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Proposed Ordinance Amending Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services Capital Facilities Impact Fees Ordinance
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BRIEF OVERVIEW
On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners gave direction to further discuss an increase in the current Hernando County Fire/EMS impact fees in the Hernando County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 23, Article III, Divisions I-VI. A demonstrated-need study was performed due to the financial ramifications from consolidation of Fire/EMS services with City of Brooksville. This study justifies increases in the impact fee rates that require the County to exceed the phase-in limitations set forth in Fla. Stat. § 163.31801(6)(b)-(e) in that:
recalculation of the County Fire/EMS impact fees’ rates are required in order to ensure that they satisfy the dual rational nexus test;
rate recalculations demonstrate that significant increases in acquisition, construction, and land costs have occurred since the most recent study;
severe revenue losses would be suffered if the County Fire/EMS impact fees are not immediately increased.
Prior to the adoption of this proposed impact fee increase, two publicly noticed workshops dedicated to the extraordinary circumstances necessitating the need to exceed the phase-in limitations were held on August 11 and August 25, 2026.
Based upon the findings and conclusions of the 2026 Impact Fee Study, and considering the public’s input from the workshops, staff recommends that the Board find that the County has experienced the above-delineated extraordinary circumstances that justify the need to exceed the statutory phase-in limitations set forth in Fla. Stat. § 163.31801(6), and that it is in the best interests of the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Hernando County to impose the updated County Fire/EMS impact fee rates by adopting the attached proposed ordinance.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES
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FINANCIAL IMPACT
Significant impacts may be realized such as increased ...
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