Coronavirus Florida: North Port to reduce building permit fees to aid businesses

NORTH PORT — The North Port City Commission directed the city manager and city attorney on Tuesday to draft an ordinance that would reduce building permit fees by 25%.

The fees are used to fund the city building department.

Mayor Debbie McDowell suggested that City Manager Peter Lear institute the reduction as soon as possible to provide some relief for businesses in the pandemic.

That order could be ready as soon as Friday though the commission would still have to vote on ordinances to codify the reduction once the COVID-19 state of emergency ends.

The idea grew out of a discussion the board had May 7 about a letter it received from the Coalition of Business Associations — a regional group that includes The Argus Foundation Economic Development Corporation of Sarasota County, as well as regional chambers and business associations. It suggested steps the city of North Port could take to help businesses reopen during the pandemic and remain in operation.

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Most of the suggestions involved waiving permitting fees, expediting permit approvals and waiving business license tax payments for August and September.

The commission balked at waiving business license fees because that would have slashed about $130,000 from the city’s economic development budget but provide only nominal relief to individual businesses.

Instead, it looked to reducing building permit fees, which now generate more revenue than the building department needs to function.

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The ordinance would reduce the fees for the current fiscal year — something that would likely carry over into the 2020-21 budget year.

In other action on Tuesday, the City Commission:

• Purchased a single-family home in the Myakkahatchee Creek Greenway area for $212,000. The city has targeted another 14 lots with structures and 57 vacant lots for purchase to both create a greenway and ease flooding concerns.

• Approved spending $50,000 from its contingency fund on an economic feasibility study to determine what types of businesses should be targeted for relocation to the city.

• Approved, on a 4-1 vote, a change in the stormwater maintenance code that no longer requires residents to maintain the drainage right of way in front of their homes during the rainy season. McDowell voted against the change because residents must still mow the right of way during the dry season.

• Confirmed that the city plans to host a July 4 fireworks display either at CoolToday Park, as it did in 2019, or possibly at North Port High School. Lear said all possibilities are being explored, including one where people would park in their cars and view the display. He said he has no intention of canceling the display, which is one of the city’s signature events.