Marion County staff to draft ordinance seeking extraordinary-circumstance waiver to raise transportation impact fees

Marion County commissioners directed staff at a May 20 workshop to prepare a draft ordinance declaring ‘‘extraordinary circumstances’’ so the county can consider raising transportation impact fees above statutory phasing limits and bring the item to a public hearing on May 23, 2025.

Assistant County Administrator Tracy Straub opened the workshop and described the statutory framework that governs impact‑fee increases. ‘‘Florida Statute 163.3801 allows the board to consider extraordinary circumstances necessitating the need to exceed the phase‑in limits associated with transportation impact fees,’’ Straub said, noting this was the second of two required public workshops and that any adopted increase would become effective at least 90 days after adoption.

Consultant Niigun Kemp of BNISH summarized the study results and the financial gap the county faces. Kemp said the county adopted impact fees in 2015 at 11%–20% of the calculated full rates and that, because of…