Infrastructure Fees
The Problem:
The current infrastructure fees (sometimes called impact fees, or concurrency fees) assessed to developers do not adequately meet the costs of growth within the county.
South Okaloosa has significant issues with stormwater runoff and congested roads. this problem will continue to compound; north of Rocky Bayou, Niceville is about to see development that will double its size further burdening the local infrastructure. Meanwhile, Ft. Walton and Destin are poised to double in size as state-approved metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs).
Inspire Placemaking Collective (the consultant hired by Okaloosa County) public priorities report, presented to the County in April 2024, identified problems unincorporated North Okaloosa was facing. Of the 4,614 public comments, 24.9% declared the infrastructure was not adequate to support existing residents' needs. Furthermore, Inspire Collective’s baseline analysis report, presented to the county on 3 June 2024, stated “…it appears that allowing growth to occur based on existing entitlement will result in a worst case urban sprawl scenario in which it will be nearly impossible to provide services in a cost-effective or orderly manner.” (p.26).
The infrastructure of Okaloosa can barely support current residents, suffers an incredibly large restorative backlog requirements, new development will create infrastructure demands that cannot be met. The process for building the infrastructure must be improved as soon as possible.
Infrastructure fees are assessed on property developers to help pay for improvements to services such as roads, schools, water and sewer systems, and public services that must be performed to support the additional burden caused by the new development.
the solution
Fundamentally, and to protect the taxpayer, growth should be required to reasonably pay for its impact on the community. Throughout the county, implementing accurate infrastructure fees on new development can help ensure that growth significantly offsets the costs of infrastructure expansion and maintenance. Updating development regulations to require infrastructure assessments and adequate provision of services for new developments can help prevent overburdening existing infrastructure. Furthermore, it should be required that infrastructure fees paid for a specific development be used to address infrastructure impacts caused by that specific development.
related links
ABOUT DONATE CONNECT ISSUEPaid for by Keri Pitzer, Republican, for County Commissioner
