City Wants to Stop Collecting Park Impact Fees

Earlier this year the city commission approved with the hope that the action would attract businesses to Sarasota.

Those two impact fees are the only fees taxpayers in the city pay that the city solely controls.

Commissioners are now targeting park impact fees, which are collected and passed on to the county.

But to get those suspended, the city needs an agreement with Sarasota County Commissioners.

“Would they stop collecting the fees, if we stop asking them for it?” asked Vice Mayor Terry Turner.

At Monday’s city commission meeting, the commission agreed to ask the county to suspend collecting the fees. The idea will be discussed at the Nov. 22 joint meeting between city and county commissioners.

In July, and city attorney Robert Fournier to look at the ramifications of park impact fees.

• According to city documents, since 1999, the city has collected $837,134 in park impact fees. During that same time the county has spent $1,018,339 on park projects in the city.

• Documents show that since 1999 $6,081,640 has been collected in park impact fees in north county, while only $284,926 has been spent by the county in north Sarasota County.

Fournier said right now there is not a lot the city can do, and it may not want to. “It really makes sense to stay in this. It’s mutually beneficial,” he said.

However, Fournier agreed with Commissioner Shannon Snyder’s point that the city has probably reached capacity but is still paying for the overall county’s growth.

“My question is, How can they impose a impact fee that their service level is so high that they are on record of not supporting?” asked Snyder.

Fournier said he agreed with Snyder but said the city still may not be able to take unilateral action on the issue. He said a citizen would have to challenge it.

“I think it’s a point that might have some merit,” Fournier said. “Growth hasn’t been exactly staggering in the city limits. However, I think it would be up to someone paying [the impact fee], to challenge it.”

Ultimately, commissioners directed staff to begin conversations with the county about possibly suspending the fees. Commissioners are set to also discuss the issues at the Nov. 22 joint meeting with county commissioners.

“I personally think it puts us in a competitive advantage by not having this,” Snyder said. “[We can] rely more on property taxes to cover those long-term capital needs. We are really not growing that much. It would provide a better base to work off of than impact fees.”