[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Goldwingnut

I don’t know where you came up with that load of horse manure but it is completely false. The Villages, just like every other builder in the county includes impact fees in all new home sales. Note I use the term “includes” as the developer, just like every other business in the world, does not pay taxes or fees, they collect them from their customers and passes them on the the respective governmental body.

I say this with 100% confidence as i have purchased 2 new homes in The Villages in the last 12 years and then closing documents all included the impact fees on the closing sheet and also as a County Commissioner who has spent the last 4 years in up to my ears dealing with impact fees and every other aspect of the county budget.

That being said, state statutes mandates a discounted impact fee for age restricted communities of 60%. The Villages and every other age restricted community in Sumter County qualifies for this discounted rate.

The Villages age restricted, (on paper) now that’s statement.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

The Villages age restricted, (on paper) now that’s statement.

HUMOR-we used to have fake ID saying we were older. McDonalds'now some zit faced kid just sells me a senior coffee. Before we moved here I would need a friend to explain senior joke to me. HUH? Now I understand them and tell them. That insurance company ad-we can't prevent you turning into your parents. It is annoying. Some zit faced kid from McDonalds wrote the ad?

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by BillyGrown

Impact fees aren’t for the general fund, but they can be used for a host of budget items. Building infrastructure like police stations fire stations , libraries and even parks can all be done with the fees. Also the fees can be used for maintenance of all those facilities as well as many others resources. Fees can be used for all sorts of studies. They can’t be used for general salaries. Any county in Florida is permitted to set their rates as seen fit.

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Impact fees cannot be used for most of the things mentioned, at least not properly.

Originally Posted by BillyGrown

I understand you have a right to your own interpretation. Here is the applicable statute. The funds can be used for A-LOT of things.

https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/0163.31801

Finally had a chance to look this over. A couple of sections to note (highlights added):

(2) The Legislature finds that impact fees are an important source of revenue for a local government to use in funding the infrastructure necessitated by new growth. The Legislature further finds that impact fees are an outgrowth of the home rule power of a local government to provide certain services within its jurisdiction. Due to the growth of impact fee collections and local governments’ reliance on impact fees, it is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that, when a county or municipality adopts an impact fee by ordinance or a special district adopts an impact fee by resolution, the governing authority complies with this section.

(3)(b) “Infrastructure” means a fixed capital expenditure or fixed capital outlay, excluding the cost of repairs or maintenance, associated with the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of public facilities that have a life expectancy of at least 5 years; related land acquisition, land improvement, design, engineering, and permitting costs; and other related construction costs required to bring the public facility into service. The term also includes a fire department vehicle, an emergency medical service vehicle, a sheriff’s office vehicle, a police department vehicle, a school bus as defined in s. 1006.25, and the equipment necessary to outfit the vehicle or bus for its official use. For independent special fire control districts, the term includes new facilities as defined in s. 191.009(4).

So impact fees can be used to build public facilities and infrastructure necessitated by new growth.

Impact fees CANNOT be used for maintenance of those facilities and impact fees CANNOT be used for “all sorts of studies” unless those studies are directly related to the building of a facility necessitated by new growth.

To the best of my knowledge Sumter County only collects a road impact fee so fire stations, police stations, and parks cannot be funded by Sumter County impact fees at this time.