GREEN COVE SPRINGS – After getting some pushback from residents, the Northeast Florida Builders Association and the Reinhold Corporation, the Board of County Commissioners decided Tuesday to delay its final vote on a one-time comprehensive impact fee to pay and maintain future projects.

While Chairman Mike Bolla said he was ready to approve the ordinance, none of the other four commissioners would second the motion. Commissioner Jim Renninger then made a motion for a continuance so the county could host a workshop to dig deeper into the numbers. That motion passed, 4-1.

The comprehensive plan calls for an additional $181 million in projects through 2040. Of that, more than $83.26 million would be raised in a one-time fee that would be calculated for each dwelling unit or by 1000 square feet of retail, commercial and industrial space for new construction that would be charged at the building permit stage.

The fees would be used to fund facilities that are needed to serve the new development through the expansion of existing facilities, the building of new facilities, and additions to the vehicle fleet.

“The reason we’re in trouble right now with the infrastructure is we haven’t been charging enough money for people to come in here,” Bolla said. “We’ve vetted this thing for a year now, on and off. We haven’t had a formal workshop.”

Renniger didn’t suggest there wasn’t a need for an impact fee. He said the county must explore other factors, like the projected cost of land – which would garner property taxes – 20 years from now.

“This is a very important issue. Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “This is probably the most important issue we’re going to make in my tenure on the commission. If you’re going to poke at the future, we need to come up with real numbers.”

The vote was pushed back to the Dec. 13 meeting. The board said it would host a public workshop before then.

In other business, the board decided to hold a public hearing at the Nov. 9 meeting on an ordinance that would grandfather the provision that exempted businesses already established in the retail sales of dogs and cats prior to March 31. The new ordinance would make it illegal for any retail commercial establishment to sell dogs or cats.

Also, the BCC agreed with Kiewit Infrastructure South Company for Construction Management at Rish services for the Bonded Transportation Program on Sandridge Road from Henley Road to County Road 209. Work to widen the road to three lanes, add sidewalks and bike lanes and a closed drainage system is expected to start in two months and be completed by March 2025.

The county staff will begin negotiations with Capital City Consulting, Public Affairs Consultants, the Fiorentino Group and the Southern Group to see which lobbying group will represent the county in Tallahassee.