Mike Weinstein takes impact fee moratorium to next level.

[Bridges]

Weinstein bill would halt impact fees; faces fire from local governments

Cities and counties would be barred from enacting transportation or school impact fees until mid-2015 under a measure filed Tuesday by a Jacksonville Republican.

Sponsored by Rep. Mike Weinstein, R-Jacksonville, the bill (HB 603) would prevent the levying of concurrency fees for roads and schools for development permitted before July 1, 2015 and completed before July 1 2016.

"I'm trying to help find ways to motivate potential projects and developments to get them off the starting line," said Weinstein, adding that he intends to get a Senate sponsor within the next several days.

Weinstein said the measure would help jump start a moribund construction sector and, spurring development during tough economic times, without completely taking control away from city and county officials. The bill allows local officials to override the moratorium by a two-thirds majority vote of the local governing body.

"If there is a project or a compelling need, local officials won't have their hands tied," Weinstein said. "It's a balanced approach to initiate development."

Representatives of local governments, however, say now is not the time, if ever, to further restrict the ability of cash strapped local cities and counties from using impact fees to pay for the infrastructure needed to accommodate growth.

"It is an egregious assault on home rule," said Cragin Mosteller, spokeswoman for the Florida Association of Counties.

Weinstein's measure is among a handful of proposals filed so far in an effort to reduce costs and permitting hurdles for developers - but also one of several that could cost local governments revenue.

Another measure (SB 760) would repeal the Local Business Tax Act, which gives cities and counties the ability to charge local companies for the right to do business in their communities. The repealer is sponsored by Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla.


Earlier this year, lawmakers passed a proposed constitutional amendment, HJR 381, which seeks to prohibit increases in assessed value when the market value of a property falls. If approved by voters, the measure would take effect in 2013.

The measure also caps increases on non-homestead property at 5 percent and provides additional benefits to first-time home buyers. State economists say the measure will cost local governments more than $500 million a year in lost revenue.

Weinstein's proposal comes less than six months after Gov. Rick Scott signed into law a growth management bill that gave local governments more discretion in how their communities develop. The bill (HB 7207) re-enacted portions of a previously approved growth management bill (SB 360) passed by lawmakers in 2009 that was until recently tied up in court.

The 349-page bill reduced state oversight on development approvals, giving cities and counties more control over development decisions and whether to charge developers for roads, parks and schools. Backers say the state will continue to maintain oversight over projects that have significant regional impacts.

Mosteller said Weinstein's bill appears to fly in the face of that earlier initiative.

"Earlier this year, lawmakers seemed to say that growth management was a local issue," Mosteller said. "So why would why you now tie their hands."

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/matt-dixon/2011-11-08/weinstein-bill-would-halt-impact-fees-faces-fire-local

[thelakelander]

What Weinstein is proposing is simply fiscally irresponsible.  Especially since it appears that our economy is changing into a quality-of-life based one as opposed to growth.  While Jacksonville has already temporarily rolled over on this, I'm confident that more progressive and influential municipalities in the State will fight to keep this from becoming a reality.

[fsujax]

I sure hope hope so. And to think I supported his candidacy for Mayor several years back. SMH.

[Lunican]

Is there a shortage of residential, commercial, or industrial space anywhere in Florida?

[dougskiles]

Unbelievable.

Creating a false demand for construction would be like deliberately poisoning the water supply so that hospitals can improve their bottom line.

It is no secret what groups are behind this.  And unless we want to be forever controlled by them, people better start showing up to voice a more intelligent broad reaching point of view.

[dougskiles]

Cragin Mosteller (spokeswoman for the Florida Association of Counties) can be reached by email at:

cmosteller@fl-counties.com

or by phone at 850-922-4300.

We need to support their efforts.  If anyone knows of other groups who will be organizing opposition to this bill, please post it for us.

[FayeforCure]

Unbelievable.

Creating a false demand for construction would be like deliberately poisoning the water supply so that hospitals can improve their bottom line.

It is no secret what groups are behind this.  And unless we want to be forever controlled by them, people better start showing up to voice a more intelligent broad reaching point of view.

In some ways, Peyton was a bullet dodge as well.  The problem with Mike is that he is totally smart enough to know better.

That's what makes this sooooo disgusting!

For Republicans, politics is just a game. They don't care about the consequences of their actions.

[acme54321]

Faye, take the blinders off.  Our entire government is one big game.  Republican or democrat, they're all guilty.

If you ask me the state needs to butt out of local politics.  I hope this guy's bill go nowhere fast.

[dougskiles]

If you ask me the state needs to butt out of local politics.  I hope this guy's bill go nowhere fast.

I can't think of a single legitimate reason the state has for getting involved in this.

The state legislators complain frequently about the Feds being too involved in state matters, yet they routinely overstep their bounds with local matters.

[north miami]

The End of Inevitable Growth has arrived.

No worries! Having realized decades old Growth dreams we now enjoy a population in the MILLIONS.If this is not Enough.....Then What??

The Most Important Citizen no longer The Next One. 

Next compelling need,dream is to retain Recreation Lands present and backlogged needs,Working Ag,Timber and Ranch Lands,water resource,neighborhood and all manner Place under fire.


Onward.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I can't think of a single legitimate reason the state has for getting involved in this.

I can think of about 5k-10k reasons that each representative probably gets for getting involved....

The part that I don't get is that in order for these developments to be profitable, they need to sell/lease the properties and with the saturation of both commercial & residential properties available, not to mention the uncertainness of both the commercial and residential markets.....  I don't see why anyone would even propose to build any new projects.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

The End of Inevitable Growth has arrived.

No worries! Having realized decades old Growth dreams we now enjoy a population in the MILLIONS.If this is not Enough.....Then What??

The Most Important Citizen no longer The Next One. 

Next compelling need,dream is to retain Recreation Lands present and backlogged needs,Working Ag,Timber and Ranch Lands,water resource,neighborhood and all manner Place under fire.


Onward  OUTWARD.

I made one small adjustment to your quote.  I hope you don't mind.

[dougskiles]

The part that I don't get is that in order for these developments to be profitable, they need to sell/lease the properties and with the saturation of both commercial & residential properties available, not to mention the uncertainness of both the commercial and residential markets.....  I don't see why anyone would even propose to build any new projects.

It is puzzling to me too.  There must be a mindset of some that they have given up on their vacant buildings (and in some cases may have turned them back to the bank) and are looking for new opportunities.  That kind of unsustainable attitude is largely to blame for the economic mess we are in.

Then you have the home building industry that only cares about swinging more hammers.  It would be great if they spent more time training their members to do something different (like restoration or making buildings more energy efficient) instead of lobbying the government for more subsidies.

[simms3]

The major homebuilders have largely pulled out of Jacksonville.  Toney Sleiman is now technically the largest developer left in this town and he is a sad excuse for a big city developer.

What will happen is that with the end of this impact fee, idiots trying to make a quick buck will put 100 homes/units here and 50 homes/units there and 30,000 SF of retail here and there, trying to make a quick buck.  The only thing stopping them will be financing, but the banks around here haven't exactly been the smartest with their construction/commercial loans now have they?

Jacksonville continues to go the opposite route of Austin, Charlotte, and Nashville.  By the way, those cities are all exploding with infill construction...more construction than pretty much any markets aside from NYC, Chicago, DC, and Boston.

If Jacksonville's real estate development game were run by more sophisticated people, we would not be in this quandary.  There aren't very any Penn/MIT grads running the show in this city, to put it lightly.  They would be more ambitious, more progressive, tied to higher levels of capital, more connected, and more sensitive to forming the direction of the city rather than putting a finger in the wind and guessing which direction the city is kind of headed.  The last part is the ultimate difference between what separates the winners and the losers.

The mentality in Jacksonville with everything is always "redneck".  I.E. pretty soon we'll be hearing how liberal and "business-unfriendly" Nashville and Charlotte are from folks in town.  They'll be in the bad "big city" league.  "We don't want to be like them."  We'll look at the Asian car manufacturing plants who have gone to Alabama and think, "now they know exactly what they're doing."

[jcjohnpaint]

What I don't understand is how developers can keep making something there is not a demand for.  Developers are going to build houses if there is people looking for new houses.  They are going to build if there is demand/ not build if there is not demand.  At the time there is no demand (bad economy or whatever), so maybe we should not be building houses.  The fee makes perfect sense and is appropriate.  These politicians talk about balancing the budget, but turn down strategies such as the fee.  Stop feeding me shit and calling it pudding!