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Pasco County planning commission forwards county’s proposed fire/rescue impact fee increase after staff workshop
Summary
Pasco County staff and consultants presented a study recommending increases to the county’s fire-combat and rescue service impact fees to address population growth and construction-cost inflation; the commission moved to forward a county ordinance to adjust fees after a workshop and a required vote on the legislative item.
Pasco County planning and fire-rescue officials presented a workshop and a related ordinance to the Planning Commission seeking authority to raise fire-combat and rescue service impact fees. Presenters cited rapid population growth, rising construction and land costs, and a shortfall in capital funding for new fire stations and apparatus.
Fire Chief Ryan Gwen and Fire Marshal Justin (presenting) summarized the department’s operational pressures: population growth since the county’s 2003 adoption of the current fee structure, a jump in calls for service and capital-cost inflation that has outpaced the county’s impact-fee revenue stream. Consultants from Stantec (presentation summarized by Peter Napoli) outlined their hybrid methodology for recalculating fees, which blends existing fixed assets and planned capital improvements and measures capacity needs in “functional population” units.
The draft study recommended raising residential and nonresidential components for fire and rescue. The combined recommended change would raise the residential component for fire and facilities/equipment and, in combination with rescue fees, produce a roughly 60% increase when the two fee categories are combined—though the consultant noted the result varies by land use bucket and by how the county chooses to allocate future capital projects. Consultants also recommended removing an unusual existing $50,000 cap on nonresidential floor-area assessments.
County staff emphasized the legal and procedural path required by state law: because House Bill 337 (2021) limits how quickly impact fees can change without demonstrating “extraordinary circumstances,” the county conducted the required demonstrated-need analysis and two public workshops. Commissioners asked technical questions about the basis for projected station needs and the effect of the cap removal on nonresidential fees. Staff said periodic updates (every five years) would be appropriate going forward.
The item before the commission included 2 parts: (1) a workshop presentation of the impact fee study (informational) and (2) a vote on an ordinance that would implement the changes consistent with the statutory process. After the workshop, commissioners voted to transmit the ordinance item to the Board of County Commissioners for final action.
Why it matters: Fire/rescue impact fees provide capital funding for new stations, apparatus and other fixed assets that local growth requires. Staff argued the existing fee structure has not kept pace with demographic and cost changes, and that without changes the county could face a capital shortfall that slows station construction and raises response-time risks.
What’s next: The ordinance will go to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration; the county expects the fee update to be phased per state law if adopted.
