HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-13-04 Minutes WS
THE OCOEE CITY COMMISSION WORK SESSION
TO REVIEW THE IMPACT FEES HELD MAY 13, 2004
Call to Order 5:30 P.M.
Mayor Vandergrift called the Work Session to review Impact Fees to order at 5:35 p.m. in the
Commission Chambers. City Clerk Grafton called the roll.
PRESENT: Mayor Vandergrift, Commissioners Anderson, Johnson, and Parker. Also present were
Acting City Manager Williford, City Attorney Rosenthal, City Clerk Grafton, Community
Development Director Wagner, Finance Director Horton, Assistant Fire Chief Firstner, Assistant Fire
Chief McNeil, Building Official Phelps, Parks/Recreation Director Farmer, Police Chief Goclon,
Public Works Director Wheeler, and GIS Technician O'Halloran.
ABSENT: Commissioner Howell
Review of proiected 2rowth pattern
Community Development Director Wagner presented a series of maps showing the expected
development pattern in the City over the next five years, based on the developments that are either
underway, in the planning stage, or developments recently annexed and the developer has indicated
they are going to develop within the next five years. He noted that, at the present rate of development
(800 homes per year) by the year 2020 Ocoee will reach buildout. He said these 4,000 homes will
make Ocoee half again as big as it is today in this five-year period and again in each subsequent five
year period an additional 15,000 citizens will be added. This will give the City a population of
approximately 75,000 in the planning area in the year 2020. He noted that a large portion of this
growth lies in the Joint Planning Area outside of the City's Utility Service Area, so there will be a lot
of growth without revenue coming into the City.
Presentations regarding Impact Fee needs.
Roadway - Community Development Director Wagner
Jacob Reger, Renaissance Planning Group, discussed the Traffic Impact Fee (TIF), pointing out the last
revision to the nF was in 1998. He recommended a substantial increase and gave the justification, based
on a detailed roadway cost analysis, projections of new growth in Ocoee through 2025, and the resulting
demand and supply of the transportation network. The new rate schedule also includes revisions to the
land use categories, assessment of vehicle travel on roadways by jurisdictional responsibility, and revenue
projections. The proposed traffic impact fee rate schedule (a 113% increase) should more accurately
reflect the cost impacts of new development on roadway capacity and the cost to Ocoee to construct
roadway capacity projects.
Rick McKey, Home Builders Association of Metro Orlando, asked for an electronic copy of the studies
done for the Road Impact Fee, and Information Systems Director Ross said that would be possible. Mr.
McKey then asked if this Commission would consider a stakeholder committee (as is done in Orange
County and Osceola County) for the industry users to have an opportunity to review the fees with staff
before they are adopted. He described the process: the counties hire expert firms to prepare the study, the
staff reviews it internally, then a sitting stakeholder's committee (made up of homeowners, developers,
and builders) is given a few months to review the study. In a meeting toward the end the consultant is
Ocoee City Commission Work Session - Review Impact Fees
May 13, 2004
present to answer the harder questions. This collaborative effort provides an opportunity for the problems
to be ironed out before the issue comes up for a vote by the elected board.
Mayor Vandergrift said this Commission would take the suggestion under advisement.
Police - Chief Goclon
Police Chief Goc1on presented the statistics on the existing police force and the overcrowded conditions
of its operation. He noted the spatial needs assessment from Architects Design Group of Winter Park
completed in March 200 I indicated that the current police building did not meet the spatial or functional
needs of the police department. The Police Department Impact Fees have not been updated since 1991,
and the existing figure of $.086 per square foot for residential and $.097 per square foot for non-
residential has been inadequate to keep up with the growth of the city. A comparison with other cities
showed Ocoee is the only city that charges per square foot for residential. Others charge a flat rate. Chief
Goclon gave the projections for personnel and equipment needed to accommodate the anticipated growth.
He recommended changing the method of calculating the residential impact fees from the per square foot
method to a flat fee of$848.00 per dwelling unit, as the service to a 1,000 square foot house is the same as
to a 3,000 foot house. He recommended raising the non-residential rate to $.56 per square foot.
Fire - Assistant Chief Firstner
Assistant Fire Chief Firstner presented the report for the Fire Department, saying the impact fee increase
put in place in 2000 served them well but will only cover the existing debt service accumulated to date. It
will not support any type of new development. He reviewed the statistics regarding growth, and said the
adjustments to the Impact Fees are based on the requirements for new facilities, new vehicles, and debt
service. A new facility will be needed in the northwest district and new equipment will be needed for all
districts. Chief Firstner proposed raising the residential fee from $0.182 per square foot to a flat fee of
$737, which is a 50% increase, and non-residential from $0.284 per square foot to $0.55 per square foot
(50 % increase).
Parks/Recreation - ParkslRecreation Director Farmer
ParkslRecreation Director Farmer gave the recent history for the Recreation Impact Fee, noting the fee
was changed in 2001 to $500 per residential dwelling unit, and was designed to cover estimated needs of
$6,884,633.96. The current estimated needs are over $20,000,000. This is for programs based upon
guidelines set by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, FRDAP, and the National
Recreational Parks Society. Mr. Farmer reviewed the activities and their estimated park and facility cost
and proposed raising the ParkslRecreation Impact Fees to $1,640 per dwelling unit.
Commissioner Johnson said someone needs to get a realistic price on land and pursue acquisition now.
He also proposed getting a company to come in and build a sports complex.
Public Works - SewerlWater - Public Works Director Wheeler
Public Works Director Wheeler said the impact fees for the water and sewer systems are called capital
charges rather than impact fees. He reviewed the current capital charges and compared Ocoee's charges
with other cities, showing also when each entity updated its fees. He gave the historical data, noting that
Chapter 173-21 and 173-37 in the Code provide for an automatic annual adjustment in the capital charges
using the ENR construction cost index, but that has never been implemented. He said that he intends to
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Ocoee City Commission Work Session - Review Impact Fees
May 13, 2004
put it into effect. From the date of the adoption ofthe current code (1992) until the present time the ENR
construction index has raised 34.28%. Mr. Wheeler proposed using the 34.28% factor and increasing the
water capital charge to $1,297 and the sewer capital charge to $3,847. He listed the projects that would be
covered with the revenue produced by this increase: upgrade the WWTP capacity, upgrade Lift Station
No. 1 (Nicole Boulevard), upgrade gravity sewer along Wurst Road, northwest area expansion inclusion,
upgrade WTPs operations, upgrade water mains in existing areas, and reuse system expansion.
Mayor Vandergrift said he likes the idea of a stakeholders group and wants staff to gather the
information regarding the structure of such a committee.
Commissioner Anderson said he needs to see graphs showing where we are compared to where we want
to go and compared with other entities.
Commissioner Johnson said he wants a committee to look at review fees as well. City Attorney
Rosenthal advised staff is already working on the fees.
Finance Director Horton asked what staff person is to do the research. Mayor Vandergrift said since
she asked, she would be the person. Mrs. Horton said she would get the information and pass it on to
Acting City Manager Williford to assign to someone.
Commissioner Anderson said he was ready to move forward with the impact fees and let the committee
review be addressed when it comes in.
City Attorney Rosenthal suggested setting a time frame for the committee to work within.
In their final discussion Commission agreed the report from staff regarding the structure of the
stakeholders committee should be presented to them at the June I regular session and they would move
forward with appointing a committee then.
Site plan review process - Commissioner Johnson
There was no further discussion regarding this item.
Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
Attest:
APPROVED:
City of Ocoee
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