HomeMy WebLinkAboutVII (A) First Reading of Ordinance No. 2000-21, relating to Fire Impact Fees Agenda 6-20-2000
Item VII A
"CENTER OF GOOD LIVING-PRIDE OF WEST ORANGE" MAYOR•COMMISSIONER
S.SCOTT VANDERGRIFT
Ocoee COMMISSIONERS
; CITY OF OCOEE DANNYHOWELL
SCOTT ANDERSON
150 N. LAKESHORE DRIVE RUSTY JOHNSON
O OCOEE, FLORIDA 34761-2258 NANCY J. PARKER
ofcs (407)656-2322
y' ,:• CITY MANAGER
Fp Of GOP`; ELLIS SHAPIRO
STAFF REPORT
DATE: June 12,2000
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Brad Friel,AICP,Capital Projects/Transportation Planner
THROUGH: Russ Wagner,AICP, Planning Director P/
SUBJECT: Ordinance 2000-21; Ocoee Fire Impact Fee Update
ISSUE:
Should the Mayor and City Commission direct staff to finalize the attached Fire Impact Fee Update and
the Fire Impact Fee Ordinance 2000-21?
BACKGROUND:
In December 1989, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Ordinance No. 89-47. This was
Ocoee's first Fire Impact Fee Ordinance. In July 1991, the original Ordinance was revised to
include, among various changes, a district based fee schedule and to update the background data
and equipment cost.
For the period in which Ocoee has collected fire impact fees,(1990 to 1999), the City has collected
$4,338,188. During this period, impact fees have been used to help offset the cost of new
residential and commercial growth. The fees collected in districts three and four have been used to
help finance the construction of two new fire stations as well as, help pay for various large capital
items such as new fire trucks. Fees collected in districts one and two have also been used to
purchase capital items and equipment. Currently, the City has $1,638,383 in the fire impact fee
account. These funds are drawn on regularly to pay for capital items and to help service capital
improvement bonds. In the future, the City will continue to draw on these funds for debt service
and for the purchase capital items that will benefit the residents of Ocoee.
It has been the intent of the City Commission to periodically revise the Fire Impact Fee Ordinance and fee
schedule to reflect changes in growth patterns in the City of Ocoee and changes in cost of providing new
facilities and equipment. x/'
Protect Ocoee'$Water Resources fYN
The Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners
June 12,2000
Page 2
DISCUSSION:
Over the last several years, the City has experienced substantial increases in request for fire
protection services. For the period between 1995 through 1998 the Fire Departments calls for
service within Ocoee have increased by more than 31 percent. To date, the Ocoee Fire Department
has been able to met the City's needs within the current frame work of the existing Fire Impact Fee
Ordinance. However, facilities and equipment are now being utilized at capacity levels, and the City
anticipates that additional significant capital expenditures will be necessary in the future to maintain
historical service standards.
In response to the City's growth and demand for fire protection services, the Fire Department
recently prepared a Community Fire Protection Strategic Plan and a Needs Assessment/Master
Plan for the City's Main Fire Station. Based on these studies it became apparent that the City
should reevaluate its current Fire Impact Fee Ordinance. This evaluation was conducted within the
framework of the Ocoee Fire Impact fee Update, which is attached. This document details the City's
existing fire protection needs as well as what facility and capital equipment improvements are
necessary for the Fire Department to maintain its existing fire protection service level through the
year 2020.
Also detailed in the Community Fire Protection Strategic Plan and the Ocoee Impact Fee Update, is
the need to move away from fire impact fee districts to a City wide impact fee. This shift results not
only from the overall growth of the City, but also from the maturation of the Fire Department. The
Community Fire Protection Strategic Plan shows that the City must add specific facilities and
equipment that will benefit the entire City. As an example, the proposed Main Fire Station will house
most of the City's fire administrative functions as well as equipment that will be available for use
throughout the City. The proposed fire Station #2 will house the City's training facilities and
equipment for use throughout the City. Based on the overall community need and benefit, the
attached Fire Impact Fee Update recommends and uses a community benefit approach.
Using the revised data and new methodology, a new fire impact fee was developed for residential and
non-residential land uses. A comparison of the new fees is made below:
Residential:
proposed$0.182 sq.ft. Existing District 1 $0.053 sq.ft.
Existing District 2 $0.092 sq.ft.
Existing District 3 $0.225 sq.ft.
Existing District 4 $0.328 sq.ft.
Average $0.175 sq.ft.
As shown above, the relative difference between the existing fees and the proposed fee schedule is
minimal. It is important to note that districts one and two are much lower that any of the other existing or
proposed residential impact fees. These fees are lower because the previous Fire Impact Fee
Ordinance did not assume any significant residential growth in these areas. As shown on the attached
Fire Impact Fee District Map, district one includes much of the downtown and other established areas of
Ocoee and is not anticipated to have significant residential growth. As a result, there should be little
impact to any new development in this district. District two, on the other hand, includes the northwestern
area of Ocoee and is expected to be the next high growth area. Under the existing fee structure of$0.053
POINT!
Protect Ocoee's Water Resources
The Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners
June 12,2000
Page 3
sq. ft.,the City may not collect sufficient impact fees to accommodate new growth. This may result in the
City's inability to acquire the needed additional capital equipment which may lead to a City wide decrease
in fire protection services. Wth respect to districts three and four, the impact fees collected to date have
been used to build two new fire stations and purchase equipment necessary to maintain existing fire
protection services. Future needs in these areas will be the same as the rest of the City's and therefore,
fire impact fees in these areas should be consistent with the other areas of the City.
Non-Residential:
proposed$0.284 sq.ft. Existing District 1 $0.315 sq.ft.
Existing District 2 $0.097 sq.ft.
Existing District 3 $0.390 sq.ft.
Existing District 4 $0.333 sq.ft.
Average $0.284 sq.ft.
As shown above, there is no net change between the proposed non-residential fire impact fee and the
existing average fire impact fee. Similar to the discussion of residential impact fees above, the existing
impact fee for district two is much lower than the other districts. Again, this difference is the result of
minimal commercial development projected for this area in the existing Fire Impact Fee Ordinance.
Based on the new impact fee update,the projected fire protection needs of this area are the same as the
rest of the City. Therefore, without revising the fire impact fees the City may experience a shortfall in
impact fee collections which may result in a decrease in City wide fire protection services.
Comparisons were also made between Ocoee's existing and recommended fire impact fees and those
from Orange County, Seminole County, Osceola County and several cities in Central Florida. This
comparison is shown in Tables 1 and 12 of the attached Fire Impact Fee Update. As noted in Table 1,
Ocoee's fire impact fee has historically averaged slightly higher than the surrounding jurisdictions. It is
important to note that many of the jurisdictions listed are substantially built-out or rely on a strong tax
base to support their fire protection needs. (such as downtown Orlando or the Maitland Center area) As
seen in Table 12,the proposed impact fees do not change Ocoee's relationship to the surrounding areas.
The recommended fire impact fee is expected to generate almost$7.7 million in revenue over a 20 year
period. This represents 48.5 percent of the total cost ( including finance charges ) to implement the
Community Fire Protection Strategic Plan. The remaining balance will be covered through taxation other
revenue sources. The existing fee collection procedures and the administration of the impact fee
revenues are unchanged from the current process.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff respectfully recommends that the Mayor and City Commission direct staff to finalize the attached
Fire Impact Fee Update and Fire Impact Fee Ordinance 2000-21.
Attachments:
Ordinance 2000-21
Existing Fire Impact Fee Districts
Fire Impact Fee Update Dated June 2000
Protect Ocoee's Water Resources A
ORDINANCE NO. 2000-21
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA
RELATING TO FIRE IMPACT FEES; AMENDING
SECTION 87-30 OF ARTICLE III OF CHAPTER 87 OF
THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF OCOEE
WITH RESPECT TO DISTRICTS ESTABLISHED AND
FEE SCHEDULE; ABOLISHING THE DISTRICTS
ESTABLISHED AND REVISING THE FIRE IMPACT FEE
SCHEDULE FOR THE PURPOSE OF DETERMINING
APPLICABLE FIRE IMPACT FEES; PROVIDING FOR
THE TRANSITION OF THE PREVIOUSLY COLLECTED
DISTRICT TO DISTRICT FEES; PROVIDING FOR
SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION;
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Ocoee is divided into four (4) districts for fire impact fee
purposes with a different fire impact fee being charged for structures located in each of the
four (4) districts; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission of the City of Ocoee desires to abolish the different
districts as they pertain to fire impact fees and make the fire impact fees uniform throughout
the City; and
WHEREAS, the City has conducted a fire impact fee calculation study dated June 2000
and according to this study has made a determination as to the necessary uniform fire impact
fees for both residential and nonresidential construction.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
006.182961.3
SECTION 1. Authority. The City Commission of Ocoee has the authority to adopt
this Ordinance pursuant to Article VIII of the Constitution of the State of Florida and
Chapter 166, Florida Statutes.
SECTION 2. Amendment to Section 87-30. Section 87-30 of Article III of Chapter
87 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ocoee, Florida, is hereby amended to read as
follows (with deletions stricken and additions underlined):
§ 87-30. Districts established; fee Fee schedule.
A. The City of Ocoee shall be divided into four (1) districts, as more
..d heeein by r
;} A. The following fire impact fees are hereby assessed by the
city and shall be collected by the city prior to issuance of a building permit or
any other development permit for the construction of any structure to be used
for a residential or nonresidential dwelling in each district:
(1) District 1:
(-a) (1) Residential: five and. `- i.d. utv
($0.053) eighteen and two tenths cents
($0.182) per square foot.
(b) (2) Nonresidential: thirty one and five
tenths cents ($0.315) twenty-eight and four
tenths cents ($0.284) per square foot.
(2) District 2:
(a)- Rc idential: nitial: a and two tenths cents
($0 nm) per squa ,, foo.
(b) Neneesidential--nine-and-scveinc.d. nt..
($0.097) per square foot.
(3) District 3:
(a) Residential: twenty two and five tenths
cents ($0.225) per square foot.
(h) No.._e..identianhi.:.. : .�.'_ty ib&;n„1--Ec.v-&...d,..
cents ($0.390) per square foot.
006.182961.3 2
(1) District 4:
(a) Residential: thirty two and eight tenth.,
(b) Nonresidential: thirty three and three tenth.
G. B. The fees imposed for residential and nonresidential
construction are a result of the City's fee calculation study which was designed
to ensure that the impact fees imposed are rationally related to the benefit
received by the applicant.
D. C. In the event that an applicant believes the impact of the
construction will be less than that set forth above, the applicant may, at his
option, submit evidence to the City Commission in support of an alternative
assessment. Based upon convincing and competent evidence, the City
Commission may adjust the impact fee as appropriate for the particular
property.
SECTION 3. Previously Collected Fees. All funds currently held by the City based
on the separate district fee schedule shall be reallocated to the city wide fire impact fee based
upon the reevaluation of fire service needs contained within the updated fire impact fee
calculation study.
SECTION 4. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or
portion of this Ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of
competent jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent
provision and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion hereto.
SECTION 5. Codification. It is the intention of the City Commission of the City that
the provisions of this Ordinance shall become and be made a part of the Code of Ordinances of
the City; and that sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered or relettered and the word
"ordinance" may be changed to "chapter," "section," "article," or such other appropriate
word or phrase in order to accomplish such intentions; and regardless of whether such
3-
006.162961.3
inclusion in the Code is accomplished, sections of this Ordinance may be renumbered or
relettered and the correction of typographical errors which do not affect the intent may be
authorized by the City Manager, without need of public hearing, by filing a corrected or
recodified copy of same with the City Clerk.
SECTION 6. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective on
August 1, 2000.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this day of , 2000.
ATTEST: APPROVED:
CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA
Jean Grafton, City Clerk
(SEAL) S. Scott Vandcrgrift, Mayor
FOR USE AND RELIANCE ONLY BY
THE CITY OF OCOEE, FLORIDA; ADVERTISED , 2000
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND READ FIRST TIME , 2000
LEGALITY this day of , 2000. READ SECOND TIME AND ADOPTED
, 2000
FOLEY & LARDNER UNDER AGENDA ITEM NO.
By:
City Attorney
4-
006.182961.3
IMPACT FEES
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CITY OF OCOEE Dill
Fire OCOEE t o
r
Impact
Fee Update
icittIoni
Prepared By the City of Ocoee - June 2000
CITY OF OCOEE
FIRE IMPACT FEE STUDY
Table of Contents
SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 BACKGROUND 1
1.2 NEED FOR IMPACT FEES 1
1.3 EXISTING FIRE IMPACT FEES 1
1.4 AUTHORIZATION 2
SECTION TWO: BASIS FOR IMPACT FEES 3
2.1 LEGAL CRITERIA 3
2.2 REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE USE OF IMPACT FEES 5
SECTION THREE: IMPACT FEE METHODOLOGY 7
3.1 BACKGROUND 7
3.2 POPULATION PROJECTION 7
3.3 SERVICE STANDARDS 8
3.4 METHODOLOGY APPROACHES B
3.5 NEEDS ASSESSMENT 9
3.6 DISTRIBUTION OF COSTS 9
3.7 OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 10
3.8 PERSONNEL CONSIDERATIONS 11
3.9 FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS 11
SECTION FOUR: POPULATION AND LAND USE 13
4.1 BACKGROUND 13
4.2 HISTORICAL COMMUNITY GROWTH 13
4.3 GROWTH PATTERNS 14
4.4 GENERAL POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS 16
4.5 POPULATION AND DWELLING UNIT PROJECTIONS 18
4.7 PROJECTED NON-RESIDENTIAL GROWTH 20
SECTION FIVE: FIRE/EMS SERVICES 24
5.1 OPERATIONAL BACKGROUND 24
5.2 SERVICE ACTIVITY 25
5.3 PERSONNEL LEVELS 26
5.4 SERVICE STANDARDS 27
5.5 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT INVENTORY 27
5.6 FUTURE FIRE NEEDS 29
6.7 FIRE IMPACT FEE DETERMINATION 31
SECTION SIX: CONCLUSIONS 34
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study
City of Ocoee
List of Tables
Table 1 Existing Police and Fire Impact Fee Comparison ........ ............._._._.........................._............ 6
Table 2 1997 Existing Population and Employment In JPA ....................................................................16
Table 3 Year 2020 Population Projections In JPA . . 18
Table 4 Year 2020 Dwelling Unit Projections in JPA 20
Table 5 Year 2020 Projected Non-Residential Square Footage In JPA 23
Table 6 Calls for Service Summary Ocoee Fire Department 25
Table 7 Annual Calls For Service ( 1994- 1998 ) By Location 26
Table 8 Personnel Utilization Ocoee Fire Department ...... ................................. 26
Table 9 Inventory of Capital Items Ocoee Fire Department .........................................................._ 28
Table 10 Fire Station One Relocation 29
Table 11 Fire Station Two facilities 30
Table 12 Proposed Police and Fire Impact Fee Comparison _ ....__._...._......__.... 35
List of Figures
Figure 1 Existing Land Use Map 14
Figure 2 Future LU Map . . . 17
Figure 3 Population Projections Map .............._......_.................................. ._........_._ 19
Figure 4 Employment Growth ....................... ......... _..._._................................._....._._ 22
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 37
CITY OF OCOEE
FIRE IMPACT FEE STUDY
SECTION ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
The City of Ocoee is located in heart of western Orange County near Lake n__�
Apopka and the communities of Winter Garden, Apopka Windermere, and
Gotha. In 1990 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of
Ocoee at 12,778 residents, living within approximately 12.5 square miles. „ �
Since 1990, the City has added over 9,900 residents, over one million Sri
square feet of commercial space and has annexed almost 3,000 acres. �
Large tracts of developable land, a great quality of life and convenient
location to employment centers and other attractions will continue to make
Ocoee an attractive area for residential and employment growth.
1.2 Need for Impact Fees
During the last several years, many local governments have been faced with the problem of funding
significant infrastructure improvements necessitated by rapid growth. In order for communities to
maintain historical levels of service, sizable capital expenditures must be made to support operations.
In many cases, the combined need to construct facilities, purchase equipment, and add manpower to
operational budgets has outstripped the financial abilities of even the largest units of government.
Increasingly, local governments in Florida have utilized impact fees to help defray a portion of the
capital facilities and equipment needs caused by rapid growth. An impact fee is a one-time charge
imposed on new development as a contribution toward the proportionate cost of new public facilities
and/or equipment necessary to maintain adequate level of service standards. Thus, the purpose of
the impact fee is to assign, to a practical extent, growth-related capital costs to those users creating
the need for such costs, so as not to impose an unreasonable financial burden upon existing
residents. Currently, the City imposes roadway, police, fire, recreation, water, and wastewater impact
fees to assist in maintaining adequate public facilities within Ocoee.
1.3 Existing Fire Impact Fees
In December 1989, the Mayor and Board of City Commissioners adopted Ordinance No. 89-47. This
was Ocoee's first Fire Impact Fee Ordinance. In July 1991, the original Ordinance was revised to
include, among various changes, a district based fee schedule and to update the background data
and equipment cost.
Over the last several years, the City has experienced substantial increases in service requirements
on the Fire Department. The requests for assistance received by the Fire Department has increased
at an overall rate which is higher than the population growth rate. Up until now, the City of Ocoee has
been able to met the City's needs within the current frame work of the existing Fire Impact Fee
Ordinance. However, facilities and equipment are now being utilized at capacity levels, and the City
anticipates that additional significant capital expenditures will be necessary in the future to maintain
historical service standards.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study
City of Ocoee
During the period from 1990 to 1999 , the City has collected $4,338,188 in fire impact fees in four
districts. During this period impact fees have been used to help offset the cost of new residential and
commercial growth. The fees collected in district three and four have been used to help finance the
construction of two new fire stations as well as, help pay for various large capital items such as new
fire trucks. Fees collected in districts one and two have also been used to purchase capital items.
Currently, the City has $1,638,383 in the fire impact fee account. These funds are drawn on
regularly to pay for capital items and to help service capital improvement bonds. In the future, the
City will draw on these funds for the purchase capital items that will benefit the residents of the
respective districts.
1.4 Authorization
It is the intent of the Mayor and the City Commissioners to periodically revise the Fire Impact Fee
Ordinance to adjust the fee schedule to reflect changes in growth patterns in the City of Ocoee and
equipment and facilities necessary to provide fire protection for new development. This study is
intended to provide the necessary data and support that will be used to update the Fire Impact Fee
Ordinance.
Specifically, this study will be organized and presented under the following headings:
• Basis For Impact Fees
• Impact Fee Methodology
• Population and Land Use
• Fire/EMS Services
• Conclusions
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 2
City of Ocoee
SECTION TWO: BASIS FOR IMPACT FEES
2.1 Legal Criteria
Even though it is beyond the scope of this study to
analyze the detailed legal aspects of impact fees, a
brief summary of the more important legal criteria
which guide their use is provided as background
information. In Florida, three landmark court cases
serve as the primary basis for setting impact fees
and administering the way in which moneys are
utilized. These legal citations are as follows: AL
• Contractors and Builders Association of
Pinellas County v. City of Dunedin 329 So.
2d 314 (Fla. 1976);
• Hollywood, Inc. v. Broward County 431 So. 2d 606 (Fla. 4th DCA), cert. denied, 440 So. 2d
352 (Fla. 1983); and
• Home Builders and Contractors' Association of Palm Beach County v. Board of County
Commissioners of Palm Beach County, 446 So. 2d 140 (Fla. App. 4th DCA 1983).
Since there are no Florida statutes which specifically govern impact fees, these cases are used as
precedents to enable local governments to levy fees for specific capital needs caused by growth.
Such fees are limited to those services where a direct relationship can be shown between the amount
charged and proportionate public facilities received.
In addition to Florida case law, there are numerous landmark cases that have been heard in other
states which also help guide impact fee administration. A summary of significant legal criteria which
will be utilized to develop Ocoee's Fire Impact Fees is as follows:
"Rational Nexus" Test
There must be a reasonable relationship or connection between community growth that is generated
by new development and the need for additional facilities to accommodate that growth. Also, the
expenditure of any funds collected from new development must bear a reasonable relationship to the
resulting benefits which accrue to that development.
Windfalls
The system of fees should be set up to ensure that there is no intentional windfall of revenue to
benefit existing residents or users. New users should pay only their proportionate share of any new
facilities which benefit the entire community.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 3
City of Ocoee
Improvements to Service Levels
Should the local government wish to improve its historical service levels, all increased costs beyond
the proportionate share of the improvement attributable to new growth must be borne by existing
users. This would also apply to increases in operational costs. In other words, new users can not be
required to pay to correct existing service capacity deficiencies unless all users pay an equitable
proportion of the cost.
Excess Capacity
Impact fee funds collected for new facilities and equipment must be established to only cover the
costs of increased capacity necessary to reasonable satisfy the incremental service needs caused by
growth. If excess service capacity is planned which will benefit other existing or future users, another
revenue source or payment method must be established to support the extra costs.
Operational Costs
Impact fees may only be utilized for capital facilities and equipment costs. Continuing operational and
maintenance costs must be derived from other sources, usually general revenue.
Trust Funds
Revenue generated by impact fees must be set aside in specific trust funds to ensure that moneys
collected are properly accounted for and utilized for the lawful purposes in which they were intended.
Uniqueness Principal
Impact fee rates must be established based upon the unique physical and economic attributes of
individual communities. Each local government must analyze its own development and projected
growth-related needs within the context of historical service levels leading to impact fees specifically
tailored to fit those requirements.
Credits
In order to ensure that new development does not pay twice for community facilities, consideration
should be given to how new development has possibly contributed to the payment of existing facilities
and how it will potentially contribute to the payment of future capital improvements.
Off-Settinq Contributions
In some instances, particularly in the case of large-scale projects, a developer may provide certain on
or off-site capital improvements which either eliminate the impact generated by the development or
which limit the extent of impacts otherwise created.
To account for these situations, impact fee ordinances are generally structured to permit individual
review of such cases to ensure that impact fees are reduced or eliminated in recognition of off-setting
contributions.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 4
City of Ocoee
Extraordinary Costs
Amounts for capital facilities or acquisitions which are proportionately greater than normal due to
unique circumstances may be passed on to selected users as extraordinary costs. Where specific
facilities or equipment is required to maintain service standards for a particular user, group of users,
or area, impact fees may be adjusted to reflect that need. In many communities, specific "benefit
zones" are established to more equitably apportion capital costs based upon similar needs.
Sufficiency of Benefit
Impact fees must be expended in a manner which reasonably benefits the contributors. Depending
upon the type of fee and the capital facilities provided, some rational relationship should be
established between the contribution made and the benefit received. Typically, distance is used as
the main determinant of benefit with the assumption that the farther an Improvement is from the user,
the less substantial the relationship. In some cases, impact fee improvements must be constructed
in close proximity to a development to ensure sufficiency of benefit. For other types of impact fees,
it is sufficient to demonstrate community-wide benefit which also favorably impacts the contributing
development. As with extraordinary costs, "benefit zones" may be established for certain types of
improvements to ensure that funds are expended in close proximity to the contributors.
Timing of Expenditures
It is important to establish a capital improvements program which provides for expenditure of funds
within a reasonable time frame of when the moneys are collected. The greater the time period
between collection and actual expenditure of funds, the less likely that reasonable relationship may
be demonstrated. Even though there are no specific guidelines on this issue, many communities are
limiting the expenditure of funds to a six-year period from time of collection to correspond to their
general Capital Improvements Program. Any funds which have remained in the trust fund for a
period of over six years are typically refunded with interest to the fee payer or successor in title.
Fairness Doctrine
The basic requirement of a legally defensible impact fee ordinance is its "fairness". Communities
which have gone to all reasonable lengths to ensure that impact fees have been imposed in a
pragmatic, equitable manner have the least likelihood of being challenged in court. It is important to
consider "fairness" aspects not only within the methodology utilized to establish the impact fee, but
also within the actual ordinance itself which prescribes the manner in which fees will be administered.
2.2 Regional and Statewide Use of Impact Fees
In addition to legal criteria, it is important to recognize the regional and statewide use of Fire/EMS
impact fees. By understanding the extent of impact fee usage and the individual associated costs, a
more reasonable basis may be established to help guide the development of fees in Ocoee Even
though impact fee usage is based upon the unique characteristics of each community, it may be
assumed that fees levied for the same purposes at rates similar to those imposed in comparably
sized areas would be less likely to be challenged.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 5
City of Ocoee
Recently, City staff completed a survey of local governments in the Orange, Seminole, and Osceola
County region to determine what fire impact fees are imposed by other communities. Table 1
provides a detailed comparison of the specific fees charged in each of these communities. Based
upon the information presented, it is apparent that there is a sizable range of fees imposed
depending upon the specific circumstances of each community. As shown in Table 1, communities
which are built out tend to have very low or no fire impact fees, while communities that are
experiencing high growth rates tend to have higher fire impact fees.
Table 1
Existing Fire Impact Fee Comparison
By Community
County/
City Residential Non-residential
Orange County $148.69 du $0.02238 to $0.22987 sq. ft.
Apopka $0.00 du $0.00 du / $0.00 du
Belle Isle $0.00 du $0.00 du / $0.00 du
Edgewood $148.69 du $0.02238 to $0.22987 sq. ft.
Maitland $0.00 du $0.15 sq. ft
Oakland $100.00 Flat Fee $100.00 Flat Fee
Ocoee $0.053 to $0.328 sq. ft $0.097 to $0.39 sq. ft
Orlando $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Winter Garden $165.00 du $0.097 sq. ft.
Winter Park $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Osceola County $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Kissimmee $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
St. Cloud $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Seminole County $172.00 du $0.01 to $0.684 sq. ft.
Altamonte Springs $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Casselberry $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Lake Mary $175.00 du $0.129 sq. ft.
Longwood $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Oviedo $205.00 du $0.25 sq. ft.
Sanford $59.27 du $0.025 to $0.0345 sq. ft.
Winter Springs $103.63 du $0.28 sq. ft.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 6
City of Ocoee
SECTION THREE: IMPACT FEE METHODOLOGY
3.1 Background
There are numerous methods by which to determine the "mil`, *•.
proportionate or fair share of impact fee rates which are to ,f t
be imposed on new development within a community.
Generally, the complexity of the background analysis and $
rate formulation is related to the size of the community. As i + �--- ,
could be expected, the needs analysis of a large county is '�, A.,
much more involved than that of a small city. Nonetheless, \'
the same basic legal tenants must be considered, although
to a more limited degree as community size diminishes.
The following points identify the major assumptions and - ""''
approaches which will be utilized in the development of the
Fire Impact Fee for the City of Ocoee. Most of these ----------
methodology considerations are applicable to any type of impact fee determination, however, many
assumptions are tailored to fit the unique circumstances of Ocoee. It is the intent to develop
methodologies which are basic, straight forward, and easy to administer.
3.2 Population Projection
Regardless of the approach taken to formulate impact fee rates, a basic starting point is the
determination of an optimum horizon year population projection to which growth may be projected.
Typically, a ten to twenty year time frame is utilized to ensure that capital improvement needs and
costs are apportioned over a suitable growth segment.
The year 2020 is the planing horizon used in this study. This horizon year is consistent with
comprehensive planning periods and other impact fee studies. It is presumed, however, that a portion
of the moneys collected will begin to be expended within no more than 5-6 years to ensure that there
is a reasonable benefit demonstrated to those who were the initial contributors to the fund.
Population projection techniques vary from rather simple arithmetic extrapolations of historical growth
rates to extremely complex formula which project increases based upon numerous growth indicators.
It is desirable, if possible, to use projections contained within Ocoee's Comprehensive Plan and
other impact fee studies to ensure consistency and credibility.
For the purposes of this study, it is presumed that the residential and non-residential growth
projections generated for the Ocoee Transportation Master Plan, Road Impact Fee Update and
Recreation Master Plan are the best available forecast of growth for Ocoee. The growth projections
developed in those studies were a result of a comprehensive inventory of developed and
undeveloped land within the Ocoee Joint Planning Area. These projections were found to be
consistent with Ocoee's Comprehensive Plan and have been used by other regional agencies for long
range planning studies.
Population and employment projections are detailed in Section 4 of this study.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 7
City of Ocoee
3.3 Service Standards
The standard by which a community measures its effectiveness in maintaining a certain degree of
performance is called Level of Service (LOS). Varying types of LOS standards are utilized according
to the type of capital improvements planned.
The State of Florida requires communities to adopt specific LOS standards for such things as
roadways, drainage, wastewater, water, and recreation facilities, among others, as part of their
Comprehensive Plan. Typically, the same LOS standard would be used as the basis for
measurement for any related impact fee rate study.
In the case fire services, no requirements are mandated by the State. Thus, the current LOS
standards used by a community for these services are generally used as the basis of measurement.
The LOS for a particular type of function can be raised if a community believes its standards fall
below an acceptable norm; however, the elimination of any deficiencies proportionate to existing
development within the community would need to be paid from sources other than impact fees.
For the purposes of this study, it is presumed that Ocoee will maintain historic fire service standard
levels.
3.4 Methodology Approaches
Even though there are numerous methods utilized for the calculation of impact fees, most fall
primarily into one of the two general categories, Standards-Driven or Improvements-Driven. As with
any methodology, both approaches have advantages and disadvantages. In many cases, impact fee
methodology actually utilizes both methods to determine charges, but relies on one approach more
than the other depending upon the type of impact fee and the base data available.
A Standards-Driven approach is used when it is more difficult to project specific capital needs to
maintain service standards over time. Impact fee determination is based instead on the
theoretical proportionate share of the cost for capital improvements necessary to accommodate
incremental growth. Rates may be based on the historical capital investment made to support current
service levels, projections of need based upon theoretical increments of future capital costs, or a
combination of the two. This approach provides a significant amount of administrative flexibility,
although it is important to ensure that the types of capital facilities and equipment acquired
correspond to appropriate improvements to Levels of Service provided.
An Improvements-Driven approach is used when it is relatively easy to project specific capital
improvements which will be necessary over time to maintain the service standards of the community.
It is also valuable in cases where projected capital costs to accommodate new growth are
disproportionately higher than historical capital investment rates. This approach is relatively easy to
administer and provides a direct relationship between community needs and the fees charged to
acquire appropriate facilities or equipment.
The impact fees calculated in this study will be based on the improvements driven approach. A
detailed discussion of the City's fire capital needs is discussed in Section Five of this document.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 8
City of Ocoee
3.5 Needs Assessment
Regardless of the method by which fees are determined, it is necessary to initially inventory existing
facilities and equipment to determine community investment relative to current development. This
inventory also serves as the base point from which to assess future needs.
The inventory of fire capital items typically includes all buildings and land utilized for these
activities, all general administrative and operational equipment, vehicles, and all job-related personal
equipment necessary to outfit an individual firefighter. This inventory would not include supply items
which require periodic replacement or minor equipment items with a useful life of less than three
years. All capital items are estimated at their current replacement values.
Based upon an analysis of existing facilities and equipment and how these capital items are utilized in
relation to various service standards, it is possible to project with some accuracy the future capital
needs of the community caused by anticipated growth. Fire Department needs are primarily based
upon response time standards set down by the Insurance Services Organization (ISO) and relate
more to the physical size and building composition of the community and less to absolute population
increases. Accordingly, future capital costs are largely dictated by specific facility and equipment
needs which may be less directly related to community growth rates.
A complete inventory of capital facilities and equipment as well as, future capital needs is detailed in
Section 5 of this Study.
3.6 Distribution of Costs
In order to more equitably distribute the costs of growth relative to the impacts generated, some
apportionment between different types of users is generally desirable. Depending upon the type of
impact fee and the size of the community, this apportionment may range from individual fees for a
wide variety of land uses to a simpler split between residential and non-residential uses.
Typically, residential apportionment's are based upon the number of dwelling units within that
category, and non-residential apportionment's are based upon the square footage of the structures
situated within this category. These ratios are, in turn, related to projected community growth to the
horizon year of the study period.
The most prevalent way to equitably allocate growth costs for fire services is based upon historical
Calls for Service (CFS) directed proportionately to the range of residential or non-residential users.
CFS are simply the requests for assistance received by the Fire Department. These calls can range
from very serious emergency needs to routine false alarms.
Even though CFS provides the base empirical data utilized to apportion costs among different types
of users, it is important to recognize that the Fire Department is heavily involved in prevention
activities including community education programs and building inspection services. This is
particularly true for commercial and industrial areas where users require a high degree of security to
protect property and livelihoods. Accordingly, the proportionate service provided to the range of
different types of uses within each category is not wholly related to CFS.
To some degree, it may be presumed that there is an inverse relationship between CFS and the
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 9
City of Ocoee
efficiency of service provided. Unfortunately, empirical data to demonstrate the preventative aspects
of fire services is lacking other than records indicating the general amount of time devoted to patrol
and inspection activities. Regardless, it will be assumed that any slight variations in CFS patterns
between similar types of users within each category will be equitably balanced due to the preventative
services provided by the Fire Department.
For the purposes of this study, all individual single family, multifamily, and mobile home dwelling units
will be equally placed in the residential category, and all commercial, office and industrial uses will be
placed in the non-residential category using gross size as the proportionate indicator of impacts
generated.
3.7 Operational Considerations
An Impact fee rate determination based primarily on the ability of the community to maintain the same
LOS as historically provided requires an understanding of the operational aspects of the Fire
Department. Fire protection service is dependent upon the ability of manpower to reasonably
respond to particular needs created by new growth.
Unlike many community capital expenditures which are directly utilized by the residents, expenditures
fire capital items are only as valuable as the ability of the manpower available to use them.
Additionally, fire services are as much related to property protection as they are to people protection.
Buildings, whether occupied or unoccupied require protection. Persons traveling throughout the
community still may require the services the Fire Department for emergency needs. Furthermore,
personnel and equipment that is based on the south side of the City may be called to serve an area in
the north west section of town. Because of this, a comprehensive approach must be considered
when determining what the Fire Department's capital needs will be.
Unlike most community infrastructure, fire services are available community-wide and are not
location-dependent to ensure reasonable benefit to new users. Fire services may similarly add
manpower and equipment to improve the ability to respond to a call. Fire services also must meet
nationally recognized ISO standards which determine overall insurance rates throughout the
community. These standards are related to not only the physical size of the community (to ensure
adequate response times to emergencies) but also are equipment-related as well. Additionally, the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) dictates many equipment standards which
must be met.
As discussed latter in Section 5, Ocoee's future fire needs are based on facilities and capital
equipment that are intended to serve the entire City. All manpower, facilities, and equipment will
reasonably available to respond to fire needs anywhere within the City limits. As long as adequate
operational efficiency is maintained proportionate to expansion of the community, the use of impact
fees to achieve this service level will bear a reasonable relationship to new growth.
For the reasons stated above, the continuation of distinct benefit zones for fire service is no longer
warranted, and all additions to capital facilities and equipment will be assumed to add incremental
service benefits to the community directly proportional to new growth.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 10
City of Ocoee
3.8 Personnel Considerations
As a practical matter, increased personnel levels will not necessarily match proportionate capital
expenditures for facilities or equipment. Obviously, personnel can not be added in fractional
increments, and many situations require a large-scale deployment of staff at one time. In some
cases, personnel increases will lag behind proportionate investments in equipment which may add to
the ability of the department to provide efficient service. But in most cases, the reverse situation may
occur in cases of large scale capital items where trust fund amounts must grow over time to permit
expenditures to be made. During these interim periods, it may be desirable to add personnel to
increase use of available equipment until new facilities and/or equipment are acquired. As examples:
prior to the purchase of a new fire engine, more firefighters are hired to permit additional use of an
existing back-up fire engine that could only previously be brought into service using reserves; or, a
complement of firefighters is hired prior to the opening of a new tire substation to permit adequate
training in preparation for manning the new facility.
In most cases where staffing levels and relative increases in capital acquisitions do not match,
greater use of existing equipment is necessary to maintain service levels. This situation leads to
additional wear and tear on existing equipment which adds to maintenance costs and accelerates
replacement requirements. To a certain degree, then, there may be limited instances where impact
fees could be used to replace existing equipment that is critical for maintenance of adequate service
levels. This type of use should be justified only in cases where it is obvious that the accelerated
depreciation and marginal increases in cost was caused by added use due to new growth and not to
correct a deficiency.
To the most practical degree possible, the City should maintain a reasonable relationship between
personnel levels, capital expenditures from impact fees, and overall community growth. Even though
these ratios may not precisely equal for short periods, over the twenty-year planning term an
equitable balance should be met. Obviously, significant investments in additional facilities and
equipment are of limited benefit unless adequate staff is also made available to make use of them.
3.9 Financial Considerations
General assumptions regarding the financial aspects of impact fees must also be considered as a
part of any methodology. These considerations are important to ensure that fees are equitably based
and represent a reasonable means to derive the proportionate share of capital expenses to be
charged to new growth. Presently, the Fire Department houses as much equipment and men as it
can handle at its current stations. In fact, the administrative offices were recently moved to temporary
trailers in order to free additional space for active personnel and equipment.
For the purposes of this study, it is presumed that there is no excess operating capacity available in
the Fire Department, and that in order to expand services, added capital expenditures will be
necessary. Without the use of impact fees to help fund the added costs caused by growth, existing
residents and businesses would otherwise be required to pay an increased and disproportionate
amount of taxes to support these development related needs.
New development, to a large degree, will benefit from the existing capital facilities and equipment
historically provided by the City of Ocoee. All of the existing resources of the City are immediately
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 11
City of Ocoee
available to respond to any protective services needs in new growth areas. Alternatively, any new
facilities paid by new growth will be available to help serve existing development. This type of
overlapping Service is inherent with community-wide functions such as fire services.
The distinction in these two cases is that the City presently provides a suitable LOS to serve the
existing developed portions of the community. To maintain this LOS in new growth areas will require
the community to incur substantial capital costs over time which otherwise would be unnecessary if
growth had not occurred. Thus, it is assumed that no credits should be considered for overlapping
services areas, nor should future new growth taxes be presumed to support any additional capital
expenditures beyond those specifically being funded by impact fees.
To the extent that any additional capital facilities are acquired in the future which improve LOS city-
wide, it is presumed that new growth will pay its proportionate share through general taxation. In no
case, however, shall new growth be required to pay twice for any proportionate share of community
facilities provided. It is also presumed that costs associated with providing fire services to persons
who do not reside in the community are shared equitably as part of an existing agreement with
Orange County.
The time/value aspects of money, in theory, also have some potential credit implications when
developing impact fee rates. This concept assumes that, due to inflation, money collected today is
worth more than the same amount collected in the future. Accordingly, the assumption is that funds
should be prorated or discounted by some percentage to create an equitable fee.
In reality, costs for capital facilities and equipment generally rise faster than inflation. This can be
especially true where extraordinary costs are incurred due to circumstances beyond the control of the
community. Rather than attempt to estimate future costs of capital items, impact fee rates are
established based upon current needs and prices using the assumption that interest on collected
funds will hopefully keep up with escalating costs. Thus, it is important for the City to review impact
fee rates periodically and adjust them based upon actual growth rates being experienced and revised
costs for facilities. This approach will help ensure that all contributors are paying an equitable
proportion of new facility costs over time.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 12
City of Ocoee
SECTION FOUR: POPULATION AND LAND USE
4.1 Background
The projection of population to the horizon year of the study forms the basis
I from which proportionate growth is determined. A corresponding projection of
l h necessary land use to support the anticipated population forms the basis for
n rylml`' determination of numbers of dwelling units, square footage of commercial and
industrial buildings, and related operational requirements. Obviously, it is
important to project these growth determinants as accurately as possible to
ensure that impact fee rates are realistic and equitable.
The use of projections contained within the Ocoee Comprehensive -
Plan would typically be utilized for this exercise; however, the data used to a
develop this plan was based upon 1987 population estimated by BEBR in • 4Fi
the, Florida Estimates of Population and projected to the year 2010. In I
order to derive the best data and population projections, the Ocoee
Planning Department projected population and employment growth to the
year 2020 for the entire Ocoee Joint Planning Area. These projections
were the result of a comprehensive review of numerous data sources
related to population and employment, including:
• A determination of future zoning and permitted uses, consistent with the Future Land Use
Map of the Ocoee Comprehensive Plan, including permitted densities;
• An inventory of all undeveloped land;
• An inventory of all wetlands, floodplains and conservation areas;
• An inventory of all approved and proposed developments, subdivision plans and planned unit
developments (PUDs);
• Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) data;
• Trends in population growth, and
• Consultation with the Orange County School Board (for future school enrollment and
construction).
4.2 Historical Community Growth
Ocoee is one of the fastest developing communities in Central Florida, with recent growth rates
greater than that of both Orange County and the entire metropolitan region. From 1980 to 1990, the
City experienced a population growth rate of 64 percent, roughly equivalent to that of the metropolitan
area. However, between 1990 and 1995, the most recent year data for the region was available, the
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 13
City of Ocoee
City's population grew from just under 13,000 to approximately 18,500, an increase of 45 percent.
This five year growth rate was almost three times that of both Orange County and the entire
metropolitan area, which had population growth rates of 12 and 14 percent, respectively. Over the
same time period, employment in Ocoee grew from just under 5,400 to almost 6,800, a 25 percent
increase. This compares to population employment growth rates of 15 and 17 percent in Orange
County and the Orlando metropolitan area, respectively.
Subsequent to 1995, the City's population has grown at an even faster rate. According to a voter
redistricting study conducted for the City in June of 1997, Ocoee's population was estimated at just
over 21,000, almost 14 percent larger than it was two years earlier. Ocoee's phenomenal growth in
relation to Orange County and the region is driven by both the availability of inexpensive developable
land and easy access to other regional activity centers.
Historically, the City of Ocoee's economy was predominately agriculture, livestock and related
activities. However, the series of crop freezes in the 1980s virtually eliminated Ocoee's status as an
agricultural center. The subsequent abundance of developable land, coupled with excellent access to
regional transportation facilities, paved the way for rapid residential growth within the City. In addition
to its role as a suburban community serving major employment centers such as downtown Orlando
and Disney, Ocoee has also experienced growth in commercial, service and industrial land uses, as
evidenced by the recent opening of the West Oaks Mall and Health Central Hospital.
4.3 Growth Patterns
A majority of Ocoee's population has historically been located in a relatively small geographic area
oriented toward the City's traditional center along Bluford Avenue. This area is roughly defined by
White Road to the south, Clarcona-Ocoee Road to the north, Bowness Road and Bluford Avenue to
the west, and Clarke Road to the east. Subsequent to this traditional residential development pattern,
a shift toward the northeast occurred along Silver Star Road (SR 438), Apopka Vineland Road, and
A.D. Mims Road in the form of new subdivisions. More recently, the paved extension of Clarke Road
from SR 50 to Clarcona-Ocoee Road has spurred a significant portion of the City's new subdivision
construction. Another significant source of recent population growth in Ocoee has been the
construction of new subdivisions along Maguire Road to the south, between Tomyn and Roberson
Roads.
Although the residential development patterns in Ocoee have traditionally consisted of single family
homes, more multi family developments are anticipated to occur. Recent estimates by the Ocoee
Planning Department place the population of the Ocoee/Orange County Joint Planning Area (JPA) at
just over 35,000. This population consists of approximately 10,736 single family residential units and
967 multi family units. The Ocoee JPA is shown on Figure 1 which is Ocoee's Existing Land Use
Map as depicted in the Comprehensive Plan.
Employment in Ocoee was traditionally supported by citrus, cattle and other activities related to
agriculture, as well as small businesses in and around the town's historic center offering goods and
services to the local population. As residential land uses have begun to rapidly replace previously
agricultural land uses, employment in the City has grown as well, although at a lesser rate. The
evolution of SR 50 into a major commercially oriented roadway has been a major source of this
growth. Commercial centers have begun to develop where north-south roads, such as Maguire Road,
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 14
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intersect SR 50. This growth continues to occur along the SR 50 corridor, highlighted by the opening
in 1996 of the West Oaks Mall, a regional shopping center at the intersection of Clarke Road. With a
size in excess of 1 million square feet, the West Oaks Mall has a market area which extends
throughout much of Central Florida, including Lake and Orange counties.
In addition, Health Central Hospital, a regional health care facility, opened just west of the mall on SR
50. West of the town's center, along Story Road and Bowness Road, the City has developed a
relatively strong industrial base, highlighted by such businesses as the Central Florida Auto Auction,
and SYSCO, a food distributor. A commercial activity center has recently developed at the
intersection of Clarke Road and Silver Star Road, with the opening of two shopping centers in recent
years. A summary of estimated population and employment characteristics in the Ocoee / Orange
County Joint Planning Area is shown in Table 2.
Table 2
1997 Existing Population and Employment
Ocoee/Orange County Joint Planning Area
Area 1980 1990 Change 1997 Change
Population
Ocoee 7,803 14,850 90% 35,105* 136%
Orange County 470,865 677,491 44% 777,556 15%
Metro Area 739,058 1,224,844 66% 1,428,620 17%
Employment
Ocoee N/A 6,534 N/A 8,892` 36%
Orange County N/A 350,953 N/A 515,412 47%
Metro Area N/A 612,750 N/A 729,583 19%
Source. Ocoee Planning Department, 1997.
` The Ocoee area, as it pertains to 1997 population and employment, includes portions of unincorporated
Orange County. (1980 and 1990 estimates include only the City)
4.4 General Population and Employment Projections
The historic growth discussed in the previous sections demonstrates Ocoee's substantial increases in
population and employment over the last several years. It is projected that the same growth patterns
will continue in the future as depicted on the Future Land Use Map of the Comprehensive Plan
(Figure 2). Although, most near-term residential growth is anticipated to continue to occur in the
northeast and southern sections of the City, an increasing amount of residential development is also
anticipated to occur in the north and northwestern sections of Ocoee once the Western Beltway is
completed and utilities are available to this area.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 16
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City of Ocoee
During the last several years, the City has taken an active approach to annexation of additional land
areas. In agreement with the County, a Joint Planning Area has been agreed upon which will
ultimately enable the City to expand its boundaries slightly in all directions.
With the anticipation that the continued increase of population and employment growth will continue
into the future, the Ocoee Planning Department projected population and employment growth to the
year 2020 for the entire JPA. To ease the projection effort, the City was divided into 97 geographic
subareas which correspond to defined traffic analysis zones (TAZ's). The TAZ's allow for a more
accurate existing land use inventory and a better assessment of future growth patterns. These zones
were created as part of the Long Range Transportation Plan and Road Impact fee update.
As mentioned previously, the projections were the result of a comprehensive review of numerous
data sources related to population and employment, including: future zoning and permitted uses, the
Ocoee Comprehensive Plan, an inventory of all undeveloped land, an inventory of all wetlands,
floodplains and conservation areas, an inventory of all approved and proposed developments,
subdivision plans and planned unit developments (PUDs), Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE)
data, trends in population growth, and information provided by the Orange County School Board (for
future school enrollment and construction). The results of the data analysis and individual forecasts
for population and employment are discussed below.
4.5 Population and Dwelling Unit Projections
The results of population projections for Ocoee in the year 2020 can be seen in Table 3. The
projections are also graphically shown on Figure 3, which shows the absolute change in population
between 1997 estimates and 2020 within the study area.
Table 3
Year 2020 Population Projections
Ocoee/Orange County Joint Planning Area
Area 1997 2020 Change _
Population
Ocoee 35,105* 68,154* 106%
Orange County 777,556 1,231,100 58%
Metro Area 1,428,620 2,078,400 457%
Source. Ocoee Planning Department, 1997.
'The Ocoee area, as it pertains to 1997 and 2020 population projections, includes portions of unincorporated
Orange County.
Based on these projections, it is apparent that a majority of the population growth will occur in the
north and south portions of the study area. The most dynamic growth areas are located along the
Clarcona-Ocoee Road and Maguire Road corridors, while pockets of population growth are also
projected to occur adjacent to Clarke Road, SR 50, Ocoee-Apopka Road and Old Winter Garden
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 18
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Road. The prevailing pattern of single family subdivisions will likely continue into the future. However,
some growth will occur in multi-family residences as well.
Based on the 1990 census data, BEBER's 1997 population estimate and the inventory of existing
land uses, Ocoee has an average of 3.03 persons per single family dwelling unit and 1.72 persons
per multi family dwelling unit. Assuming that these historic numbers will remain consistent into the
future, the number of future dwelling units were projected using the amount of available developable
land, permitted densities (using existing zoning, the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development
Code), known permitted subdivisions, Planned Unit Development s (PUD's) and Development of
Regional Impacts (DRI's). The projected number of dwelling units are shown in Table 4 below.
Table 4
Year 2020 Dwelling Unit Projections
Ocoee/Orange County Joint Planning Area
Area 1997 2020 Change
Single Family 10,736* 19,992` 9,256
Multi-Family 967 4,916 3,446
Total 11,703 24,405 12,702
Source, Ocoee Planning Department, 1997.
The Ocoee area, as it pertains to 1997 and 2020 population projections, includes portions of unincorporated
Orange County.
It should be noted that these estimates discount the typical time lag between issuance of building
permit and the actual occupancy of the dwelling unit. This lag can be four to six months for single
family homes and from six to twelve months or more for large-scale multi-family projects. It is
presumed that any variations caused by this lag are balanced out at the beginning and end of the
planning period due to the stream of units in the system. As previously mentioned, the number and
type of dwelling units constructed may vary substantially from year to year. What is important are
overall totals for the entire growth period.
4.7 Projected Non-Residential Growth
The non-residential growth of the community must also be projected to equitably project service
needs and allocate fees proportionately. Generally, over time, commercial and industrial
development within a community will largely relate to its population growth, assuming no significant
outside economic influences. Additionally, the relative proportionate use of land for residential,
commercial, and industrial development generally remains reasonably constant over time. These
assumptions notwithstanding, an analysis of recent socioeconomic trends revealed that Ocoee added
only one new job for every four new residents since 1990, this gap between residents and jobs is
anticipated to narrow in the future. In fact, the area's employment is projected to grow by nearly
23,000 by the year 2020; this increase represents one new job for every two new residents.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 20
City of Ocoee
Overall, the study area is anticipated to experience a 255 percent increase in employment from just
over 9,000 jobs in 1997 to about 32,000 jobs in the year 2020, a substantial departure from recent
employment growth rates. Increases in employment within the study area to the year 2020 are shown
on Figure 4.
As the figure shows, much of the employment growth is clustered around the SR 50 corridor; this
employment is primarily commercial in nature, although a significant amount of it is service
employment as well. New employment in this corridor will consist of commercial activities related to
the Lake Lotta Development of Regional Impact (DRI), medical professional offices and other related
activities near Health Central Hospital, and commercial developments directly adjacent to SR 50.
Commercial and service employment growth is also projected to occur along Maguire Road south of
SR 50 and between Clarcona-Ocoee Road and Ocoee Apopka road in northwest Ocoee. The area's
prime regional access will also encourage construction of more office buildings and their related uses,
such as restaurants.
Growth in industrial employment, which comprises about 20 percent of the total employment growth
to 2020 in the study area, is anticipated to be concentrated in the industrial area west of Kissimmee
and Maguire Roads, bounded by SR 438 and SR 50. This area contains distribution centers, such as
SYSCO, as well as activities related to the Florida Auto Auction; increases in employment here will
likely be of the same industrial nature. The construction of the Western Beltway in this sector of the
City is expected to make a substantial contribution to its status as a regional distribution center.
With an increase in employment there should also be an increase in commercial, office and industrial
building square footage. To project the actual non-residential building space anticipated to be
developed by the year 2020, commercial and industrial acreage must be multiplied by some factor
which represents a typical utilization ratio of the land.
Based on the Ocoee Comprehensive Plan commercial uses are permitted to develop up to a .3 Floor
to Air Ratio (FAR) or 30 percent of the site. In Ocoee the traditional site coverage of a retail site has
averaged 20 percent . Other commercial uses such as, office and service providers have averaged
almost 30 percent site coverage. The remainder of the site is utilized for Parking, landscaping,
buffers, required setbacks, driveways, stormwater retention, and miscellaneous storage or loading
areas. Based on the permitted FAR and the historical average site coverage, it is assumed that 25
percent of a commercial site will be used for actual buildings. In other words the average commercial
site will develop at 10,890 square feet per acre. (43,560 sq. ft x .25 = 10,890 sq. ft)
Although the Ocoee Comprehensive Plan permits Industrial uses to develop up to a .5 FAR or 50
percent of the site, the average site develops with 40 percent of the site covered with buildings. The
reason for this is that most industrial sites in Ocoee have typically developed as industrial parks with
many buildings and limited parking, (a FAR near .5), or as large single users with a single building
and large paved lots for vehicles and equipment (a FAR near .3). Based on the permitted FAR and
the historical average site coverage, it is assumed that 40 percent of an industrial site will be used
for actual buildings. The average industrial site will develop at 17,424 square feet per acre.
(43,560 sq. ft x .4 = 17,424 sq. ft)
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 21
Absolute Change CITY OF OCOEE JPA 1997 TO 2020
o-250 EMPLOYMENT
251 -500
=1 501 - 1000 zse 259 265 565
_ 1001 > 554
227
5<3
(4‘.............\.......11/ /4"...................... ..5,3
290
557
241
55
324 5 552 . 327 553
N
239 23
5sa
283 243 242 //
J �� 1-143551
559 2� Tat SC9
304 565 325
S39 233
325
-,
{ gp
9° 245 \ 1 319
323 257 231 r33
1131 547
\ 315
319
233
232
365 230 546
3.3
561 542
221 551 my ( 317 44
316
390 b�� S 5j 4 >5
2Z3
537' 0 227
5
10 128
312
83
b
y- +^ ae 535
2
253 a, st 2ae 311
{� 225
i r,2
\1) 250 SAIL
0 0.5 Miles(
II J
City of Ocoee
Assuming that these historic numbers will remain consistent into the future, the amount of future non-
residential square footage was projected using the amount of available developable land, permitted
densities (using existing zoning, the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code), known
permitted projects, Planned Unit Development s (PUD's) and Development of Regional Impacts
(DRI's). The projected amount of non-residential square footage is shown in Table 5 below.
Table 5
Year 2020 Projected Non-Residential Square Footage
Ocoee/Orange County Joint Planning Area
2020 2020
Use Acreage Square Footage
Commercial 682 7,426,980
Industrial 195 3,397,680
Total 877 10,824,660
Source. Ocoee Planning Department, 1997.
The Ocoee area, as it pertains to 2020 acreage and square footage projections, includes portions of
unincorporated Orange
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 23
City of Ocoee
SECTION FIVE: FIRE/EMS SERVICES
5.1 Operational Background
The Ocoee Fire Department operates from three
stations, Station One located on Bluford Ave. in the
center of the City, Station Three located on Maguire - ` -^--.
Rd. covering the area south of State Road 50, and
Station Four located on Clarke Rd. covering the - « rj
northeast area. Station One is a four bay station .48
'
housing six (6) personnel that man a pumper and
rescue vehicle. The station also houses three (3) yy
Chief officers and three (3) clerical staff, fora total of L 4l"f'(l A c
11 personnel per day. Station One which was
constructed circa 1974 is approximately 24 years
old, and is approximately a 8,100 square foot facility ,
that houses a pumper, rescue vehicle, rescue boat, - e
disaster trailer, equipment, communications, living
quarters and administrative offices.
Station Three and Station Four are identical facilities
constructed in 1997 and occupied in January of 1998. Both stations are 6,100 square foot facilities
with three bays, a police substation, living quarters and storage areas. Both stations house four(4)
personnel with the ability to accommodate two additional personnel at a later date. Station Three
houses a first run pumper, and a reserve pumper. Station Four houses a aerial / pumper a woods
truck and a reserve rescue vehicle.
Fire Station One is currently being utilized to its capacity accommodating the maximum number of
personnel and vehicles for which it was designed. A office trailer is currently being leased to ease the
overcrowding of Fire Station One and accommodate administrative personnel until Fire Station One
can be relocated.
The Fire Department normally operates on three shifts with 14 personnel on duty 24 hours and off
duty 48 hours. The Fire Chief, Assistant Fire Chief, Support Chief, two Fire Inspectors, two full time
and one part time clerical personnel normally work 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each weekday. The current
authorized headcount in the Fire Department is 50.
On a typical call for service, one pumper and rescue vehicle with a full complement of six firefighters
are deployed. On structure fires, accidents with entrapment and commercial fire alarms, two pumpers
and a rescue vehicle with a complement of 10 firefighters and a chief officer are normally dispatched.
The Ocoee Fire Department maintains mutual aid agreements with all surrounding fire departments in
the Central Florida area, and a two year joint response agreement with Orange County for
unincorporated areas adjacent to the City limits.
All fire department personnel are certified as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and are trained
in Basic Life Support (BLS). The department has a dual response with Health Central Ambulance
service who provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) and emergency transportation to medical facilities.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 24
City of Ocoee
The Department is also active in fire prevention activities and regularly inspect commercial, industrial,
institutional, and multi-family buildings to ensure that Fire Codes and safety conditions are adequately
maintained. Public education is provided by both firefighters and inspectors to local schools and civic
organizations to promote fire safety awareness through fire station tours, school programs, adult
education classes and presentations.
5.2 Service Activity
Fire Department activity levels have been steadily increasing over the last several years as a result of
additional development and population. As shown in Table 6, the total annual Calls For Service (CFS)
for fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from 1995 to 1998 have increased dramatically at a
rate equal to the overall population growth. Much of this increased activity is due to additional
requests for emergency medical services, primarily to residential areas. Also shown in this table is a
decrease in CFS from 1998 to 1999. This decrease was a direct result of the first full year of the City
of Ocoee /Orange County Joint Response Contract. Under this contract, Orange County calls were
reduced by 25% and Winter Garden calls by 70%. Department activity currently is averaging 250
CFS per month.
Table 6
Calls for Service Summary
Ocoee Fire Department
Municipality 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Ocoee 1,829 2,165 1,972 2,301 2,408
Orange County 369 384 731 671 502
Winter Garden 76 98 99 79 23
Windermere 106 84 83 114 106
Total 2,380 2,731 2,885 3,165 3,039
% Change 8.7% 9.5% 9.1% (4%)
Source: Ocoee Fire Department
In order to ascertain the relative incidence of service activity provided to residential vs. Non-
residential users, historical CFS must be examined to determine the general location and type of call
received. The Fire Department maintains this data on an annual basis as additionally summarized in
Table 7 below. These amounts include institutional and governmental CFS, although their incidence
is not believed to significantly affect relative percentages. All calls for roadway and miscellaneous
assistance have been split in what is historically believed to represent their relative incidence by
location.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 25
City of Ocoee
Table 7
Annual Calls For Service ( 1995 - 1999 )
By Location
Percent of
Location 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 Total Total
Residential 1,816 2,003 1,943 2,051 2,019 9,832 69.05%
Non -Residential 564 728 942 1,152 1,020 4,406 30,95%
Total CFS 2,380 2,731 2,885 3,165 3,039 14,238 100%
Source: Ocoee Fire Department
All though the five CFS average indicates a 70% residential 30% non-residential split the trend is that
the Fire Department is responding to proportionally more non-residential calls today than in 1995.
This trend coincides with the increase in commercial and industrial development in the City. It is
anticipated that this trend will continue as Ocoee becomes more urban. Therefore, a 60% residential
and 40% non-residential split will be used for the purpose of this study.
5.3 Personnel Levels
The Ocoee Fire Department is presently authorized to provide a total of 39 firefighters , 7 full time and
1 part time administrative positions. Table 8 identifies the historical personnel allocation of the Fire
Department which has been authorized on an annual fiscal year basis from 1995 through 1999.
Table 8
Personnel Utilization
Ocoee Fire Department
Current Personnel 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Firefighter 30 39 39 39 39
Inspector 2 2 2 2 2
Administration 1 2 3 3 3
Clerical 1 2 2.5 2.5 2.5
Total 34 45 46.5 46.5 46.5
Source. Ocoee Fire Department,
As shown above , the Fire Department has recently added positions to keep up with additional
community growth experienced during the 1995 - 1999 period. The addition of nine firefighters has
enabled the Department to open an additional station and meet recommended ISO guidelines.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 26
City of Ocoee
Unlike the Police Department, which can improve service levels with incremental increases in
personnel, the Fire Department must add personnel in groups of three to staff each shift equally.
Additionally, the effectiveness of this additional personnel is largely related to the availability of large
pieces of firefighting apparatus. Unless firefighters are deployed in appropriate teams to man the
equipment properly, personal safety issues can become a problem, taking into consideration OSHA
standards.
Solely on the basis of the population projected to the horizon year, the City would need to add at least
12 firefighters during the study period to maintain current staffing ratios. Thus, at the appropriate time
when the fourth fire station is added, it would be required for Ocoee Fire Department to be expanded
so that every shift was staffed with 19 firefighters. Such a staffing approach would permit a much
greater utilization of existing firefighting and EMS equipment and maintain service levels at historical
rates within the community.
5.4 Service Standards
In addition to providing adequate personnel to handle various service requests, the Fire Department
must be within 1.5 miles of it's service area to respond to these calls within a specified time period to
maintain ISO property insurance ratings in the community. As a practical matter, this response time
standard (5 minutes) is also based upon recognized industry standards not only having to do with
property protection, but also medical standards. In each case, it is necessary to reach property and
persons within this time frame to maximize the effectiveness of fire suppression activities and/or
emergency medical care.
Based upon recent experience, the Fire Department can maintain the 5 - minute response standard
within current City limits, with the possible exception of the northwest sector of the community. This
area of the City is anticipated to absorb the majority of low-density residential and industrial growth
during the ten-year study period. Accordingly, a fourth fire station will need to be provided in this area
to maintain service standards for new development.
Other service standards in addition to personnel, equipment, and response times are commonly used
to determine the adequacy of fire/EMS services. One typical determinant is the ability of the Fire
Department to suppress various types and potential intensities of fires based upon building risk
factors. A single family residential fire, for example, would be easier to contain than a large scale
shopping center fire. Different risk levels are assigned to a range of building classifications based
upon use, bulk, height, and building standards. These, in turn, are related to the ability of the
community to deploy appropriate personnel, equipment, and water capacity to the fire location.
5.5 Facilities and Equipment Inventory
The existing capital investment made by the City of Ocoee to support its Fire Department includes
land, buildings, furnishings, vehicles, and equipment. As with any asset, the individual items which
make up the total capital goods of the Fire Department have varying useful lives and values. Since
impact fee rates must be based upon the current costs of goods which need to be added to the
capital facilities and equipment of the community, it is necessary to estimate the replacement costs of
existing capital items to provide a common basis for comparison. Table 9 reflects the current
inventory of the Ocoee Fire Department.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 27
City of Ocoee
Table 9
Inventory of Capital Items
Ocoee Fire Department
Item Cost
(Buildings and Property)
Fire Station One 350,000.00
Fire Station Three 1,050,000.00
Fire Station Four 940,000.00
Maguire Rd. property 315,000.00
(Furniture and Equipment)
Station One Furniture 27,368.03
Station Three Furniture 36,789.68
Station Four Furniture 36,678.13
(Apparatus and Vehicles)
Engine One 250,000.00
Engine Two 116,000.00
Engine Three 250.000.00
Engine Four 340,000.00
Rescue One 84,000.00
Squad One 96,000.00
Rescue Boat 18,000.00
Fire Chief Vehicle 14,000.00
Asst. Chief Vehicle 28,000.00
Support Chief Vehicle 14,000.00
Inspector One Vehicle 12,000.00
Inspector Two Vehicle 9,000.00
Disaster Trailer 8,256.00
(Tools and Equipment)
Engine One 29,540.86
Engine Two 2,990.00
Engine Three 24,593.20
Engine Four 31,790.12
Rescue One 19,931.00
Squad One 23,523.00
(Radios)
Mobile 23,650.00
Portable 70,308.00
Headsets 4,731.00
Chargers 2,508.00
Batteries 1,143.90
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 28
City of Ocoee
Item Cost
(Other)
Disaster Trailer Equipment 21,563.45
Air Compressor 23,740.00
Uniforms 28,995.90
Computers 52,600.00
Hose 47,245.00
Bunker Gear 80,376.55
TOTAL: 4,484,321.55
Source: Ocoee Fire Department
5.6 Future Fire Needs
Unlike the Police Department, which can largely provide increased equipment on an incremental
basis, the Fire Department must project its needs based upon a specific list of capital facilities and
equipment which will enable it to maintain adequate service levels. In order to ascertain the
anticipated capital expenditures which will be required, an analysis of future needs is appropriate.
These needs are based upon the growth trends outlined in the City's Comprehensive Plan as
previously summarized in this study. The actual spatial location of development and rate of growth,
however, will largely dictate the need to deploy personnel and equipment in a manner which
maintains Level of Service standards. The City will need to monitor the timing of needed capital
facilities based upon actual growth patterns experienced.
There is a need to relocate Fire Station One to a central location in the City. The facility will require
approximately 22,500 square feet to accommodate response crews and administrative personnel.
Based on the projected growth trends, it is anticipated that 54% of the new facility will utilized for new
growth. ( 33,049 new residents/68,154 total population = .485 ) Anticipated growth along the SR 50
corridor will require increased staffing at Fire Station One to maintain service standards for this new
development. Specialized equipment and apparatus located at Fire Station One, such as the Heavy
Rescue Unit, the Marine Rescue Boat, Disaster Trailer, and Reserve Engine will benefit all districts
within the City, serving as a "hub" to provide back-up for all other Fire Stations within the City.
Table 10 details the projected timeline of relocating Fire Station One, as it appears in the Five Year
Capital Improvement Program.
Table 10
Fire Station One Relocation
Item Year Estimated Cost
Land Acquisition 2000 $200,000
Design 2000 $276,131
Construction 2001 $2,301,092
Off Site Construction Cost 2001 $350,000
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 29
City of Ocoee
Item Year Estimated Cost
Demolition Cost ( Existing Station) 2004 $75,000
Ladder Truck 2005 $500,000
Miscellaneous Capital Equipment 2005 $900,000
Ambulance (4) 2005 $460,000
Hazard Material Truck 2005 $300,000
Tanker Truck 2005 $150,000
Platform Truck 2005 $800,000
Radio Communication System* 2006 $750,000
Furnishings 2002 $148,220
Total $7,210,443
Source: Ocoee Fire Department
*Total system cost is $1.5 million. Cost is split between the police and fire departments
Total cost of Fire Station One attributable to new growth ($7,210,443 x .485 = $3,497,064.86)
As previously identified, there is an absolute need to provide a fourth station in the northwest sector
of Ocoee to maintain adequate ISO response distances within this area. Based upon the projected
development which is anticipated to occur within the next ten years, practically all of the existing
acreage in this area, within the current City limits, is expected to be subdivided for low density
residential growth. Additionally, a limited amount of commercial and industrial growth is anticipated to
occur along the Western Beltway corridor.
The station itself will initially be designed to accommodate a minimum complement of new vehicles,
staff, and equipment. This would include one pumper, one rescue transport vehicle, and living
quarters for four(4) firefighters on each shift (12 total) including associated furnishings and
equipment. Related site improvements such as parking, driveways, water, sewer, drainage, and
landscaping would also need to be provided at the time of construction. In addition to the fire station a
training facility is planned for the Fire Station Two site. This will be comprised of a training tower,
smoke building, burn building, apparatus yard and classrooms. The training facility is required for
maintaining ISO ratings, and to provide the Fire Department the ability to train within the City limits.
Using the existing vs. new growth formula that was applied to Fire Station One, it is anticipated that
48.5% of the training facility is the responsibility of new growth. Table 11 details the projected
timeline for Fire Station Two facilities.
Table 11
Fire Station Two facilities
Item Year Estimated Cost
Land Acquisition 2000 $300,000
Construction 2005 $1,000,000
Design 2004 $100,000
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 30
City of Ocoee
Item Year Estimated Cost
Land Acquisition 2000 $300,000
Construction 2005 $1,000,000
Furnishings 2005 $150,000
Pumper 2005 428,000
Brush Truck 2005 $100,000
Total $2,078,000
Source: Ocoee Fire Department
`Fire Station Two includes training facilities and is expected to serve existing development.
Total cost of Fire Station One attributable to new growth ($2,078,000 x .485 = $1,007,830)
Timing of the acquisition of land and subsequent building construction/equipment purchases are
dependent upon growth rates and revenues available. It is in the best interests of the community to
acquire an appropriate site as quickly as possible to minimize costs. Construction of the station
should be timed within the middle of the planning period if at al possible rather than at the end of the
study period to ensure that adequate fire services are maintained during the development cycle.
Since all projected impact fee funds might not be collected by the time of actual construction, it may
be necessary for the City to loan moneys to the trust fund temporarily until revenues match actual
costs.
Even though Fire Station Two more spatially benefits the northwest sector of the community, the
addition of personnel and equipment to the overall Fire Department benefits the community as a
whole due to operational considerations. Personnel and equipment from any of the four stations may
be moved up to cover another area within the City when it's regularly assigned crew is committed on
another emergency. For this reason, impact fees generated within any area of the City will ultimately
benefit from proportionate increases in fire and emergency protection services.
In summary, the anticipated future ten-year capital facility and equipment needs of the Ocoee Fire
Department required by new growth will largely be accommodated by the construction and equipping
of a new fire station in the northwest sector of the community. Relocation of the main fire station to
accommodate an increase in personnel will also be necessary. The addition of these improvements,
equipment, and personnel will ensure that existing level of service standards will be maintained as
new development occurs throughout the community.
6.7 Fire Impact Fee Determination
Having gathered, analyzed, and projected all of the foregoing information, it is possible to
determine the theoretical proportionate share of fire impact fee rates for residential and non-
residential land uses. These fees are calculated on the following two pages.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 31
City of Ocoee
Year 1997 JPA population:
35,105
Year 2020 JPA population:
68,154
New population growth by the year 2020:
33,049
Capital investment needs by the year 2020:
$9,228,443
Finance charges on capital investments through the year 2020:
$9,998,761 (Based on capital needs and First Union Securities Actuary Table for GO Bonds dated April 25,2000. Includes
remaining bond payoff of$3,640,250 for Fire Stations 3&4)
Total capital and finance charges by year 2020:
$19,227,204
Total capital and finance charges for new growth:
$19,227,204 X .485 = $9,325,193.94
Impact fees still on deposit:
$1,638,383
Total capital and finance charges minus existing fees on deposit:
$7,686,810.94
Number of new residential dwelling units to be added in the JPA:
12,702 DU ( assumes each dwelling unit is 2,000 sf on average)
Amount of non-residential building square footage to be added in the JPA:
10,824,660 sq. ft.
City or Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 32
City of Ocoee
Percentage ratio of residential vs. non-residential CFS:
60%:40%
Capital investment per square foot of residential construction proportionate to CFS:
$7,686,810.94 x .60 = $4,612,086.56/ 12,702 DU /2,000 sf= $0.182 per sq. ft.
Capital investment per square foot of non-residential space proportionate to CFS:
$7,686,810.94 x .40 = $3,074,724.38/ 10,824,660 sf= $0.284 per sq. ft.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 33
City of Ocoee
SECTION SIX: CONCLUSIONS
This study of the Ocoee Fire Departments' future needs has
demonstrated that significant additional capital investment will be \\\
necessary to maintain current Level f Servie standards for the Ocoee
community. The determination of the proportionate share of these k _ � ,�\
costs attributable to new growth has been undertaken using O 3
accepted methodology geared to the unique circumstances of a f...4
O
Ocoee. The final recommended fee rates are believed to be +- R e t', O.
equitable and legally defensible under the "rational nexus" test as v 0
well as under other generally accepted legal criteria. ';r,',
°
It has been demonstrated that the City of Ocoee has no excess fire r��rF9 p+`r
service capacity available to accommodate the needs of future OF C000
development, and that new growth will, at a minimum,
proportionately add to community service requirements. These requirements correspondingly must
be supported by large scale capital expenditures. It has been shown that the collection and use of
these funds will reasonably benefit the contributors by providing comparable service at levels
currently enjoyed by existing users. Additionally, the recommended rate schedule was ultimately set
to ensure that no windfall of revenue derived from the fees would benefit existing users or make up
for any prior system deficiencies.
The following recommended impact fee rates for fire services are based upon the best available
information and careful analysis of all study findings. They represent what are believed to be the
most fair and equitable fees which may be charged by the City of Ocoee to aid in providing needed
capital facilities and equipment required by new growth through the year 2020.
Recommended Fire Impact Fee Rates
Residential: $0.182 per sq. ft
Non-Residential: $ 0.284 per sq. ft
Based on the above fire impact fee rates and the projected growth of 12,702 dwelling units and
10,824,660 sq. ft. of non-residential development it is anticipated that the City will collect the following
impact fee revenues by the year 2020:
Anticipated Impact Fee Collections
Residential: 12,702 units x 2,000 sq. ft. x $0.182 per sq. ft = $4,623,528
Non-Residential: 10,824,660 sq. ft. x $ 0.284 per sq. ft = $3,074,203.44
Total Fire Impact Fees Collected : $7,697,731.44
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 34
City of Ocoee
Table 22
Proposed Fire Impact Fee Comparison
By Community
County/
City Residential Non-residential
Orange County $148.69 du $0.02238 to $0.22987 sq. ft.
Apopka $0.00 du $0.00 du/$0.00 du
Belle Isle $0.00 du
$0.00 du / $0.00 du
Edgewood $148.69 du $0.02238 to $0.22987 sq. ft.
Maitland $0.00 du
$0.15 ft
Oakland
$100.00 Flat Fee $100.00 Flat Fee
Ocoee $0.182 sq. ft $0.284 sq. ft
Orlando $0.00 du
$0.00 sq. ft.
Winter Garden $165.00 du $0.097 sq. ft.
Winter Park $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Osceola County $0.00 du
$0.00 sq. ft.
Kissimmee $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
St. Cloud $0.00 du
$0.00 sq. ft.
Seminole County $172.00 du $0.01 to $0.684 sq. ft.
Altamonte Springs $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Casselberry $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Lake Mary $175.00 du $0.129 sq. ft.
Longwood $0.00 du $0.00 sq. ft.
Oviedo $205.00 du
$0.25 sq. ft.
Sanford $59.27 du $0.025 to $0.0345 sq. ft.
Winter Springs $103.63 du $0.28 sq. ft.
City of Ocoee-Fire Impact Fee Study Page 35