OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Mobility fees for new development in Osceola County will soon be among the highest in the state.
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Osceola County’s Board of County Commissioners voted 4-1 on Monday to increase mobility fees.
Mobility fees are a one-time charge assessed to new developments and paid for by developers for their impacts on the local transportation network.
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The county estimates they have more than $6 billion worth of future transportation needs which would equate to $214 million dollars annually for the next 21 years.
Commissioners said the mobility fee increase was long overdue and necessary to alleviate pressure on the transportation grid.
“If you traveled around Osceola County, you know, we have roads to build, and we have no other funding mechanism to be able to build,” said Osceola County Commissioner, Ricky Booth.
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Under the new plan, mobility fees for a single family homes in the county will more than double going from $9,999 to $21,710.
Fees for commercial development will also increase. New restaurant developments that include drive throughs will see their fees increase over 1000 percent.
Wes Robbins with Greater Orlando Builders Association said he believes high fees will stifle commercial development, but his biggest concern is housing affordability
“The increase in fees for them [multi-family developers] is also going to be passed along to the renter. So as they develop more and more properties, the fees are just going to go up month by month,” said Robbins.
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Robbins told Channel 9 he believes the fees are exorbitant and questioned the study that developed the new fee schedule.
“Nobody’s denying the fact that we have issues with our roads and traffic here in this county, and we need to have some changes with the increasing of these mobility fees. We’re just questioning the way that it was done,” said Robbins.
After lengthy conversation commissioners did carve out exceptions, allowing for certain affordable housing developments to have their mobility fees waived.
Commissioners also extended the time period for getting grandfathered in with the old fee scheduled.
If developers file for permits before May 18th, 2025 and the permits are picked up by June 18th, 2025, the old fee schedule will apply.
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