Council adopts ordinance updating impact-fee procedures ahead of new water plant

The City of West Melbourne adopted Ordinance 2025-24 on Oct. 21, 2025, revising the city code's permit-fee and impact-fee provisions to explicitly authorize and establish procedures for impact fees calculated and collected by the city; the vote was 7-0.

City staff member Mr. Carey said the ordinance is a code cleanup and preparatory step tied to the city’s forthcoming water plant and the need to set a city‑collected water impact fee. He referenced recent state legislative changes discussed in the session, noting the meeting reviewed state action (described in the presentation as “Senate Bill 1080”), and staff concluded the city’s comprehensive plan would not be affected but that the impact-fee code required clearer language and internal procedures.

Carey explained the current code largely relies on impact fees charged and collected by other jurisdictions (county or the city of Melbourne) and that the ordinance adds explicit authority to calculate and collect fees internally and to verify payment electronically for internal city fees, streamlining the building‑permit process. The ordinance was read by title as revising section 18‑272 of the city code; Councilmember Volts moved to approve and Councilmember McGuire seconded. The motion passed 7-0.

Staff said an impact-fee study (to set rates) will be completed before the city’s water system impact fees are implemented, and that the ordinance provides the administrative procedures needed to apply those fees once the water plant and fee study are complete.