximum amount identified in the county’s most recent methodology study and to implement the increase on Oct. 1.

County staff presented three options: retain the current fee of $1,224.01, raise it to roughly two-thirds of the maximum ($2,004.48), or adopt 100% of the maximum identified in the 2020 methodology report, which the county cited as $3,006.35 per single-family residence. The board voted to adopt the maximum and to update the county’s fee schedule for implementation Oct. 1.

County staff told commissioners the impact-fee methodology was last prepared in 2020 and that the prior detailed study dates to 2005, when the existing fee was adopted. The manager said impact fees are collected at permitting and distributed to departments affected by growth, including emergency services, parks and recreation and others. He advised the board that raising the fee would keep Walton County’s rates roughly in line with neighboring counties that have higher fees.

Commissioners discussed giving developers and builders notice before the fee took effect; the board selected Oct. 1 as the implementation date rather than an immediate roll-out or a January 1 start so businesses could incorporate the change. Staff said they would update the county fee schedule and issue notices to builders and stakeholders.

The motion to implement the higher fee included authorization for the commission chair to sign any state-required documents for the update. Commissioners approved the motion and directed staff to distribute notices and upload the revised fee schedule.