Staff recommends updates to planning and zoning fees; council asked for cost‑recovery analysis

Jacqueline Gibson presented a review of the city’s planning and zoning fee schedule, noting the last update was in 2021 and that several code changes and new review processes are now unpriced or ambiguously priced. She compared Bonita Springs’ fees with neighboring jurisdictions and identified categories where the city may add fees (for floodplain‑variance public hearings, some administrative reviews and moratorium relief processes) and where staff recommends reductions for minor applications.

"The purpose intent... is to offset some of the costs associated with reviewing a variety of applications for the planning and zoning and development services division," Gibson said, explaining that some processes now required by changes to the land‑development code do not have corresponding fees.

Staff flagged pending state legislation (Senate Bill 208, in committee) that may change fee rules and cause local governments to refund fees if timelines are missed; staff recommended working with finance to calculate current cost‑recovery gaps before proposing fee changes. Council members asked for an estimate of the gap between fees collected and staff time; staff said they will coordinate with finance to calculate that figure and return with recommendations.

Next steps: staff will provide a finance‑coordinated estimate of cost recovery and return with proposed fee adjustments and clarifications, including recommended new fees, fee reductions and language clarifying the community development director’s authority to set costs for certain review processes.