Our company is in the process of developing a large apartment complex in the Orlando area and we are currently trying to get some relief on the impact fees(all except education.) Has anybody here experienced this problem recently where the local government have given some relief for their area? Our total fees right now are $17,000 per unit.
Ouch! In my experience, they are what they are and you pay them or don't do the project. In one case, I even had the city provide me with water pressure figures to the fire hydrants which were incorrect. I bought the parcel using the figures they gave and my team found out later that the pressure was inadequate. They would not even compensate me by reducing or eliminating some impact fees. My only recourse, sue. Yeah right, that would be just burning more money right!
Sorry I don't have better info or news for you. My situation was experienced in TX, never done FL, so it could possible be different there.
It seems that communities are now understanding the negative impacts of "no growth." When the market was good, the builders and the developers were the bad guys. I have recently found where local governments in FL are now either reducing the fees or placing a moratorium on them for a temporary time period. Since I posted this last, the city council members have started to come around a bit and may be willing to vote on a temp. moratorium. That would save us a great deal of money. It would make it possible to build a project in an economy where few developers are pulling the trigger. It would put many people back to work and give them money to spend in the community, which would keep the small businessman alive. What the local governments need to understand is that this is thier means of contributing to the successful turnaround of the economic conditions we are now facing.
Your welcome, and thanks for your insight and updates as well. That is great news if these local communities leaders will paly ball with us and take on some of the responsibility to recovery.
Let me know how it turns out. I would get back into the developing end if it makes sense again and could get assistance from the agencies.