Commission votes to advertise updated impact‑fee ordinance after extensive public comment

Collier County staff and consultants presented updated impact‑fee studies Dec. 9 covering roads, emergency medical services, law enforcement, correctional facilities, government buildings, libraries, parks & recreation, and schools. The studies use a consumption‑based methodology and rely on recent, localized data as required by statute.

Consultant Niagen Kampp outlined the methodology and the components of the proposed fees: capital inventory, crediting for other revenue sources, and demand factors (travel, student generation, population). Examples shown in the staff presentation indicated a mid‑size single‑family home’s total calculated fee near $30,500; statutory caps and phase‑in requirements limited actual increases in some service areas. Staff emphasized statutory phasing rules and the 50% cap on increases without extraordinary‑circumstance findings.

Public comment was extensive. Amy Perwin (Education Ambassadors coalition) urged adoption of the school fee at the recommended level, citing the district’s capital needs and the role of impact fees in avoiding debt. School board member Stephanie Lucarelli and district representative John Antonacci described the district’s five‑year capital planning, recent cash‑funded school projects and the nexus between projected growth and future facilities. Representatives of the Collier Building Industry Association asked for additional sensitivity analysis on land costs and a written county legal interpretation on SB 180 applicability; county counsel said on the record that SB 180 does not apply to this matter.

Commissioner questions focused on composition of the proposed increase (schools account for the majority of the total dollar change), the phased implementation schedule, and the projected impact on housing affordability. Staff and school officials explained the modeling assumptions, reserve projections and the legal limits on fee increases. The board voted unanimously to authorize advertising the consolidated impact‑fee ordinance for the required public‑notice period and return for adoption.

What happens next: The ordinance will be advertised and returned at a future hearing (staff targeted the first meeting in January for the ordinance hearing). Staff said phased rate increases and statutory notice requirements will be observed; commissioners asked staff to prepare additional explanatory materials showing annual collections, use of reserves and scenario analyses for consideration at the adoption hearing.