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Hendry County extends limited relief for owner‑builder permits amid new impact fee rule
Summary
After commissioners adopted an impact fee rule that takes effect on Feb. 10, staff said the county will automatically extend some owner‑builder permits approaching expiration and send affected permit holders a letter explaining next steps to avoid an unintended fee assessment.
Hendry County commissioners and staff discussed implementation steps on Feb. 11 after the county began applying a new impact fee policy that takes effect Feb. 10. Planning staff and the county administrator told the board they would automatically extend certain owner‑builder permits that would otherwise expire soon so homeowners would not face an unexpected assessment mid‑construction.
County staff said permits submitted and issued before Feb. 10 would not be subject to the new impact fee; permits submitted or issued on or after Feb. 10 are subject to the fee. Staff said Florida’s building code gives the county up to 30 business days to review submitted permits, creating a processing lag that could leave some applicants in a gap between submission and issuance. To avoid ‘‘gotcha’’ scenarios for owner‑builders who are mid‑construction, staff will grant a one‑time automatic extension for permits that otherwise would have expired in the near term and will notify affected permit holders by letter and an updated website notice.
Staff said about 77 permits were submitted in the days around the deadline, and that fee processing will begin as permits are issued in the coming weeks. Commissioners asked staff to ensure letters explain how to keep permits active and warned applicants to request inspections in a timely way to prevent expiration that would trigger the fee.
Why it matters: The change affects owner‑builders and contractors with active or recently submitted permits; automatic extensions and direct notice aim to reduce unexpected fee assessments during active construction.
Next steps: Planning staff will send letters to affected permit holders, continue updating online guidance, and proceed with impact fee billing for permits filed after Feb. 10.
