No new impact fees for 2008; 2009 eyed

By John Johnston
Managing Editor

Palm Beach County has increased so-called impact fees, on average, 12 percent annually over the last 10 years said Steven Abrams March 25.

And among the last items signed on behalf of the city by Abrams that day was a resolution of the city council opposing the county’s proposed 2008 impact fee hikes.

Impact fees are those added to the cost of a new home to pay for schools, parks, roads, and other services made necessary by growth. Boca Raton City Council opposition to the an increase in those fees was based on the county’s plan, said the resolution, to increase such fee “an average of 98 percent in 2008.

The council resolution concluded that “at a time of economic uncertainty, such onerous impact fees would impose undue hardship on the businesses and residents of Boca Raton and throughout the
County.”

And 20 days later, county commissioners agreed, saying that a lethargic real estate market was not the time to be raising fees, according to Commissioner Mary McCarty.

Commissioners voted, however, to reconsider the proposed impact fee hike a year from now.

In separate resolutions received and filed by commissioners the City Commissions of Belle Glade and Greenacres recognized the need for a new county landfill, and supported its location in Western Palm Beach County.

Other Business

In other recent business commissioners:

• Approved an agreement with the City of Fort Lauderdale allowing for interoperable communications through the countywide common groups of the County’s 800MHz radio system. However, the county’s system will not be utilized for routine operational communications by the city, said commissioners.

Amended a pedestrian walkway easement agreement with Courthouse Commons, LLC. Courthouse Commons was authorized in 2005 to construct an aerial bridge over 3rd Street in West Palm Beach to connect the Courthouse Commons parking garage to the county’s existing Judicial Center parking garage pedestrian bridge.  The easement approved certain surface and aerial rights over county property for construction of the bridge, said commissioners. During construction of the bridge, the county learned that a column support needed to be relocated due to the existence of an underground utility line.  The amendment memorializes placement of the support column, commissioners said.

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