Submitted By: Jasmine Dieguez
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Presentation By: Jeff Shrum
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Department: Growth Management
FORMAL TITLE:
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Contract with JRD & Associates to perform a Growth Management Department fee study pertaining to development and building permit fees, with a not-to-exceed amount of $91,546
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OCALA'S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Fiscally Sustainable, Operational Excellence
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
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BACKGROUND:
The City of Ocala's Growth Management Department is seeking approval to utilize JRD & Associates under the Federal Government Services Administration (GSA) competitively awarded Professional Services Contract (GS-10F-0265Y) to study and recommend modifications to the current adopted fee schedule and associated processes to ensure compliance with state law.
Recent state legislative actions have resulted in House Bills (HB) 399 and 803, which impose specific requirements on the City to evaluate the language, methodologies, and fee amounts related to development, building permitting, and inspections. Having a consultant with expertise in conducting fee studies will ensure a professional, comprehensive, and unbiased evaluation of our fee schedule for compliance with state law and minimize the impact on staff as they perform their regular duties. The recent legislation regarding local government fees includes:
* HB 399, approved by Governor DeSantis on March 27, 2026. Development Fees - This bill requires: "The amount of any application fee associated with a development permit or development order must reasonably relate to the direct and reasonable indirect costs associated with the review, processing, and final disposition of the application and must be published on the municipality's fee schedule. The fee may not be based on a percentage of construction costs, site costs, or project valuation."
o Effective Date: January 1, 2027.
* HB 803, approved by Governor DeSantis on May 6, 2026. Building Permit Fees - This bill requires local go...
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