Gov. DeSantis Considering Impact and Permit Fee Bills

Two real estate-related bills landed on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk and await his signature to become law.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – June 17, 2019 – Two real estate-related bills landed on Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk and await his signature to become law.

CS/HB 207

CS/HB 207 affects impact fees, which are often imposed on developers by local governments to fund the local infrastructure needed to expand services and meet the demands of population growth. The calculation of the amount due, and the timing of collecting these fees is currently at the discretion of each local government.

CS/HB 207 codifies a requirement for impact fees to have a "rational nexus" to the need for additional capital facilities and to the expenditure of funds. Local governments must use the funds collected by the impact fees for acquiring, constructing or improving capital facilities to benefit the new users.

Impact fees may not be used by a local government to pay existing debt or for prior approved projects unless the expenditure has a rational nexus to the impact generated by the new construction. The bill also excludes fees charged for connecting to water and sewer systems.

CS/HB 127

CS/HB 127 requires counties and municipalities to post permit and inspection fee schedules, and building permit and inspection utilization reports, on their websites by Dec. 31, 2020. Once the bill is signed, local governments have additional requirements they must follow before changing permit fees. The bill also creates reporting requirements.

© 2019 Florida Realtors®. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

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