BOCC Special Informal Meeting (2025-11-18)

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA Special Informal Meeting November 18, 2025 Convened: 9:28 AM Adjourned: 9:48 AM 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 9:28 AM by Chair Jamie Fowler, District No. 4. Present Commissioner Jamie Fowler, District 4; Commissioner Larry Leet, District 2; Commissioner James Clasby, District 1; Commissioner Erin Lowry, District 3; Commissioner Cathy Townsend, District 5 Also Present Katherine Barbieri, Interim County Attorney George Landry, County Administrator Mayte Santamaria, Deputy County Administrator Michelle R. Miller, Clerk and Comptroller Erick Gill, Communications Director Benjamin Balcer, Planning & Development Services Director Joseph Sabater, Sr. Management Analyst Kori Benton, Planning & Development Services Planning & Zoning Manager Nilgün Kamp, Consultant of Benesch Sydney Halleran, Agenda Coordinator Vera Smith, Deputy Clerk Recording Secretary 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. St. Lucie County Multi-Modal Impact Fee Study and Rate Discussion Benjamin Balcer, Planning & Development Services Director, Joseph Sabater, Sr. Management Analyst, Kori Benton, Planning & Zoning Manager, and Nilgün Kamp, Impact Fee Consultant with Benesch, presented this item to the Board. Staff provided an updated overview meeting of the progression of the 2025 multi-modal impact fee study, background, and proposed rates and method of implementation. The County first adopted road impact fees in 1985 to ensure new development contributes proportionately to the transportation system and impacts. The County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, ranked 7 th out of the 67 counties, and 13th statewide in residential permitting, with significant population growth. The County's road impacts update was completed in 2022, and the adopted rates were capped at 50% and discounted to 75% of that rate. The county’s impact fees only apply to impacts on state and roadways, and are based

BOCC Special Meeting Tuesday, November 18, 2025 9:01 AM 2 | P a g e on vehicle miles traveled, which results in a 60% discount in Port St. Lucie and a 3% discount in Fort Pierce due to travel characteristics. The County has existing interlocal agreements with the cities of Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie that streamline collection, for developers to pay the permitting agency rather than multiple jurisdictions. The cities remit the County's portion of the fees back to the County after they take a 4% administrative fee. The Board previously directed staff to complete an updated multi-modal road impact fee study for three reasons. First, the construction costs and population growth have significantly exceeded the assumptions used in the 2022 study. Second, extraordinary circumstances analysis demonstrates conditions that justify updating the study ahead of the typical statutory cycle and exceeding the normal 50% cap at the will of the Board. Third, the update ensures the use of the most recent available data, including the Institute of Transportation Engineers' 12th edition, published in August 2025. Staff provided a summary of the Board's direction over the past year. On December 10, 2024, the Board received options from the impact fee consultant and staff for mobility, multi-modal, and road impact fees, and direction was provided to update the study. On February 4, 2025, the Board approved a contract with Benesch to update the impact fee study. At a special meeting on June 10, 2025, the Board indicated interest in moving forward with a multi-modal fee option, providing the County with more flexibility on how impact fee funding is spent. On August 19, 2025, the Board continued the first reading of the ordinance to September 16, 2025, and the Board directed staff to hold this special meeting and schedule the second reading of the multi-modal impact fee ordinance on December 2, 2025. The public engagement efforts included two extraordinary circumstances workshops held on July 17, 2025, and August 19, 2025. The Planning & Zoning Commission held a public hearing on July 17, 2025, and voted 4-1 recommending approval of the studies' recommended rates. A virtual public input meeting for any interested stakeholders was held on September 10, 2025. In addition to the statutory workshops, meetings have been held with multiple stakeholder groups, including the Treasure Coast Builders Association, SLC Citizens’ Budget Committee, SLC Realtors Association, and the Kings Highway Corridor Association. All the study files and supporting materials have been publicly available on the County's impact fee update web page (https://www.stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/county- administration/innovation-and-performance/impact-fees/impact-fee-updates). Staff advised that in June, the Board directed staff to create a two-tiered, multi-modal impact fee, which used the Urban Service Boundary (USB) as a dividing line between the urban and rural rates. The fee differentials are based on the travel conditions and the Level of Service (LOS). The study's recommended rate for a new single-family home less than 2,400 sq. ft. displayed $12,273 per dwelling unit in the urban area, which essentially doubles the fee from the current road impact fee rate. Staff noted that the percentage change in each category is inflated, as the Board in 2022 selected a lower rate, considering the economic impact of a potential recession at the time and the effects of COVID-19. The updated study reflects the increased cost of infrastructure and the need to establish a fee structure to support future growth. Staff provided a reminder that reflected Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce rate adjustments based on their vehicle amounts, travel distribution, before applying for the capital improvement credit. In Port St Lucie, the recommended rates are approximately 38% of the studies' recommended urban unincorporated rate. In Fort Pierce, the rates are approximately 90% of the recommended urban unincorporated rate. The adjustments ensure proportionality based on actual travel behavior and use the same methodology the County utilized in the 2022 study, which was reviewed by a third-party

BOCC Special Meeting Tuesday, November 18, 2025 9:01 AM 3 | P a g e transportation engineering firm. During the first reading of the drafted multi-modal impact fee ordinance, staff presented the recommended rates, and the Board provided direction, including adding an industrial park land use code 130 category and increasing rates for general industrial and their relation to job creation in the County. At that time, the Board also discussed the impact on retail, restaurants, and daycare users. Staff requested the Board to provide directions on the acceptable fee rates provided in the updated multi-modal impact fee ordinance for adoption. Staff provided scenarios that included a 50% increase over the existing road impact fee rates, a 25% increase, and the current rates. Some of the rates were notably higher and reflected the current market rate for road impact fees, and did not account for the prior reduction in rates that occurred with prior impact fee ordinances adopted by the Board previously. The scenarios included uses such as daycare centers and retail uses, and restaurants show a significant increase to account for actual travel demand. The 50% increase is the maximum allowable increase without extraordinary circumstances. The 2022 adopted ordinance was adopted at 75% of the 50% cap, and the prior Board significantly discounted the industrial categories. The scenario explained that the discounted rates will carry over using the 50% cap and result in a significantly lower rate than what the study has presented for the recommended rates. Capping the rates at 50% of the current rate results in a discount of just over $3,500 for a single-family detached home, less than 3,499 square feet; a discount of $12,516 for every 1,000 square feet of a new daycare center space, a discount of $47,278 for every 1,000 square feet of new restaurant space and a discount of $1,453 for every 1,000 square feet of a new industrial park space. The increased rates of 25% of the current rate result in additional discounts from the study's recommended rates, carry over from the Board's prior discounted rates, and significantly discounted rates for industrial uses and daycare uses. The 25% increase scenario produced rates that are still below those of the 2022 road impact fee study recommended rates. The estimated cost of constructing a County road was $4.2 million per lane mile, versus the current rate of $6.2 million. Staff provided an overview of the implementation of the phasing in of the updated rates from the first reading. Options were provided should the Board decide to implement the studies' recommended rates immediately or phase in the increase over four years. Staff reviewed the immediate implementation of the 50% increase over the current impact fee rates, as well as phasing in that amount over two years. Should the Board decide to increase the rates by only 25%, staff recommended that the increase be implemented at one time and not phased in, as the increases are relatively small in comparison. Staff recommended the Board provide direction on the projected Multi-Modal Impact Fee rates and implementation schedule, or phasing-in of the anticipated rates, prior to scheduling the 2nd Reading of the Draft Multi-Modal Road Impact Fee Ordinance for the December 2, 2025, regularly scheduled BOCC meeting. The Board discussed implementing a 50% impact fee cap starting in October 2026, phased in over four years. The Board considered a 25% cap on Multi-Purpose Recreational Centers (435) and Restaurants (931) due to their importance in community activities and tourism. The Board discussed their opposition to implementing road impact fees, the need for youth activities in the community, and more research before implementation. There was a suggestion made to explore options to assist other municipalities with CRAs, such as matching any moratoriums on impact fees in those areas.

BOCC Special Meeting Tuesday, November 18, 2025 9:01 AM 4 | P a g e Mayte Santamaria, Deputy County Administrator, commented and clarified that for the Multi- Purpose Recreational Centers (435), at the full calculated rate, it is $53,615 per 1,000 sq. ft., and at the 50% cap, it is significantly less at $2,127 per 1,000 sq. ft., and for the Restaurant (931), it is identical at the full calculated rate $53,615 per 1,000 sq. ft., and at the 50% cap, it is $5,887 per 1,000 sq. ft. She advised if the Board chose to discount anything, justification and documentation would be needed. George Landry County Administrator clarified the Board’s discussion with a tentative consensus to implement the 50% cap except for a 25% cap specifically for Multi-Purpose Recreational Centers (435) and Restaurants (931), with research for justification and adding to the record, and suggesting a four-year phase-in to begin in October 2026. Staff will present the final draft to the Board in December during the final reading and adoption. The Board agreed. 4. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS The Board had no questions, comments, or updates on this item. 5. MOTION TO ADJOURN With no other information to be brought for consideration before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 9:48 AM. Please note: Final minutes are recorded in the official minute books filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, which are available for inspection upon request. (Full Audio is Available Upon Request)