Fort Myers council tables resolution to waive city building permit fees after industry and oversight committee pushback

The Fort Myers City Council voted on Nov. 3 to table a staff-backed resolution that would have waived city building permit fees for city projects after pushback from the building industry and the city's Building & Oversight Committee.

Steve Belling, the city's Community Development director, presented the proposal and told council the building permit enterprise fund currently holds a balance of over $13 million. He said state law limits how much may be retained and that the oversight committee had previously approved an 18-month reserve target for the fund. "That fund is restricted specifically to building permitting uses: staff, equipment, computers, software, salaries," Belling said (00:47:54).

Philip Ford, executive director of the local Building Industry Association and a member of BizOC, told council the oversight committee was not properly consulted and urged postponement. "Anything that does with this fund needs to come to this committee before it goes," Ford said (00:30:54). He added the fund "goes up and it comes down" and asked council to send the matter back to the committee so industry representatives and staff can craft a shared approach.

Councilmember Diana Geraldo moved to accept the oversight committee's recommendation and have staff work with the committee to return with proposed language; after discussion the amended motion failed. A subsequent motion to table the resolution for further staff-and-committee work passed unanimously on a roll-call vote (motion to table: moved by Councilmember Bong; seconded by Councilmember Watkins Brown; final roll-call: Bong Yes; Watkins Brown Yes; Geraldo Yes; Bochette Yes; Berson Yes; Mayor Anderson Yes) (08:28:39' 08:31:12).

Councilmembers emphasized the need for more information and a clearer process. "It will be important that this committee is aware of any of the waivers and is regularly in the meetings be provided with that information," Geraldo said (08:01:26). Several councilmembers asked staff and finance to provide detailed fiscal impact data before any final action.

The item is now set for continued discussion; council directed staff to meet with the Building & Oversight Committee and return at a future meeting with incorporated recommendations and financial analysis.