- November 22, 2024
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Averting a months-long stalemate with the Flagler County Commission, the school district says it has agreed to a phased-in impact fee proposal, which slashes its Aug. 17 proposed increase in half for single-family homes.
Based on a demonstrated need study, the School Board had voted in August to raise impact fees for school expansion from $3,600 on single family homes to $7,175.
After meeting with county staff and the Flagler Home Builders Association, which had opposed the increase, Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt said the “working group” agreed to an initial impact fee on single-family homes at $5,450.
But Annamaria Long, the executive officer of the Flagler HBA, said there are still details to be worked out.
“We're almost there with an agreement,” Long said. “We're still working with the school district. We're 90% there. We're happy to be having the conversation. We look forward to coming to a full and final conclusion.”
School impact fees are a one-time levy assessed on new construction to help pay for future school expansion based on projected student growth. The district's last impact fee increase was adopted 17 years ago.
District staff drew up a resolution detailing the new proposal, which also recommends increasing the impact fees on single-family homes by $500 when county enrollment increases by 500 students, based on the state’s October survey count of students for full-time equivalent funding. The county's enrollment increase would be evaluated annually.
The resolution also calls for an increase in multi-family unit impact fees from $1,066 to $1,360. Impact fees for mobile homes would increase from $1,066 to $2,150. The district’s Aug. 17 proposal was $1,774 for multi-family units and $5,279 for mobile homes.
Under the new phased-in proposal, multi-family unit impact fees would increase $125 and mobile-home impact fees would increase $850 with an enrollment increase of 500 students.
Mittelstadt presented the resolution to the board at its Feb. 1 agenda workshop. Board Chair Trevor Tucker scheduled a special meeting on Feb. 9 for the Board to officially approve the resolution, which will then be sent to the County Commission to be added to its agenda.
The initial impact fee increases would begin on Sept. 1 of this year.
Mittlestadt said she was very encouraged with the district’s collaboration with the county and the HBA.
In a phone interview Feb. 2, Long agreed.
“We are happy and pleased the conversation has been open to us,” Long said. “We look forward to working together in the future (with the school district). It's the best thing for students and tax payers.”
At the agenda workshop, School Board member Jill Woolbright said, “We’re all in this together, so to be able to come up with an agreement is a big win.”
With the impact fee stalemate apparently headed toward resolution, district staff also presented the board with a request to hire Schenkel Schultz Architecture to oversee an expansion and renovation to Matanzas High School, which would provide 380 additional student stations.
The firm's proposal would include a two-story, 20,000-square-foot classroom building, a pre-engineered metal building for athletic amenities and campus renovations. The firm’s estimated cost for the project is $1,372,100. It would be scheduled for completion in August, 2024.
After hearing comments from School Board members, Dave Freeman, the district’s director of plant services, said changes would be made to the contract by the end of the week in an effort to have it approved at the Feb. 15 board meeting.
