Councilman Clark to sponsor new 3-year Mobility Plan fee moratorium legislation

[Debbie Thompson]

Council members, I don't understand.  The City Council wisely passes a mobility fee to encourage transportation development and then right away the developers and special interests start attacking it.  And instead of standing up to them, the Council proceeds to cave in and place a moratorium on it.  And now, Councilman Clark wants to extend the moratorium?  Like I said, I don't understand.

All you have to do is look at Atlanta and see how MARTA encouraged the development in the downtown and midtown areas, and Buckhead.  Look at Portland and their street cars.  Gosh, look even farther back at San Francisco.  Streetcars and light rail encourage urban core development, while Suburbal Sprawl = Urban Blight.

Jax 2025 was clear.  People want downtown to be a destination.  Mayor Brown committed to working on a vibrant downtown.  The first thing the fee should be used for is to build a streetcar line out to Springfield to begin to enourage development in that emerging neighborhood.  (If you build it, they will come.)  Next, it should go out to Brooklyn/Riverside.  And then it should go to San Marco.  All those lines should connect to light rail. 

I oppose Ordinance 2013-0094.  I encourage you to stand up to suburban sprawl and special interests and get this fee going as soon as possible.

Sincerely, Debbie Thompson

[Jumpinjack]

From my understanding of the bill, it appears to grandfather any development which gets its building permits or is in a subdivision or a portion of a subdivision that gets its permits during this period of temporary waiver.
If that reading is correct, then future construction will also be exempt from the mobility fee beyond the three years.

[sheclown]

Council members,

I am writing in opposition to CM Clark's Ordinance 2013-0094.

The mobility fee had a hard fight to get into legislation.  Then it had another fight against the first moratorium.  Now, it once again battles special interest groups who wish to enact a three-year moratorium on the fee which will only encourage suburban sprawl.

Give downtown a chance.

Give the mobility fee a chance.

The "little people" of Jacksonville deserve nothing less.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

You can refer to Ordinance 2013-0094 when writing/calling/emailing the City Council and Mayor your disapproval and/or disgust at Clark's new moratorium bill.

http://cityclts.coj.net/coj/COJbillDetail.asp?F=2013-0094\Original%20Text

C'mon Metro-Jacksonvillians, let 'em have it!

Am I reading this wrong or does this bill ONLY waive the fees for SFR?

[strider]

You can refer to Ordinance 2013-0094 when writing/calling/emailing the City Council and Mayor your disapproval and/or disgust at Clark's new moratorium bill.

http://cityclts.coj.net/coj/COJbillDetail.asp?F=2013-0094\Original%20Text

C'mon Metro-Jacksonvillians, let 'em have it!

Am I reading this wrong or does this bill ONLY waive the fees for SFR?

Ahh, that would be a no (or yes, you are reading it wrong!).  In fact, funny you should say that as a developer building in Springfield under the current mobility fee would have to pay little if any fee. The mobility fee has increased fees for the suburban development that cost us tax payers in road and utility improvements while rewarding the developer who builds in the Urban areas.

[jcjohnpaint]

Yeah as I see it- The bill isn't against developers, it is against developers building responsibly. 

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

[Bridges]

Ok, so as I'm reading it:

1.  The mobility fee waiver last year was not long enough to allow it to have an effect (But I guess 3 months of the fee are enough to determine it's detrimental impact?)

2.  This only applies to single family residential developments? 

3.  Any Single family subdivision development that is granted a waiver under the moratorium, can have their fees waived for additional sfr built in subdivision after the moratorium has been lifted?

Am I off here?  It seems like they've found a niche they think they can work.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

This is the way I was reading it as well.

[strider]

The moratorium would be in effect for all new development, not just single family oriented development.  Strip malls, office complex, ETC would not have to pay the fee.

I think the single family thing is just a plus for the developers.  The way I understand it is that the entire development gets accessed a fee. That fee is payable per home built.  If a developer starts a 500 unit development and only 50 units get built during the three year moratorium, then they get the fee waived  forever on the remaining 450 units.

[thelakelander]

I think the single family thing is just a plus for the developers.  The way I understand it is that the entire development gets accessed a fee. That fee is payable per home built.  If a developer starts a 500 unit development and only 50 units get built during the three year moratorium, then they get the fee waived forever on the remaining 450 units.

Wow, what a huge FU to the taxpayer.  Also, I thought the proposal was a short term thing because of the current market.  Read into the details and you find out this stuff isn't short term, it could go on for decades.  I'm speechless to the disregard for the average Joe Blow just trying to survive.

[RiversideLoki]

Wow, what a huge FU to the taxpayer.

Isn't this the entire purpose of the current city council? Emails away, boys!

[jcjohnpaint]

email sent

[sheclown]

I think the single family thing is just a plus for the developers.  The way I understand it is that the entire development gets accessed a fee. That fee is payable per home built.  If a developer starts a 500 unit development and only 50 units get built during the three year moratorium, then they get the fee waived forever on the remaining 450 units.

Wow, what a huge FU to the taxpayer.  Also, I thought the proposal was a short term thing because of the current market.  Read into the details and you find out this stuff isn't short term, it could go on for decades.  I'm speechless to the disregard for the average Joe Blow just trying to survive.

The average Joe Blow needs to MAKE HIS VOICE HEARD.

Email.  Email.  Email.

Clay@coj.net
WBishop@coj.net
RClark@coj.net
Redman@coj.net
LBoyer@coj.net
MattS@coj.net
Gaffney@coj.net
EDLee@coj.net
WAJones@coj.net
RBrown@coj.net
Holt@coj.net
Doylec@coj.net
Gulliford@coj.net
JimLove@coj.net

[thelakelander]

I'll be running an editorial I've written on this issue as the front page story tomorrow.