Draft transportation impact-fee study raises unit and category questions; staff asks for direction

County planning staff and consultant Kimley‑Horn presented a draft transportation impact-fee schedule that updates the county’s 2012 impact-fee code. The draft compares Okeechobee’s proposed fees to fees in Highlands, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties and shows sizable differences for certain land uses; commissioners asked the consultant to revise units and return with a clearer basis for the most divergent fees.

Jessica Bizeras, the county’s special projects manager, summarized the comparison study and noted that some counties use different units for specific land uses — for example, fuel pumps for gas stations rather than building square footage, or pupil counts for day‑care centers and schools. Bizeras said the consultant asked the board whether single‑family housing size categories and fee units “make sense” and whether the board wanted any additional land‑use categories included.

The draft shows many categories where Okeechobee’s proposed fee would be 25% or more higher than neighboring counties on a per‑unit basis; conversely, for some uses proposed fees are lower. Commissioners questioned the rationale for outlier numbers, such as a high per‑pump fee for fueling stations and steep fees for certain commercial uses, and asked staff to direct Kimley‑Horn to prioritize consistency with neighboring counties where reasonable.

Commissioners and staff discussed practical choices about units — square feet versus trips, pumps, beds or students — and agreed that unit selection drives much of the difference between jurisdictions. Commissioner Sumner said the county should prefer the unit that is most commonly used by neighboring counties “so we’re not wildly out of line,” while cautioning against setting fees so high they “stifle growth.” County staff said they would ask the consultant to return with recommended unit adjustments, explain the trip‑generation assumptions behind outlying fees, and present a revised draft for further board review.

The draft is part of a multi‑phase impact‑fee update; the transportation portion is one of the largest categories and will inform later calculations for parks, public safety and public buildings. No fee schedule was adopted at the meeting.