County may suspend impact fees

Sarasota County could temporarily halt the collection of school impact fees on new construction for two years beginning Dec. 1.

The school board made that request last month, and county commissioners will consider it tomorrow.

School impact fees tack on about $2,000 to every single-family home and about $500 to every multi-family unit built in the county.

The money goes toward building the infrastructure to serve those new homes.

It’s unclear if the commission will approve the school board’s request. A similar move was proposed last year, but commissioners denied it, because they said the infrastructure still needs to be paid for and built.

During the construction boom four years ago, the impact fees generated more than $10 million, but last year they brought in only about $500,000.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].