Commission accepts FDEP grant to extend wastewater to County Road 236; impact-fee questions remain

The High Springs City Commission voted to accept a Florida Department of Environmental Protection grant and authorize construction to extend sewer service to homes along County Road 236.

The grant-funded construction and connection work will proceed under the proposal from Mid Tower and Associates, with the contractor reportedly honoring an earlier bid. Commissioners also asked staff to research whether impact fees for future plant expansion remain chargeable to new customers served by the project.

City staff said the contractor agreed to honor a prior bid of about $1,655,000 and that additional budget lines include a construction contingency of $167,400 and $87,000 for project management during construction. Staff summarized the total grant value at $1,910,390.37 and said the grant will cover the connection fees included in the project proposal.

Commission discussion centered on whether residents will owe impact fees and whether the city has been consistent in past projects. One commissioner said past expansions that used partial grant funding required residents to pay some costs, including impact fees and payment plans; another asked whether hookup fees had been waived previously. City staff and the city attorney said they had not found a statutory exemption from charging impact fees and would continue researching whether an exemption or consistent policy applies.

Commissioners asked staff to provide full-size engineering drawings for review and to follow up on a consistency review before implementing fee policy for the neighborhood. After discussion, a motion to accept the FDEP grant and move forward with the extension was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.

The matter was presented as unfinished business and moved to a formal motion and voice vote; commissioners did not request further delay.

The commission did not specify a change in the city’s impact-fee schedule at the meeting; staff committed to return with additional legal and policy research on whether and when impact or hookup fees can or should be waived.

Notes from the meeting record show residents in the affected neighborhood were contacted and at least some homeowners expressed support for installation of the system.

The commission’s action authorizes acceptance of the grant and construction to proceed under the terms presented, subject to any additional follow-up on fees and final contract documents.