Manatee County school impact fees set to increase

Fees on new construction for school-related impacts is about to go up, but not as much as previously anticipated.

Manatee County commissioners today adopted an ordinance on behalf of the Manatee County School Board to raise school impact fees, a fee imposed by a local government on new construction to pay for the costs of providing public services to that property. The ordinance accepts an updated impact fee study and fee schedule recommended by consultant Tischler-Bise.

According to a 2015 study and approval, the fees were set to increase automatically to the maximum recommended amount in April 2018. But an updated study by Tishler-Bise actually sets the new 100% max rates to a lower amount.

The new schedule sets fees of $6,127 for a single family home (compared to $6,475); $6,471 (compared to $6,848) for a town home or duplex; $3,502 (compared to $3,525) for multifamily; and $1,971 (compared with $1,478) for a manufactured home.

The new rates go into effect Nov. 13, 2017.

The collection of impact fees must be established by the county through an ordinance.

Commissioner Vanessa Baugh gave the lone dissenting vote.