Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fees And Building Code topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County building official warns contractors of April 1 utility connection fee increase; new Florida Building Code expected later this year
Summary
Charlotte County building officials told the licensing board that utility connection fees will rise April 1 and that the county expects a new edition of the Florida Building Code near year-end; licensing staff also reported recent enforcement activity including a worker‑comp sweep in Babcock Ranch.
Charlotte County building and licensing officials used the board meeting to notify contractors of an April 1 increase in utility connection (impact) fees and to remind attendees that a new edition of the Florida Building Code is expected by the end of the year.
Ben Bailey, community development director and building official, told the board: "On April 1, utilities — the connection fees for the utilities — will be going up, and that is kind of a substantial amount." He also said this is a code-change year and that a draft of the new Florida Building Code is typically available about six months before publication, putting a draft around June.
Darryl Dillo, Charlotte County contractor-licensing coordinator, reported the licensing division has fielded about 160 phone calls since the last meeting, opened 23 Construction Industry Licensing (CIL) cases (nine still active), completed 121 field contacts and issued two citations for unlicensed contracting. Dillo also said a workers’-comp sweep in Babcock Ranch generated 14 enforcement actions.
Bailey said most single-family permits continue to come from Babcock Ranch and that new developments on Burnt Store Road are increasing permit activity in west county. Board members asked whether connection fees might have been increased incrementally instead of in a single, larger step; Bailey deferred policymaking questions to the county commission, and county counsel explained that Florida law requires fees to be reasonably related to the cost of providing services and tied to capital plans and growth projections.
Contractors and board members were urged to review upcoming county commission discussions and be prepared for the draft code and fee changes in the months ahead.
