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City council adopts park‑impact fee at 50% of calculated growth cost; 60% increase amendment fails
Summary
Duval City Council voted to adopt a park impact fee set at 50% of the calculated growth‑related cost: $7.96 per square foot of residential floor area (capped minimum/maximum) and $501.08 per 1,000 sq ft for nonresidential; an amendment to raise the fee to 60% failed.
The Duval City Council voted on May 20 to adopt a park‑impact fee methodology and set the rate at 50% of the consultant‑calculated growth‑related fee. The approved structure sets a residential fee equivalent of $7.96 per square foot (with minimum/maximum dwelling size caps and ADUs capped at 50% of the principal unit assessment) and a nonresidential fee of $501.08 per 1,000 square feet (50% of the full calculated nonresidential component).
Background: the city contracted a parks and finance consultant to update the parks, trails and open‑space plan and a 20‑year capital improvement plan (CIP). The consultant estimated a 20‑year list of growth‑related projects costing roughly $50.9 million and recommended several fee scenarios. The council’s adopted approach mirrors the city’s historical practice of collecting a partial growth share rather than the entire calculated capital cost up front.
Key council actions and debate: Council Member Schaffer proposed an amendment to raise the adopted share from 50% to 60%; the amendment failed on a roll call. During debate several council members explained the 50% decision as a balance between capturing growth‑related revenue and matching the city’s operational capacity to design, permit and construct projects over time. City staff and the consultant explained that the fee estimate is indexed to construction costs and projected growth and that the 50% scenario would support the projects realistically deliverable over a 10‑year implementation horizon.
Why it matters: the fee applies to new residential and nonresidential development and is intended to collect a portion of the cost of new parks and trails as the city grows. The fee will be applied at building permit issuance in accordance with the adopted fee schedule and the city’s land‑use and development review practices; accessory dwelling units are assessed at 50% of the principal dwelling unit fee, consistent with state guidance and the city’s policy choice.
Next steps: city staff will implement the new fee schedule and include the fee in the city’s updated fee resolution. Council discussion included reminders that the council will revisit the fee and CIP in future updates and that the fee level is one component of a broader funding strategy that may include grants and other city funding for park projects.
