By Marvin G. Cortner
Editor

County commissioners June 21 sent proposed changes to school impact fees back to the Osceola County School District for revisions.

The proposed changes, recommended by the School Board and based on a study completed in February, called for lower fees for some categories of residential building and higher fees for others, treating townhouses the same as single-family homes (because owners generally live in them rather than rent them) and requiring payment of fees at the time a building permit rather than when the occupancy permit is issued.

Other proposed changes include giving the School Board an additional year to spend the impact fees before it would have to return the money and the county collecting $40 per impact fee to administer the program instead of retaining a percentage of the fee.

County officials said the proposed administrative fee, which more accurately would reflect the actual work and cost involved, would be “quite a reduction” from the current charge, which averages about $153.

According to information provided by Joe Johnston, customer resources manager in the county’s Growth Management Division, the old fees compared to the proposed fees are: single family homes, $10,207 now versus $9,669 proposed; townhomes, $6,715 versus $9,669 (same as single family homes); multi-family condominiums or apartments, $6,715 versus $6,294; and mobile homes, $4,897 versus $5,511.

Chris Crowe, School District director of long range planning and permitting, said collecting the impact fee when the building permit is issued allows the district to have classroom space ready before a new student arrives at school, not after.

“We don’t believe this is unrealistic or unreasonable; our goal is to make sure a seat is available when the student moves in,” Crowe said.

County Commission Chairman Fred Hawkins Jr. said he would prefer the fees be collected at the time the occupancy permit is issued, as they are now. He also took issue with the change in status for townhomes.

“Nobody is going to build townhomes at those fees; builders are going to come back here and ask for apartments instead,” Hawkins said.

Don Wetherington, of Wetherington Builders in St. Cloud, told commissioners there is a “desperate need” for jobs in the county and that foreclosures and short sales have resulted in a nosedive of property values.

Wetherington, who also is a member of the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando Osceola Chapter, recommended the county consider allowing time payments for impact fees as a way to help stimulate the local building industry and that the association “vigorously opposed” collecting impact fees at the time a building permit is issued.

Commissioner Michael Harford said recommendations for school impact fees – an extremely difficult issue to deal with – had been sent back to the School Board before.

The commission annually reviews school impact fees. The county also could increase any fees charged for administering the program, with changes based on the actual cost of providing the service.

Commissioners voted to continue discussion of the fees at the Aug. 16 meeting. Changes would take effect Oct. 1, the start of the county’s fiscal year.

The School Board will revisit the issue at its July 13 meeting.County rejects school impact fee changesBy Marvin G. Cortner

Editor

County commissioners June 21 sent proposed changes to school impact fees back to the Osceola County School District for revisions.

The proposed changes, recommended by the School Board and based on a study completed in February, called for lower fees for some categories of residential building and higher fees for others, treating townhouses the same as single-family homes (because owners generally live in them rather than rent them) and requiring payment of fees at the time a building permit rather than when the occupancy permit is issued.

Other proposed changes include giving the School Board an additional year to spend the impact fees before it would have to return the money and the county collecting $40 per impact fee to administer the program instead of retaining a percentage of the fee.

County officials said the proposed administrative fee, which more accurately would reflect the actual work and cost involved, would be “quite a reduction” from the current charge, which averages about $153.

According to information provided by Joe Johnston, customer resources manager in the county’s Growth Management Division, the old fees compared to the proposed fees are: single family homes, $10,207 now versus $9,669 proposed; townhomes, $6,715 versus $9,669 (same as single family homes); multi-family condominiums or apartments, $6,715 versus $6,294; and mobile homes, $4,897 versus $5,511.

Chris Crowe, School District director of long range planning and permitting, said collecting the impact fee when the building permit is issued allows the district to have classroom space ready before a new student arrives at school, not after.

“We don’t believe this is unrealistic or unreasonable; our goal is to make sure a seat is available when the student moves in,” Crowe said.

County Commission Chairman Fred Hawkins Jr. said he would prefer the fees be collected at the time the occupancy permit is issued, as they are now. He also took issue with the change in status for townhomes.

“Nobody is going to build townhomes at those fees; builders are going to come back here and ask for apartments instead,” Hawkins said.

Don Wetherington, of Wetherington Builders in St. Cloud, told commissioners there is a “desperate need” for jobs in the county and that foreclosures and short sales have resulted in a nosedive of property values.

Wetherington, who also is a member of the Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando Osceola Chapter, recommended the county consider allowing time payments for impact fees as a way to help stimulate the local building industry and that the association “vigorously opposed” collecting impact fees at the time a building permit is issued.

Commissioner Michael Harford said recommendations for school impact fees – an extremely difficult issue to deal with – had been sent back to the School Board before.

The commission annually reviews school impact fees. The county also could increase any fees charged for administering the program, with changes based on the actual cost of providing the service.

Commissioners voted to continue discussion of the fees at the Aug. 16 meeting. Changes would take effect Oct. 1, the start of the county’s fiscal year.

The School Board will revisit the issue at its July 13 meeting.