SUBJECT:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING to Consider an Ordinance Creating Division 3, Article XI of Chapter 10 of the Marion County Code Relating to Fire Rescue Impact Fees for Infrastructure Improvement Funding that Supports Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Approving the Marion County Fire Rescue and EMS Impact Fee Study, Adopting a Fee Schedule, and Providing Regulations for the Administration of the Ordinance
Body
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INITIATOR: |
DEPARTMENT: |
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James Banta, Fire Chief |
Fire Rescue |
DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND:
This Public Hearing is required to consider the implementation of fire rescue and emergency medical services (EMS) impact fees for Marion County.
To address infrastructure needs due to new growth, Marion County adopted a fire rescue impact fee in 2002. In 2010/2011, the County suspended the impact fee program in response to the economic downturn. In 2015, the fire rescue impact fee was repealed by ordinance (Ordinance 15-14). Given the continuing growth and capital needs associated with fire rescue services, Marion County retained Benesch to conduct an up-to-date comprehensive study considering both fire rescue impact fees and EMS impact fees.
The study concludes that growth in population and service demand has outpaced available infrastructure, and that the absence of impact fees has placed an increasing burden on existing resources and taxpayers. The study supports impact fees at updated levels sufficient to recover capital costs attributable to new development.
The proposed fee schedule and associated ordinance align with Florida Statute and are designed to ensure new development contributes fairly to the cost of fire rescue and EMS infrastructure required to support it. These impact fees are proposed to go into effect for all Building Permit applications received on October 1, 2025 and thereafter.
BUDGET/IMPACT:
None
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
Motion to approve and authorize the chairman to execute the ordinance creating Division 3, Article XI of Chapter 10 of the Marion County Code relating to fire rescue impact fees for infrastructure improvement funding that supports fire rescue and emergency medical services, approving the Marion County Fire Rescue and EMS Impact Fee study, adopting a fee schedule, and providing regulations for the administration of the ordinance.
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