Anna Maria looks at permit fee schedule
By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
If you're thinking of building, remodeling, reconstructing or repairing a home or business in Anna Maria, putting up a sign or fence, or demolishing a building, you might want to move quickly on that idea.
City commissioners at their Dec. 9 work session gave consensus for an ordinance to charge a slew of permit fees for services currently given for free by the city. In addition, a number of other fees would increase.
Building permit fees would be $50 prior to the start of construction, but $19 per $1,000 of valuation. Anyone starting construction without a permit would be charged $28 per $1,000 of valuation.
Other proposed fees include:
- $50 for a banner application.
- $50 for a sign permit.
- $50 for a fence permit.
- $40 for a duplicate permit placard.
- $100 for a contractor or permit transfer.
- $200 for a residential demolition permit.
- $500 for a commercial demolition permit.
Fees for a special use, special exemption, site-plan approval, appeals, and vacating a right of way would include:
- $500 for variance request or amendment by violator.
- $500 for beach renourishment application.
- $500 to appeal stormwater assessment fee.
- $1,000 for petition to vacate a right of way.
- $3,000 for an amendment and rezone application.
- $6,000 for comprehensive plan amendment.
- $500 for variance with a development application.
- $500 for site-plan approval.
- $500 for a special use, alcohol permit.
Commissioner Carol Ann Magill did object to the proposed $500 fee to appeal a stormwater assessment, noting the cost to appeal was much greater than the proposed annual stormwater assessment. The commission agreed to lower that figure when the draft ordinance is presented.
Mayor SueLynn said that according to City Attorney Jim Dye, the best way to implement the fee schedule is to write an ordinance allowing the commission to set or change the fees by resolution. Otherwise, every time the commission wants to change or add a fee, a new ordinance would be required.
SueLynn noted the city has not in the past charged for a number of services that other Island and beach cities such as Holmes Beach and Longboat Key have routinely charged.
The commission consensus was to proceed with the ordinance, although it probably wouldn't be ready for a first reading until February or March.
The fee schedule must undergo two public hearings before it can be adopted. |
