Per Clay County Ordinance No. 2017-29, a new residential development must contribute its fair share of the cost of capital improvements to the public educational system via school impact fees.  A public school impact fee is collected from the contractor/builder/developer and payment is made to the entity issuing a building permit at the time a request for electrical power clearance is made. This applies to Clay County and associated municipalities.  Fees may only be expended for capital improvements and new school facility construction as delineated in the Impact Fee Ordinance.

Per Clay County Ordinance, periodic evaluation of public school impact fees is required.  Current fees were set in 2005 based on a supplement of the 2-mill Ad Valorem tax and various state new construction funding streams.  There has been no increase in over seventeen (17) years despite the reduction of the Ad Valorem tax to 1.5-mill and no new state construction funding.  Inflation is at a forty (40) year high and the cost of construction has significantly increased since pre-pandemic levels.  The county is experiencing significant to unprecedented current and future growth; therefore, the District must be able to keep up with the growth.

Previous Impact Fee Technical Reports were presented to the SBCC and BCC in 2009, 2013 (2011 Report) and 2017.  Previous recommendations were not approved and met with status quo votes.  The economic downturn and cost burdens for developers/builders/contractors on new housing construction were cited as reasoning.

The right to levy impact fees is part of the police powers assigned to the Clay County Board of Commissioners (BCC).  In 2017, public school impact fees along with the latest Technical Report appeared before the BCC.  Based on School Board recommendation, the BCC approved continuation (status quo) of the impact fees with no change to the impact fee schedule.  It is expected that the School Board will support the recommendation of the latest Educational System Impact Fee Study, approve the study, resolution, and incrementally increase the impact fee schedule as allowed by law.

Ensure effective management of the organization, operations, and facilities to maximize the use of resources and promote a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment for Clay County students. 

Approve the 2022 Educational System Impact Fee Study and the Resolution supporting the recommendation of the study.