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Hernando Today

Impact fee reduction may include commercial

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: October 28, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - To jumpstart the economy even more, county commissioners Tuesday voted 5-0 to expand its impact fee reduction plan from solely residential to add commercial and industrial construction.

The vote calls for a public hearing on the matter, scheduled for their Tuesday, Nov. 10, meeting.

If approved, impact fees will be rolled back to 2001 levels across the board from the current $9,200 to $4,848.

Homeowners have the option of paying them upfront or setting up a payment plan spread over an indeterminate time, possibly three to five years.

The rollback would last one year, after which commissioners will review its effects.

County staffers estimated the county would lose $1 million to $2 million from the loss of commercial impact fees, based on money collected during the past 18 months.

Builders and business people had lobbied for a one-year impact fee suspension for new single-family home construction, and a 50 percent cut the following year.

But Bob Eaton, owner of Artistic Homes and chairman of the Hernando Builders Association government affairs committee, said recently he had no problem with the compromise plan.

Also Tuesday, commissioners agreed to advertise a plan proposed by Commissioner Jeff Stabins that would require taking out an additional $600,000 in reserves or other sources to help pay for an expansion of his Housing Enhancement Loan Program (HELP).

That program, run under the auspices of the Hernando County Housing Authority, uses money earmarked for the State Housing Initiatives Program (SHIP), which provides 30-year, zero-percent interest loans to qualified low-income homeowners.

Stabins said he would only go along with the impact fee reduction plan if his colleagues at least allowed him to advertise the HELP expansion.

At least two commissioners expressed concerns about dipping deeper into reserves because the board has already committed to tapping $3 million from that pot of money over the next two fiscal budget years.

The specifics of Stabins' plan are expected to be discussed at the Nov. 10 meeting.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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