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:
Fees for a special use, special exemption, site-plan approval, appeals, and vacating a right of way would include:
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. |
