North Port delays citywide fee changes; Warm Mineral Springs pass discounts to phase down

The North Port City Commission on July 8 continued first reading of an ordinance to update the city's Appendix A fee schedule, including changes to development, police, parks and recreation, solid waste and utilities fees, and asked staff to incorporate a new Sarasota County resident rate and a phased three-year pass-discount plan for Warm Mineral Springs into the ordinance's second reading on July 22.

City Manager Fletcher told commissioners the fee update was based on a third-party comprehensive user-fee study by Willdan Financial Services that identifies the full cost of providing services, including overhead, direct and indirect costs. "The charges that we pass along are not designed to be 100% recoverable for the fees that we charge," Fletcher said, adding the goal is to reduce the burden on the city's finances while aligning fees with market comparables.

Parks and Recreation…