Baker Fire District to Increase Impact Fees for New Construction.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Baker, FL — Residents serviced by the Baker Fire District will see an increase in impact fees for new construction come the end of February 2025.
With the increase demand for housing and Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners continuing to approve large scale developments, the board of fire commissioners for the Baker Fire District has voted to increase impact fees for new construction come the first of the year.
In compliance with all regulations, the Baker Fire District Board of Commissioners held two public workshops during the month of October to gather public input for the potential impact fee increase. The workshops were held on Oct 10th and Oct 29th.
According to Florida Statute 163.31801, “impact fees are an important source of revenue for a local government to use in funding the infrastructure necessitated by new growth.” Impact fees are not a tax assessment, but rather a fee imposed on new construction, both residential and commercial.
According to the Florida Attorney General’s Office, impact fees for capital improvement collected by the district shall be kept and maintained as a separate fund from other revenues of the district and shall be used exclusively for the acquisition, purchase, or construction of new facilities and equipment, or portions thereof required to provide fire protection and related emergency services to new construction.
At Tuesday night’s board meeting, the five-member board of fire commissioners for the Baker Fire District voted to increase impact fees for new construction from .30 cent per square foot residential to .60 cent per square foot. New commercial construction will see an increase from .50 cent to $1 per sf. The commissioners also voted to implement a $1,000 per acre impact fee for new developments.
With a solar farm already built in Holt, the commissioners are looking into implementing an impact fee for industrial new construction.
The impact fee increase is for new construction only and will take effect at the end of February 2025.