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Tampa Council OKs Big Increase In Building Permit Fees

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 16, 2008

TAMPA - The cost of building or renovating a house, condo, subdivision or business in the city is going to get more expensive in the next two years.

Today, the city council approved an ordinance that will increase building permit fees for residential and commercial construction beginning Jan 1.

A property owner building a three-bedroom, two-bathroom, 2,800-square-foot house now about pays $1,206 in permit fees. Under the new fee structure, they will pay $1,662.

A 5,000-square-foot convenience store with a carwash now pays about $2,995 in fees. After the change, it will pay about $4,591 for a building permit.

The vote was 5 to 1, with Councilman Joseph Caetano casting the dissenting vote, saying he couldn't support increasing fees given the economic slowdown.

"I can't support this right now," Caetano said. "We're going downhill."

Councilwoman Mary Mulhern was absent.

This is the second permit increase in the past two years. In 2007, the council raised residential permit fees by 10 percent and commercial permit fees by 75 percent.

The move is aimed at allowing the city's construction services department to become more self-sufficient while reducing the burden on the dwindling general fund.

"This is about development paying for itself," said Cynthia Miller, director of the city's growth management and development services department.

She said the fee increases have the support of the city's building associations.

Miller said the current system of funding construction services with general fund revenue means that taxpayers have been subsidizing construction. Roughly 65 percent of the building department's $12 million budget comes from the general fund, she said.

In many other governments, including Hillsborough County, building permit fees cover all costs for inspectors and the building department.

"It's not fair that existing homeowners have been covering two-thirds of the cost for building permits," Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena said.

City officials expect to increase building permit rates again in 2010.

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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