Florida district wants to loosen restrictions on use of impact fees

Brevard County school administrators want to be able to spend money from impact fees on construction anywhere in the county.

April 29, 2015

The Brevard County (Fla.) School District is trying to persuade county officials to ease restrictions on how the district can use school impact fees.

Florida Today reports district officials have asked the county to change the rules so that money collected from school impact fees can be used anywhere in the county. The rules now in place divide Brevard County into four zones and keep those funds in the zone where they originate.

The district has proposed building two 850-student elementary schools--one in West Melbourne to open in 2018-19, and one in Viera to open in 2020-21.

To cover the majority of construction costs, School Superintendent Brian Binggeli wants to use school impact fees charged on new residential development.

The county imposes a $4,445 school impact fee on a single-family detached home; $2,794 on a multiple-family unit, a condo or a townhouse; and $2,667 on a mobile home.