A consultant is recommending local Florida cities increase impact fees by 219 percent to deal with budget deficits.
"James Nicholas, a professor of urban planning and law at the University of Florida and an expert on impact fees, says there are no laws governing impact fees or how they are charged. Instead, legal decisions drive standards for impact fees... 'The courts have said impact fees must be reasonable, and in Florida, we talk about the fees being fair and proportionate,' explains Nicholas. 'But the devil is in the details. When does a fee become unreasonable or disproportionate? You can't look it up in an encyclopedia.' "
Thanks to Chris Steins
FULL STORY: Sudden impact
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